.png)
WISCONSIN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION, INC. BYLAWS
Article I: Name The organization shall be called the Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association Inc. (WOTA).
Article II: Objectives The objectives of WOTA in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the Articles of Incorporation shall be to:
A. Improve and advance the practice of occupational therapy;
B. Improve and advance the education and qualifications of occupational therapy practitioners;
C. Maintain accepted standards of professional performance in occupational therapy;
D. Foster research and study of occupational therapy;
E. Engage in other activities to further the dissemination of knowledge of the practice of occupational therapy;
F. Advocate in legislative and reimbursement arenas for consumers and providers of occupational therapy.
Article III: Membership
Section 1. Membership Categories There shall be seven (7) categories of WOTA membership:
A. Occupational Therapist (OT) - Any individual licensed to practice as an occupational therapist in Wisconsin and who has not had that license revoked due to disciplinary action shall be eligible to be an OT Member.
B. Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) - Any individual licensed to practice as an occupational therapy assistant in Wisconsin and who has not had that license revoked due to disciplinary action shall be eligible to be an OTA Member.
C. Occupational Therapy Student (OTS) - Any individual currently enrolled full or part-time in an entry level OT or OTA educational program which is accredited or pending accreditation by the ACOTE shall be eligible to be an OTS Member.
D. Life Member - Any OT or OTA WOTA member who has demonstrated distinguished service in the field of occupational therapy, has retired from the practice of occupational therapy, and is voted into this category by the voting membership of WOTA upon recommendation of the WOTA Board of Directors shall be eligible to be a Life Member.
E. Retiree - Any OT or OTA who is retired or semi-retired, who may be working less than an average of 40 hours per month shall be eligible to be a Retiree Member.
F. Associate - An individual or organization interested in occupational therapy and that does not satisfy the requirements in another category shall be eligible to be an Associate Member.
G. Corporate – An organization that employs OTs and OTAs may choose to join at a group rate. The rate will allow all OT and OTA employees to be members. The rate will be negotiated on a case by case basis.
Section 2. Rights and Privileges of Members in Good Standing
A. OT and OTA members shall be entitled to:
1. Vote in the affairs of WOTA and in the election of WOTA officers;
2. Hold office and chair or serve on committees, subject to the qualifications established by the Bylaws for the particular office or committee.
B. OTS Members shall be entitled to:
1. Vote in the affairs of WOTA and in the election of WOTA officers; pg. 2 7-11-22 Bylaw Revision
2. Hold the office of Student Liaison on the WOTA Board and serve on committees;
3. Be a member of the Wisconsin Student Occupational Therapy Alliance (WSOTA).
C. Life Members shall be entitled to:
1. Vote in the affairs of WOTA and in the election of WOTA officers;
2. Hold office and chair or serve on committees;
3. Receive a waiver of membership dues.
D. Retired Members shall be entitled to:
1. Vote in the affairs of WOTA and in the election of WOTA officers;
2. Hold office and chair or serve on committees.
E. Associate Members, individual and an organization’s representative, shall be entitled to serve on committees.
F. Clinic Members shall be entitled to:
1. The same opportunities as OT and OTA members
Section 3. Good Standing
A. A member shall be in good standing if he or she currently meets the qualifications for his or her category of membership and has paid all applicable dues.
Section 4. Determination of Eligibility for Membership
A. The Vice President of Membership or his/her designee shall monitor eligibility of members within membership categories.
Section 5. Fiscal Year and Dues
A. Fiscal Year - WOTA’s fiscal year shall be determined by the WOTA Board and reviewed annually.
B. Dues - The annual calendar year membership dues, the amounts receivable, the payment schedule, and the lapsed membership payment grace period shall be determined by the WOTA Board and reviewed annually. Dues shall not be prorated.
C. Any member whose dues are still in arrears after the grace period determined by the WOTA Board shall be automatically removed from membership.
D. The WOTA Board shall be authorized to approve incentives, discounts, and promotions for members and non-members to increase membership throughout the year. Article IV: Board of Directors
Section 1. Purpose
A. The Board of Directors herein called the Board shall be the executive and legislative body of WOTA; shall manage the affairs of WOTA in accordance with all duly vested statutory, corporate, and Bylaw powers; and shall be directly responsible for the policies affecting the mission of WOTA.
Section 2. Composition
A. Voting Members
1. Elected board members including President, President-Elect, Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Internal Affairs and Vice President of Professional Development
B. Non-Voting Members with voice, but no vote
1. Past-President and WSOTA Chair
C. The Board may invite the attendance of committee chairs and any other person desirable by the Board in order to transact business. pg. 3 7-11-22 Bylaw Revision
Section 3. Terms and Qualifications
A. All Board members shall be members of WOTA in good standing.
B. The term of office for all elected Board members shall be one year. President-Elect is expected to serve three years, one as President-Elect, one as President, and one as Past-President.
C. A Board member shall hold only one office at a time.
Section 4. Vacancies on the Board
A. In the event of a vacancy on the Board, except where provided for elsewhere in the Bylaws, the President, or another Board member, in the event the President is the vacant position, shall appoint an eligible individual WOTA member to occupy the vacant seat, subject to ratification by the Board.
B. The term of office of a Board member filling a vacant position expires when the term of the vacant position would have expired.
Section 5. Functions of the Board
A. Establish policies and procedures for the Board and WOTA;
B. Carry out business of WOTA and determine policy not in conflict with these Bylaws and policies adopted by the Board and the membership of WOTA between meetings of the WOTA general membership;
C. Actions regarding policy taken at each Board meeting shall be reported to the membership on the WOTA website;
D. Determine the fiscal year of WOTA;
E. Plan, prepare, approve, and manage the WOTA budget for each fiscal year;
F. Identify functions of and oversee the management of WOTA;
G. Prepare and approve the Strategic Plan of WOTA and all plans of action;
H. Form Committees as deemed necessary;
I. Receive reports from all Board members;
J. Act as the appeal body of WOTA when disputes arise;
K. Review and approve appointments made by the President;
L. Monitor Continuing Education Standards and Needs
M. Consider recommendations to the membership regarding:
1. AOTA Affairs
2. WOTA Policy
3. Amendments to the Bylaws
4. Dues and Fees
5. Awards
6. Legislative and regulatory issues
7. Clinical Practice
N. Contribute to the membership newsletter content as demonstrated by providing newsletter articles, clinical practice content, and/or membership surveys.
Section 6. Meetings of the Board
A. Frequency - Meetings of the Board shall be called by the President as often as deemed necessary and at least three times annually, or when requested by four members of the Board.
B. Time and Place - The meetings shall be held at a time and place, in person or remotely, designated by the Board.
C. Notice of Meetings - All meetings are open to WOTA members. The date, time, and agenda of the meetings shall be published, and the minutes of the meeting will be published via the WOTA website.
D. Quorum - A quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting Board members. pg. 4 7-11-22 Bylaw Revision
E. Voting – All voting Board members may have a vote. Voting Board members may vote by proxy only on prior notice issues when specific written instruction has been given to another Board member. Once a quorum has been established, a motion requires a majority vote to be adopted.
F. Urgent business may be transacted via conference call with 48-hour notice.
Article V: Board Members
Section 1. Elected Board Members
A. The elected Board Members of WOTA shall be the President, President-Elect, Past-President, Vice-President of Internal Affairs, Vice-President of Professional Development, Vice-President of Membership and the WSOTA Chair.
Section 2. Election and Terms of Office
A. Board Members shall be elected by OT, OTA, OTS, Life, and Retired members.
B. OT, OTA, Life, and Retired members in good standing are eligible for any board member position, subject to all other qualifications as stated in the Bylaws.
C. Elected Board Members shall assume office on the first of the month following the election.
D. A board member shall hold only one elected office at a time.
E. Any Board Member may be removed from office upon vote of the majority of the WOTA voting board members.
Section 3. Board Member Qualifications
A. The President shall be an OT, OTA, Life or Retired member and in good standing of WOTA at the time of nomination and throughout term in office.
B. The Vice-Presidents, shall be members in good standing of WOTA at the time of nomination and throughout the term in office.
C. The WSOTA Chair shall be an OTS member in good standing of WOTA at the time of nomination and throughout the term in office.
Section 4. Duties
A. The President shall:
1. Ensure the board completes all its duties, as listed in article 4 section 5 of the bylaws;
2. Guide and conduct the activities of WOTA and represent WOTA to the public;
3. Preside at all WOTA Membership, Board, Conference or other meetings;
4. Be an ex-officio member of all WOTA committees
5. Serve for one year in an advisory capacity to the Board following his or her term of office;
6. Have the authority to sign all written obligations of WOTA and have general powers of supervision and active management (usually vested in the office) of the Board and WOTA and perform all other duties incident to the office of President;
B. The Vice-President of Internal Affairs shall:
1. Facilitate and coordinate WOTA committees relating to the internal management of WOTA, including, but not limited to, policies and procedures, positions, and concerns within WOTA, to facilitate and coordinate the committees’ pursuit of WOTA goals;
2. Serve as Secretary and maintain minutes of Board Meetings;
3. Be the custodian of the corporate documents including but not limited to, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation, or his/her designee;
4. Record and distribute minutes of WOTA Board, Membership, and other committee meetings, or his/her designee;
5. Keep a board roster of committee chairs and members, or his/her designee; pg. 5 7-11-22 Bylaw Revision
6. Lead negotiation for services and/or contracts and review performance of individuals or businesses contracted by WOTA;
7. Be an active member of the WOTA board as demonstrated by attendance at 90% of board meetings and WOTA sponsored events within the term.
C. The Vice-President of Membership Services shall:
1. Oversee the implementation of membership services by office staff, including monitoring the membership in terms of numbers and recruitment;
2. Recommend and implement the development of new membership benefits and services as the need arises;
3. Oversee the Corporate Membership program;
4. Coordinate the content and publication of the membership newsletter;
5. Work to raise awareness of membership benefits and attract members to WOTA;
6. Work with occupational therapy academic programs and committees to engage activity and member outreach;
7. Be an active member of the WOTA board as demonstrated by attendance at 90% of board meetings and WOTA sponsored events within the term.
D. The Vice-President of Professional Development shall:
1. Assess professional development needs for the WOTA, membership and the profession;
2. Facilitate and oversee professional development activities provided by WOTA;
3. Coordinate and oversee Conference Committee and lead these events;
4. Submit operational expenses for professional development events;
5. Coordinate approval requests for courses offered outside of WOTA’s resources
6. Be an active member of the WOTA board as demonstrated by attendance at 90% of board meetings and WOTA sponsored events within the term.
E. The President-Elect shall:
1. Prepare for the duties of the President;
2. Serve on all Committees related to the fiscal health of the association.
3. Serve as Treasurer ensure that a fiscal review is completed annually;
4. Be an active member of the WOTA board as demonstrated by attendance at 90% of board meetings and WOTA sponsored events within the term.
F. The Past-President shall:
1. Fulfill presidential duties in the absence of the President;
2. Serve in an advisory role to the Board;
3. Be an active member of the WOTA board as demonstrated by attendance at 90% of board meetings and WOTA sponsored events within the term.
Article VI: Committees
Section 1. Special Committees and Special Interest Sections (SISs)
A. The Board shall have the authority to establish Special Committees and SISs as necessary to carry out the purposes, goals, and objectives of WOTA.
Section 2. Chairs of Committees pg. 6 7-11-22 Bylaw Revision
A. Except as otherwise specified in the Bylaws, chairs of committees shall be appointed by the President and ratified by the Board. Chairs shall report to the President.
B. Committee chairs shall have no limitations to the number of years serving in one position, however, committee chair appointments will be reviewed by the Board after three years in the position.
Article VIII: Wisconsin Student Occupational Therapy Alliance (WSOTA)
Section 1. Purpose
A. WSOTA is a standing committee of WOTA with the purpose of providing a mechanism for the expression of student points of view and concerns and contributing to the decision making and actions of the Board and other WOTA bodies.
B. WSOTA upholds the WOTA mission, promotes WOTA membership, and provides a forum for supporting OTS members’ leadership and professional development.
C. WSOTA focuses on building leadership capacity to further contribute to WOTA functions.
Section 2. WSOTA Chair
A. The WSOTA Chair shall be an OTS member in good standing who has been elected by WSOTA members at the WSOTA Annual Business Meeting for a one-year term of office. The WSOTA Chair shall assume office at the close of the WSOTA Annual Business Meeting for a one-year term or until successors are elected
B. The WSOTA Chair shall perform all duties outlined in Article V: Board Members; Section 4: Duties.
Section 3. WSOTA Members A. All WOTA OTS members in good standing shall be members of WSOTA with the same rights and privileges specified in Article III of the WOTA Bylaws.
Section 4. WSOTA Meetings
A. Frequency – A minimum of one regular WSOTA Annual Business Meeting shall occur annually.
B. Time & Place – The meeting shall be held at the WOTA Annual Conference.
C. Notice of Meetings – The meetings are open to all WSOTA members. The date, time, and agenda of the meetings shall be published, and the minutes of the meeting will be published via the WOTA website.
D. Quorum – Fifteen WSOTA voting members shall constitute a quorum at the annual business meeting.
Article X: Membership Meetings
Section 1. Annual Business or Special Membership Meetings
A. Frequency - A minimum of one regular membership meeting shall be held during the year and designated as the annual business meeting of WOTA.
B. Time and Place - The meetings shall be held at a time and place designated by the Board.
C. Notice of Meetings - All members shall be notified of the time, date, place, and agenda of the annual business meeting no later than two weeks prior to the meeting, and the minutes of the meeting will be published via the WOTA website.
D. Quorum – A quorum shall consist of 40 WOTA members.
E. Regular Agenda Items - Regular agenda items shall consist of an annual review of WOTA and an audit or review of the accounts and records.
F. Voting - All OT, OTA, OTS, Retired, and Life members shall have a vote. There shall be no voting by proxy. pg. 7 7-11-22 Bylaw Revision
G. Special Meetings - Special meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the Board. The call for the special meeting must state the business to be transacted, and no other business may be transacted that is not stated in the call.
Section 6. Elections
A. Ballot Preparation
1. The Board, or an appointed committee shall prepare an electronic ballot for the election in collaboration with WOTA staff.
2. Ballots shall include all candidate information and shall be distributed to all voting members via the WOTA Newsletter, electronic mail, and/or the WOTA website.
3. Ballots shall state the deadline for receipt of the ballot which shall be at least one week after the ballot has been distributed.
B. Vote
1. A majority of the valid votes cast by WOTA members determines the winner of an elected position.
2. In the event of a tie vote, there shall be a recount of the ballots. In the event that the result is still tied, there shall be a second ballot vote by the voting membership via electronic mail and/or the WOTA website.
3. In the event that a vote is contested, and the vote tally is separated by no more than five percent of the ballots counted, there shall be a recount of the ballots. The results of the recount shall be binding.
Article XII: Ethics and Discipline
Section 1. Standards and Ethics
A. WOTA members shall be bound by the current licensure laws, standards, and ethics of the State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and applicable Wisconsin state laws; and in accordance with AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (2015) as amended from time to time by AOTA.
Section 2. Public Awareness
A. The members of WOTA shall provide responsible, accurate information to the consumer about the profession and services they provide the consumer.
Section 3. Membership
A. WOTA membership may be suspended at any time by a majority of the Board for malpractice or misconduct in accordance with Wisconsin licensure laws and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
Article XIII: Amendments or Revisions
Section 1. Notice
A. The Board shall distribute a draft of the revisions to WOTA voting members via the WOTA Newsletter, electronic mail, and/or the WOTA Website. WOTA members in good standing shall have at least one week to submit feedback on the proposed amendments or revisions to the Board.
B. After consideration of feedback, the Board shall distribute to the membership a final draft of proposed changes via the WOTA Newsletter, electronic mail, and/or the WOTA Website at least one week prior to the meeting at which the vote will be taken.
Section 2. Methods A. Amendments or revisions of the Bylaws shall be drafted by the Board. Adoption of amendments or revisions must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by WOTA members. pg. 8 7-11-22 Bylaw Revision Voting may take place at any regular business meeting or via electronic means, provided all members have been notified of the proposed amendments or revisions one week in advance.
Section 3. Corrections
A. The Board shall have authority to make corrections to keep the bylaws internally consistent and grammatically correct without calling a vote of the voting members of WOTA. Any reasonable doubt regarding the substantive correction expressed within 3 months after publication shall be resolved by bringing the correction to the membership for a vote as a Bylaw amendment or revision (see guidelines in Section 1 and 2).
Article XIV: Parliamentary Authority Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the authority for parliamentary procedure.
LAST AMENDED October 2010 Amendment and Revision History Amended 1978, Revised 1980, Amended 1982, Revised 1985, Amended 1988, Amended 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008 2010, 2015 Amended 2019, Amended 2022 pending membership vot