IAAP Rules for Candidates Seeking International Office

The International Association of Administrative Professionals encourages its members to volunteer for leadership service within the Association.  One of IAAP’s core values is to develop leaders at the chapter and division levels and ultimately to encourage those with the highest leadership potential to run for an International Office.

Applying as a nominee for an International Office carries responsibility and requires special consideration to both the formal guidelines as well as the less formal protocol of the nominations process.  Integrity and a sense of fairness are also values that are advocated by the IAAP membership and engrained in the nomination and election process. 

Because of the competitive nature of elections, IAAP has chosen to provide a process that is fair and consistent to all, regardless of one’s economic standing or geographic location.  Thus, the scope of every candidate’s promotional activity for elective office is limited.

Candidate Opportunities

After being accepted as a candidate by IAAP’s International Committee on Nominations, an IAAP member has several opportunities to communicate his or her qualifications and positions on issues related to the governance of IAAP:

• Candidates submit a 50-word platform for publication in the International Convention and Education Forum mailer.  Candidate applications (with privacy information blacked out) will be posted on the website beginning with the 2009-2010 IAAP year.

• Candidates participate in a “Meet the Candidates” session at the International Convention with only IAAP’s voting delegates and alternates in attendance.
• Candidates participate in an additional “Meet the Candidates” session at the Evening of Welcome during the International Convention which is open to all convention attendees.
• Candidates may have an opportunity to give a two-minute speech at the International Convention during the first business session.

Candidate Restrictions

Candidates will be subject to sanctions if any of the following IAAP Rules for Candidates Seeking International Office are violated.

Division and Chapter Events - Introduction of Candidates

The chair or person may introduce distinguished guests at any IAAP event but shall only use their name, current and past titles and shall never introduce anyone as a candidate. The International Convention and Education Forum is an exclusion from this guideline.

Solicitation of Support

No active campaigning or solicitation of support will be permitted other than sanctioned events at International Convention and Education Forum.  This includes organized phone solicitation of support.

Printed and other Promotional Materials Including Electronic Media

No printed or electronic material of any kind shall be developed or distributed by or on behalf of a candidate.

Printed or electronic material includes but is not limited to:

• Flyers, mailers or banners
• Pins, buttons
• Websites, e-mails
• Any kind of promotional material, including business cards with promotional language
• Additionally, candidates shall not use IAAP website discussion forums or chat discussions to promote their candidacy.

Candidates nominated from the floor will also have the opportunity to provide the Convention delegates a candidate profile.  An online profile document will be provided by IAAP Headquarters, and it must be completed at least 48 hours prior to the time the assembly convenes in order for the profile to be distributed to the delegates at Convention.  An application for candidacy must also be completed 48 hours in advance of the time the assembly convenes, and this application must be approved by the Committee on Nominations.

Division or Chapter Acknowledgment of Candidacies

No Division, Chapter, Chapter at Large, Affiliate Association or individual shall host a reception or other gathering on behalf of any candidate for International Office prior to the final declaration of election.

If a division or chapter publishes minutes of its meetings in its newsletters, allowing the motion and approval of the nomination of a candidate within the normal minutes of the meeting without further elaboration is appropriate and does not violate the IAAP Rules for Candidates Seeking International Office.

Enlisting Others to Provide Support During the Nominations Process

Candidates may not enlist the assistance of others to promote their candidacy to members of IAAP during the nominations process.

Enforcement of Violations

The Committee on Nominations shall have primary authority to enforce sanctions regarding violations of the IAAP Rules for Candidates Seeking International Office.  This authority is granted under Article VIII, Section 2, paragraph E of the International Bylaws.  These sanctions will range from disqualification from an individual election to a life-time ban from election, depending on the type of violation.

The International President and Executive Director shall be kept informed of any violations being investigated by the Committee on Nominations.

The International Board of Directors and individual board members will remain impartial with regard to actions and decisions of the Committee on Nominations.  However, as the highest governing body of the association, the Board may, in rare circumstances, hear and act on appeals to resolve nominations process issues.  Any International Board Member(s) who are directly involved or affected by the appeal issue shall not participate in Board discussions and decision regarding the appeal.  Any such resolution shall be the decision of the entire International Board of Directors. 

Due Process for Accused Violator of the IAAP Rules for Candidates Seeking International Office

The accused candidate shall be notified of the alleged violation and will have the right to a hearing.

The accused shall notify the Chairman of the Committee on Nominations of his/her request for a hearing.

Hearings will be convened via conference call if the alleged violation occurs during the time between the declaration of candidates and the International Convention.  The accused shall be given at least 7 days notice of the date and time of the hearing and the procedures to participate.  The time and date of the hearings shall be set by the Chairman of the Committee on Nominations.

A hearing will automatically be convened during the Convention if the alleged violation occurs 14 days before or during the Convention.  In such cases, the Committee on Nominations will contact the accused and notify him/her of the time and place of the hearing.

The accused will have the right to present a defense regarding the alleged violation during any hearing.

The following individuals shall be allowed to participate in the hearing: the accused, one representative (if chosen by the accused), the Committee on Nominations and the Executive Director.

The Committee on Nominations will consider the information presented by the accused at the hearing and shall meet privately either by conference call or in person to determine appropriate actions or sanctions against the accused.

Confidentiality

All discussions regarding candidate violations and sanctions shall be kept confidential by the Committee on Nominations, the International Board of Directors and the Executive Director. 

Any decisions by the Committee on Nominations regarding the disqualification of a candidate shall be communicated by the Chairman of the Committee on Nominations to the Executive Director and International President.  Decisions reached by the Committee will be announced by the Chairman of the Committee on Nominations when a candidate has been disqualified.  This communication will be presented to Division and Chapter leadership by email should the disqualification occur in advance of the International Convention or will be presented to the delegates during the International Convention should a disqualification occur during the International Convention. Any decisions that may be reached by the International Board of Directors shall be communicated by the International President in a similar manner.

Amendments

The International Board has authority to make amendments to this document as granted in the IAAP Bylaws under Article IX, Section 2, Subparagraph H. and shall only make such amendments during the following time period:  after the conclusion of the annual election at the International Convention and before October 1^st of each year.

Application Forms

I understand that the application forms I submit with this document shall be completed properly and correctly in order for them to be accepted by the Committee on Nominations.

Acknowledgement of Receipt

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Candidate                                    Date                                  Chairman Committee on Nomination         Date