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TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS

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TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS

BY-LAWS

Adopted March 10, 1978. Amended April 6, 1979; May 2, 1980; October 14, 1988; October 11, 1991; October 4, 1995; October 4, 2002; September 21, 2017; October 7, 2021

ARTICLE I

Name and Purpose


Section 1.The name of this association shall be the TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.

Section 2.The purpose of the organization shall be:

  1. To unite in one association all persons engaged in the practice of social work in schools or in social work education.

  1. To maintain and improve standards in the field of school social work.

  1. To encourage the interpretation and promotion of school social work.

  1. To coordinate school social work activities.

  1. To share ideas, techniques, and research which will help promote professional competency of social work in educational settings.

  1. To disseminate information and focus public attention on issues that affect the educational development of all students.

  1. To foster cohesiveness among the membership and to further the goals and objectives of the Association.


ARTICLE II

Membership and Dues

Section 1.The membership of the association shall be composed of persons meeting one of the following criteria:

  1. Those who are currently providing social work services in the schools.

  1. Those who are involved in social work education.

  1. Those who are students majoring in school social work.

  1. Those who are retired from the field of school social work.

  1. Non-voting associate members who are currently employed in related pupil personnel services areas such as school nurses, school psychologists, guidance counselors, attendance supervisors.

Section 2.Applications for membership in this Association shall be made to the treasurer. Membership must be renewed by payment of dues each year.  The membership year shall run from September 1 to August 31.

Section 3.All dues, fees, and assessments for this Association shall be recommended by the Executive Board, with the approval of the majority of membership in attendance at the annual meeting.  Students, retired members, and associate members’ dues will be one-half (½) of the regular membership dues. 

Section 4.Non-payment of annual dues sixty (60) days following the beginning of the membership year shall constitute termination of membership in the Association. Prior to terminating membership, the treasurer shall notify each delinquent member.


ARTICLE III

Officers and Elections

Section 1.The officers shall be the President, the President-Elect, who shall serve as Program Chairperson, the Secretary, who shall reside in the same area as the President-Elect, the Treasurer, and one (1) representative from each of the five (5) districts.  In the absence of the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, and the Treasurer, in that order, shall be empowered to carry out the duties as Acting President.  In the event of vacancies in the other offices, the President or the Acting President shall be empowered to make appointments to fill the vacancies, with the approval of the other members of the Executive Board. 

Section 2.The Executive Board shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the immediate past President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the five (5) District Representatives, the Legislative Liaison, the Technology Liaison, and the Historian.  An Executive Board Member may also hold more than one position at the discretion of the President-Elect and the Nominating Committee.

Section 3.The President and President-Elect shall serve terms of one (1) year and shall not succeed themselves, except that the President-Elect succeeding to the office of President before the expiration of the term shall serve a full term in addition to the unexpired term of the President who was replaced.  The Secretary shall serve for one (1) year.  The Treasurer shall serve a term of three (3) years; may be elected from any of the five (5) districts; and may be eligible to succeed him or herself.  The five (5) District Representatives shall each serve a term of two (2) years and shall be eligible to succeed themselves. (Exception: During the first year of the Association, representatives from four (4) of the districts served a one-year term). 

Section 4.It shall be the duty of the President to appoint a nominating committee to prepare a slate of officers to present to the membership, with nominations coming from each district for District Representatives.  At the first annual business meeting, nominations for all offices are to be made from the floor with election of those receiving the majority vote of those present.

Section 5.Non-attendance by Executive Board members or their designees at three consecutive Board meetings shall be cause for automatic removal.  The Secretary will inform any Board member of his or her second consecutive absence. All vacancies in unexpired terms of Officers and District Representatives shall be filled by appointment by the President or Acting President with the approval of the other members of the Executive Board.  Persons so chosen shall serve until the term expires. 


ARTICLE IV

Committees

Section 1.The committees of this Association shall consist of such standing committees or chairpersons as are provided by these bylaws and such special committees as may by authorized by the Executive Board or by the membership at any duly constituted meeting.  Committees shall serve for the term of the President. Special committees, as the President may deem necessary, may be appointed.  These special committees shall exist no longer than the term of the President. 

Section 2.All standing committees shall be appointed by the incoming President with the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 3. There shall be established a nominating committee that shall be composed of representatives in districts whose terms expire in a given year.  In addition, the district represented by the incoming President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer will provide the Chairperson of the nominating committee for that year.  The nominations chairperson shall conduct and supervise the nominations and elections of the officers of the Association.  Important issues may be voted on by mail (postal or electronic) as provided by Article VI, Section 2.


ARTICLE V

Meetings

Section 1.The annual business meeting of the Tennessee Association of School Social Workers shall be held in the fall of the year.  Said meeting shall be announced at least three (3) months prior to the meeting date.

Section 2.The Executive Board shall meet at least four (4) times a year with the dates and meetings places to be determined by the Executive Board.  At the discretion of the Executive Board, one of the meetings may be conducted via teleconference using available electronic resources.  Additional meetings of the Executive Board may be held at the call of the President.  A notice of two (2) weeks shall be given to all Executive Board members prior to a Board meeting. 

Section 3.The District Representatives to the Executive Board shall call at least four (4) meetings annually in order to better inform Association members within their districts of the most recent Executive Board meeting and to promote membership interest and active participation in accomplishing Association goals and objectives.  Additional meetings may be called by District Representatives when deemed necessary or at the request of district members. 


ARTICLE VI

Procedures Rules

Section 1.These bylaws may be amended as follows:

All proposed amendments must be in the hands of the Executive Board at least forty-five (45) days prior to the date set for the annual business meeting.  If approved by the Executive Board, the proposed amendment will be presented at the annual meeting.  If a proposed amendment is accompanied by a petition of support signed by a minimum of ten (10) members from at least three (3) school systems, the Executive Board shall be obligated to present the amendment. Approval of the amendment to these bylaws shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all active members present and voting. 

Section 2. On issues of importance to the general membership, voting may be by mail (postal or electronic).  The Executive Board shall conduct this voting process and the tallying of these votes.  The opinion of the plurality of those members returning the ballots shall decide the issue. 

Section 3.The Executive Board will thoroughly investigate procedural matters when necessary and consequently, will develop policies or revise existing policies to govern said matters.  Procedures will be maintained as an attachment to the bylaws and will be further identified in this section.  Also, guidelines developed for standing committees will also be documented as attachments.


Attachment A:Description of Duties for Officers: Secretary and Treasurer

Attachment B:Travel and Reimbursements

Attachment C:Committee Guidelines: Scholarship

Attachment D:Committee Guidelines:  School Social Worker of the Year 

Award

Section 4.Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall prevail in situations not covered in the bylaws.

ATTACHMENT A

Description of Duties for Officers: Secretary and Treasurer

Note: The responsibilities described for the Secretary and the Treasurer may be shared between them and the 

President-Elect as needed.

Secretary:

  1. The Secretary will be nominated and elected at the Annual Business Meeting held during the fall conference and will take over the duties of the office at the 1st quarterly Board meeting.

  1. The Secretary will record attendance at the quarterly Board meetings and inform any member who has two consecutive absences.  The Secretary will keep the President apprised of board meeting attendance.

  1. The Secretary will keep a full typewritten record of all meetings of the Association and the Board, which will be brought to and distributed at the following Board meeting. 

  1. The Secretary will keep an organized notebook of typed minutes, forms, and other materials which shall be turned over to the succeeding Secretary no later than the 1st quarterly Board meeting. 

  1. Each year a form called “Tennessee Corporation Annual Report” is received from and due to the Tennessee Secretary of State.  It is to be completed and returned in a timely manner.  (Otherwise, the organization will cease to exist in the “eyes” of the State)!  Identifying information: TASSW Control Number is 50203; the annual report is due on or before August 1; the website for online completion is   https://sos.tn.gov (TN Secretary of State).

  1. The Secretary will obtain and read the minutes from the preceding year’s Annual Business meeting during the current year’s meeting at the fall conference.  In turn, she will pass on the minutes for the current year to the incoming Secretary to be read at the following year’s meeting.

Treasurer:

  1. The Treasurer shall collect and handle all funds of the Association, namely the “General Fund,” (which contains all monies except for the Scholarship Fund); and the “Scholarship Fund,” (which contains monies generated by the Silent Auction at the annual fall conference and is to be used only for scholarship awards).

  1. A formal record of transactions for all monies shall be maintained with copies of the financial report distributed at Board meetings.  In addition, Federal Tax Form 990-N is due annually and must be completed and submitted to the Internal Revenue Service after the end of TASSW’s tax year.  Identifying information: The EIN (aka Federal Tax ID) for TASSW is 58-1573256; the annual Tax Period/Year for TASSW is February 1 (previous year) to January 31 (current year); Form 990-N is due by June 15. 

  1. The Treasurer shall collect membership applications and dues with Membership Applications being a part of the mailing (postal or electronic) of registration forms for the fall conference.

  1. The Treasurer will be available at the fall conference to collect conference and membership fees.

  1. The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining a database of current, and preceding years’, records of membership, and shall notify delinquent members prior to terminating membership.

  1. An annual accounting report summarizing assets and expenses for the year shall be presented by the outgoing Treasurer at the 1st quarterly meeting of the Board in the new year.  The purpose of this review will be to assess costs of activities and sources of revenue.

  1. All records, in good order, shall be turned over to the new Treasurer no later than the date of the 1st quarterly meeting for the next term.  This is to include the signed forms necessary to transfer the bank accounts into the name of the incoming Treasurer.  The TASSW P.O. Box (aka mailing address) will be localized and managed by the Treasurer during the length of his or her term. 


GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF TASSW LEADERSHIP

Note: The President-Elect assumes a three-year commitment and serve on the Executive Board in the capacities of President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past President, sequentially. 

PRESIDENT-ELECT

  • Takes the lead in planning the annual conference for the year of his or her election, along with the district where he or she works

  • Keeps the Executive Board apprised of conference planning

  • Assumes the presidency at the end of the annual membership meeting (held during the conference)

PRESIDENT

  • Conducts the business of TASSW and provide leadership in all functioning areas of the Association

  • May identify a key focus or goal for TASSW during the year of his or her presidency (e.g., increasing membership, identifying/developing a directory of SSWs across the state, address a legislative issue pertinent to SSWs, etc.)

  • Schedules and convenes (with consensus of Executive Board) the quarterly board meetings and annual membership business meeting)

  • May mobilize the Association re: involvement in broader social work activities (i.e., Social Work Day on the Hill, Social Work Month observances, etc.)

  • Consults and collaborates with appropriate persons regarding legislative issues that may impact SSWs (Note: The Legislative Liaison also assists the association in this specific capacity).

  • Disseminate information to the Association relevant to members and SSWs in general.

  • Represents TASSW to the state and national organizations, i.e., NASW and SSWAA

  • Upholds the “mission” of TASSW

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

  • Serves in an advisory capacity to maintain the continuity and functioning of the Board and the Association, in general

DISCLAIMER: This page was developed as a cursory description of TASSW leadership and is not meant to be a comprehensive or official document approved by the Association.




TASSW
250 Mayfield Dr.
P.O. Box 1906
Smyrna, TN 37167

Email us at:
tassworg@gmail.com

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