About OCTE - Constitution

Approved April 1979; Revised April 1984; February 1990; May 1991; Ma 1995; May 2000

Section 1. The name of this organization is the Oregon Council of Teachers of English (OCTE).

Section 2. This organization shall be operated exclusively for literary and educational purposes. Subject to the limitations stated in the articles of the association and bylaws, the purposes of this organization shall be to engage in any lawful activities, none of which are for profit, for which associations may be organized under Chapter 65 of
the Oregon Revised Statutes (or its corresponding future provisions) and Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or its corresponding future provisions).

A. To stimulate professional development and improve the quality of English Language Arts instruction at all educational levels.
B. To provide opportunity for group study and discussion of programs which confront the language arts teachers of Oregon.
C. To act as a clearinghouse by circulating information of value and informing teachers of current educational trends and research findings.
D . To stimulate and promote research in the study and teaching of English Language Arts.
E. To publish significant findings in the form of bulletins, monographs, journals or newsletters.
F. To bring leaders in the language arts and literary fields before the Council.
G . To participate in other language arts activities in the region, such as those of the State Department of Education, school districts, other language arts organizations, and in the regional and national activities of the National Council of Teachers of English.
H. To foster regionalism and internationalism among teachers of the language arts in the Pacific Northwest through conferences, information exchanges, publications and professional activities.
I. To maintain national contacts through affiliation with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Section 1. Eligibility. Anyone interested in the teaching and supervision of English, language arts, and reading at any school level may become a member. Any college student who is a prospective English, language arts, or reading teacher, or a retired teacher in any of these fields, may become an associate member.

Section 2. Dues for annual membership shall be set by the Executive Board and are payable to the treasurer for the fiscal year. Renewal notices shall be sent in a timely manner.

A. Arrears. Any member who has not paid dues by October 31 becomes inactive. Only members in good standing will receive the benefits of the Council or be eligible to vote on Council matters or serve as officers.

A. The Executive Board meets at least three times a year to plan the activities and to conduct the business of the Council.

B. The term of membership is three years and is renewable. The Board establishes and selects its own membership. Each member must be a current member of OCTE and NCTE.

C. Board members shall not receive salaries for their Board services.

D . Executive Board members are expected to attend at least two-thirds of the Board meetings held during an academic year. Failure to do so may result in removal from the Board.

E. Any Board member may be removed, with or without cause, at an officially called meeting where that has been identified as an agenda item. A two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board members is required.

Section 2. Officers. The officers of OCTE are a president, a president-elect, a vice-president, a secretary, a treasurer, an executive secretary, and a past-president. Each must be a current member of OCTE and NCTE.
A. Elections and Terms. Officers are recommended by a Nominating Committee and elected at the annual business meeting or by mail ballot by a majority vote of members responding. The term of office of president, president-elect, and past-president is two years each. The term of office of the other officers is also two years. Officers who do not move through the chairs (vice-president, secretary, treasurer, executive secretary) may run for additional consecutive terms in the same office. Terms of office begin July l.
B. Duties.
1 . The president presides at all meetings, appoints the chairs of all standing committees, appoints chairs and members of ad hoc committees, conducts the business of the Council, is general chair in charge of committee activities, and serves as an NCTE Director.
2 . The immediate past-president serves in an advisory capacity and chairs the Nominating Committee.
3 . The president-elect presides in the absence of the president, assumes the office of the president if it is vacated, is the chair of the Program Committee coordinating the internal programs of the Council, and serves as NCTE Liaison Officer and NCTE Director.
4 . The vice-president serves as chair of the Membership Committee, coordinating special programs and activities, and is the official parliamentarian of the Board and the Council. This officer sends notices of dues payable, maintains complete and accurate membership records, and supplies essential information from these records to other Executive Board members.
5 . The secretary keeps complete and accurate minutes of all official Executive Board and members’ meetings and actions and promptly distributes copies by mail to all Executive Board members. The secretary is responsible for distributing notices of all meetings of the Board and members and for the authentication of the records of the Council. The secretary keeps a permanent book of all minutes and proceedings of the
Council.
6 . The treasurer is the chair of the Finance Committee, collects dues, holds and manages all money, pays all bills, keeps full and accurate accounts of all financial records, makes financial reports as to the financia condition of the organization to the Board and the Council membership, and provides complete information for financial audits and required tax filings.
7 . The executive secretary serves on the Membership Committee. In addition, he/she keeps copies of flyers, programs, newsletters, reports and journals for the Council archives, and serves as historian of the Council.
C. Removal from Office. An officer may be removed from office, with or without cause, at an officially called meeting where that has been identified as an agenda item. A two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board members is required. The decision of the Board shall be final and shall not be reviewable by any court or the OCTE membership.
D . Vacancies. A vacancy in any office is filled by appointment by the president in consultation with the Executive Committee.

Section 1. The time, number, and place of Council and Executive Board meetings are determined by the Executive Board.
Section 2. Special meetings are called by the Executive Committee of the Board or by the call of fifty percent of the Board or at least five percent of the Council embership. Such calls for special meetings shall describe the purpose for the meeting.
Section 3. An annual business meeting of the Council shall be held.
Section 4. A quorum consists of those members present at any official meeting of the Council announced at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
Section 5. The rules contained in Roberts’ Rules of Order, latest revised edition, govern the Oregon Council of Teachers of English in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the constitution and by-laws of the organization.

Section 1. The standing committees of the Council are the Executive Committee, the Program Committee, the Membership Committee, the Publicity and Publications Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Finance Committee, the Research Committee, the Professional Action Committee, and the Social Committee.
Section 2. The Executive Committee consists of the president, who acts as its chair, the president-elect, the vice- president, the secretary, the treasurer, and the executive secretary.
A. The Executive Committee executes the functions of the Executive Board when timely action is required and prohibits convening of the Executive Board. In addition, the Executive Committee appoints the Editor and, in consultation with the Editor, the Editorial Board of the Oregon English Journal, and the Editor of the newsletter, who serve renewable three-year terms.
B. Actions of the Executive Committee are ultimately subject to majority approval of the Executive Board.
Section 3. In consultation with the Executive Committee, the president appoints the chairs of the various committees unless otherwise stipulated from the Executive Board and the committee members. Not all committee members need be Executive Board members.
Section 4. The Program Committee consists of the president-elect (its chair) and at least four other members. Its function is to arrange all details in connection with the programs held by the Council It coordinates with other committees as needed.
Section 5. The Membership Committee consists of the vice-president (its chair), the executive secretary, and at least two additional members. Its function is to promote membership and to analyze the distribution of membership according to geography, grade level, and subject area. It maintains complete and accurate membership records and coordinates mailing renewal notices.
Section 6. The Publicity and Publications Committee consists of the chair and at least two other members chosen from the Board. It has charge of publicity, including the publication of conference advertisement and other Council bulletins, monographs, newsletters or journals. The Publicity and Publications Committee supervises the editors and Editorial Boards of the Oregon English Journal and the Council newsletter.
Section 7. The Nominating Committee consists of the past-president (its chair) and three other members. Its function is to prepare a slate for the biannual election.
Section 8. The Finance Committee consists of the treasurer (its chair) and members of the Executive Committee. Its function is to develop financial policy and to oversee the financial affairs of the Council, develop and propose for adoption an annual budget no later than December 31, at the direction of the Executive Board.
Section 9. The Research Committee consists of a chair and at least two other members. Its function is to encourage, support, screen, and/or conduct research relevant to the purposes of the Council and the teaching of English and language arts and to disseminate findings.
Section 10. The Professional Action Committee consists of a chair and two other members. Is function is to
coordinate Council action on matters pertaining to the welfare and aspirations of the profession.
Section 11. The Social Committee consists of a chair and other member(s). Its function is to organize all social
activities of the Council and Executive Board, usually in conjunction with the Program Committee.

Section 1. This organization, being entitled to representation on the Board of Directors of the National Council ofTeachers of English, elects those members of the Board which it is entitled to name, except where that responsibility is stipulated by office.

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to this constitution may be made by a two-thirds majority vote of the members attending any regular meeting of the Council, provided that notice has been given at a previous meeting or all members have been notified by mail at least two weeks previous to the meeting, or by two-thirds vote of those responding to a mail ballot of the members of the Council.

ARTICLE VIII – DISSOLUTION
In the event of the dissolution of the Oregon Council of Teachers of English, the assets of the organization will be donated to the National Council of Teachers of English, or to another charitable organization as determined by two- thirds vote of the membership.