National Council on Family Relations
Family Science Section Bylaws - 1998

Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Family Science Section of the National Council on Family Relations.

Article II - Government
The Constitution of the National Council on Family Relations shall govern the Family Science Section in all of its practices. The bylaws of this Section shall not conflict with the Constitution of the National Council on Family Relations. Every amendment to the Constitution of the NCFR shall become effective and binding on this Section.

All members of this Section are governed by the Section's document, "Ethical Principles and Guidelines", and they shall abide by this document and any amendments to it.

Article III - Purpose
The purposes of the Family Science Section are to expand, strengthen, and enhance the family science discipline and profession. This section will focus on the disciplinary and professional concerns rather than subject-based concerns that are the domain of the previously existing interdisciplinary sections.

Article IV - Membership and Finances

Section 1 - Eligibility
Any person holding membership in the NCFR shall be entitled to and shall receive admission to membership in the Family Science Section on certification of current paid membership in NCFR and upon payment of Family Science Section dues.

Section 2 - Termination of Membership
A member whose dues remain unpaid shall be dropped from membership in accordance with the NCFR policies.

Section 3 - Amount of Dues
The annul dues for Section members shall be determined by the membership of the Family Science Section. Annual dues for student Section members shall also be determined by the membership of the Family Science Section.

Section 4 - Payment of Dues
Dues for all members are payable concurrently with NCFR dues, and are paid to NCFR.

Section 5 - Finances
Requests for expenditures shall be referred to the Budget Committee prior to preparation of the annual budget. The Family Science Section shall not be responsible for debts except as authorized by the Executive Committee of the Section.

Article V - Officers

Section 1 - Officers
The officers of this Section shall be a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary/Treasurer. They shall be elected by the members of the Family Science Section. Student members shall not be eligible for these offices. Only students and new professionals are eligible to run for the Student/New Professional Representative.

Section 2 - Duties of Officers

a. Chair - The Chair shall be the official representative of the Section in the activities of the NCFR. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Section and the Executive Committee, and shall call special meetings when necessary. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all committees of the Section, preside over the Program Committee of the Section, and shall perform all other duties pertaining to the office.

b. Vice Chair - The Vice Chair shall preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair, act for the Chair in the Chair's absence or disability and perform such other duties as are requested by the Chair. The primary duties of the Vice Chair shall be to serve as the Chair of the Publications Committee of the Section.

c. Secretary/Treasurer - The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping minutes of meetings and managing the budget of the Section in cooperation with the national headquarters' budget officer.

d. Student/New Professional Representative - The Student/New Professional Representative shall be responsible for serving as a liaison with the NCFR Student/New Professional Representatives and for representing the concerns of student and new professional members of the section.

Section 3 - Election of Officers

a. Nominations - A Nominating Committee shall present a slate of nominees to the Family Science Section biannually at the Section Business Meeting and through the NCFR Report. Candidates for office shall have been section members for a least two years and be current dues-paying members.

b. Election - Voting shall be by ballot and a majority of the votes cast shall be necessary for election. Elections shall be held biannually (even years) by mail through the NCFR office. Each section member shall have one vote. Write-in votes may be made.

Section 4 - Terms of Office
The term of office of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, and Student/New Professional shall each be two years. Officers shall assume office at the close of the Annual NCFR Business Meeting of even number years. No person shall serve to consecutive terms in the same office.

Section 5 - Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy in any office, the Executive Committee shall appoint a member to fill the office for the unexpired term.

Section 6 - Rotation
Any officer who fails to perform his other duties adequately or who otherwise is unable to serve may be relieved of his or her duties by a majority vote of the membership of the Section.

Article VI - Meetings
The annual business meeting shall be held in conjunction with the NCFR Annual Meeting.

Article VII - Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers and student representative of the Family Science Section. Its meetings shall be called at the request of the Chair. The executive Committee has power to act for the section membership between Annual Meetings.

Article VIII - Committees

Section 1 - Standing Committees

a. Program - The Program Committee shall include the Chair and other committee members as appointed by the Chair. This Committee shall be responsible for the planning and implementation of the annual meeting program with consideration given to ideas from the Family Science Section members. In the selection of presentations for the Annual Meeting, the main criteria are presentations dealing with professional and disciplinary concerns or issues and the application of family science principles for practitioners.

b. Budget - The Budget Committee shall include the Secretary/Treasurer as Committee Chair, the Chair, the student representative, and one Family Science Section member as appointed by the Chair of the Budget Committee.

c. Nominating - The Nominating Committee shall be composed of four members, made up of the outgoing officers. This Committee shall prepare the slate of nominees to be voted on by the section members through the NCFR office.

d. Publications - The Publications Committee shall be composed of three members, the Vice Chair as Committee Chair and two additional members elected from the floor at the Annual Meeting. The Committee shall edit the Section newsletter. The Publications Committee shall submit recommendations regarding publications (other than the Section newsletter) to the NCFR Publications Committee for final approval by the NCFR Board of Directors.

Section 2 - Ad Hoc Committees and Focus Groups

a. Ad Hoc Committees - There shall be such ad hoc committees as deemed advisable by the Executive Committee. These special committees shall be appointed by the Chair in consultation with the Executive Committee.

b. Focus Groups - The Section may establish Focus Groups on any topic relevant to the Section's purpose, subject to NCFR bylaws and Section policy guidelines.

Article IX - Rules of Order
The rules contained in Roberts' Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern this section in all parliamentary procedures in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

Article X - Amendments
Provisions by these bylaws not governed by the Constitution of the NCFR may be amended by a majority vote of members in attendance at any annual business meeting of the Section or by mailed ballot.

Note: Please also check NCFR Bylaws and Section policy guidelines for further information related to general governance of the Family Science Section.