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Sec.
1. This organization shall be known as the Georgia Council of Teachers
of English or GCTE.
Sec.
2. The purpose of this organization shall be
- To
work toward establishment of conditions that will involve the
effectiveness of the teaching of English/Language Arts at all
levels;
- To
bring stimulating leaders in the educational literary fields
to the GCTE meetings;
- To
cooperate in activities of other relevant organizations which
contribute to improvement in the teaching of English/Language
Arts;
- To
promote diversity in the English/Language Arts.
- To
support the advancement of technology in the English/Language
Arts.
- To
act as a clearinghouse in circulating information of value to
teachers of English/Language Arts in Georgia by
- publishing
in bulletins significant information on the teaching of
English/Language Arts,
- providing
group discussion of problems which confront the English/Language
Arts teachers of Georgia,
- encouraging
Georgia teachers to write for publication through both Connections
and Scribbles and Bits, the official publications
of GCTE;
- and
recognizing excellence in English/Language Arts by both
students and teachers.
7.
This organization shall be a non-profit organization. The Executive
Council is empowered to do whatever deemed necessary to maintain
this status with appropriate government agencies.
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ARTICLE
II: AFFILIATION
This
organization shall be affiliated with the National Council of Teachers
of English or NCTE.
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ARTICLE
III: MEMBERSHIP
Sec.
1. Membership in GCTE shall be open to teachers, administrators,
college faculty, education majors, and others interested in the
teaching of English/Language Arts.
Sec.
2. Appropriate dues for active and associative members shall be
established under the by-laws of the Council.
Sec.
3. When proposed by the Executive Council and approved by the membership,
a retiring active member may be designated as a "member emeritus."
Members emeritus shall be entitled to all privileges of active members,
but shall be assessed no annual dues.
Sec.
4. Schools in which faculty members normally teach more than one
subject are eligible for institutional memberships. Dues for institutional
memberships are set by the Executive Council.
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ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS
Sec.
1. Elected officers of this organization shall be a president, a
first vice-president, a second vice-president, and a secretary.
A treasurer, NCTE liaison officer, and parliamentarian shall be
appointed. These officers shall make up the Executive Council. This
Council, eight directors (elected At Large), and the current past
president of the organization shall make up the Executive Board.
(The liaison officer, parliamentarian, and past president are non-voting
positions.)
Sec.
2. All officers of this organization shall be members of NCTE.
Sec.
3. The first unexpired vice-president shall succeed to the president
in the event of a vacancy in that office. All other vacancies shall
be filled through interim appointment by the president, with the
approval of the Executive Council.
Sec.
4. A slate of nominees for these offices shall be provided by a
nominating committee and announced to the membership no fewer than
30 days before the annual business meeting and election. Officers
shall be elected by the annual business meeting. Additional nominations
may be made from the floor, provided the nominee is a member in
good standing and has given consent to the use of his or her name.
Elections shall be determined by a majority vote of the members
present and voting.
Sec.
5. Terms of elected office:
- The terms
of office shall begin immediately after the election.
- The president,
first vice-president, and second vice-president shall be elected
for a term of two years. Each may serve a maximum of two consecutive
terms in the same office.
- The secretary
shall be elected for a term of two years and may serve a maximum
of three consecutive terms in the same office.
- Eight directors
shall be elected from the membership at large to serve a term
of two years with no maximum terms.
Sec.
6. Appointed Positions:
- The treasurer
shall be appointed by the Executive Council and serve at the
leisure of the Board.
- The parliamentarian
shall be appointed by the president and serve at the leisure
of the chair.
- The NCTE
liaison shall be appointed by the Executive Board to serve
with no maximum term.
- A public
relations coordinator, historian, membership chairperson,
conference coordinator, awards coordinator and finance coordinator
may be appointed by the Executive Board and serve at the leisure
of the Board.
- Editors
for all publications shall be appointed by the Executive Board
and serve at the leisure of the Board.
Sec.
7. Duties of the Executive Board:
- The president
shall call to order and preside over all meetings of the organization,
appoint committees and designate the chairpersons of the committees
not chaired by elected officers, conduct the business of the
organization, and serve as an NCTE Director when attending
all NCTE annual meetings.
- The first
vice-president shall assist the president, the conference
coordinator, and serve in a liaison position with the State
Board of Education and the State Department of Education.
- The second
vice-president shall assist the awards coordinators and serve
as a liaison position with the State Board of Education and
the State Department of Education.
- The secretary
shall keep an accurate record of all proceedings at Executive
Board meetings, preserve the records of the organization ,and
shall be responsible for all GCTE correspondence that does
not properly belong to the other officers.
- The treasurer
shall be bonded. He or she shall handle all finances of the
organization, keep an exact record of all moneys received
and expended, and prepare an annual budget for consideration
and approval by the Executive Board. All financial commitments
must be in writing by the president and the treasurer. The
treasurer shall make payments only of obligations presented
by written vouchers and approved by the Executive Board or
upon the approval of the president, in writing, in case of
an emergency.
- The liaison
officer to NCTE shall keep the membership or the organization
informed about significant developments within the council.
This is an appointed, non-voting, advisory position on the
Board. This liaison officer shall work with the president
and all other liaisons as needed.
- A parliamentarian
shall advise the president during and before meetings and
maintain the speedy disposition of business. This is an appointed,
non-voting, advisory position.
- The past
president shall assist the president in all matters. This
is a non-voting, advisory position.
These
persons shall make up the Executive Council.
i. Director 1 shall oversee special teacher foci, including programs
related to new and retiring teachers.
ii. Director 2 shall work with all editors of the organization's
publications.
iii. Director 3 shall work as Membership Coordinator.
iv. Director 4 shall work with all the conference coordinators
on conference logistics.
v. Director 5 shall work with all teacher awards programs.
vi. Director 6 shall work with all student award programs.
vii. Director 7 shall oversee all technology and oversee the
GCTE Web Site.
viii. Director 8 (at large) shall deal directly with membership
and shall serve as a general advisor to the Board.
If
possible, these directors shall be from different geographical regions,
and represent the diverse range of GCTE membership.
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ARTICLE
V: EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Sec.
1 With the approval of the Executive Board, the president may appoint
an executive secretary. He or she must be a member in good standing
with NCTE and GCTE.
Sec.
2 The executive secretary shall be responsible to and act at the
discretion of the Executive Board.
Sec.
3 The executive secretary shall be duly compensated for services
carried out for the Board.
Sec.
4 At the first Executive Council meeting following the annual election
of officers, the executive secretary shall report in writing about
his or her activities during the previous year.
Sec.
5 The executive secretary cannot vote at Executive Board meetings.
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ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS AND TRANSACTIONS
Sec.
1 Meetings:
- At the call
of the president, the Executive Board shall meet as soon as
feasible after the annual elections to determine plans for
the year. Other meetings of the Executive Board shall be called
on a quarterly basis at the discretion of the president.
- At least
one scheduled general meeting of the Board shall be held during
the year for the transaction of business and presentation
of a stimulation program or programs.
Sec.
2 Transactions of Business. Business transactions requiring the
vote of members shall be accomplished in one of two ways:
- Vote of
members present at the annual meeting or other called business
meetings. The issue shall be determined by a majority of the
vote of the members present and voting.
- Vote by
mail ballot. The ballot shall be issued by the president with
the approval of the Board, mailed to all members, and returned
by mail to the president. The Board shall tally the votes
postmarked within two weeks of the date of distribution of
the ballots. The issue shall be determined by a majority vote
of the ballots returned within the stipulated time period.
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ARTICLE VII: LOCAL AFFILIATES
Sec.
1 Purpose. The purposes of local affiliates of GCTE are:
- to stimulate
professional activities at the local level,
- to further
the goals of GCTE at the local level,
- to develop
leadership among members,
- to strengthen
the English/Language Arts profession.
Sec.
2 Support for Local Affiliates. GCTE supports the formation of local
and area affiliates. The local group may affiliate directly with
GCTE and subsequently with NCTE, once all terms of affiliation with
NCTE are met.
Sec.
3 GCTE will not endorse new NCTE affiliates in the state unless
they first affiliate with GCTE.
Sec.
4 Procedures for forming local affiliates:
- When local
and area groups of English/Language Arts professionals wish
to form a local affiliate, they should communicate their intentions
to the GCTE president or liaison officer.
- A representative
of a prospective affiliate will be invited to a meeting of
the Executive Board in order to explain the prospective affliate's
organizational goals and to answer questions posed by GCTE
leaders. If approved by a simple majority, GCTE will prepare
a letter endorsing the local's direct affiliation with GCTE.
Sec.
5 Requirements of affiliation with GCTE:
- Elected
officers of a local affiliate shall be members of GCTE and
NCTE.
- All members
of a local affiliate shall be members of GCTE.
- Twenty or
more members shall be necessary to form a local affiliate.
- Two members
of each local affiliate shall serve as non-voting members
of the Board under the advisement of the NCTE Liaison officer.
Sec.
6 Fiscal Relations
- As established
by the Executive Board, a proportion of state dues shall be
returned to local affiliates in order to support their projects
and activities. When local affiliates collect dues from new
or renewing members, they shall retain their portion and convey
the remainder, properly reported to the treasurer of GCTE.
- Local affiliates
may establish a local dues surcharge in excess of the annual
dues of GCTE.
- Local affiliates
may seek additional funding from the Executive Board on an
as-needed basis.
- Upon the
dissolution of a local affiliate, the balance of its treasury
shall be returned to the treasurer of GCTE.
Sec.
7 Local Workshops and other professional functions.
- Local affiliates
will play a major role in planning area, and regional professional
workshops, conferences and other functions of GCTE.
- As feasible,
the Executive Board will provide seed money to local affiliates
offering workshops and other professional functions. After
the event, seed-money will be returned to the treasury of
GCTE.
- Profits
resulting from locally or regionally planned workshop will
be divided equally between GCTE and local affiliate.
- Professional
meetings planned by local affiliates will be duly publicized
across the state in GCTE publications.
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This
constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the members present
and voting at the annual or other called business meetings, provided
that notice of the proposed amendment be given at a previous meeting,
or that the proposed amendment has been circulating in writing to
members through one of the organization's publications or by other
means, thirty days before the announced vote.
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BY-LAWS
OF THE GEOGIA COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH
ARTICLE
I: COMMITTEES
Sec.
1 Executive Standing Committees
- The executive
standing committees shall be the Executive Council and may
include the public relations committee, the publications committee,
the membership committee, the conference committee, the awards
committee, and the finance committee.
- The Executive
Council shall be made up of the president, first and second
vice-presidents, the secretary, treasurer, and NCTE Liaison.
This council shall be responsible for the policies and procedures
of the organization and for the coordinating of the activities
of the other committees. It is authorized to act for the organization.
- The Executive
Committee shall advise the Executive Council and shall be
made up of a historian, who shall serve on this committee
to accumulate, maintain and present a record of activities
and resume on all Board members, having it available at all
times.
- The Publications
Committee shall consist of the editors of the organization's
various publications such as Scribbles and Bits
and Connections. Editors shall be appointed by the
Board. Director 2 shall serve on this committee.
- The Membership
Committee shall be in charge of all membership drives, collect
all dues and maintain an accurate list of the members and
their correct addresses. Director 3 shall serve on this committee,
and its coordinator shall be appointed by the Board as needed.
- A conference
coordinator may be appointed by the Executive Board as needed.
He or she shall, in turn, appoint all conference chairs and
oversee all conference activities. Only the conference coordinator
may sign conference contracts, in lieu of the president and
Executive Council. The second vice-president and Director
4 shall be members of the conference committee.
- The Awards
Committee may be appointed as needed and include the Second
Vice President, Directors 5 and 6 who will coordinate all
of the awards' programs, i.e., Excellence in English Award,
Teacher of the Year Award, Student Voice Award, English Scholar
Award, Student Writing Awards, NCTE Achievement Awards in
Writing and any other award designated by the Board.
- The Finance
Committee will be in charge of development of the annual budget.
The president and treasurer will serve on this committee.
Sec.
2 Special Committee:
- The president
is empowered to appoint, for temporary services, whatever
committees are needed to maintain the activities of the organization.
- The Nominating
Committee, consisting of the immediate past president as chairperson
and two other members, shall be appointed by the president
at least two months prior to the day of elections. This committee
shall prepare a slate of nominees for elected office, each
of whom has given permission for the use of his or her name,
for the offices to be decided at the annual election.
Sec.
3 Replacement of Committee Chairperson(s): The Executive Board or
the president (with approval of the Executive Board) shall appoint
a new chairperson:
- if a chairperson
is unable or unwilling to perform incumbent duties,
- if a chairperson
resigns from the position,
- if a chairperson
proves unreliable in performing the duties to the best interest
of the organization.
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Sec.
1 Being entitled to representation on the Board of Directors of
NCTE, the GCTE shall determine its directors for the annual meeting
of the National Council as follows:
- if membership
of GCTE is 249 or less, the president shall be the director,
- if membership
is 250 - 499, the president and the NCTE liaison officer shall
be directors,
- if membership
is more than 500, the president, the NCTE liaison officer
and a member named by the Executive Board shall be directors.
Sec.
2 The Executive Board is empowered to name alternates so that the
organization is represented by its full quota of directors.
Sec.
3 At the appropriate time prior to the annual meeting of NCTE, the
Executive Committee, in full knowledge of the financial condition
of the organization, shall, by motion and majority vote, determine
the amount of money it will contribute to the expenses of the director
or directors and the distribution of the exact amount among the
directors.
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Sec.
1 The Executive Committee shall set the amount of the annual dues.
The amount of dues shall be published in a timely manner.
Sec.
2 Local affiliates shall be reimbursed or may retain 20 percent
of annual dues from GCTE members who are also members of the affiliate.
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ARTICLE IV: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
The
rules continued in Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the organization
in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are
not inconsistent with the constitution and by-laws of the organization.
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These
by-laws may be amended by a majority vote of members voting at a
called business meeting, provided that notice of the proposed amendment
has been given at the previous meeting or that the proposed amendment
has been publicized in Scribbles and Bits or by means of
another publication.
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ARTICLE VI: RECONSTITUTION OF A STATEWIDE
ENGLISH ORGANIZATION
(adopted April 2, 1971)
Sec.
1 This by-law hereby abolishes whatsoever state and district organizations
of English teachers that have existed in affiliation with the Georgia
Teachers and Educators Association and with the Education Association,
and reconstitutes them into one organization that shall be called
the Georgia Council of Teachers of English.
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ARTICLE VII: ADDITION AND CHANGE OF VOTING
DIRECTORS
(approved: 21 February 1998)
Sec.
1 The Executive Board will be composed of eight (8) voting directors,
adding to the six (6) existing directors, a Technical Director for
the new web site and a director-at-large who will represent the
membership as a whole.
Sec.
2 The Executive Board hereby changes the duties of Director 1 from
general coordinator to that of teacher Resource person, coordinating
two new committees, new Teacher Focus and Retired Teacher Resource.
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