TCA Committees

OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERSHIP

Committee work is an important way to be involved in your profession and shape the future of counseling in Texas. TCA seeks energetic and conscientious TCA members to serve on committees. Please consider your potential contribution as a committee member and submit a volunteer form for consideration as a committee member.  TCA committee involvement is a source of both personal and professional growth. We encourage you to consider what you can gain and what you can offer by becoming involved in our committee structure.

Members of TCA committees are appointed each year, and a member may serve on the same committee up to three consecutive years. Roughly one third of the members of any committee are rotated off each year. Terms begin on July 1 and end on June 30.

Current committee members who are eligible to continue should re-volunteer if they wish to serve another year.

If you would like to Volunteer for a committee please click here, to complete the committee volunteer form online.

I. COMMITTEES

General Information

• Committees serve as an extension of the Presidency to aid in the advancement and improvement of the governance of the Association.
• Except for the Nominations and Election Committee, the President appoints the chairperson of all committees. The President, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors, shall appoint the members and chairpersons of the standing committees for a term of one (1) year. Composition of the Educational Endowment Fund, Finance, Nominations/Election, and Strategic Planning Committees are specified below. The immediate past chairperson of each committee will be available to the incoming chairperson for consultation if needed. The President and the Executive Director serve as ex-officio on all committees except Nominations/Election.

EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT FUND- Comprised of 1) six past presidents with staggered terms of three years each and eligible for reappointment; 2) three current or previous members of the Board with staggered terms of three years and eligible for reappointment; and 3) the President, the Treasurer and Executive Director - ex officio without vote.

FINANCE COMMITTEE- Comprised of the Treasurer as chairperson, the President, President-Elect, Past President, Secretary, one member from the Board of Directors, and one member from the Senate. The Executive Director shall be ex-officio without vote. The Finance Committee chair appointee is included in the budget planning process as a non-voting participant.

NOMINATIONS\ELECTION- The immediate Past President will serve as the chairperson. Members of the committee are nominated by the Chairperson and submitted to the Senate for approval.

STRATEGIC PLANNING- Comprised of a chair, the TCA President-Elect, the Past President, a former president, the Past Chair, an emerging leader, an at-large member, the Treasurer, the President and the Executive Director. The appointed members of the Committee (the former president, the emerging leader, the at-large member) shall serve for staggered, 3 year terms. The chair of the Committee shall have previously been a member of the committee.3. Standing committee members are appointed for a term of one year and are eligible to be reappointed for no more than three consecutive terms. (TCA By-Laws) It is expected that one third of the committee members will rotate off the committee each year except the Nominations and Election Committee and the Advisory Council of Past Presidents. Thus the President will be reappointing some members as well as appointing new members.

• Standing committee chairpersons, except the Nominations and Election Committee, are appointed for one year and are eligible to be reappointed for one more year.
• Ad Hoc Committees (or Task Forces) are named by the President and confirmed by the Board as needed to conduct special activities of the Association. (TCA By-Laws)
• The Advisory Council of Past Presidents, composed of Past Presidents of the Association, will serve as a resource to the President. All Past Presidents who are active members of TCA are eligible for this committee and may continue to serve as long as they are members in good standing. This committee will meet at the annual Professional Growth Conference and other times at the request of the President. The Immediate Past President of TCA serves as chairperson of this committee.

General Responsibilities of Committees

• A budgeted amount of TCA funds is available for expenditures by the committees. Committees are responsible for monitoring expenses and remaining within the budgeted amount.
• Committees arrange for a meeting at the annual Professional Growth Conference and request a meeting room from the local Professional Growth Conference Manger.
• Committee meetings are arranged by committee chairpersons through the headquarters office.
• When committees arrange for letters, mailing, printing of materials for distribution and mailing of those materials, committee reports, etc. through the headquarters office, any expenses incurred will be charged to that committee's account. Bills, invoices, and receipts for expenditures must be approved by the committee chairpersons. Vouchers signed by the committee chairpersons are forwarded to the headquarters office for payment or reimbursement.
• Committee chairpersons are responsible for submitting plans of action, budget requests, and annual reports to the TCA President and Finance Committee Chairperson as requested.
• Committee chairpersons are responsible for submitting written reports prior to each meeting of the Board of Directors and Senate as well as any other time requested by the President.
• An annual written report of the committee activities and status is submitted to the President on or before June 1 of each fiscal year. (TCA By-Laws) This should include recommendations for activities for the committee for the upcoming year.
• The chairperson or a member of the committee shall represent TCA, at the request of the President, at any meetings which may have bearing on the well being of the membership. A written report shall be submitted to the President immediately after each meeting.
• All committee chairpersons are responsible for keeping a file of their committee's work and providing orientation to new committee chairpersons.
• All committees should make a practical, informational report to Guidelines at least once a year. The article should pertain to their area of concern. The Executive Editor of Guidelines will make the schedule and inform committee chairs in writing at least six weeks in advance.
• The action plans for the TCA Committees are developed using the goals assignments from the TCA Strategic Plan.
• All committee reports are brought to the TCA President and Board of Directors. Committees do not delegate responsibilities and assignments to other committees.

*All files with a are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader by clicking on the graphic below.