The Inter-American Network for Public
Administration Education 

BYLAWS

(February 12, 2003)

1. Name.

This organization is known as the Inter-American Network for Public Administration Education (hereinafter called the Network).

2. Objectives.

The Network is established as a cooperative effort by its members, for the purpose of mutually helping each other respond to the management and policy-making capacity building needs of national, subnational, regional and other public and non-governmental organizations, as well as private sector entities.

The Network seeks to achieve the following objectives:

a. Improve the education, training, and research of public functions.
b. Promote research, planning, evaluation, advisory assistance and consultancy, publications, and other pertinent activities of its members.

3. Nature of the Network.

The Network is a non-profit organization and promotes its goals through broad, participatory, and non-sectarian means.

The Network may take a position on subjects of public interest only within the scope of its professional competence and objectives as defined above. The Network’s position does not necessarily express the position of individual member institutions.

4. Means.

The means through which the Network promotes its objectives include:

a. Collection and exchange of information on new approaches and methods of teaching and training in the individual areas of concern of member institutions;

b. Promotion, mobilization of resources, and direction of research projects to develop the theoretical and practical knowledge base and the application methods required for educational purposes;

c. Establishment of working groups to promote educational excellence in the research of specific subjects of interest to its member institutions;

d. Promotion of cooperation among its member institutions and between these with other related institutions;

e. Development of evaluation methodologies and improvement of the quality of education and training programs;

f. Development of promotion strategies for the Network and its activities;

g. Promotion of cooperation programs with governments and international organizations;

h. Delivery of services aimed at institution building of member institutions and other related organizations;

i. Promotion of curriculum development and innovation in public administration and management; education and training on public policies; and the development of thematic fora on a continuous basis;

j. Grant administration and signing of contracts related to the objectives of the Network;

k. Promotion of equality of opportunities and access of every person to education and training for public service;

l. Dissemination and promotion of ethical values in public life; and

m. Calling for proposals and sponsoring meetings of its members and of other parties interested in its objectives and participating in any other compatible activity to meet its objectives.


5. Scope of its areas of interest.

a. Public administration; public policy; non-profit or non-governmental organization and administration; and public management;

b. Different levels of public affairs, including local, state, provincial, regional and national government; intergovernmental relations; and international organizations;

c. Public policy-making and governmental functions, such as budget preparation and financial management; personnel management and labor relations; regulatory activities; and planning and evaluation of programs and sectors created to perform these functions or related to the same; and

d. Public sector organizations, non-profit organizations related to public objectives, and relations between the public and private sectors.

6. Membership.

Subject to approval by the Directing Council, any of the following organizations from the Americas that share its interests and objectives may become members of the Network:

A. With the right to vote in the Annual General Meeting of the Network (Institutional members):

1) Any school, institute, department, faculty, university, or program within a university or association of universities and any educational, training, technical assistance, or research center or institute, or any similar association from the American hemisphere that grants academic titles at the college and/or graduate levels in the areas of public administration and public policy, and that assumes all membership obligations, including payment of dues.

2) More than one unit within the organizations described above, provided that each unit offers a distinct program or activity in public affairs and administration, and each assumes all the obligations of membership, including payment of dues.

B. Without the right to vote in the Annual General Meeting of the Network (Associate members):

1) Any local, regional or international organization—public, private, or non-profit— engaged in public administration or public policy analysis, or in the improvement and strengthening of the management, organization, delivery of services and administrative capabilities of government, public agencies, and companies.

Associate membership (without the right to vote) is open to academic institutions that grant degrees, government agencies, companies, foundations, professional associations, academic institutions that offer non-degree programs, independent research or training organizations and other non-academic organizations outside the American hemisphere that subscribe to the objective of the Network.

2) Individual: any individual interested in the objectives of the Network and wishing to be included in the Network’s mailing list to attend conferences or to receive circular letters, reports or other information.

7. Principal Representatives.

Each member, institutional or associate, designates a principal representative who is its primary communication channel to and from the Network, and is responsible for facilitating participation in Network activities by other members of the member institution. The principal representative in person, or the designated alternate from the same institution, casts the vote of the member institution on all matters on which that organization has the right to vote.

8. Eligibility for Membership.

The Directing Council, in accordance with the regulations governing admissions, decides on the eligibility of applicants for either institutional membership or associate membership. The Directing Council may rescind the membership of individual organizations that do not meet the requirements and responsibilities of membership, including payment of dues.

CHAPTER II: OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS

1. Senior Management of the Network.

The following comprise the Senior Management of the Network:

a. President
b. Vice President
c. Directing Council and
d. General Assembly.

The President and the Vice President must belong to an institutional member of the Network with the right to vote.

The terms of the elected officers begin immediately after the Annual General Meeting of the Network in which they were elected, and conclude two years later, at the end of the corresponding Annual General Meeting.

At the first Annual General Meeting of the Network a President and a Vice President are elected for a two-year term. The latter assumes the Presidency at the end of such period. Subsequently, only the Vice President is elected by the General Assembly every two years.

2. President.

The President serves for two years. The person who has served as Vice President during the previous immediate biennial period becomes President. Once he/she has completed his/her term as President, he/she becomes a member of the Directing Council for a maximum term of two years.

The election of the President at the first Annual General Meeting would require a simple majority of votes from the members in attendance.

The duties of the President are as follows:

a. Preside at the meetings of the Directing Council and the General Assembly.

b. Represent the Network before other agencies.

c. Submit for consideration of the Directing Council the annual operational budget of the Network.

d. Propose to the Directing Council the creation of thematic committees (permanent or temporary) that contribute to the improved operation of the Network.

e. Perform other duties inherent to the position of President and any other as may be recommended by the Directing Council, to which she/he reports on the same.


3. Vice President.

The Vice President performs as such during two years, and then assumes the Presidency of the Network.

He/she is elected by voting members of the General Assembly. His/her election requires a simple majority of the votes cast by voting members in attendance. The election is carried out in accordance with a protocol specified by the Directing Council.

In case of death, resignation, or disability of the President to perform the duties of the office, the Vice President assumes the Presidency for the remainder of the current mandate and for the term of subsequent biennial period.

In case of death, resignation, or disability of the Vice President to perform the duties of the office, or upon assuming the Presidency to complete an unfinished term, the Directing Council elects an interim Vice President to act as such for the remainder of the current biennium and the subsequent biennial period. An interim Vice President may become President only for the remaining period of an unfinished term. At the end of this term, the Directing Council proposes to the General Assembly a candidate to fill the position of President. In the corresponding Annual General Meeting, other candidates may run for the position.

4. Directing Council.

The Directing Council is constituted by eight members elected for a period of two years by the General Assembly. Becoming a member of the Directing Council requires a majority of votes from voting members in attendance.

In addition, the following are ex officio members of the Directing Council:

a. The President

b. The Vice President

c. The previous President

d. A designated representative of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA.)

e. A designated representative of the Latin American Center for Development Administration (CLAD).

The ex officio designated representatives on the Directing Council have the right to voice but not the right to vote.

In the case of the eight members elected by the General Assembly, the following rules apply:

a. At the first election: half of the members, that is, four of them, are elected for one year, and the other half, that is the remaining four, are elected for two years.

b. At the second election: carried out the following year, the four members elected for one-year terms are replaced. The four incoming members will then be elected for two years.

c. At subsequent elections: the Annual General Meeting proceeds with the election of the four members who replace those that have completed the two-year terms for which they were elected.

The candidates to become elected members of the Directing Council may be proposed by institutional members of the Network that have the right to vote.

The nominations of candidates to the Directing Council should be sent to the President at least sixty days before the General Assembly in which the election takes place.

In the event that the proposals were insufficient to fill all the vacancies, the Council is empowered to submit nominations to complete the list of candidates.

The voting is by secret ballot, or as decided by the Directing Council.

Eight members constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Directing Council. The decisions of the Directing Council are made by a simple majority of the members present and having the right to vote at any meeting. When the vote is cast by E-mail, a minimum of ten votes is required.

In the case of a tie in the number of votes for and against, the vote of the President will decide the outcome of the voting.

The following are the specific powers of the Directing Council:

a. Appoint, evaluate, and remove the Executive Director.
b. Evaluate and approve the annual budget.
c. Approve the acceptance of new members of the Network.
d. Prepare the list of candidates for President and Vice President.
e. Supervise the policies, programs, and finances of the Network.
f. Advise the Executive Director.
g. Determine the place and date of the Annual Conference of the Network.
h. Convene and establish the protocol of the General Assembly.


The Directing Council must meet at least once a year for the purpose of carrying out the activities related to their aforementioned powers.

The Directing Council may consult the members of the Network and invite them to endorse agreements and hold elections by E-mail. Except for specific provisions contrary to these Bylaws, virtual voting requires the same quantities and proportions as those established for voting in person. In order to consider a vote cast by E-mail valid, it must appear as an immediate response to the requirement made, including the text of the consultation on which an opinion is required or the text of the proposal on which a vote is requested.

5. General Assembly.

The General Assembly is composed of all the representatives of institutions and entities engaged in research, education and training in public administration and policy, who are eligible active members.

The General Assembly of the Network holds its Annual Conference once a year in a place determined by the Directing Council. It is presided by the President of the Network. The Directing Council will convene the General Assembly.

There may be representatives from those related entities approved to be invited by the Directing Council, with the right to voice, but not to vote.

The General Assembly has the following functions:

a. Approve any amendment to these Bylaws.

b. Elect the President, the Vice President, and the elected members of the Directing Council.

c. Make decisions on the policies and other matters put forward by the Directing Council.

1. Executive Director.

The Executive Director is the highest administrative officer in the Network. He/she is in charge of the execution of the activities of the Network, consonant with the policies established by the Directing Council. He/she assists the President and the Directing Council in carrying out their duties and the work program of the Network. The responsibilities of the Executive Director include those of Secretary-Treasurer. The Executive Director is appointed by the Directing Council upon the recommendation of the President and reports to the President and to the Directing Council.

The President, the Vice President, and the former President of the Network meet annually with the Executive Director to review the funds of the Network and other aspects of his activity.

The Executive Director shall:

a. Administer the processes entailed in institutional maintenance, coverage of membership dues, control of Network records and the official roster;

b. Assume responsibility for the financial management, which includes receiving and approving expenditures of the funds of the Network, as well as preparing the budget proposal and the financial statements and annual reports for their approval by the Directing Council;

c. Organize and maintain an expeditious communication system within the Network;

d. Develop external communications and the means for the promotion of the objectives of the Network, as well as assist the President in the search for and procurement of resources;

e. Assist the President in identifying and recruiting new members, drafting correspondence and other initiatives;

f. Assist Network officials and groups in performing all the indicated relevant functions;

g. Propose to the Directing Council a policy for conducting research, advisory services, consultancies, publications and other activities encompassing the objectives of the Network that meet quality criteria, real needs, and adequate regional distribution; and

h. Carry out other duties that the President and the Directing Council may require.

2. Annual General Meeting.

The Annual General Meeting of the Network is convened jointly with the Annual Conference. If necessary, special General Assemblies may be convened by the Directing Council or at the initiative of at least one-third of the members of the Network. The Annual General Meeting will take place on the last day of the Annual Conference.

3. Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting.

The Directing Council decides on the date and place of the Annual Conference and of the Annual General Meeting.

Assistance and participation in the Annual Conference is open to all those who pay the Conference fee established by the Directing Council.

At least sixty days before the Annual Conference, the President notifies the membership of the Network on the main subjects to be presented at the General Assembly and provides the appropriate supporting documentation.

4. Committees and Chairpersons.

The President of the Network appoints the members and designates the chairperson of each committee. The following committees have been established:

a. Conference Program Committee.
The President appoints biennially a Conference Program Committee and its chairperson. The Committee prepares a program for the Annual Conference of the Network for review and approval by the Directing Council.

b. Thematic Committees.
There may be meetings on specific subjects at any time of the year upon the proposal of an ad hoc committee and endorsed by the President.

c. Other Ad Hoc Committees.
The President has the power to establish other ad hoc committees and reports to the next meeting of the Directing Council the term and the responsibility of a recently established committee. No ad hoc committee may be established for a period of more than the two years. Upon approaching the end of its term, every committee prepares a report for its presentation at the meeting of the Directing Council preceding the Annual Conference. The Directing Council has the power, after its review, to extend the term of a committee for no more than two additional years.

The expenses of the thematic and ad hoc committees are borne by the participating individuals or by the institutions of which they are members.

5. Membership Dues and Conference Fees.

Each year, the Directing Council sets the amount of membership dues for institutional and associate (including individual) members, as well as the Conference fees. Members who are more than one year in arrears of their payments are removed from the membership list.

6. Amendments.

These Bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the members of the General Assembly in a duly convened meeting for this purpose, provided that the proposed amendments have been circulated to all members of the Network at least sixty days in advance of the meeting to provide them with an opportunity to express their views.

The Directing Council may propose to the General Assembly any modification to these Bylaws.