Standing Rules of the National Association of Veterans' Program Administrators

Adopted October 25, 1989

SUMMARY

These Standing Rules have been established and adopted to govern the day to day operation of the Association. These Standing Rules can be amended or rescinded by a majority vote of the General Membership or the Board of Directors. A Standing Rule can not be amended or rescinded at the same meeting at which it was adopted. Standing Rules may be amended in any of the following forms:

By inserting one or more words in a certain rule. (Rule designated by number).

By adding one or more words in a certain rule.

By striking out one or more words in a certain rule and inserting one or more words in their place.

By substituting a certain rule for another one on the same subject.

By rescinding an entire rule.

By revision of the rules.

The Standing Rules listed in this Index are the current Standing Rules established by NAVPA. All other Standing Rules both written and oral are hereby rescinded this date.

INDEX

FOCUS OF ORGANIZATION

The focus of this organization shall be on education as mandated by the general membership and adopted by the Board of Directors.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee Chairpersons are responsible for reporting all the activities of each commit-tee in writing, for incorporating available data into committee reports, and for compiling and distributing information to each Board Member.

DUTIES OF BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

Failure on the part of any Committee Chairperson and/or Board Member to perform their duties or to attend scheduled Board Meetings without just cause may be considered by the Board as neglect of duties and grounds for removal from office and/or the Board of Directors.

DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION

All materials and information mailed out by the Board as a body or by individual Board Members to the Board shall also be mailed to Board Alternates.

TREASURER'S REPORT

The Treasurer shall be bonded in the amount of $100,000 or in the amount of the worth of the Association, whichever is greater. Other members may also be bonded as the Association deems appropriate.

An outgoing Treasurer shall, no later than January 31 of the year following his/her retirement from office, turn over all books, records, previous tax documents, bank statements, and other pertinent papers to the incoming Treasurer. The books shall be complete through the end of the year, so that the new Treasurer may immediately begin an accurate accounting of the finances of the Association.

The Association shall keep its financial assets in the care of a reputable financial institution. This institution must be able to issue a debit/credit card to the Association for use in payment of obligations incurred and must also be willing and able to issue multiple copies of monthly statements. No other credit cards will be authorized by the Association.

Monthly bank statements are to be received and reviewed by the Treasurer and the President. Further distribution of these statements on a regular basis may also be authorized at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

The Association's federal tax form 990 must be prepared in a timely manner by a professional accountant who is not a member of the Association.

The Treasurer shall have an internal audit of all Association financial records on a semi-annual basis, and shall submit said records along with the audit report to the incoming Treasurer of the Association within thirty (30) days of the beginning of each corporate year. Copies of membership applications and renewals, as well as copies of conference registration forms, shall always be sent to the Treasurer with payments. The Treasurer shall be required to record in the General Ledger not just the amount of each check received, but specifically whose membership/registration each was meant to pay. Cash payment of conference registration fees shall not be accepted and that fact shall be clearly stated on the Conference Registration form.

COALITION

NAVPA supports the spirit of coalition but does not approve any public statement being made on any issue without NAVPA's prior approval.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

It is the responsibility of each Officer of the Executive Committee and of each Committee Chairperson, both standing and special, to develop a narrative of the responsibilities, duties, and functions of the position which they fill to include a statement of the goals, activities, and accomplishments of each, as well as any recommendations deemed necessary and fit. These narratives are to be kept on an on-going basis by each succeeding officer and chairperson and are to be passed to the incumbent in each position for the purposes of transition and coordination, and for consistency in the direction of the Board in governing the Association.

ALTERNATES TO THE BOARD

It is the responsibility of each Board member who is unable to attend a regularly scheduled Board of Directors Meeting to notify his/her Alternate Delegate in sufficient time for that Alternate Delegate to make travel arrangements. The Alternate may fill the Board Member's absence without filing a proxy. This policy is established to insure maximum representation to the Board from each region, and to assure that Alternates are best informed about the Board's conduct of business on an on-going basis. Alternates are encouraged to attend all Board Meetings.

NAVPA RULES OF MEMBERSHIP

Dues are collected on an annual basis and are valid for one calendar year beginning each January 1 and ending each December 31.

All members shall be issued a membership card with the expiration date of current membership indicated. This card may be used to establish membership status and voting privileges.

A certificate for display shall be issued to each NAVPA institutional, individual, or associate member, upon request.

Members delinquent in payment of their dues shall have no right to vote or to hold office until dues are current.

Each voting member may be represented by proxy at the Business Meeting portion of the Annual Conference.

Dues are subject to change by a majority vote of the General Membership.

NAVPA TRAVEL POLICY

SECTION I - POLICY

1. Travel funds must be properly budgeted by the Finance Committee at the beginning of each fiscal year.

2. Travel must be authorized by the Finance Committee as outlined in this policy.

3. Reimbursements shall be made to authorized persons when:

(a) Travel funds are available.

(b) A request for authorization of travel has been submitted and appropriately approved as in Section II of this policy.

(c) A Travel Expense report has been completed and submitted to the Finance Committee Chair and the Treasurer, accompanied by original receipts as required by Section II of this policy, and

(d) The Travel Expense report submitted has been duly approved and verified as outlined in Section II of this policy.

4. Payment for any portion of authorized travel will be made only when required original receipts are presented with the Travel Expense Report. Failure to provide original receipts will result in non-payment for that portion of the expenses.

5. Reimbursement for travel shall be made only in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth in this document and under the provisions of NAVPA's By-Laws.

6. Original copies of all travel authorizations and expense reports with receipts shall be maintained by the Treasurer and shall become a part of the organization's official re-cords of financial business.

7. Travel to the Association's Annual or Mid-Year Conference shall not be considered for reimbursement to any Board Member or Association Member.

8. All persons incurring travel expenses on behalf of the Association for which reimbursement is expected must submit a Travel Expense Report with required receipts within thirty (30) days of the actual occurrence. Persons not complying with this requirement must be notified by the Finance Committee that the required documentation has not been received. If the matter is not resolved by the next scheduled Board Meet-ing, the Board of Directors should take appropriate action to resolve this issue.

SECTION II - PROCEDURES

1. Persons who will incur travel expenses while on official NAVPA business, and who wish to be reimbursed for those expenses, must:

(a) Submit to the Finance Committee a Request for Authorization of Travel at least ten (10) working days prior to departure (in extraordinary circumstances, the Finance Committee may waive this requirement).

(b) Collect and present original receipts as required in Section III of this policy.

(c) Complete in its entirety a Travel Expense Report, attach original receipts, and present the completed form to the Finance Committee Chair for approval.

2. Upon receipt of a Request for Authorization of Travel, the Finance Committee will verify that travel funds are available and that the request is in compliance with NAVPA policies concerning travel. The Chair of the Finance Committee and the Treasurer will sign the form and return a copy to the requestor. If travel cannot be approved, the re-quest will be returned to the originator with an explanation of the problems encountered.

3. Upon receipt of a completed Travel Expense Report, the Finance Committee Chair will:

(a) Verify that required original receipts are attached.

(b) Verify that voucher expenses match those outlined in the Request for Authorization of Travel.

(c) Sign the form and forward, with receipts, to the Treasurer for approval and payment, or return the form, with receipts, to the requestor with a letter of explanation of the problems encountered. The Treasurer should receive a copy of any such letter.

4. Upon receipt of an approved Travel Expense Report from the Finance Committee Chair, the Treasurer will:

(a) Verify that appropriate documentation for payment has been received.

(b) Prepare a check for payment and forward it to the Finance Committee Chair for co-signature and disbursement.

(c) Retain the Request for Authorization of Travel, the Travel Expense Report, and original receipts for the Association's official financial records.

5. Members of the Executive Committee often travel and the travel expense is partially or fully reimbursed by another agency. (Example: Commission to Assess VA Education Policy, or VA Administrators Advisory Committee). It is the policy of NAVPA to allow the transportation expense to be charged to NAVPA, with reimbursement to the NAVPA Treasury within five (5) days of receipt of the agency reimbursement. To be eligible under this policy, travel must be approved by three (3) of the four (4) Executive Committee Members.

6. In the event that the person requesting travel reimbursement is the Chair of the Finance Committee, the President or the Secretary shall perform the functions outlined above in place of the Chair.

SECTION III - REIMBURSEMENT

1. A traveler will be reimbursed for the actual cost of the hotel room and meals plus a per diem of Thirty Dollars ($30) a day.

2. Original receipts are required for reimbursement for:

(a) Travel by a common carrier (i.e. airline, train, etc.).

(b) Lodging.

(c) Registration fees.

When these expenses are charged to the Association's American Express Account debit card, both the lodging/carrier receipts and the charge receipts are required.

3. An amount of Fifty Dollars ($50) per trip is set to cover incidental travel expenses (i.e. parking, taxi, telephone, etc.) with no receipts required for reimbursement. In the event that such expenses exceed $50, original receipts will be required for reimbursement, to include:

(a) Ground Transportation.

(b) Long distance telephone calls (business only).

(c) Telegrams and Fax (business only).

(d) Automobile rental.

(e) Other costs which have prior approval.

4. Privately owned automobiles may be used for NAVPA travel. It is the responsibility of the Finance Committee, not the traveler, to determine whether a private automobile is to be used.

(a) Individuals driving privately owned automobiles for NAVPA business must possess minimum insurance coverage required by the state in which the vehicle is registered.

(b) Mileage will be reimbursed at a rate consistent with prevailing Federal travel rates with the total reimbursement not to exceed the price of a round-trip coach fare airline ticket to the same destination when travel is between cities.

5. Under no circumstances will the Association reimbursement any non-business expenses which might be incurred.

BOARD MEETINGS

There shall be three (3) NAVPA Board of Directors Meetings scheduled per year. These meetings shall be scheduled as follows:

1st Meeting Within 72 hours following the Annual Conference, and at the site of that Conference.

2nd Meeting Mid-Year (about April) and at a site to be determined by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

3rd Meeting Immediately preceding the Annual Conference and at the site of that Conference.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE SITES

Sites for the Annual Conference shall be selected two years prior to the conference dates, and shall be chosen during the Annual Conference by a majority vote of the general membership.

STRUCTURE OF BUSINESS MEETINGS

Business meetings shall be structured with a published agenda which will be strictly followed, and the order of business shall include:

The filing of written reports by each Committee Chairperson and the oral presentation of such reports to the membership for discussion and acceptance.

The reading of resolutions by the membership with adequate time allowed for discussion and action.

The agenda for the business meeting, the committee reports, and items of old business will be published and distributed in the registration packets at the Annual Conference.

ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

The Elections Committee will be a sub-committee under the Internal Affairs Committee. The Elections Committee will have the following responsibilities.

Mailing out requests for nominations each year for those who wish to be on the Board of Directors and for distributing a tentative slate for each region at the start of the conference.

Conducting all elections during the Business Meetings and the election of officers during the Board of Directors Meeting.

Collecting and announcing election results for each region to the NAVPA membership.

The elections during the Business Meetings and the Board of Directors Meetings will be conducted by the Elections Committee Chair.