By-Laws

Section I: Name

The name of this organization is the Iowa Association for Dispute Resolution (IADR).

Section II: Purpose

The Iowa Association for Dispute Resolution (IADR) is a dispute resolution organization with a membership open to any individual or organization interested in the field of dispute resolution in the State of Iowa. The purposes of IADR include:

• Communication among members;
• Facilitation of training and education in dispute resolution; and
• Promotion of the use of alternative dispute resolution.

Section III: Membership

There are four categories of membership in IADR: Benefactor, Regular, Student, and Organizational. Annual dues are $100.00 for Benefactor, $50.00 for Regular, $30.00 for Student and $125.00 for Organizations. Annual membership dues are due in April and are not pro-rated. An organizational membership is considered a sponsorship and carries no voting rights. Dues will not be used to support any political party or candidate. Only those who are paid up are voting members.

Section IV: Governance

A. Officers

1. The responsibilities of the President are:

a. to preside at the meetings of the IADR Council and at the meetings of the general membership of IADR;

b. to serve as the designated spokesperson for IADR; and

c. to sign checks from IADR accounts.

2. The responsibilities of the Vice-President are:

a. to serve as an ex-officio member of all standing committees;

b. to substitute for the President in his/her absence; and

c. to fulfill such other duties as the President may request.

3. The responsibilities of the Secretary are:

a. to maintain official records and minutes for general membership

and IADR Council meetings; and

b. to coordinate the correspondence of IADR.

4. The responsibilities of the Treasurer are:

a. to receive money, pay bills and maintain accounts of IADR;

b. to prepare and present regular reports to the membership;

c. to sign checks from IADR accounts;

d. to submit records for annual audit; and

e. to allow for review of IADR financial records by any member of IADR upon at least one week's notice.

5. The President and Treasurer shall be bonded for an amount equal to the prior fiscal year-end treasury or $2,000, whichever is greater.

6. It is the duty of every officer to surrender such books, records, property and accounts of IADR to his/her successor in office on or before the commencement of the successor's term of office.

7. Terms of office for all IADR officer positions run from annual meeting to annual meeting. All terms are for three years and are renewable once for another three-year term. Eligibility for office is renewed after a one- year absence from office.

8. A vacancy in any officer position will be filled by appointment of the IADR Council for the remaining term of office only.

B. IADR Council

1. The membership of the IADR Council is made up of nine elected council members, and up to two appointed committee chairs.

2. The responsibilities of the IADR Council are:

a. oversight, direction and coordination of IADR, committees and

program planning;

b. creation of the annual budget for IADR;

c. to make policy recommendations to the general membership; and

d. to represent IADR positions affecting legislation on ADR.

3. Terms on the IADR Council will be terms of three (3) years. Terms will be staggered so that one third of the Council is elected each year. Council members may serve two successive terms. After two terms of service, a Council member is not eligible to serve again until after an absence of at least one year. Partial terms of service will be counted as a full term if more than 18 months of service occurred. This change will become effective with the IADR Council election of 2001. At the 2001 election, three people will be elected to a one-year term, three people will be elected to a two-year term, and three people will be elected to a three- year term.

4. A quorum for conducting the business of the Council is a simple majority of the sitting Council members.

5. The IADR Council will replace officers by appointment for the remaining term of office only. Appointments will be ratified at the next quarterly membership meeting of IADR.

6. The Council shall elect its own officers.

C. Committees

1. Standing Committees

a. Annual Conference Committee

b. Membership Committee

c. Public Education Committee (Communications and Training); and

d. Legislative Committee

2. Special Purpose and Ad-hoc Committees

a. Special Purpose Committees

i. Audit Committee: The responsibilities of the Audit

committee are to audit IADR accounts at least annually and

to prepare a written report on the accuracy of the financial

statement of the treasurer. The committee shall consist of two members who are elected for alternating two-year terms.

ii. Elections Committee: The responsibility of the Elections

Committee is to prepare a ballot of nominees for all elected positions of IADR. This ballot will be voted on at the annual meeting. The committee shall consist of three (3) members of IADR who shall not be eligible for nomination for any elected positions during their term on the committee. The Elections Committee members shall be nominated and voted in at the January general membership meeting. Their term of office shall end after the election.

b. Ad-hoc Committees shall be created by the IADR Council and/or

the general membership as necessary.

3. Duties of Committees

a. Each committee is responsible for determining its duties relative to its respective function for IADR.

b. Committees are responsible for making recommendations to the

IADR Council.

c. Committees are responsible for determining their annual financial needs for budgeting purposes.

d. Membership on all standing and ad-hoc committees shall be voluntary.

e. Each committee is responsible for selecting its own chairperson, whose duties are to call meetings of the committee and to prepare and submit reports to the IADR Council and to the general membership.

f. Committees shall meet at the time of general membership meetings and as needed.

Section V: Meetings

A. Quarterly meetings of the council will be open to the general membership. A general membership meeting will be held at the annual meeting in the spring.

B. Notice of the general membership meetings is provided via quarterly newsletters mailed by the Communications Committee to all IADR members.

C. Location of the IADR general membership meetings will be determined by the IADR Council.

D. A quorum for conducting the business of IADR is ten (10) voting IADR members.

E. The procedures to be used at general membership meetings of IADR are those established by Robert's Rules of Order.

F. All action is by a simple majority of those voting members in attendance at general membership meetings.

Section VI: Amendments

Amendments to these by-laws shall be by 2/3 majority of those voting members in attendance at the general membership meeting at which the vote is taken.

HISTORY OF IADR BY-LAWS

The original was unanimously approved by those individuals in attendance at the meeting called for September 24, 1994, in Carroll, Iowa.

The original was amended by motion at the general membership meeting called for April 20, 1996, in Newton, Iowa.

The original was amended by motion at the general membership meeting called for January 17, 1998, at the Colony Village Inn, Little Amana, Iowa.

The original was amended by motion at the general membership meeting called for April 1, 2000, at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

The original was amended by motion at the IADR Council/General Membership meeting, October 27, 2001.