BY-LAWS OF NEW YORK CITY METRO R.I.D.
BY-LAWS OF NEW YORK CITY METRO REGISTRY OF INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF, INC. (Revised 2022)
ARTICLE I - NAME OF CORPORATION
The name of this corporation is the New York City Metro Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (NYC Metro RID), an affiliate chapter of the national Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID).
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
Section 1. Principal Purpose
As an affiliate chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., the principal purpose of this corporation is to initiate, sponsor, promote, and execute policies and procedures that will further the profession of the interpretation of American Sign Language and English and the transliteration of English. The Corporation shall abide by all mandates of the RID for affiliate chapters.
Section 2. Objectives
A. To maintain communication with the RID with respect to the administration of certification tests.
B. To maintain communication with the membership of NYC Metro RID.
C. To maintain and promote a code of ethics for interpreters and transliterators.
D. To promote and provide for the professional development of certified and non-certified interpreters and transliterators.
E. To provide the public with information regarding interpreting and transliterating.
F. To promote, maintain, and annually distribute a directory of current members of NYC Metro RID.
G. To raise funds to support the purposes and activities of the Corporation.
H. To support the activities of organizations, of and for Deaf persons, interpreters, transliterators, and translators, insofar as such activities are not in conflict with the purposes of the Corporation.
I. To maintain communication with other affiliate chapters of the RID, both in New York and throughout the United States.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Membership in this corporation shall be open to any person or organization that supports the goals and purposes of the Corporation. Those interested must submit a completed membership application and the correct dues and assessments for the appropriate membership category.
Section 1. Categories of Membership
A. Voting Members: The voting members of this corporation shall be the persons who have paid the correct dues and assessments as set forth in Article VI and are members of the RID in good standing. There shall be two categories of voting members: Certified and Associate.
B. Non-voting Members: The non-voting members of this corporation shall include persons and organizations/institutions that have paid the correct dues and assessments as set forth in article VI. There shall be three categories of non-voting members: Student, Supporting, and Organizational/Institutional.
Section 2. Eligibility
A. Certified Member: Any interpreter of American Sign Language and English and/or transliterator of English who holds valid certification accepted by the RID.
B. Associate Member: Any interpreter of American Sign Language and English and/or transliterator of English who does not hold valid certification accepted by the RID.
C. Student Member: Any non-certified individual currently enrolled in a course of study in the interpretation of American Sign Language and English and/or the transliteration of English.
D. Supporting Member: Any individual with an interest in supporting the goals, purposes, and activities of NYC Metro RID.
E. Organizational/Institutional Member: Any organization, institution, agency, or business with an interest in supporting the goals, purposes, and activities of NYC Metro RID.
Section 3. Voting and Other Rights of Members
A. Voting Members
1. CERTIFIED MEMBERS of this corporation shall have the following rights, privileges, and duties:
a. One (1) vote in general membership meetings and referenda.
b. Eligibility to run for and hold any office of the Corporation except associate representative.
c. One (1) vote in elections for officers and/or board members excluding elections for an associate representative.
d. To chair and participate in committees.
e. To hold and submit up to five (5) proxies on behalf of certified and/or associate members.
f. To nominate potential candidates for all positions of the Board.
2. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS of this corporation shall have the following rights, privileges, and duties:
a. One (1) vote in general membership meetings and referenda except on issues of testing and certification in accordance with the RID.
b. Eligibility to be considered or serve in the role of Secretary, Treasurer, Director at Large, and Associate Representative. Associate members who wish to be considered for, or serve as, President or Vice President must meet and verify the
following criteria:
1. Minimum of 2 years of affiliate chapter service in either a Board Member or Committee Chair capacity. (Letter
from that chapter's President verifying service).
2. Minimum of 3 years of RID Membership at the Associate level (can be obtained on Member’s RID Portal homepage -->
My Orders, to view membership dues paid with dates).
c. One (1) vote in any elections for officers and/or board members.
d. To chair and participate in committees.
e. To hold and submit up to five (5) proxies on behalf of associate members only.
f. To nominate potential candidates for all positions of the Board.
B. Non-voting members
1. STUDENT MEMBERS of this corporation shall have the following rights, privileges, and duties:
a. To chair and participate in committees.
b. To be present and participate in any meeting of the Corporation.
2. SUPPORTING MEMBERS of this corporation shall have the following rights, privileges, and duties:
a. To chair and participate in committees.
b. To be present and participate in any meeting of the Corporation.
3. ORGANIZATIONAL/INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS of this corporation shall have the following rights, privileges, and duties:
a. To designate one (1) individual from the organization to serve as a representative to NYC Metro RID. This individual, indicated on the application of membership, shall represent their organization with the same rights and privileges as a student or supporting member as stated in Article III, Section 3, B1 & B2.
Section 4. Transfer of Membership
Affiliate chapter membership is non-transferable.
Section 5. Change of Membership Category
Members may change their membership category by submitting a completed membership application and the correct dues and assessments for the new membership category.
ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
Section 1. General Membership Meetings
The general membership meetings of this corporation shall be held at least twice annually at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors. Announcements of all general membership meetings shall be made to each member of the Corporation at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting. Any change in the date, time, or location of meetings shall be announced to the members of the Corporation at least seven (7) days before the date of the rescheduled meeting. These announcements shall be in writing via generally accepted methods including, but not limited to, email, postal mail, or the Corporation’s website or newsletter. During general membership meetings, if there is a quorum, voting members may conduct business by voting on motions.
Section 2. Quorum
The presence in person or by written proxy of one-tenth (1/10) of the total voting membership of the Corporation shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 3. Proxies
A proxy shall be a written statement from a voting member empowering another voting member to vote in the absent member's place for a specified meeting. Certified voting members may hold up to five (5) proxies for any voting member. Associate members may members may hold up to five (5) proxies for any voting member. Associate members may hold up to five (5) proxies for associate members only. [See Article III, Sec. 3A]
Section 4. Conduct of Meetings
Unless otherwise provided by the membership, all meetings shall follow Robert's Rules of Order (Revised).
Section 5. Special Meetings
A special meeting of the membership may be called at any time by the Board, or by written petition of not less than ten percent (10%) of the voting members. Written notice of the time and place of a special meeting shall be given at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
ARTICLE V - DIRECTORS
Section 1. Composition of the Board of Directors
All directors shall be voting members of the Corporation at the time of election and during their tenure on the Board. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers [president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer], associate representative and four (4) directors-at- large. Any eligible member of the Corporation may hold only one (1) voting position on the Board of Directors at any given time. [See Article III, Sec. 3A]
Section 2. Term
All officers [president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer] and the associate representative shall be elected for a term of one (1) year. All directors-at-large shall be elected for a term of two (2) years. All terms shall begin on July 1st.
Section 3. Elections
All board members are elected by the voting members of the Corporation.
A. The president shall appoint a voting member to chair the nominations committee. This nomination committee supervises the nomination and election of members to the Board of Directors subject to the Bylaws of the Corporation.
B. Nominations are conducted as per policy of the Corporation. A ballot listing all members nominated for board positions is distributed to all voting members.
C. Each voting member shall have one (1) vote for each position except for the position of associate representative, for which certified members shall not vote. [See Article III, Sec. 3A]
D. All elections shall be won by majority vote of the returned ballots.
E. Elections shall be completed in time for the new Board of Directors to assume its responsibilities July 1st of that year.
In the event that the positions of president and vice-president are vacant, the outgoing Board of Directors will appoint a steering committee for the purpose of maintaining the organization and adhering to the requirements and policies of the RID. The Board of Directors will accept recommendations for steering committee candidates from the general membership until the day before the final board meeting of the current term. The Board of Directors will then appoint the steering committee and share the committee members’ names with the general membership within seven (7) days.
Section 4. Board of Directors Powers and Responsibilities
The Board of Directors is entrusted to act in the best interest of the membership of the Corporation. The Board of Directors shall have the powers to conduct, manage, and control the affairs and business of the Corporation and to make rules and regulations in a manner not inconsistent with the law, the Bylaws, or the resolutions of the Corporation. The Board of Directors, however, may not decide issues pertaining to testing, certification, or Bylaws. The Board of Directors may submit any action to the voting members as a motion. If a motion is presented to the voting members, the Board of Directors must act in accordance with the outcome of that vote.
A. OFFICERS
1. PRESIDENT: The president shall have general supervision, direction, and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and shall preside at all meetings of the membership, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed when warranted in the Bylaws.
2. VICE-PRESIDENT: In the absence or disability of the president, the vice-president shall perform all duties of the president, and in so acting, shall have all the powers of the president. The president may assign such duties to the vice-president as the president sees fit. The vice-president shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed when warranted in the Bylaws.
3. SECRETARY: The secretary shall keep a full and complete record of the proceedings of the Corporation and the Board of Directors, shall make service of such notices as may be necessary or proper, shall supervise the keeping of records of the Corporation, and shall discharge such other duties of the office as prescribed by the Bylaws.
4. TREASURER: The treasurer shall receive and safely keep all funds of the Corporation and deposit them in the bank or banks that may be designated by the Board of Directors. Those funds shall be paid out only on checks of the Corporation signed by the president, vice-president, treasurer, or secretary, or by such officers as may be designated by the Board of Directors as authorized to sign them. The treasurer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed when warranted by the Board of Directors. At the end of any given administrative year, the treasurer shall prepare and submit a projected budget for the following year to the Board of Directors.
B. ASSOCIATE REPRESENTATIVE
The associate representative shall represent the interests of the associate members at meetings of the Board of Directors. This officer shall have powers and duties as may be prescribed when warranted by the Board of Directors.
C. DIRECTORS
Directors-at-large shall represent the interest of the Corporation members at meetings of the Board of Directors and perform other duties as may be prescribed when warranted by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Vacancies
A. Resignation
Any officer may resign upon giving at least two (2) weeks prior notice to the president or secretary.
B. Appointment to Fill a Vacancy
In the event of a vacancy of any position, nominations to fill the unexpired term may be made by any member in good standing to the nominations committee, followed by a special election. During this interim period of search/nomination, the president shall have the right to appoint a voting member in good standing to serve as acting director or officer for the remainder of their predecessor’s term or until a special election determines an outcome.
Section 6. Regular Board Meetings
A minimum of six (6) meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held each year at places and times designated by the Board of Directors. Meetings of the Board of Directors may take place in person, or by video or teleconference. Announcements of all board meetings will be made available to each member of the Corporation at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting. Any changes in the date, time, or location of meetings will be announced to the members of the Corporation at least seven (7) days before the date of the rescheduled meeting in writing via generally accepted methods including, but not limited to, direct email; postal mail; the Corporation’s listserv, website, or newsletter; or announced during general membership meetings. All meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to the voting membership.
Section 7. Board Meeting Quorum
A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Board.
Section 8. Special Board Meetings
Special meetings of the Board of Directors for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the president or by a majority of the members of the Board. The general membership will be notified of the date, time, and location of the meeting at least three (3) days in advance.
The transactions of any meeting of the Board of Directors, however called and noticed and wherever held, shall be as valid as though conducted during a meeting held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present.
Section 9. Action Without a Meeting
Any action by the Board of Directors may be taken without a board meeting if a majority of the board members, individually or collectively, consent in writing to said action. Such written consent or consents shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings.
ARTICLE VI - DUES AND ASSESSMENTS
Section 1. Annual Dues
Annual dues shall be paid by each member of the Corporation. Annual dues are payable on July 1st of each year. The amount of the annual dues shall be set from time to time at a general membership meeting by a vote of the voting members. (See Article V, Sec. 4).
Section 2. Assessments
Assessments may be levied on all members by a resolution of the Board of Directors. Such assessments shall not exceed five dollars ($5.00).
ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES
Immediately after election, the president shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors, a chairperson for each standing committee specified by the Bylaws or created by the Board of Directors. The president shall designate a member of the Board of Directors to serve as ex-officio member and liaison for each committee. The members of each committee shall be appointed by the chairperson and shall serve until their resignation, their removal by the Board of Directors, the next general election, or the dissolution of the committee.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS OF THE BYLAWS
The Bylaws may be amended or repealed by referendum with a two-thirds (2⁄3) majority of the total votes cast. This process can take place in either of the following two ways:
A. Member Initiated:
1. Any voting member in good standing may submit a proposed Bylaws change to the Board of Directors.
2. The Board of Directors can take it upon themselves or appoint an ad hoc committee to review the proposed change to ensure that it is not out of order.
3. If the proposed change is deemed in order, the Board of Directors shall submit it to the membership in writing.
4. The membership shall have a minimum of forty-five (45) days to review the proposed change before a referendum is put before the voting members.
5. A ballot for the referendum shall be distributed to the voting members with an expressly stated deadline for its return.
6. A two-thirds (2/3) majority of the total votes cast is needed to pass a Bylaws referendum.
7. The results of the referendum shall be shared with the membership in a timely manner.
B. Board of Directors Initiated:
1. The Board of Directors can take it upon themselves or appoint an ad hoc bylaws committee to review the Bylaws and suggest changes. The Board of Directors or the ad hoc bylaws committee may solicit input from the membership at anytime during this review process.
2. Once the Board of Directors (on its own or with the assistance of the ad hoc bylaws committee) comes up with a proposed change to the Bylaws, it shall be submitted to the membership in writing.
3. The membership shall have a minimum of forty-five (45) days to review the proposed change before a referendum is put before the voting members.
4. A ballot for the referendum shall be distributed to the voting members with an expressly stated deadline for its return.
5. A two-thirds (2/3) majority of the total votes cast is needed to pass a Bylaws referendum.
6. The results of the referendum shall be shared with the membership in a timely manner.