Bylaws
Article I: Name, Mission, and Official Language
Section 1: Name
The Name of the organization shall be the World Stuttering & Cluttering Organization, hereafter the Organization or the WSCO (formerly the International Fluency Association). It is a non-profit organization recognized by the United States of America under TaxID/EIN 63-1128766.
Section 2: Mission
The WSCO‘s mission is to be a global community dedicated to the advancement of science, education, practice and advocacy in stuttering and cluttering.
Section 3: Official Language
The official language of the Organization is English. However, in our activities, as appropriate, we will seek to address barriers to full participation of WSCO members with limited English proficiency.
Article II: Membership and Dues
Section 1: Membership eligibility and rights
Individuals engaged in research, diagnosis, or treatment pertaining to stuttering or cluttering, or in any activity consistent with the mission of the Organization, are eligible for membership. All members of the Organization are eligible to vote/participate in elections, nominations, and surveys. Members receive access to the Journal of Fluency Disorders.
Section 2: Membership Dues
Membership dues are set by the Executive Board. Members must renew their membership annually in order to remain in good standing. Membership follows the calendar year (January 1 through December 31).
Article III: Governance
Section 1: Executive Board
Only WSCO members who are professionals in stuttering and cluttering are eligible to serve on WSCO’s Executive Board. All Executive Board members must be WSCO members.
The voting members of the Executive Board are: President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member at Large. The ex-officio members are Past-President, Treasurer-Elect, the editor(s) of JFD, and the Chair of the Membership Committee. The Elections Committee shall endeavor to identify candidates for these voting positions that create national diversity.
The maximum number of voting members of the board is 5. A minimum number of voting Executive Board members required for a quorum is 3.
Voting members of the Executive Board serve three-year terms. Terms shall be staggered so that the President-Elect and Secretary will be elected one year and the Treasurer-Elect and Member-at-Large will be elected the following year. No election will be held in the third year. Terms run from July through June. Members may stand for election again at the end of their term. The President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer,
Treasurer-Elect, and Member at Large are elected to these positions by a vote of the membership.
The Past-President serves a one-year term.
An executive board member may be removed from the Board in case of violation of WSCO’s Code of Practice. A majority not less than 75% of the remaining voting Executive Board members (3 out of 4) is needed at a scheduled meeting where the item was on a written agenda distributed two weeks in advance.
After removal, the Executive Board will ask the Election and Nomination Committee to plan a special election for a new board member.
The Executive Board shall convene a minimum of four board meetings per year. Additional meetings may be called by any voting Executive Board member. Meetings and votes may occur via telecommunication.
All Executive Board members must comply with the WSCO’s Code of Practice statement.
Section 2: Indemnification
If the assets of the Association are insufficient to meet its outstanding legal debts, the members of the Executive Board have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities.
Section 3: IFA Physical Address
For financial purposes, the physical address of the WSCO shall be that of the current Treasurer/Treasurer-Elect.
Section 4: Committees
The Executive Board can create or dissolve committees, appoint committee Directors and members, and charge the committees with tasks and roles consistent with fulfilling the WSCO’s mission. All Directors and committee members must comply with the WSCO’s Code of Practice statement.
Article IV: General Membership Meeting
There shall be at least one meeting annually of the WSCO membership and the Executive Board. All meetings may be held through the use of telecommunications. During the years when WSCO Congresses are held, these meetings may be conducted face-to-face at the respective congress locations.
Article V: JFD
The Journal of Fluency Disorders shall be the official journal of the Organization.
Article VI: Amendments
The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those Organization members voting.
Article VII: Dissolution
The Organization may be dissolved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the group consisting of the Executive Board members and the Directors. Such dissolution shall become effective only after notice of such action has been transmitted to the members and a majority of the membership do not object in writing within ninety (90) days following transmittals of the notice to dissolve. If the Organization is dissolved by appropriate resolution, liquidation of the Organization’s assets will be determined by the Executive Board and Directors, and approved by the majority of those Organization members voting.