BYLAWS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BIOLOGY TEACHERS
as of 3/05/2005

ARTICLE I
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Officers, Executive Committee, Board, Appointees and Employees shall further the
purpose of the Association through accomplishment of the following goals:

1. to promote the professional growth and development of biology teachers in  Texas to enhance their effectiveness in the classroom and community.
2. to encourage and stimulate state and local activities that will keep teachers current in their knowledge of the biological sciences, aid them in developing and sharing ideas for better teaching, and provide them with a forum for consideration of state and local issues that affect biological education.
3. to provide information, guidelines, programs, and activities that confront questions regarding science, society, and the future, and to stimulate teachers and students to deal responsibly with those often value-laden issues that derive from the consequences of science and technology.
4. to initiate and maintain communication and coordination of programs with organizations that espouse goals and objectives similar to those of the Association and to join such groups in those activities designed to achieve common goals.

A. Voting Members

1. Active Member:  any person who has paid dues for the current membership year.
2. Emeritus Member: any person who has maintained active membership for a minimum of 25 consecutive years shall be assigned to emeritus status upon retirement, and will no longer be required to pay dues.
3. Retired Member: any active member over the age of 60 who retires with at least 10 years but less than 25 years of continuous membership may continue  membership upon payment of half the dues assessed for active membership.
4. Honorary Member: any person who has achieved distinction in teaching, research or service in the biological sciences is eligible for election as an honorary member by procedures established by the Board.  There shall be no  more than one honorary member selected per year.  Honorary members shall not be assessed dues.
5. Life Member: any person who contributes 25 times the current amount of the annual dues for active membership in one payment shall become a life member without further assessment of dues.

1. Student Member:  any regularly matriculated undergraduate or graduate student not in full time employment shall be eligible for a student membership upon payment of half the dues assessed for active membership. 
2. Sustaining Member:  any organization interested in advancing the purposes of the Association shall be eligible for election by the Board as a sustaining member upon payment of dues assessed by the Board. 
3. Corporate Member: any business or corporation interested in advancing the  purposes of the Association shall be eligible for election by the Board as a corporate member upon payment of dues assessed by the Board.

1. The dues for active membership shall be set annually by the Board.  Dues shall  be collected for a twelve month period on one of three expiration dates.  Any  member in arrears for more than three months shall not thereafter receive any  publications of the Association and shall be dropped from membership until all arrears dues have been paid, or the member shall rejoin the Association.
2. All members shall receive all publications specified by the Board, and shall be entitled to all privileges of membership, except as noted in sections A and B.

A. Board of Directors

1. Members:  The Board shall consist of the officers of the Association, the  immediate Past-President and one appointee of the President who shall serve until the election of a new President. 
2. Duties:  The duties of the Board shall be those specified in Article IV of the Constitution.  The Board shall meet not less than once each year.

1. Members:  The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Association.  One member from each affiliate organization may be appointed by the Board to serve as ex officio non-voting members.
2. Duties:  The function of the Executive Committee is to transact the business of the Association between meetings of the Board.  During such periods, the Executive Committee shall have the same functions and duties as the Board.

1. President: The President shall preside at membership meetings and at meetings of the Executive Committee and the Board. The President shall make appointments in consultation with the Board. The President shall assume all other duties normally associated with the office. The President shall serve for one year as President, followed by one year as the immediate Past-President.
2. President-elect:  The President-elect shall assume the duties of the President in the President’s absence or when so designated, and shall work cooperatively with the President in administering the affairs of the Association.  The President-elect shall succeed to the presidency.
3. Secretary/Treasurer:  The Secretary/Treasurer shall oversee the management of the Association’s fiscal affairs and shall be responsible for the preparation of the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee and Board.

A. Nominations

The Nominating Committee shall make at least two nominations each for the officers of the Association as their terms expire, except that the President-Elect shall automatically assume the office of President for the ensuing year.  On or  before the first day of July following its appointment, the Nominating Committee will certify the nominations to the President who shall cause the same to be published on or before the following first day of October.

The President shall cause the ballots bearing all nominations for office to be sent  to all voting members.  In order to be counted, a ballot must be received by the  Teller on or before the fifteenth day of November.  The Teller, appointed by the  President, shall count the ballots and shall publish the results within thirty days.  The candidates who receive the highest number of votes shall be elected.  In the vent of a tie vote, the election shall be decided by the Board.  Vacancies occurring between elections shall be filled by appointment by the President with majority approval of the Board, except that the vacancy of the office of the President shall be filled by the President-Elect.

The President shall serve for two years.  The President-Elect shall serve for two  years.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve for two years, and election for office of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be in odd numbered years.  Elected officials serve  terms beginning January 1st following their elections.

A. Standing Committees

The President in consultation with the Executive Committee and with the approval  of the Board shall appoint members to these standing committees:

  Long Range Planning
  Publications Advisory
  Election
  Nomination
  Awards
  Honorary Membership

Ad hoc committees to accomplish a specific task may be established by the  President with approval of the Board.  The President shall appoint members to  such committees in consultation with the Executive Committee.

All standing committees shall be composed of three members whose terms shall
be for three years each, and one member appointed each year.  The Chair of each standing committee shall be the senior member of the committee.  The President  shall, with the approval of the majority of the Executive Committee, appoint a new member to each standing committee as a replacement for the member whose term is expiring.

Each committee chairperson shall submit a written report to the Board upon completion of the committee’s assignment.

A. Executive Committee and Board Meetings

The Board shall hold a meeting at each annual meeting.  The Executive Committee shall meet as necessary between Board meetings.  Timely notice of all meetings shall be provided all members of the Board. 

The Board shall hold, at such time and place as it shall designate, meetings of the members as needed to fulfill the purposes of the Association. 

1. Executive Committee:  Three voting members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
2. Board:  Four voting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Roberts’ Rules of Order (Revised) shall govern in all meetings of the Association.

A. Purpose

The Association is encouraged by other organizations of state, regional, and national importance to affiliate with them for the improvement of education in the biological sciences.

The Association shall submit a formal application to the proper authorities of other organizations (along with a copy of the Constitution, Bylaws, and membership list) as may be chosen by the Board.

 The Association reserves the right to terminate its affiliation with any other organization.

A. Periodicals, etc.

The Association may publish materials as approved by the Board.

A newsletter shall be published not less than quarterly for the communication of news concerning the Association.

A. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on January 1st of each year and end on December 31st.

A budget shall be prepared by the Board and submitted to a budget review committee  appointed by the President for review and perfection, thence to the Executive Committee for approval.

The Executive Committee shall order an independent audit of the financial accounts of the Association as is deemed advisable and necessary.

The Board shall determine honoraria. No Board member may vote on any question involving salary or honoraria for himself or herself.

A. Bylaws Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a favorable vote of the Board provided that each Board member shall have been sent written notice of the proposed amendment not less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting or mailing of the ballot on which the amendment is voted.

C. To implement these Bylaws efficiently, an Operations and Procedures Manual describing how the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws as well as Board policies will be implemented, shall be prepared by the Secretary.  The President shall review and submit updates to the Operations and Procedures Manual each year. The Operations and Procedures Manual shall provide guidelines and procedures for the Board, Executive Committee, committees, and others in carrying out their responsibilities.