Bylaws - The Iowa Association For Behavior Analysis

Bylaws of the Iowa Association for Behavior Analysis

Article I—Name
The name of this organization shall be the Iowa Association for Behavior Analysis. Iowa ABA is a not-for-profit membership organization whose purpose is to promote the specific interests of its members, within the scope of these bylaws.

Article II—Purpose
1. Mission The Iowa Association for Behavior Analysis was created with the mission to serve professional, scientific and educational purposes. Specifically, the organization shall:
(a) Serve as a scientific and professional reference and networking group for its members.
(b) Disseminate information to promote its mission to a wider audience.
(c) Support the development of standards of practice for behavior analysis.
(d) Advise political, legislative and policy-making bodies with respect to all matters pertaining to behavior analysis.
2. DEI Statement The Iowa Association for Applied Behavior Analysis (Iowa ABA) values and encourages diversity, inclusion, and equity in the field of behavior analysis broadly and within the organization specifically. We respect the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of our members and strive to create a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive community of professionals, who honor each person’s unique contributions in the field of behavior analysis, including areas of scientific research, education, practice, advocacy, and the dissemination of information. It is expected that all Iowa ABA members, as well as non- members who participate in Iowa ABA events, to treat one another with respect.

Article III—Membership
1. Categories of Membership
Membership is open to all persons interested in or actively engaged in teaching, research, and/or application of the principles and procedures of behavior analysis. Membership is not restricted to residents of the State of Iowa. Membership shall be in one of three classes:
Full Member: Appropriate for any individual holding a BCBA-D, BCBA, or BCaBA certification. Additionally, it is appropriate for any individual holding a graduate degree in a discipline directly related to or involving behavior analysis and whose professional commitment includes teaching, research, and/or practice in behavior analysis.
Affiliate Member: Appropriate for any individual evidencing interest in the discipline of behavior analysis, but not meeting the requirements for Full or Student membership. Any individual evidencing interest in the discipline of behavioral analysis, but lacking graduate level training in a discipline directly related to behavior analysis or holding BCBA-D, BCBA, or BCaBA certification.
Student Member: Appropriate for any individual pursuing formal training in the discipline of behavior analysis but not yet gainfully employed on at least a half-time basis.
2. Voting
Full and affiliate members in good standing shall be entitled to one vote on all matters brought before the chapter. There shall be no proxy voting.

Article IV—Officers
1. Officers
The officers of the Iowa ABA shall be the president, president-elect, past president, secretary (2 members), treasurer (no term limit), three members at large (each with Year 1 and Year 2 members, for a total of 6 individuals), and one student member. Each board member (with the exception of President positions, the Treasurer which has no term limits, and the Student Member which is only one member) will have two members assigned to the position (Year 1 and Year 2). The Year 2 member will mentor the Year 1 member throughout the year regarding board duties (e.g., committee chair, record keeping, goals/tasks of the organization).
2. Terms of Office
The term of office of the president shall be one year to commence at the conclusion of the meeting presided over by the current president, who shall then assume the office of past president. The office of president elect shall be one year with that individual assuming the office of president the following year followed by a year in the capacity of past president. All open positions will be filled with 2-year terms with the exception of a three year term for President Elect, who will transition to president and then president elect, and a 1 year term for the student member. The student member must be a full- or part-time student at the time of the election. Board Members will maintain active membership during their term.
3. Duties
The president shall preside at all board and member meetings. The president or designee is responsible for the counting of nomination and election ballots, as well as the ballots in any referenda submitted to the voting membership, and shall exercise general supervision over the affairs of the chapter. If the president is unable to preside over a meeting, that responsibility shall fall to the past president. If he or she is unable to preside, the president-elect shall assume the responsibility.. The secretary shall keep the records of the chapter and the board and issue minutes and notice of meetings. The secretary is the chair of the Membership and Publications Committee. The treasurer shall have the responsibility for all chapter funds and shall have authority to disburse these funds for purposes authorized by the board. The treasurer shall keep a record of all money received and all disbursements made and submit an annual report of the chapter’s financial status. He or she shall bring to the attention of the board and the members such matters as are deemed necessary for the appropriate operation of the organization. The treasurer shall chair the financial committee. Members at large, and the student member, shall serve as committee members and chairs, and shall participate in activities of the board as voting members. One Member at Large position is the chair for the Conference Committee. One Member at Large position is the chair for the Legislative Committee. One Member at Large position is responsible for monitoring record keeping (e.g., Google Drive). Board voting may occur electronically (e.g., vote by email) or in person.
4. Replacement
In the event of death, incapacity, or resignation of any officers, the board shall may, by majority vote, appoint a successor to serve until the conclusion of the term of the replaced member.
Any officer or board member may be removed at any time by vote of a majority of members entitled to vote. Removal from the board does not constitute removal from the membership of chapter.
The Board has the power to vote for dismissal of a board member who is not appropriately engaging in the required duties, engaging in unprofessional conduct, or other interfering issues.

Article V—Executive Committee and Board
1. Composition
There shall be an executive committee consisting of the president, president-elect, past president, secretary, and treasurer. The board shall consist of the executive committee and at least three additional members at large elected for staggered two-year terms, and a student member elected for a one year term. None of the officers shall serve simultaneously as members at large of the board. Executive Committee Officers must be full members, and must have been a member of Iowa ABA in good standing for at least a year. No more than 50% of the IABA Executive Committee members may be employed from the same agency. “Agency” includes any and all divisions or programs that are related to the same controlling, oversight, or management organization.
2. Meetings
The board shall meet at least once annually at a time and location deemed appropriate by the president. A meeting of the board may also be called by action of three members of the board who shall notify the remaining members at least two weeks in advance of the proposed meeting, though in an emergency the two weeks’ requirement may be waived if agreed upon by a majority of the board. Records of meetings and board activities shall be permanently retained.
3. Quorum
For purposes of transacting the business of the chapter, a quorum shall consist of four members of the board. Board members may attend meetings remotely (e.g., via Zoom).
4. Removal and Replacement
Members of the board who fail to maintain membership in good standing in the chapter or who fail to attend two consecutive meetings of the board are subject to removal by a majority vote of the remaining members of the board; a board member who has missed two consecutive meetings will be given opportunity to provide explanation for the absences. A tie-vote shall be construed as affirmation for removal. Positions vacated for any reason shall be replaced by a majority vote of the remaining members, such successors to serve until elections occur at the annual business meeting of the chapter. While a position is being filled, the vacant position’s duties will be distributed equally among the remaining board members until an appropriate individual is identified and elected.
5. Chapter Finances
Annually, formal financial reporting shall be made to the membership. All officers and board members shall declare and ensure that they do not profit financially from chapter operations or otherwise have conflicts of interest related to the chapter. Records (both financial and managerial) will be managed electronically using cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive). These records will only be available to board members. Once a new board begins, previous board members will be removed from access.

Article VI—Nominations and Elections
1. Nominations
Each year, the president or his or her designee shall send to all full an electronic nomination ballot for president-elect, student, and for the number of at-large members of the board necessary to complete the voting membership of the board. Every two years nominations for Secretary and treasurer will also be sought. For each office that appears on the nominating Voted on revisions on April 9, 2025 ballot, each full member may propose up to four names and may nominate the same person for more than one office. The president and/or person designated by the president shall count the ballots and shall ask those nominees receiving the largest number of votes for each office if they are willing to stand for election, and shall proceed through the list in the order of vote count until at least two candidates for each office have been obtained. No one may hold two offices at the same time, so if a voting member receives enough nominations for two offices, the president shall request that the individual choose the office for which he or she wishes to be a candidate. After the list of candidates has been determined, the president shall send to all full whose membership dues are paid a ballot for all matters to be voted upon, together with a statement on which the names of the candidates for each office are listed in alphabetical order with brief biographical descriptions. Ballot distribution and voting may be conducted electronically. If voting is being conducted at the time of the annual conference, members who have voting privileges and are not in attendance at the conference may vote electronically prior to or during the conference . Members of the board shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at an election.

2. Terms and Qualifications
Officers and other members of the board shall assume office on the first day after the close of the annual business meeting at which their election is announced. Officers shall hold office until their elected successors assume office in their stead. If there are no nominations for a position, the current member will hold the position until one is identified/elected. All members of the board must be a member in good standing of Iowa ABA for one year prior to service. Officers must be full members of Iowa ABA. A student board member must be a student member of Iowa ABA.

Article VII—Meetings
1. Annual Business Meeting
There shall be at least one annual business meeting of the chapter. Initial notice of the annual business meeting shall be given to all members in good standing not less than one month prior to the scheduled date. Any motions made at the annual business meeting may be passed only by a plurality of the votes cast.
2. Quorum
A quorum at the annual business meeting shall consist of a majority of members in good standing present and voting.
3. Reports
The annual business meeting shall include a report of officer and board activities over the year as well as a financial report.

Article VIII—Committees
1. Committees
All committees are constituted by and operate under the direction and at the pleasure of the board. Each committee and its chair shall be appointed by the board. The chair for each committee shall be a board member of Iowa ABA and shall be appointed for a term of two years (consistent with their board membership term). Each year term begins with the date of the annual conference and ends the day prior to the following year’s annual conference. Committees’ number of members is limited to 10 (ten) individuals. Committee chairs who are in year 2 of their chairmanship will mentor/onboard committee chairs/co-chairs in year 1 of their co-chairmanship. Upon joining a committee, maintaining consistent active participation (e.g., attending meetings, completing assigned tasks) is required. Dismissal of a member from a committee may be done by a committee chair. Dismissal from the committee does not constitute dismissal from IABA. Committee compositions will be majority full members. The committees of the chapter shall consist of such standing committees as may be provided by these bylaws and such special committees as may be established by vote of the board, and may include the following:
2. Membership & Publications
The Membership Committee shall consist of at least two members. The membership committee shall serve to recruit members, engage new members, update membership lists, gather supporting documentation that candidates for officer positions and student membership categories are qualified for those positions and status. This committee will edit, publish, and distribute items designated by the board. The membership and publications committee will monitor social media sites of Iowa ABA. Membership and Publications Committee will monitor IABA’s email and post on social media for community engagement. The Membership and Publications Committee will author and send a quarterly newsletter to the IABA membership, outlining current events in our organization, spotlight of a board member, legislative actions/progress, etc. The committee chair is responsible for presiding over meetings, delegating tasks, monitoring progress toward committee goals, and reporting outcomes to the board.
3. Conference
The primary duty of the Conference Committee shall be organization and management of the chapter’s annual business meeting and CEU opportunities throughout the year including the annual conference. The budget of the Conference Committee shall be presented to the executive committee for approval prior to expenditures. The committee chair is responsible for presiding over meetings, delegating tasks, monitoring budget of conference compared to previous year(s), monitoring progress toward committee goals, and reporting outcomes to the board.
4. Legislative Action
The role of the Legislative Action Committee shall be to advise and assist the board regarding matters involving behavior analysis and governmental entities. Meeting notes from the Legislative Committee must be forwarded to the chair of the Membership and Publications Committee. The Membership and Publications Committee Chair will determine what information needs to be sent to IABA members, and in what manner (e.g., call to action within 24 hours; other relevant information in quarterly newsletters). The committee chair is responsible for presiding over meetings, delegating tasks, monitoring progress toward committee goals, and reporting outcomes to the board. Only full members may participate on the Legislative Action committee.
5. Financial
The financial committee shall advise and identify additional fund raising efforts to support the goals and mission of Iowa ABA. The treasurer must be chair of the financial committee. The treasurer has no term limits.

Article IX—Dues
1. Dues
Dues for the various categories of membership shall be established by a simple majority vote of the board. This action can be rescinded by a three-fifths majority vote of those present and voting at the annual business meeting of the association. In this case the board shall propose an alternate schedule of dues for approval by simple majority of those present and voting.
2. Collection
Dues shall be payable in the time and manner prescribed by the board and published to the membership at large at prior to the due date. Any member who has not paid his or her yearly dues shall not be allowed to vote on any matter presented to the members.
3. Record Keeping
All business records, including financial, will be kept electronically on cloud storage. Records will be retained for at least 7 years.

Article X—Amendments
1. Process
These bylaws may be amended only by a majority of the board of directors at any noticed meeting with at least two-thirds vote of the members voting.
2. October 23, 2014
Article III, Section 1 amended. Updated category descriptions. Removed Family category of membership. Article III, Section 2 amended. Affiliate members may vote. Article IV, Section 2 amended. Positions of president-elect and past-president created. President is elected for 3 years, coming in as president-elect, then moving to president, then moving to past-president. Modified terms of at-large members for the 11/2014 election so that at-large members will, in the future, be staggered as to when they come on and off of the board.
Exceptions for 2014 Elections
In order to accommodate changes to terms in the bylaws and to stagger future open positions, the election to be held in Nov, 2014 is approved by the board to be conducted with the following terms and positions. There will be no past president for one year. In order to fulfill the executive committee, the president may appoint one of the members at large to serve in that capacity for one year. A president will be elected to serve one year and to remain as past president the following year. One at large position will be a three year term only for the 2014 election in order to stagger future openings.
3. January 8, 2015
Article VI, Section 1 amended. Affiliate members may vote and nominate. This was voted on 10/23/2014 but was changed only in Article II, Section 2. This revision brought the by-laws into alignment with the 10/23/2014 vote. Article VIII, Section 1 amended. Chairs of committees shall be full members of Iowa ABA.
4. April 9, 2015
Article III, Section 1 amended to make more clear that Full Member status is appropriate for any of the listed certifications or a relevant graduate degree. Article VIII, Section 1-5 amended. Language stating that the chair of committees is board-appointed was present in Sections 2-5 (each individual committee). To be more concise, that language has been moved to Section 1. Chair terms of service (1 year) was added to Section 1.
5. July 10, 2018
Article IV section 1 amended to divide secretary-treasurer to two roles, secretary and treasurer. Article IV section 2 amended to add length of student board member at 1 year. Article IV section 3 amended to reflect the division of the secretary and treasurer roles. Article V section 1 amended to divide secretary-treasurer to two roles, secretary and treasurer, and add a student member to the composition of the board. Article VI section 2 amended to reflect that a student board member must also be a student member of Iowa ABA. Language was removed indicating the student board member could be appointed, but is not a voting member. The student board member will be a voting member.
6. July 9, 2020
Article IV section 4 amended to add word “shall” to provide the option of board to replace an officer when necessary.
7. October 7th, 2020
Article IV section 1 amend to add wording to reflect additional board members Article IV section 3 amend to reflect secretary and treasurer duties Article VI section 1 amend to add students and treasurer Article VIII section 8 amend to reflect duties of conference committee Article VIII section 6 amend to add financial committee
8. April 9, 2025
All articles updated for clarity and to allow electronic methods for voting, ballots, and other business. Board composition and terms changed. Membership committee merged with publication committee. Renamed program committee to conference committee.

Voted on revisions on April 9, 2025