The name of this Association shall be the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association, Inc., Chapter of the National Rehabilitation Association, Inc.

WRA is a member organization Committed to the promotion of ethical and excellent practice in rehabilitation, Through collaboration, education and advocacy.

1. The improvement and extension of rehabilitation services to include the welfare of persons with disabilities; the improvement of standards of professional workers who serve persons with disabilities; encouragement of adequate facilities for treatment, education, and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities; education of the community to the problems of persons with disabilities; and sponsorship of such programs and activities that may directly or indirectly advance their welfare.
2. Exercising leadership in identifying the needs of individuals with disabilities, interpreting these needs to society, planning and promoting programs designed to meet these needs, and translating such programs into services at the community level.
3. Identifying the essential elements in the practice of rehabilitation and fostering the development and application of standards which will help to assure effective services to people with disabilities.
4. Exercising leadership in developing concepts and practices which will foster interagency and interprofessional activity directed toward helping individuals with disabilities increase their ability to function.
5. Encouraging the entry of competent and humanitarian individuals to the rehabilitation professions and fostering training opportunities to make them effective practitioners.
6. Encouraging the search for improved methods and techniques in the organization, administration, and practice of rehabilitation and fostering the dissemination and evaluation of such findings.
7. Exercising leadership in removing environmental and legal barriers and overcoming discrimination which keeps individuals with disabilities from living normal lives and enjoying the rights and benefits that should be the heritage of every American citizen.
8. Providing the medium through which its members can express their views concerning the procedures and policies of WRA, GLR, and NRA.
9. Assuming a responsible position to assist in the formation of the guidance to its local chapters in accordance with the WRA and NRA Constitution and Bylaws.

For the purposes of this Constitution:

1. NRA shall mean the National Rehabilitation Association, Inc.
2. ASSOCIATION shall mean the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association, Inc.
3. REGION shall mean the Great Lakes Region of NRA.
4. GLR shall mean the Great Lakes Region of NRA.
5. CHAPTER shall mean the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association.
6. LOCAL CHAPTER or STUDENT CHAPTER shall mean a group of individuals affiliated with WRA in a geographical area within the state designated as a local chapter or student chapter by the WRA to carry out the functions and responsibilities under the Constitution and Bylaws of this Association.
7. DIVISION shall mean any organized interest group officially recognized and approved by the NRA.
8. BOARD shall mean the Board of Directors of the WRA.

• Section 1.

  All Wisconsin members of the NRA in good standing may become members in this Association.

• Section 2.

  No member of the NRA shall be denied membership in this Association or any organizational unit of this Association because of race, creed, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

• Section 1.

  There shall be at least one announced general membership business meeting during the calendar year, to be announced at the latest by November 1.

• Section 2.

  Special meetings of the general membership may be called by the President; or, in his/her absence, by the President-Elect or the Vice-President on approval of the Executive Committee or upon petition of 10% of the eligible membership of the Association.

• Section 3.

  A quorum to do business at any regular or special meeting shall consist of 10% of the members known to the Membership Chairperson.

• Section 1.

  The Board of Directors shall serve as the Association’s policy making body and shall be responsible for carrying on the affairs of the Association except those actions which rest on the membership as stated in the Constitution and Bylaws.

• Section 2. The Board of Directors shall consist of:
  1. The elected officers (President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, two Board Members at Large and one Consumer Board Member at Large).
  2. The immediate Past President.
  3. A member designated by each local or student chapter.
  4. A member designated by each approved Division.
  5. The Chairperson of each standing committee.
  6. The ex-officio members employed in or living in the chapter area: (1) any national elected officer of NRA, (2) any regional elected office of the GLR, (3) any regional representative of NRA, (4) any national elected officer of an NRA Division, (5) any regional elected officer of an NRA Division, (6) the regional representative of the Council of Chapter Presidents, (7) one representative designated annually by each of the NRA established Councils having state representation.
  7. An ex-officio member designated by a local or student chapter which has been accredited between the annual meetings to provide immediate representation.
  8. For purposes of establishing a board meeting quorum, the voting membership of the Board shall consist of the elected officers plus the Presidents of all active (defined as having current elected officers) chapters and divisions.
  
  
• Section 3. Powers of the Board.
  1. The Board shall conduct the affairs of the Association in the interval between annual meetings.
  2. The Board shall be the policy making body of this Association and shall ensure that its policies are not in conflict with those of NRA.
  3. The Board may call special elections when deemed necessary and upon a unanimous decision.
  
  
• Section 4. Executive Committee.
  1. Composition: There shall be an Executive Committee composed of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and immediate Past President.
  2. Powers of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall perform such functions as necessary to assure the orderly operation of the Association which have been delegated to it by the Board of Directors.
  
  
• Section 5. Historian.
  1. The Secretary of the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association shall serve as Historian for the Association and present a previous year’s history to the board no later than the first board meeting following the Secretary’s term.
  
  
• Section 6. Filling the Vacancies of Officers.
  1. President: If the position of President should become vacant, the Vice-President shall assume the Presidency and complete the remainder of that term.
  2. Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer: If the positions of Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer should become vacant, the vacancies shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board.
  3. President-Elect: If the position of President Elect should become vacant a special election by the membership shall be held to fill the vacancy.
  
  
• Section 7. Officers and Duties.

  The Officers of the Association shall be the President, Immediate Past-President, President Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The duties of these officers shall be those pertaining to such positions, including the following specific duties assigned to each office:

  1. President:
     1. Call meetings of the Association, the Board and the Executive Committee.
     2. Preside over meetings of the Association, the Board and the Executive Committee.
     3. Appoint, with the approval of the Board, the Chairpersons to all standing and special committees.
     4. Nominate to the Board members to fill vacancies on all committees.
     5. Serve as ex-officio member of all committees he/she appoints.
     6. Represent the Association and the Board in carrying out the policies of the Region and NRA.
     7. Serve on the GLR Board as a voting member of the Board.
     8. Assume the office of Immediate Past-President upon completion of the term as President.
     
     
  2. President Elect:
     1. Serve on the Board and its Executive Committee.
     2. Serve on the GLR Board as a voting member.
     3. Assume the Presidency at the end of the latter’s term.
     
     
  3. Immediate PastPresident:
     1. Serve on the Board and its Executive Committee.
     
     
  4. Vice-President:
     1. Serve on the Board and its Executive Committee.
     2. In the President’s absence, preside over meetings of the Association, the Board and the Executive Committee.
     
     
  5. Secretary:
     1. Serve on the Board and its Executive Committee.
     2. Record all minutes and maintain pertinent records of the Association.
     3. Act as Historian for the Association and present a previous year’s history to the Board no later than the first Board meeting following the Secretary’s term.
     
     
  6. Treasurer:
     1. Serve on the Board and its Executive Committee
     2. Make recommendations to the Board with respect to financial policies of the Chapter.
     3. Submit annual financial report to the Board and at the annual meeting of the Association.
     4. Maintain the financial records and safeguard the funds of the Association.
     5. Secure bonding for those Association members designated by the Board.
     6. Provide for bank reconciliation of previous year records.
     7. Perform such other related functions as may be assigned by the Board.
     8. Disburse funds at the direction of the Board.
     
     
  7. Board Members at Large(3):
     1. Serve as voting members of the Board.
     2. Perform such other related functions as may be assigned by the Board.
  8. Consumer Board Member:
     1. Serve as voting members of the Board.
     2. Perform such other related functions as may be assigned by the Board.

• Section 1.Nominating Committee.:

  Annually a Nominating Committee Chairperson shall be appointed by the President. The Chairperson shall choose a committee of one member residing within each of the local chapters of the state chapter of the Association where they exist, and at least two members-at-large, whose duty it shall be to submit a list of at least two candidates for each of the offices of President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and two Board Members at Large. The Nominating Committee shall seek nominations for any office from the membership by mail prior to starting their deliberations.

• Section 2. Elections.

  Annually the Nominating Committee shall mail a ballot to all members known to the Membership Chairperson so that the balloting shall be completed prior to the annual meeting. A plurality of ballots cast shall elect. In the event of a tie, a run-off election shall be conducted at the annual meeting.

Each year of service shall be construed to mean the period extending from January 1st to December 31st.

1. The offices of the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past-President, Vice-President, Secretary and three Board Members at Large shall be for terms of one year commencing January 1st.
2. The term of the Treasurer shall be for two years commencing January 1st.
3. The President-Elect shall succeed to the Presidency at the end of the latter’s term.

The Constitution of the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association, Inc. may be amended as follows:

1. An amendment may be proposed by a 2/3 majority of the Board and ratified by a majority of the members present at the next annual meeting.
2. An amendment may be proposed by a majority of the members attending an annual meeting, referred to the Board for study and ratified by a majority of members at the next annual meeting.
3. All amendments shall be submitted to the membership by mail or via the official newsletter of the Association at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting.

Any provisions of this Constitution or any amendment thereto which are in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of NRA shall be deemed null and void, but such portions held to be null and void shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of any other portion thereof.

All provisions of previous Constitutions of the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Association, Inc. are hereby repealed.

Rules of Order - Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition) shall govern meetings of the membership, the Board and the Executive Committee.

• Section 1. Voting Privilege.
  1. Members in good standing may vote upon all business brought before the Association.
  2. To be in good standing, a member must have paid current dues to the NRA.
  
  
• Section 2. Divisions of WRA.
  1. Scientific, professional, or other interest groups may be organized as Divisions of the Association to facilitate the promotion of specific interests and to meet the specific needs of members of these groups when such interests and needs are in harmony with the purposes of the Association.
  2. The organization of a Division (state or local units) shall be subject to regulations established by the Board of Directors of the WRA, Inc., in accordance with the NRA Constitution and subject to the approval of the membership of the Association.
  3. A majority of the members in attendance at the annual meeting or a majority of the ballots returned from ballots mailed to all members known to the Membership Chairperson shall constitute approval.
  
  
• Section 3. Local Chapters and Student Chapters.
  1. In order to extend the benefits and privileges of membership, local chapters and student chapters of the Association may be organized by members of the Association.
  2. The organization and affiliation of the local chapters and student chapters shall be subject to the regulations established by the Board of WRA.

• Section 1. Bonding.
  1. The President and Treasurer shall be bonded.
  2. The amount of the bond shall approximate the yearly budget.
  3. All Board members authorized to sign checks must be bonded.
  
  
• Section 2. Expenses.
  1. The Association may pay expenses incurred by the President and President-Elect to attend the NRA annual meeting and/or the GLR annual meeting in full or in part, as determined by Executive Committee action.

• Section 1. Term of Office.
  1. The Board of Directors shall be elected for a term of one year beginning on January 1 following election except for the President, who in actuality serves on the Board as President-Elect, President and Immediate Past-President.
  
  
• Section 2. Board Quorum.
  1. A quorum for a Board meeting shall consist of a majority of the voting members of the Board, of which one member must be either the President, President-Elect, or the Vice-President of the Association.
  
  
• Section 3. Selection of Delegates to NRA.
  1. The President shall select (with the approval of the Board) the official delegate to represent the WRA at Delegate Assembly of the NRA.

• Section 1. Standing Committees.
  1. The Board of Directors upon approval of the membership at the annual meeting may establish a standing committee.
  2. The President with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors shall appoint from among the members of the Association, a Chairperson to all Standing Committees. The Program, Legislative, Public Information, Constitution and Bylaws and Membership Committees have been established as Standing Committees.
  
  
• Section 2. Special Committees.
  1. Special Committees such as Auditing, Liaison or Special Projects will be appointed by the President with the advice of the Board.
  
  
• Section 3. Public Information Committee.
  1. Public Information Committee shall, under the Chairperson, mail to the membership the Association Newsletter on a basis determined by the Board.

These Bylaws may be amended by a vote of the majority of the members present at a business meeting, provided that notice was mailed to the known membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.

In the event of the dissolution of this Corporation, all of its assets of every nature whatsoever remaining after payment of its liabilities shall be distributed and paid out by this Corporation to such other non-profit corporation(s) engaged in charitable, educational or scientific work consistent with the purposes of this Corporation as determined by the Board of Directors holding office immediately prior to commencement of dissolution proceedings. None of said assets shall personally benefit any member, director or officer of this Association.

Approved October 1, 1993