Article I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the New Mexico Psychological Association (Association).
Article II – Purpose
The objectives of the New Mexico Psychological Association shall be to advance psychology as a science and profession and to promote human well-being by:
1. Encouraging psychology in all its branches in the broadest, most liberal manner;
2. Promoting quality research and the highest level of qualified professional practice in psychology;
3. Improving the qualifications and usefulness of psychologists by upholding and maintaining the highest Standards of professional ethics, conduct, education, and achievement;
4. Increasing and diffusing psychological knowledge through meetings, professional and interdisciplinary contacts, reports, papers, discussions, and publications; and
5. Extending the contributions of psychologists into community activities.
Article III – Membership
Section 1. Members of the Association. The Association shall be composed of six classes of membership: Members, Fellow Members, Life Members, Student Members, Affiliates, and Associates. They shall be persons who are interested in the advancement of psychology as a science and profession. The following will define the classes of members and their qualifications:
a. Members shall
1. Hold a doctoral degree based in part on a psychological dissertation, or from a program primarily psychological in content, and conferred by a graduate or professional school of recognized standing or which has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of one of six regional Accrediting Associations OR have been licensed by the New Mexico State Board of Psychologists Examiners as a Psychologist Associate.
2. Be engaged in study or professional work that is primarily psychological in nature.
3. Have no outstanding ethics complaints with the New Mexico Board of Psychologist Examiners at the time of application.
b. Fellow Members shall:
1. Have been members of the Association for at least five (5) years.
2. Have made outstanding contributions to psychology and/or the advancement of the profession.
3. Have been nominated for Fellow Member status by the Executive Committee.
4. Have been elected to Fellow Member status by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
c. Life Members need not be actively engaged in psychological practice, training, or research. A Life Member shall
1. Have attained the age of sixty-five (65) and have formally retired from the field of psychology.
2. Have been a member or an associate member in good standing of the Association for at least two (2) years or of a Psychological Association of another state for at least two (2) years.
3. Have requested in writing and been recommended for election to Life Membership by the Executive Committee.
4. Have been approved by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Life members shall pay reduced dues or special assessments, and shall be entitled to voting privileges and may hold office.
d. Student Members shall:
1. Be undergraduates, graduate students, or those who received a doctoral degree within the past two years in psychology or closely related fields.
2. Have voting privileges. The only office to which a Student Member may be elected is student member-at-large. They may serve on appointed positions and on committees.
e. Associates shall
1. Have completed at least two years of graduate work in psychology in a recognized graduate or professional school of recognized standing or which has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission or one of six regional Accrediting Associations, OR hold a Master’s degree in psychology or a field primarily psychological in nature.
2. Be engaged in professional or graduate work which is primarily psychological in nature.
3. Have voting privileges. The only office to which an associate may be elected is member-at large. They may serve in appointed positions and on committees.
f. Affiliate Member shall
1. Hold a professional degree outside the field of psychology which has a significant degree of interest, involvement in, or concern about the study and practice of psychology.
2. Not have voting privileges, nor shall they be eligible to serve as an elected officer.
Section 2. Membership Application. Prospective members may request or have sent to them an application which shall be completed and returned to the Association. These applications shall be referred to the Executive Committee. The New Mexico Board of Psychologists Examiners will be consulted to determine if there are any outstanding ethics complaints. Approval of membership shall require a unanimous vote of the Executive Committee. If the application does not receive unanimous approval, it will be held until the next meeting of the Board of Directors and may be accepted by a two-thirds (2/3) vote.
Section 3. Membership Category Change. When a person attains the qualifications required for a different class of membership that person will be required to request a change of category by the beginning of the next fiscal year.
Section 4. Membership Termination. The following are ways in which membership may be terminated.
a. Members may resign by sending a letter to the President who will notify the NMPA office.
b. If a member is delinquent in dues more than sixty (60) days after the start of the fiscal year, the member may be dropped from the membership roll.
c. Loss, forfeiture, or a suspension of a state license to practice Psychology shall result in immediate termination of membership. If a person is denied membership, they may obtain due process as stated in the Policies and Procedures document of the Association’s Ethics Committee.
Section 5. Option of Reciprocity. NMPA will offer the option of Reciprocity for membership for current members in good standing of other State, Provincial or Territorial Associations who desire membership in NMPA.
Article IV – Dues and Assessments
Section 1. Establishing Dues. Association dues may be changed by a majority vote of the general membership.
Section 2. Assessment of Dues. The Executive Director will insure a notice of dues payment is sent to all members between thirty (30) and sixty (60) days prior to the end of the fiscal year.
Section 3. Delinquent Dues. Dues for the Association’s fiscal year shall be paid prior to the first day of the fiscal year. Any member with unpaid dues thirty (30) days after the beginning of the fiscal year shall be considered delinquent. The Executive Director will insure that delinquent members receive a reminder notice. Failure to pay delinquent dues within sixty (60) days after the end of the fiscal year shall be considered as equivalent to resignation from the Association as stated in Article III, Section 4.b.
Section 4. Partial Dues Payment and Dues Adjustment. New members accepted on or after July 1 shall pay one half (½) of that year’s membership dues. Dues adjustments or additional installments may be considered and approved by the Executive Committee when a member is retired, disabled, inactive, or in financial distress.
Section 5. Additional Assessments. The Association may levy additional assessments upon approval by a majority vote of the membership.
Section 6. Fiscal Year. The Association’s fiscal year will be the same as the calendar year from January 1 to December 31.
Article V – Meetings and Voting
Section 1. Time of Business Meetings. There shall be at least one annual business meeting of the general membership of the Association at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors. Insofar as possible, announcements of time and place shall be made at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. The Board of Directors may call additional meetings. Meetings also may be called by twenty-five percent (25%) of the members signing a petition and presenting it to the President who must call the special meeting of the membership as specified within sixty (60) days of the petition, provided that a minimum fourteen (14) days notice is given to members.
Section 2. Business Meetings. At any official business meeting of the general membership the following business may be conducted:
a. Reports of officers, Board Members and Committees
b. Any other business as may properly come before this meeting.
c. There may be election of officers as the Board of Directors determines as stated in Article X.
Section 3. Quorum for Business Meetings. Five percent (5%) of the members of the Association shall constitute a quorum. The Treasurer shall be responsible for seeing that persons attending are eligible for voting in order to determine this quorum.
Section 4. Mail Votes. The Board of Directors may call for a mail vote. There shall be a minimum of fourteen (14) days notice to return the ballot by a specified date. A majority of the votes cast in a mail ballot shall elect or pass the question.
Section 5. Electronic Votes. The Board of Directors may call of votes by electronic means. There shall be a minimum of fourteen (14) days notice to response by a specified date. A majority of the votes cast in this manner shall elect or pass the question.
Article VI – Elective Officials and Duties
Section 1. Officers. The officers of the Association shall be: President, President-elect, Immediate Past-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 2. Other Elected Officials. The Association also shall elect five (5) Members-at-large (one of whom shall be a masters-level member if possible), four (4) members of the Ethics Committee (Committee members’ duties specified in Article VIII, Section 2.b.). and a student-at-large (if possible).
Section 3. Terms of Office. The one (1) year term of office of the President shall be filled automatically by the President-elect. The President-elect shall be elected to that office for the first year and shall automatically become the President for the second year of the term and Immediate Past-President for the third year. The Secretary, Treasurer, and six (6) Members-at-large (this includes the student-at-large) shall be elected for two (2) year terms with three (3) of the Members-at-large elected on alternate years in order to provide for staggered terms. Any officer may be reelected and any officer may serve up to a maximum of three (3) consecutive terms in the same office except the President and the President-elect, who may not serve consecutive terms in that office. Because the President-elect becomes the President and the immediate Past-President has committee duties, it is in effect a three-year term for that person. Each officer shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and installed.
Section 4. Vacancies. In the event that the President-elect resigns or becomes unable to serve prior to June 1 of any calendar year, the membership shall, by regular mail balloting, by electronic means, or at any official business meeting, elect a new President-elect. Otherwise the duties of the President-elect shall be accomplished by a pro tem designee appointed by the Board of Directors with an election for both President and President-elect held at the next regular election. In the event that the President resigns or becomes unable to serve, the President-elect shall assume the office of President immediately and the process outlined above to fill the President-elect vacancy shall be followed. If the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, Member-at-large, or member of the Ethics Committee become vacant, the Board of Directors shall make an interim appointment pending the next scheduled election for the position.
Section 5. Duties of President. The President shall serve as the general presiding officer of the Association and Chair of the Board of Directors. The President shall perform such other duties as are incident to the office or as properly may be required by the Board of Directors of the Association. The President may exercise the option of appointing a Member-at-Large to sit with the Executive Committee as a non-voting member
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