Bylaws

NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA CHAPTER, ATA
BYLAWS

Article I - Name and General Structure

The name of this association is National Capital Area Chapter of the American Translators Association (NCATA).  NCATA is a Chapter of the American Translators Association (ATA).

Article II - Purposes

NCATA has the following purposes:

1.      To advocate and promote recognition of translation and interpreting as professions and to defend and support the interests and concerns of professional translators and interpreters;

2.      To formulate and advance standards of  professional ethics, practices and competence and to foster professional and social relations among its members;

3.      To provide career support to translators and interpreters through mutual assistance and to help accredit their professional status;

4.      To maintain contact with related professional organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, private industry, and the media, and to hold regular meetings and communicate the results thereof to the members;

5.      To pursue all other goals designed to further the aims and promote the general welfare of the Chapter and its members.

Article III - Membership

1.      Any person who agrees to abide by these Bylaws and the published policies of the association and has paid dues for the current year is a member of NCATA in good standing.

2.      Annual dues are established by the Board of Directors.

3.      Classes of membership are individual and corporate.

4.      The term of membership coincides with the calendar year(s) for which dues are paid, in accordance with policies established by the Board of Directors.  Membership terminates automatically when dues become four months in arrears.  The member may be reinstated upon reapplication and payment of dues together with a reinstatement fee.

5.      Membership may be terminated or members subject to discipline by a three-fifths majority vote of the Board of Directors in accordance with the ATA Bylaws and related policies.  A member dismissed under these circumstances may be reinstated after three years upon approval by a three-fifths majority of the full Board of Directors.

Article IV - Administration

1.      The property, affairs, business and concerns of NCATA are vested in a Board of Directors, which consists of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and the Chairman of the Accreditation Committee.  Only individual members in good standing of both NCATA and ATA are eligible to serve on the Board, and the President and Vice President must meet the eligibility criteria stipulated in the ATA Bylaws.

2.      The Board of Directors determines policies and devises and executes such measures as it deems necessary or desirable on behalf of NCATA or in furtherance of NCATA's purposes.

The Board of Directors carries out the routine business of running the association.  The duties of the officers are described below.

a)   President:

• establishes the agenda for each Board meeting;
• presides at membership meetings or designates a deputy;
• chairs Board meetings;
• appoints committee chairs;
• serves as liaison with ATA or appoints a liaison;
• submits an annual report to ATA;
• has the authority to sign checks and similar documents.

b)   Vice President:

• assists the President in fulfilling the duties of the presidency;
• presides at Board and membership meetings when the President is absent or unable to act.

c)   Treasurer:

• receives and disburses all moneys for NCATA in accordance with ATA regulations;
• maintains financial records;
• keeps an up-to-date membership roster or delegates this task to the Membership Chair;
• maintains accounts for NCATA in authorized banks or other institutions as designated or approved by the Board;
• presents an annual financial report to the membership and to ATA and interim reports at Board meetings;
• prepares a budget proposal annually for approval by the Board;
• oversees all fund-raising activities carried out by the Chapter;
• is accountable to the ATA Treasurer, to the Chapter Board, and to duly authorized auditors and inspectors.

d)   Secretary:

• records and keeps on file the minutes of all meetings;
• prepares ballots as required;
• handles NCATA correspondence except as delegated to other individuals;
• reports to the Board on correspondence received and sent;
• performs other duties as appropriate.

e)   Accreditation Chair:

• cooperates with ATA headquarters to arrange accreditation exam sittings and recruit qualified proctors;
• schedules and organizes accreditation workshops;
• handles other accreditation-related matters as needed.

4.      Officers serve overlapping two-year terms, with the President and Treasurer being elected in odd-numbered years and the Vice President, Secretary and Accreditation Chair being elected in even-numbered years.  The term begins on the January 1 following the election and ends December 31 of the following year.  The number of consecutive terms in the same position is limited to two for any individual.

5.      Election is by closed written ballot in December of each year in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board.  The Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee, which shall present a slate of candidates to the membership.  Nominations from the membership at large are also accepted.  Ballots are mailed to all members at least ten (10) days before the deadline for their return.

6.      Board members may be removed by a two-thirds vote of Chapter members in good standing. A decision by two-thirds of the elected Board members or a petition signed by 25 percent of the Chapter members in good standing is needed to initiate the removal procedure.

7.      Upon nomination by the President and approval by a majority of the elected Board members, the Board may replace any one of its members (other than the President) who has resigned or been removed. The new Board member shall serve until the next regularly scheduled election. Should the President resign or be removed, the Vice President shall serve as President until the next regularly scheduled election, and a new Vice President shall be appointed by the Board.

Article V - Meetings and Quorums

1.      A general meeting of the membership shall be held at least once a year.  Written notice of these meetings shall be sent to all members at least twenty (20) days in advance.

2.      The Board shall meet at least three times a year to transact business. The President may call a Board meeting by giving one week's notice; a majority of the elected Board members may do so by giving 2 weeks' notice.  Resolutions may be adopted by mail or telecommunication between meetings, provided no Board member objects to this method.

3.      A simple majority of the Board of Directors constitutes a quorum, except in actions to terminate or reinstate a member.  In such cases, the full Board must be present.

4.      For any matter or action requiring a vote, a simple majority of those voting is required for adoption, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws.

Article VI - Committees

Standing and ad hoc committees are established as needed for the work of NCATA.  Representatives of each committee report to the Board of Directors and to the membership on current activities as appropriate.

Article VII - Publications

NCATA issues publications, such as a membership directory, professional services directory and newsletter, in fulfillment of its stated purposes.

Article VIII - Parliamentary Authority

Unless otherwise specified in the Chapter's Constitution and Bylaws, Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all meetings.

Article IX - Funds, Compensation and Dissolution

All funds received by the Chapter shall be used exclusively for purposes incident to the attainment of Chapter and ATA objectives.  Disbursement of Chapter funds requires the President's prior authorization.  Committees may collect and expend funds only for official Chapter purposes under the direction and with the approval of the Treasurer.

No part of the net earnings of the association shall inure to the benefit of its members, officers or other persons, except that the association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes of the corporation.

In the event of dissolution, the residual assets of the association shall be turned over to the ATA or one or more other organizations with similar purposes.

Article X - Amending the Bylaws

These Bylaws may be amended by a vote of the membership in a closed written ballot.  Amendments may be proposed in writing by any member and shall be presented to the membership for a vote with the recommendations of the Board of Directors.  The texts of proposed amendments and ballots shall be sent to all members at least ten (10) days before the deadline for their return.  A two-thirds majority of those voting shall be required for adoption.

***

Amended version adopted January 1, 1998

© Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. For comments and inquiries about this page: webadmin@ncata.org	National Capital Area Chapter of the American Translators Association PO Box 5757 Washington, DC 20016-5757