The name of the organization shall be ASSOCIATION OF VA PSYCHOLOGIST LEADERS (AVAPL).

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The purpose of AVAPL shall be to address the professional needs and concerns of supervisory psychologists and psychologist program managers within the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in order that the highest quality of patient care, training, and research may be reached and maintained by the Department's psychologists and their programs.

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i. is currently a supervisory psychologist, or

ii. is currently an acting supervisory psychologist, or

iii. is formally designated as responsible for the professional issues which ensure the integrity of the discipline of psychology (discipline concurrence in suitability for hire, credentialing and privileging, continuing education, or director of training for internship and/or post-doctoral training programs, where training programs exist), or

iv. is designated in an acting capacity and responsible as in (iii), or

v. is a program manager responsible for directing the activities of clinical personnel, or

vi. is an acting program manager responsible as in (v), or

vii. directs the provision of psychological services within a facility, program, or clinic, or

viii. demonstrates professional leadership by such activities as holding professional elective office, committee membership which sets standards or policies for the profession, or significant involvement in accreditation and licensing/credentialing bodies, or

ix. has career goals which include i-vii above

within the Veterans Health Administration of the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs shall be eligible for election to active membership in AVAPL. Active members in good standing shall be entitled to vote, to hold office, and to participate in all business and scientific meetings of AVAPL. A person may remain an active member until the end of the membership year in which he/she ceases to function in one of the above roles.

b. Honorary Member. Any former member of AVAPL shall be eligible for election to honorary membership. Former AVAPL members can indicate their interest in becoming an honorary member to a member of the Executive Committee. In addition, honorary membership shall be available to other persons who have distinguished themselves in promoting the purpose of AVAPL and who are nominated for such membership by a member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee then votes on these nominations. Honorary members shall be able to participate in the activities of AVAPL and shall receive all general mailings, but they may neither vote nor hold office.

c. Training Affiliate Member. Any Psychology Intern or Psychology Post-Doctoral Fellow within the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, who has career interests in leadership, shall be eligible for election to training affiliate membership in AVAPL. Training affiliate members in good standing shall be able to participate in the activities of AVAPL, including membership on committees and special interest groups, and shall receive all general mailings. However, training affiliate members may neither vote nor hold elective office. A person may remain a training affiliate member until the end of the membership year in which he/she ceases to function in a Psychology Intern or Psychology Post-Doctoral Fellow role within the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

1. The officers of AVAPL shall be: President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

2. The officers of AVAPL shall perform the duties regularly or customarily attached to their offices and such other duties as may be required of them by the Executive Committee and these bylaws.

3. The President shall preside at all meetings of AVAPL and of the Executive Committee and shall also be empowered to conduct all ordinary business of AVAPL between meetings. The President shall consult with the Executive Committee regarding urgent business matters.

4. The President-Elect shall act as understudy to the President and become acquainted with the business and operation of AVAPL in preparation for assuming the duties of the presidency. In the absence of the President, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President. In the event that the President shall not serve out the full term for any reason, the President-Elect shall succeed to the unexpired remainder thereof and will then serve out his/her regular term. In the event that the President-Elect shall not serve out that full year for any reason, the officers shall cause an election for that office to take place.

5. The Past-President shall chair the Nominations and Awards Committee. In addition, he/she shall serve as consultant and advisor to the President and President-Elect. In the absence of both the President and the President-Elect, the Past-President will preside at all meetings.

6. The Secretary shall maintain the minutes, records, correspondence, and archives of AVAPL. In the event that the Secretary shall not serve the full term for any reason, the President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, will appoint a member to succeed to the unexpired remainder of the term of office.
    
7. The Treasurer shall maintain records of the financial affairs of AVAPL, shall make all necessary financial reports and filings, and make disbursements as authorized. He/she also keeps a record of current members with their dues status and contact information. In the event that the Treasurer shall not serve the full term for any reason, the President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, will appoint a member to succeed to the unexpired remainder of the term of office. 

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1. The term of office of the President shall be three years, with one year served as President-Elect, President, and Past-President. He/she may not serve successive terms in this office.

2. The term of office of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be three years. He/she may serve no more than two successive terms in this office.
    
3. The term of office of the Secretary and Treasurer shall not end in the same year. If the term of office of the Secretary and Treasurer are scheduled to end in the same year, the President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, will extend the term of office of either the Secretary or Treasurer by one year. If, for any reason, neither the incumbent Secretary nor incumbent Treasurer is able to serve for the extended term of office, the President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a member to succeed either the Secretary or the Treasurer for a period of one year following the conclusion of the incumbent officer’s term of office.
    
4. An individual may hold only one office in AVAPL at any point in time.
    
5. All terms of office shall begin on the day following the conclusion of the annual APA Convention.
    
6. Any new offices added by amendment will be filled by Presidential appointment with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee. Any persons so appointed serve until the next regular election cycle.

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1. AVAPL shall have two standing committees: the Executive Committee, which shall govern the affairs of AVAPL, and the Nominations and Awards Committee, which shall oversee the elections within AVAPL and administer awards established by AVAPL. In addition, special ad hoc committees may be established as the President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, determines such need.

2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The newsletter editor and webmaster shall serve as ex-officio non-voting members. The Executive Committee shall have authority to appoint additional ex-officio non-voting members to its body to perform specified functions or duties of AVAPL. A quorum of the Executive Committee consists of a majority of its voting members. At least three members must approve any official actions.

3. The Nominations and Awards Committee shall consist of the Past-President as chair and may include additional active members, appointed by the President, who are not members of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will generate a list of possible candidates for the offices, which is forwarded to the Chair of the Nominations and Awards Committee, which shall then administer all procedures for the nomination of candidates for the elective offices of AVAPL.

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1. The formation of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) within AVAPL serves as a means to involve the membership and extend the work of the organization. SIGs may be formed whenever there is sufficient interest to warrant their existence. To be sanctioned as an official undertaking of AVAPL, the SIGs must meet the following conditions:

1. The content area of the SIG must have relevance to the overall membership of AVAPL and to the field of psychology. A SIG may be ongoing or may be time-limited.
2. Membership will be open to all members of AVAPL, and AVAPL members may join more than one SIG. A minimum of 10 members is required for the formation of a SIG.
3. Each SIG will be led by a Chair, appointed by the Executive Committee, who will function as a liaison between the SIG and the Executive Committee. The Chair of the SIG will serve for three years.

2. Upon formation, each SIG will develop a clearly defined statement of the objectives and purpose of the SIG and will submit these documents to the Executive Committee of AVAPL for approval. The Executive Committee must approve any action plans or goals developed during the lifespan of the SIG.

3. The Chair of the SIG will submit a report of the SIG's activities annually to the Executive Committee.

4. No actions will be taken by the SIG or by its independent members as representatives of AVAPL without the approval of the Executive Committee.

5. The Executive Committee may, with a majority vote, dissolve a SIG if it finds it in the best interests of AVAPL to do so.

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1. The Nominations and Awards Committee will submit no less than three names for each office to be filled to the officers of AVAPL. By June 1 of each year, the Secretary will send ballots containing names of nominees in alphabetical order to each active member of AVAPL. To be valid, envelopes containing the ballots must be signed and returned to the Secretary within thirty days after the mailing of the election ballot. Elections may be held via e-mail or other electronic means at the direction of a majority of the Executive Committee. In this case, the registered VA e-mail address of members will serve to validate the vote rather than a signature.

2. The Secretary, with the assistance of at least one teller, shall make a professional count of the election ballots. When the Secretary is a candidate, a member of the Executive Committee shall be appointed by the President to count ballots for that election. Tie votes shall be resolved by lot. The Secretary shall report the election results to the Executive Committee prior to the annual business meeting of AVAPL.

3. The Nominations and Awards Committee will be responsible for submitting and evaluating nominations for standing and special awards established by AVAPL.

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1. The annual business meeting of AVAPL will be held at a time and place determined by the Executive Committee.

2. Active members unable to attend a meeting may give their signed proxy to another active member of AVAPL.

3. The Executive Committee will meet at the call of the President. Conference calls or other electronic methods (e.g. e-mail) are authorized as substitutes for in-person meetings provided participants can be identified by voice or e-mail address.

4. All official meetings shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order as regards voting procedure on motions.

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Annual dues will be set by the Executive Committee and will cover the fiscal year of AVAPL, which begins on October 1 and closes September 30.

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ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS

1. Motions to adopt, amend, or repeal bylaws, bearing the signatures of at least ten (10) active members of AVAPL or a majority of the Executive Committee, shall be submitted for publication to the membership. Active members of AVAPL shall be allowed thirty days to return their votes on such motions.

2. A three-fifths majority of members of AVAPL voting shall be required to adopt, amend, or repeal bylaws.

3. The adoption, amendment, or repeal of a bylaw shall take effect immediately upon its passage and certification by the Executive Committee.