By-Laws

ARTICLE I – ORGANIZATION

The name of this organization shall be the Wisconsin Victim Witness Professionals (Chapter 950) hereinafter referred to as the Association. Wisconsin Victim Witness Professionals shall be nonsectarian, nonpartisan, nonpolitical and nonprofit.

ARTICLE II- MISSION

It is the mission of Wisconsin Victim Witness Professionals to be the leading professional organization in upholding victims’ rights in Wisconsin; to advance professional development of our members; to affect positive change on behalf of crime victims and witnesses; and to ensure victims and witnesses of crime are treated with dignity, fairness and respect as guaranteed by the Wisconsin Constitution.

ARTICLE III – VALUE STATEMENT

• WVWP values an association comprised of professional members developed to their fullest potential.
• WVWP believes we are the experts in our field.
• WVWP values continual learning.
• WVWP believes in collaborating with other victim services professionals and organizations.
• WVWP values the well-being of our members.
• WVWP believes in attaining and maintaining maximum funding for our programs.

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP

1. Regular membership in the association shall be open to individuals who are employed to provide Chapter 950 services. Associate members shall be allowed to join the Association at a reduced membership fee as regular members. Only individuals holding regular membership status in the association shall be able to hold office and vote. The Board of the Wisconsin Victim/Witness Professionals reserves the right to review all applications and decline request for membership.  No person may be excluded from membership on the basis of race, religion, nationality, economic status, sex or sexual preference, or disability.
2. DUES: There will be annual dues to be paid to the association’s Treasurer. Membership shall run from January 1 through December 31. Persons employed by agencies providing Chapter 950 programs established after the start of the year will be granted regular membership in the association without a fee for the remainder of that year. All regular members shall be permitted to vote and each regular member shall have one vote. Current dues information shall be in the Standing Rules.

ARTICLE V – MEETINGS

1. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these by-laws.
2. Annual Conference: An annual conference should be held and should include a business meeting and training sessions.
3. If possible, association Regional meetings shall be held on the same day as the Department of Justice training meetings.
4. Notice of Meetings: Written notice of meetings shall be provided at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting. Notice shall be provided by USPS or email. Emergency meetings may be called on 24-hour telephone notice. At emergency meetings, the nature of the emergency must be noted in the minutes and only matters pertaining to the emergency may be considered.
5. Quorum:
   1. One-third of the total voting membership shall constitute a quorum at a meeting for general voting purposes.
   2. Four (4) members of the Board of Directors, one of which must be on the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The following shall comprise the Officers and Board of Directors of the Association:

1. President: The President shall preside at all executive board and general meetings of the Association and shall be empowered to sign documents approved by the Board of Directors. Further, the President shall serve as an ex-officio member at all committee meetings. The President shall, with the authority of the executive board, be authorized to sign all checks drawn against the account of the Association in the absence of the Treasurer. The President shall present an annual report.
2. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall act as an ex-officio member of all standing and temporary committees, and shall perform the duties of the President when the President is unavailable.
3. Secretary: The Secretary shall take the minutes of the meetings, be responsible for official correspondence, including the annual report, and be empowered to sign documents approved by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall be responsible for providing copies of each meeting’s minutes to officers and other members upon request.
4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be appointed by the President subject to approval by a majority of the Board of Directors. The Treasurer is not a voting member of the Board of Directors, but is a voting member of the WVWP membership. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the finances of the association, including receiving and depositing funds, disbursing funds according to the budget or as determined by the Board of Directors, preparing financial reports, collecting dues, and preparing a roster of paid members. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for the completion of the membership drive by March 1of each year. The Treasurer shall make all financial records and necessary information available to the audit committee for the annual audit.
5. Regional Representatives: The Regional Representatives to the Board of Directors shall consist of two (2) representatives elected from each designated geographic area. The Executive Committee may direct the Regional Representatives to hold a meeting(s) in their respective regions. It is the responsibility of the Regional Representatives to otherwise assist Chapter 950 employees within their respective region on an on-going basis.
6. Historian: The Historian shall be appointed by the President subject to approval by a majority of the Board of Directors. The Historian is not a voting member of the Board of Directors, but is a voting member of the WVWP membership. The Historian shall be responsible for creating and maintaining an archive of WVWP Association data, including but not limited to: meeting agendas and minutes, conference agendas, award recipients, Board of Directors by year, Treasurer’s reports, committee timelines and overviews, photos from Association events, newsletters, news articles and press releases concerning the association, and any correspondence deemed appropriate by the President. In addition, the Historian will provide organizational information to a new President, new board members, and committee chairs, to assist in assignments or activities throughout the year.
7. At-Large Representatives: Each year, At-Large Representatives shall be selected by determining which candidates on the ballot received the next-highest number of votes after each office has been filled with the names of the candidates receiving the highest numbers of votes. Those candidates shall be declared elected At-Large Representatives. The responsibilities of the At-Large Representatives are identical to those of the Regional Representatives.
8. Board of Directors: The Board of Directors shall consist of no less than eight (8) nor more than eighteen (18) voting members. This number may be adjusted as necessary in order to accommodate At-Large Representatives appointed as the result of a tie. The board shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Regional and At-Large Representatives.
   1. The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall constitute the associations’ Executive Committee which shall have the power to act in the name of the association between regular or special board meetings.
   2. Upon resignation of any officer or Regional representative, the President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall have the authority to appoint another member to complete the term of that office.
   3. Upon resignation of the President, the Vice-President shall fill that position and the office of Vice-President shall be filled by vote of the Board of Directors.
   4. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may appoint a member to fill any position not filled through the election process.
9. Standing and Temporary Committees: There shall be standing committees as deemed necessary by the Board of Directors and shall be delineated by name and duties in the Standing Rules. Ad hoc committees may be established as deemed necessary by the President.

ARTICLE VII – ELECTIONS/TERMS OF OFFICE

1. Elections shall be conducted in accordance with the Standing Rules – Nominations and Elections.
2. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Regional Representatives are limited to two consecutive terms of the same office, consisting of terms of two (2) years each. A year shall run from October 1 through September 30.
3. The President and Secretary shall be elected in even numbered years. The Vice-President shall be elected in odd numbered years. Regional and At-Large Representatives shall be elected in accordance with the Standing Rules -Nominations and Elections.
4. The terms of office for Treasurer and Board Historian shall be determined by the President.

ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS

1. Amendments: Amendments to these by-laws may be adopted by the members of the Association by an affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of all members present, provided the notice and a copy of proposed changes has been sent to all members at least one month before the voting. Changes can be offered to the membership from the By-Law Committee or any member as long as the notification procedure has occurred.
2. Standing Rules: Standing Rules may be amended by the membership at the Annual Conference by majority vote with previous notice, or by two-thirds vote without notice. The Board of Directors may amend the Standing Rules between Annual Conferences. Such amendments to become permanent must be ratified by the delegates at the next Annual Conference with previous notice and majority vote.