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Constitution of Michigan Developmental Education Consortium
ARTICLE I NAME
The organization shall be known as the Michigan Developmental
Education Consortium (MDEC).
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The consortium seeks to establish a network of educators involved in
developmental studies in post-secondary institutions for the following purposes:
to share practical matters, to research and discuss theoretical matters,
to refine strategies for quality programs, and to focus on learning as a
lifelong process.
The purpose of this consortium shall be:
1. To provide visibility and significance to learning assistance and
developmental programs through a professional group.
2. To promote support for learning assistance and developmental
programming.
3. To provide a means for identification and interaction with fellow
professionals.
4. To provide an information network.
5. To assess, clarify, and promote professional standards for learning
assistance and developmental programs.
6. To provide professional development activities for
sharing of methods, techniques, and strategies.
7. To provide an arena for the discussion of local, state, and
national issues.
8. To identify and initiate solutions for issues and concerns.
9. To be a spokesgroup for issues directly affecting instructional
programs.
ARTICLE III AFFILIATION
The Michigan Developmental Education Consortium shall be affiliated
with the National Association for Developmental Education (NADE).
ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP
Any individual or institution engaged, involved, and interested in
developmental studies and the purposes of MDEC is eligible for membership.
Such individuals or institutions do not have to be members of NADE in order to
qualify for membership in MDEC.
ARTICLE V OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
Section 1. The officers for the Consortium shall be:
1. President
2. President-Elect
3. Secretary
4. Newsletter Editor
5. Treasurer
6. Membership Chair
These members shall be known as the Executive Board.
Section 2. Committees for the Consortium shall be:
- Nominating
- Professional Standards
- Political Liaison
- Technology
- By-Laws and Constitution
- Awards
- Research
ARTICLE VI GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
Section 1: Executive Board
MDEC shall be governed by an Executive Board composed of its elected
officers: President, President-Elect, Past President,
Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Treasurer, and Membership Chair. The
Executive Board shall have the responsibility for interpreting and implementing
policy actions adopted at the Annual Conference. The Executive Board shall
also have the responsibility for generation of policies deemed necessary between
annual meetings, provided that such interim policies shall not abrogate the
Constitution or duly-voted By-Laws of the Consortium in either intent or letter.
Section 2: Elected Officers
The elected officers of MDEC shall be the President, the
President-Elect, the Past President, the Secretary, the Newsletter Editor, the
Treasurer, and the Membership Chair.
Section 3: Appointed Officers
The appointed officers of MDEC shall be the chairs of the standing
committees and chairs of ad hoc committees as deemed necessary by the Executive
Board. The office of Historian is a long-standing appointed office that
may, upon the discretion of the Executive Board, be carried over year after
year.
Section 4: The Emeritus Council
The Emeritus Council shall be composed of all past presidents of the
Consortium who remain members in good standing. This council shall be
chaired by the immediate Past President and shall serve in an advisory capacity
to the Executive Board on all matters for which the Board seeks its counsel.
Section 5: Nominations and Election of Officers
a.) The Nominating Committee, a Standing Committee of this
Constitution, is responsible for implementing procedures to fill all elected
offices and administering all association-wide balloting. It shall consist
of a Chair and as many members seen as necessary for carrying out the duties of
the office. The Executive Board will oversee all activities of the
Committee and ensure the integrity of all elections.
b.) The Nominating Committee shall request and accept
nominations from the membership and shall forward all nominations and a
recommended list of nominees to the Executive Board for review no later than
ninety (90) days before the opening of the Annual Conference, or earlier if
required by existing policies and procedures. Criteria in use by the
committee for establishing the recommended list shall be provided to the
membership on request and shall be consistent with the principles and purposes
of the Consortium, timely, and in the Consortium’s best interests and
priorities.
c.) The Nominating Committee shall present to the membership, in
ballot form, the final list of nominees. The ballot shall be sent to the
membership no later than thirty (30) days prior to the opening of the Annual
Conference.
d.) Elected officers shall be elected by a plurality of members
in good standing who return a mailed ballot prepared for that purpose.
Section 6: Appointment of Officers
Upon recommendation of the President, the Executive Board shall
appoint chairs of Standing Committees.
Section 7: Terms of Office
a.) Elected officers shall serve for two-year terms, except as
noted below, and alternated in the following manner to provide continuity to
Board activities:
1.) Election of the Secretary shall be in even-numbered years.
2.) Election of the Treasurer shall be in odd-numbered years.
3.) Election of the Membership Chair shall be in even-numbered years.
4.) Election of the Newsletter Editor shall be in odd-numbered years.
5.) The term of office for the President-Elect shall be one year,
with annual elections for the office of President-Elect.
6.) The President-Elect shall become President immediately upon
expiration of the preceding President’s term.
7.) Two-year terms of office shall commence on the final day of the
Annual Conference and end on the penultimate day of the following Annual
Conference two years hence; one-year terms of office shall commence on the
final day of the Annual Conference and end on the penultimate day of the
following Annual Conference.
b.) Appointed officers shall serve upon the recommendation of the
President and subsequent majority approval of the Executive Board. Terms
of office for appointed members shall be one year, renewable without
restriction.
Section 8: Removal from Office
a.) When an elected officer of the Consortium shall be deemed as
acting or performing in a manner contrary to the purposes of MDEC, both explicit
and implied, or contrary to the positive advancement of the Consortium, or
performing the duties and responsibilities of the office held in an insufficient
or unsatisfactory manner, such an officer may be removed from that office and
the office declared vacant. There shall be two types of removal: Temporary
(Suspension) and Permanent (Impeachment).
b.) When, in the opinion of a majority of the elected officers of the
Consortium or upon written petition by no less than 1/6th of the membership in
good standing, the removal of an officer is in the best interests of the overall
Consortium, the highest-ranking officer of the Board remaining shall inform the
officer charged in writing of the Board’s decision, or of the membership’s
petition, and of the specific reasons for such action. Such notification
must be verifiable and shall allow a time limit for response to such charges
from the officer charged of not less than sixty (60) days from the date of
receipt of notification. From the time of the Board’s decision until the
end of the response period, the officer charged shall be considered “suspended”
and without the privileges of office. If a clearing of all charges results
from further procedures, then the individual shall be reinstated without
prejudice. If charges are brought by membership petition, the
highest-ranking member of the Board remaining shall appoint an Advocate for
their position, drawn from members of the general membership and acceptable to
the initiating membership, who shall be responsible for
representing their interests through any and all proceedings.
c.) If, by the end of the response period, no response has been
forthcoming from the officer charged, the Board shall inform the officer charged
that either the Temporary Removal has been rescinded and the officer has been
reinstated without prejudice, or the Removal has reverted to Permanent status
and the office is immediately declared vacant. Two votes of the remaining
Board members are required to enact Permanent Removal; three votes for
rescinding and reinstatement. The officer charged shall be notified in
writing of the decision of the Board within seven (7) days of the date of said
decision.
d.) If the officer charged responds to the Board’s accusations, the
officer is entitled to a full hearing before the Board, to an Appeals hearing,
or both. Convened by the highest- ranking officer remaining on the Board,
the officers shall meet in Executive Session for a resolution of differences.
This full hearing shall result in either a full reinstatement of a
permanent removal, as so voted by three of the remaining officers. The
Board’s decision shall be transmitted in writing to the officer charged, with
explanation and rights of appeal.
e.) Upon written request of the officer removed, either directly in
response to the Board’s initial notification of Suspension, or as a result of
the Board’s full hearing and Removal decision, the highest-ranking officer
remaining shall convene an Appeals Hearing within forty-five (45) days of
receipt of such request before three officials: one Past-President of the
Consortium, agreed upon by the majority of remaining Board members; one member
of the general membership, chosen by the majority of remaining Board members
with veto rights of the officer removed to a limit of two; one member of the
general membership in good standing chosen by the officer removed with veto
rights of the Board to a limit of two. Arguments shall be presented by
responsible representatives of each side to the officials, whose decision of
Reinstatement or of non-Reinstatement shall be final.
f.) The Executive Board may dismiss appointed officials at any time
during their term of appointment by a majority vote of the Board.
ARTICLE VII ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The Annual Conference shall meet yearly at a time and place fixed by
the Executive Board. The President, with the concurrence of the Executive
Board, shall appoint a chair for the conference. Written notices must be
mailed to the addresses of all members in good standing at least sixty (60) days
before the meeting is held.
ARTICLE VIII BUSINESS AFFAIRS OF MDEC
Section 1: Control and Management
All property of the Consortium shall be subject to the control and
management of the Executive Board. Any accumulation or disposal of
property, except upon dissolution of the Consortium, must be approved in advance
by the Executive Board. The Board may provide the Annual Conference Chair
with Executive Privilege in order that disbursements may be made in a timely
fashion for the expenses of the Annual Conference; however, the Annual
Conference Chair must provide an initial projected budget prior to the
Conference and an updated and revised budget upon the completion of the
Conference and within no more than sixty (60) days of the end of the penultimate
day of the Conference.
Section 2: Disposal upon Dissolution
Upon Dissolution of the Consortium, none of its property shall be
distributed to any of the members, and all such property shall be transferred to
such other organizations as the Executive Board shall determine to have purposes
and activities most nearly consonant with those of the Consortium, provided that
such other organizations shall be exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the
Internal Revenue Code or corresponding provision of the Internal Revenue Laws.
Section 3: Challenge of Executive Decision to Dispose
In the event of dissolution, the Executive Board shall submit by mail
to the members in good standing a plan of dissolution and proposal to dispose of
Consortium property if formally requested by a petition of not less than twenty
(20) members. Such a plan and/or proposal shall be mailed sixty (60) days
before any action is taken and must be supported by a plurality of members
returning ballots. The voting shall be conducted in a fashion consistent
with the election procedures outlined above, Article VI, Section 5,
and administered by the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE IX COMMITTEES
Section 1: Appointment of Committees
Except in those cases delineated elsewhere in this Constitution, the
President, with the concurrence of the Executive Board, shall name such standing
and special committees as may be needed to conduct the activities of the
Consortium.
Section 2: Standing Committees
The Standing Committees of the Consortium shall consist of the
following: Nominating, Professional Standards, Political Liaison, Technology,
By-Laws and Constitution, Awards, and Research as well as other Standing
Committees added to the By-Laws of this Consortium by action of the Executive
Board and the membership.
Section 3: Special Committees
Committees serving the interests of the members may be established or
reappointed yearly by the President with the concurrence of the Executive Board.
Section 4: Reports
Each Standing Committee shall submit a written report of its
activities at each Executive Board meeting and at any time when requested to do
so by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE X RULES OF ORDER
Section 1: Roberts Rules of Order Revised
Roberts Rules of Order Revised (latest edition) shall be the
parliamentary authority for the proceedings of the Consortium unless otherwise
specified by the Constitution or its By-Laws.
Section 2: Parliamentarian
The President may appoint a Parliamentarian for all official meetings
of the Consortium from among those in attendance.
ARTICLE XI AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the Constitution may be made at any Annual Conference by
a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present, with proposed
amendments sent at least one month in advance to all members.
ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION
Upon dissolution of the Michigan Developmental Education Consortium,
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 Executive Board.
By Laws of Michigan Developmental Education Consortium
ARTICLE I: RULES OF ORDER
Roberts Rules of Order, most current edition available, shall
guide the Consortium in all areas not covered by these By-Laws.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
The annual dues of members shall be reviewed each year and set
by the Executive Board. The fiscal year shall be from September 1
to August 30. Conference fees shall include the membership fee.
A separate membership fee is assessed to those who do not attend the annual
conference. The membership year extends from conference to conference.
ARTICLE III: MEETINGS
The annual meeting of the membership of the Consortium shall
be held each year at a time and location specified by the Executive Board
in conjunction with the annual conference committee. Other meetings
of the membership may be held at such regular intervals as may be prescribed
from time to time by the Executive Board or by the membership at any annual
meeting. Notice of the annual meeting and of other meetings established
by the Executive Board shall be sent to all members of the Consortium at
least one month or thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. All members
of the Consortium in good standing have the right to attend all membership
meetings, annual, regular, or special and hold voting privileges.
They may also attend Executive Board meetings as non-voting observers.
ARTICLE IV: EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1: The affairs of the Consortium shall be conducted by
the Executive Board, consisting of six (6) officers, as outlined
in the Constitution (Article V, Section 1). The term of each of the
officers shall correspond with the term of the office to which the member
was elected. Whenever any officer ceases to be a member of the Consortium,
or ceases to hold the office which qualified him/her as an officer, during
the term of office, or is removed from that office by procedures
outlined under Article VI, Section 9 of the Constitution,
there shall be a vacancy created for that office. Vacancies in the
office of President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be filled
by appointment by the President, until such time as an interim election
by mail ballot can be properly held under the procedures of the Constitution
and elsewhere in these By-Laws. If a vacancy occurs within the last
six (6) months of an officer’s two-year term, an appointment to fill the
office may be made until the next regularly scheduled election for that
office is held. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the President-elect,
procedures for a special election to fill that position shall begin within
thirty (30) days of notification or election at the regularly-scheduled
election, whichever comes first. If the office of President becomes
vacant, the Executive Board shall, by majority vote, continue with the
President-Elect as its presiding officer or request the assistance of a
President-Emeritus for the remainder of the term of office.
Section 2: Meetings of the Executive Board shall be regular and
special. A regular meeting shall be held not less often than twice
a year, at a time and place designated by the Executive Board. Special
meetings may be called by the President and shall be called at the request
of any three (3) officers of the Consortium. Sufficient notice of
any special meeting shall be given to each officer at least five (5) days
before the date of any special meeting. Notification of meetings
shall be confirmed by the President in writing to all officers. The notice
shall state the business to be transacted at the special meeting, and no
other business shall be transacted at the special meeting
without the approval of the Executive Board.
Section 3: Three (3) members of the Executive Board shall constitute
a quorum of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE V: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1: The President shall act as chair and presiding officer
of the Executive Board and shall act as presiding officer at every meeting
of the membership of the Consortium and at every meeting of the Executive
Board. In addition, the President shall a.) develop a plan of action
in conjunction with the Executive Board designed to accomplish the Consortium’s
objectives and goals; b.) appoint all committee chairs and act as ex-officio
member of all committees except the Nominating Committee; c.) engage in
liaison activities with other associations, institutions, or legislative
bodies as necessary to promote the goals and objectives
of the Consortium; d.) report on the status of the Consortium at the Annual
Conference’ and e.) implement the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws
of the Consortium.
Section 2: The President-Elect shall act as presiding officer
of the Consortium in the absence of the President and shall also be responsible
for updating and revising the Consortium’s procedures manual at year’s
end, in cooperation with the Secretary, and for coordinating the process
of amending the Constitution and By-Laws, and for carrying out additional
duties at the discretion of the President and the Executive Board.
Section 3: The Secretary shall be the official custodian of all
documents belonging to the Consortium, shall record the proceedings of
all general and special meetings of the membership and of the Executive
Board, and shall carry out the general duties of the Consortium including:
a.) corresponding on behalf of the Executive board, including notifying
all members of the Executive Board of meetings; b.) providing Executive
Board members with copies of minutes of meetings prior to each meeting;
and c.) preparing an annual report within thirty (30) days after the annual
meeting.
Section 4: The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for editing,
coordinating and supervising the production of the Consortium newsletter,
overseeing the budget for all newsletter publications and providing the
membership with no fewer than three (3) newsletter issues a year.
Section 5: The Treasurer shall be responsible for all the financial
transactions of the Consortium. In this capacity, the Treasurer shall
a.) receive and record the receipts of all dues and other income as well
as expenditures approved by the Executive Board; b.) write
and sign all checks for all expenditures authorized by the Executive Board;
and c.) make a financial report at each general and special
meetings of the membership and the Executive Board. The Treasurer
shall also supervise, monitor, and finalize all financial transactions
of the Annual Conference. There shall be a review of the books of
the Consortium upon change of the elected Treasurer or at the request of
the Executive Board.
Section 6: The Membership Chair shall a.) develop an annual recruitment
plan for building the Consortium’s membership and implementing plans for
new membership; b.) answer all correspondence regarding
MDEC membership; c.) maintain and update the Consortium’s membership list
on a regular and consistent basis; and d.) provide information regarding
the membership list and its status at the request of the President of the
Consortium or its Executive Board.
Section 7: the Chair for the Nominating Committee shall:
a.) issue a call for nominations of candidates for MDEC offices
either through special mailing of the newsletter;
b.) confirm each candidate’s intention to run for office;
c.) provide each candidate with a written description of the
responsibilities and duties of the offices to which he/she has been nominated;
d.) develop criteria for Board approval to be used in the selection
of recommended nominees;
e.) forward all nominations and a recommended list of nominees
to the Executive Board no later than ninety (90) days prior to the opening
of the Annual Conference;
f.) provide all members of MDEC with mail ballots for this list
of officers at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Conference; and
g.) collect all ballots and inform the Executive Board of the
results for each office.
Section 8: The Chair for the Professional Standards Committee
shall develop and disseminate a statement of professional standards and
ethics for practitioners in the field of developmental education.
Section 9: The Chair for the Political Liaison Committee shall
collect and disseminate to the membership information with regard to state
and national legislation affecting developmental education and will assist
the Executive Board in making informed responses to same.
Section 10: The Chair for the Technology Committee shall collect
and disseminate to the membership information with regard to current uses
of technology in the field of developmental education.
Section 11: The Chair for the By-Laws and Constitution Committee
shall be responsible for coordinating the process of amending the Constitution
and By-Laws. The President-Elect holds this chair position.
Section 12: the Chair of the Awards Committee shall:
a.) recommend categories for MDEC awards;
b.) develop selection criteria for each awards category;
c.) implement these criteria in selecting recipients for each
of these award categories;
d.) disseminate information regarding the awards and receive
the nominations from the membership;
e.) coordinate the selection process of award recipients;
f.) announce award recipients at the Annual Conference and through
the newsletter; and
g.) provide award recipients at the Annual Conference appropriate
recognition of his/her accomplishments.
Section 13: The Chair of the Research Committee shall conduct
national and statewide surveys and/or other studies as directed by the
Executive Board to provide information to the membership regarding specific
practices and policies in developmental education in Michigan.
ARTICLE VI: TERMS OF OFFICE
Each newly elected office shall take office at the conclusion
of the Annual Conference at which they are elected and shall serve for
one or two years as outlined in Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution.
ARTICLE VII EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1: Executive Board Composition
The Michigan Developmental Education Consortium will consist
of the following elected members: President, President-Elect, Secretary,
Newsletter Editor, Treasurer, and Membership Chair. These elected
officers will hold voting privileges at the Executive Board meetings and
other special meetings called by the President or a representative of the
President. An Executive Committee to support the Executive Board
shall consist of the following appointed members: immediate Past-President,
two at-large representatives, chosen by the President with Executive Board
approval to provide geographic, institutional, or philosophical balance
to the Executive Board. In the event that the immediate Past-President
is not available for any reason, three at-large representatives
will be chosen by the President. These appointed members of the Executive
Committee shall not hold voting privileges at the Executive Board meetings.
Section 2: Executive Board Powers
The Executive Board shall have the responsibility and authority
for interpreting and implementing policy actions adopted by the general
MDEC membership at the Annual Conference and elsewhere. It shall
have the responsibility and authority for generating, interpreting, and
implementing policies deemed necessary between annual conferences and other
expressions of membership will, provided that such interim actions shall
not abrogate the Constitution and By-Laws of the Consortium.
ARTICLE VIII NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Not later than six (6) months prior to the Annual Conference,
the President shall appoint a chair of the Nominations Committee to be
responsible for all aspects of the nominations and election process as
described in Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution for elections at
the next Annual Conference. Officers shall be elected by a simple
majority of the ballots cast. Ballots will be mailed to all members
of the Consortium between February 1 and April 15 of each year. Any
voting member of the Consortium may submit his name or another member’s
name to the Nominating Committee in nomination. The nominee must
be a member in good standing. Prior to January and upon receipt of
the petition, the Nominating Committee shall place the name on the ballot.
ARTICLE IX ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Section 1: An Annual Conference will be held each year.
Dates and location shall be appropriate for maximum attendance of the membership.
Section 2: A meeting of the membership will be held at the Annual
Conference as designated by the Executive Board. Agenda items for
the Consortium at the Annual Conference shall be determined by the Executive
Board and announced at least one month in advance to all members.
Additional agenda items may be placed on the agenda by a two-thirds (2/3)
vote of the members attending the conference.
Section 3: A quorum shall consist of those members present at
the membership meeting.
MDEC is an affiliate of
the National
Association for Developmental Education
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