CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS

OF

COLLEGIATE MIDDLE LEVEL ASSOCIATION AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

Article I

Name

This organization should be known as:

Collegiate Middle Level Association at Central Michigan University

Article II

Purposes

The purposes of the Association are:

Section 1.        To promote fellowship and support among persons interested in the education of young adolescents.

Section 2.        To provide information concerning young adolescents to those interested.

Section 3.        To provide access to outside sources concerned with young adolescents through speakers, local practitioners, practical opportunities, and state and national affiliation.

Section 4.        To promote middle level education at Central Michigan University.

Section 5.        To provide input regarding program offerings and requirements in the Central Michigan University Middle Level Education Program.

Article III

Membership

Section 1.        Membership will be open to all Central Michigan University students interested in the education of young adolescents.

Section 2.        Associate membership is open to all Central Michigan University faculty members, middle level educators, and any other persons interested in the education of young adolescents.

Section 3.        Any student who is student teaching and has been an active member for at least two (2) semesters prior to student teaching shall be considered an honorary member during their student teaching semester(s), and shall be granted all membership rights and privileges.

Section 4.        Membership shall not be denied because of age, color, disability, gender, familial status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or weight.

Section 5.        In addition, membership shall not be denied because of gender identity, gender expression, or other irrelevant criteria.

Article IV

Officers

Section 1.        The officers of the organization shall include President, President‑Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Business Director, Historian, Public Relations Director, and Communications Director.

Section 2.        Each officer will serve one year terms except for the President‑Elect who will serve a two year term as President‑Elect and President.

Section 3.        All officers must be on‑campus students both semesters of their term of office (or, in the case of the President‑Elect, all four semesters), i.e., not student teaching nor graduating in December.

Section 4.        All officers must be members of the organization and shall have been active at least one semester prior to serving their elected term.

Section 5.        In the event of a vacancy in an office, the duties of the office will be divided among the other officers until an election can be held to fill the vacancy.

Section 6.        In the event that an officer is not carrying out the duties of the office, a three‑fourths vote of the membership can remove the officer.

Article V

Meetings

Section 1.        The Executive Board, which shall consist of all elected officers, will meet at the beginning of each semester and on other specific occasions as determined by the President.

Section 2.        The date, time, and location of the regular meetings of the Association shall be set by the Executive Board and published via a calendar for the semester which shall be provided to each member.

Section 3.        The proceedings of meetings, including the agenda, will be informal as determined by the Executive Board.

Section 4.        Special meetings of the membership may be called at the discretion of the Executive Board. The membership shall be notified in writing, concerning such meetings one week before the meeting date.

Article VI

Advisors

Section 1.        There shall be at least one (1) advisor:

A. The advisor must be a faculty member of the Middle Level Education Program.

B. If there is a second advisor, he/she may be from the Central Michigan University faculty or community and be nominated and elected by the Association.

Section 2.        Duties of the advisors shall be to advise and assist in all activities sponsored by the organization.

Article VII

Amendments

Section 1.        An amendment may be proposed orally or in writing by a member of the Association to the Executive Board.

Section 2.        The proposed amendment , if recommended by the Executive Board, will be discussed for no more than two meetings before a final vote is taken.

Section 3.        A majority of the total active membership is required for passage of an amendment to this Constitution.

Section 4.        Amendments shall be effective immediately upon passage.

Article VIII

Dissolution

Section 1.        Should the Association be dissolved, all assets of the Association should be distributed to the Center for Excellence in Education (formerly Michigan Schools in the Middle), Ronan Hall 207, Central Michigan University.

Section 2.        A dissolution of the Association will become final upon a majority decision of the membership present at the dissolution meeting.

BYLAWS

Article I

Duties of the Officers

Section 1. The President shall:

A. Preside at all meetings of the Association.

B. Appoint chairpersons for ad hoc committees deemed necessary to carry on the business of the Association.

C. Be responsible for the Association's representation at any requested function.

Section 2. The President‑Elect Shall:

A. Assist any and all officers regarding the official business of the Association.

B. Represent the Association in the President’s absence.

C. Be in charge of election proceedings.

Section 3. The Secretary shall:

A. Keep a record of all official proceedings of the Association.

B. Keep a list of the membership of the Association and a record of attendance at meetings.

C. Be responsible for communications to membership and others specified by the Executive Board.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall:

A. Be in charge of all funds of the Association.

B. Keep accurate record of all transactions.

C. Receive and pay all bills approved by the membership.

D. Report conditions of the treasury at each Executive Board meeting.

E. Prepare a budget with the assistance of the faculty advisor for presentation to and consideration by the Executive Board.

Section 5. The Business Director shall:

A. Be responsible for all fund raising activities.

B. Assist the treasurer with the finances dealing with these activities.

Section 6. The Historian shall:

A. Create an album/scrapbook of all the Association's activities throughout the year.

B. Be the Association's official photographer, responsible for the taking of pictures needed for the album/scrapbook and for official publications.

Section 7. The Public Relations Director shall:

A. Be responsible for notifying members of all meetings.

B. Be responsible for the welcoming of new members.

C. Respond to any inquiries regarding the Association.

Section 8. The Communications Director shall:

A. Be responsible for all communications with CMLA.

B. Represent CMLACMU at the CMLA annual meetings at the NMSA Headquarters in the spring and at the annual NMSA conference.

C. Be responsible for all mass e-mailing to members and the maintenance of the website, including the checking of the discussion board.

Article II

Duties of the Executive Board

Section 1. The Executive Board shall:

A. Be responsible for guiding the organization toward the fulfillment of its purposes.

B. Meet at the request of the President.

C. Advise on the appointment of committees.

D. Have power to transact all routine business in the interim of organization meetings.

E. Be responsible for appointing delegates from the membership to represent the organization whenever deemed necessary.

Article III

Election Procedures

Section 1.        Nominations for regularly elected officers shall be presented at the meeting one month prior to the meeting of the election date.

Section 2.        Elections for all officers shall be held two meetings before the end of Spring semester.

Section 3.        Officers shall be elected by majority vote by written ballot. The term will

                         begin the first date of the semester following the election.

Article IV

Committees

Section 1.        Ad hoc committees shall be established and shall function as considered necessary for the welfare and work of the Association.

Section 2.        Chairpersons of committees shall be appointed by the President.

Section 3.         Committee membership will be formed on a volunteer basis.

Article V

Membership

Section 1.        The membership year shall be based on the regular school year: Fall semester to Spring semester.

Section 2.        Active membership is constituted by attending at least seventy‑five percent of the membership meetings (or substituted approved supplemental activities) and paying the assessed semester dues.

Section 3.        Active members are entitled to voting privileges and active participation in official business.

Section 4.        A majority vote of members present is required to pass any official business of the Association.