CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
(As amended and adopted, March 1950; and as further amended, March 1964; April 1965; April 1990)
I. NAME
This organization shall be called "The Tennessee College Association."
II. PURPOSE
The purpose of the association shall be the advancement of the cause of higher education by the promotion of interests common to the colleges of Tennessee. The Tennessee College Association shall not seek, directly or indirectly, to control or supervise the program or the development of any member institution.
III. MEMBERSHIP
1. Active membership. All institutions of higher education in the state of Tennessee (colleges and universities, teachers' colleges, junior colleges, professional and technological schools) that are in sympathy with the purpose and ideals of the Tennessee College Association and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, are eligible to be considered for active membership.
It is understood that an institution of higher education applying for active membership must be incorporated as a nonprofit organization, must offer work clearly above the secondary level, and must publish periodically a catalog listing degrees of its faculty, curricular offerings, and other information concerning the institution.
2. Associate membership. Education, civic, religious, and other organizations concerned with higher education in Tennessee and in sympathy with the purposes and ideals of the Tennessee College Association are eligible to be considered for associate membership.
IV. ADMISSION
Application for active or associate membership shall be made to the Executive Committee at least three months before the annual meeting of the Association. Upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, an institution may be admitted as an active member, and an organization may be admitted as an associate member, by a two-thirds vote of the active members represented at the annual meeting of the Association.
V. REPRESENTATION AND VOTING
1. Voting power. Each active member institution in the Association is entitled to one voting representative — either its president or some staff member designated to act in his stead. Voting by proxy is not permitted.
Associate members are not entitled to vote.
2. Eligibility to hold office. All institutions admitted to active membership shall have full privileges including holding offices and serving on committees. However, only persons belonging to the administrative staff or faculty of an active membership institution shall be eligible to hold an office or committee appointment.
Representatives of associate member organizations are not eligible to hold any office or committee appointment.
3. Delegates. Both active member institutions and associate member organizations may send to the meetings any number of visiting delegates who shall be privileged to participate in the discussions.
4. Failure to send representatives. Any active member institution that fails to send a representative to two successive annual meetings and offers no explanation of such failure is automatically dropped from membership.
VI. OFFICERS
The officers of the Association shall be a President, a President-elect, and a Secretary-Treasurer.
The President-elect and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected at annual meetings of the Association, the President-elect for a term of one year and the Secretary-Treasurer for a term of three years or until his successor is chosen.
The President-elect upon completion of his term of one year shall automatically become President for a term of one year or until his successor is chosen.
VII. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, retiring President, President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and two other members elected annually by the Association.
The Executive Committee shall select the place for the annual meeting, call special meetings when necessary, prepare programs, and take charge of the business of the Association.
VIII. MEETINGS
The Association shall hold an annual meeting, the date and place to be determined by the Executive Committee.
The Executive committee is required to call a special meeting of the Association when requested in writing to do so by one-third of the active member institutions. Notice of a special meeting shall be sent out at least ten days in advance of the convening date.
IX. QUORUM
The presence at any meeting of an official representative from a majority of the active member institutions of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
X. POWERS
All acts of the Association pertaining to questions of policy and administration on the part of the members are assumed to be of an advisory nature.
XI. FINANCES
To meet the expenses of the Association, each active and associate member shall be assessed annual dues, the amount to be determined by the Association on recommendation of the Executive Committee.
Any member that fails to pay the annual dues without a satisfactory explanation of such failure is automatically dropped from membership in the Association.
XII. AMENDMENTS
The Constitution may be amended only by a majority vote of all active members of the Association, these members being present and voting thereof.
Notice of a proposed amendment must be given through the Secretary to all active member institutions at least one month before the annual meeting.
BYLAWS
I. COMMITTEES
1. Committee on Nominations. A temporary committee, consisting of three or more members, whose duty it shall be to nominate officers and members of the Executive Committee for the ensuing year.
2. Committee on Resolutions. A temporary committee whose duty it shall be to draft resolutions on such matters as may be specifically referred to it by the Association.
3. Committee on Auditing the Treasurer's Accounts. A temporary committee, consisting of three or more members, whose duties shall be to audit the report of the Secretary-Treasurer.
II. REPORTS
All committee reports shall be in writing. For the assistance of the Secretary, all motions and resolutions, when requested, shall be presented in writing by the person who made the motion or resolution.
III. PUBLICITY
Institutions that hold membership in the Tennessee College Association may publish this fact in their catalog and other publicity materials distributed to the public. However, if a member institution does publish such information it should make clear in its publicity materials that the affiliation is simply one of membership in an organization working for the betterment of education in this State, and not a token or proof of accreditation by the Tennessee College Association.
IV. AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended only by a majority vote of all active members of the Association, these members being present and voting thereof.