Tennessee Educational Technology Association

ARTICLE I: Name

The formal name of this organization shall be the Tennessee Educational Technology Association (TETA) consisting of the following regional founding Chapters: East Tennessee Educational Technology Association (ETETA), Middle Tennessee Educational Technology Association (MTETA), and West Tennessee Educational Technology Association (WTETA).

ARTICLE II: Purposes of the Organization

TETA is a non-profit organization whose purposes are:

a. To provide professional educational technology associations within the east, middle, and west Tennessee regions as defined by the three grand divisions of Tennessee.

b. To provide for the sharing and exchanging of ideas, techniques, materials, and procedures for use in educational technology.

c. To provide general recognition of the vital professional role played by the educational technology profession and the high level of competence required for this role.

d. To promote the improvement of curriculum and instruction through the effective use of information, communication, and technology.

e. To promote, encourage, and support the appropriate use of technology for the improvement of educational management.

f. To cooperate with manufacturers, distributors, and operators of educational technology products and services in developing and maintaining proper technical standards; and in meeting new needs for specialized devices, systems, and services.

g. To communicate current research relating to educational technology to members and other organizations.

h. To promote professional standards in the field of educational technology.

i. To promote and provide professional development opportunities for the effective use of educational technology.

ARTICLE III: Governance

All activities of TETA and its present and future regional Chapters are governed by these bylaws.

ARTICLE IV: Membership and Dues

The membership of this organization shall consist of individuals who are employees of educational institutions in instruction, support, or administrative technology or others interested in educational technology.

The TETA Board of Directors shall determine the procedures for application for membership, eligibility of applicants, types of membership, membership privileges, and membership dues.

Membership in a regional Chapter shall constitute membership in TETA.

The membership year shall be July 1 until June 30. Dues must be paid by April 15 of the membership year. No dues will be accepted for the current year after April 15. Payment of dues by April 15 will allow membership privileges for Summer Institute or any other TETA-sanctioned event for thirty (30) days past the conclusion of a membership year.

Types of membership:

a. Regular Membership (voting): any person with an interest in educational technology and employed by an educational institution either public or private.

b. Affiliate Membership (non-voting): any interested person in educational technology who is not employed by an educational institution or a technology vendor.

c. Corporate Membership (non-voting): any individual representative(s)currently employed by a technology vendor; corporate membership in one regional Chapter shall constitute membership in all three regional Chapters for one membership fee; each Corporate Membership shall include up to three (3) individual memberships for representative(s) of the corporation. Corporate members may have access to membership list exclusively for individual contact and not for mass mailings, distribution, or resale.

d. Honorary Membership (non-voting): past members who have retired may obtain membership and will not be required to pay dues. They will, however, be eligible to participate in all other activities. The TETA Board of Directors in its sole discretion may, from time to time, bestow Honorary Memberships upon individuals or organizations.

The TETA Board of Directors shall establish the annual dues for TETA and the regional Chapters. The dues will be collected by the regional Chapters and/or the TETA Treasurer. Dues will be distributed between the regional Chapters and the TETA Treasurer three times a year: October 30, December 30, and the year end payment on May 5 of the current membership year.

Dues:

Regular Membership 50% to regional Chapter and 50% to TETA

Affiliate Membership 50% to regional Chapter and 50% to TETA

Corporate Membership 100% to TETA

Additional Corporate 100% to TETA Members

ARTICLE V: Chapter Officers and Their Duties

The officers of the regional Chapters shall consist of a President, a President-elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

The term of office shall be one (1) year, coinciding with the membership. Only voting members may serve as regional Chapter officers.

The President shall:

a. Call and preside at all meetings of the regional Chapter.

b. Call and preside at all meetings of the regional Chapter Executive Committee.

c. Appoint committees and chairmen as needed. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

d. Represent the regional Chapter in matters of importance.

e. Authorize expenditures of the Chapter in keeping with the actions of the Executive Committee and its budget.

f. Receive the report of the regional Chapter’s Nominating Committee and communicate that information to the regional Chapter membership in a timely fashion.

The President-elect shall:

a. Serve for the President when the President is unable to do so and preside at official meetings of the regional Chapter in the absence of the President.

b. Automatically assume the office of the President upon the vacancy of the office of President. He or she shall complete the term of office of the former

President and shall then serve the full year to which he or she was elected.

The Secretary shall:

a. Keep a record of the meetings of the regional Chapter and see that actions requiring communication with members, other individuals, or groups are carried out as required.

b. Keep a record of the meetings of the regional Chapter Executive Committee.

c. Maintain a copy of the bylaws for ready reference.

d. Maintain a copy of

The Treasurer shall:

a. Establish the account(s) in the name of the regional Chapter as approved by

the regional Chapter’s Executive Committee.

b. Establish procedures for depositing of funds and maintenance of regional

Chapter properties.

c. Receive and disburse all funds of the regional Chapter as authorized by the

regional Chapter’s Executive Committee.

d. Maintain a record of all financial transactions and report to the regional

Chapter members at each regularly scheduled meeting.

e. Deliver membership dues and regional Chapter membership rolls to the TETA Treasurer according to the schedule set under Article IV: Membership and Dues.

f. Make the regional Chapter’s financial records available for an annual audit.

g. Deliver all funds collected to the state Treasurer.

ARTICLE VI: Election of Chapter Officers

The last regularly scheduled meeting before June 30, shall be known as the election meeting. On or before March 1, the President of each regional Chapter shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of a chairperson and at least two additional voting members. No fewer than forty (40) days before the election meeting, this committee shall submit to the Chapter President names of qualified candidates who would be willing to serve if elected. No fewer than thirty (30) days prior to the election meeting, the Chapter President shall notify the membership of the Nominating Committee’s report. Election shall be by written ballot at the election meeting with opportunity for nominations from the floor. Election to each office shall be by a simple majority by voting members present with results posted no later than June 30.

Timeline of elections:

Formation of Nominating Committee On or before March 1

Submission of Nominations 40 days before the election meeting

Notify Membership 30 days prior to the election meeting

Election of Officers Last regularly scheduled meeting before June 30

Post Results Before June 30

Incoming officers for each regional Chapter shall be installed in their respective office during Summer Institute, or, in the case of no Summer Institute, no later than July 31. A vacancy may be declared to exist when an elected officer fails to attend three consecutive meetings without a valid reason, or an officer’s resignation is received. In the case of a vacancy of an officer, a Past President, or a member at large, the Executive Committee shall appoint a replacement within thirty (30) days to fill the vacant office until the time for the next regular election.

ARTICLE VII: Chapter Executive Committee

The four (4) elected Officers of each Chapter, President, President-elect, Secretary, and Treasurer, and the immediate Past President of the Chapter shall form an Executive Committee that shall have the authority to manage the business of the Chapter between meetings of the membership.

ARTICLE VIII: TETA Board of Directors and Their Duties

The Board of Directors of the TETA shall be comprised of twelve (12) directors, four (4) from each Chapter and a non-voting ex-officio member from the State Department of Education to be appointed by the Commissioner of Education.

The Board of Directors shall have the authority to manage the affairs of the TETA, including, but not limited to, approving expenditures of funds of the TETA, establishing annual dues, and approving or disapproving the chairperson’s recommendations for applications for certification.

Officers and directors shall receive no remuneration for serving in such capacities, but this shall not be construed to mean that they may not be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with their duties.

The Chapters’ representatives to the TETA Board of Directors shall consist of the President, President-elect, and Past President of each Chapter and one at-large member elected by the membership of each Chapter. Only voting members as defined by these bylaws may serve as officers.

A vacancy may be declared to exist when an elected Director fails to attend two consecutive meetings without a valid reason, or a Director’s resignation is received. The Secretary of the TETA Board shall notify the Chapter that a vacancy exists and request that a replacement from the Chapter be elected.

The officers of the TETA Board of Directors shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. These officers shall be elected from and by the current TETA Board of Directors at the summer Board of Directors meeting. All officers will be elected for a one-year term, except the Chairman who will be elected for a two year term.

The Chairman shall:

a. Call and preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and preside at allmeetings of the Association.

b. Call and preside at meetings of the TETA Executive Committee.

c. Appoint committees and chairmen as needed. The Chairman shall be anex-officio member of all committees.

d. Represent the Association in matters of importance.

e. Authorize the expenditures of the Association in keeping with the actions of the Board of Directors and its budget.

The Vice-Chairman shall:

a. Serve for the Chairman when the Chairman is unable to do so and preside at official meetings of the Association in the absence of the Chairman.

b. He or she shall complete the term of office of a resigned Chairman.

c. Assume the office of Chairman when the Chairman’s term is complete.

The Secretary shall:

a. Keep a record of the meetings of the Board of Directors and the Association and see that actions requiring communication with members, other individuals, or groups are carried out as required.

b. Keep a record of the meetings of the Board of Directors’ Executive Committee.

c. Be responsible for maintaining the historical records of the organization.

d. Maintain a copy of the bylaws for ready reference.

e. Maintain a copy of

The Treasurer shall:

a. Establish the account(s) in the name of the TETA as approved by the Board of Directors.

b. Establish procedures for the depositing of funds and the maintenance of TETA properties.

c. Receive and disburse all funds of the TETA as authorized by the Board of Directors.

d. Maintain a record of all financial transactions and report as requested to the Board of Directors and to the Association at each general meeting.

e. Make his or her records available for an annual audit.

f. Receive and distribute all dues to the regional Chapters or to the TETA account.

g. Maintain a list of current Corporate members notifying each region of membership in TETA in addition to posting Corporate members to www.teta.org.

h. Pay all invoiced or receipted expenses pertaining to Summer Institute and any other TETA sponsored event.

i. File annual Federal Tax Return.

ARTICLE IX: TETA Executive Committee

The Board of Directors of TETA shall form an Executive Committee that shall have the authority to manage the business of the TETA between meetings of the Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, and two (2) Directors appointed by the Chairman who represent Chapters other than those of the Chairman.

ARTICLE X: Meetings

Chapter Meetings

There shall be a minimum of six (6) Chapter meetings per year at times to be determined by the Chapters. A quorum at a meeting of the membership shall be a majority of the Executive Committee and a minimum of six (6) other members of the Chapter. A simple majority will constitute a quorum at meetings of the Executive Committee.

State Meetings

There will be two annual meetings per year for the purposes of conducting such business as may properly come before the TETA. One general membership meeting shall be held in conjunction with the Tennessee Educational Technology Conference (TETC). The second meeting shall be held in conjunction with the TETA Summer Institute. A simple majority of the state membership shall constitute a quorum at state annual meetings.

There shall be quarterly meetings of the Board of Directors and additional meetings as required. Fourteen (14) days notice of meeting location and time shall be given to the general membership before quarterly Board of Directors meetings. Twenty-Four (24) hours notice of meeting location and time, if possible, shall be given to the general membership before a called meeting of the Board of Directors. A simple majority shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Board of Directors.

Note: The business of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committees may be conducted electronically via voice, data, or video conference as long as a two-thirds majority of members agree.

ARTICLE XI: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the TETA will be July 1st through June 30th.

ARTICLE XII: Parliamentary Authority

ARTICLE XIII: Change(s) or Amendment(s) of Bylaws

The TETA bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed, or new bylaws adopted by affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors. Such action may be taken at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors for which prior notice of the proposed action shall have been given to the general membership.

The bylaws will be considered to be effective immediately upon ratification by the Board of Directors.