Eastern Pennsylvania Area Association Of Teachers Of English (PennTESOL-East)

BYLAWS

Section 1.        Annual Dues

The annual dues shall be specified by the Executive Board.

Section 2.        Publications and Announcements

Members shall receive the publications and announcements of the Association.

 Sections 2.     Membership Year

The membership year shall be from October 1 to September 30. A member in good standing shall be one who has paid dues for the current year.

Article II.        Duties of the Officers and the Executive Board

Section 1.       President

The President shall preside at all business meetings of the Association and at all meetings of the Executive Board. He/She shall also make all necessary appointments to carry out the objectives of the association. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee. The President may not serve successive terms of office.

Section 1.        First Vice-President.

The First Vice-President shall assume all the duties and responsibilities of the President in the President's absence. The First Vice President shall succeed to the presidency. The First Vice-President shall be responsible for planning and developing the program of the annual Spring meeting.

Section 3.        Second Vice-President

The Second Vice President shall organize any additional professional programming. Such programming may include a Fall conference, workshops, or lectures. If the office of the First Vice-President becomes vacant, the Second Vice- President shall assume that office.

Section 4.        Secretary

The Secretary shall record the minutes of each meeting, call the roll when required, conduct the correspondence of the Association unless otherwise specified, and ensure that members are notified of the general meetings.

Section 5.       Treasurer

The Treasurer shall: (1) collect dues, hold funds deposited in his/her care and pass them out on order of the President with the approval of the Executive Board; (2) deposit the money received as dues in an accredited bank, and make all distributions by check, maintain proper financial records, and have the books audited as specified by the Executive Board; (3) present a written financial record at the annual Spring meeting and at any other regular meetings; maintain a register of all paid members in collaboration with the Membership Committee; and (5) chair the Membership Committee.

Section 6.        TESOL Liaison

The TESOL Liaison shall be responsible for all communications between PennTESOL-East and TESOL. He/She shall submit annual reports and copies of relevant documents to TESOL and shall be a non-voting and ex-officio member of the Executive Board and all standing committees. The TESOL Liaison shall be chosen by the Executive Board for a term of three years.

Section 7.       Members-at-Large

The Members-at-Large on the Executive Board shall be responsible to help promote membership and for ensuring representation of special interest groups, a specified in Article VI of the Constitution. Members-at- Large shall serve two-year terms.

Section 8. Publications, Nominating and Socio-political Chairs

The duties of these Executive Board members are given elsewhere.

Section 9. Publishers' Coordinator

The Publishers' Coordinator handles on-going communication including correspondence with publishers who provide exhibits at conferences and who advertise in affiliate publications. He/She shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Board and shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board.

Article III.      Vacancies

A vacancy in any office or among the Member-at-Large shall be filled by a temporary appointment of the President in accordance with the qualifications required for said vacancy and with the approval of the Executive Board. The temporary appointment will last until the last business meeting when a special election will be held. If the office of President becomes vacant, the First Vice-President shall serve as President for the remainder of that term and will succeed himself/herself for the Presidency for the following year. If the office of First Vice-President becomes vacant, the Second Vice-President shall assume that office.

Article VI.      Standing Committees

Section 1.       Program Committee

The First Vice-President and the Second Vice-President shall co-chair the Program Committee, which shall be responsible for promoting membership in PennTESOL-East and maintaining accurate and current membership lists.

Section 2.       Membership Committee

The Treasurer shall be the chair of the Membership Committee, which shall be responsible for promoting membership in PennTESOL-East and maintaining accurate and current membership lists.

Section 3.       Publications Committee

The Publications Committee shall be responsible for the publication of the Newsletter, as well as any other publications produced by or for the organization, at intervals determined by the Executive Board, and shall also be responsible for publicizing the activities of the Association. The chair shall be appointed by the President for two years, with the approval of the Executive Board, and shall serve as Editor of the Newsletter and shall direct any other publications, including the publication of ballots.

Section 4.       Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall have five (5) members. Four members shall be elected by the membership in the annual election for a term of one year. To ensure continuity, the chair shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board from the four elected members of the out-going committee. The Nominating Committee Chair shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Board. The committee shall nominate two (2) candidates from each of the following positions: First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and two (2) Members-at-Large. The Members-at-Large representing

college/university shall be nominated tor election in odd numbered years. The Members-at-Large for secondary and adult levels shall be nominated for election in even numbered years. These candidates shall be representative of the institutional and professional background of the membership. No member shall be a candidate for an elective office during his/her tenure on the Nominating Committee.

Section 5.        Socio-political Concerns Committee

The Socio-political Concerns Committee shall be responsible for monitoring issues of public interest beyond the boundaries of the profession which impact the profession and to which the profession may contribute. Reports may be made at Executive Board meetings, general meetings, and in the Newsletter but need not be limited to these channels. The chair may be a nonvoting member of the Executive Board and shall be appointed by the President for two years (2), with the approval of the Executive Board.

Article V.        Select Committees

With the approval of the Executive Board, the President may appoint select committees in the general interest of the Association.

Article VI.       Elections

Section 1.       Nominating Procedures

Members wishing to serve on the next Nominating Committee may submit their intent in writing to the chair of the Nominating Committee at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual Spring Conference so their names will appear on the ballot.

The Nominating Committee will request suggestions for nominations six (6) months prior to the annual Spring Conference. These suggestions shall be sent to the committee five (5) months before the annual Spring Conference. The Nominating Committee will present to the membership its list of Candidates three (3) months before the annual Spring Conference. There shall be no nominating from the floor at the annual Spring Conference. Election ballots shall be sent to members in good standing thirty (30) days prior to the annual Spring Conference and must be returned within two (2) weeks.

Section 2. Election Procedure

The election shall be by secret ballot submitted to all members in good standing by the Nominating Committee at least thirty (30) days before the annual Spring Conference. A simple majority vote shall be sufficient to elect officers and Members-at-Large. The four candidates with the highest number of votes shall be elected. The results shall be tallied prior to the annual Spring Conference by the

Nominating Committee and announced to the members present. The term of office shall be one year for the President, the First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President, and members of the Nominating Committee. The term of office shall be three years for the Secretary and Treasurer. The term of office shall begin at the close of the annual Spring Conference.

Article VII.     Quorum

A quorum shall consist of twenty percent of all the members in good standing. Article VIII. First Executive Board

The first Executive Board will take office at the conclusion of the 1982 Spring Conference following implementation of the procedures in the constitution. A temporary executive committee will carry out the responsibilities of officers until then. In the first election, only a president will be elected.

Article IX.      Bylaws Changes

Proposed changes to these Bylaws must be approved by a majority of the members of the Executive Board or be submitted to the President in a petition signed by at least fifteen (15) members at least thirty (30) days before the proposed change is voted on.

To become effective, the proposed change must be ratified by at least two-thirds of the members in good standing at a general meeting of the Association, or by two-thirds of those members in good standing who respond to a vote by mail.