By-Laws of the South Dakota Speech-Language-Hearing Association 

(Revised 10/2022)

Download the current SDSLHA By-Laws here

ARTICLE I

Name
The name of this organization shall be the South Dakota Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

ARTICLE II

Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of this Association shall be:
      A. To promote speech and hearing as a science and as a profession.
B. To encourage basic scientific study of the processes of communication and promote investigation of communicative disorders.     
C. To stimulate the exchange and dissemination of information pertaining to speech, language, hearing, swallowing,  and related disorders.
D. To encourage and foster the growth of professional services for individuals with speech, language, hearing, swallowing and related disorders.
E. To promote understanding and cooperation among the educational, medical and other related professions, as well as the general public, in the areas of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
F.  To establish and maintain a close relationship with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
G. To promote the prevention of disorders of human communication.
H. To promote high standards and ethics for the academic and clinical preparation of individuals entering the discipline of human communication sciences and disorders.
I.  To promote the acquisition of new knowledge and skill of those within the discipline.
J.  To promote the individual and collective professional interests of the members of the Association.
K. To advocate on behalf of persons with communication and related disorders.


ARTICLE III

Nondiscriminatory Policy
A.   The Association shall not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origins, religion, age, sex, gender expression/gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.  All programs and activities of the Association shall be conducted in furtherance of this policy.


ARTICLE IV

Membership
Section 1. Classes of Membership
The membership of this Association shall consist of three classes: Active Members, Affiliate Members and Life Members. The Association's Executive Council may establish additional classes of membership. 

Section 2. Eligibility
A. Active Member. Active members must hold: (1) a graduate degree with major emphasis in speech-language pathology, audiology, or speech, language, or hearing science; or (2) a graduate degree and present evidence of active research, interest, and performance in the field of human communication; (3) a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology and an active limited license to practice as a speech-language pathologist as defined in SDCL36-37-4; or (4) an Associate's degree in Speech-Language Pathology Assisting or a Bachelor's degree with major emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology or Communication Disorders and an active license to practice as a speech-language pathologist assistant as defined in SDCL 36-37-18.
B. Affiliate Member. All students in the areas of Speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology as well as other persons who are interested in promoting the purposes, objectives, and activities of the South Dakota Speech-Language-Hearing Association are eligible for Affiliate Membership. 

C. Life Member. Permanent life membership shall be automatically granted to those who have been both an Active Member in good standing for ten consecutive years and have reached the age of 65. 

Section 3. Membership Privileges 
A. Active Members shall have full membership rights and responsibilities, which include voting and holding office.
B. Affiliate members may attend and participate in all Association meetings and may speak from the floor. They may not vote or serve as an Officer of the Association.

D. Life Members shall have full active membership rights and responsibilities.

ARTICLE V

Dues
A. The annual dues of the Association shall be determined by a majority vote of the Officers of the Association.
B. Life members will not be required to pay dues.

C. Dues may be waived or reduced for members who become totally disabled or experience an extreme catastrophic event as determined by the Board of the Association.

ARTICLE VI

Executive Council
Section 1. Officers of the Association
A. Officers of the Association consist of: President-Elect, President, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President for Speech Pathology, Vice President for Audiology, and Communication Coordinator.

B. Officers shall be Active Members of the Association.

Section 2. Composition of Executive Council
The Executive Council shall consist of eight members as follows:
A. President, who shall be the Chief Elected Officer of the Association and serve as Chair of the Executive Council and preside over all regular business meetings of the Association and the Executive Council.
B. President-Elect, who shall preside over all meetings of the Association and the Executive Council in the absence or disability of the President and shall succeed to the Presidency upon completion of his/her term as President-Elect.
C. Past-President
D. Secretary
E. Treasurer
F. Communication Coordinator
G. Vice President for Speech-Language Pathology

H. Vice President for Audiology

Section 3. Terms of Office, Nominations, and Elections
A. Terms of Office
The term of office shall be from 1 January to 31 December and shall be as designated below or until a successor can be elected:
President:  one year
President-Elect:  one year
Past-President:  one year
Vice-President of SLP:  two years
Vice-President of Audiology:  two years
Secretary:  two years
Treasurer:  two years

Communication Coordinator:  two years

     B. Nomination and Election Process
a. The Committee on Nominations shall submit a slate of nominees for Association office to the voting membership at the annual business meeting.
b. Further nominations may be made from the floor.
c. Election shall be by electronic or non-electronic ballot made available by the Secretary to the entire active membership following the annual business meeting.

d. Requirement for election shall be a plurality of the votes cast by the Active Members.

     C. Vacancies
a. A vacancy in any position of the Officers of the Association shall be filled in accordance with the following procedures:
i. If the vacancy is in the presidency, the President-Elect shall automatically become President for the remainder of that term and for the term for which elected.
ii. If the vacancy is in the office of President-Elect, the Officers of the Association shall elect an active member of the association to fulfill the duties and obligations of the office, but such person shall not succeed to the presidency. At the next election, a President and a President-Elect shall be elected via separate elections.
iii. If the vacancy occurs in the office of Past-President, the last former President willing to serve shall complete the unexpired portion of the term.

iv. If a vacancy occurs with the Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President of Speech Language Pathology, Vice President of Audiology or Communications Director, the Officers of the Association shall elect an active member to complete the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 4. Removal From Office
Any elected Officer of the Association may be removed from office via the following procedures:

A. by a majority vote of the current Officers of the Association,
B. by a written petition signed by 2% of the members of the Association on the last annual count and approval of the petition as indicated by two-thirds vote of returned electronic or non-electronic ballots by the members of the Association,
C. An Officer will be removed if no longer a member in good standing of the Association.

Section 5. Executive Council Meetings, quorum, and powers and duties
     A. Meetings
a.  Annual meetings of the Executive Council shall be held each year at a time and place as determined by the Executive Council. Special meetings may be held at any other time when necessary and called by the President.  The Executive Council, committees, working groups and other entities may conduct business by electronic or non-electronic means including mail, telephone, fax, computer, or other appropriate means provided that all members have access to the information and/or debate through one or more of the means listed.
 
     B. Quorum

a. A quorum of the Executive Council shall consist of a majority of the Officers of the Association. If it is impossible to assemble quorum, business of the Executive Council may be conducted electronically, by mail or phone.

C. Powers and Duties

a. The Executive Council shall exercise management of the affairs of the Association and shall be the financial and business instrument of the Association.  It is the body to which all officers and committees of the Association report and are immediately responsible. Its duties shall be executive and it is empowered to perform all such duties as are set forth elsewhere in the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. Its actions in matters of business shall be referred to the membership for final approval, either at the annual meeting or by electronic or non-electronic ballot. Executive Council decisions may be reached only by majority vote of the Officers of the Association. 

ARTICLE VII

Committees
The Officers of the Association shall establish and dissolve standing committees, working groups and other entities necessary to conduct the Association’s business, as well as change the designation, member qualifications and terms as they see fit.

ARTICLE VIII

Publications
The Association shall publish, electronically or non-electronically, on-going  communications, a directory of the membership roll, and such other publications approved by the Executive Council. All members in good standing shall receive the Association’s publications without additional charge. The Association shall use electronic communication and other means of technology to encourage memberships and participation in the association, and disseminate professional information as the need arises throughout the year.

ARTICLE IX

Association Honors
Section 1. Honors of the Association
A. The Honors of the Association shall be conferred on a member by a three-fourths vote of the Officers of the Association.

B. Honors of the Association shall be conferred in recognition of distinguished contributions to the Association or to the field of Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology, or speech and hearing science, and is the highest honor the Association can give.

ARTICLE X

Meetings

The meetings of the Association shall be held annually at the time and place designated by the Executive Council. The program of each annual meeting shall consist of at least one business meeting of the Association.

ARTICLE XI

Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and to the extent they are consistent with these Bylaws, the Articles of Incorporation, or with any policies or rules of order the Association may adopt.

ARTICLE XII

Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics of the South Dakota Speech-Language-Hearing Association shall be the Code of Ethics of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The Code of Ethics shall contain principles of professional and scientific responsibilities by which Members shall be bound. All members of the South Dakota Speech-Language-Hearing Association shall agree to be governed by the Code of Ethics of the Association, which is the Code of Ethics of the American Speech Language Hearing Association. Any violations shall be brought to the Code of Ethics Committee for action.  Charges of violations shall be presented in writing to the Code of Ethics Committee. After proper investigation, if the Code of Ethics Committee finds the charges warranted, it may issue warning to the member in question. If the warning is disregarded, or if the nature of the violation is such as to render warning inappropriate, the Code of Ethics Committee may take disciplinary action. The accused Member may present a statement in his or her behalf to the Code of Ethics Committee; but, if no statement is offered, the Code of Ethics Committee may act without it.

ARTICLE XIII

Amendments and Revisions
Section 1.
Amendments to the Bylaws or Articles of Incorporation shall be proposed through either of the following procedures:

A. By written petition by 2% of the members of the Association based on the last annual count.

B. By two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Council.

Proposed amendments to the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation shall be presented to the membership at least thirty (30) days before they are to be voted upon. Adoption of the proposed amendments to these Bylaws requires one of the following:

A. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Active Members present during the Business Meeting held during the Annual Meeting, or

B. A two-thirds (2/3) vote by Active Members submitting an electronic or non-electronic ballot as directed by the Executive Council.

ARTICLE XIV

Indemnification

The Association shall indemnify all officers; employees; committee; council; and Executive Council members; and all other volunteers of the Association for their activities conducted according to the policies and procedures of the Association, and shall purchase insurance for such indemnification to the extent determined by the Officers of the Association.

ARTICLE XV

Dissolution
This Association may be dissolved in accordance with law.  Any assets remaining after payment of costs and expenses of the dissolution proceedings, payment of debts, obligations and liabilities of the Association shall be distributed to NSSLHA organizations at South Dakota colleges and universities with recognized graduate programs in Speech Language Pathology and/or Audiology.