NCSA Guidelines
I. Purpose
The purpose of the National Congress of State Associations (NCSA) is to provide a forum for affiliated association leaders to act as ambassadors of NCRA and the court reporting and captioning professions; to exchange information, experiences, and various points of view involving NCRA and the court reporting and captioning professions; and to develop guiding resolutions for consideration by the NCRA Board of Directors. NCSA is to meet at the time of the Annual Conference of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).
II. Affiliation Eligibility
To be eligible for affiliation, an association shall be approved by the NCRA Board of Directors.
III. Organization
The NCSA body is defined as affiliated unit delegates and/or alternates of affiliated units.
The NCSA body shall be composed of two (2) delegates from each affiliated unit. For purposes of the NCSA Annual Meeting, each affiliated unit may designate two (2) delegates and two (2) alternates. No delegate or alternate shall represent more than one (1) affiliated unit. Each affiliated unit shall have no more than two (2) votes. No representative shall vote by proxy.
The delegates and alternates from each affiliated unit shall be Registered or Participating Members of NCRA in good standing within thirty (30) days of appointment by the state association and at the time of each meeting of NCSA.
Each affiliated unit shall determine, independently of NCRA and NCSA leadership, who shall serve as their delegates and alternates.
During the Annual NCSA Meeting, an alternate may take the seat of a delegate at the delegate’s request. In such case, the alternate will remain seated as the delegate for the remainder of the meeting. The original delegate shall remain an alternate for the remainder of the meeting.
Affiliated units shall notify the NCRA Staff Liaison of the names of its delegates and alternates, as appropriate, at least thirty (30) days prior to each meeting of NCSA.
In the event that a state is not represented by an affiliated unit, the NCRA President, in consultation with the NCSA Chair, may appoint delegates-at-large from that state, with such delegates-at-large having a voice, but no vote, at any NCSA meeting.
The NCSA Chair and Vice Chair shall be appointed by the NCRA Board of Directors and shall each serve for a two-year (2) term.
The Immediate Past Chair of NCSA shall serve as an advisor to the current NCSA Chair, Vice Chair, and NCSA Governing Committee. The Immediate Past Chair shall serve in an advisory capacity only and shall have no obligation to attend meetings or actively participate in the day-to-day activities of NCSA, nor shall the Immediate Past Chair be a member of the NCSA Governing Committee.
IV. Meetings
In consultation with NCRA staff and the NCRA Staff Liaison to NCSA, the agenda for all meetings of NCSA shall be prepared by the NCSA Governing Committee.
The NCSA Chair and Vice Chair shall, in advance of the Annual NCSA Meeting, contact affiliated unit leaders and request topics of importance to NCRA and its membership, affiliated units, or the profession as a whole.
The NCRA Staff Liaison to NCSA shall notify affiliated unit leaders of the date and time of each meeting of NCSA.
V. Meeting Procedures
The following meeting procedures shall be followed at each NCSA meeting. "Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised" shall govern the NCSA Annual Meeting and all other NCSA meetings to which they apply and in which they do not conflict with the policies and procedures adopted by the NCRA Board of Directors. The NCSA Chair and Vice Chair reserve the right to request a parliamentarian be present at the annual meeting.
During topic discussion, affiliated units shall designate one (1) delegate to speak on a topic. Delegates shall yield the floor as appropriate to the NCSA Chair and to fellow NCSA delegates to allow for a free-flowing exchange of ideas and information. The NCSA Chair may recognize, at the Chair’s discretion, individuals attending the meeting as observers. Any such supplements to the meeting procedure shall be provided to the delegates, alternates, and/or representatives at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the meeting.
The NCSA Annual Meeting room shall have clearly designated areas for the NCSA delegates and alternates, for members of NCRA, and for other registered attendees of the NCRA Annual Conference.
The NCRA Staff Liaison to NCSA shall distribute the minutes of the meeting, within thirty (30) days of its receipt, to the NCSA delegates, the NCSA Governing Committee, the NCRA Board of Directors, and the affiliated units. The minutes may be made available to any other party at the discretion of the NCSA Chair and the NCRA President.
The NCRA Staff Liaison to NCSA shall receive and validate the credentials of the NCSA Annual Meeting delegates and alternates, maintain a continuous roll call, and report these totals to the NCSA Chair as the meeting commences.
VI. Resolutions Procedures
In an effort to best serve the NCRA membership and profession, affiliated units and/or the NCSA Governing Committee may submit resolutions to be considered by the NCRA Board of Directors at any time throughout the year.
Resolutions shall be written in a clear and concise manner, containing one single topic. Resolutions should relate to the following areas for information and discussion purposes:
- Types of problems experienced at the national, state, and/or local level and constructive suggestions for assistance from NCRA;
- Types of assistance affiliated units feel are needed from NCRA;
- Suggestions for increasing professionalism among verbatim stenographic reporters and captioners;
- Suggestions and ideas for strengthening the profession;
- Suggestions for improving ongoing programs in NCRA;
- Positive experiences and programs which have proven beneficial to affiliated units.
Submission
All resolutions, and any amendments thereto, shall be submitted on a resolution form supplied by the NCSA Chair, Vice Chair, and/or the NCRA Staff Liaison to NCSA. A full rationale shall be stated in support of any proposed resolution. A NCSA resolution shall be submitted to the NCSA Chair, NCSA Vice Chair, and/or the NCRA Staff Liaison to NCSA. The NCSA Chair may modify any resolution with minor editorial changes provided the changes do not alter the intent.
All resolutions submitted by an affiliated unit shall be signed by the President of the affiliated unit and approved by the Board of Directors of the affiliated unit.
All resolutions submitted by the NCSA Governing Committee shall so indicate. No signature shall be required.
Members of NCRA who wish to have resolutions introduced to NCSA shall request sponsorship/submission of the resolutions by an affiliated unit or by the NCSA Governing Committee. Neither an affiliated unit, nor the NCSA Governing Committee, shall be required to sponsor/submit any such resolution.
When two (2) or more resolutions are submitted having the same intent, the NCSA Chair may prepare a composite resolution. Each of the submitting affiliated units shall be identified on such resolutions.
The NCSA Governing Committee shall organize all resolutions in subject classifications as follows: Accreditation; Certification; Continuing Education; Ethics; Financial Affairs; Governance; Government Affairs; Membership; Member Affairs; Professional Issues; Public Relations; Publications; Reporter Training; State/National Relations.
Discussion and Outcome
When a resolution is submitted, the NCSA Chair will notify the NCSA body of the submitted resolution within one (1) week. The NCSA Chair shall be responsible for initiating and overseeing discussion as to a resolution on an online email list dedicated to affiliated unit leadership.
The NCSA delegate body shall have two (2) weeks from the date the NCSA Chair submits the resolution for discussion on the affiliated unit leadership emai list.
Within two (2) weeks after the close of discussion of the resolution by the NCSA body, the NCSA Chair, in consultation with the NCSA Vice Chair and the NCSA Governing Committee, shall submit a summary of the discussion to the NCRA Board of Directors for its consideration. Should the discussion period result in changes or amendments to the resolution that the Governing Committee determines to be more than minor edits, the Committee may request approval of the changes by the sponsoring affiliate. The affiliate may approve the edits, withdraw the resolution, or instruct the Committee to submit the resolution as originally presented.
The NCRA Board of Directors will address submitted resolutions no later than the next in-person board meeting, provided that the resolution is submitted more than forty-five (45) days in advance. Submitted resolutions can also be addressed by the Board of Directors before the next in-person Board meeting at the discretion of the NCRA President.
Within two (2) weeks of the Board of Directors acting on a NCSA resolution, the NCSA Chair shall be responsible for notifying the NCSA delegate body of the Board’s decision, the rationale behind the decision, and, if necessary, a timeline documenting implementation. In the case of a Board decision via email, the NCSA Board liaison shall notify the NCSA Chair and Vice Chair of the Board's decision, the rationale behind the decision, and, if necessary, a timeline documenting implementation.
VII. Notification
Delegates shall be informed of submitted resolutions through NCRA’s affiliated unit leadership email list and this shall satisfy any guidelines for dispersing information to NCSA members, delegates, or the NCRA Board.
VIII. NCSA Governing Committee
Composition
The NCSA Governing Committee shall be composed of the NCSA Chair, NCSA Vice Chair, and seven (7) appointed regional representatives. To ensure even geographic representation, an appropriate regional map consisting of seven (7) regions shall be established by the NCSA Governing Committee. Each of the seven (7) regions of the NCSA Governing Committee will be represented by one (1) NCRA Registered or Participating member who lives or works in that region. The regional NCSA Governing Committee members shall be chosen by the Board of Directors. NCSA delegates may nominate an NCRA member in good standing for the position of regional representative. In cases where no member is nominated to represent a region on the Governing Committee, the Board of Directors may choose the representative. Regional representatives cannot act simultaneously as NCSA delegates from their state. The NCRA Executive Director shall appoint an NCRA Staff Liaison to NCSA.
Each NCSA Governing Committee member shall serve a two-year (2) term, with staggered terms to ensure continuity of Committee membership.
Duties and Responsibilities
The duties of the NCSA Governing Committee shall be:
- To fulfill their charges as approved by the NCRA Board of Directors;
- To facilitate meaningful and productive discussions in the interest of their appointed regions;
- To respond to regional requests and provide a direct link between the affiliated units represented and the NCSA body;
- To issue a quarterly report to the NCSA Chair and Vice Chair on topics of ongoing discussion within their region, including possible recommendations for NCRA to better serve its affiliated units and members. The NCSA Chair shall compile and disseminate these reports to the NCSA body via email list so that discussions are documented and affiliated units are informed of regional discussions;
- To recommend to the NCSA body an appropriate course of action on matters which have been placed before it, including evaluating and making recommendations to the NCSA body on all resolutions which it has received from the affiliated units, using the best information and advice available, and making its decision in the best interests of the verbatim stenographic reporting and captioning professions;
- To assist the NCSA Chair and Vice Chair to develop NCSA-sponsored programs and/or meetings throughout the year;
- To attend any meetings called by NCSA if requested to do so by the NCSA Chair and/or Vice Chair and to perform any other duties assigned by the NCSA Chair and/or Vice Chair.
The NCSA Governing Committee must act within the NCSA Guidelines and within the framework of NCRA's Constitution and Bylaws. It may call upon the NCRA Board of Directors, NCRA committee and task force members, and members of NCRA staff when it desires to gain information necessary to fulfill its duties.
Based on conversations with affiliated units, the NCSA Governing Committee may advise the NCRA Board of Directors as to a desired action which would benefit NCRA members, affiliated units, and/or the court reporting and captioning professions as a whole.
IX. Email lists
The NCSA Governing Committee shall supervise email lists and other means of communication as directed by the NCRA President. In order to be a part of any email list associated with NCSA, the individual shall be a Registered or Participating Member of NCRA in good standing. Exceptions may be made by the NCRA President, in consultation with the NCSA Chair, where an affiliated unit accepts as members court reporters and captioners who would be ineligible for NCRA membership and such a member is an officer of the affiliated unit and is a member in good standing of the affiliated unit. All email list participants shall be familiar with and abide by the “NCRA Email List Rules and Etiquette."