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Constitution and Operational By-Laws of the Massachusetts Science Education Leadership Association Inc.
(Approved May 6, 2004)
Article I (Name and Purpose)
Section I: This organization shall be known as the Massachusetts Science Education Leadership Association Inc. The organization will also be known by the abbreviation, M.S.E.L.A. in communication within the organization.
Section II: The primary objective of this non profit organization shall be to facilitate a general improvement in science education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by means of a professional exchange of information, ideas and solutions to common problems through the affiliation of organizations to be described in Article II.
Article II (Membership)
Section I: The membership of this non profit organization is limited to the members of recognized regional organizations in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts whose membership consists of those designated by the administration of the school or the school department in which he or she is employed, and who has been given authority over other members of the Science Department or who has been designated to make administrative decisions regarding the operation of the science program in that school, or those schools. Membership is also open to individuals occupying positions of science education leadership in schools, professional organizations, cultural institutions or anyone designated as a science leader. These regional organizations may also include in their membership members of the State Department of Education and college staff members whose primary responsibility is in the area of science education.
Section I B: Membership at Large is available to those who would qualify for regular membership under Article I A, but who, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, are not able to belong to an affiliated regional group. Members at Large are entitled to all of the rights and privileges of regular membership except that he or she may not serve as a member of the Board of Delegates unless he or she represents at least six other Members at Large who have submitted in writing to the Secretary of M.A.S.S. approval of such representation, or has been appointed a M.S.E.L.A. County Director. These approval letters would be required each year.
Section I C: Members or past members, regardless of their current assignment, may have their membership continued or reinstated under Section I (member of an affiliate group) or Section I B (Membership at Large) of this article.
Section I D: There shall be four types of membership:
1. Active Member – any member as described in Article II, Section I. Shall be an active member.
2. Retired Member – any member that retires from active involvement in science education, may continue to be a member of M.S.E.L.A. Dues shall be one-half of an active member.
3. Life Member – a former President of M.S.E.L.A. There will be no dues for a Life Member. He/she will have all the rights and privileges of an Active Member.
4. Corporate Member – a corporation/business may join with payment of annual dues. They will be entitled to all rights of an Active Member except the right to vote. A Corporate Member is given the privilege of receiving one M.S.E.L.A. mailing label per paid membership. The usual cost of mailing labels is set be the Executive Board.
Section I E: The membership year shall be from September 1st through August 31st.
Section II: Each affiliating group consisting of at least twelve (12) members as described in Section I of this article shall name two (2) of its members to serve as its delegates to the Association. Similar groups of at least six members shall name one (1) delegate. The method of selection and the length of term of these delegates of the affiliating organization, shall be determined and executed independently by each organization, within the limits of this constitution. The end of a term and subsequent replacement of any delegate to the Association shall be designated by letter from the affiliating organization directed to the president of the M.S.E.L.A.
Section II B: M.S.E.L.A. County Directors who are appointed annually during the annual meeting will hold the status of delegates during all delegate meetings and the annual meeting. The term of office will go from the day after the annual meeting through the next annual meeting.
Section III: An alternate attendee for any meeting may be named by any delegate(s) or by the president of the organization he represents.
Article III (Officers)
Section I: The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, a President-Elect, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. In addition to the two most immediate past Presidents, these constitute the Executive Committee.
Section I B: An Executive Secretary may be appointed annually be the Executive Committee. This will be a paid position with duties, responsibilities and salary, determined by the Executive Committee. The Executive Secretary will be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.
Section I C: A Membership Chairman may be appointed annually by the Executive Committee. This will be a paid position with duties, responsibilities and salary, determined by the Executive Committee. The Membership Chairman will be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.
Section II: The term of office for the President, Vice-President, and President-Elect shall be one year. The term of office for the Secretary and Treasurer shall be two years, and they shall be elected on alternate years. Election and installation of new officers shall take place at the annual meeting in the spring of each year. Officers of the M.S.E.L.A. should not be included in the quota of delegates from any affiliating group, but should be entitled to vote as delegates.
Section III: The nominating committee will be named by the Executive Committee and announced at the meeting immediately preceding that at which nominations are to be made. At the time of this announcement any delegate to the Association who wishes to serve on the nominating committee may do so by making a public request.
Article IV: (Duties of Officers)
Section I: The President shall preside at all meetings and shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association. He shall be ex-officio, a member of all committees except the nominating committee.
Section II: In the absence or disability of the President, the President-Elect shall preside and assume the duties of the President, and in the absence of the President-Elect, the Vice President shall preside and assume the duties of the President-Elect. The President-Elect shall serve as Chairman of the standing committee for the General Annual Meeting.
Section II B: The Vice-President shall serve as the registrar for the General Annual Meeting.
Section III: In the event of the resignation of any officer, the President shall appoint a protempore officer who shall serve until an election for that office is held at the next regular meeting.
Section IV: The Secretary shall record the proceedings of all meetings, keep a list of officers, members of committees, and record attendance for each scheduled meeting. He shall prepare and see to the distribution of notification of meetings (at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting) with an agenda and the minutes of the previous meeting. This notification may be included in a periodic newsletter.
Section V: The Treasurer shall receive and receipt all monies of the Association and keep a full and accurate record of disbursements and receipts.
Section VI: The Executive Committee, as outlined in Section I of Article III, shall manage the affairs of the Association in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws.
Section VI B: The Executive Committee will recommend to the annual meeting County Directors for each of the Counties in Massachusetts with the exception of the three counties representing the Cape and the Islands which will be combined under one Director.
Section VII: The retiring President is to serve as a member of the Executive Committee for a period of two years.
Section VIII: The Executive Secretary’s duties will include but not be limited to: publication of a newsletter, and at the discretion of the Executive Committee a liaison with other organizations and government agencies interested in the advancement of science education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Section XI: The Membership Chairman’s duties will include but not be limited to the recording of all members of the association, a mailing of a renewal of membership of an annual basis, the solicitation of new M.S.E.L.A. membership, and the writing and mailing of a Membership Handbook which is to be mailed to each M.S.E.L.A. member once a year.
Article V: (Quorum)
Section I: A majority of the delegates (or alternates) of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section II: A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the Committee.
Article VI: Amendments
Section I: Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing at the November or February meeting and shall be voted on at the next annual meeting.
Section II: The Articles of this Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting provided that proper notice (as described in Section I of the Article) is given, and provided that a quorum is present, and provided that the two-thirds (2/3) of these present so vote.
Operational By-Laws
Section I: Two regular meetings of the Delegates will be held each year. These meetings will be called by the President for a Wednesday in November and a Wednesday in February. An Annual General Meeting will be held in the Spring of the year. The Annual Meeting will be open to all members of the Association.
Section II: Emergency Executive Committee meetings may be called at any time by the President.
Section III: The location of any meeting shall be determined by the President or Committee Chairman. Host organizations shall assume all responsibility for expenses incurred for the refreshments or other incidentals connected with the conduction of the meeting, with the exception of the Annual General Meeting.
Section IV: The following standing committee and special committee chairmen will be named each year by the newly elected president with advice and consent of the executive committee. Each chairman will select the members of his committee from the general membership.
a. Awards Committee
b. Certification Committee
c. Constitution Committee
d. Facilities Committee
e. General Annual Meeting Committee (President-Elect: Chairman)
f. Legislative Committee
g. MCAS/NCLB Committee
h. Curriculum Frameworks Committee
i. Safety Practices Committee
j. Private Sector Partnership Committee
k. Women in Science Committee
l. Professional Development Committee – for the purpose of providing leadership training to existing and aspiring science leaders in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
m. Informal Science Education Committee
n. Such other special committees that would be deemed necessary from time to time.
Section V: Each member of an affiliate organization shall be assessed annual dues. The assessment shall be paid to the Treasurer of M.S.E.L.A. by the affiliate group yearly for each of its members prior to December 31st. the amount is to be determined by the M.S.E.L.A.Executive Committee and Delegates on an even-numbered year.
Section VI: Delegates (Section II, Article II) should notify the Secretary if they are unable to attend any regularly scheduled meeting. Failure to do so for three consecutive meetings may lead to forfeiture of membership by the group. After two meetings missed by a delegate, a letter citing these absences and describing this section of the By-Laws shall be sent to the president or the secretary of the delegate’s affiliating group.
Section VII: These By-Laws may be changed by the processes described in Article VI of the Constitution with the exception that only a majority vote its necessary to amend the By-Laws.
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