Bylaws
of the
Las Vegas Valley Chapter
of the
Public Relations Society of America

Updated September, 2007

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be the PRSA - Las Vegas Valley Chapter, a chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) which is a 501(c)6 not-for -profit corporation.

ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES

In accordance with the objectives of PRSA, the objectives of this chapter shall be to advance the standards of the public relations profession and to provide members with professional development opportunities through continuing education programs, information exchange forums and research projects conducted on the national and local levels.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 - Eligibility

To be eligible for membership in the chapter, a person must be a member in good standing of the public relations profession and meet the national eligibility requirements established by PRSA. A Las Vegas Valley Chapter member is eligible for membership in any other chapter and can be a member of more than one chapter. A member belonging to more than one chapter shall designate in writing to the PRSA Secretary which chapter the member considers the principal chapter.

Section 2 - Admission to Membership

PRSA shall govern admission to membership as outlined in PRSA national bylaws Article 1. Any person admitted to membership in PRSA shall become a member of the chapter upon payment of chapter dues.

Section 3 - Retirement Status

Any member of the chapter who meets PRSA's retirement status outlined in PRSA national bylaws Article 2, Section 6 shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of membership upon payment of chapter dues.

Section 4 - Termination of Chapter Membership

Any member who ceases to be a member of PRSA, or is dropped from PRSA's roll for non-payment of dues, shall cease to be a member of the chapter and shall be dropped from the chapter roll. If a PRSA member does not elect to be a chapter member and/or does not pay chapter dues, the member will remain a PRSA member but not a chapter member.

Section 5 - Rights and Privileges of Membership

Rights and privileges of membership include voting rights to elect chapter Board of Directors, receiving reduced rates for luncheons and professional development seminars (if RSVP is received before established deadline), and access to free Job Bank listings, e-groups and e-newsletters.

ARTICLE IV - DUES

Section 1 - Amount

The amount of chapter dues shall be fixed annually by the chapter's Board of Director's and shall be collected by PRSA along with the member's annual national dues. Rates for chapter dues for retired members, who are registered as such with PRSA, will be reduced by 50 percent.

Section 2 - Nonpayment of Dues

In accordance with national PRSA policy, any member whose chapter dues are unpaid for one month shall be considered not in good standing and shall not be entitled to vote, hold office, or enjoy other privileges of chapter membership.

Section 3 - Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the chapter shall be the calendar year.

Section 4 - Pro-Rated Membership

Chapter dues are collected by PRSA on a yearly basis. If a member moves into or out of the chapter's area, the Board of Directors will consider pro-rated dues on a case-by-case basis. Dues will be collected by the chapter and calculated based on the amount of time until the national PRSA dues come due.

ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1 - Composition

The governing body of the chapter shall be of a Board of Directors consisting of the President, President-Elect, Vice President of Communications, Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Programs, Vice President of Membership, Immediate Past-President, Assembly Delegate(s), and PRSSA Liaison. 

Section 2 - Election of Officers

The Board of Directors will be elected each year by secret ballot of a simple majority of members by Nov. 15. The Board of Directors will serve a term of one year beginning January 1 of the following year.

Section 3 - Vacancies and Alternates

In the event of death, resignation, removal or lack of credential of any Board member, the Board of Directors shall elect a successor who shall take office immediately and serve for the balance of the term.

Section 4 - Removal

Any Board member who misses more than three board meetings without an excuse deemed acceptable by the Board of Directors may be given notice of dismissal by the chapter President and replaced. Should a Board member be found in non-performance of his/her duties or in violation of national code of ethics standards or local, state or national law, the Board member shall meet with a resolution board consisting of the President, President-Elect and Immediate Past-President. If actions are not taken to remedy the issue, the resolution board will make a recommendation for dismissal that will be voted on by the Board of Directors.

Section 5 - Board Meetings

There shall be at least 10 monthly meetings of the Board of Directors. Meeting dates will be set in January of each year and an agenda will be forwarded to the Board of Directors at least seven days in advance of the scheduled meeting.

Section 6 - Quorum

A simple majority (50 percent plus 1) of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum of all meetings of the board.

Section 7 - Term Limits

No board member may hold the same office for more than two successive terms with the exception of the Vice President of Finance.  The Vice President of Finance may elect, if nominated, to serve up to three successive terms. If approved by chapter member, President-Elect will serve as President for one year and then Assembly Delegate for three years.

Section 8 - Compensation or Reimbursement

No Board member shall be entitled to any salary or other compensation. Board of Directors may be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties. The Board of Directors, in the annual budget process, must approve expenses. Should an expense be necessary outside of the annual budget, the President and President-elect must approve it prior to the expenditure.

ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS

Section 1 - President

The President shall preside at all meetings of the chapter and of the Board of Directors. The President shall serve as the primary contact for communications with PRSA National. The President shall also coordinate the annual Board retreat and assist in the recruitment of all committees with the approval of the Board of Directors. The President shall be an ex officio member of all chapter committees including the Nominating Committee.

Section 2 - President-Elect

The President-Elect shall, in the absence or disability of the President, exercise the powers and perform the duties of the President. The President-Elect will also serve as the chair of the luncheon committee and coordinate the chapter’s annual membership survey. The President-Elect shall also head the Nominating Committee for the following year’s Board of Directors.

Section 3 - Vice President of Communications

The Vice President of Communications shall keep records of all meetings of the Board of Directors and send copies of minutes to PRSA and Western District as required in the PRSA bylaws. The Vice President of Communications shall also supervise the progress of the Publicity, Newsletter, Internet, and Ethics & Advocacy Committees, reporting to the Board on their activities and gaining necessary approvals. 

Section 4 - Vice President of Finance

The Vice President of Finance shall receive and deposit all chapter funds in the name of the chapter in a bank or trust company selected and approved by the Board of Directors within two weeks of receipt. The Vice President of Finance shall issue receipts and make authorized disbursements by check after appropriate consultation with the President or Board of Directors. The Vice President of Finance shall also supervise the progress of the Finance, Scholarship, and Sponsorship Committees, reporting to the Board on their activities and gaining necessary approvals.

Section 5 - Vice President of Membership

The Vice President of Membership shall coordinate with PRSA to ensure chapter members are included on all appropriate distribution lists. The Vice President of Membership shall also supervise the progress of the Recruitment and Retention, Universal Accreditation, Job Bank, and Diversity Committees, reporting to the Board on their activities and gaining necessary approvals.

Section 6 - Vice President of Programs

The Vice President Programs shall coordinate and promote the professional development programs. To that end, The Vice President of Programs shall also supervise the progress of the Pinnacle Awards, Luncheon, and Professional Development Committees, reporting to the Board on their activities and gaining necessary approvals.

Section 7 - Assembly Delegate(s)

The Assembly Delegate(s) shall serve as the chapter’s representatives at meetings of the PRSA Assembly and Western District board meetings. The immediate past-president and the previous past-president shall serve as delegates in accordance with provisions of the national bylaws of PRSA and approval of the chapter membership in the annual election process. 

Section 8 - Immediate Past-President

The Immediate Past-President shall lead special projects as assigned by the President. The Immediate Past-President shall serve as Assembly Delegate participate in the Western District board, chair the Professional Organization Liaison Committee (POLC), and serve on the chapter’s Nominating Committee.

Section 9 - PRSSA Liaison

PRSSA Liaison shall serve as a non-voting member of the Board of Directors. The PRSSA Liaison shall coordinate with PRSSA and related student organizations to ensure chapter Board of Directors assists student chapters as needed.

ARTICLE VII - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1 - Nominating Committee

There shall be a Nominating Committee chaired by the President-Elect. The remainder of the committee shall include the President-Elect, two most recent past presidents and other chapter members as necessary.

Section 2 - Nominations

The Nominating Committee shall solicit input and suggestions to name a qualified nominee for each office approximately 45 days before elections are held. It shall ensure that each nominee has been contacted and agrees to serve if elected. Additional nominations, if any, shall be accepted from members when elections are held.

Section 3 - Notice to Membership

The President-Elect will forward a list of the nominees to chapter members in good standing and will designate time period for voting.

Section 4 - Elections

Board of Directors shall be elected no later than November 15. Election shall be by simple majority vote of the members in good standing who submit a vote. A majority of members in good standing must cast a ballot in order for the elections to be valid.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES

Section 1 - Standing Committees

All committee activities shall be subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Standing committees of the organization shall include:

Diversity Committee

The Diversity Committee shall work to increase the chapter’s membership with particular attention to increasing the diversity of the chapter. This includes the racial and ethnic diversity as well as the diversity of practice types and industries represented in the chapter’s membership. They shall also work to enforce and promote PRSA’s non-discrimination policy. The Diversity Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Membership.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee shall review financial reports and statements, as well as monitor the chapter’s investments and budget. The Committee shall also investigate and evaluate proposals for their financial impact to the chapter’s revenues and expenses. The Vice President of Finance shall chair the Finance Committee, report activities, and present items for Board approval.

Ethics and Advocacy Committee

The Ethics and Advocacy Committee shall coordinate ethics messages in the profession and promote best practices and awareness of the public relations industry to local professionals and the community at large. Efforts shall be coordinated with other committees as necessary including the publicity, professional development, and luncheon committees. The committee will also serve as a resource to chapter members needing advice and counsel on ethics concerns, The Ethics and Advocacy Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Membership.

Internet Committee

The Internet Committee shall coordinate with web contractor to keep the chapter’s Web site up to date and supervise technical upgrades to the chapter’s electronic communications vehicles. The Internet Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Communications.

Job Bank Committee

The Job Bank Committee shall solicit and post job opportunities to members and others with a subscription to the Job Bank website within two days of receipt. The Committee will also manage the subscription process for members and non-members in coordination with the Internet Committee. The Job Bank Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Communications.

Newsletter Committee

The Newsletter committee shall coordinate the development, production and distribution of the chapter’s monthly e-newsletter. The Newsletter Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Communications.

Nominating Committee

The President-Elect shall chair the Nominating Committee. The remainder of the committee shall include the President-Elect, two most recent past presidents and other chapter members as necessary. The Nominating shall convene and fulfill its mission as outlined in Section VII of these Bylaws.

Pinnacle Awards Committee

The Pinnacle Awards Committee shall ensure an awards contest and ceremony that will provide an opportunity for local practitioners to present campaigns and tactical applications in which categories are fairly judged. The Pinnacle Awards Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Programs.

Professional Organization Liaison Committee (POLC)

The POLC shall work to establish and maintain beneficial relationships with other communications-related professional organizations in the Las Vegas Valley, promoting the practice of public relations, and increasing awareness of PRSA-LVVC. The POLC shall be chaired by the immediate past president who shall also report activities and present items for Board approval.

Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee shall coordinate the chapter’s monthly luncheons and other professional education programs. The Professional Development Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Programs.

Publicity Committee

The Publicity Committee shall be responsible for promoting chapter programs, news and events to the membership and the community through press releases, announcements on the Web site, and community calendars. The Publicity Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Communications.

Recruitment and Retention Committee

The Recruitment and Retention Committee shall promote chapter membership to potential, new and, current chapter members through special events, welcome calls, and other methods. They will also contact members to remind them of impending lapses in membership. The Recruitment and Retention Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Membership.

Scholarship Committee

The Scholarship Committee shall be responsible for promoting the chapter’s annual scholarship program. This includes evaluating the criteria and obtaining necessary approvals from the Board of Directors. They will also evaluate the candidates and determine the recipient of the scholarship. The Scholarship Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Finance.

Sponsorship Committee

The Sponsorship Committee shall work to obtain financial gifts and in-kind donations to support chapter programs and events. The committee will coordinate these efforts with the Pinnacle Awards, Luncheon, Professional Development Committees and other Committees and necessary. The Scholarship Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Finance.

Universal Accreditation Committee

The Universal Accreditation Committee will actively encourage and mentor chapter members to take the national accreditation test and assist candidates with preparation. The committee shall also make arrangements for periodic Readiness Reviews. The Universal Accreditation Committee shall report activities and present items for Board approval through the Vice President of Membership.

Section 2 - Ad hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees may be established and appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IX - CHAPTER MEETINGS

Section 1 – Chapter Meetings

The chapter shall conduct meetings in the form of its luncheon seminars. There should be at least one chapter meeting per quarter.

Section 2 - Special Meetings

Special meetings of the chapter may be called by the President, the Board of Directors or upon request by 25 percent of the chapter members.

Section 3 - Quorum

A simple majority of the members of the chapter shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the chapter.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote by secret ballot provided such proposed amendment(s) has/have been approved by the chapter's Board of Directors. Amendments adopted in accordance with this provision become effective only after approval by the PRSA National Board of Directors.