CONSTITUTION
Of the New England Association of Teachers of English
A Professional Organization Since 1901
Adopted Winter 2007 

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the New England Association of Teachers of English (NEATE).

ARTICLE II. MISSION STATEMENT

As an organization that believes in fostering a professional academic community for New England teachers, the Association will strive to improve the quality of English language arts instruction by:

• Providing opportunity for study and discussion of problems that confront English language arts teachers
• Securing cooperation and collaboration to render more effective the efforts of English language arts teachers
• Integrating the efforts of all those who are concerned with the improvement of English language arts instruction including forensic, dramatic, journalistic, library-media, and reading organizations
• Facilitating communication among college English programs, teacher preparation programs, and the state Office of Public Instruction with the needs of elementary and secondary school English language arts teachers.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1. Membership Qualifications

Membership in this Association shall be open to persons who are interested in or who teach English or language arts.

Section 2. Membership Categories

• Regular members shall be those who have paid their annual dues. These individuals shall receive all membership privileges of the Association.
• Student members shall be those who are registered as full-time students and/or those who have not begun to teach.
• Institutional Members shall be those schools, libraries, and other such educational institutions as determined by the by-laws of this organization.
• Life members shall be those who are designated at the discretion of the Executive Board and in compliance with the by-laws.

Section 3. Dues

All Association members, with the exception of Life members, shall pay annual dues. The Executive Board shall set these dues.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS AND TERMS OF OFFICE

Section 1. Officers of the Association

The officers of the Association shall be a president, a president-elect, an immediate past-president, a recording secretary, an executive secretary, and a treasurer. These officers shall constitute the Executive Committee and will serve without remuneration except as provided in the by-laws.

Section 2. President

The president shall serve a two-year term. The duties of the president shall be to:

• Call meetings of the Executive Board and the Executive Committee and preside at these meetings.
• Preside at all general meetings of the Association.
• Serve as an ex officio member of all standing committees except the Nominating Committee.
• Appoint ad hoc committees when necessary. The president shall be an ex officio member of such committees.
• Identify each year the major professional concerns of the Association and recommend appropriate action to the Executive Committee, the Executive Board and the general membership.
• Recommend candidates for chairs of standing committees to the Executive Board for approval.
• Establish in cooperation with the Executive Committee, a definite calendar for each year’s activities; this calendar is to be presented for approval to the Executive Board no later than December of each year for the following year.
• Provide new members of the Executive Board with descriptions of their roles and provide all committees—standing and ad hoc—with the information and assistance that will enable them to expedite committee work.
• Prepare an annual written report for an historical record of the Association’s activities and submit this report to the Executive Board, the Newsletter editor, and the National Council of Teachers of English no later than September.
• Appoint annually a member of NEATE to be SLATE representative to the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
• Serve as official spokesperson for the Association.

Section 3. President-elect

The president-elect shall serve a two-year term and shall succeed to the presidency. The duties of the president-elect shall be to:

• Act for the president in the president’s absence or inability to serve.
• Assist the president in all duties of that office.
• Serve as the liaison officer to the National Council of Teachers of English.

Section 4. Immediate Past-President

The immediate past-president shall serve for two years following the term as president. The duties of the immediate past-president shall be to:

• Act in the absence of both the president and the president-elect.
• Assist the president and president-elect in all duties of those offices.
• Serve as consultant to the Nominating Committee
• Serve as Awards chair for NEATE.

Section 5. Recording Secretary

The recording secretary will serve a term of two years. The duties of the recording secretary shall be to:

• Record all proceedings of the Executive Committee, the Executive Board, and any general meeting of the Association
• Distribute the minutes of all meetings promptly to all members of the Executive Committee and the Executive Board.
• Carry on all correspondence assigned by the president, the Executive Committee, and the Executive Board.
• Mail election results immediately to all candidates and to all members of the Executive Board.
• Maintain an up-to-date file of appointments and terms of office of all Executive Board members.

Section 6. Treasurer

The Executive Board shall appoint the treasurer. No single term of appointment of this office will exceed three years, but the appointment is renewable, after a closed session performance review by the Executive Board. The duties of the treasurer shall be to:

• Operate the business office of the Association and serve as official spokesperson for business affairs, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, in matters not otherwise established by policy or covered in the approved budget.
• Collect, disburse, and account for all monies connected with the business of the Association:
• Write all checks for NEATE.
• Deposit receipts in NEATE accounts.
• Account for these receipts and disbursements according to standard business practices and report as follows:
• Submit an annual report to the Finance Committee and the Executive Board at the conclusion of the fiscal year.
• Submit a separate written financial report for each conference to the Executive Board.
• Provide an annual summary and fiscal statement for distribution at the annual business meeting of the Association.
• Provide in cooperation with the Finance Committee a projected budget for each fiscal year; the projected budget shall be presented to the Executive Board for approval.
• Provide current information about the financial condition of the Association and the business in progress during the meetings of the Executive Committee and the Executive Board.
• Maintain files of Association business reports which shall be available to the membership.
• Secure the advice of a financial consultant at least once a year.
• Submit financial reports to the Internal Revenue Service when required by law.

Section 7. Executive Secretary

The executive secretary shall be appointed by the Executive Board. No single term of appointment of this office will exceed three years, but the appointment is renewable, after a closed session performance review by the Executive Board. The duties of the executive secretary shall be to:

• Maintain complete and up-to-date membership files and mailing lists.
• Serve as chair of the membership committee.
• Provide the president with the necessary data for preparing the annual written report of the Association’s activities to the National Council of Teachers of English.
• Assist the Publication Committee chair in the printing and mailing of the Association’s publications.
• Assist the Conference Committee upon its request.

ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. Membership

The Executive Committee shall consist of the president, the president-elect, the immediate past-president, the recording secretary, the treasurer, and the executive secretary. The president shall chair the committee. Others may be invited to attend the Executive Committee meeting, but shall have no voting status.

Section 2. Purpose

The Executive Committee shall conduct all administrative business that occurs between regular meetings of the Executive Board. It shall also be the purpose for the committee to assist the president in developing the agenda for each Executive Board meeting and making proposals for Executive Board action. The recording secretary shall send the agenda of the meeting along with the supporting materials deemed appropriate. The Executive Committee will not determine policy but will conduct all administrative business.

Section 3. Meetings

The Executive Committee shall meet at the discretion of the president. It may also be called into session upon the request of two members of the Committee. The Executive Committee will report its decisions, actions, and recommendations at each Executive Board meeting.

ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. Membership

The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the Association, four elected members, the editor of the Newsletter, the editor of The Leaflet, the chairs of all standing committees, with the exception of the Nominating Committee whose chair and chair–elect shall both serve on the Board, and a representative from each New England affiliate. Any person appointed to chair an ad hoc committee or appointed to perform a specific duty by the president shall also serve on the Executive Board.

At the last meeting of any presidential term, the terms of all Board members will expire, with the exception of those officers and persons whose constitutional appointment is for more than one year. The incoming president may renew appointments. All elected or formally appointed Executive Board members shall have one vote.

Section 2. Purpose

It shall be the purpose of the Board to consider and act upon the agenda presented by the president or the Executive Committee and to consider any other business that is presented.

Section 3. Meetings

The Executive Board shall meet at least four times yearly at the call of the president or at the request of at least twenty-five percent of the members of the Board. A quorum shall consist of the majority of the Executive Board for the transaction of all business.

Section 4. Vacancy

In the event that a vacancy of office occurs on the Board, it shall be the duty of the president to propose a replacement to serve, upon approval of the Executive Committee, for the remainder of the elected or appointed term.

ARTICLE VII. ELECTIONS AND ELECTION PROCEDURES

Section 1. Elective Offices

The elective offices of this Association shall be the president-elect, the recording secretary, four members- at-large of the Executive Board, and members of the Nominating Committee.

Section 2. Eligibility for Office

Any member of the Association in good standing shall be eligible for office except student members.

Section 3. Nominations

The Nominating Committee shall solicit nominations for all elective offices from the membership. The number of nominees for the Nominating Committee shall exceed by two the number of those to be elected; for all other elected positions at least two candidates shall be nominated.

In the event that the Nominating Committee is unable to find sufficient qualified candidates for an office, a person my run unopposed with the approval of the Executive Board. The slate of candidates shall be presented by the Nominating Committee in the Newsletter prior to the fall conference or by separate mailing no later than October 1. The membership will be given the opportunity to meet the candidates at the fall conference.

Section 4. Petitions

Names for any elective office may be added to the ballot under the following conditions:

• Each petition for nomination must be signed by at least ten members in good standing.
• A signed statement must accompany each petition from the candidate indicating willingness to serve.
• Petitions are to be sent to the chair of the Nominating Committee and must be postmarked no later than eight weeks after the date the official slate was presented to the membership.

Section 5. Elections

Elections shall be held annually on or before November 1. Elections for the president-elect and two members-at-large shall be held in even years. All annual elections shall be conducted by mail ballot, which must include a write-in section. The ballot will be mailed prior to the election to those individuals who are members in good standing at least thirty days prior to the election. If any member who is eligible to vote does not receive a ballot, the executive secretary of NEATE should be notified at once. The executive secretary will provide an official ballot. The ballots will be returned to the Nominating Chair at the fall conference or mailed by November 1.

Section 6. Election Results

All ballots shall be officially counted by a notary public designated by the Nominating Committee. The election is decided when the notary public has tabulated and certified those ballots which have been received on or before the date designated on the ballot. The elected positions shall be filled by a simple plurality vote of those responding to a mailed ballot. The notary public will be instructed that the results are to remain confidential until the final certified tabulation has been reported to the executive secretary before the next scheduled Board meeting. The Nominating Committee Chair shall then communicate the results of the election to all candidates and to the president before the meeting of the Board. The general membership will be informed in the Newsletter.

ARTICLE VIII. NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Section 1. Membership

The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members; two members shall be elected in even years; three members shall be elected in odd years. No member shall serve more than one term of office on the Nominating Committee. Each term of office shall be for two years.

Section 2. Chair

The chair of the Nominating Committee in any given year shall be the member elected by the largest plurality of votes in the election of the previous year. The chair-elect shall be the person with the largest plurality of votes in the year of the election. In order to carry out effectively their duties, both the chair and the chair-elect shall serve as members of the Executive Board.

Section 3. Consultant

The immediate past-president of the Association shall serve as consultant on an ex officio, non-voting basis of the Nominating Committee.

Section 4. Duties.

The duties of the Nominating Committee shall be to:

• Make every effort to ensure that nominations for offices reflect the geographical and the teaching levels, which constitute the make-up of the general membership.
• Seek candidates by holding open meetings and by contacting the membership through Association publications.
• Present the slate of candidates to the membership in the Newsletter prior to the fall conference or by separate mailing no later than October 1.
• Review all petitions for nomination to ensure that they meet all requirements as indicated in Article VII, Section 4.
• Oversee, with the executive secretary, the printing of ballots and the mailing of ballots to individual members in good standing as of thirty days before the designated election date, and the hiring of a notary public to certify the results of the election.

ARTICLE IX. STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. Responsibility

The standing committees shall implement the official policies of NEATE and shall carry out their duties under the directions of the president of the Association, the Executive Committee, and the Executive Board. All reports and recommendations of standing committees shall be submitted to the president for consideration and placement on the agenda of the Executive Board.

Section 2. Chairs

The president with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee shall nominate chairs for approval by the Executive Board as soon as possible after a vacancy occurs. The term of office for the chair of a standing committee shall be two years, subject to reappointment by the Executive Board. Each term of office shall begin on December 1 and end on November 30.

Section 3. Standing Committees

• Conference Committee: This committee shall be comprised of the immediate past, present and future conference chairs and shall be convened by the present conference chair. It shall be the duty of the Conference Committee to recommend to the Executive Board the dates, places, programs, and other activities of the Committee. Financial aspects of the annual conference will be determined by the Executive Board in conjunction with the Conference Committee and will be reviewed for financial soundness by the Finance Committee.
• Committee on the Profession: This committee will review issues of immediate concern to practitioners of English/Language Arts and will present summary reports and recommendations for action to the Executive Board twice annually. In addition, the committee will publish summary reports twice annually in the Newsletter on the issues and action taken.
• Finance Committee: This committee will include a former president and/or former conference chair. The Finance Committee’s duties shall be to:
• Examine the budget needs of standing and ad hoc committees.
• Review each committee’s expenditures regularly during the Board year.
• The chair of this committee shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the treasurer whenever that individual is absent from general meetings or conferences.
• In the event that the treasurer is unable to fulfill the duties of the office, the Finance Committee chair will carry on the regular activities of the treasurer’s office until such time as a new treasurer can be appointed.
• Publications Committee: This committee’s responsibilities shall be to:
• Make recommendations to the Executive Board regarding the selection and retention of editors of all NEATE publications.
• Review and apply existing NEATE standards and guidelines in accordance with NEATE’s Publications Manual to all NEATE publications.
• Provide financial and other resources needed to support publication editors.
• Work closely with the editors of NEATE publications, who will be ex officio members of this committee.
• Membership Committee: This committee will report to the Executive Committee and the Executive Board regarding the procedures and practices established to ensure active membership and to carry out the policies of the Association. This committee shall make efforts to recruit representatives from all levels of instruction and all geographical areas served by the Association and to identify areas where recruitment is needed.

The chair shall maintain up-to-date active membership files at all times and shall assess and disseminate membership information regularly. All applications for NEATE membership shall be directed to the executive secretary. At the conference site, the Membership Committee will be available to recruit members.

ARTICLE X. TEMPORARY COMMITTEES

The president with the approval of the Executive Board may appoint temporary committees to deal with matters of concern to the Association.

ARTICLE XI. MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

An annual business meeting of the Association for the general membership shall be held, with the date and place of meeting to be decided by the Executive Board. At the business meeting, a quorum shall consist of fourteen members of the Association.

ARTICLE XII. PUBLICATIONS

Section 1. The Leaflet

The Executive Board shall appoint the editor of The Leaflet, an official professional publication of NEATE, for a two-year term, after which the appointment may be renewed on an annual basis at the discretion of the Board. Candidates for the position shall be responsible for stating their editorial policy in writing to the Board before their appointment.

The duties of The Leaflet editor shall be to:

• Carry out the approved policies and procedures of the Publications Committee.
• Edit and publish The Leaflet (number of issues to be determined by the Publications Committee and approved by the Executive Board).
• Report to the Chairperson of the Publications Committee.

The editor shall be an ex officio member of the Publications Committee and shall work closely with that committee in all facets of its work.

Section 2. The Newsletter

The Executive Board shall appoint the editor of the Newsletter, an official professional publication of NEATE, for a two-year term, after which the appointment may be renewed on an annual basis at the discretion of the Board. Candidates for the position shall be responsible for stating their editorial policy in writing to the Board before their appointment.

The duties of the Newsletter editor shall be to:

• Carry out the approved policies and procedures of the Publications Committee.
• Edit and publish the Newsletter (Number of issues to be determined by the Publications Committee and approved by the Executive Board).
• Report to the Chairperson of the Publications Committee.

The editor shall be an ex officio member of the Publications Committee and shall work closely with that committee in all facets of its work.

Section 3. Other Publications

All other official NEATE publications shall adhere to the policies and procedures of the Publications Committee. Those responsible for these publications shall work directly with the Publications Committee chair prior to final production and dissemination.

ARTICLE XIII. AFFILIATIONS

Section 1. Affiliation Requirements

For the purpose of promoting the professional aims of the teaching of English, as stated in this Constitution, any language arts or literature organization may become an affiliated organization of this Association if formally recognized by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Affiliation with the National Council of Teachers of English

Affiliation shall be maintained regularly by payment of dues and the fulfillment of all affiliate responsibilities. The Executive Board of NEATE shall appoint the appropriate number of directors to the NCTE Board of Directors for a one-year term.

Section 3. New England Affiliates

Presidents of the New England affiliates of NCTE or their representatives shall be members of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE XIV. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Procedures for Amending

An amendment to this Constitution must be adopted by a two-thirds vote of those members responding to a mailed ballot by the date designated on the ballot, provided that any proposed amendment has been mailed to the membership at least thirty days prior to the announced date of balloting.

An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed to the Executive Committee by an authorized committee or by an individual member. Signatures of thirty current members who are in support of the proposal must accompany proposals by individuals. Within ninety days of the receipt of the proposed amendment(s), ballots will be prepared and mailed to the general membership. A two-thirds vote of the active membership is necessary for an amendment to be approved. The Executive Committee shall appoint a notary public to count and certify the results. The notary public will report to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will officially inform the Executive Board and the general membership of the results. In that event, the Executive Committee will direct that the amendment be effective commencing with the term of the next president.

ARTICLE XV. BY-LAWS

Section 1. Procedures for Adopting, Amending, or Repealing

By-laws may be adopted, amended or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular Executive Board meeting at which a quorum is present.

ARTICLE XVI. ENABLING ACT

Section 1. Effective Date

This Constitution shall become effective as of March 1, 2007, if approved by a two-thirds vote of those members responding to a mailed ballot by the date designated on the ballot.

Section 2. Invalidation of the 2000 Constitution

When this Constitution becomes effective, the previous Constitution and by-laws shall be invalid.