EL PASO INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION BYLAWS AS AMENDED IN FEBRUARY 2009 BYLAWS OF THE EL PASO INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION

 

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this Association shall be El Paso Interpreters and Translators Association. The acronym “EPITA” shall be adopted.

 

ARTICLE II –

FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year of the association shall begin each year on April 1 and end on March 31 of the following year.

​

ARTICLE III – PURPOSES

This Association is organized as a non-sectarian, non-partisan Association, and its purposes are to promote the continuing education and development of translators and interpreters; to promote and publicize professional standards and practices; and to promote networking among translators and interpreters and cooperation with other associations. The Association will strive to meet these aims by such means as, but not limited to, the following: holding periodic meetings, workshops and conferences; supporting programs of accreditation and certification; publishing and distributing information; and engaging in outreach activities.

 

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1. – Requirements Applications for membership are subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Payment of annual dues is required for membership.

 

Section 2 – Categories and Qualifications Membership consists of three categories: individual, business/ institution, and honorary. (a) Individual Member. An individual engaged in translating, interpreting or closely related work who desires to improve his/her skills and knowledge, or any individual who desires to support the association or has an interest in interpreting and translation. (b) Business/Institution. A business or institution with interest in translation or interpretation. (c) Honorary. A status conferred, by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, upon a distinguished translator or interpreter or any individual who has rendered assistance, support, and special services to the Association.

 

Section 3 – Regular Meetings The regular meetings of the association shall be held on the third Thursday of each month, at a time and at a location to be announced by the Board of Directors. The Annual Meeting shall be held in March and the order of business shall include reports of the elected and appointed officers and special committee chairs, election of officers, and such other business as shall properly come before the annual meeting. Installation of new officers will be in April. All business of the association shall be conducted in English. A quorum must be present for a valid transaction of business during these meetings. A quorum shall be 20% of the voting members and shall include a majority of the members of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4 – Rights and Privileges Only Individual Members in good standing have the right to vote and the right to hold Association office. Other rights and privileges for each membership category will be determined by the Board of Directors. Section 5 – Dues The Board of Directors establishes the annual dues for all categories of membership. Dues for each year are payable by February 28. Dues will be considered delinquent if not paid by March 31. Membership is terminated if dues are not paid by April 30. Individuals and organizations that wish to reinstate their membership after May 1 must pay a $5.00 reinstatement fee.

 

Section 6. – Expulsion 1. The Board of Directors may expel an individual for conduct unbecoming a member of the Association. (a) After receipt of a complaint against a member, the Board must notify the member in writing and provide him/her an opportunity for a hearing before the Board. (b) If after full consideration, the Board of Directors votes to expel, the Board must notify the expelled member in writing. (c) The expelled member may appeal the Board’s decision by filing a Notice of Appeal with the Membership Chairman. The appeal shall then be considered by the membership at the next regular meeting, and the vote of the majority shall be the final decision. (d) The expelled member may reapply for membership one calendar year after the date of expulsion.

 

ARTICLE V – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 1 – Number and Term The Association is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of the following officers: a) Elected Officers. The elected officers shall be: President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer, who are elected by the membership for a one-year term and assume office in April of each year. These elected officers constitute the Executive Committee. b) Appointed Officers: The appointed officers shall be: the Directors of Advocacy, Bylaws and Standing Rules, Communications, Ethics, Membership, Professional Development and Public Relations, who are officers appointed by the President and confirmed by the Executive Committee. The Directors shall serve for a one-year term. Special Committees, such as Annual Workshop, Audit, Directory, and Nominations and Elections, as well as other committees that will be formed as the need arises, and shall consist of the chair of the committee appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Committee. The appointees shall then select other members to their Special Committee as the need arises. The duties of Special Committee directors are contained in the Directive of the Association. Each of these committees will be dissolved once there is no longer a need. c) Officers may be re-elected, but may not serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

 

Section 2 – Election An annual election of officers shall be conducted by individual secret ballot by U.S. Mail, electronically, or(09) at the annual meeting of the Association. The election will be decided by a majority of votes. 

 

Section 3 – Duties The Board of Directors manages the Association’s affairs. The duties of the officers are: 1. President: The President shall be the authorized leader of the Association, shall preside at all meetings; shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee, and shall perform such other duties prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association. 2. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. In the absence of the President the Vice-President shall exercise the functions of the President; and shall perform all duties applicable to the office of Vice-President as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association. 3. Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes of all regular and Board meetings of the Association and keep an accurate and complete record of all proceedings of the meetings; shall be responsible for the dissemination of the minutes to the membership; and shall perform all other duties prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association. 4. Corresponding Secretary: The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct all the correspondence of the association as directed by the president, and shall be responsible for gathering the information to be included in EPITA’s web page, such as the names of the current Board of Directors, any changes in directors of committees, approved amendments to the Bylaws and Standing Rules, information for the calendar about local, state, and national seminars and workshops of interest to interpreters as well as the information about EPITA’S monthly meetings, to include date, time location and speakers. The Corresponding Secretary shall act as Recording Secretary in the absence of the Recording Secretary. 5. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds of the Association, collect dues, conduct banking business, keep the accounts of the Association, and submit and read a monthly report at the regular meetings. The Treasurer’s books shall be audited at the end of each term. The Treasurer shall perform all other duties prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association. 6. Appointed Officers: Advocacy. This Director shall have charge of activities designed to promote and foster activities designed to increase public awareness of the role of the interpreter and translator. (b) Bylaws and Standing Rules. This Director shall have charge of revisions and amendments to the Bylaws and the Standing Rules of the Association. (c) Communications. This Director shall have charge of publishing and circulating the newsletter of the Association. (d) Ethics: This Director shall have charge of ethical issues affecting the Association. (e) Membership. This Director shall have charge of examining all applications for membership forwarded by the Treasurer; shall make a monthly report to the Board of inquiries and applications received. (f) Professional Development. This Director shall have charge of matters pertaining to educational programs available to or offered by the Association. (g) Public Relations: This Director shall have charge of all advertising and publicity of the Association.

 

Section 4 – Meetings and Quorum The Board of Directors shall meet a minimum of six times a year. A majority of the Board of Directors constitutes a quorum. When consensus cannot be reached, a majority vote of those present is binding. No proxy votes are allowed. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President, and the President must call a special meeting at the request of three members of the Board. If an elected officer should be appointed as director of a committee, that officer will be entitled to only one vote, even if s/he serves in two positions.

 

Section 5 – Vacancies If a vacancy occurs in the office of Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer, the office shall be filled promptly by the Board of Directors by appointment on an interim basis or by special election. Should the office of President become vacant, the Vice-President shall automatically assume the office of President.

 

Section 6 – Removal A member of the Board of Directors may be removed by a majority vote of Association members in a referendum. Such a referendum may be initiated by a majority of the Board or by a petition signed by at least one-fourth of individual members of the Association.

 

Section 7 – Compensation Members of the Board of Directors receive no salary or other compensation from the Association for their official duties. Duly authorized expenses will be reimbursed.

​

ARTICLE VI -PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS.

The Association shall not be held responsible for any statements, whether oral or written, made by any individual member, except for those authorized by the Board of Directors.

​

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

These Bylaws may be amended at a regular meeting by a majority vote of the individual members present. Amendments may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by voting members of the Association. Proposed amendments are to be submitted to the Board of Directors. The complete text of the proposed change and the affected section(s) of the current Bylaws shall be provided to the Board of Directors for their consideration one month prior to the regular meeting date. Upon return by the Board the proposed amendments shall be provided to each member by the Bylaws Committee at least ten days prior to the regular meeting date.

 

ARTICLE VIII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Association may adopt.