By-Laws of the Florida Regional Admissions Counselors

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this organization is the Florida Regional Admissions Counselors (hereinafter referred to as “FRAC”).

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The members of FRAC are paid admission representatives based in Florida from a college or university whose primary campusis located outside of Florida. FRAC’s objectives are: 

  1. To support FRAC members as they counsel students preparing for postsecondary study
  2. To assist high school, transfer, and independent counselors, and Community Based Organizations in Florida by offering programs to educate students and their families about post-secondary opportunities available at out of state institutions
  3. To provide support to new regional representatives in Florida
  4. To offer guidance and serve as a resource to a college or university that is considering adding a regional representative in Florida

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA

  1. Admission or Student Recruitment must be a FRAC Member’s primary responsibility
  2. FRAC Members must reside in Florida  
  3. FRAC Members must represent college/university that does not have its primary campus in Florida
  4. The FRAC Member or the FRAC Member’s institution must have membership in the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) or the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
  5. Membership in FRAC may be terminated by action of the FRAC Executive Board for: 
    • Failure to comply with provisions of the NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice: NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Other Policies  
    • Failure to maintain status as a member under Article III of these Bylaws 
    • Failure to pay annual dues within 60 days after the beginning of the new membership year or within 60 days of joining FRAC as a new member
  6. Terminated members have 30 days to appeal to the FRAC Executive Board the termination of membership.  The FRAC Executive Board shall review the appeal and take action within 30 days of the receipt of the appeal. 
  7. Benefits of membership include:
    • Listing on the FRAC website
    • Participation in FRAC events
    • Listing in the FRAC Directory 
    • Opportunity to participate in FRAC professional development events
    • Opportunity to build relationships with counselors and organizations and promote college/university name recognition through FRAC
  8. During FRAC sponsored events, the FRAC individual member must be the one in attendance unless the member is on medical leave or no longer in their regional position at which time the member institution may send an on-campus representative to events for the remainder of fiscal year.
  9. Member participation in events will include, but not limited to, two events per membership year. Failure to participate in at least two events per membership year will result in the suspension of voting rights where membership voting is required. Voting rights will be reinstated when the minimum number (2) of events is completed. Participation of events will be tracked and managed between Events and Membership Chairs.

All new FRAC members will complete a FRAC Membership application. Submitting an application does not guarantee membership in FRAC. If the Membership Chair determines that an applicant fails to meet the criteria for membership, the applicant may submit an appeal to the FRAC Executive Board for reconsideration.  Any such appeal must be in writing and submitted to the Membership Chair detailing why s/he qualifies for FRAC membership. 

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP DUES

Membership Dues are paid annually and are used to support FRAC programs for counselors, the FRAC Directory, the FRAC website, and FRAC organizational expenses.  Annual dues shall be determined by the FRAC Board and approved by a majority of the member ballots returned in an electronic ballot.  Full payment of membership dues by the deadline prescribed in the Membership application is required for continued participation in FRAC events including listing in the FRAC Directory and the FRAC website.  A late fee will be assessed for all payments received after the deadline. There will be no refunds of membership dues.  If the member institution eliminates the regional position or the individual member resigns from their job, the member institution may send a representative to FRAC events for the remainder of the fiscal year. The FRAC fiscal year is July 1 – June 30.

ARTICLE V – CHAIRS  

The FRAC Board shall consist of the following positions:

  1. Chairperson
  2. Vice Chairperson
  3. Treasurer
  4. Membership Chair
  5. Communications Chair
  6. Technology Chair
  7. Events Chair
  8. Past Chair (1 year position)

DUTIES OF CHAIRS

  1. The FRAC Chairperson shall
    • Preside at all FRAC Membership meetings
    • Preside over Executive Board meetings
    • Serve as the point of contact for individuals or any college/university interested in FRAC membership in cooperation with the Membership Chair
    • Be authorized to sign checks and use the FRAC bank account
    • Appoint members for special duties or committees
    • Produce and present annual FRAC Report
    • Work with Vice Chair to oversee Board Elections every three years
    • Act as liaison to NARAC (attend meetings and update group as needed)
    • The FRAC Chairperson position shall be filled by a current or past Board Member
  2. The Vice Chairperson shall
    • Assume role of Interim Chair should Chair resign or leave position
    • Make proposals for by-law amendments as needed
    • Work with Chair to oversee elections for Board positions every three years
    • Lead outreach to counselors and ensure counselor databases are update each year with help of an outreach committee
    • Be authorized to sign checks and use FRAC account
  3. The Treasurer shall
    • Be responsible for the collection of all membership dues and any additional fees
    • Be responsible for the payment of all FRAC bills
    • Be responsible for all financial records of FRAC
    • Make annual recommendation to the Executive Board regarding membership dues and budget
    • Prepare the Annual Budget to present at the annual summer membership meeting
    • Serve as a State Registered Agent for FRAC
    • File the proper annual paperwork to the State of Florida as needed
    • Be authorized to sign checks and use the FRAC account
  4. The Membership Chair shall
    • Serve as a resource by reaching reach out to colleges and universities who post job openings for a Florida regional representative 
    • Work with new colleges/universities considering FRAC membership.
    • Review and present new FRAC membership applications to the Executive Board for final approval
    • Along with the Vice-Chairs, provide training for FRAC members on FRAC procedures, including new member orientation. 
    • Maintain a master roster of FRAC Members
    • Keep track of member attendance at events
    • Keep an outreach calendar for member birthdays and other special events
  5. The Communications Chair shall
    • Take minutes of all meetings
    • Provide the minutes of the last membership meeting to new members
    • Serve as the FRAC historian
    • Produce the Annual FRAC Events Calendar and event sign-up information
    • Work with Technology Chair and Social Media Coordinator to develop a strategy to communicate with FRAC Members and FRAC Partners 
    • Coordinate the annual publication of the FRAC Directory
    • Manage all FRAC member Slides used in FRAC events and presentations
  6. The Technology Chair shall
    • Maintain and update the FRAC website and ensure that the documents in the FRAC Membership site are current
    • With the Membership Chair, conduct annual audit of the FRAC Membership information on the website
    • Maintain and ensure the accuracy of the email addresses in the FRAC member email account
  7. The Events Chair shall
    • Oversee Regional Event Coordinators for event planning, seek volunteers for event committees for both student events and counselor events
    • Lead event committees in providing program oversight for FRAC events, work together with Event Committee Chairs in all event aspects including setting dates for events, preparing slide presentations, collecting RSVPs, creating program invitation, sending invitations, working with the Treasurer to develop budget guidelines for venue coordinators, working with membership chair in managing FRAC member participation in said events, work with Treasurer in ordering Counselor Gifts, etc.
  8. The Past Chair shall
    • Serve for one year with the newly elected board
    • Serve as an advisor for the newly elected board
    • Support Executive Board with historical context

ADDITIONAL POSITIONS

(Volunteer or appointed)

  1. North Florida Regional Coordinator (Counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin, Liberty, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, Columbia, Gilchrist, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Nassau, Duval, Clay, Putnam, St. Johns)
  2. Central Florida Regional Coordinator (Counties: Levy, Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Lake, Flagler, Volusia, Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Brevard, Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin)
  3. Southwest Florida Regional Coordinator (Counties: Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands, Glades, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry, Collier)
  4. South Florida Regional Coordinator (Counties:Palm Beach, Broward, Dade, Monroe)
  5. Professional Development Coordinator
  6. Social Media Coordinator
  7. Social Coordinator

ELECTION OF CHAIRS

FRAC chairs are elected every three years in the Spring and begin working with outgoing Chairs immediately for a smooth transfer. Newly elected Chairs will assume office at the conclusion of the Annual Summer meeting. All positions will turn over after three years, regardless of Interim status or elected positions that happened during the course of the three years due to resignations or Chairs who have left the position.  

The election process consists of four steps – self-nominations, vetting of the applicants, slating, and voting. The FRAC Election Committee* will ask for self- nominations for any vacant Executive Board position.  For each open position, the Election Committee will report to the entire Executive Board one of the following:

  1. No self-nominations were submitted
  2. No qualified candidates submitted a self-nomination
  3. One or more self-nominations were submitted but only one qualified candidate was selected
  4. One or more self-nominations were submitted and more than one qualified candidate was selected

For outcomes #1 and #2, the Election Committee will continue to encourage and accept self-nominations.  In the event no self-nominations are received by DATE (the beginning of the FRAC administrative cycle), the current chair may remain in that position until a new chair is elected.  However, if the chair is vacant, the responsibilities of that chair will be assigned as needed by the Executive Board Chair to Board members and FRAC members at large until a new chair is elected.

For outcomes #3 and #4, the winner of the election will be determined by a majority of the votes cast via electronic voting. For outcome #4, if there are three or more candidates and no candidate receives the majority of votes, the two candidates receiving the most votes will be presented to the membership to be voted upon.  The winner will be determined by a majority of the votes cast.

Prior to the Annual Summer meeting, all files and records will be turned over to the newly-elected chair. All FRAC Chairs are to keep records to pass on to their respective successor.

*The Election Committee shall consist of the following – Executive Board Chair, Communications Chair, and one FRAC member-at-large. After the initial cycle of three years, a past Chairperson may also join the committee.

TERM OF OFFICE FOR CHAIRS

The term of office for all FRAC Board Chairs is three years.   

RESIGNATION OF ANY BOARD CHAIR

If a Chair resigns during his or her term of office, the Executive Board will conduct a special election to fill the vacancy for the remainder of that Chair’s term of office. If the Executive Board Chairperson position is vacant, the Vice Chairperson will become interim Board Chairperson until an election is held and the position is filled.  The Vice Chairperson will assume the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Board Chair during this period.

ARTICLE VII – CODE OF ETHICS:

FRAC subscribes to NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice: NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Other Policies.

ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS:

These Bylaws may be amended at the Annual Summer meeting of FRAC or as needed by a vote of two-thirds of the voting members attending, providing that a notice of any proposed amendment have been sent to each voting member at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.

By-laws may also be amended by a majority of the votes cast via electronic voting without prior notice of the amendments so long as the total number of votes cast represents a majority of the total number of FRAC members.

Suggestions for amendments to the Bylaws may be submitted to the FRAC Chairperson.

All suggestions for amendments to the Bylaws from all sources are reviewed by the FRAC Executive Board, presented to the FRAC membership for discussion, voted upon by the FRAC Executive Board, and submitted to the FRAC membership for final approval.

 *By-laws amended and approved by full membership 5/15/22.