NYSCEA Constitution
The New York State Council Of Educational Associations
NYSCEA CONSTITUTION
Amended May 3, 1998
July 9, 2003
June 14, 2004
ARTICLE I. NAME
The organization shall be known as The New York State Council of Educational Associations -NYSCEA - hereinafter referred to as the 'Council'.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
It shall be the purpose of the Council to:
Section 1. Facilitate communication among member professional education organizations in order to clarify common, as well as unique concerns; and to arrive at consensus
Section 2. Be agent and instrument of the collective member organizations; to intervene and be advocate for the specialized and particular needs of the Council, whenever and wherever necessary and appropriate
Section 3. Provide the opportunity for unifying activities for those member professional organizations who have common interests, functions and purposes.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Charter membership.
The charter members of NYSCEA in 1971 were the following professional organizations:
Association of Teachers of Agriculture of New York State, Inc.
New York State Art Teachers Association
New York State Attendance Teachers Association
Business Teachers Association of New York State
New York State Association for Childhood Education
New York State Association for Continuing Education
New York State Dental Hygiene Teachers Association
Driver and Safety Educators Association of New York State
New York State Educational Communications Association, Inc.
New York State Association of Elementary, Kindergarten, Nursery Educator
School Administrators Association of New York State
New York State English Council
New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers
New York State Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation
New York State Council Administrators Association of Health, Phys. Ed. and Recreation
New York State Home Economics Teachers
New York State Industrial Arts Teachers Association
New York State Industrial Education Association
New York State Association of Teachers of Mentally Handicapped, Inc.
School Libraries Section of New York School Library Association
New York State School Music Association, Inc.
New York State School Nurse Teachers Association
New York State Personnel and Guidance Association
Science Teachers Association of New York State
New York State School Social Workers Association
New York State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
New York State United Teachers (formerly NYSTA)
Section 2. New Membership: Any statewide professional organization whose interests are wholly educational may be admitted to membership by two-thirds vote of the members providing such an organization has met the requirements of Article 1 of the Bylaws.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Council shall be the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary and the Treasurer. These officers shall be drawn from different organizations.
Section 2. Officers shall be elected for a term of two years at the annual Spring meeting.
· Section 3. The Immediate Past President shall be an officer but not subject to election.
ARTICLE V. THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The Executive Board shall be composed of the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the immediate Past President and the Chairpersons of the Standing Committees.
ARTICLE VI. DELEGATE ASSEMBLY MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL
Section 1. The Delegate Assembly shall consist of two delegates, one being the President, or an appointed designee, and the other being another member of that organization.
Section 2. There shall be three regular Delegate Assembly meetings each year. They will be scheduled in the Fall, Winter and Spring.
Section 3. Additional meetings of the Delegate Assembly may be called by the President or at the request of 20% of the member organizations.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall meet prior to the Delegate Assembly. These meetings shall be called by the President. Additional meetings may be called either by the President or by one-third of the Executive Board members.
Section 5. All legislative and governmental powers of NYSCEA shall be vested in the Delegate Assembly. The Delegate Assembly shall act on all recommendations of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VII. DISPOSITION OF ASSETS IN CASE OF DISBANDMENT
Section 1. In the event of dissolution, all of the assets of the New York State Council of Educational Associations shall be returned to the then current paid in full members of the Council in the same proportionate method as the Council used to derive its assets from its member organizations in accord with the following provision Only member organizations who have on file with the New York State Department of State and Department of Education a certificate of incorporation as a 501-c3 certificate may receive these funds.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to these articles may be made by a two-thirds vote of the member organizations at the meeting subsequent to the meeting at which the amendment is proposed or by mail ballot implemented thirty days after it has been proposed and submitted at a meeting.
BY LAWS
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Section 1. To be eligible for consideration as a member of the Council, a professional organization must provide evidence that it sustains a major interest in statewide policy for strengthening the quality of education, and, that a majority of its members are teachers, supervisors, administrators, and other professionals in the schools and colleges of New York State.
Section 2. Any organization seeking membership on the Council shall give evidence that it is not an umbrella group consisting of any current member organizations currently represented in NYSCEA
Section 3. Application for membership shall include a copy of the constitution of the organization seeking membership, a roster of its leadership, and a breakdown of its membership by numbers on the application form.
Section 4. Members of the Delegate Assembly shall have the opportunity to study the membership application prior to its consideration on the formal agenda of the business meeting.
ARTICLE II. DUES AND FINANCE
· Section 1. The dues for membership in NYSCEA are to be determined by the Council. (Passed 1/1990, with current dues schedule) The Treasurer shall maintain and implement the current dues policy. Organizations voted into membership at the Fall meeting shall pay the current dues within thirty days following such admission. Organizations voted to membership at the Winter or Spring meeting shall pay the dues for the ensuing year within thirty days following such admission.
Section 2. Necessary subsistence and travel of the two voting representatives of each organization shall not be charged to the Council, but shall be policy matters for each member organization.
Section 3. Each year, at the Fall Delegate Assembly, the Council shall adopt a budget for the fiscal year. The fiscal year of this organization shall be from July 1 of one year until June 30 of the next. This budget shall include allocations for Council operations, programs and activities and projected expenses for officers and agents.
Section 4. Dues shall be payable as of July 1 and shall be deemed delinquent if not paid by the date of the Fall Delegate Assembly.
a. Delinquent organizations shall not be entitled to voting rights.
b. Organizations in arrears for the past year's dues will not be allowed to sit and vote at the Fall Delegate's Assembly. All dues MUST be paid by October 1st.( passed 12/92)
c. Current years' dues must be paid by January 1 in order for an organization to sit and vote at the Winter and Spring Delegate Assembly meeting.
d. If the Treasurer determines that an organization failed to be represented at twelve consecutive meetings of the Council, the membership of the organization in the Council is automatically terminated. In order to be reinstated, the organization must fill out a new application, apply to the Membership Committee and be voted in by the Council. A check for the full dues amount must accompany this application for readmission to NYSCEA before the organization can be voted upon for readmission at the Delegate Assembly.
ARTICLE III. POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The President shall
a. preside at meetings of the Executive Board and the Council
b. act as chief spokesperson and representative of the Council to the public and to other organized bodies whenever necessary
c. with the approval of the Executive Board, make any appointments, other than those provided for this constitution, necessary for the welfare of the Council
d. be responsible for implementing the policies and programs established by this Council
Section 2. The President Elect shall:
a. assume the duties of the President when such need arises;
b. serve as chairperson of the Leadership Conference;
c. serve as program chairperson for the Delegate Assemblies;
d. perform any other duties, which may be assigned by the President , the Executive Board by the Council.
Section 3. The Secretary shall:
a. take minutes at the meetings of the Executive Board and of the Council's Delegate Assembly;
b. distribute the minutes of the Delegate Assembly to the delegates of the Council, the presidents of member organizations and Executive Board, within thirty days following such meeting;
c. preserve the records of the Council, and receive minutes from the various committees of NYSCEA to be entered into the record and coordinate these activities with the Historian.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall:
a. disburse funds as authorized;
b. compile a complete fiscal record of all receipts and debts incurred by the Council;
c. provide for an annual audit of the treasurer's books;
d. prepare and present to the Executive Board and then to the Council, the proposed annual budget;
e. shall be bonded as authorized by the Executive Committee/Board for the term of office;
f. shall oversee the distribution of notices and collect dues from affiliate organizations;
g. act as registrar for the Delegate Assembly and any other meetings of NYSCEA;
h. serve as liaison and Treasurer for any NYSCEA conferences established by the Delegate Assembly.
Section 5. The Immediate Past President shall:
a. serve as Parliamentarian for the Council;
b. chair the Membership Committee;
c. serve on any committee that substantially alters the Constitution or By-Laws of the Council;
d. fulfill such roles as the President and or Executive Committee/Board may deem appropriate.
· Section 6. The officers and all Executive Board Members shall not be held individually or collectively responsible for any actions of the Council or the individual member organizations.
ARTICLE IV. VACANCIES
Section 1. Succession to Office
The rules of succession shall apply in this order, to the offices of President-elect, President and Immediate Past President. The President shall upon completing this term of office, succeed to the office of President and the President shall, in like manner succeed to the office of Immediate Past President.
Section 2. Vacancy in Office
Vacancy in office shall be filled by appointment by the President with the approval of the Executive Board and the Delegate Assembly at the next meeting of the Council. The rules of succession shall apply to the offices of President and President elect. If a vacancy shall occur in the office of President elect, Secretary or Treasurer, the President shall appoint an eligible Delegate to serve the unexpired term with the approval of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES
Section 1. Standing Committees
The standing committees of the Council shall be the Advocacy Committee, Membership Committee, Research and Development Committee, Nominating Committee, Communications Committee, and/or Newsletter "NYSCEA Speaks".
Section 2. Special Committees shall be established as the Council or Executive Board deems necessary.
Section 3. The President of the Council shall appoint the Chairperson of each of the Standing Committees with the advice of the Executive Board.
The President and the chair shall select members of the respective committees. The appointment of the chair will be for one year, renewable for one year, with the approval of the Executive Board.
Section 4. All officers and committee chairpersons shall turn over to their successors all records, correspondence and books within one month of retirement from office.
Section 5. The Executive Board is responsible for the implementation of all policies formulated by the Council.
ARTICLE VI. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. A Nominating Committee consisting of the Chairperson and up to three additional members, appointed by the President for one year, and one of whom shall be designated by the Council President as chairperson, shall present a list of candidates at the annual Spring business meetings.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee may present the name of any member in good standing for any office in the council. The nominating committee shall present the names of at least two candidates whenever possible for each vacancy.
Section 3. Every nomination shall have the consent of both the nominee and the nominee's member organization.
Section 4. A list of candidates and their credentials shall be communicated to the voting representatives at least thirty days prior to the Spring meeting.
ARTICLE VII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Section 1. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Council. The Parliamentarian for all meetings of the Council shall be the Immediate Past President. If absent, a Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President for that Delegate Assembly meeting.
ARTICLE VIII. QUORUM
A quorum of the Delegate Assembly shall consist of voting representation of a majority of member organizations eligible to vote.
ARTICLE IX. VOTING AND REPRESENTATION
Section 1. Each member organization is to be represented by two delegates.
Section 2. Each delegate is entitled to cast one vote. In only one official delegate is able to be present, the organization may designate an alternate representative to substitute for the regular voting representative.
Section 3. If only one official delegate is able to be present, said delegate may cast two votes in behalf of the organization represented.
Section 4. If neither delegate is present, and no authorized substitute is present, no votes may be cast by such organization in absentia
· Section 5. The name and address of each regular and alternate voting representative shall be forwarded to the Council secretary by each member organization within thirty days of July 1 or within thirty days of initially joining the Council.
Section 6. The Executive Board may use a mail ballot when it will expedite the operation of the Council.
ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to these by laws may be made by the majority of the voting representatives at the meeting subsequent to the meeting at which the amendment is proposed, or by mail ballot thirty days after it has been proposed and submitted at a meeting.
· NOTE: Constitutional changes were originally prepared and presented to NYSCEA members in 1994 with no vote taken. The same document was presented to, and amended by, NYSCEA members on April 3, 1998, as stated herein. A mail ballot on May 3, 1998 accepted this document. L.E.Fusco, Secretary. Subsequent amendments where approved on June 14, 2004.