By-Laws

NORTH CENTRAL REGION OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I

The Organization

Section A. Name

The name of this organization shall be: The North Central Region of the Association for Science Teacher Education.

Section B. Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to foster the improvement of the education of teachers in science.

Section C. Membership

  1. The membership shall consist of persons concerned with the education of teachers of science who have paid their NC-ASTE dues.
  2. Annual dues will be established by a vote of the membership at an annual business meeting.
  3. In order to be a region, 10 members must be ASTE members.

Section D. Relationship to Other Organizations

This organization shall be a regional division of the ASTE and shall be governed in accordance with the national by-laws and by the by-laws of this division.

Section E. Organization Authority

Any actions, projects, or similar endeavors identifying the North Central Region of the Association for Science Teacher Education (NC-ASTE) as a sponsoring or supporting agency shall be made only with the approval of a majority of members attending and voting at an official meeting of NC-ASTE or with the express consent of the Executive Committee of NC-ASTE acting in behalf of the membership.

ARTICLE II

Officers

Section A. Officers of the Organization

  1. The officers of the organization shall be members of the national ASTE.
  2. The officers of the organization shall consist of an officer known as the Director, a Director-elect, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Graduate Student Representative.

Section B. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers and the immediate past Director and up to three additional members appointed by the Director.

Section C. Duties of the Officers

  1. Director
    1. Shall preside at all meetings.
    2. Shall plan the program agenda for the annual meeting of the region.
    3. Shall notify all members of the time and place of all meetings of the region.
    4. Shall make the call for annual meeting presentation proposals, collect and ensure peer review of proposals by at least two other NC-ASTE members in good standing, and send out acceptance notices to presenters. Acceptance notices shall be sent out in September.
    5. Shall post minutes of NC-ASTE meetings on the region’s website.
    6. Shall serve as the Regional Representative on the national ASTE Regional Units Committee.
    7. Shall serve as the Regional Representative to the National ASTE Board during that time for which the region has a seat.
    8. Shall appoint committees not otherwise provided for in the by-laws and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees appointed by the Director.
    9. Shall carry out the policies of the organization and all duties assigned to the Director by the Executive Committee.
    10. Attend Regional Units meetings at the national ASTE meetings.
  1. Director-Elect
    1. Shall carry out duties assigned by the Director, the Executive Committee, or otherwise specified in the by-laws.
  1. Secretary
    1. Shall keep minutes of all business meetings and all Executive Committee meetings, and shall forward annual minutes to the region Director and Director-Elect for proofreading and posting on the NC-ASTE website.
    2. Shall distribute written minutes to members attending the annual business meeting.
  1. Treasurer
    1. Shall collect all dues and make all disbursements as authorized by the Director. The Treasurer shall make a financial report to the members at the annual meeting.
    2. Send e-mails to members soliciting annual dues.
    3. Provide the Director with a list of current (paid) members.
    4. Provide the Director with the following information: NC-ASTE bank account information (bank name, contact information, and account number).
  1. Graduate StudentRepresentative
    1. Shall function as a representative of the graduate student membership of the region.
    2. Shall carry out duties as assigned by the Director.

Section E. Succession of Officers

  1. If the Director is unable to complete the third year of the term, the Director-Elect shall assume office.
  2. If the Director is unable to take office or complete the first and/or second year of the term, the Executive Committee shall appoint another member to serve in that capacity until such time as a new Director-Elect can be elected in a regular manner as described in Section F of this Article.
  3. If the Secretary is unable to continue to serve, the Executive Committee shall appoint another member to serve in that capacity until such time as a new Secretary can be elected in a regular manner as described in Section F of this Article.
  4. If the Treasurer is unable to continue to serve, the Executive Committee shall appoint another member to serve in that capacity until such time as a new Treasurer can be elected in a regular manner as described in Section F of this Article.

Section F. Election of Officers

  1. The Director-Elect shall succeed the Director. The term of the Director shall be for three years beginning at the close of the national ASTE annual meeting in January.
  2. The Director-Elect shall be elected by a majority vote at the fall business meeting as determined by a ballot of members attending the annual business meeting, or by a mail ballot if a quorum is not present at the fall business meeting. The term of the Director-Elect shall be for one year.
  3. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by a majority vote at the fall business meeting. The term of each office shall be for a period of three years, beginning at the close of the national ASTE annual meeting.
  4. The Graduate Student Representative shall be elected by a majority vote at the fall business meeting. The term of office shall be for one year, beginning at the close of the national ASTE annual meeting.

ARTICLE III

Meetings

Section A. Regular Meeting

There shall be at least one regular meeting of this division each year. The meeting shall be held at a time and place to be determined at the annual business meeting.

Section B. Special Meetings

The Director may call a special meeting of the division with the approval of the Executive Committee, provided that all members are notified of the time and place and purpose of such meeting at least thirty days in advance of the meeting.

Section C.   Quorum

A quorum for all business meetings of the division shall be 10 members or 50% of the membership, whichever is smaller.

ARTICLE IV

Parliamentary Authority

Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the order of all business meetings of the region where applicable and where not inconsistent with the by-laws of the national ASTE and the by-laws of the region.

ARTICLE V

Amendments

Section A.   Proposals for Change

Changes in the by-laws may be proposed by a petition of 5 members of the association or recommended to the membership by the Executive Committee. Proposals from the members should be presented to the Executive Committee.

Section B.   Revision of By-Laws

Revision of the by-laws shall be implemented if approved by 66% majority of the received votes. Balloting of the membership attending the annual business meeting shall be used, or balloting will be by mail if a quorum is not present at the annual business meeting.

Section C. Non substantive Changes

Non-substantive changes in the by-laws may be made by Executive Committee action without a membership balloting.

 

Revised By-Laws Adopted at the annual meeting of NC-ASTE in Dubuque, IA on October 9, 2004,

Name for ASTE corrected 10-8-05 in Cedar Falls, IA.,

By-Laws revised and accepted 10-8-05 in Cedar Falls, IA.

Revised By-Laws Adopted at the annual meeting of NC-ASTE in Porter, IN on October 6, 2018.