Bylaws Updated 12/91;

Amended 7/93; 8/94; 7/95; 7/96; 9/01,  7/05, 7/07; 7/09

ASSOCIATION FOR GENDER EQUITY LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION

BYLAWS

ARTICLE I-NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education (AGELE).

ARTICLE II MISSION

The mission of the Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education is to provide leadership in the identification and infusion of gender equity in all educational programs and processes and within parallel equity concerns including, but not limited to age, disability, ethnicity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.

ARTICLE III-CHARACTER OF ORGANIZATION

AGELE is a nonprofit membership organization.  The fiscal year shall be January 1 through December 31.

AGELE is an equal opportunity organization and employer.  It is committed to inclusive leadership, policies, and practices at all levels of the organization by gender, age, disability, ethnicity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.

ARTICLE IV-MEMBERSHIP

Membership in AGELE shall be open to all persons who support AGELE’s mission and who have paid their dues. Organizational memberships are available to institutions and/or associations that support AGELE’s mission.  Membership levels shall include: Individual, Organizational, Retired, Student, Supporting, and Life.

Life membership may be offered to persons who have made outstanding contributions to AGELE and/or its mission.  Life members shall have all the rights and privileges of membership.  Life membership shall be granted upon a majority vote of the Steering Committee. The membership year shall be from July 1 through June 30.

ARTICLE V-DUES

A. Dues for all levels of membership shall be set by the Steering Committee upon approval of the membership at a face to face or electronic Business Meeting. Electronic is defined as a current or future means that provides for meeting as a group without being in the same physical location, such as, but not limited to, telephone or web-based technology.

B. In order to be a member in good standing, dues shall be remitted by July 1 of each year.  Additional memberships may be submitted at any time and, upon receipt, shall be effective for the remainder of that member year.  Dues submitted after May 1 shall be effective through the next membership year.

ARTICLE VI-GOVERNANCE

A.  Steering Committee/Board of Directors

AGELE shall be governed by a Board of Directors, herein known as the Steering Committee.  The Steering Committee shall consist of three (3) to seven (7) elected members, three (3) ex-officio members and emeriti members.  The Business Manager and the Conference Liaison are ex-officio members of the Steering Committee, are AGELE members in good standing, and have voice and no vote.  As ex-officio members, they attend all meetings of the Steering Committee.

B.  Term of Office of the Steering Committee

The term of office of an elected Steering Committee member shall be three (3) years.  Terms shall be staggered so that within the span of three years two positions, three positions, and two positions respectively shall be open.  A Steering Committee member will serve as AGELE Chair. The Secretary is appointed by the Steering Committee Chair for a one-year term.    The Business Manager and the Communications Manager serve by contract for terms negotiated by the Chair and approved by the Steering Committee.

C.  Election of the Steering Committee

Steering Committee members shall be elected during an AGELE conference or meeting by those present or participating electronically by a simple majority of those voting at a time designated by the Steering Committee.  There shall be no voting by proxy.  The out-going Steering Committee members shall be responsible for the dissemination, collection and counting of Steering Committee election ballots.

D.  Candidacy for the Steering Committee

Candidacy for the Steering Committee shall be self-declared.  Candidacy requirements are:  1) membership in good standing (dues paid) at time of candidacy; 2) membership for at least one (1) year; 3) attendance at a prior AGELE Conference (s) or meeting (s).  Qualified, active members may offer their candidacy for elective office by submitting an official form with the Chair of the Steering Committee thirty (30) calendar days prior to the election.  Past AGELE Steering Committee members may serve as emeriti steering committee members upon the annual nomination by the Chair and approval of the Steering Committee.

E.  Duties of the Steering Committee

1.  The Steering Committee as a body shall be responsible for the following:

a. Development and implementation of the programs, policies and practices of AGELE.

b.  Appointment of members to serve on standing committees, special committees, or task forces which are needed to implement the mission of AGELE.

c. Filling of all vacancies which may occur on the Steering Committee as provided for in Article X.

d. Monitoring of the organization for inclusive policies, practices, and leadership (including elected and appointed leadership).

e. Recommending membership levels and the amount of dues for these levels to the membership for approval.

f.   Preparing the agenda and reports for the AGELE Business Meetings (face to face or electronic) of the membership.

g. Hiring and contracting with the Business Manager and the Communications Manager and for any other services deemed necessary by the Steering Committee.

2.  Each individual Steering Committee member shall be responsible for the following:

a. Attending all Steering Committee meeting sessions, including electronic meetings;

b. Carrying out all assigned committee functions;

c. Carrying out other duties as defined in the Procedures Manual or requested by the Chair, of the Steering Committee

d. Responding to requests for votes and information within the established time frame;

3.  In between Annual Business Meeting(s), the Steering Committee may establish an interim process in order to meet requirements of state and/or federal laws, or meet the petitioned request of a majority of members.

F.  Meetings of the Steering Committee

1.  The Steering Committee shall meet at an AGELE Conference when such a conference is held.   Special meetings of the Steering Committee may be called by the Chair when, in her/his judgment, such meetings would enhance the mission of AGELE, or may be called upon written request of the majority of the elected members of the Committee. Steering Committee meetings may be in person or by electronic means.

2.  The Steering Committee shall have no more than seven voting members and no fewer than three voting members.

3.   Any action item requires a simple majority for adoption.

G.  Compensation

Steering Committee members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for approved expenses.

H.  Non-Liability of Steering Committee Members

The Steering Committee members shall not be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, or other obligations of AGELE.

ARTICLE VII-OFFICERS

The officers of AGELE shall be a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Business Manager. The Chair and the Vice-Chair shall be elected by the members of the Steering Committee from its elected membership. The Secretary is appointed by the Steering Committee Chair. The Chair of the Finance and Development Committee shall serve as Treasurer of the organization.  The Business Manager is considered an officer of the organization for the purpose of entering into contracts and other fiscal or legal documents on behalf of the organization with the advice and consent of the Chair or the Treasurer.

ARTICLE VIII-DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

A.  Chair

The duties of the Chair shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1.  Serve as the Executive Officer of AGELE.

2.  Assist with the planning, provide notice of the dates and locations, and preside at AGELE conferences or meetings

3.  Serve as the official spokesperson of AGELE.

4.  Serve as the Chair of the meetings of the membership and Steering Committee.

5.  Establish, with the approval of the Steering Committee, any additional standing committees not contained in By-Laws as well as special committees and task forces that might be necessary to effectively implement the mission of AGELE as defined in Article II of these By-Laws.

6.  Recognize member-initiated discussion group(s) relative to the mission of AGELE. 7.  Notify the Steering Committee members of the dates, times and places of all Steering Committee meetings.

8.  Issue contracts for the Business Manager and Communications Manager.

9.  Oversee the work of the Business Manager, Conference Liaison, Communications Manager, Secretary, and any contracted or appointed support staff of AGELE.

10. Conduct an annual review of the Business Manager, Conference Liaison, Communications Manager, Secretary, and any contracted or appointed support staff of AGELE.

B.   Vice-Chair

The duties of the Vice-Chair shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1.  Succeed to the office of the Chair in the event of a vacancy.

2.  Perform such other duties as may be designated by the Chair.

3.  Preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair.

4.  Provide for the monitoring of inclusiveness within the organization.

5. Coordinate the annual recruitment for the Steering Committee, with the goal of diversifying leadership and identifying more candidates than there are vacancies available for election.

C.  Treasurer

The Finance and Development Committee Chair shall serve as the Treasurer for corporate purposes.  Treasurer responsibilities shall be included in the description for Finance and Development Committee Chair.

D.   Secretary

The Secretary is a voting member of the Steering Committee.  The duties of the Secretary shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.  Record the minutes as the official record of AGELE.

2.  Maintain the minutes of the Steering Committee meetings, membership meetings, and Business Meetings.

3.  Forward to the AGELE Archives, on an annual basis, official records for the past year for inclusion in the annual Archives update. If a Secretary is not appointed by the chair, the duties will be shared by steering committee members.

E.   Business Manager

The Business Manager is a non-voting officer of the Steering Committee with voice and no vote.  The duties of the Business Manager shall include but not be limited to:

1.  The provision of financial services.

2.  The provision of membership services.

3. The maintenance of AGELE’s mailing address and the provision of mail management services.

4.  Providing assistance to the AGELE Conference Liaison in the preparation of AGELE conferences or meetings, budgets, handling registration, signing contracts and all finances for AGELE.

5. Submit and maintain copies of AGELE’s records, reports, and forms provided to respective federal and state agencies.

F. Communications Manager

The Communications Manager when one is employed by the Steering Committee serves by contract and will have voice but no vote when attending Steering Committee meetings. The duties of the Communications Manager shall include but not be limited to:

1. 1.        Prepare an annual communications plan for approval by the Steering Committee
2. 2.        Design, update, and provide ongoing maintenance of the AGELE website.
3. 3.        Implement a variety of communication vehicles for AGELE
4. 4.        Recommend needed changes in communication procedures, processes or services.
5. 5.        Attend the AGELE conference(s) and/or Steering Committee Meetings at the Chair’s request.

G.  Conference Liaison

The Conference Liaison, when needed, is appointed by the AGELE Chair with the approval of the Steering Committee and will have voice but no vote when attending Steering Committee meetings…

Specific duties are:

1. Work directly with the Steering Committee and conference planners in the creation and development of AGELE conferences

2. Negotiate hotel and other conference logistics in consultation with the Business Manager.

3.  Provide on-going technical assistance to local conference planners

4. On an on-going basis, review and assess the continuous progress of the local conference planners with respect to their development of the up-coming conferences.

5.  Attend Steering Committee meetings and provide to the Steering Committee, a progress report on the development of the next and subsequent AGELE conference (s).

6.  During AGELE conferences, provide on-going technical assistance as needed or requested in order to assure the smooth, continuous, operation of the conferences.

ARTICLE IX- REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.

Steering Committee members may be removed from office for failure to diligently carry out the duties of their office as determined by a majority vote of the Steering Committee.

ARTICLE X-VACANCY ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE

The Steering Committee may fill a vacant position(s) on the Steering Committee by appointment until the next regularly scheduled election by the membership to fill the remainder of the term.  Whenever possible, appointments shall be made to fill vacancies as described in the AGELE Procedures Manual and to increase the diversity of the Steering Committee membership.

ARTICLE XI-STANDING COMMITTEES

AGELE shall have five (5) standing committees as follows:

1. 1.        By-Laws, Procedures, and Legislation
2. 2.        Communication
3. 3.        Finance and Development
4. 4.        Member Services
5. 5.        Professional Development

A.  Membership of Standing Committees

Each standing committee shall be chaired by a member of the Steering Committee.  Except where specified in these By-Laws, the membership of each standing committee shall not be limited in number, and all members of AGELE are encouraged to volunteer to serve on the committee of their choice.  Because AGELE is committed to inclusive leadership at all levels of the organization, the Chairs or Co-Chairs for the committees shall at all times be inclusive and representative as provided in Article III.

B.   Business of Standing Committees

1.  Standing committees shall conduct business at the call of their Chairs, upon written request of the Steering Committee, or upon the written request of a majority of the committee membership.

2.  A minimum of two (2) weeks notice to respective Committee members must be given prior to each meeting.

3.  All standing committees shall plan and report through their chairs to the Steering Committee and to the membership.

ARTICLE XII-DUTIES OF STANDING COMMITTEES

A.  By-Laws, Procedures and Legislative

The duties of the By-Laws, Procedures and Legislative Committee shall be to:

1. 1.        Develop and review proposed By-Laws amendments for consistency with existing By-Laws, federal, state and tax laws, and the mission of AGELE.
2. 2.        Assist the Chair in questions of clarity regarding the AGELE By-Laws.
3. 3.        Act as a parliamentarian at Steering Committee meetings and at AGELE Business meeting (s).
4. 4.        Keep the content of the AGELE Procedures Manual accurate and up to date.
5. 5.        Create information for the membership of legislative and public policy issues that concern AGELE.
6. 6.        Report legislative expenditures to the Business Manager for required federal reports.
7. 7.        Work with coalitions of groups having compatible legislative concerns.
8. 8.        Prepare articles for AGELE communications.
9. 9.        Prepare an annual plan and report of committee work.
10. 10.     Perform other committee-related duties as requested by the Steering Committee.

B.  Communication

The duties of the Communication Committee shall be to:

1. 1.        Develop a public information program consistent with the goals and mission of AGELE.
2. 2.        Develop effective methods of communicating with the AGELE membership as necessary and appropriate.
3. 3.        Oversee the functions, operations, and content of the AGELE web site.
4. 4.        Receive, collect, catalog, and forward annually to the designated archives repository, those documents, materials, and artifacts that are of relevance to AGELE.
5. 5.        Provide support and coordination in the preparation and development of AGELE communications.
6. 6.        Prepare articles for AGELE communications.
7. 7.         Prepare an annual plan and report of committee work.
8. 8.        Perform other committee-related duties as requested by the Steering Committee.

C.  Finance and Development

The duties of the Finance and Development Committee shall be to:

1. 1.        Provide an annual draft budget of income and expenses to the Steering Committee.
2. 2.        Arrange for the annual audit of the financial records of the organization.
3. 3.        Facilitate the process of goal setting and long range planning for AGELE structure and programs based upon AGELE mission, goals, resolutions, and Steering Committee actions.
4. 4.        Assess the progress towards the goals and report annually to the Steering Committee.
5. 5.        Develop and implement a fundraising plan to support the organization, the Barb Landers Memorial Award, the Shirley McCune Award, The Dolores “Dee” Grayson Research Award, and other awards as appropriate.
6. 6.        Prepare articles for AGELE communications.
7. 7.         Prepare an annual plan and report of committee work.
8. 8.        Perform other committee-related duties as requested by the Steering Committee.
9. 9.        The Finance and Development Committee Chair  shall  serve as the Treasurer for Corporate Purposes

D. Professional Development

The duties of the Professional Development Committee shall be to:

1. 1.        Plan and coordinate AGELE professional development activities to be delivered in a variety of modes including face-to-face and web-based.
2. 2.        Develop new resources and technical assistance materials
3. 3.        Provide certification for individuals completing AGELE professional development programs
4. 4.        Provide support for AGELE conferences, including the identification of potential key note speakers.
5. 5.        Report periodically to the membership on research, innovation and best practices.
6. 6.        Prepare articles for AGELE communications.
7. 7.         Prepare an annual plan and report of committee work.
8. 8.        Perform other committee-related duties as requested by the Steering Committee.

E. Member Services

The duties of the Member Services Committee shall be to:

1. 1.        Survey, coordinate and develop membership outreach and services in a manner that emphasizes/maintains/expands the diversity of AGELE.
2. 2.        Recommend award recipients to the Steering Committee. Follow specific procedures for the respective awards as delineated in the Procedures Manual.  If no nomination(s) is (are) received for the Shirley McCune Award or the Dolores “Dee” Grayson Research Award by the due date, notify the Steering Committee, which will assume the responsibility for identifying a recipient.
3. 3.        Prepare and submit an annual membership report as part of its overall Committee report at AGELE Conferences and meetings.
4. 4.        Facilitate the establishment, work, reports, and closure of Task Forces as supported by the membership’s interest in current issues and strategies.
5. 5.        Provide oversight and direction to established and potential Regional Chapters of AGELE.
6. 6.        Prepare articles for AGELE communications.
7. 7.        Prepare an annual plan and report of committee work.
8. 8. Perform other committee-related duties as requested by the Steering Committee.

ARTICLE XIII – ARCHIVES

The purpose and maintenance of the AGELE Archives is to preserve the history of the organization and to chronicle its acts.  Archived items shall include all the official records and other relevant historical materials of AGELE.  A description of what is to be included in the organization’s archives and its maintenance shall be included in the Procedures Manual.

ARTICLE XIV-MEMBER INITIATED DISCUSSION GROUPS

Member initiated discussion groups consist of members who wish to converse on common concerns.  Member initiated discussion groups shall self-declare to the Steering Committee Chair and may meet at AGELE Conferences and/ or by electronic means. Member initiated discussion groups shall report through their spokesperson to the Steering Committee Chair as requested.

ARTICLE XV-ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING AND VOTING RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

A.  Location

The membership of AGELE shall meet each year at such time and place or by electronic means as determined by the Steering Committee.   Every attempt shall be made to vary the geographic location of AGELE Conferences.

B.  Annual Business Meeting

Organizational business shall be transacted at a business meeting of the membership, which may be held at an AGELE conference or by electronic means.  A quorum shall be those members present or participating electronically and voting, and a simple majority shall determine a vote. The organization shall have at least one business meeting annually.

The membership shall approve official position statements of AGELE by receiving and acting upon resolutions and recommendations brought before it by the Steering Committee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Task Forces, and/or member initiated discussion groups or individual members may present resolutions and recommendations leading to official AGELE positions to the membership through the Steering Committee. All position statements will be acted upon within 60 days through electronic means or at a Business Meeting…  Any amendments to the By-Laws shall be acted upon by the membership at a Business Meeting according to Article XIX of these By-Laws.

ARTICLE XVI – TASK FORCES

Task Forces consist of members who wish to study in great depth specific topics related to gender equity leadership in education.  A member or group of members can establish a task force by petitioning the Member Services Chair about the establishment of a task force via Procedures Manual guidelines.  Task Forces shall meet formally during AGELE conferences and communicate with each other on an on-going basis throughout the year.

Task Forces shall report via their respective Task Force Chair to the membership on their activities and goals for the upcoming year through AGELE communications.

ARTICLE XVII – REGIONAL CHAPTERS

Regional Chapters of AGELE may be established for the purpose of furthering the mission and goals of AGELE on a regional level.  Proposals for Regional Chapters may be submitted for approval of the Steering Committee at any regularly scheduled Steering Committee meeting.  The proposal should include the geographic area to be covered and a list of current AGELE members who have indicated their willingness to become members of the proposed Regional Chapter.  Regional Chapters of AGELE may be dissolved by the Steering Committee at the request of the Chapter. Other procedures deemed necessary to govern Regional Chapters of AGELE shall be developed as needed and included in the AGELE Procedures Manual.

ARTICLE XVII-PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the proceedings of all meetings of AGELE and its committees.

ARTICLE XIX-AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

These By-Laws shall be the standard of governance for the organization and may be amended at scheduled Business Meeting(s) by a majority of voting members present or participating electronically. A copy of the proposed amendments shall be mailed to each member of AGELE, either by electronic mail or by the United States Postal Service not less than thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled annual Business Meeting, or other meeting (s)  at which the vote on amending the By-Laws is to be taken.  Suggestions for amendments or changes to these By-Laws may be recommended by members, member-initiated discussion groups, committees, or Task Forces to the By-Laws, Procedures and Legislative Committee.  The Steering Committee shall then discuss, approve, and submit the proposed changes to the membership according to the process listed in the AGELE Procedures Manual.

ARTICLE XX-DISSOLUTION

In the event of the dissolution of AGELE, assets of AGELE remaining after discharge of all liabilities shall be distributed to an organization having similar objectives.  Determination of such distribution shall be made and negotiated by the Steering Committee and approved by the AGELE membership present or participating electronically at a scheduled meeting.

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