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The NJSTA Constitution is a living document that organizes NJSTA as an organization. The Executive Board worked to update the NJSTA Constitution in fall 2019, gearing NJSTA for success today and in the future. There have been a number of revisions put forth to establish this new framework guiding the future of NJSTA. NEW JERSEY SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (NJSTA) CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I Name The name of this organization shall be THE NEW JERSEY SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION Inc., hereinafter referred to as the ASSOCIATION. ARTICLE II Objective The objective of the ASSOCIATION shall be to contribute to the learning and teaching of science at all educational levels. Progress toward this objective shall be made through the conducting of meetings, activities, research into problems of science education, and in such other ways as the Executive Committee may from time to time approve. The ASSOCIATION is organized exclusively for educational, scientific and charitable purposes for the furtherance of science education in compliance with Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 ARTICLE III Membership Section 1. Eligibility - Any person who is interested in promoting the objective of the ASSOCIATION is eligible for membership. Section 2. Membership is maintained by the payment of annual dues as prescribed in the Operating Policies. Section 3. Classes of Membership in the ASSOCIATION shall be: REGULAR - any person who meets the eligibility requirements in Section 1. STUDENT - any full time undergraduate student. HONORARY - may be attained by any person who has been a dues paying member of the ASSOCIATION for the 10-year period preceding his retirement. Transfer to this class of membership shall take effect after the submission of a written request to the Treasurer of the ASSOCIATION. Payment of dues is optional for this class of membership. COURTESY - may be any person, or person representing a group of persons, meeting the membership eligibility of the Association and not currently a member, and when so directed by the President. This class of membership shall be limited to a maximum of 10 memberships and shall be effective for a maximum of one year. This class of membership shall have a waiver of dues, no voting privileges and will include those mentioned in the Operating Policies under SPECIAL MAILINGS. Section 4. No part of the income of the ASSOCIATION shall inure to the benefit of, or distributable to its members, trustees, officers or other private persona except that the ASSOCIATION shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof, no substantial part of the activities of the ASSOCIATION shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the ASSOCIATION 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. (Outlined in the Operating Policies). ARTICLE IV Administration and Duties Section 1. Eligibility - All elected and appointed officials shall be members in good standing. Section 2. Elective Offices - There shall be an annual election. The following officers may be elected: President-Elect, who shall automatically become President the next year; Secretary, Treasurer (as outlined in the Operating Policies). Section 3. Executive Board - The elected Officers, the Retiring President, the appointed officials, the Trustees, and the Chairpersons of standing and special committees constitute the Executive Board. Section 4. Trustees - The five most recent Past Presidents shall be the Trustees of the Corporation. Section 5. Special Committees - Chairpersons of special committees shall be appointed by the President. Section 6. Tenure and Succession of Office Section 6A. Tenure of Office - The President shall serve not more than one consecutive term except as specified in Article IV, Section 6B. The President-Elect shall succeed to the Presidency. Other elected and appointed personnel may be re-nominated and reelected or continue as provided in Sections 2 and 6 above and in the Operating Policies. Section 6B. Succession of Office - In the event of dereliction of duty, resignation, or incapacity or death of an officer of the ASSOCIATION, this succession procedure shall be followed : a. President - The Retiring President shall assume the office of President for the remainder of the unexpired term which shall include the term of office as Retired President which the President being replaced would normally have served. b. Retiring President - The Immediate Past President shall assume the duties of the Retiring President for the remainder of the unexpired term. The immediate Past President is the individual who most recently has relinquished the office of Retiring President. c. President-Elect - The remaining elected officers shall assume the responsibility for filling this office in the most appropriate manner. d. In the event of the simultaneous death, resignation, or incapacity of two or more officers of the ASSOCIATION, the remaining elected officers shall assume the responsibility for filling the offices in the most appropriate manner. e. In the event of a vacancy in another office, the President shall select a replacement and submit the appointment for approval by the Executive Board. e. In the event of a vacancy of a Trustee, the President shall appoint the first available Past President who has completed his/her term as trustee. f. In the event of the dereliction of duty, resignation, incapacity or death of a member(s) of the Executive Board, the President shall assume the responsibility for filling the office(s) in the most appropriate manner. Section 8. Duties a. President - shall preside at the general meetings of the ASSOCIATION; shall supervise regular and regional meetings; shall appoint all liaison personnel; shall submit a written annual report of his/her administration and file the same with the Recording Secretary and Historian, and shall be responsible for contacts between the ASSOCIATION and others interested in science education. The President shall attend all functions of the ASSOCIATION or designate another elected officer to attend in his/her place. The President shall submit to the New Jersey Science Convention the Proposal for the Annual Fall Membership Meeting. b. President-Elect - shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, shall succeed to the presidency, shall be a member of the Executive Board. Shall preside at all Board meetings that the President is unable to attend. c. Retiring President - shall serve as the chairperson of the Nominating Committee, shall act in an advisory capacity to the President, and shall assume other responsibilities as assigned by the President. d. Director of Technology - shall be responsible for technology communications of the organization. e. Director of Professional Learning - shall be responsible for Professional Development arranging the Spring Meeting and coordinate outreach to affiliate organizations. f. Secretary - shall keep minutes of Executive Board meetings and of the general meetings of the ASSOCIATION, shall receive and file reports and programs of area, sectional, regular, and special meetings of the ASSOCIATION and handle the general correspondence of the ASSOCIATION as directed by the President. h. Treasurer - shall receive monies, shall keep a continuous and complete record of the finances of the ASSOCIATION, shall pay bills as budgeted and authorized by the Executive Board, and shall arrange for an accountant to file taxes. j. Newsletter Editor is responsible for the publication of the newsletter throughout the school year. k. Historian - shall maintain the Archives of the ASSOCIATION located in Rutgers University Library, New Brunswick campus. l. Membership Chairperson(s) - shall promote membership at all functions and meetings of the ASSOCIATION and maintain a membership list. m. Members-at-Large - shall serve on the Executive Board and shall perform such other duties as the President and Executive Board may assign. n. Executive Board - shall meet at least five times during the year, shall have general charge of the affairs of the ASSOCIATION, shall assist in arranging programs, shall act on bills and expense or budget matters, and shall conduct such other business not otherwise provided for in the Constitution and Operating Policies. In the event of an emergency cancellation of a regular monthly meeting of the Executive Board, the President-Elect, Director of Technology, Director of Professional Learning, Treasurer, Secretary, Retiring President and any other officers the President may have previously appointed shall have the authority to conduct, vote upon and enact any business of the ASSOCIATION that should not wait until the next regular meeting of the Executive Board. o. All elected officers and committee chairpersons shall turn over to their successors the file of records and correspondence pertaining to their activities, and submit to the Secretary two copies of their annual report. p. All Executive Board meetings shall be open to the membership on a non-voting basis. The President may invite guests. ARTICLE V Committees Section 1. General - The standing committees of the ASSOCIATION shall be the Nominating, Audit, Awards and Presentations, and Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award. The President shall appoint all committee chairpersons with the recommendation of the Nominating committee. Section 2. Nominating Committee - shall be composed of at least 5 members, including the retiring president (as chair), president-elect, and active trustees. Members of the committee are ineligible to be considered for office. The committee must present to the president a list of candidates for announcement at the spring general membership meeting. Section 3. Awards and Presentation Committee - shall be responsible for nominating recipients of all awards designated in the Operating Policies and/or by the Executive Board. Section 4. Special Committees - the President may appoint such special committees as may be deemed advisable. Special committees shall report to the President on request or at such time as their work is complete. Section 5.Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award Committee - shall administer the Maitland P. Simmons bequest following the wishes expressed by donor, Antoinette Simmons, at the request of her deceased husband, Maitland. The Committee is formed for educational and charitable purposes for the furtherance of science education through scholarship grants to science teachers in the State of New Jersey. The Committee will function according to operating policies written by The Committee and approved by the NJSTA Executive Board and shall have the authority to manage The Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award funds. ARTICLE VI Meetings Section 1. There shall be two general membership meetings, one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Section 2. Special membership meetings may be arranged by the President or upon recommendation of the Executive Board. Section 3. Copies of agenda, programs and reports of all membership meetings shall be filed with the Secretary and Historian. ARTICLE VII Elections Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of nominations for elected office. The election slate may have two nominees for each office. If there are two or more nominees for a position, then the membership chair shall prepare and disseminate the ballots to the membership within two weeks of the annual spring membership meeting. If possible, this shall be done electronically. The ballots must be returned by June 30. A minimum of three members of the Nominating Committee shall tally the votes. The Nominating Committee Chair shall announce the results at the fall general membership meeting. Section 2. Potential candidates for office may petition for nomination from December 1 through April 1 as outlined in the Operating Policies. Section 3. All elected officers shall assume office immediately upon the announcement of the results of the election at the fall general membership meeting. ARTICLE VIII Amendments Any amendment(s) to this Constitution shall be made by the following procedure: a. A motion shall be made from the floor at a regular Executive Board meeting and shall be seconded to introduce it. Upon approval of the motion, the amendment(s) shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary. b. The text of the proposed amendment shall be sent to the membership no later than one month prior to the next general membership meeting and posted on the website. Votes onthese amendments shall be made at the general membership meeting. c. For adoption of the proposed amendment, a majority of votes cast must be favorable. ARTICLE IX Order of Meetings: Quorums Section 1. The President shall determine the agenda for meetings. Section 2. Robert's Rules of Order shall be followed. Section 3. At either of the two general membership meetings of the ASSOCIATION, those members present at the appointed time and place shall constitute a quorum. Section 4. At any special membership meeting of the ASSOCIATION, ten percent of the membership shall constitute a quorum. Section 5. Approval of any motion before the ASSOCIATION shall require only a simple majority. Section 6. Simple majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. ARTICLE X Operating Policies The Executive Board shall establish the Operating Policies. Such Operating Policies shall be introduced at a regularly scheduled Executive Board meeting and shall take effect upon approval by a simple majority vote at the next two regularly scheduled Executive Board meetings. Following introduction, the general membership shall be advised of any proposed changes in the Operating Policies for possible comment, through an official mailing of the organization. ARTICLE XI Dissolution Upon the dissolution of the ASSOCIATION, the Board of Trustees shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the ASSOCIATION, dispose of all of the assets of the ASSOCIATION exclusively for the purpose of the ASSOCIATION in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Trustees shall determine. ARTICLE XII Adoption This Constitution shall be effective upon approval by: 1. The Executive Board 2. The Membership; with a majority of the votes cast being favorable. Effective: July 1, 1978 Amended: 1979, 1982, 1986, and April 1996, October 2005 Approved and Reprinted 1987, 1997 Amended and Approved: May 2005 Amended and Approved: November 2006 Amended and Approved: November 2016 Amended and Approved: October 2019 |