By Laws of the New Hampshire Psychological Association

(Revised: 2021)

ARTICLE I:  NAME

1. The name of this organization shall be the New Hampshire Psychological Association, Incorporated (the “Association”).  

ARTICLE II:  MISSION

1.  The Association’s mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives in New Hampshire. 

2.The Association carries out its mission by: 

• building on a foundation of science;
• advocating for psychology and psychologists;
• championing diversity and inclusion;
• respecting and promoting human rights;
• engaging with and delivering value to its members; and
• leading by example, 
• without discrimination against or for any individual or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability. 

ARTICLE III:  MEMBERSHIP AND AFFILIATE STATUS

1. In the context of this Article, the term “work” shall refer to full-time or part-time engagement and/or maintaining licensure in the provision of psychological research, psychology teaching, psychological consultation, or clinical psychological services.  

2. The Association shall offer the following classes of membership: Full Member, Semi-Retired or Retired Member, Emeritus Member, Early Career Member, Associate Member, Out-of-State Member, Affiliate Member, Student Member, and Institutional Member.

3. Full Members shall reside or work in New Hampshire, shall at the time of application be engaged in professional work that is primarily psychological in nature, and shall possess a doctoral degree in psychology or a closely related field.  This doctoral degree shall be:

a.based in part upon a psychological dissertation or other evidence of proficiency in psychological scholarship; and

b. awarded by a regionally accredited graduate or professional school, or by a graduate or professional school that achieved such accreditation within the five (5) years subsequent to the award of the degree in question, or by a foreign institution with academic requirements essentially similar to those of a regionally accredited graduate or professional school.  

Full Members shall be eligible to vote in the Association’s elections, on its ballots, and at its Annual Meetings; shall be eligible to chair or otherwise serve as voting members of the Association’s committees if appointed thereto; and shall be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors if elected thereto.    

4. Semi-Retired or Retired Members are Full Members who have retired or partially retired from professional work that is primarily psychological in nature. 

5. Emeritus Members are Retired Members who have maintained membership for the full fifteen (15) years immediately preceding retirement, and whose retirement was not occasioned by circumstances warranting loss of membership.  Emeritus Members shall retain their eligibility for Emeritus status even when, subsequent to attaining such status, they may establish residency outside of New Hampshire.

6.Early Career Members are Full Members who are within seven (7) years of receiving their doctoral degree.  

7. Associate Members shall reside or work in New Hampshire, shall at the time of application be engaged in professional work that is primarily psychological in nature, and shall:  

a.possess a master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field, awarded by a regionally accredited graduate or professional school;

b.possess a master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field, awarded by a foreign institution with academic requirements essentially similar to those of a regionally accredited graduate or professional school;

c.have completed two (2) full years of study in psychology or a closely related field, conducted at a regionally accredited graduate or professional school; or

d.have completed two (2) full years of study in psychology or a closely related field, conducted at a foreign institution with academic requirements essentially similar to those of a regionally accredited graduate or professional school.  

Associate members shall be eligible to serve and vote on the Association’s committees if appointed thereto, but shall not be eligible to chair committees; vote in the Association’s elections, on its ballots, or at its Annual Meetings; or serve on the Board of Directors.  

No person qualified to join the Association as a Full Member shall be eligible to join the Association as an Associate Member.  

8.Out-of-State Members shall be persons who do not qualify as Full or Associate Members solely due to the fact that they currently neither reside nor work in New Hampshire.  Out-of-State Members shall be eligible to serve on and vote on the Association’s committees if appointed thereto, but shall not be eligible to chair committees; vote in the Association’s elections, on its ballots, or at its Annual Meetings; or serve on the Board of Directors.  

9.Affiliate Members shall be persons who do not qualify for any other membership status, but have a strong connection to the mental health community.  Applications for Affiliate Member status shall be approved by the NHPA Board of Directors at their discretion. Affiliate Members will be eligible to serve on and vote on the Association’s committees if appointed thereto, but shall not be eligible to chair committees; vote in the Association’s elections, on its ballots, or at its Annual Meetings; or serve on the Board of Directors.

10.Student Members shall be persons currently enrolled in regionally accredited colleges or universities, who are granted membership status on the basis of an approved application to the Board of Directors.  They shall enjoy such privileges as may be granted by the Board of Directors.

11.Institutional Members.  Academic Institutions and Human Services Organizations may apply for membership within the Association.  Applications for Institutional Members status shall be approved by the NHPA Board of Directors.  Institutional Members may have individuals under their membership.  These individuals may participate in Association activities based on member level eligibility criteria. 

ARTICLE IV:  LOSS AND RESTORATION OF MEMBERSHIP

1. Any member may be expelled from membership in the Association as a result of one or more of the following:

• At the discretion and two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors for unprofessional conduct, such as conduct that could result in the loss or surrendering of licensure to practice psychology in New Hampshire. 
• failure to respond in writing within thirty (30) days of the mailing of a notice of failure to pay Association dues; or 
• failure to pay within thirty (30) days of its due date any dues installment pursuant to a grant of relief as described in Article IX.5.

2. Any former members who were expelled or who resigned from Association membership may re-apply for membership. 

ARTICLE V:  BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. The Board of Directors shall be the policy making body of the Association, with full authority over the affairs and funds of the Association.  

2. The Board of Directors shall consist of the following persons:

a. the elected Officers (President, President-Elect, Past President, Treasurer, and Secretary);

b. the elected at-large Directors;

c. the elected Liaison to the Board Of Psychologists; 

d. the APA Council Representative (or Liaison Observer), as defined in Article XII; 

e. the appointed Student Liaison, defined as a member of the student organization of NHPA who is appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors; and 

f. the appointed chairpersons of standing or ad hoc committees if mutually agreed to and upon approval from the Board of Directors.

3.  To prevent all at-large Directors positions from expiring at the same time, Directors may be
elected for staggered terms, as follows: 

• up to three (3) at-large Directors elected during even-numbered years, each for a term of two (2) years; 
• and up to three (3) at-large Directors elected during odd-numbered years, each for a term of two (2) years.

4.  The role of the Board of Psychologists (BOP) Liaison shall be to foster collegial and collaborative relations between the Board of Directors and the BOP, via attempts at regular communication with the Executive Director, the President, and the BOP.  The Liaison shall, when feasible, attend public meetings of the BOP at the request of either the Association or the BOP.

5.The Board of Directors has the authority to adopt and publish Policies of the Board of Directors, for conducting the business of this Association, provided such Policies do not conflict with these Bylaws.

6.  The Board of Directors shall annually publish a list of scheduled meetings. A minimum of (4) meetings shall take place throughout the fiscal year.

7.Quorum for the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of its current members.

ARTICLE VI:  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1.The Executive Committee shall be the administrative body of the Association, consisting of the Officers as well as, on an ex officio basis, the Executive Director.  

2.During any interval between meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to take action as necessary to conduct the Association’s affairs, in accordance with these Bylaws and with the Policies of the Board of Directors.  

3.  If an emergency is declared by a majority of the voting members of the Executive Committee, that Committee shall have the power to take action as though such action were taken by the Board of Directors, and shall make a report of any such action at the next meeting of the Board of Directors.  

ARTICLE VII:  OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

1.  The President shall serve as presiding officer of the Executive Committee and as Chairperson of the Board of Directors.

2.The President-Elect shall serve, in the absence of the President, as presiding officer of the Executive Committee and as Chairperson of the Board of Directors.

• The President-Elect shall serve for a term of one (1) year.  Following that term, he or she shall serve as President for a term of one (1) year.  Following that term, he or she shall serve as Past President for a term of one (1) year.    
• The President-Elect shall become President in the event that the current President does not serve out his or her term.  

3.The Past President shall serve, in the absence of the President and the President-Elect, as presiding officer of the Executive Committee and as Chairperson of the Board of Directors.   

4.The Secretary shall serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors and as Secretary of the Executive Committee, and shall also serve, in the absence of the President, President-Elect, and Past President, as presiding officer of the Executive Committee and as Chairperson of the Board of Directors.  

• The Secretary shall ensure that Minutes are taken of each meeting of the Board of Directors, and that those Minutes are forwarded to the Executive Director in draft form no later than one (1) week subsequent to such a meeting.  
• The Secretary’s term of office shall be one (1) year.

5. The Treasurer is the financial officer with authority to sign checks. 

• The Treasurer shall prepare the annual budget and shall present final year end financials to the Annual Meeting. 
• The Treasurer’s term of office shall be one (1) year.

6.  No person shall run for more than one office simultaneously, and no person shall occupy more than one office simultaneously, except for:

• a combination of one or more of the following offices: President-Elect, President, and Past President; 
• a combination of any office and Liaison to the Board of Psychologists; 
• a combination of any office and APA Council Representative (or Liaison Observer). 

7. If the APA Council Representative (or Liaison Observer) or any officer but the Past President resigns or is otherwise unable to serve out his or her term, and these Bylaws do not provide for automatic assumption of that position by another individual, then the Board of Directors shall elect one of its members, during its next regularly scheduled meeting, to fill the unexpired term.  

8. If the Board of Directors determines that any officer has failed to attend properly to his or her duties absent sufficiently extenuating circumstances, then a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all current members of the Board of Directors shall suffice for the removal of that officer.   

9. The Executive Director shall be an employee of the Association, whose responsibilities shall be determined by the Board of Directors, and who shall serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  

ARTICLE VIII:  NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

1. The Nominating and Awards Committee  and/or Executive Committee shall solicit recommendations for nomination from Members, for all positions to be filled via election, no less than sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting, and shall submit its nominations to the Board of Directors for approval.  The Board of Directors shall ensure that a finalized ballot is mailed or electronically sent to each Member, along with the Call to the Annual Meeting, no less than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting.  

2.Ballots shall:

• identify at least one candidate for each position to be filled via election;
• include a brief professional biography or statement for each candidate; 
• invite and accommodate “write-in” voting for each position; and
• specify that only ballots received no less than seven (7) calendar days prior to the Annual Meeting shall be counted.  

3. Ballots shall be counted by the Executive Director and one member as designated by the President or Executive Committee.   

4. In the event of a tie vote for any elected position, a run-off election shall be conducted during the Annual Meeting, via paper ballots anonymously endorsed by voting Members of the Association present at the Annual Meeting.    

ARTICLE IX:  FINANCIAL MATTERS

1.The fiscal year of the Association shall be determined by the Board of Directors.  Any change to the fiscal year shall occur only as a result of sound and documented fiscal planning, including the submission and review of an organizational impact statement.

2.A budget for each fiscal year shall be prepared by the Treasurer and Executive Director and approved by the Board of Directors.  No later than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting, the approved Budget shall be sent to the membership, along with the Call to the Annual Meeting.  

3.The amount and method of payment of annual Association dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

4.  Any assessment in addition to annual Association dues shall be for a specific declared purpose and shall be determined by the Board of Directors.  

5.  The Board of Directors may elect to grant relief in the form of a reduced dues amount, delayed payment, or payment by installments, to any Member no more than three (3) times. 

ARTICLE X:  MEETINGS

1.The Annual Meeting of this Association shall be held prior to the end of the fiscal year, for the transaction of business and for such other activities as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.  The specific time and location of the Annual Meeting shall be determined by the Board of Directors.  

2.  A Call to the Annual Meeting shall be sent to the entire membership of the Association at least thirty (30) days in advance of the Annual Meeting, accompanied by:

• a meeting agenda determined by the President;
• a ballot devised by the Nominating and Awards and/or Executive Committee and approved by the Board of Directors; and
• a fiscal year budget approved by the Board of Directors.

3.A quorum shall consist of twenty percent (20%) of the voting Members of the Association, available to vote on issues either in person or by a Proxy ballot included in the Call to the Annual Meeting.  

4.Issues brought forth at the Annual Meeting, but not specified in the written agenda accompanying the Call to the Annual Meeting, shall be subject to action only if there is a quorum.  

5.Special Meetings may be held at any time upon the call of the President or Board of Directors, or upon petition of twenty percent (20%) of the voting Members of the Association.  

6.  The Call to a Special Meeting shall be sent to the entire membership of the Association at least thirty (30) days in advance of its scheduled date, and shall include a statement of the business for which the Special Meeting is called, as well as a statement specifying that no other business may be brought before the Special Meeting.

ARTICLE XI:  COMMITTEES

1.The committees of the Association shall consist of committees required for the operations of the Association and standing committees specified by these Bylaws. Other ad hoc committees may be established at any time by the Board of Directors.  

2. All chairpersons of committees required for the operations of the Association shall be members of the Board of Directors.  Chairpersons of standing committees and any ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the President a minimum of every other year and may be members of the Board of Directors.  Any removal of a committee chair prior to the end of a term must have a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors in order to do so. 

3.  Unless they assume such roles in a fashion otherwise specified by these Bylaws, non-chairperson members of standing and ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the President and shall serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  

4. Because the Association is a membership driven organization that employs staff, the following committees are considered required for its operations:

• The Membership Committee shall engage in the active promotion of membership recruitment and retention.  

• The Human Resource Committee shall address the human resource needs of the Association, including the Executive Director and other employees, and shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning employment contracts, conditions, and compensation.  The HR representative should not serve on the Executive Committee and shall consult with the Treasurer on any financial matters prior to presenting recommendations to the Board of Directors.

• If the organization has the financial opportunity to invest funds, a Finance Committee shall be established to monitor the Association’s income and expenditures throughout the fiscal year, advise the Treasurer in the preparation of the annual budget, and oversee the investments of the funds of the Association, which includes establishing principles and procedures for the management of invested funds and recommending actions to be taken by the Board of Directors if needed.  This committee shall consist of (1) its Chairperson, (2) the Treasurer, and (3) at least one other member.  The President and the Executive Director shall serve as ex officio members of this committee.  

5. Standing committees relevant to the mission of the Association require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors in order to activate or inactivate and may include the following:

• The Behavioral Healthcare Advocacy Committee (BHAC) shall serve to advise the Association on matters vital to the practice of professional psychology. It seeks to achieve its mission by 1) identifying developments within the practice, legislative and reimbursement arenas and 2) recommending strategies to respond to them in order to advance the effective and ethical practice of psychology across a variety of health care settings.

• The Inclusion and Equity Committee shall encourage the utilization and dissemination of psychological knowledge to advance equal opportunity and to foster empowerment of those who do not share equitably in society's resources, with sensitivity to issues including culture, class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and disability.  A focus of this committee may be to support and encourage women, minorities, and members of diverse communities to enter leadership positions in the Association.  

• The Continuing Education Committee shall assess the continuing education need of psychologists and organize educational events in order to meet such needs, while maintaining APA accreditation for this purpose.  

• The Early Career Psychologists Committee shall serve psychologists in New Hampshire who have obtained a doctoral degree within the last 7 years. The committee’s two main goals are to directly support Early Career Psychologists and to provide input to NHPA about ECP interests and needs. Ultimately, the committee hopes to serve ECPs in New Hampshire by both creating networking opportunities and making relevant resources more easily accessible to psychologists in the early years of their profession. 

• The Ethics Committee shall promote, support, and encourage ethical behavior on the part of psychologists, via consultations and educational activities. 

• The Legislative Committee shall monitor all proposed legislation that may affect psychology, shall recommend legislative initiatives to the Board of Directors, shall support legislative proposals from collaborative community partners that align with psychology goals and shall promote the enactment of legislation consistent with the goals of psychology and the Association.  

• In addition to the duties described in Articles VIII of these Bylaws, the Nominating and Awards Committee shall make recommendations a minimum of every other year  to the Board of Directors concerning awards to recognize outstanding contributions to the Association by a Member; demonstration of extraordinary skills in teaching, research, or service by a psychologist resident of New Hampshire; and outstanding contributions on behalf of the psychological welfare of people by a lay resident of New Hampshire.  This committee shall consist of (1) its Chairperson, (2) a member elected by and from the Board of Directors, and (3) the Past President.  When the office of Past President is vacant or is occupied by a person who is also currently serving as President, the third member of this committee shall also be elected by and from the Board of Directors.

• The Public Relations Committee shall create and develop public education campaigns as approved by the Board of Directors.  This committee shall engage in positive public relations campaigns designed to help educate the public, promote the Association, and promote the field of psychology. This committee may develop and maintain, with the assistance of the NHPA central office, a media and speaker’s bureau.  

ARTICLE XII:  REPRESENTATION TO THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

1. The Association shall strive to ensure the election of a New Hampshire Representative, with full voting privileges, to the American Psychological Association (APA) Council of Representatives (“Council”).  

2.  In the event that New Hampshire qualifies for its own Council seat, its Representative shall be chosen by means of an election administered and in accordance with APA regulations, from a slate of no less than two (2) nominees whose names shall be proffered to APA by the Nominating and Awards Committee and/or Executive Committee.  

3.  In the event that New Hampshire does not qualify for its own Council seat, the person most recently serving as its Representative shall become the Liaison Observer, until such time as a Liaison Observer shall be elected in accordance with the procedures described in Article VIII of these Bylaws.  

4. The Liaison Observer shall initiate contact with Division 31 of APA to affiliate in a coalition with other states that do not qualify for their own Council seat.   Such negotiations shall focus on securing a position in the smallest coalition possible.  The Liaison Observer from New Hampshire shall become a member of this coalition, shall participate in the selection of its Representative, and shall strive to secure a full Council seat for New Hampshire, so that disaffiliation from the coalition may occur as soon as possible.  

ARTICLE XIII:  RULES

1.The rules contained in the most recent revision of Keesey’s Modern Parliamentary Procedure shall govern this Association in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or the Policies of the Board of Directors.  

2. The President may appoint a current member of the Board of Directors to serve as Parliamentarian.  

a. The Parliamentarian shall serve at the discretion of the President.

b. The duties of the Parliamentarian shall be to advise the President in all matters pertaining to parliamentary procedure, these Bylaws, and the Policies of the Board of Directors. 

ARTICLE XIV:  AMENDMENTS

1. Amendments to these Bylaws shall only be proposed in one of the following ways:

a. by majority vote of the voting members present or represented by proxy at an Annual Meeting at which a quorum is present or available by proxy;

b. by action of the Board of Directors;

c. on petition signed by twenty percent (20%) of voting Members and duly filed with the Secretary. 

2. Except as described in Article XIV.3 of these Bylaws, these Bylaws shall be amended only at an Annual Meeting of the Association, and shall require approval on the part of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting Members present and voting, or voting by proxy, with a quorum present or available by proxy, provided that a copy of any proposed amendment was mailed or electronically sent to each voting Member at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting.  

3. In the event that a quorum is not present or available by proxy at an Annual Meeting, these Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting Members voting by mail or electronic ballot, whose ballots are received within thirty (30) days of the mailing or electronic sending of the ballot to those voting Members.  

4. Amendments shall take effect immediately subsequent to the Annual Meeting at which they occur, unless otherwise indicated when proposed.   

Created: 5/3/99, Amended 5/2000, 5/2001, 5/2004, 5/2007, 5/2008, 4/2010, 5/2014, 5/2016, 3/2017, 5/2018, 5/2020, 5/2021