Bylaws

Arkansas Society for Technology in Education, Inc. 1

Bylaws of the

Arkansas Society for Technology in Education, Inc. (ARKSTE)

(Revised June 2003)

Article I. Name

The name of the organization is Arkansas Society for Technology in Education, Inc. (ARKSTE).

Article II. Purpose of Organization

The purposes of this organization are

1. To provide a professional educational computing association within the state of Arkansas,

2. To provide for the sharing and exchanging of ideas, techniques, materials, and procedures for use in educational computing,

3. To promote general recognition of the vital professional role played by the educational computing profession and the high level of competence required for this role,

4. To promote and encourage appropriate use of computer systems for the improvement of instruction and educational management,

5. To cooperate with manufacturers, distributors, and operators of educational computing equipment and supplies in developing and maintaining proper technical standards, and in meeting new needs for specialized devices, systems, and services;

6. To encourage and advise appropriate organizations and individuals concerning research relating to educational computing,

7. To encourage the development and improvement of instructional programs in computing,

8. To promote professional standards in the field of educational computing, and

9. To encourage membership and participation in the International Society for Technology in Education.

Article III. Members

The membership of the Organization shall be individuals who are educators and others interested or engaged in educational computing or related research in schools, colleges, or county, state, regional, or national educational systems.

The Board of Directors shall determine the procedures for application for membership, eligibility of applicants, classes of membership, membership privileges, and membership dues.

The membership year shall extend from July 1 until June 30 of the following year. Members who join during the summer conference co-sponsored by the Organization shall be extended

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the privileges of membership beginning at the time dues are paid.

Article IV. Officers and Their Duties

The officers of the Organization shall consist of President, President Elect, Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

The President shall:

1. Call and preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and preside at all meetings of the association.

2. Appoint chairpersons of committees, other than the Nominating Committee.

3. Represent the association in matters of importance to the association.

4. Authorize expenditures of the association in keeping with the actions of the Board of Directors and its budget.

The President-Elect shall:

1. Serve when the president is unable to do so, and preside at official meetings of the association in the absence of the president. He/she automatically assumes the office of the president upon resignation of the president. He/she shall complete the term of office of the resigned president and shall then serve the full year to which elected.

2. Be responsible for aiding in the development of the Organization program.

The Past President shall:

1. Serve as president-elect in case of the president-elect’s inability to serve until a new president-elect can be elected by the membership.

2. Provide advice and assistance to officers and serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

The Secretary shall:

1. Keep a record of the meetings of the Board of Directors and the association and see

that actions requiring communication with members, other individuals, or groups are carried out as required.

2. Receive the report of the Nominating Committee and see that it is sent to the membership in accordance with the stipulations in the bylaws.

The Treasurer shall:

1. Establish the account(s) of the Organization, as approved by the Board of Directors.

2. Establish procedures for the depositing of funds and the maintenance of Organization properties.

3. Receive and disburse all funds of the Organization as authorized by the Board of Directors.

4. Maintain a record of all financial transactions and report as requested to the Board of Directors and annually to the association at the annual meeting.

5. Make his/her records available for audit prior to the annual meeting.

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This does not mean that the Board of Directors must authorize every payment. If a budget is presented and approved by the Board, items contained in that budget are automatically authorized for payment as funds are available.

The office of president-elect/president/past president shall be a three-year cycle, consisting of one year each as president-elect, president, and past president. The treasurer shall serve a two-year term. At the initial election of officers under these bylaws, the secretary shall serve a one-year term. Thereafter the secretary shall serve a two-year term.

Article V. Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of the Organization shall be composed of the officers and three directors elected by the membership as voting members and may also include chairs of committees or other persons ex officio.

The Board of Directors shall have the authority to manage the affairs of the Organization, including but not limited to approving expenditures of funds of the Organization, establishing classes of membership and annual dues for each class, approving or disapproving the president’s recommendations for appointment of committee chairpersons, and filling vacancies that may occur on the Board of Directors.

At the initial election of directors under these bylaws, one director shall be elected for a three year term, one for two-year term, and one for one-year term. Thereafter each year one director shall be elected for a three-year term.

Officers and directors shall receive no remuneration for serving in such capacities, but this shall not be construed to mean that they may not be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with their duties.

Article VI. Election of Officers and Directors

Not less than 60 days before the annual meeting, the Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of a chairperson not on the Board of Directors and at least two additional members. Not less than 40 days before the annual meeting, this committee shall submit to the secretary of the Organization names of at least two qualified candidates for each office and each vacancy among the directors, after having ascertained that each such candidate is willing to serve if elected. Not less than 30 days prior to the annual meeting, the secretary shall notify the membership of the Nominating Committee report. Election will be by written ballot at the annual meeting with opportunity for nominations from the floor at that time. In the event of a tie for a place on the Board of Directors, a run-off election will be held immediately.

A vacancy may be declared to exist on the Board of Directors when a resignation is received or when a person fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Board of Directors without presenting an excuse.

Article VII. Meetings

A general membership meeting will be held annually for the purpose of electing and installing officers and directors, conducting such business as may properly come before the Organization, and presenting a program of professional interest to the members.

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In addition to the annual meeting, there shall be at least one other meeting of members of the association during the fiscal year. There shall be at least two meetings of the Board of Directors during each fiscal year The quorum at a meeting of the membership shall be a majority of the Board of Directors plus at least six other members of the Organization A simple majority will constitute a quorum at meetings of the Board of Directors.

Article VIII. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Organization will be July 1 through June 30.

Article IX. Committees

The president shall have the authority to set up such committees as are needed and to appoint committee chairpersons with the approval of the Board of Directors

Article X. Parliamentary Authority

The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order will govern the Organization in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws or the special rules of order of the Organization.

Article XI. Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of eligible voting members attending a regular or specially called meeting of the Organization, provided that notice of the proposed changes has been sent to the membership not less than 30 days prior to the meeting.

Article XII: Dissolution or Merger

Dissolution or merger of the Organization shall follow the same procedure as Article XI: Amendment of Bylaws

In the event of dissolution, all assets, real and personal, shall be distributed to organizations qualified as tax exempt under section 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding provisions of a future United States Internal Revenue Law

Article XIII. Executive Committee

The officers of this Organization shall form an executive committee that will have the authority to handle the business of the Organization between meetings of the Board of Directors.

If the officers purposely have chosen to represent different parts of the state and it thus would be difficult to assemble an executive committee so constituted, the executive committee might instead be made up of the president, president-elect, secretary, and two directors, and the two directors could be those who could most easily meet on short notice with the president.

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The secretary should file rules of order adopted at various meetings with a copy of the bylaws for ready reference.

Bylaws approved November 1996

Revised October 1999 with the amendment to add Article XII: Dissolution or Merger

Revised June 2003 to clarify officers’ terms of office (Article IV) and to allow members who join at HSTI full membership privileges beginning when dues are paid (Article III).

The Arkansas Society for Technology in Education, Inc.