NJWA Constitution & By-Laws
| njwa_constitution__by-laws--amended_may_24_2018.pdf |
NEW JERSEY WRITING ALLIANCE
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
Constitution
ARTICLE I NAME
The Organization shall be known as the New Jersey Writing Alliance (NJWA).
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The NJWA provides opportunities for interested constituencies to improve student writing in our state by building bridges between secondary and college educators through networking, professional exchange, and advocacy.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Two categories of NJWA membership exist:
ARTICLE IV OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
ARTICLE V AMENDMENTS
A. Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws can be initiated by any member of the Steering Committee.
B. Amendments to the By-Laws and Constitution shall be passed if they receive a two-thirds vote of the Steering Committee members. Amendments shall be voted on in either of the following ways:
ARTICLE VI: ENABLING
The New Jersey Writing Alliance shall be created through two-thirds of the ballots cast for the Constitution and By-Laws at the May 2011 NJWA Annual Conference. An election for all officers except for immediate Past President shall take place within 45 days of the conference. The Immediate Past President will be Ed Jones.
ARTICLE VII DISSOLUTION
Upon dissolution of the New Jersey Writing Alliance, such assets as may remain shall be distributed for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes as described in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, and such decision shall rest with the Steering Committee.
By-Laws
ARTICLE I RULES OF ORDER
Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall guide the Association in all areas not covered by these By-Laws.
ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE III DUTIES OF OFFICERS
ARTICLE IV TERMS OF OFFICE
Each newly elected officer shall take office at the Annual Conference and shall serve until the following year’s Annual Conference. The President-Elect, who is elected annually, shall succeed into the Presidency position and the President shall succeed into the Immediate Past-Presidency upon the completion of their one-year terms. The Treasurer and Webtender shall be elected for four-year renewable terms. The Secretary shall be elected for two-year renewable terms. In the event of a vacancy of the Steering Committee, the President shall appoint a replacement with the approval of the Steering Committee. If the President has vacated the office, the President-Elect shall assume the Presidency and appoint a replacement for him/herself.
ARTICLE V STEERING COMMITTEE
ARTICLE VI STANDING COMMITTEES
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
Constitution
ARTICLE I NAME
The Organization shall be known as the New Jersey Writing Alliance (NJWA).
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The NJWA provides opportunities for interested constituencies to improve student writing in our state by building bridges between secondary and college educators through networking, professional exchange, and advocacy.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Two categories of NJWA membership exist:
- Individual membership: Individuals who are interested and/or involved in writing instruction in secondary schools and in colleges/universities.
- Institutional membership: Institutions that are involved in writing programs in secondary schools and in college/universities.
ARTICLE IV OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
- The NJWA governing body shall be the Steering Committee, comprising officers, who must be NJWA members, and committee chairs, as follows:
- President
- Immediate Past-President
- President-Elect
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Webtender
- Conference Committee Chair
- Nominating/Membership/Election Committee Chair
- Chairs of Conference Standing Committees
- There shall be four types of committees:
- Steering Committee
- Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed by the President with the consent of the Steering Committee.
- Nominating/Membership/Election Committee
- Standing Conference Committees consisting of
- Program Committee
- Site Committee
ARTICLE V AMENDMENTS
A. Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws can be initiated by any member of the Steering Committee.
B. Amendments to the By-Laws and Constitution shall be passed if they receive a two-thirds vote of the Steering Committee members. Amendments shall be voted on in either of the following ways:
- At any business meeting of the Steering Committee.
- By paper or electronic ballot conducted by the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE VI: ENABLING
The New Jersey Writing Alliance shall be created through two-thirds of the ballots cast for the Constitution and By-Laws at the May 2011 NJWA Annual Conference. An election for all officers except for immediate Past President shall take place within 45 days of the conference. The Immediate Past President will be Ed Jones.
ARTICLE VII DISSOLUTION
Upon dissolution of the New Jersey Writing Alliance, such assets as may remain shall be distributed for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes as described in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, and such decision shall rest with the Steering Committee.
By-Laws
ARTICLE I RULES OF ORDER
Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall guide the Association in all areas not covered by these By-Laws.
ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP
- The annual dues for each membership category shall be reviewed each year and set by the Steering Committee. The fiscal year shall be from July 1 to June 30.
- Current, dues-paying, individual members shall have full voting rights. Institutional members shall not have voting rights.
ARTICLE III DUTIES OF OFFICERS
- President: duties shall include acting as NJWA’s executive officer; convening and chairing the Steering Committee meetings and presiding over the Annual Conference; promoting professional communications through publications; appointing all committee members, and acting as an ex-officio member of all committees. The President shall act at his or her own discretion in situations he or she considers to be emergencies, subject to later discussion and action by the Steering Committee, and shall otherwise implement the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws.
- Immediate Past-President: duties shall include advising the President, reviewing possible conference sites to present to the Steering Committee, and other duties as requested by the Steering Committee.
- President-Elect: duties shall include chairing the Annual Conference Committee for the Annual Conference and preparing for the duties of President during the succeeding year.
- Secretary: duties shall include recording activities and actions of all Steering Committee meetings and the membership meetings and acting as mailing officer for all nonconference-related communications.
- Treasurer: duties shall include maintaining records of all financial matters relating to the Association, submitting written reports at each Steering Committee meeting and at the Annual Business Meeting, and coordinating registration for the annual conference with site coordinator.
ARTICLE IV TERMS OF OFFICE
Each newly elected officer shall take office at the Annual Conference and shall serve until the following year’s Annual Conference. The President-Elect, who is elected annually, shall succeed into the Presidency position and the President shall succeed into the Immediate Past-Presidency upon the completion of their one-year terms. The Treasurer and Webtender shall be elected for four-year renewable terms. The Secretary shall be elected for two-year renewable terms. In the event of a vacancy of the Steering Committee, the President shall appoint a replacement with the approval of the Steering Committee. If the President has vacated the office, the President-Elect shall assume the Presidency and appoint a replacement for him/herself.
ARTICLE V STEERING COMMITTEE
- Membership of the Steering Committee shall be the President as presiding officer, President-Elect, Immediate Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Webtender, committee chairs, and at-large members appointed by the Steering Committee.
- The Steering Committee shall meet at least twice a year, with other meetings held at the discretion of the President, or at the request of any three Steering Committee members.
- The Steering Committee is responsible for the professional maintenance and direction of NJWA.
- Any interested NJWA member may petition to serve on the Steering Committee as an At-Large representative. At-Large members are approved by a simple majority vote of the then-current Steering Committee.
ARTICLE VI STANDING COMMITTEES
- Standing Conference Committee consists of
- Program Committee: Responsibilities include planning theme; preparing request for proposals; reviewing proposals; notifying proposers of acceptance or rejection of proposals; preparing program for printing, and promoting conference through NJEA and other means, including application for NJEA endorsement.
- Site Committee: Responsibilities include making necessary arrangements regarding rooms, technology, catering, printing programs, onsite registration, folder creation and distribution, signage, flyer.
- Nominating/Membership Committee: members include the Immediate Past-President as Chairperson, and members appointed by the President to include representatives from each of the following sectors: (1) secondary schools, (2) four-year colleges/universities, (3) two-year colleges. Responsibilities include (1) developing and proposing to the membership a recommended slate of candidates for the elected officers’ positions and (2) establishing the elections process and timeline.