North Carolina English Teachers' Association

Constitution of the North Carolina English Teachers Association

Revised January 2009

(As adopted March 23, 1944, and subsequently amended March 28, 1947, March 25, 1955, March 21, 1958, March 18, 1960, March 16, 1962, March 19, 1965, and April 5, 1968, Spring 1973, Fall 1973, Fall 1976, Fall 1978, May 1980, July 1985, November 1990, January 2004. January 2005, May 2008).

Article I

This organization shall be known as the North Carolina English Teachers Association, hereafter referred to as NCETA, an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Article II

The purpose of the organization is to promote effective teaching of English and the language arts and integration of literacy instruction for Pre-K-college public, private, and home schools of North Carolina by dissemination of research and sharing of exemplary teaching methods. NCETA will also promote effective teaching by sponsoring classroom grants and teacher recognition. In addition, NCETA will encourage excellence in student expression through writing/multimedia competitions.

Article III

NCETA offers memberships to all those interested in the purposes of the organization.

Article IV

The Association shall hold one annual meeting a year. This meeting will be the fall conference. In addition, the Association may host other meetings of interest to Pre-K-college public, private, and home school educators.

Article V

The presiding officers of the North Carolina English Teachers Association shall consist of President, Vice President, and Recording Secretary. These officers shall be members in good standing of the North Carolina English Teachers Association and the National Council of Teachers of English.

The President and Vice President shall have had prior experience as Board members. The President and Vice President shall be elected to two year terms. The Vice President shall be the sole nominee for the office of President. The Recording Secretary shall be elected to a two-year term.

Elections shall be held at the fall conference. Newly-elected officers shall participate in a board orientation prior to December 15 to be organized and facilitated by the President. The newly-elected officers shall assume their duties at the January Board of Directors meeting.

Article VI

The Board of Directors shall be composed of the Executive Director, the Immediate Past Executive Director (if applicable), the four presiding officers, the Immediate Past President, the editors of the North Carolina English Teacher and NCETA Notes, NCETA webmaster, NCTE/SLATE representative, Director of Writing Awards, Conference Director, Independent Schools representative, College and University representative, National Writing Project representative, and two representatives for each of the eight regions. Each position will have one vote. The Immediate Past Executive Director shall serve on the Board for one year after his /her term of office expires. All members of the Board of Directors shall be members in good standing of the National Council of Teachers of English. A simple majority of board members will constitute a quorum.

The Board may appoint a candidate for the position of Executive Director to serve for a period of four years beginning July 1 of the first year and ending June 30 four years later. The Executive Director may be reappointed for an additional four year term. The Executive Director shall regularly be employed by the teaching profession; his/her place of employment shall be headquarters of the state organization. The duties of the Executive Director shall be as follows: (1) to be responsible for membership; (2) to receive and disburse funds of the Association as authorized by the Board of directors; (3) to publish annually a statement of the receipts and disbursements of the Association; (4) to undertake, within the financial resources of the organization, such additional projects for the improvement of English teaching as may be approved by the Board of Directors.

The method of election and terms of office shall be as follows:

Regional director positions shall be designated as A and B positions. The A positions shall be elected in even years, and the B positions shall be elected in odd years. The recording secretary shall be elected in even years. The Independent Schools representative and the Colleges and Universities representatives shall be elected in odd years. The Executive Director will be responsible for maintaining accurate records of the beginning and ending dates for elected positions.

A brief resume of the qualifications of each candidate will be included with the ballot. Representatives are expected to participate in the orientation session prior to assuming office on January 1 of the year following their election.

The Executive Director with the approval of the Board of Directors and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction shall coordinate the appointment of a representative from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

The Board of Directors shall appoint the NCTE/SLATE representative to a four-year term.

The Board of Directors shall appoint the National Writing Project representative to a four-year term.

The Board of Directors shall appoint the Editor of the North Carolina English Teacher and the Editor of the NCETA Notes to a four-year term.

The Board of Directors shall appoint the Webmaster to a four-year term.

The Board of Directors shall appoint the Directors of Writing/Multimedia Awards to a four-year term.

The Board of Directors shall appoint the Conference Director to a three-year term.

The Board of Directors shall appoint the Vice President during the August Board meeting in the expiring year of the current Vice President’s term.

An associate shall be appointed for each position, the term to run concurrently with that of the director or editor.

The associate to the webmaster shall serve as historian.

The associates will not be voting members of the Board; in the absences of the director or editor with whom they work, they may vote by proxy.

All appointments are renewable by vote of the Board.

Vacancies due to causes other than expiration of term shall be filled on an interim basis in such a manner as the Board of Directors may determine.

The call for nominations will be posted on the organization’s website by July 1 with all nominations due by August 1.

The Board of Directors shall have such executive powers as commonly devolve upon executive committees or Boards of directors of professional organizations (such as the promotion of special institutes or conferences, the gathering and publication of information helpful in the teaching of English, the furtherance of mutual professional understanding through correspondence, etc.) provided that no financial liability beyond the payment of annual membership dues shall be assessed against the general membership. No indebtedness can be contracted in the name of the general organization.

An associate shall be appointed for each position, the term to run concurrently with that of the director or editor.

The associate to the webmaster shall serve as historian.

The associates will not be voting members of the Board; in the absence of the director or editor with whom they work, they may vote by proxy.

The counties comprising each region are as follows:

Region 1-NE: Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington

Region 2-SE: Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Sampson, Wayn

Region 3-Raleigh: Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Northampton, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wilson

Region 4-SC: Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland

Region 5-NC: Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes

Region 6-SW: Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Stanly, Union

Region 7-NW: Alexander, Allegheny, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Davie, Iredell, Rowan, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin

Region 8-W: Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Yancey

Amendments to the Constitution and/or By-Laws

Article VII

Requirements to be exempt as an Organization described in section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code

Section 1. NCETA is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, or scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Section 2. No part of NCETA’s net earnings shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purpose set forth in section 1 hereof and in Article II of this constitution.

Section 3. No substantial part of the activities of NCETA shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation and NCETA shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

Section 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, NCETA shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Section 5. Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

By-Laws of the North Carolina English Teachers Association

(As amended August 7, 1954, March 18, 1960, November 4, 1961, July 6, 1962, April 5, 1968, July 16, 1976, October 1985, August 1997, January 2004, August 2008.)

I. The election, organization, and functions of the Board of directors shall conform to provisions of Article VI of the Constitution of the North Carolina English Teachers Association.

II. The Board of Directors meets formally four times a year: 1) summer, usually the second week of August; 2) fall, usually the first week in November; 3) winter, usually the last week in January; 4) spring, usually the first week in May. Members consider a wide range of matters, such as the business of the fall conference, ideas for new policies and programs, and current policies and programs.

III. Duties

The duties of the Executive Director shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To receive, budget, and disburse NCETA’s money.

To publish an annual financial report of the association’s finances.

To prepare IRS report EZ990 at the end of each fiscal year.

To design programs, with guidance of the Board, to retain and increase membership.

To maintain a database of membership.

To conduct regular mailings to members: nomination forms, conference materials, grant applications, election ballots, membership renewal, etc.

To serve as registrar and treasurer for the annual conference.

To provide awards for presentation at the fall conference.

To prepare the annual Affiliate Report for NCTE.

To coordinate, with the approval of the Board of Directors, the planning of projects to benefit English curriculum and instruction in North Carolina.

To assist in the maintenance of Board updates and contact information on the association website.

The duties of the President shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To serve as Chairperson of the Board of Directors.

To preside at all regular and called meetings of the Board and at the annual conference.

To initiate calls for such meetings when date and place are not definitely set by Board action.

To designate, in the event of absence, a vice-chairperson to preside at the meeting.

To coordinate with Executive Director and other NCETA Board members policy and program recommendations for the benefit of NCETA and the professions.

To insure that the Board attends to such policies and programs.

To approve or disapprove, in the name of the Board, procedures initiated by the Executive Director without prior approval of the Board, suggest alternate procedures, or call meetings of the Board.

To appoint and serve as ex-officio chairperson of an auditing committee.

To act jointly with the Vice President and Executive Director in setting up standing and/or special committees, naming chairpersons and members, and filling committee vacancies. When agreement has been reached, appointments will be made by the President.

To appoint a nominating committee which shall be instructed to prepare the ballot with at least two names for each elective office (and provision for a write-in nominee who meets the requirements to hold office) except those of President and Vice President for the election which will coincide with the fall conference. The nominating committee shall be instructed to provide a brief resume of the qualifications of each nominee to be included with the publication of the ballot.

To summarize the board actions for publication in the newsletter and website.

To attend civic and professional functions that have significant implications for NCETA.

The duties of the Vice-President shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To act in the absence of the President and assist him/her in the performance of his/her duties.

To chair the Outstanding English Teacher Award Committee. Responsibilities shall include receive nominations, coordinate selection of Outstanding English Teacher, contact recipient to assure conference attendance, notify nominees who were not selected, and forward the OET nomination to NCTE for national recognition.

To announce the Outstanding English Teacher at the fall conference.

To announce the Leadership Development Award recipient and forward the information to NCTE.

To serve as associate chair of the nominating committee.

To serve on the Conference Committee.

The duties of the recording secretary shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To keep accurate and complete minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and minutes of the General Session of the fall conference.

To forward the minutes within two weeks to the Board of Directors for approval.

To compile amended copies of minutes of Board meetings and conference sessions to be maintained as a historical record of board action.

To record appropriate information, changes, and additions in the Record of NCETA.

To add the names of President, Executive Director, Outstanding English Teacher, Editor of NCET, and the Ragan-Rubin Award winner to the list each year.

The duties of the Immediate Past President shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To chair the nominating committee that receives nominations and prepares the slate of candidates for publication.

To insure at least two nominations for each elective position.

To manage the Ragan-Rubin Award selection and presentation.

To present nominations for the award to the Board at the winter meeting.

To contact the Board’s choice of Ragan-Rubin Award winner, invite him/her to the conference to receive the award and to be a featured speaker at one of the general sessions, and to coordinate the session with the student writers.

To publicize the recipient through the newsletter, the journal, and the media.

The duties of the editor of the NCET Journal shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To supervise publication and distribution of the North Carolina English Teacher.

To publish an issue two times a year, including a summer student edition in which winning student writing is included.

To insure that students whose works are published receive a copy of the NCET.

The duties of the editor of the NCETA Notes shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To supervise publication and distribution of NCETA Notes.

To publish the newsletter three times a year.

To coordinate, with the Webmaster, an electronic edition of the newsletter with frequent postings and updates.

The duties of the NCDPI representative shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To inform the Board of current DPI policies, actions, and decisions affecting English teachers in North Carolina.

To inform DPI of NCETA concerns and positions.

The duties of the NCTE/SLATE representative shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To serve as a liaison between NCETA and NCTE, communicating concerns and information.

To coordinate a reception for North Carolina participants at the annual NCTE national conference.

The duties of the Director of Writing/Multimedia Awards shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To publicize and promote the writing/multimedia awards program through brochures, the website, available media outlets, and other support sources.

To administer writing/multimedia competitions sponsored and managed by the association.

To facilitate the writing/multimedia competitions and award ceremonies at the fall conference.

To publicize the writing/multimedia award winners through the website, available media outlets, and other support sources.

To provide student writing to the editor of the NCET Journal for the summer student writing edition.

The duties of the Conference Director shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To organize and oversee the annual conference.

To negotiate contracts with hotel and meeting facilities.

To develop the conference program.

To coordinate publicity for the conference.

The duties of the Independent Schools representative shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To study and act on a wide range of matters, such as ideas for new policies and programs, and the merit of current policies and programs.

To help produce the annual NCETA fall conference.

To encourage membership in regional, state, and national organizations of English teachers.

To communicate Board information to members in independent schools.

To communicate nominations for positions and awards.

To coordinate regional competitions for NC Writing/Multimedia Awards.

To encourage the submission of manuscripts to NCET Journal.

To contribute at least one item per year reporting regional news to NCETA Notes.

To provide at the August meeting at least two nominations for open board positions.

The duties of the College and University - East, West, and Central representatives shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To serve in the same capacity as a regional representative on behalf of the colleges and universities of North Carolina.

To chair the Dilworth Student Teacher Award subcommittee.

To publicize and promote the Dilworth Student Teacher Award program through brochures, the website, available media outlets, and other support sources.

To receive nominations, coordinate selection of a recipient, contact recipient to assure conference attendance, and notify nominees who were not selected.

To publicize the Dilworth Student Teacher Award winner through the website, available media outlets, and other support sources.

The duties of the National Writing Project representative shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To serve as a liaison between NCETA and NWP, communicating concerns and information.

To coordinate, with the Conference Director, the NWP strand for the fall conference.

To coordinate writing workshops to support teachers as writers.

The duties of the regional representatives shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To study and act on a wide range of matters, such as ideas for new policies and programs, and the merit of current policies and programs.

To help produce the annual NCETA fall conference.

To encourage membership in regional, state, and national organizations of English teachers.

To communicate Board information to members in the regions.

To communicate nominations for positions and awards.

To coordinate regional competitions for NC Writing/Multimedia Awards.

To encourage the submission of manuscripts for NCET Journal.

To contribute at least one item per year reporting regional news to NCETA Notes.

To provide at the August meeting at least two nominations for open board positions.

The duties of the NCETA webmaster shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To maintain a professional website with current and accurate information that will maintain a strong sense of communication with the membership.

To maintain a website that supports the association and communicates the purpose of the organization which is to promote effective teaching of English/Language Arts in the schools and colleges of North Carolina by dissemination of research and sharing of exemplary teaching methods through publications and conferences.

To promote the NCETA classroom grants to teachers.

To promote the writing/multimedia competitions for high school students.

To promote the fall conference and the other meetings sponsored by the association.

To provide access to the website to the Executive Director who will assist in the maintenance of Board contact information.

To maintain, with assistance from the historian and board members, the archival information that documents the role of NCETA in promoting effective teaching of English/Language Arts in the schools and colleges of North Carolina.

The duties of the historian shall be as follows:

To attend meetings of the NCETA Board of Directors four times a year and help decide NCETA policy.

To preserve the history of the association, ensure smooth transitions, and provide a common source of information.

To work closely with the Webmaster to establish a database of appropriate information, changes, and additions in the record of NCETA.

To add the names of executive officers, editors, and award winners each year.

To codify and maintain an accurate record of board policy.

IV. The Board of Directors shall hold four regular meetings during the year. The President may call the Board of Directors into session when Association business warrants additional meetings. Members of the Board may vote by mail or electronic ballot on issues that must be decided between meetings.

V. Standing Committees

Grants for Classroom Projects Committee

The Executive Director or Board members nominate for Board approval a regional representative to serve as the chairperson of the Grants Committee. The chairperson selects at least two other qualified NCETA members to serve on the committee. The Grants Committee oversees the administration of the association’s program of grants for development of innovative classroom practices and materials. Before August, the chairperson submits to the Board a list of recommended grant recipients.

Nominating Committee

The Immediate Past President serves as the chair of the Nominating Committee. The Vice President serves as associate chair. The committee, aided by Board members, solicits nominations for each year’s election. The committee prepares the election ballot for the membership. The ballots are distributed and returned to the Immediate Past President for tabulation during the annual fall conference. The Nominating Committee reports election results to candidates and to the Board of Directors during the fall conference.

Conference Committee

The Conference Director and the Executive Director will research sites for conferences and, with the approval of the Board, sign contracts with hotels. Conference sites should be arranged two years in advance.

Conference mailings, registration, and management of funds are handled by the Executive Director.

District directors in and near the area where the conference is held act as local arrangements coordinators, assisting the Conference Director.

Other conference duties are assumed by Board members as the needs are determined. These needs include staffing the registration desk, monitoring admissions to special events, and presiding at concurrent sessions.

Board members who attend three of four yearly Board meetings are not required to pay the conference registration fee.

Presenters are expected to pay registration fees unless otherwise determined by the Board.

NCET Journal Committee

The NCET Journal Committee will be directed by the NCET Journal Editor. The Journal Editor will select committee members from among the organization’s membership.

Regional Professional Development Committee

The Regional Professional Development Committee will be chaired by two to three regional representatives. Committee members will be identified within the organization’s membership.

The Regional Professional Development Committee will oversee the development and facilitation of workshops based on the needs of English educators across the state.

Membership Committee

In partnership with two to three regional representatives, the Executive Director will oversee the activities of the Membership Committee. Committee members will be identified from the organization’s membership.

The Membership Committee will engage in activities designed to encourage increased membership in NCETA as well as NCTE.

Community Partnership Committee

The Community Partnership Committee will be directed by two to three regional representatives. Committee members will be identified within the organization’s membership.

The Community Partnership Committee will identify opportunities to partner with state affiliates for science, math, and social studies educators as well as other educator-based organizations. The Community Partnership Committee will also seek opportunities to build relationships with public and private partners.

Awards Committee and Subcommittees

Outstanding English Teacher

An Outstanding English Teacher Award is presented each year, based on nominations submitted by teachers and administrators across the state, according to the following guidelines:

The Vice President receives the nominations, appoints the selection committee, and chairs the selection committee.

A plaque is presented to the OET when the selection is announced at the Conference by the Vice President.

The OET will hold a non-voting position on the Board for the year following the announcement.

The OET will receive sponsorship to attend the NCTE annual conference the year of receiving the award.

After serving one year representing the best in the teaching of English, the recipient will deliver an address at the next year’s NCTEA conference, for which an honorarium of $250 is paid.

Deadlines are as follows:

Sending nomination forms to membership in the winter (February) mailing.

Nominations returned to Vice President by the first week of June.

Winner announced at August Board of Directors meeting.

Announcement of award made at fall conference and plaque presentation.

Keynote address at the following fall conference and presentation of the honorarium.

Ragan-Rubin Award

The Ragan-Rubin Award for outstanding North Carolina writers was inaugurated in 1987 in honor of Same Ragan and Louis Rubin, friends and mentors to generations of NC writers, artists, and teachers.

The Immediate Past President of NCETA brings nominations for the award to the Board, who votes on the recipient. (See duties of the Immediate Past President for procedures) An honorarium of $250 is given following the presentation at the conference as well as a recognition plaque. The honoree must attend and speak at the conference to receive the award.

Deadlines are as follows:

The Immediate Past President begins canvassing membership at the fall conference and continues to solicit advice from colleagues about possible nominations during the fall semester.

At the winter meeting, the Past President presents nominations to the Board of Directors, who decides on a recipient.

The recipient is notified, and he or she accepts or rejects the award.

If the nominee fails to accept the award, the Board must decide at the spring meeting whether or not to offer the award to someone else. In such a case, the Past President must make arrangements during the summer before the August meeting.

NC Writing Awards

The Watterson-Timberlake Non-Fiction Award will be conducted at the district level and state level.

The Amy Charles Writing Awards are coordinated at the state level and student winners will be featured in NCET Journal.

The Wade Edwards Short Fiction Awards are coordinated with the Wade Edwards Foundation.

The North Carolina Poet Laureate Awards are coordinated at the state level.

Dellinger Lifetime Membership Award

A recipient for this award is chosen from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Inspiration for the award derives from the singular service of Dixie Dellinger. Criteria are that the person has given a career to the profession, that the extent and quality of the person’s service is significantly above the high levels achieved by North Carolina leaders in the profession, and that NCETA has consistently benefitted from the person’s membership.

Dilworth Student Teacher Award

The recipient for this award is chosen by a committee directed by the Colleges and Universities representatives.

Pre-Kindergarten to Sixth Grade Student Teacher Award

The recipient for this award is chosen by a committee directed by the Colleges and Universities representatives.

Leadership Development Award

The recipient for this award is chosen by a committee directed by the Vice President.

VI. The Board of Directors shall elect an Executive Director as provided in the Constitution who shall serve for a term of four years and may be re-elected for an additional four-year term. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Executive Director, the Board shall appoint an Acting Executive Director to complete the remaining term of office.

VII. In the event of a vacancy in the membership of the Board of Directors for cause other than term: If the vacancy to be filled is that of an officer, the Board shall elect a replacement. If the vacancy to be filled is that of a regional representative, the Board shall be requested to make the interim appointment from the membership of that region. If the vacated position has an associate, that associate may be appointed to complete the term

VIII. Dissolution of Assets: In the event of the dissolution of the North Carolina English Teachers Association, the National Council of Teachers of English (permanent headquarters, 1111 Kenyon Road, Urbana, Illinois 61801) will become the beneficiary of all assets which are to be used expressly to further the teaching of English / Language Arts.

IX. These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors by majority vote of the Board members attending.