ECHO-NC Constitution

Constitution

1. Name

   1. The name of the organization is the North Carolina Conference of English Instructors (CEI).

2. Purpose

3. The purpose of CEI is to

   1. encourage and support effective teaching in our field;

   2. promote and provide opportunities for professional development for North Carolina teachers in the field;

   3. advocate and recommend policy for professional issues in the state.

4. Membership

5. Membership in CEI is open to English and humanities teachers in North Carolina community colleges.

   1. Annual corporate membership is open to textbook publishing companies. Their membership grants them access to the CEI website, a directory of instructors, and exhibit space at regional and state conferences/meetings.

6. Officers and Executive Board

7. CEI officers will include the president, vice president, secretary/treasurer, and membership chair. The Executive Board will include the officers, newsletter editor, directory editor, nine regional representatives (three representatives from each region), and past president (ex officio).

8. Annual Meetings

9. CEI will hold an annual meeting at such place and time as the Executive Board shall determine. This meeting may be canceled for emergency reasons by vote of the Executive Board. In case an annual meeting is canceled and the election of new officers is delayed, the officers shall continue in office until new elections can be held.

   1. The conduct of all business meetings of CEI shall be in accordance with commonly held parliamentary practice as specified in Robert's Rules of Order (most recent edition) except when CEI specifies to the contrary in the CEI By-laws.

10. Dissolution

11. CEI may be dissolved by a vote of two-thirds of the members attending an annual meeting after they have been notified by mail that a vote for dissolution is on the agenda. Any funds left in the CEI account shall be given to an educational organization whose aims are closely allied with those of CEI so long as the organization is tax exempt under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future Untied States Internal Revenue Code.)

12. Amendments

13. Amendments to this Constitution must be approved by a majority vote of the executive board and ratified by a majority vote of the members attending an annual business meeting so long as a written notice has been mailed to the members one month prior to the annual meeting of CEI.

By-Laws

1. Membership

   1. Active membership in CEI is contingent upon payment of the annual dues which shall be set at the discretion of the executive committee and which shall fall due at the time of the annual conference. Membership entitles the individual to full participation in the programs and meetings of CEI and in various regional meetings which may be planned. Members shall receive the CEI Newsletter as part of their membership.

2. Regions

3. North Carolina shall be divided into three regions composed of nearly equal numbers of community colleges. These regions shall be called the Western, the Central, and the Eastern regions, which shall be comprised of the following:

1. Nominations and Elections of Officers and Executive Board

   1. The Executive Board will serve as a nominating committee and present a slate of officers to the general membership for election every two years in the fall. The terms for each officer will be two years. Representatives, who will serve two year terms, will be elected by members of their respective regions in the spring.

   2. Nominations from the membership can be added to the slate presented by the Executive Board.

   3. Vacancies which occur during the term of office for members of the Executive Board will be filled by a person appointed by the Executive Board.

2. Duties of the Executive Board

   1. The president will call meetings, establish agendas, and conduct all CEI meetings; administer CEI with the aid and consent of the Executive Board; establish ad hoc committees as needed; prepare and present a report of CEI activities for the past year at the fall annual meeting; ensure that the annual report is published in the fall newsletter. The president will make no commitments for CEI without the consent of the Executive Board.

   2. The vice-president will serve in the absence of the president and will succeed to the presidency if the president should resign office prior to the end of term; communicate with regional representatives regularly and report to the president and the Executive Board at scheduled meetings; undertake whatever duties are assigned by the president.

   3. The secretary/treasurer will keep minutes of all Executive Board and CEI meetings, collect and disburse funds as directed by the Executive Board, make a report at the annual business meeting, and provide annual report information to the newsletter editor for the fall issue.

   4. The membership chair will maintain CEI membership records.

   5. The directory editor will maintain and update the CEI Directory.

   6. The newsletter editor will prepare, publish and distribute the CEI Newsletter on a regular basis as directed by the Executive Board.

   7. Regional representatives will communicate with faculty within their respective regions; represent faculty within their regions; attend regularly scheduled Executive Board meetings, as well as annual business and regional meetings; work with the Board to nominate representatives when vacancies arise.

   8. The past president will serve as advisor to the Executive Board.

   9. The Executive Board will authorize the president's actions in administering CEI. The members attending a meeting will constitute a quorum with ten working days notice.