Constitution
Adopted April 1984 as Amended December 13,
1996 and as amended January 1, 2000
Forward
The National Facility Management Association was founded
in October, 1980 at Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
of America, by a group of forty (40) professional facility
managers. Its professional growth in 1982 led to changing
the name to the International Facility Management Association
(IFMA) to reflect the International make-up, scope and
membership of the Association.
Preamble
To associate facility managers and affiliated disciplines
into an organized profession and to assist the members
in acquiring knowledge and the recognition of the integrative
influence of facilities on human behavior, productivity
and organizational goals in this field; and to advance
the standards of facility management by fostering a
professional code of ethics and standards of certification,
thus increasing its value as an Association to organizations
and for the public good, we do hereby establish and
ordain this Constitution of the International Facility
Management Association.
Article 1: Name, Location and Logo
Section 1.
Name
The name of this incorporated professional, not-for-profit
organization shall be the International Facility Management
Association (hereinafter referred to as the "Association")
incorporated in the state of Michigan, United States
of America.
Section 2.
Logo
The logo of the Association shall consist of the following:
This logo and designation may not be used by any
person, company, business, organization or group for
any purpose without the express written consent of
the Association.
Article II: Purpose and Objectives
Section 1.
Purpose
The purpose of the Association is to actively promote
the practice of a distinct philosophy of organizational
workplace management which recognizes the integrative
influence of facilities on human behavior, productivity
and organizational goals.
Section 2.
Objectives
The objectives of the Association shall be:
- To promote the concept of facility management
as a recognized management profession.
- To promote a high level of professional practice
in facility management and affiliated disciplines
through the establishment and maintenance of a code
of professional ethics and the encouragement of
educational achievement and career advancement.
- To encourage membership in and support for the
activities of the Association by developing chapters
and councils and memberships at large internationally.
- To sponsor educational programs and to conduct
coordinated research projects and surveys for the
continued development of the profession.
- To cultivate cooperation, foster understanding
and create interest among firms, the public, individuals,
other associations and professions as they may affect
facility management through chapter and council
meetings, conferences, publicity, lectures, seminars
and other appropriate means.
- To provide a resource for facility management-related
information.
Article III: Membership
Section 1.
Membership
The membership of the Association shall be divided
into classes as defined in the Association Bylaws.
Article IV: Officers
Section 1.
The Officers of the Association shall be the Chair
and Chief Elected Officer, First Vice Chair and Second
Vice Chair. Professional and Associate members may
serve as officers of the Association.
Section 2.
The terms and duties of the officers are as described
and defined in the Association Bylaws.
Article V: Executive Committee
Section 1.
The Executive Committee of the Association shall consist
of the Chair and Chief Elected Officer, First Vice
Chair, Second Vice Chair and the President and Chief
Staff Executive (Ex-Officio).
Section 2.
The duties of the Executive Committee are as described
and defined in the Association Bylaws.
Article VI: Board of Directors
Section 1.
Authority and Responsibility
The governing body of the Association shall be the
Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall determine
its policies or changes therein; shall actively pursue
its objectives and shall oversee the disbursements
of its funds and the general management of the Association.
All Board members, except the President and Chief
Staff Executive (Ex-Officio), may vote on issues brought
before the Board. All members of the Board must be
members of the Association in good standing.
Section 2.
Composition
The Board of Directors shall consist of no fewer than
ten Directors. There shall be no more than two Directors
from any one chapter or council at one time. The designated
Directors shall be:
- Chair and Chief Elected Officer
- First Vice Chair
- Second Vice Chair
- Director
- Director
- Director
- Director
- Director
- Director
- President and Chief Staff Executive (Ex-Officio)
Section 3.
The terms and duties of the Board of Directors are
as described and defined in the Association Bylaws.
Article VII: House of Delegates
Section 1.
The House of Delegates shall be the legislative body
of the organization. Its powers shall be general and
subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
It shall meet annually at the Association conference.
Section 2.
The House of Delegates shall be composed of delegates
from each chapter and each region, the Association
officers and members of the Association Board of Directors.
Section 3.
The terms, duties and activities of the Association
House of Delegates are as described and defined in
the Association Bylaws.
Article VIII: Committees
Section 1.
Standing Committees
The Standing Committees of the Association shall be:
- Executive Committee
- Nominating Committee
- Finance Committee
- Ethics Committee
Section 2:
The terms and duties of the Standing Committees are
as described and defined in the Association Bylaws.
Section 3.
Additional Standing Committees may be appointed by
the Executive Committee as needed and approved by
the Board of Directors.
Section 4.
Special Committees
a. Special Committees may be appointed as required
by the Executive Committee.
b. The Chair of a Special Committee shall be appointed
by the Executive Committee.
Section 5.
The terms and duties of the Special Committees and
Additional Standing Committees shall be as described
and defined by the Executive Committee and approved
by the Board of Directors.
Article IX: Association Chapters, Councils
and Affiliations
Section 1.
Association chapters and councils may be permitted
to be formed and chartered in accordance with the
requirements stated in the Association Bylaws and
upon the approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 2.
Membership in the Association is a prerequisite to
membership in the chapter or council.
Section 3.
All chapters or councils chartered by the Association
are affiliated with the Association.
Section 4.
The Association may form alliances with other organizations
and members of those organizations may become Association
members by virtue of the affiliation.
Article X: Dues and Fees
Section 1.
Membership dues and fees shall be in compliance with
those dues and fees established by the Association's
Board of Directors.
Section 2.
Dues and fees for chapters and members are as further
described and defined in the Association Bylaws.
Article XI: Meeting of the Members
Section 1.
Annual Meeting
The Association shall be required to hold a minimum
of one annual business meeting and this meeting shall
be held at such place and on such date(s) as may be
determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 2.
Rules of Order
The meetings and proceedings of the Association shall
be regulated and controlled according to Robert's
Rules of Order (Revised) USA for parliamentary procedure,
except as may be otherwise provided in this Constitution
and the Association Bylaws.
Section 3.
Other types of meetings and meeting activities are
described and defined in the Association Bylaws.
Article XII: Nominations and Election
of Association Officers
Section 1.
Nomination and election of Association officers shall
be conducted as provided and required in the Association
Bylaws.
Article XIII: Ratification and Amendment
of the Constitution
Section 1.
Ratification
The Constitution shall become effective immediately
by a ballot provided to all members qualified to vote
and two-thirds of the responding vote must be affirmative.
A vote by 50 percent of the qualified membership is
required.
Section 2.
Amendment
Amendments must be proposed to and approved by the
House of Delegates before submission of the amendment
to all members qualified to vote. This Constitution
may be amended by a ballot provided to all members
qualified to vote and two-thirds of the responding
vote must be affirmative. A vote by 25 percent of
the qualified membership is required.
Article XIV: Questions Other Than Amendments
Section 1.
Any Constitutional question, which is supported with
detailed justification other than proposed amendments
to this Constitution, may be submitted to the voting
members of the Association when, in the judgment of
the Board, such action is warranted.
Section 2.
Such qualifying question shall be mailed to all members
qualified to vote together with the proponents' rationale
and the Board's recommendations. The question shall
be decided by a majority of the votes received in
the Association office, provided 70 percent of the
qualified voters have responded.
Article XV: Not-For-Profit Professional
Association
Section 1.
This Association is organized and operated exclusively
for the purpose described in Section 501( c ) (6)
of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States
of America.
Article XVI: Dissolution of the Association
Section 1.
In the event of dissolution of the Association all
assets real and personal, shall be exempt under Section
501 ( c ) (6) of the Internal Revenue Code or the
corresponding provisions of a future United States
America Revenue Law.
Article XVII: Fiscal Year
Section 1.
The fiscal year of the Association shall be determined
by the Association Board of Directors.
Article XVIII: General Policies
Section 1.
The Association pledges not to participate in nor
fund the nomination, election or appointment of candidates
for public office, nor to participate in any political
activities in any country.
Section 2.
The Association will monitor workplace issues, and,
if deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, may
take positions in support or in opposition to various
legislation or regulatory issues.
Article XIX: Non-Discrimination
Section 1.
The Association pledges that it will not discriminate
on the basis of race, disability, color, creed, nationality,
age, sex or religious belief in its membership selection,
nomination for officers or appointment to committees.
Article XX: Numbering of Articles of
Sections
Section 1.
The Board is authorized to number the articles and
sections of this Constitution to correspond with any
changes that may be approved.
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