Article I. Name and Location

Article II. Purpose and Mission
Section 1: Purpose and Mission
Section 2. U.S. Internal Revenue Code

Article III. Membership

Article IV. Officers and Elections
Section 1: Officers
Section 2: Terms of Office
Section 3: Executive Board
Section 4: Nominating Committee
Section 5: Elections
Section 6: Vacancies
Section 7: Removal from Office

Article V. Meetings and Quorum
Section 1: Business Meeting
Section 2: Executive Board Meetings

Article VI. Amendments

 

Constitution

Article I. Name and Location
The name of this association shall be named Northern New England Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, an affiliate of the global association of Teachers for Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL Inc.). Northern New England Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages hereinafter will be referred to as NNETESOL.  NNETESOL will serve and be located over the tri-state area of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Article II. Purpose and Mission
Section 1: Purpose and Mission
NNETESOL is a not-for-profit association for those interested in and concerned with the education of English as a Second Language (ESL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and bilingual individuals with English as one language.  Its purposes are to promote communication and provide mutual support among people with these similar interests and concerns as well as support ESL professionals in the region.  NNETESOL also provides opportunities for professional growth, disseminates information on current research related to the field, as well as communicates and cooperates as appropriate with groups having similar concerns and interests.  NNETESOL organizes conferences each year and maintains a website to meet the professional development needs of its members. The conferences also provide ESL professionals with the opportunity to network with colleagues and visit with publishers.

Section 2. U.S. Internal Revenue Code
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501 (e) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provisions of any subsequent U.S. Internal Revenue law).

Article III. Membership
Individual membership is open to any person who is interested in the promotion; development; and improvement of ESL, EFL and bilingual education in the tri-state area of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.  Membership in good standing requires registration annually.  Business meetings are conducted at conferences; members must be present to vote.  Neither membership in nor services provided by the association will be denied to anyone on the basis of race, color, religion, nation origin, physical or mental handicap, age, sex, sexual preference, ancestry or medical condition.  

Article IV. Officers and Elections
Section 1: Officers
The officers of the association shall be President, President-Elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publishers’ Liaison, Web Master, Veteran Member-at-Large and six Regional Representatives: two representing each state of the tri-state area.   

Section 2: Terms of Office
The term of office for President, President-Elect and Past President shall be one year from the close of one annual business meeting until the close of the next annual business meeting.  The President-Elect shall succeed to the presidency.  The President shall succeed to the past-presidency and serve as the TESOL, Inc. affiliate representative.  The Veteran Member-at-Large will be recruited for 1 year from the close of one annual business meeting until the close of the next annual business meeting.  Regional Representatives shall serve for a term of three years with each state receiving a newly elected representative on a rotating basis.

Section 3: Executive Board
The Executive Board shall be comprised of the President, President-Elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publisher Liaison, Web Master, Veteran Member-at-Large and six Regional Representatives. The executive Board is a group of volunteers who serve from one to three years and meet four times a year to implement policy matters, conduct the daily business of the association, produce conferences and oversee its work. The Executive Board members shall consider it a duty of office to attend all Executive Board meetings. All Executive Board members must be members in good standing, and serve at the discretion of the Executive Board. All Executive Board members shall be voting members of the board. A majority vote shall be considered binding for Executive Board decisions.

Section 4: Nominating Committee
The Executive Board shall appoint the Nominating Committee.  It shall consist of one Regional Representative from each state and the Past President, who will serve as the chairperson.  Members of the Nominating Committee will serve for one year and shall prepare and present a slate of nominees to the Executive Board prior to the annual business meeting.

Section 5: Elections
The Nominating Committee shall submit to the Executive Board the names of the nominees for the following offices: President-Elect, Regional Representatives and other officers as necessary. Effort shall be made by the Nominating Committee to submit the names of two qualified and willing nominees for each office.  The Nominating Committee shall obtain consent before placing his/her name in nomination.  Nominees must be members in good standing. Candidates of the Executive Board must be members of TESOL, Inc. the sponsoring organization, or be willing to become a member before assuming office.  If financial hardship precludes payment of TESOL, Inc. membership, the candidate many appeal to the Executive Board for reimbursement of that fee.  If all other qualifications are met, the names of the two candidates for each office receiving the greatest number of nominations shall be placed on the election ballot.  Elections will be held at the annual business meeting.  The chair of the Nominating Committee will present a slate of candidates to the membership.  Should there be more than one (1) candidate, the Nominating Committee will circulate and collect ballots.  The Nominating Committee shall tabulate the ballots and announce the results before the close of the annual business meeting.

Section 6: Vacancies
If any executive Board office is vacated during the term, the vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board.  The officer so chosen shall serve for the remainder of the term.

Section 7: Removal from Office 
A request for resignation of a member of the Executive Board may be made upon a two-thirds (²/₃) vote of the members of the Executive Board.  The request for resignation shall be made in writing. Following this action, if the member chooses not to resign, then the member may be removed by a two-thirds (²/₃) vote of the Executive Board at a subsequent meeting.  The member shall be given the opportunity to defend his/her case prior to this final vote.  Any member of the Executive Board may be removed from office by a two-thirds (²/₃) vote of members as a whole.

Article V. Meetings and Quorum
Section 1: Business Meeting
At least one annual tri-state business meeting shall be held at the time and place designated by the Executive Board.  Those members present at this meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2: Executive Board Meetings
The Executive Board shall annually have four meetings to implement policy matters, conduct the daily business of the association and oversee its work.  The times and place will be determined by the President.  Six members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

Article VI. Amendments
Proposed amendments to the constitution may be initiated by a vote of three-fourths of the Executive Board, or submitted in a petition to the President at the annual business meeting.  Such petition must be signed by at least one-fourth of the membership.

Updated February 2014