MSHA Bylaws

 The Mission of the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA) is to provide professional support and development, public awareness, and advocacy for professionals in communication sciences and disorders and the individuals they serve.
 
ARTICLE I - Name
 
The name of this organization shall be the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association (hereafter, Association).
 
ARTICLE II - Purposes
 
SECTION 1. The purposes of the Association shall be:
 
a.    To stimulate exchange of information among persons and organizations and to disseminate information concerning communication disorders through newsletters, publications, and electronic communication;
b.    To provide ongoing professional development
c.    To encourage investigation and promote understanding of the processes of human communication;
d.    To encourage the scientific study of the effects of communication disorders of language, speech and hearing on the human condition;
e. To promote habilitative and rehabilitative methods and services and promote the extension of habilitative and rehabilitative services to individuals whose communication processes are impaired;
f. To foster improvement of clinical services and procedures concerning such disorders;
g. To stimulate support from members of related professions, governmental agencies and the public for persons handicapped by communication disorders;
h. To advance concepts of excellence in training, scholarly research and publication;
i. To encourage membership of qualified professional persons in the Association;
j. To promote appropriate academic and clinical preparation of individuals entering the discipline of human communication sciences and disorders and promote the maintenance of current knowledge and skills of those within the discipline;
k. To advocate the rights and interests of persons with communication disorders;
l. To promote the individual and collective professional interests of the members of the Association.
 
SECTION 2. The Association shall not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, ethnicity, or veteran status. All programs and activities of the Association shall be conducted in furtherance of this policy.
 
ARTICLE III - Amendments
 
A proposed amendment to the Constitution may be submitted by the Executive Board or by any member in good standing, to be read at any meeting of the Association. Such amendments may be passed at the next business meeting by a 2/3 vote of the members present.
 
 
*Adopted by the Association on March 15, 1972, as a revision of an earlier document. Revised by the Association on March 22, 1974. Article I, Sect. 1 revised March 20, 1981. Section II revised March 26, 2010. Revised, December 2010.
 
 BY-LAWS OF THE MICHIGAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION*
 
ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP
 
SECTION 1. Eligibility.
 
Members must hold: (1) a graduate degree with major emphasis in speech-language pathology, audiology, education of the hearing impaired, 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.
 
Application for membership shall be at the highest level for which a person is eligible, in accordance with Article I, Section 2.
 
Members must agree to abide by the Code of Ethics of the Association.
 
SECTION 2. Membership shall consist of seven classes; Professional, Associate, Affiliate, Advocate, Student (CCC), Student (Non-CCC), and Life.
 
A. Professional members shall be those persons eligible for Professional membership as defined in Article I, Section 1 (a) and elected to membership in accordance with those procedures as set forth in Article I, Section 3. All members holding a graduate degree (Master's Degree and/or Doctoral Degree) and working in the field are eligible for and must apply for Professional membership (e.g., teachers of the hearing impaired, psycholinguists, psychoacousticians, etc.). Professional members shall comprise the voting body of the Association. The right to hold office shall be limited to Professional members.
 
B. Affiliate members shall be those persons in allied fields (e.g., occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc.) who are interested in an affiliation with the Association. Professional members who are currently unemployed are eligible for affiliate membership. Affiliate membership shall not entitle the affiliate member to the rights and privileges of Professional membership.
 
C. Student (CCC) members shall be those persons who are full-time Doctoral level students in speech-language and/or hearing, and who demonstrate their full-time student status by having their college advisor or other appropriate faculty member verify their status. The individual in this membership category shall not work full-time or part-time as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist while enrolled in the full-time Doctoral program. The definition of full-time student status shall be left to the discretion of the appropriate college or university. Student (CCC) members found working in a part-time or full-time clinical setting shall pay Professional Member fees/dues. Student (CCC) membership shall not entitle the Student (CCC) member to the rights and privileges of Professional membership.
 
D. Student (Non-CCC) members shall be those persons who are full-time students in training in speech-language and hearing, or education of the hearing impaired, and who demonstrate their full-time student status by having their college advisor or other appropriate faculty member verify this status. The definition of full-time student shall be left to the discretion of the appropriate college or university. Student membership shall not entitle the student member to the rights and privileges of Professional membership.
 
E. Life members shall be persons who have retired from the profession after a minimum of 10 years of professional service and who have held Professional membership for a minimum of 10 years. Candidates for Life membership shall be proposed by any member of the Association and elected by the Executive Board. Waiver of dues will be made for this membership category. Life members are voting members of the Association.
 
SECTION 3. Membership Application Procedure.
 
Candidates for membership shall submit their application to the Vice-President for Membership. A candidate will be accepted for membership when it is determined that the candidate has met the criteria for the level of membership for which application was made.
 
Application for membership in the Association may be rejected by a majority of the Executive Board. The name of the candidate who does not meet the criteria for membership will be brought to the Executive Board, who will approve or reject the candidate's application.
 
The case of a rejected applicant may be presented to the membership for review. The application may be approved for membership by a majority of those voting.
 
SECTION 4. Dues and Fees.
 
AMOUNT - Membership dues shall be recommended by the Executive Board and approved by a majority vote of the members present at the regular annual Business Meeting, provided that announcement of such proposed vote is made to each member in writing at least 30 days prior to the meeting. The Association also shall be supported by other dues and fees as shall be recommended by the Executive Board.
 
WAIVER OF DUES - Membership dues, registration fees, and all other forms of dues or fees may be waived in whole or in part by the Executive Board.
 
NON-PAYMENT OF DUES - The name of any member whose dues are in arrears on May 1 shall be dropped from the membership roll by the Treasurer after three notices of dues delinquency have been sent to the member. Such a member will be returned to the membership rolls upon the renewal of membership for which he/she is qualified without penalty.
 
SECTION 5. Discontinuance of Membership
 
All members of MSHA have an obligation to report unethical conduct to the ASHA Ethics Board and/or Michigan Licensure Board. If a MSHA member has questions regarding ethical principles, the MSHA Committee on Ethics may be consulted for resources to clarify the questions.
 
If the Executive Board of MSHA is aware that a member of MSHA has been sanctioned by ASHA Ethics Board or Michigan State Licensure Board, the MSHA Executive Board can choose by a 2/3 vote to reduce the member’s status from Professional membership to Associate membership, or revocation of membership, for the duration of the sanction. In the event such a vote is taken, the Executive Board will prepare a formal letter 1) acknowledging awareness of this sanction and stating the outcome of the MSHA Executive Board vote, and 2) recommending MSHA and ASHA resources for continued professional development in the area of ethical practice.
 
If a member of the Executive Board has been sanctioned by the ASHA Ethics Board or Michigan State Licensure Board, the Executive Board can chose, by a 2/3 vote, to revoke the member’s status as a board member to an Associate membership (without voting rights) for the duration of the sanction.**
 
ARTICLE II - EXECUTIVE BOARD
 
SECTION 1. BOARD COMPOSITION
 
The Executive Board of the Association shall consist of a President, a President-Elect, a Past-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Vice President of Public Relations, a Vice President of Advocacy, a Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, a Vice President of Membership, a Vice President of Professional Development, a Vice President-Elect of Professional Development, Vice President of Public Schools, Vice President of Healthcare, and a Vice President of Audiology Practice.
 
SECTION 2. QUALIFICATIONS
 
Professional members in good standing are eligible to be nominated for an Office or appointed to the advisory assembly of the association. A member may be nominated for office by a Professional member of MSHA who is in good standing, or may self-nominate. The Association shall not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, handicapping condition or gender, or gender identification. All programs and activities of the Association shall be conducted in furtherance of this policy.
 
SECTION 3. NOMINATIONS
 
An electronic call for nominations will be issued in October of each year. Completed nomination forms must be received at the MSHA Office in November of the same year. The signature of a potential nominee must appear on the nomination form and indicates a willingness to be nominated for office, and, if elected, to serve as an officer of the Association. Each nominee's eligibility status will be verified. A slate of nominees will be prepared by the Administrative Staff and reviewed by the MSHA President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past President. Ballots will be distributed to Professional members in good standing in December of the same year, and are to be returned by January 10 of the following year. A final report of the elections will be made to the membership at the annual conference.
 
SECTION 4. ELECTIONS
Presidents of the association serve for three years: one as President-Elect, one as President, and one as Past-President. A President-Elect is elected every year. The Vice-President of Professional Development serves two years: one as Vice-President Elect of Professional Development and one as Vice-President of Professional Development. Every year a Vice-President Elect of Professional Development is elected. These terms shall begin on the final day of the annual conference following the election.
 
All other officers shall be elected to serve a two year term beginning on the final day of the annual conference following the election. The Treasurer; Vice-Presidents of Public Schools; Public Relations; and Advocacy shall be elected for terms beginning in years ending in even numbers. The Secretary, Vice-Presidents of Diversity, Equality, & Inclusion; SLP-Healthcare; Membership; and Audiology will be elected for terms beginning in years ending in odd numbers.
 
SECTION 5. DUTIES
 
The Executive Board shall have general charge and control of the affairs, funds, and property of the Association. The powers and duties of the Executive Board are described in the Policy and Procedure manual. Each member of the Executive Board shall sign a letter of intent annually confirming their commitment to their fiduciary duties during the March Board meeting at convention.
 
SECTION 6. Removal from Office
 
Any member may institute recall charges against an officer whose conduct is felt to be contrary to the principles of ethics set forth in the Association's Code of Ethics or whose performance in office is considered unsatisfactory. Such charge(s) shall be submitted in writing to the Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee shall investigate the charge(s). The charged officer shall be invited to discuss the charge(s) before a vote is taken. If the accused officer is voted guilty of the charge(s) by a written ballot by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board, such an officer shall be recalled from office. The officer may petition the Executive Board to have a full review of the charge(s) placed on the agenda for the next Executive Board meeting; such a petition must be honored. A written ballot shall be taken at the Executive Board; a 2/3 vote of the Board in attendance at that meeting in favor of the officer will negate the vote of the Executive Board.
 
SECTION 7. Vacancies on Board of Directors
 
In case of vacancy in the office of President, that office shall be filled by an elected member presently serving on the Executive Board in the following order of succession.
-President-Elect
-Past-President
-Vice President for Professional Development
 
The President shall appoint a member of the Association to fill a vacancy on the Executive Board to serve until the time of the next election as specified by these Bylaws. The resultant vacancy in the office of President-Elect shall not be filled until the next election.
 
ARTICLE III – EXECUTIVE BOARD AND ADVISORY ASSEMBLY
 
SECTION 1. General.
 
The Executive Board is the legally responsible management body and shall exercise general management of the business and operations of the Association, operating in accordance with and administering and implementing the programs and policies established by these Bylaws. The actions of the Executive Board shall be reported to the membership at the Annual Conference meeting.


The Advisory Assembly has 17 members including: 11 committee chairs, and 6 members-at-large (appointed by the Executive board). Committee Chairs are appointed by the Executive Board for a 2-year term. The Advisory Assembly shall assist the Executive Board in addressing concerns of professionals working in various work settings, professional development, continuing education, conference programs, student affairs and members at large. In addition, liaisons from the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing-Foundation (MSHF), Michigan Audiology Coalition (MAC), the 2 ASHA Advisory Council members, and community liaisons with personal interest in the provision of services to individuals with communicative disorders are invited to attend the combined meeting of the Executive Board/Advisory Assembly.
 
SECTION 2. Composition.
 
The Executive Board consists of those officers listed in Article II, Section 2.
 
SECTION 3. Quorum.
 
A quorum of an Executive Board meeting is defined as (5) members present in order to conduct any business that is officially binding.
 
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES
 
SECTION 1. The Advisory Assembly shall consist of the following standing committees, chairpersons, members at large invited:
 
Standing Committees:
a. Finance Committee
b. Diversity, Equality, & Inclusion Committee
c. Ethics Committee
d. Advocacy Committee
e. Public Schools Committee
f. Healthcare Committee
g. Program Committee
h. Communications & Networking Committee
i. Professional Development Committee
j. Student Affairs
k. Audiology Committee
l. Private Practice Committee

Members-at-Large:
a.. Northeast Michigan
b. Northwest Michigan
c. Southeast Michigan
d. Southwest Michigan
e. Upper Peninsula
f . Student

SECTION 2. Membership of Committees.
 
a. The Finance Committee shall consist of the Finance Committee Chair and other appointed members. The Finance Committee Chair reports to the Treasurer.
b. The Diversity, Equality, & Inclusivity Committee shall consist of the Diversity, Equality, & Inclusivity Committee Chair and other appointed members. The Diversity, Equality, & Inclusivity Chair reports to the Vice President of Diversity, Equality, & Inclusion.
c. The Ethics Committee shall consist of the Ethics Committee Chair and other appointed members. The Ethics Committee Chair reports to the Vice President of Diversity, Equality, & Inclusion.
d. The Advocacy Committee shall consist of the Advocacy Committee Chair and other appointed members. The Advocacy Committee Chair shall report to the Vice-President of Advocacy.
e. The Public Schools Committee shall consist of the Public Schools Chair, and other appointed members. A majority of the committee shall be comprised of members from the public school setting. The Public Schools Committee Chair reports to the Vice President of Public Schools.
f. The Healthcare Committee shall consist of the Healthcare Committee Chair and other appointed members. A majority of the committee shall be comprised of members with interest and/or expertise in these areas. The Healthcare Committee Chair reports to the Vice President of Healthcare.
g. The Program Committee shall consist of the Program Committee Chair(s) and other appointed members, including a representative from the Professional Development Committee. The Program Committee Chair(s) report to the Vice-President of Professional Development.
h. The Communications & Networking Committee shall consist of the Communications & Networking Committee Chair and other appointed members appointed by the Committee Chair. The Communications and Networking Committee Chair reports to the Vice-President of Public Relations.
i. The Professional Development Committee shall consist of the Professional Development Chair and other appointed members including a representative from the Program Committee. The Professional Development Chair reports to the Vice-President of Professional Development.
j. The Student Affairs Committee shall consist of the Student Affairs Committee Chair and other appointed members. A majority of the committee shall be comprised of students in training. The Student Affairs Committee Chair reports to the Vice-President of Membership.
k. The Audiology Committee shall consist of the Audiology Committee Chair and other appointed members. A majority of the committee must consist of members who are audiologists. The Audiology Committee Chair reports to the Vice President of Audiology.
l. The Private Practice Committee shall Consist of the Private Practice Committee Chair and other appointed members. The Private Practice Committee reports to the Vice President of SLP Healthcare.
 
SECTION 3. Members-at-Large and Liaisons
 
a. Members-at-Large shall be six (6) persons appointed by the President, representing the Northeast Michigan, Northwest Michigan, Southeast Michigan, Southwest Michigan, Upper Peninsula, and Students of the state.
b. Members-at-Large shall be voting members of the Advisory Assembly.
c. Non-voting members attending the Advisory Assembly may include a liaison from the Michigan Speech Hearing Foundation (MSHF),the Michigan Audiology Coalition (MAC) and the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology ASHA Advisory Council members.
 
SECTION 4. Membership on the Advisory Assembly.
 
Members are appointed to the Advisory Assembly by the President after consultation with the appropriate committee chair. All members of the Advisory Assembly must be Professional members of MSHA who are in good standing. A member in good standing must meet the membership criteria for the level of membership for which the individual applied, and must be current in payment of dues. A standing committee chair may invite additional participants who are not members of the Association to join a standing committee on an ad hoc basis. Such appointees do not have the rights and responsibilities of membership, and may not vote.
 
SECTION 5. Ad Hoc Committees
 
The chair and members are appointed by the President for the purpose of performing a specific function of defined duration. All members of Ad Hoc Committees must be Professional members of MSHA who are in good standing. A member in good standing must meet the membership criteria for the level of membership for which the individual applied, and must be current in payment of dues. An Ad Hoc Committee chair may invite additional participants who are not MSHA members to join that Ad Hoc Committee. Such appointees do not have the rights and responsibilities of membership, and may not vote.
In addition to Ad Hoc committees, convened to address short-term and specific issues, the Executive Board may establish specific working committees, such as a Nominations Committee or an Honors Committee. The Nominations Committee Chair is the President-Elect or delegated individual and the committee charge is to develop a slate of nominees for election of Executive Board Members. The Honors Committee is convened by the Past-President, with a committee charge of identifying and recommending individuals for MSHA Honors of the Association and MSHA Distinguished Service Award.
 
ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS
 
SECTION 1. Executive Board
 
The Executive Board shall meet at least 8 times a year, at such times and places as the President may determine. These meetings could be accomplished either in face-to-face format or via teleconference or videoconferencing at the discretion of the Board members. Additional meetings of the Executive Board could be called in the case of “emergency action items” requiring immediate action by the Executive Board. The Executive Board is charged with periodic systematic review of the Association’s finances and office management structure, at a minimum of once every three years.
 
SECTION 2. Advisory Assembly
 
The Advisory Assembly will meet with the Executive Board at least 3 times per year (i.e., at the Annual Conference in the spring, a June strategic planning session and a fall planning meeting). Additional meetings of the Advisory Assembly or ad hoc committee meetings of any of the representative groups would occur on an as needed basis to provide exploration of issues and documentation of recommendations to be brought to the Executive Board. Recommendations for action to be considered by the Executive Board will be provided in written form.
 
SECTION 3. Annual Meeting
 
There shall be an annual meeting of the Membership of the Association in order to conduct the business of the Association, sponsor educational workshops or conferences, and to further the programs of the Association. The Annual Meeting may be cancelled by order of the Federal, State, and/or Local Government should a health disaster, natural disaster, or any other “act of God” occur. This cancellation must be unanimous among Executive Board members in attendance at an Executive Board meeting, and should only be considered after consultation with the Federal, State, and/or Local Governments. Additional meetings may also be scheduled by the Association.
 
SECTION 4. Conduct
 
The annual meeting of the membership of the Association and meetings of the Executive Board shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.
 
ARTICLE VI - RECOGNITION AWARDS
 
SECTION 1. Honors and Awards
Three types of Association awards, Honors of the Association, Distinguished Service Award, and the Ida J. Stockman Award for Diversity and Infusion may be awarded to individuals by the Association upon approval by the Executive Board. An Awards Committee shall be comprised of no fewer than 5 members. A recommendation for Association recognition may be made by any Professional member at any time to the Committee. These nominations should include a vita of the person nominated and must include the reasons for the nomination. Any recommendation for recognition must be considered by the Executive Board at a regular meeting prior to the presentation of the award and be approved by three-fourths of the Executive Board.
 
Honors of the Association. Honors of the Association shall be awarded to members of the Association in recognition of distinguished contributions in Speech and Language Pathology, Audiology, and/or Education of the Hearing Impaired over a substantial period of time. This is the highest award the Association can bestow.
 
Distinguished Service Award. A Distinguished Service Award shall be presented to an individual for a specific outstanding contribution to the Association or the speech and/or hearing profession.

The Ida J. Stockman Award for Diversity and Infusion. The Ida J. Stockman Award for Diversity and Infusion shall be awarded to members of the Association in recognition of their contributions 1) to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all individuals with communication and swallowing disorders across service delivery settings, and/or 2) to increase the presence of populations who have historically been under-represented or subjected to discrimination because of their background, identity, or disability.Other committees may establish recognition awards, to be approved by the Executive Board.
 
Other committees may establish recognition awards, to be approved by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII - LIAISON
 
SECTION 1. Liaison with ASHA Advisory Councilors
 
In order to promote interaction and liaison between the Association and individuals elected from Michigan to attend the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Advisory Councils, MSHA will invite the ASHA Advisory Council members from Michigan to attend meetings of the Executive Board/Advisory Assembly. The role of the Councilors at such meetings shall be advisory and informative in nature. Councilors are not eligible to propose motions or vote at Executive Board meetings.
 
SECTION 2. Liaison with Regional Associations
 
In order to provide continuing interaction and liaison between the Association and established regional speech and hearing groups, such groups may send representation to the Executive Board meetings, when the following conditions have been met:
 
a copy of the group's constitution/by-laws shall be approved and filed at the Association office, and;
 
such representation shall be identified in writing to the Association president by the chief officer of the regional group. The role of the representative at such meetings shall be advisory and informative in nature. Such representatives are not eligible to propose motions or to vote at Executive Board meetings.
 
SECTION 3. Liaison with other associations
 
In order to provide continuing interaction and liaison between MSHA and other associations, the President may appoint Association members in good standing to serve as representatives to these associations. Such members shall report back to the Executive Board at meetings of the Board. The role of the representatives at Executive Board meetings shall be advisory and informative in nature. Such representatives are not eligible to propose motions or vote at Executive Board meetings.
 
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS
 
The Bylaws of the Association may be amended by a 2/3 majority vote of the membership present at a regular Association business meeting or by a 2/3 majority vote of the membership voting via a mail or e-mail ballot. The proposed amendments to be considered at business meetings shall be announced to each member in writing at least 30 days prior to such meetings. Proposed amendments to be considered via mail or e-mail ballot shall be announced to each member in writing at least 30 days prior to the deadline date for the mail-in vote. Proposed amendments may be submitted by the Executive Board or by any member in good standing.
 
ARTICLE IX - DISSOLUTION
 
In the event of dissolution of the Association, the assets of the Association shall be transferred to another Michigan state-wide non-profit organization with similar philosophical goals.
 
*Adopted by the Association on March 16, 1972, as a major revision of an earlier document, Article VI, Sec. 2 was added to the document on October 20, 1972. Further modifications were
made on March 23, 1973, on October 12, 1973, on October 10, 1975, and on March 19, 1976. These By-laws underwent major revisions which were approved October 14, 1977. Revision of Art. V, Sect. 1 (part C) approved Mar. 1979. Art. VI, Sect. 3 added Mar. 1980. Art. V, Sect. 1 c) and Art. VII, Sect. 1 revised Mar. 82. Art. I, Sect. (a) and (c), and Art. VII revised, April,1983. Additional modifications were approved April, 1989. Modifications to Art. IX, Sect. 1 were approved March 20, 1998. Modifications to the Constitution, Article II, Purposes, Sections I and II were approved March, 2001. Modifications to the By-Laws, Article I, Section 3; Article IV, Sections 2, 3 and 4; Article V, Section 1; and Article VI, Section 3, were approved March, 2001. Modification of By-Laws, Section 1 (a) were approved May, 2005. Modification of these bylaws, to reflect a change in governance structure and methods of amending the bylaws, were adopted on March 26, 2010. Bylaw modification to the Executive Board structure, renaming of two Executive Board positions and committees and the addition of a requirement for periodic systematic review of financial and office structure were adopted by membership vote in December, 2010. Modification of membership categories and member dues increase adopted by the Association on March 23, 2018.The Mission of the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA) is to provide professional support and development, public awareness, and advocacy for professionals in communication sciences and disorders and the individuals they serve. Modification to Bylaws May 2023 updated to reflect ASHA Bylaws.