Bylaws

ARTICLES AND BYLAWS OF THE ARIZONA ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION CONSORTIUM

Adopted 1/2012
Amended 7/2015, 1/2020

ARTICLES

Article One:  Name

This organization will be known as the Arizona Alternative Education Consortium (AZ AEC)

Article Two:  Purpose

The Purpose of this Consortium shall be:

To provide a forum through which stakeholders and advocate, communicate and network about Alternative Education, conduct research regarding equitable alternative education best practices, and develop solutions for policy and practice affecting the students and families served through alternative education campuses.

To gather and disseminate information which is relevant to Alternative Education.

To provide, through a democratic process, a unified voice for Alternative Education stakeholders in Arizona.

 Article Three:  Membership

Professional educators and other stakeholders involved with and advocating for Alternative Education opportunities shall be eligible for active membership in the Consortium. Interested Stakeholders become active members by paying annual dues.  All active members have voting rights.

Membership in the Consortium shall be continuous until a member resigns or fails to pay their dues.

Article Four:  Officers and Duties

The officers of this consortium shall be a President, a President elect, a Secretary, Treasurer and five directors who represent geographic and other diversity in the State of Arizona.

Elections will take place in annually. Officers will serve for three (3) years; however, the term may be extended until a successor has been elected.  Officers must be a member of the consortium in good standing.

1. President: The President shall preside at all meetings and at all Executive Board meetings; call special meetings when necessary; recommend to the Board individuals to fill Board vacancies; appoint chairpersons to committees; and perform such duties necessary and appropriate, such as represent the consortium at state conferences.
2. President Elect: The President Elect shall carry out all duties assigned by the President; perform the duties of the President in the event of absence, resignation, or inability of the President to perform said duties; and arrange meeting times and locations.
3. Past President: Past President serves in an advisory role to the president and consortium as a whole, and provides guidance and expertise as a knowledgeable member of the Board. The Past President advises on past practices and operations in accordance with the bylaws. Upon request, he/she assists officers in performing their duties. The Past President serves the year following the term as President. The Past President mentors current President and the President Elect.
4. Secretary: The Secretary shall record, maintain and distribute minutes of all meetings the Association and the Executive Board; maintain a current list of members and record attendance at meetings; keep an inventory of association property and location and/or the members who have the property.
5. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the association; collect dues, pay all association bills, present an annual Treasurers’ report; keep the organization’s financial records and perform the normal duties of a treasurer to include:

• The preparation of an annual budget to be presented to the Board
• The presentation of quarterly financial statements
• An annual accounting of revenues and expenditures

Article Five:  Meeting and Quorums

1. Regular meetings shall be held quarterly
2. Special meetings may be called by the President upon request of a majority of the active members or by action of the Executive Committee.

 Article Six:  Parliamentary Procedure

Robert’s Rule of Order, Revised, shall be the authority in answering questions of procedure for all meetings.

Article Seven:  Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of active members.  A proxy, call in or facsimile is authorized.  Previous notice having been given membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the date the vote is to be taken.

Article Eight:  Indemnification

To the extent not in conflict with law, AZ AEC shall indemnify any person who is or was an Officer or Director of AZ AEC from and against any action, suit, proceeding, claim, damage, liability or obligation, to include the reasonable costs and expenses thereof, including attorney’s fees arising out of any act or failure to act by that person, so long as the act or failure to act occurred under all of the following circumstances:

1. The actor conducted herself or himself in good faith;
2. The act was not willful misconduct;
3. The act was not a crime, unless the actor had reasonable cause to believe the act was lawful;
4. The act was not a transaction that resulted in improper personal benefit of money, property or service to the actor;
5. The act arose within the scope of the actor’s responsibilities to the AZ AEC or arose from the actor’s reasonable belief that such an act or failure to act was within the scope of the actor’s reasonable responsibilities to the AZ AEC; and
6. The actor reasonably believed

• In the case of conduct in the actor’s official capacity with the AZ AEC, that the actor’s conduct was in the AZ AEC’s best interest and
• In all other cases, that the actor’s conduct was at least not opposed to the AZ AEC’s best interest.

BYLAWS:

Bylaw One:  Dues

Annual membership dues shall be established periodically by the Board of Directors.

Bylaw Two:  Committees

Section One:  The Executive Committee shall be composed of the elected officers and, the immediate past-president.

Section Two:  The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association between its regular meetings and fix the hour and place of the meeting.  It shall meet upon the call of the President or at the request of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Committee.

Section Three: Vacancies in any elective office shall be filled by the Executive Committee for the interval until the next regular election.

Section Four:  Fifty-one percent (51%) of the executive committee members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Executive Committee.

Section Five: Standing Committees

Legislative-Advocacy Committee: shall study and inform members of state and national political trends and legislation and maintain contacts.

Public Relations-Outreach Committee: shall build wholesome, workable, worthwhile relationships: release press notices about Consortium activities and AEC issues to media and other professional and service organizations.

Ad Hoc Committee: are struck for a specific purpose and are dissolved once the specified task is completed.

Bylaw Three:   Election of Officers

Officers may be elected at a meeting by a majority vote of the membership after a slate of officers has been presented.  All elections conducted in accordance with these regulations shall comply with the principals of open nomination, one person, one vote and secret ballot.

1. Nominating Procedure: Each year a list of available offices will be posted to the membership.  At this time, a “Call for Nominations” will be available for members to make nominations.  Any AZ AEC member who wishes to be considered is to inform the head of the elections committee.

2. Voting: Voting on all matters, including elections, may be conducted by mail ballot or by some other manner in accordance with applicable law.  Candidates receiving a simple majority of the vote shall be declared elected.  In case of a tie, Roberts Rules of Order will be used.

Bylaw Four:  Suspending or Amending the Bylaws

These bylaws may be suspended or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership. Previous notice must have been given the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of a meeting at which an amendment is to be presented.