Article I: Name of Organization
The name of this organization shall be the "National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs". The acceptable acronym shall be "NASSGAP". On May 11, 1994 NASSGAP became a recognized tax exempt, non-profit organization in Helena, Montana with the tax exempt number 71-0569634,

Article II: Objectives of the Association
Section 1. To promote, strengthen, encourage and enhance high standards of performance in administration and operation of government-sponsored postsecondary student financial aid programs to the end that the benefits of these programs shall be available to students in all the states for the purpose of expanding and furthering postsecondary educational opportunities.

Section 2. To provide a forum for the development and exchange of information, ideas, policy positions, procedures and needs for student financial assistance for the benefit of member agencies and other organizations.

Section 3. To facilitate the development and exchange of information about state student employment programs.

Section 4. To establish and act as a collective voice of reasoned opinion before state, regional and national councils with respect to student financial aid programs whose objective is the furtherance of postsecondary education in the United States, including grants, scholarships, loans, college work-study, and other forms of government-sponsored assistance to students. To consider, debate, decide positions, make recommendations and otherwise act as an advising body on such matters as, in the judgment of the Association, shall serve the objectives set forth in this article.

Section 5. To collaborate with other associations, councils and agencies in the interest of effective implementation of various federal, state and institutional student financial assistance programs.

Section 6. To work with other associations, councils and agencies to design, implement and operate simplified student application procedures for student financial assistance and design a uniform method of determining the ability of the family to pay the costs of postsecondary education.

Section 7. To conduct research, publish reports, hold conferences and otherwise engage in activities which: (1) help existing programs to become more responsive to federal, regional and state public policy goals and objectives; (2) encourage the development of new programs as the need arises; (3) work toward the prevention and elimination of fraud and abuse in student financial aid programs; and (4) enable the organization to accomplish the objectives set forth in this Article.

Section 8. The financial goal of NASSGAP will be to have sufficient funds in an available, otherwise unencumbered account to cover one year's operating expenses. ANy funds in excess of that amount should be placed in low-risk investment vehicles in order to receive the maximum return possible on said funds. The value of the reserve will be calculated annually by the Treasurer and recommended to the Executive Committee

Article III: Membership in the Association
Section 1. Membership in the Association shall be on an institutional, organizational, or agency basis rather than on an individual or personal basis. The Association shall have the following classes of membership:

1.   Voting Membership--Voting Membership shall be extended to a single agency from each state or territory which is legally responsible to administer an operational program of student aid which has been established by the legislature, designated by the Governor, or by some similar official manner and which is a funded state program. Such agency shall designate a single representative to exercise that voting privilege whether it be at meetings of the Association or on mail ballots and shall provide the name of that person to the Association Secretary.
   
   
2.   Associate Membership (Non-voting)--Associate Membership shall be open to any agency which does not qualify for Voting Membership or any organization or individual associated with an organization whose interests are in concert with the goals and objectives of existing State Student Aid programs and the objectives expressed in Article II.
   
   
3. A Friend of NASSGAP, a class of membership intended for former members of the association who are recognized for their contributions to NASSGAP. A Friend shall not be assessed annual dues, may register for conferences at the member rate, and shall receive an annual Membership Directory.
   
   
4.   Authority to determine eligibility for any class of Membership shall be vested in the Executive Committee established in Article VI. In cases where more than one agency or individual from a single state may claim Voting Membership privileges, an attempt shall be made to resolve themselves, and then, failing resolution, the Association, upon recommendation of the Executive Committee shall designate the Voting Membership agency or individual. Voting Membership shall be extended immediately to any state agency at such time as the agency meets the criteria described in subsection a.
   
   
5.   Annual Membership Directory--The Secretary of the Association shall publish an annual directory of members, both Voting and Associate. Each listing shall include at a minimum the name, address and phone number of the agency, institution, organization or individual member. Names of staff at the member agencies may also be listed at the discretion of the Secretary of the Association.

Section 2. Both Voting and Associate Membership shall be contingent upon the payment of annual dues. The amount of such dues shall be recommended annually to the Voting Membership by the Executive Committee. Adoption of any schedule of changed dues shall occur by mail ballot and require a majority vote of the Voting Membership. Such dues shall be effective the first day of the fiscal year as provided in Article VIII, Section 4, and payable not later than September 1 of each year. Voting Membership dues are paid in the name of the agency of the designated representative and Associate Membership dues are paid in the name of the institution, organization, agency or individual representing such entity.

Article IV: Officers in the Association
Terms, Duties, and Method of Election

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Secretary, a Treasurer and two Members-at-Large. All officers shall be elected from the Voting Membership and may be individuals other than an agency's designated representative.

Section 2. The President, and President-Elect shall serve for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are elected. The Secretary, Treasurer and the two Members-at-Large shall be elected for a term of two (2) years. The two Members-at-Large shall serve staggered terms. The lengths of the terms of the first two Members-at-Large elected under this Constitution shall be determined by lot. The President-Elect shall automatically succeed to the office of President upon expiration of the term of office of the President or upon a vacancy occurring in that office.

The President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-at-Large may not serve successive terms in that office. The Secretary may serve a maximum of two successive terms in the same office. A voting Member may serve successive terms in different offices.

Any vacancy occurring in the office of President-Elect, Secretary or Treasurer or Member-at-Large between annual meetings of the Association shall be filled, for the remainder of such term, by appointment by the Executive Committee. Appointment to a vacancy in the offices of President-Elect and Treasurer shall require ratification by a majority vote of the Voting Membership through a mail ballot conducted within 30 days of the appointment.

Section 3. The officers named in Section 1 of this Article shall perform the duties prescribed by the Constitution and Bylaws adopted by the Association and by the parliamentary authority adopted in Article VIII of the Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 4. Officers shall be elected in the following manner:

1.   Prior to the fall annual meeting, the Executive Committee shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of five voting members. This committee shall prepare a proposed slate of officers for the next fiscal year and will present that slate to the members at the next spring meeting. No member of the Nominating Committee shall be eligible to be named on the proposed slate; however, a member may be nominated from the floor or included as a write-in candidate on a written ballot.
   
   
2.   Voting Members present at the spring meeting may nominate eligible candidates for any office so provided by the parliamentary authority of Article VIII.
   
   
3.   If a spring meeting is not held, the Nominating Committee chairman shall determine the slate by means of a committee meeting, or by communicating with the committee members by phone or by mail, and shall provide the names of the proposed candidates to the President no later than May 1 of the year following the fall annual meeting.
   
   
4.   The President shall direct the Secretary to prepare written ballots which shall contain the names and a brief description of the experience and qualifications of each candidate nominated according to Sections 4 a and b of Article IV. The Secretary will also provide a space for write-in candidates for each office. The Secretary shall mail these written ballots to each eligible Voting Member by June 1 or within one (1) week of the constitution of the annual Spring Conference, whichever is later.
   
   
5.   Voting members must return their written ballots as directed by the Secretary.
   
   
6.   The person receiving the largest number of votes, whether or not a majority of the votes is cast, shall be elected.
   
   
7.   The Secretary shall promptly notify the President and the members of the results of the election. This must be done prior to the next Fall meeting.
   
   
8.   The elected officers shall begin their terms at the conclusion of the fall business meeting.
   

Article V: Meetings
Section 1. The Association shall hold a meeting (the annual meeting) at least once a year in the fall of the year at a time and place to be chosen by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The President shall have the power to call special meetings of the Association upon the occurrence of events which, in the President's judgment, warrant the consideration and attention of the Association. The agenda for such special meetings shall be confined to the principal business for which such special meeting was called. A quorum of the Voting Membership, as prescribed by the parliamentary authority of Article VIII, shall be required for any action taken at such special meetings.

Article VI: Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee of the Association shall be composed of the President, the President-Elect, the immediate Past-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect (non-voting one-year term), and two (2) Members-at-Large. If the Past-President is unable to serve, the Executive Committee shall elect a third Member-at-Large to serve on the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association between annual meetings; fix the hour and place of meetings (Section 1 of Article V), except as provided in Section 2 of Article V; make recommendations to the Association; suspend or remove from office an elected or appointed officer upon a finding of just cause which shall require five votes from the full Executive Committee, such action by the Executive Committee requiring a two-thirds vote of the Voting Members of the Association to rescind by mail ballot or by floor vote at the next meeting of the Association and perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Constitution and Bylaws or by consent of the Association. The membership shall be notified within five days of any action by the Executive Committee to remove or suspend an elected or appointed officer. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the order of the Association and none of its acts shall conflict with actions taken by the Association.

Article VII: Committees
Section 1. The President shall, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee, create such other committees as are deemed to be in the interest of the Association as described in Article II.

Section 2. The President shall have power to appoint persons representing any class of membership, either Voting Membership or Associate Membership, to any committee that shall be established under Section 1 of this Article. Associate Membership shall not constitute a majority of any committee appointed under this Article except by specific authorization of the Executive Committee. The terms and duration of such appointments shall be at the discretion of the President.

Article VIII: Rules of Order
Section 1. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Association in all applicable cases not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and any special rules which may from time to time be adopted by the Association.

Section 2. The President-Elect will serve as a Parliamentarian whose duties shall be to advise the President on matters of orderly procedure as provided in Section 1 of this Article. The Parliamentarian may be a permanent or temporary appointee for the term of any duly called meeting as provided in Article V at the discretion of the President.

Section 3. Forty percent of the voting membership or designated representatives of voting members shall constitute a quorum. If the absence of a quorum prevents a meeting of the Membership from acting on an item of business, the Executive Committee may submit the matter for the vote of the membership by mail ballot.

Section 4. The financial affairs of the Association shall be conducted on a fiscal year, beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

Section 5. Mail ballots may be accepted via U.S. Mail, fax, web interactive sites, or electronic mail.

Article IX: Amendment of Constitution & Bylaws
Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws may be made by a majority vote of the Voting Membership at a meeting, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing at least
30 days in advance of the meeting at which such amendment is to be considered. Action of the meeting approving or rejecting such proposal shall be submitted for ratification by a majority vote using a mail ballot. Ratification by mail ballot shall occur within 30 days of the date such action was approved or rejected at the meeting where such vote was taken.

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Article X: Awards and Recognition
Section 1. Distinguished Service Award . Given to individuals who have made significant contributions to NASSGAP through leadership, activities, and/or research in financial aid. Recognizes service to our Association over a period of professional involvement, not a single event or activity. Awarded at the fall or spring conference. Awarded only at such times as a suitable recipient is clearly identified. Nominations may be made by any member of the Association. Nominations are reviewed by the Executive Committee Unanimous approval of the Executive Committee is necessary to give the award. (This award is not intended as recognition for NASSGAP officers for their service in office alone.)