Oklahoma Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers

Article I. Fees

A. Each member institution shall pay an institutional membership fee according to the following   schedule.
 

The institutional enrollment as considered in determining membership fees shall be the total collegiate head-count officially reported by institutions each fall to the Oklahoma State Regents.  The secretary-treasurer shall bill each member institution for membership dues approximately sixty days before the annual meeting date.  Funds shall be used by the executive committee to defray expenses of the annual meeting and any interim expenses incurred by the committee in conducting the business of the Association.  Expenses at the rate of $10.00 per day will be provided for Executive Committee meetings, chairs of any standing committees or task forces or other resource persons necessary to the conduct of business and to reimburse them at the rate of $10.00 per day.

B. Associate Member Fees:  Each associate member shall pay an annual fee of $20.00.  The fee is due and payable at the time of the annual meeting and covers the membership for the following fiscal year.  

C. Registration Fees:  Each eligible individual from a member institution (See Article II) shall pay a registration fee at the time of registration for the annual meeting.  The amount of the fee shall be determined annually by the executive committee of OACRAO and the amount published in all announcements of the annual meeting sent to member institutions.

D. Fiscal Year Operating Budget:  Definition: Fiscal Year--the operating year that commences upon adjournment of the annual meeting.

The Administrative operating budget for the new fiscal year is to be approved by a majority vote of the institutional voting representatives present at the annual meeting.  The administrative budget is to be prepared by the secretary-treasurer with recommendations from each area represented on the executive committee.

The bank account balance at the beginning of the new fiscal year is to be large enough to cover the approved budget for the new fiscal year.

Article II.  Meeting

The Association shall hold an annual meeting.  The meeting shall be planned by the Executive Committee.  Only members and associate members may participate in OACRAO sponsored activities unless specifically invited by the OACRAO Executive Committee.

There shall be no one-day registration fee for the annual meeting. The registration fee will include functions throughout the entire annual meeting, excluding the pre-conference workshop.

There shall be a separate registration fee for an annual meeting pre-conference workshop.  Persons registering for the pre-conference workshop, but not the annual meeting, shall not receive conference packets and materials nor shall they participate in any part of the annual meeting, including newcomer functions. Non-members may attend the pre-conference workshop only. Separate registration fees are required for non-members and members. This fee for non-members will include the regular pre-conference fee, the conference registration fee and the minimum institutional membership dues.

There shall be no additional fees for a newcomer workshop or function held exclusively for newcomers at the annual meeting. New OACRAO members or those attending the annual meeting for the first time may register for the newcomer workshop and functions.

Article III.  Election of Officers

Section 1.  Association officers shall be elected in the business session held during the annual meeting.  The committee on Nominations and Elections shall announce its slate of nominees in advance of the annual meeting through the Association newsletter.  Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the business meeting.

Section 2.  The Committee on Nominations and Elections shall consist of three members who will select candidates for nomination to Association offices.  The current sitting committee will solicit from the membership nominees for next year’s Nominations and Elections Committee.  The Nominations and Elections Committee will make every reasonable effort to reflect among the candidates selected the variety of personal and professional characteristics represented in the membership such as professional area of responsibility, gender, ethnicity, state and institutional type.  The deadline for nominations to the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be November 15.  The current committee shall choose five nominees for Nominations and Elections Committee membership and will mail a ballot to the designated voting representative at each member institution by January 15.  Voting representatives will be instructed to vote for three persons on the ballot and return it to the current committee chair by February 15. The three persons receiving the largest number of votes will constitute the Nominations and Elections Committee for the following year with the person receiving the largest number of votes serving as chair.  The fourth and fifth persons on the ballot shall be designated as Alternate Number One and Alternate Number Two according to the number of votes received.  In the event any member of the committee is unable to serve, the chair shall select replacement from the alternates in the order of their designation.  (No member shall be eligible to serve again on the committee until one year has elapsed.)  The committee chair shall work with and report directly to the president.  After election to committee membership and during service to the committee, a member of the committee shall not be considered for nomination to an Association office nor become eligible for such consideration by resigning from the committee.  A list of those elected to the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be published via electronic format following February 15.

Section 3.  A deadline of June 1 shall be set for nominations for Association Officers.  Nominating is not restricted to the institution’s voting member.  Any individual listed on the annual membership form from each institution is eligible to submit nominations for an Association office to the Nominations and Elections Committee.

The committee will meet in August to select a final slate of nominees for the Association offices.  It shall be the responsibility of the Nominations and Elections Committee to select a balanced slate of Association officers to present at the annual meeting.  The Nominations and Elections Committee shall take into consideration such factors as the number of nominations received by an individual from the membership, his/her professional area of responsibility, gender, ethnicity, state and institutional type so that the slate truly reflects the persons and professional characteristics of the membership.  The chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall insure each nominee for office is contacted to determine a willingness to stand for election (and to secure a list of state, regional and national association activities.)

While the Nominations and Elections Committee will file a report of activities and the slate of candidates selected with the Association’s executive committee, it (they) shall be responsible directly to the membership.

Article IV.  Amendments

These bylaws may be amended at any annual meeting by a majority vote of the members present.

Article V.  Awards and Recognition

Awards and recognition may be presented on behalf of the Association at the annual meeting in the form of a mounted plaque, under three categories:

I. Honorary Membership:  Individuals no longer eligible for active membership in the Association may be recommended by continued affiliation as honorary members.  This honor is reserved for persons retiring or leaving the profession, who have made significant contributions to the admissions and records professions and to OACRAO.

Recognition will be based upon consideration of many factors, including, but not limited to the following:
1. Nominee service to the admissions and records profession for a substantial period of his or her career.
2. Regular attendance at OACRAO meetings.
3.  OACRAO officer, committee service or program participant.
4. Participation in state (OACRAO), regional (SACRAO) and national (AACRAO) activities.  Emphasis will be placed on OACRAO activities.
5.  Other professional activities, publications, etc.

Recognition may be given to retiring individuals in their last year prior to retirement if they formally announce retirement.  Otherwise, honorary membership will be conferred in the year following retirement.

II. Distinguished Service Award:  This award is conferred for distinguished service to OACRAO. The nominee for this award must be an active member of OACRAO who has contributed significantly to the Association, and to higher education in Oklahoma.  Nominations are to be submitted to the executive committee and only one nomination will be accepted from each member institution.  The award is not mandatory and the executive committee is not required to make the award if in their opinion, it is not merited in a particular year.

III. Certificate of Appreciation:  This recognition is for non-OACRAO members who have made a special contribution, direct or indirect, to OACRAO activities.  For example, a direct contribution would be a speaker, consultant or program participant, such as a special guest representing SACRAO or AACRAO.  An indirect contribution might be one of financial support or a sponsorship.

Revised 10/03/2008