Vermont Business Teachers’ Association Constitution and By-Laws

November, 2007

Constitution

ARTICLE I            NAME—The name of this organization shall be the Vermont Business Teachers’ Association.

ARTICLE II          PURPOSE—The purpose of this organization shall be to improve business education in the State

                                of Vermont and to bring business teachers of the State into closer professional relations.

ARTICLE III         MEMBERSHIP—Membership shall be open to any person engaged in or interested in the

                                purposes of this organization as stated in ARTICLE II.  The membership of this organization shall

                                be classified according to one of the following:

                                Section 1—Full Membership

                                                a.  This membership shall be open to any teacher of business education under contract

                                                     in the State of Vermont.

                                                b.  Full members shall be entitled to vote,  to hold office, to serve on committees, and

                                                      to receive any publications prepared or contracted for by this organization.

                                Section 2—Associate Membership

                                                a.  This membership shall be open to any person training for business education or

                                                     person who does not qualify for full membership and is as accepted as such by

                                                     this organization.

                                                b.  Associate members shall be entitled to all privileges granted a full member except

                                                      to hold office and vote.

                                Section 3—Honorary Membership

                                                a.  This membership shall be open to those selected by a majority vote of the

                                                     Executive Board or the voting membership of this organization at a general meeting.

                                                b.  This membership is extended to individuals whose contributions to the purpose of

                                                      this organization is deemed worthy of this honor.

                                                c.  Honorary members shall be entitled to all privileges granted to a full member

                                                      except to hold office.

                                Section 4—Retirement Membership

                                                a.  This membership shall be open to all  retired Vermont business educators.

                                                b.  Retired member shall be entitled to all privileges granted a full member except to

                                                      hold an elected office.

ARTICLE IV         OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD

                                Section 1—The Elective Officers of this organization shall be:                 

                                                a.  President

                                                b.  Vice-President  

                                                c.  Secretary

                                                d.  Treasurer

                                                e.  Directors (up to seven) 

                                Section 2—The Executive Board shall consist of the officers and directors of this organization,

                                                the immediate past president, and the chairperson of each standing committee.

ARTICLE V          AMENDMENTS

                                Section 1—The proposed amendment to this constitution may be submitted by any member to the

                                                Executive Board.

                                Section 2—The proposed amendment approved by the Executive Board shall be submitted to

                                                the membership no less than 30 days prior to a duly called and constituted meeting or at

                                                a Special Meeting called for the purpose of an amendment consideration.

                                Section 3—The proposed amendment shall be voted upon by the members eligible to vote and

                                                present and passage shall be legalized by a 2/3 vote of said membership.

                                Section 4—The proposed amendment to the By-Laws shall be handled in the same manner as

                                                constitutional amendments.

By-Laws 

ARTICLE I            OFFICERS

                            Section 1—The PRESIDENT shall preside at all general meetings of the organization

                            and at the Executive Board meetings.   The President shall hold no other office in the VBTA.  The President

                            shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.  The President shall appoint all committee chairs

                            with the approval of a majority vote of the Executive Board

                            Section 2—The VICE-PRESIDENT shall preside at any meeting in the absence of the President and shall

                            be responsible for any duties the President may designate.  The Vice-President shall assume the

                            Presidency in the case of resignation, death, or physical impairment of the President.

                            Section 3—The SECRETARY shall keep accurate minutes of all general meetings of the organization,

                            copies of which shall be distributed to the membership.  The Secretary shall receive and file copies of the

                            annual reports of all committees and shall include in the announcements of the Annual Meeting, the reports

                            of these committees.  The Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence as the president, Executive

                            Board or the organization shall direct.  The Secretary shall act in the capacity of public relations composing

                            and distributing news  releases of the activities of the organization and any other information as directed by

                            the President.  The Secretary shall be responsible for the proper distribution of copies of correspondence to

                            appropriate persons.

                             Section 4---The TREASURER shall perform the usual duties assigned this office including records,

                            receipts, expenditures, membership records, and financial reports.  Approval for payment for all bills against

                            the organization must have the written approval of the president.  The Treasurer shall also be responsible

                            for the preparation of an annual report to be presented to the membership at the Annual Meeting.

                             Section 5—There shall be seven (7) regional DIRECTORS, one representing each of the districts in the

                            State—southeast, southwest, central, northeast, and northwest, one at large representing high school and

                            technical centers, and one at large representing Vermont colleges and universities.

Article II               ELECTIONS

                            Section 1—The President will appoint a nominating committee, subject to the approval of the Executive

                            Board, prior to the annual meeting.  The nominating committee will present a slate of officers at the annual

                            fall meeting.  Additional nominations may be made from the floor.

                            Section 2—Only full members of this organization in good standing shall be eligible to hold office.   

                             Section 3—The terms of Treasurer and Secretary shall be a period of two years.  The terms of President

                            and Vice-President shall be one year.  Elections and change of office will happen at the Annual Meeting. 

                             Section 4—Officers may be elected for successive terms to the same office.

                             Section 5—Regional Directors will be chosen by the members of the region.  Regional Directors from the

                            Northeast, Southwest, and Central districts will be voted on in the fall of even number years, beginning in

                            the fall of 2004.  Directors from the Northwest, and Southeast will be voted on in the fall of odd number

                            years, beginning in the fall of 2005.  The At Large Director representing high school and technical center

                            teachers will be appointed by the executive board beginning in 2005.  The college/university At Large

                            Director shall be elected for the first time at the 2008 annual meeting.  Directors’ terms will be 2 years.  

                            Section 6—The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint a member to fill any

                            vacancy.

ARTICLE III         REGIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

                                                Section 1—The Executive Board will assign responsibilities to each region annually.

                                                                (i.e., program, legislative, professional development, newsletter,

                                                                constitutional revisions, archivest.

                                                Section 2—Each region will submit a report to the Executive Board in a timely manner

                                                                after each meeting.

ARTICLE IV         MEETINGS

                                                Section 1—The Vermont Business Teachers Association shall meet at least once

                                                                annually.  The time and place shall be determined by the Executive Board.

                                                Section 2—The Executive Board shall meet at least four times a year as called by the

                                                                President.

                                                Section 3—The voting membership in attendance at any meeting of this organization

                                                                shall constitute a quorum.

                                                Section 4---Special meetings of the membership may be called by a majority of the

                                                                Executive Board.

                                                Section 5—The Secretary shall notify the membership of any general meeting at least

                                                                fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the meeting.

                                                Section 6—Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, shall be the authority on all questions of

                                                                Parliamentary Procedure.  A Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President

                                                                to be present at all meetings to assure proper adherence to correct

                                                                parliamentary procedure.

ARTICLE V          DUES

                                                Section 1—Dues shall be assessed to the membership as recommended by the Executive

                                                                Board and voted upon by the membership at the Annual Meeting.

                                                Section 2—Honorary and retired members shall be exempt from any dues to

                                                                this organization.

                                                Section 3—The fiscal year of this organization shall be from September 1 of one year

                                                                through August 31 of the following year.  

ARTICLE VI         AFFILIATIONS

                                                This organization may become affiliated with any national or state association or other

                                                association upon a majority vote of the voting members present at any general meeting

                                                after due notification of the membership.  Current affiliations include the Vermont

                                                Education Association and the Vermont Association for Career and Technical Education.

ARTICLE VII       POLICIES

                                                This organization shall in no way lend its name to the endorsement of any specific

                                                commercial enterprise for the purpose of advertising.  This does not exclude an

                                                individual member from making reference to a specific product for another member’s

                                                information.

ARTICLE VIII      DISSOLUTION STATEMENT

                                                Dissolution of this Association by consent of the members shall consist of unanimous

                                                agreement of all it officers together with a majority vote at a meeting which has been

                                                publicized in advance to all members of the Association, for the purpose of taking this

                                                vote.  In the event of the dissolution of the Association, any funds remaining shall be

                                                distributed in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the members attending the

                                                Meeting of Dissolution, after payment of all lawful debts and liabilities of the

                                                Association.

 

                                                                                        (effective 11/02/07)