NEW JERSEY EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
(Incorporated as THE EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY, INC.)
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS -- MARCH, 1985
(As Revised - MARCH, 1987 and MARCH, 2000)
PREAMBLE
The New Jersey Earth Science Teachers Association was founded in October, 1984, by a small group of people interested in earth science teaching who felt the need to exchange information on the teaching of earth science.
This constitution, with its bylaws and clauses, approved by the membership in 1985, has become necessary in order to permit the Association to become incorporated under New Jersey law, and to comply with Federal regulations established by the Internal Revenue Service in becoming a tax-exempt, non-profit organization.
CONSTITUTION
Article I Name
The corporate name of the organization shall be the Earth Science Teachers Association of New Jersey, Inc., hereafter referred to as the Association. The Association may continue to be known as the New Jersey Earth Science Teachers Association.
Article II Purpose
The purpose of the Association shall be the promotion, improvement and coordination of Earth Science education at all educational levels.
Article III Membership
Section 1
Membership in the Association shall be open to any person presently or formerly engaged in earth science education in the State of New Jersey. This includes any person who teaches earth science as a part of a classroom activity, science department chairpersons, science supervisors, college and university professors in one of the fields encompassed by Earth Science, and college students, both undergraduate and graduate, who profess an interest in teaching earth science.
Section 2
Annual dues for membership shall be payable, at a rate stipulated in the Bylaws, on September 1. The membership year shall be September 1 to August 31. The secretary-treasurer shall delete from the rolls such persons as have not paid current dues by January 1 of the membership year.
Article IV Officers
Section 1
The Officers of the Association shall be President, President-Elect, Past President, and Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 2
The President shall preside at the annual business meeting, and shall present an annual report thereto. The President shall be chairperson of the Executive Committee and shall appoint the Liaison Chairperson and the Publications Editor.
The President shall appoint such committees as are necessary to conduct the Association's business, shall serve ex-officio on such committees, and shall be the official representative of the Association before the public and other educational bodies.
The President shall be elected for a term of one year by a majority of the membership. The President may not serve successive terms except in extraordinary circumstances.
In the event the President is unable to perform the duties of the office, the President-Elect shall act in his/her behalf. In the event of the death or resignation of the President, the President-Elect shall assume the responsibilities of Acting President until the annual meeting at which time he/she shall assume the position of President.
Section 3
The Past President shall serve as chairperson of the nominating committee, shall act in an advisory capacity to the President, and shall assume other responsibilities as assigned by the President. He/She shall also serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
The Past President shall serve for a period of one year and may not serve successive terms except in extraordinary circumstances.
Section 4
The President-Elect shall be responsible for promoting membership in the Association and shall chair the committee for planning the Annual Earth Science Conference and shall have the responsibility of organizing the conference. The President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President as per Article IV., Section 2., Paragraph 4. The President-Elect shall also serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
The President-Elect shall be elected for a term of one year by a majority of the membership. The President-Elect may not serve successive terms except in extraordinary circumstances. The President-Elect succeeds to the Presidency at the annual meeting.
In the event that the President-Elect is unable to perform his/her duties, the Secretary-Treasurer shall assume the duties of promoting membership and maintaining membership records until a new President-Elect can be elected in a special election conducted by mail according to the Bylaws of the Association.
Section 5
The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Association and its Executive Committee, shall be responsible for correspondence of the Association, shall ensure that the membership records of the Association are maintained, shall serve as custodian of Association funds and make payment of all debts of the Association as are approved by the Executive Committee, and shall keep accurate records of all financial transactions of the Association and shall report same as requested by the President.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected for a term of two years by a majority of the membership. He/She shall have the option of standing for re-election.
In the event the Secretary-Treasurer is unable to perform his/her duties, the President, upon consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint an Acting Secretary-Treasurer who shall serve until a new Secretary-Treasurer can be elected at the annual meeting.
Section 6
The Liaison Chairperson shall be responsible for the liaison with such organizations as designated by the Executive Committee. The liaison chairperson shall also serve on the Executive Committee.
The Publications Editor shall be responsible for the preparation and production of the Association newsletter, OMEGA, and for the production of such publications as designated by the Executive Committee. The Publications Editor shall also serve on the Executive Committee.
Section 7 The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the Past President, the President-Elect, the Secretary-Treasurer, the Liaison Chairperson, the Publications Editor, a representative of the Center for the Earth Sciences, and two (2) members at large to be elected by the membership for terms of two (2) years.
The Executive Committee shall conduct such business as is directed by the membership at annual meetings. It shall also function so as to provide continuity in the affairs of the Association between annual meetings.
A simple majority of voting members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum in the transaction of business.
Article V Meetings
The Association shall hold an annual earth science conference on the second Saturday of March, or within two weeks thereof, for the principal purpose of disseminating information with respect to content and methods of earth science instruction. The annual business meeting shall be held at the earth science conference.
Other meetings and activities may also be held as deemed desirable by the Executive Committee.
Article VI Dues
The Association shall collect annual dues from each member in an amount specified in the Bylaws.
Article VII Publications
The Association shall publish a newsletter. The Executive Committee may also authorize other publications which it deems appropriate.
Article VIII Affiliations
The Association shall maintain affiliation with the National Earth Science Teachers Association.
Article IX Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution may be initiated by the Executive Committee or by a written request signed by 10 members of the Association. A proposed amendment must be brought to the notice of each member at least two weeks prior to the annual meeting at which voting on the amendment will take place.
Amendments shall become effective on approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of members voting at the annual meeting.
Article X Bylaws
Bylaws and Amendments to Bylaws to this Constitution may be initiated by the Executive Committee, or by a written request signed by 10 members of the Association.
They shall become effective upon approval by a majority of members voting at the annual meeting or by mail ballot, provided a period of at least four (4) weeks elapses between mailing of the ballots and counting of the ballot vote.
BYLAWS
Bylaw I Finances
Section 1
The Fiscal year of the Association shall extend from September 1 to August 31.
Section 2
The Association shall charge annual dues in the amounts of:
1) $5.00 per year for earth science educators, science
supervisors, department chairpersons, and college professors
2) $2.00 per year for students in graduate school and
retired Earth Science educators
3) $1.00 per year for undergraduate students.
Section 3
The Association may derive additional income necessary for conducting Association business from registration fees at meetings, the sale of miscellaneous publications, and from the rentals of tables at meetings for the purposes of displaying educational materials.
Bylaw II Committees
In the absence of Standing Committees of the Association, ad hoc committees as needed for specific purposes may be appointed by the President.
Bylaw III Elections
Section 1
A nominating committee consisting of two (2) persons appointed by the President and the Past President, who shall serve as Chairperson, shall mail an announcement of forthcoming elections to all members and solicit nominations for all offices. At least four (4) weeks must elapse between this mailing and the deadline for nominations.
Section 2
The nominating committee shall prepare a ballot and mail it to each member of the Association at least four (4) weeks preceding the annual meeting. Ballots shall be received by the Chairperson of the committee until midnight of the day preceding that meeting, and he/she shall at that meeting declare elected those nominees who have received a plurality of the votes cast.
Section 3
In the event of a need for a Special Election (as specified in Article IV., Section 4., Paragraph 3.), the same procedure shall be followed except that the election need not occur during the four weeks prior to the annual meeting.
CLAUSES
Enabling Clause
This Constitution and Bylaws shall become effective upon affirmative vote of the membership of the Association at the business meeting on March 9, 1985.
Non-inurement Clause
No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, its members, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of its purposes.
Legislative Clause
No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
Dissolution Clause
In the event the organization dissolves, after paying or making provision for the payment of any outstanding liabilities, all remaining assets will be distributed to New Jersey Science Teachers Association to promote the purposes of the Earth Science Teachers Association of New Jersey, Inc.
AMENDMENTS
Amendment I An amendment to Article III, Section 1
Membership in the Association shall be open to any person currently or formerly engaged in earth science education in the State of New Jersey. This includes, but is not limited to, any person who teaches earth science as a part of a classroom activity, science department chairpersons, science supervisors, college and university professors in one of the fields encompassed by Earth Science, museum personnel, and college students, both undergraduate and graduate, who profess an interest in teaching earth science.
Amendment II An amendment to Article III, Section 2
Annual dues for membership shall be payable at a rate determined by the executive board at the April meeting . The membership year shall be September 1 to August 31. The treasurer shall delete from the rolls such persons as have not paid current dues by January 1 of the membership year.
Amendment III An amendment to Article IV, Section 3
The Officers of the Association shall be President, President-Elect, Past President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.
Amendment IV An amendment to Article IV, Section 2
The President shall be elected for a term of two years . The President shall be chairperson of the Executive Committee and shall appoint the liaison chairperson, publications editor, the membership chairperson, the awards chairperson, and the website chairperson. These chairperson positions shall be assigned to individual members-at-large. The President shall be responsible for establishing ad hoc committees which are determined to be necessary for the efficient operation of the organization. The President shall also appoint the chairpersons of these committees.
In the event that a chairperson is unable to perform his/her duties, the President, upon consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint an acting chairperson who shall serve until a new member-at-large can be elected at the annual meeting.
Amendment V An amendment to Article IV, Section 4
The President-Elect shall be elected for a term of two years . The President-Elect will no longer be responsible for promoting membership in the Association. Neither will the secretary nor the treasurer assume the responsibilities of membership should the President-Elect not be able to assume his/her duties.
Amendment VI An amendment to Article IV, Section 5
The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be divided among the office of Secretary and the office of Treasurer.
The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Association and its Executive Committee, shall be responsible for correspondence of the Association, shall ensure that the membership records of the Association are maintained.
The Secretary shall be elected for a term of two years by a majority of the membership. He/She shall have the option of standing for re-election.
In the event the Secretary is unable to perform his/her duties, the President, upon consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint an Acting Secretary who shall serve until a new Secretary can be elected at the annual meeting.
The Treasurer shall serve as custodian of Association funds and make payment of all debts of the Association as are approved by the Executive Committee, and shall keep accurate records of all financial transactions of the Association and shall report same as requested by the President.
The Treasurer shall be elected for a term of two years by a majority of the membership. He/She shall have the option of standing for re-election.
In the event the Treasurer is unable to perform his/her duties, the President, upon consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint an Acting Treasurer who shall serve until a new Treasurer can be elected at the annual meeting.
Amendment VII An amendment to Article IV, Section 6
The membership chairperson shall be responsible for promoting membership in the Association and will work with the Secretary to maintain membership records.
The awards chairperson shall be responsible for coordinating the distribution of annual awards which are conferred by the association. Each June, the awards chairperson will submit to the executive board a time table which indicates when each award is to be presented in the following academic year.
The website chairperson shall be responsible for liaison between the Webmaster and the Executive Committee and between the Webmaster and the Association members.
Amendment VIII An amendment to Article IV, Section 7
The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the Past President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, a representative of the Center for the Earth Sciences/Earth Systems, the Director of the Center, and six members-at-large. Members-at-large will be elected by the membership to serve on the Executive Committee for terms of two years. Chairpersons will be chosen from among the six members-at-large to occupy the following positions: the Liaison Chairperson, the Publications Editor, the Membership Chairperson, the Website Chairperson, and the Awards Chairperson. The members of the Executive Committee shall be members of the Association and shall be current in their dues payments.
Members of the Executive Committee may be removed from office by a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee.
All expenditures of the Association shall be approved by a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee.
Amendment IX An amendment to Article V
The Association shall hold an annual earth science conference in the Spring for the principal purpose of disseminating information with respect to content and methods of earth science instruction. The annual business meeting shall be held at the earth science conference.
Amendment X An amendment to Article VIII
Article VIII shall no longer be applicable.
Amendment XI An amendment to Bylaw I, Section 2
Annual dues amounts shall no longer be listed in the constitution.