I

IAIR CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Illinois
Association for Institutional Research, also referred to as
IAIR.

ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The purposes of the Association shall be to: l) promote
Institutional Research in postsecondary education as a
professional activity; 2) disseminate information about the
methods and content of Institutional Research; 3) provide a
forum in which Institutional researchers can discuss and
seek assistance in their common problems and share research
findings; 4) promote professional development of IAIR
members. The association shall be a not-for-profit entity.

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to individuals who are engaged in
research leading to the improved understanding, planning and
operation of postsecondary education and to individuals who
are interested in the methodology and results of
institutional research. Such individuals become members by
payment of annual dues. The Association will act in a non-
discriminatory manner and will comply with all federal and
state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative
action laws, orders, and regulations.

ARTICLE IV OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of
the President, the Vice-President and President-Elect, the
Treasurer and the Secretary.

Section 2. The officers of this Association shall be elected
by a majority of the members voting at the annual business
meeting,

Section 3. The term of each officer shall begin at the
conclusion of the annual business meeting at which they are
elected. All Presidents will serve the Association for three
years, one year each as VP and President-Elect, President,
and Past-President. The Secretary’s term shall be two
years, and the term of the Treasurer shall be three years.

ARTICLE V DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. President. The President shall chair the Steering
Committee and preside at the business meetings of the
Association. The President shall represent the Association
in relations with other professional and educational
organizations, foundations and governmental agencies. The
President shall be responsible on behalf of the Association
for business meeting and annual conference site contracts.

Section 2. Vice-President and President-Elect. The VP and
President-Elect’s primary responsibility is to learn the
role of president to ensure a smooth transfer. The VP and
President elect shall maintain the operating/planning
calendar of the Steering Committee for the year. The VP and
President-Elect shall take on the role and responsibilities
of the President at meetings and other official Association
functions in the President’s absence.


Section 2. Section 3. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be
responsible for the receipt and disbursement of all funds of
the Association and for the establishment and maintenance of
appropriate records of all fiscal transactions. The
Treasurer shall be responsible for preparing a budget to be
submitted to the Steering Committee for approval, and the
annual fiscal report to be presented at the annual meeting
for vote of acceptance. The Treasurer shall ensure that all
expenditures are within the approved budget and have been
properly incurred under the policies of the Association. By
working with standing and ad hoc committees, the Treasurer
shall be responsible for collection of dues and for
maintaining the current membership roster.

Section 3. Section 4. Secretary. The Secretary shall be
responsible for the minutes of the meetings of the Steering
Committee and of the annual and any special business
meetings. The Secretary shall maintain a historical record
of the activities of the association. By working with
standing and ad hoc committees, the Secretary shall be
responsible for authorizing all mailings to the general
membership and others on the current mailing list. The
Secretary shall maintain the Constitution and Bylaws for the
Association.

ARTICLE VI STEERING COMMITTEE
Section 1. The voting members of the Steering Committee
shall consist of the President, the Vice-President and
President-Elect, the Treasurer, the Secretary, the immediate
Past President, the Associate Program Chair and the chairs
of standing committees.

Section 2. The Steering Committee shall have full authority
to act for and on behalf of the Association, except as
otherwise specified in this Constitution. The Steering
Committee shall be responsible for such duties as are
required for the management of the Association's affairs and
shall have the authority to implement Bylaws which are
consistent with this Constitution.

Section 3. Meetings of the Steering Committee shall be
called by the President.

ARTICLE VII VACANCIES
Vacancies in any office or on the Steering Committee or on
any standing committee shall be filled by appointment by the
Steering Committee for the unexpired term.

ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS
The annual business meeting of the Association shall be held
in conjunction with the annual fall conference.

ARTICLE IX QUORUM
Section 1. Twenty (20) percent of the Association membership
shall constitute a quorum at the annual business meeting.

Section 2. A quorum at any meeting of the Steering Committee
shall consist of a simple majority of the Steering Committee
membership.

ARTICLE X COMMITTEE
Section 1. Standing Committees. There shall be at least four
(4) standing committees: Program, Membership, Nominating,
and AIR Liaison. The Chair of the membership Committee and
the Associate Program Chair shall be elected by a majority
of the members voting at the annual business meeting. The
AIR Liaison Committee Chair shall be appointed by the
Steering Committee from the ranks of former IAIR presidents.

Section 2. The terms of the Chairs of the Program,
Membership and AIR Liaison Committees and the Associate
Program Chair shall begin at the conclusion of the annual
business meeting at which they are elected or appointed. The
terms of the Chair of the Program Committee and the
Associate Program Chair shall be one year, and their terms
will end at the conclusion of the following year's business
meeting. One year after election the Associate program Chair
shall automatically become Chair of the Program Committee.
The term of the Chair of the Membership Committee shall be
two years with the term beginning in even-numbered calendar
years, and ending two years later at the conclusion of the
annual business meeting. The term of the Chair of the AIR
Liaison Committee shall be three years with the first term
appointment beginning immediately following the close of the
1993 annual business meeting and ending three years later at
the conclusion of the annual business meeting. The
Nominating Committee shall consist of the immediate Past
President as Chair and three persons elected by the
membership of the Association. The term of office of elected
members of the Nominating Committee shall be for one year,
beginning at the conclusion of the annual business meeting
at which they are elected, and terminating at the conclusion
of the following year's annual business meeting.

Section 3. The Program Committee shall be responsible for
the design and management of the Annual Conference. The
Chair shall recruit and select members of this committee.
The Associate Program Chair shall serve as an active member
of the Program Committee and preside in the absence of the
Chair.

Section 4. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for
attracting members to the Association and encouraging local,
state and regional activities relevant to the purposes of
the Association. The Chair shall recruit and select members
of this committee.

Section 5. At least twelve (12) weeks prior to the annual
conference, the Nominating Committee shall issue to the
general membership a call for nominations for officers,
Chairs of the Program and membership Committees and members
of the Nominating, Committee. At least eight (8) weeks prior
to the annual Conference, the Nominating, Committee shall
report the results of the call for nominations to the
Steering, Committee and shall present to the Steering,
Committee a single slate of candidates to be presented at
the annual meeting. Nominations shall be open to the floor
after presentation of the slate.

Section 6. The one-person AIR Liaison Committee shall be
responsible for serving as the Association's official
liaison with the Association for Institutional Research by
representing the IAIR on the AIR Affiliated Groups Special
Interest group and communicating pertinent issues with the
IAIR Steering Committee.

ARTICLE XI AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds of those
voting. A vote to amend may be taken at the annual business
meeting or at any time by mail ballot, provided that the
proposed amendment has been circulated in written form to
the entire membership not less than thirty (30) days
beforehand. Amendments may be proposed by the Steering
Committee or by petition of ten (10) members of the
Association.

ARTICLE XII BYLAWS
Section 1. Membership dues shall be determined by the
Steering Committee subject to approval of the membership.

Section 2. The fiscal year of the Association shall be
December 1 to November 30.

Section 3. Meetings of the IAIR shall be conducted according
to Roberts Rules of Order except when explicitly required to
be otherwise by the Constitution or Bylaws.

Section 4. The Steering Committee and all standing
Committees shall convene a minimum of two (2) times per
fiscal year.

Section 5. The President, with the approval of the Steering
Committee, shall establish ad hoc committees as necessary to
carry on special activities of the Association. The
President shall appoint Chairs of ad hoc committees.

ARTICLE XIII DISSOLUTION Upon the dissolution of the
Association, assets shall be distributed for one or more
exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(e)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding sections of any
future federal tax code.

ARTICLE XIV RECOGNITION AWARDS
Section 1. The Recognition Award Program. The Illinois
Association for Institutional Research (IAIR) Recognition
Award Program shall consist of four (4) categories --
Service, Best Presentation, Management/ Leadership, and
Special Recognition. The awards will be made to individuals
who, in the majority judgment of the Steering Committee,
have made outstanding contributions to research, planning
and information-based management in higher education, to
IAIR, or to both. Descriptions of each award are included
in Article XIV, Sections 2 through 5.

Section 2. The Service Recognition Award is awarded to a
current or former IAIR member who has made significant
contributions toward advancement of the purposes and goals
of IAIR. The purpose of the award is to provide meaningful
recognition of individual(s) who have actively provided
service and leadership to the Association. The minimum
selection criteria shall include: membership in IAIR for at
least five (5) years; active Association participation as a
member of the Steering Committee or an IAIR standing
committee; and professional contributions to IAIR by making
formal presentations at the IAIR annual fall conference or
contributing to the Association’s newsletter or other
related publications.

Section 3. The Best Presentation Award is awarded to
recognize the author(s)/ presenter(s) whose presentation at
the IAIR annual fall conference is identified as exemplary
by a committee of the membership chaired by the immediate
Past President. Criteria used in the selection process
shall include: significance of the subject matter, the
extent to which current or emerging issues in higher
education are addressed; presenter knowledge of the subject
matter; session organization and delivery including the use
of appropriate audio-visual materials and handouts.
Additional relevant criteria may also be identified and used
by the committee. This duly designated committee of the
membership which is chaired by the immediate Past President
will forward recommendations to the Steering Committee for
action.

Section 4. The Management/Leadership Recognition Award is
awarded to the chief executive officer of an institution,
political leader, or leader of another organization who has
made a significant contribution to the advancement of
research, planning, and information-based management in
higher education. Generally the award will recognize
efforts to advance these goals in Illinois and support
Illinois higher education.

Section 5. The Special Recognition Award is awarded to the
professional who has made an outstanding contribution to the
goals and aims of research and planning in higher education
or the application of research and planning to institutional
decision making. Contributions of IAIR members to the broad
field of institutional research and planning can be
recognized with this award. The award can also recognize an
individual who has made a significant contribution as a
practitioner in the application of research and planning to
institutional decision making.

Section 6. Award Nominations. Nominations for the Service,
Management/ Leadership and Special Recognition Award
recipients should be submitted to the IAIR President at
least ten (10) weeks prior to the annual conference.
Persons who make formal presentations at the IAIR annual
conference will be eligible for consideration for the Best
Presentation Award for that year. The IAIR immediate past
president will coordinate the award solicitation and review
process.

Section 7. The awards are made at the discretion of a
majority of the Steering Committee and not necessarily on an
annual or regular basis.

Section 8. Awards will be presented at either the IAIR
annual fall conference (preferred), the IAIR meeting at the
Association for Institutional Research Forum or on other
appropriate occasions, as determined by the Steering
Committee

Section 9. The majority decision of the Steering Committee
regarding the selection of award recipients shall be final.


DOCUMENT HISTORY
Approved by unanimous vote: October 29, 1982
Amended by mail ballot: June 1, 1984.
Amended by mail ballot July 1, 1985.
Amended by unanimous vote November 5, 1993 (Article 8 Section 5 added).
Amended by unanimous vote November 6, 1998 (Article XIV added).
Amended by e-mail ballot August 1, 2003
(Article III affirmative action statement revised.
Article IV Vice President and President Elect position added, terms adjusted.
Article V duties adjusted, Article VI, steering committee clarified,
Article X, Nominating added as standing committee,
section 5 timelines shortened).