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OTEC Constitution and Bylaws

(Approved 2/1/02)
Constitution

Bylaws

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OTEC Constitution

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Oregon Technology in Education Council, hereinafter referred to as OTEC.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

Section 1. Primary Purpose

The primary purpose of OTEC is to improve both formal and informal education of all people through the appropriate use of Information Technology (IT). OTEC addresses IT in education issues for people of all ages in schools, work places, homes, and the community.

Section 2. Secondary Purpose

The secondary purpose is to provide information regarding the current and future uses of IT in formal and informal education: to both members and non-members; to federal, state, and local education agencies; to business and industry; and to other organizations.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1. Membership Categories

There is only one membership category. This is called a Regular Member.

Section 2. Minimum Membership Size

The minimum membership size is twenty (20) Regular Members.

Section 3. Obtaining and Maintaining Regular Membership

A person becomes a Regular Member of OTEC by joining the OTEC Member Email Distribution List. A person maintains Regular Membership in OTEC by maintaining a current Email address on the OTEC Member Email Distribution List.

Section 4. Membership Privileges

All Regular Members shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of OTEC membership.

Section 5. Dues

There are no dues to be a Regular Member.

ARTICLE IV - ORGANIZATION

Section 1. Affiliations

OTEC is an autonomous organization. It may seek affiliation with and/or recognition by other organizations. Initial affiliations include the Oregon Math Education Council , the Oregon Science Education Council, and the Math Learning Center (Portland, Oregon).

Section 2. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall be July 1 through June 30.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

Section 1. Composition

The initial Officers shall be a Chair and a Secretary/Treasurer.

Section 2. Prerequisite to Nomination and Election

All Officers must be Regular Members of OTEC.

Section 3. Terms of Officers

The Chair and the Secretary/Treasurer will serve two-year terms, with their terms ending in alternate years. The Initial Chair will serve a term beginning 2 February 2001 and ending on 30 June 2003. The initial Secretary/Treasurer will serve a term beginning on 2 February 2001 and ending on 30 June 2004. There is no limit to the number of terms that a person may serve as an Officer.

Section 4. Vacancies

A vacancy in the office Chair or Secretary/Treasurer shall be declared and filled by action of the Executive Board. Such person(s) shall serve until the end of the person they are replacing.

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. Board Membership

The Executive Board consists of the Chair and the Secretary/Treasurer (see Article V), and no fewer than four (4) and no more than nineteen (19) other Executive Board Members.

Section 2. Term of Executive Board Membership

Executive Board Members designated as Initial Executive Board Members have terms of office beginning 2 February 2001. Approximately one-third (1/3) of these terms end June 30, 2002. Approximately one-third (1/3) of these terms end June 30, 2003. Approximately one-third (1/3) of these terms end June 30, 2004. Except for the Initial Board Members, all Executive Board Members serve a 3-year term, with no limitation to the number of terms they may serve.

Section 3. Quorum and Voting

  1. The voting members of the Executive Board shall consist of all members of the Executive Board.
  2. The number of the Executive Board members attending an Executive Board meeting, provided it is three or more, shall constitute a quorum.
  3. The Executive Committee may conduct votes at its meetings. It may also conduct votes by mail, Email, and other electronic means that the Executive Board deems to be acceptable.
  4. Whenever this Constitution refers to a majority vote, a two-thirds (2/3) vote, and so on, it means a majority of those voting, two-thirds (2/3) of those voting, and so on.

Section 4. Election to the Executive Board

Election to the Executive Board is by vote of the Executive Board.

Section 5. Requirements of Executive Board Members

  1. All Executive Board Members must be Regular Members of OTEC.
  2. All Executive Board Members must be a member of and participant in at least one OTEC Permanent Discussion Group.
  3. The Executive Board may remove a member from the Executive Board for failure to regularly participate in Executive Board meetings, votes, and other activities. This requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS

Section 1. Business Meetings of the Executive Board

The Executive Board shall hold a minimum of one annual business meeting. This may be a face-to-face meeting or a telecommunications-mediated meeting. Examples of telecommunications-mediated meeting include conference phone calls, video conferencing, and Email chat groups.

Section 2. Conferences, Symposia, Workshops, and Other Activities

  1. The Executive Board shall have the authority to have OTEC organize and sponsor Conferences, Symposia, Workshops, and Other Activities.
  2. The Executive Board shall have the authority to have OTEC cosponsor Conferences, Symposia, Workshops, and Other Activities with other organizations.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES AND DISCUSSION GROUPS

Section 1. Standing Committees

Standing committees shall be: the Membership Committee; the Communications and Publications Committee; the Nominations and Elections Committee; and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.

Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees may be established, and their functions assigned, at the discretion of the Chair. Such establishment must clearly indicate the purpose and length of service of the committee.

Section 3. Discussion Groups

Temporary or Permanent Discussion Groups may be created by the Executive Board. These shall function through Internet-mediated communication and shall be open to all OTEC Regular Members. Initial Permanent Discussion Groups include IT in Language Arts, IT in Mathematics, IT in Science, IT in Social Sciences, IT in Special Education, and IT in Teacher Education Programs.

ARTICLE IX - DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution of OTEC, the Executive Board shall, after payment of all liabilities, dispose of all remaining assets by contributing them to one or more Oregon nonprofit organizations or activities that have as a purpose the improvement of formal and/or informal education.

Under no circumstances shall any of the property or assets of OTEC during its dissolution be distributed to any officer, member, employee, or subsidiary of OTEC.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Constitutional Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Executive Board. The process is as follows:

  1. The Executive Board may propose a Constitutional Amendment by a simple majority vote.
  2. A Temporary Discussion Group is created to facilitate discussion of the proposed Constitutional Amendment, and notice of the creation of this Temporary Discussion Group is sent electronically to the OTEC Regular Members.
  3. The Executive Board shall vote on the Constitutional Amendment not sooner than three months and not later than six months after the creation of the Temporary Discussion Group.

Section 2. Amendments to the Bylaws

The Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.

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OTEC Bylaws

ARTICLE I - OFFICERS

Section 1. Duties of Officers

  1. The powers and duties of the Chair shall be:
    1. To serve as the Chief Executive Officer of OTEC with the powers and duties usually belonging to such a position.
    2. To call and preside at meetings of the Executive Board.
    3. To call and preside at meetings of the Regular Members.
    4. To work with the Secretary/Treasurer to prepare and submit an annual budget for approval by the Executive Board at the annual business meeting of the Executive Board.
    5. To appoint chairpersons of committees. A two-thirds vote of the Executive Board is required to overturn such an appointment.
    6. To be an ex-officio non-voting member of all committees.
    7. To give leadership to general policy making and accomplishing the Mission of OTEC.
    8. To make an annual report to the Executive Board and to the Regular Members of OTEC.
  2. The powers and duties of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be:
    1. To serve in the place of the Chair with his/her authority in case of absence or disability of the Chair.
    2. To keep minutes of the annual business meeting and other meetings of the Executive Board, and meetings of the Regular Members.
    3. To carry on correspondence as necessary for the operation of the organization.
    4. To assume custody of all records except those specifically assigned to others.
    5. To keep accurate lists of Executive Board and Committee memberships.
    6. At meetings of the Executive Board, to have available copies of the Constitution, Bylaws, and recent Executive Board minutes.
    7. To make an annual report of the financial status of OTEC to the Executive Board and OTEC Members.
    8. To work with the Chair to prepare and submit an annual budget for approval by the Executive Board at the annual business meeting.
    9. To make expenditures as authorized by the Executive Board.
    10. To transfer all records to the newly elected Secretary/Treasurer within 30 days of the election.

Section 2. Election of Officers

The OTEC Officers shall be elected by the Executive Committee. Candidates for the elected offices shall be OTEC Regular Members in good standing who will be put forth by the Nominations and Elections Committee.

Section 3. Term of Office

The Chair and Secretary/Treasurer shall serve two-year terms, which shall coincide with the fiscal years. They shall be elected in alternate years.

Section 4. Removal from Office

  1. A petition for removal of an OTEC Officer shall be signed by at least one-third (1/3) of the members of the Executive Board and submitted to the Chair. If the Chair is the subject of the petition, it shall be submitted to the Secretary/Treasurer.
  2. The Chair (or Secretary/Treasurer) shall, within two weeks, notify each Executive Board member in writing (hard copy of electronic) of the receipt of such a petition, solicit relevant evidence from all parties concerned, and call a special meeting of the Executive Board within six weeks following the receipt of the petition to consider the matter.
  3. At the Executive Board meeting, an opportunity shall be made available to all interested parties to present any relevant evidence; a two-thirds majority vote of the members present, provided there is a quorum, is necessary for removal of the officer. Removal from the office is effective immediately.
  4. The officer being considered for removal shall be provided with the results of the Executive Board action in writing (hard copy or electronic) within seven days.

ARTICLE II - EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. Composition

The Executive Board shall consist of the Chair, the Secretary/Treasurer, and between four (4 ) and nineteen (19) additional elected members. The overall makeup of the Executive Board shall be broadly representative of formal and informal education in Oregon at all age levels.

Section 2. Duties of the Executive Board

  1. Serve as OTEC's administrative policy-making and legislative body.
  2. Act upon such recommendations and petitions as may be received.
  3. Adopt an annual budget.
  4. Decide on publications that should be issued.
  5. Select the site and time of the OTEC-sponsored events and activities.
  6. Establish the registration fees for OTEC-sponsored events and activities.
  7. Adopt a Constitution and Bylaws and to make amendments thereto.
  8. Adopt official platforms, statements of policy, and resolutions.
  9. Establish regulations relating to its own membership.
  10. Assume such other responsibilities as are, or shall be, assigned by the Constitution and Bylaws.

ARTICLE III - COMMITTEES

Section 1. Appointment of Committee Chairpersons

The Chair shall appoint chairpersons of all committee except the Nominations and Elections Committee. The Executive Board shall select from the its non-Officer members a person to chair the Nominations and Elections Committee. This shall be a one-year appointment, but with no limitations as to the number of terms a person may serve in this position. All chairpersons must be Regular Members of OTEC.

Section 2. Committee Appointments

Committee members shall be appointed by the Committee chairperson. All committee members must be Regular Members of OTEC.

Section 3. Committee Composition

  1. The Membership Committee shall have no less than two members in addition to the chairperson. All shall serve one-year terms.
  2. The Communications and Publications Committee shall have no less than two members in addition to the chairperson. Each OTEC webmaster shall be an Ex Officio, voting member of the committee. All members shall serve one-year terms.
  3. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall have no less than two members in addition to the chairperson. All members shall serve one-year terms.
  4. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall have no less than two members in addition to the chairperson. All shall serve one-year terms.
  5. The Executive Board shall decide the composition of any remaining committees.
  6. There is no limit to the number of terms that a person may serve on a committee.

Section 4. Duties of Committees

Standing committees shall be: the Membership Committee; the Communications and Publications Committee; the Nominations and Elections Committee; and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.

  1. The duties of the Membership Committee shall be:
    1. To maintain an active record of Regular Members.
    2. To maintain an active program for the recruitment of new Regular Members.
    3. To encourage and support Regular Members and others to participate in the OTEC Permanent Discussion Groups.
    4. To provide advice to the Executive Board on services to be provided to the Regular Members.
  2. The duties of the Communications and Publications Committee shall be:
    1. To continuously review the websites and other publication structures of OTEC, and to recommend policies and procedures related to their content and quality.
    2. To recommend to the Executive Board websites and publications to be created or terminated.
  3. The duties of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be:
    1. To solicit and screen potential candidates for membership on the Executive Board and present these candidates to the Executive Board in a timely manner. Candidates must be OTEC Regular Members and must have agreed that if they are elected, they will serve on the Executive Board.
    2. To prepare a slate two to three candidates for the annual election of Officers and present the slate to the Executive Board in a timely manner. Candidates must be OTEC Regular Members and must have agreed that if they are elected, they will serve in the position to which they have been elected.
    3. To oversee election processes.
  4. The duties of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall be:
    1. To receive and review all proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and refer them with recommendations to the Executive Board.
    2. To call to the attention of the Executive Board other changes which may be needed in the Constitution and Bylaws.

ARTICLE IV - PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

The rules of parliamentary procedure in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the proceedings of OTEC meetings subject to the special rules that have been or may be developed.

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