BYLAWS for the National Association
to Advance Fat Acceptance, Inc.
The bylaws of NAAFA were last revised in March of 2004.
Article I
Membership
The term of membership, with the exception of Life or Patron Membership, shall be for one year. The following shall be the grades of membership:
Sec. 1 General membership: E-mail access.
This member will receive all communications from NAAFA, including the
Newsletter, via e-mail.
$25.00
Sec. 2 General membership: access via
the postal service. This member will be entitled to receive communications
from NAAFA, including the newsletter, through regular U.S. postage. Because
of the increased cost of postage, this membership will be more expensive.
$35.00
Sec. 3 Sustaining/Benefactor membership, for which dues will be $500.00 or more. This member may choose which form of communication to receive: e-mail, postal service, or both.
Sec. 4 Life or Patron membership, for which dues shall consist of a one-time lump-sum payment of $10,000 or more, which guarantees membership in NAAFA for the lifetime of the member, as long as NAAFA exists. This member may choose which form of communication to receive: e-mail, postal service, or both.
Sec. 5 NAAFA shall set and maintain at
all times a dues level for applicants who are students, seniors, individuals
with limited Income, or who have other special needs, for which dues shall
be less than general membership. However, no applicant for membership
to NAAFA shall be denied membership based on an inability to pay dues.
This member will receive all communications from NAAFA, including the
newsletter, via e-mail.
$5 to $15.00
Sec. 6 Honorary membership shall be determined by the Board on an individual basis by a two-thirds majority.
Sec. 7 A membership shall be deemed expired one year from the effective date of the membership.
Sec. 8 The Board reserves the right to add or subtract to the levels of membership herein.
Article II
The Board of Directors
Sec. 1 An applicant to the Board of Directors must either complete an application package one month prior to a board meeting or be recommended by an existing board member at least one month prior to a board meeting.
Sec 2 The applicant may not be sworn in and attend and vote at a meeting until the meeting following the applicant’s acceptance into the board.
Sec. 3 All applicants must be at least twenty-one years of age and must have been a member of NAAFA for at least one year.
Sec. 4 An applicant must appear at a Board meeting for an interview with members of the Board. The applicant provides a statement as to why she or he wishes to be a Board member and answers questions from Board Members. After the interview, the applicant shall leave the meeting.
Sec. 5 If the applicant still wishes to become a Board member, the Board shall go into executive session to discuss the applicant’s admission to the Board. An applicant can become a board member by a simple majority vote. The applicant will be notified of the Board decision within one week of the Board meeting.
Sec. 6 The term of office for Board members shall be for one year. Board members opting to renew their service on the Board should retake the Oath of Office at the annual convention or as soon thereafter as possible each year. A Board member may continue to serve as long as the Board member can continue to help the organization.
Sec. 7 A Board member may be removed from office by a majority vote.
Sec. 8 Any Board Chair is authorized to accept resignations from members of the Board. Another Board member (or NAAFA member, if appropriate) may be appointed to fill the seat of the Board member who resigned.
Sec. 9 In all matters voted on by the Board, a simple majority of those attending the meeting as defined by Robert’s Rules of Order (Newly Revised) shall suffice to determine the Board decision, except where otherwise specified in the Constitution or Bylaws.
Sec. 10 The term of all offices shall expire on the first Monday of February each year.
Sec. 11 If the Board nominates more than two candidates for a particular office, then the candidate who receives the greatest plurality of votes shall be elected.
Sec. 12 In the event of the resignation, removal, or death of any officer before the normal expiration of his or her term, the Board may elect a new officer to fill the unexpired term.
Sec. 13 The Board currently has determined that it shall have no more than fifteen (15) members and no fewer than five (5). This amount may be increased or decreased by a majority vote of the Board.
Sec. 14 Members of the Board are expected to provide substantial financial contributions to NAAFA throughout the year. However, a Board member who is financially unable to provide such funds is expected to provide substantial work on behalf of NAAFA throughout the year.
Sec. 15 All NAAFA Board members must pay a filing fee of $25 to cover the cost of preparation and filing of the application, complete and file with NAAFA an application for service on the Board, read and sign the NAAFA Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interests Declaration, as well as the Board description of responsibilities and duties.
Sec. 16 A Board member or officer who has more than three (3) consecutive unexcused failures to attend a meeting within a year will have his or her membership in the Board terminated. Valid excuses shall include NAAFA business and illness only, or as otherwise determined by the Board.
Article III
Advisors, Honorary Trustees, and Counsel
Sec. 1 The following requirements must be fulfilled by any prospective Advisor or Honorary Trustee:
A. She or he must accept Honorary Membership status.
B. She or he must be well known to the public in any field of endeavor or must be unusually qualified to advise the Board and to support NAAFA’s purposes.
C. She or he must sign an appropriate “Consent to Use Name” form.
Sec. 2 Any prospective Counsel must possess the proper credential as a member of the legal profession.
Sec. 3 There shall be no specified term limit for advisors, honorary trustees, or counsel.
Sec. 4 All advisors, honorary trustees, and council will be appointed by members of the Board.
Article IV
Meetings
Sec. 1 National Membership
A. The national membership of NAAFA shall convene a national convention each year, alternating between the East and West Coasts of the United States.
B. It is the responsibility of the Board to give advance notice regarding the convention to members of the organization.
C. In addition to the annual convention, regional conferences should be planned whenever and wherever feasible, as approved by the Board.
Sec. 2 Board Meetings
A. The Board shall meet every other month, at 5:00 pm Pacific time (8:00 Eastern time) on the third Sunday of the month, commencing the third Sunday of the month following the passage of these Bylaws.
B. The Board may, from time to time, call special meetings as needed with advance notice to Board members. The Board meetings will be held electronically, and participation therein will be coordinated by the Technology Chair.
C. The Board shall attempt to have at least one in-person meeting yearly at the time of each national NAAFA convention, at which time each Board member will retake the oath of office.
D. Bimonthly Board meetings may be changed by the Co-chairs to maximize attendance if proper notice is provided to all members.
E. Annual Board meetings are open to NAAFA members, officers, advisors, honorary trustees, and counsel. Individuals who are not NAAFA members may not vote in Board meetings. Participation in online board meetings by individuals who are not NAAFA members is at the discretion of the Board.
F. During Board meetings, an Executive Session may be held that temporarily excludes non-Board members as determined by the Board.
G. All meetings are conducted under Roberts Rules of Order (Newly Revised).
H. It is the intention of NAAFA to have Board meetings online in order to provide for the attendance of all Board members.
I. The Board may, from time to time, have conference call meetings, as well as in-person meetings. In the event of in-person meetings, attendance shall be deemed to include aural attendance by telephone at the expense of the attendee.
Article V
Publications, Polls, and Publicity
Sec. 1 NAAFA shall periodically circulate a newsletter via the NAAFA Web site, by e-mail, and, for additional cost of the membership, by U.S. postage. Intervals between publication shall nominally be every two months, whenever possible. The content of the newsletter shall be in keeping with the mission and goals of NAAFA and address the well-being, needs, and interests of the membership.
Sec. 2 The Board shall have the authority to create special publications on topics in keeping with the purposes of NAAFA, for which a price may be charged.
Sec. 3 Polls (or surveys) shall be encouraged to keep the Board informed on the problems and wishes of members. At least one general survey per year is recommended, and surveys on special issues are encouraged when appropriate.
Sec. 4 At no time will any manner of publication (written, e-mail, or Web site) contain material or be used in a manner opposite to the stated mission and policy of NAAFA.
Sec. 5 Any links contained on the NAAFA Web site must be specifically approved by the Board of Directors. NAAFA’s Web site and other publications will not be used to promote for-profit businesses unless specifically approved by the Board.
Sec. 6 For newsletters, programs, and other NAAFA activities, Board members and other NAAFA members may not solicit ads that contain material contrary to the stated mission and policy of NAAFA.
Sec. 7 The Board is responsible for the content of all publicity.
Article VI
Committees
Sec. 1 Throughout the year, the Board may appoint key volunteer members to help in the performance of essential work for NAAFA, at the yearly convention and at regional meetings, and to assist the various members of the Board with their assignments. The Board members will seek to obtain volunteer members to assist in the exercise of their Board duties whenever possible.
Sec. 2 Committee Chairs will provide reports to the Board at least once every other month regarding the efforts made by their committee on behalf of NAAFA.
Article VII
Remuneration and Hiring
Sec. 1 NAAFA shall rely on much committee work and much work by the Board and officers as part-time efforts by concerned people for no remuneration. However, when in the best interest of NAAFA, as determined by the Board and the state of the budget of NAAFA, specific individuals may receive remuneration for their services, whether full- or part-time, and reimbursement for reasonable expenses that they may incur while performing such services for NAAFA, as agreed upon by the Board.
Sec. 2 The criteria for determining the remuneration for Board members and the hiring of NAAFA staff shall be the budget, the state of NAAFA finances, the nature and importance of the work to be rewarded, the qualifications of the individual, and remuneration commonly received for comparable work elsewhere.
Sec. 3 The Board of Directors is responsible for the hiring and firing of office staff, if and when hired.
Sec. 4 In the event a consultant is hired by the Board to perform a specific task (i.e., produce the convention, design a Web site, etc.), that consultant will work under the direction of the Board member responsible for that area.
Article VIII
Board Members’ Oath of Office
All Board members of NAAFA must take the Oath of Office and abide by same during the term of their membership on the Board.
I, [name of person elected or appointed], do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a member of NAAFA, that I will uphold the Constitution and Bylaws of NAAFA, that I will abide by the wishes of the majority of Board members as determined Constitutionally, that I will cast a favorable light on NAAFA by my actions in public, that I will faithfully perform the duties of my office, that I will not allow any private interest to influence my conduct in NAAFA matters, and that I will live up to the responsibility of my office to the best of my ability.
Article IX
Amendment of Bylaws
Sec. 1 The Board may, from time to time, as needed, amend the Bylaws and Constitution of NAAFA.
Sec. 2 Notice of at least one month must be given to all Board members prior to such action being taken.