Article I Name

This organization shall be known as the Florida Association for Institutional Research (FAIR).

Article II Purpose

Section 1. The major purposes of the Florida Association for Institutional Research shall be to benefit, assist, and advance research leading to improved understanding, planning, and operation of institutions of education. Research focused on a single institution and that concerned with groups of institutions both fall within these purposes. In keeping with the dynamic nature of institutions of education, the Association shall encourage the application of appropriate methodologies and techniques from many disciplines. It shall also publish and exchange information with respect to institutions of education and shall use such means as are necessary and proper to accomplish these objectives, including the raising of funds through gifts, devices, bequests, or otherwise.

Section 2. The Association is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes and shall not engage in any activity which is not permitted by an organization exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) and described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. No part of its net earnings shall inure to the benefits of any private individual, members, or officers, except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services actually rendered.

Section 3. No part of the Association’s activities shall be for carrying on lobby efforts or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and it shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Pursuant to these purposes, the Association is to provide a state forum for planning, coordinating, or conducting activities which promote research and information-based decision making regarding state secondary and postsecondary education institutions. The Association will serve as a means to identify information and research needs, focus on policy issues, and promote the meaningful use of research results at federal, state, and local levels.

Article III Membership

Section 1. Membership in the Florida Association for Institutional Research and election or appointment to any committee is not based on race, ethnic origin, sex, age, religion, or handicap.

Section 2. Membership in the Association shall be open to those individuals involved or interested in research and planning for education institutions and those who meet such additional qualifications as may be prescribed in the Bylaws of the Association.

Article IV Finances

All member individuals shall pay dues as are approved by the Executive Board of the Florida Association for Institutional Research. The fiscal year will be July 1 through June 30. Following the close of the fiscal year, the records of the association shall be subject to audit, as prescribed in the Bylaws of the Association.

Article V Officers

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be the President, the President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and the Immediate Past-President.

Section 2. President: The President shall chair the Executive Committee and preside at the business meetings of the Association. The President shall also represent the Association in relations with other professional and educational organizations, foundations, and governmental agencies. The President shall succeed to the office of Immediate-Past President at the termination of the term as President.

Section 3. President-Elect: The President-Elect shall serve as vice chairperson of the Executive Committee and shall represent the President when the latter is unable to perform the duties specified above. The President-Elect shall serve as Program Chair of the annual conference. The President-Elect shall succeed to the office of President at the termination of the term as President-Elect.

Section 4. Secretary-Treasurer: The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt and disbursement of all funds of the Association and for the establishment and maintenance of appropriate records of all fiscal transactions. The Secretary-Treasurer shall ensure that all expenditures are within the approved budget and have been properly incurred under the policies of the Association. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee and of the annual and any special business meetings, the maintaining of the list of members of the Association, and the sending of notices.

Section 5. Immediate-Past-President: The Immediate-Past-President shall chair and convene the Nominating Committee.

Article VI Executive Board

Section 1. The governing body of the Florida Association for Institutional Research shall be the Executive Board.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall have the authority to make operating policies for the Association which are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and to act for or on behalf of the Association.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and Immediate-Past-President.

Section 4. For purposes of incorporation, the Executive Board may also be known as the Board of Directors.

Article VII Elections

Section 1. The President-Elect and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected by the membership of the Association. Officers, including the President and Immediate-Past-President, shall serve for terms as designated in the Bylaws of the Association.

Section 2. Officers shall be elected by a vote of the Association membership responding by mail ballot, electronic mail, or a vote at the annual business meeting. In the event that there is only one nominee for an open positions, this nomination will be an approval item on the agenda at the annual business meeting.

Section 3. Officers shall take office at the end of the annual business meeting at the annual conference of the year of the election and shall serve through the annual business meeting of the following year.

Section 4. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, the President-Elect shall become President and serve the unexpired term. If there is a vacancy in both the office of the President and President-Elect, the Secretary-Treasurer shall become President and serve the unexpired term. If there is a vacancy in all three offices, the membership will vote for officers. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Immediate Past-President, the prior Past-President may serve the unexpired term.

Article VIII Adoption and Revision of Constitution & Bylaws

Section 1. The Association shall, for the conduct of its affairs, adopt Bylaws not inconsistent with this Constitution.

Section 2. On recommendation of the Executive Board, this Constitution may be amended by a majority of the respondents to a mail ballot, electronic mail, or by a vote at the annual business meeting of the Association membership. Amendments become effective immediately after certification of the results of the vote by the Executive Board.

Section 3. On recommendation of the Executive Board, the Bylaws may be amended by a majority of the respondents to a mail ballot, electronic mail, or by a vote at the annual business meeting of the Association membership. Amendments become effective immediately after certification of the results of the vote by the Executive Board.

Section 4. The Constitution shall become effective upon ratification by the members, as herein defined, who were registered at the annual conference June 11 and 12, 1987.

Article IX Rules of Procedure

The Executive Board of the Association shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order Revised, except in instances in which it would be in conflict with the Bylaws for special rules of the Association.

Article X Quorum

Section 1. Ten (10) members attending a business meeting of the Association shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2. A quorum at any meeting of the Executive Board shall consist of three (3) members.

Article XI Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the Association, the executive officers shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the Association, dispose of all the assets of the Association exclusively for the purposes of the Association. The recipient organization(s) shall operate for educational purposes and qualify as an exempt organization(s) as determined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Section 501(c)(3) or future United States Internal Revenue Law.

Adopted June 11, 1987