Constitution of the Georgia Association of International Educators
Article 1: Name and Purpose
Section A: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Georgia Association of International Educators, hereafter referred to as “GAIE” or “the Association.”
Section B: Purpose
The organization is organized exclusively for educational purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
The purpose of the Association shall be to promote international educational exchange of students and scholars. To accomplish this purpose, the Association supports the following goals:
Article 2: Membership and Dues
Section A: Membership
Any person interested in the purpose of the Association may be a member.
Section B: Dues
Dues may be determined by the Leadership Team (as defined under Article 3, Section A of this Constitution) with the consent of a two‐thirds majority of those present at any annual meeting of the Association.
Article 3: governance
Section A: Elected and Non-Elected Officers
The Executive Committee shall consist of elected officers of GAIE and shall be the Chairperson, Chairperson‐Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect, Advocacy State Representative, State Representative to NAFSA, and Georgia International Leadership Conference (GILC) Chairperson. The non-elected officer shall be the Webmaster, which shall be chosen by the Executive Committee. All officers, elected and non-elected, shall hereinafter constitute the “Leadership Team.”
With the exception of the State Representative (whose tenure is determined by NAFSA guidelines), Advocacy State Representative (whose tenure is two years), and the Webmaster (whose tenure is two years), terms for the Leadership Team are considered to be for a period of three years (as elect, present, and past).
Section B: Duties
The Chairperson shall conduct the business of the Association, as well as be responsible for organizing annual programs and meetings. In addition, the Chairperson will provide general guidance and support to the GILC Chairperson. The Chairperson shall serve as Past‐Chair for one year following completion of term as Chairperson.
The Chairperson‐Elect shall attend meetings one year before taking office in order to become familiar with the duties associated with serving as state Chairperson. The Chairperson‐Elect will also assist the current Chairperson with appropriate duties, as determined by the Leadership Team. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Chairperson‐Elect shall serve as Chairperson.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain the records of the organization, shall provide a report of the financial status of the Association at annual meetings, maintain a reserve of a minimum of $5,000 in the GAIE account, keep meeting minutes and disseminate those minutes to appropriate persons, as well as notify members of meetings and disburse funds with the approval of the Chairperson. The Secretary/Treasurer shall also serve as the conference registrar for all state meetings, as well as assist the Chairperson with the organization and coordination of annual programs and events. In addition, the Secretary/Treasurer will share resources with and assist in supporting the GILC Chairperson and appropriate GILC Leadership Team members on financial matters as needed.
The Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect shall attend meetings one year before taking office and work closely with the Secretary/Treasurer to become familiar with the duties associated with the office. In the absence of the Secretary/Treasurer, the Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect shall serve as Secretary/Treasurer.
The GILC Chairperson shall manage the Georgia International Leadership Conference. GILC will remain a unique program overseen by GAIE. The GILC Chairperson’s role will be to construct and oversee a Leadership Team to coordinate GILC. The GILC Chairperson will be an advocate for GILC within the GAIE Leadership Team and will regularly attend GAIE Leadership Team meetings. The GILC Chairperson shall serve as Past-GILC Chairperson for one year following completion of term as GILC Chairperson.
The Past-Chairperson and Past-Secretary/Treasurer shall act in a consultative role to assist the Leadership Team with operations of the Association.
The Advocacy State Representative shall attend GAIE meetings, advocate for state and/or national legislation that encourages international education, advise GAIE membership on ways to become active, share our stories, represent GAIE members’ concerns over relevant and timely issues, and encourage GAIE members to exercise their advocacy skills.
The State Representative to NAFSA shall be the liaison between NAFSA and GAIE.
The Webmaster shall attend GAIE Meetings, representing the international education interests of professional and community volunteers in Georgia. The Webmaster shall also maintain an attractive and informative GAIE website with up-to-date information for utilization by members and the Leadership Team, assist with any technical issues, and assist the Leadership Team by posting relevant information to the listserv or on the GAIE website. In addition, the Webmaster shall work closely with the Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, and other relevant planning-committee members on all website updates related to conferences, including posting programs and presentations from events and conferences in the appropriate areas of the website.
All officers on the Leadership Team will be expected to attend all GAIE conferences and events as well as NAFSA conferences and events if possible.
Between the end of the winter conference and the following planning-committee meeting, the Past-Chairperson, Past-Secretary/Treasurer, Past-GILC Chairperson, Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, and GILC Chairperson shall meet in person for a transition meeting. Any pending business shall be communicated at this time, and a review and transfer of finances, including bank statements of the previous year, shall take place. A report of this meeting, including a state of the finances shall be distributed to the membership via the GAIE listserv by the outgoing and incoming Chairpersons.
Section C: Officer Elections
The Chairperson‐Elect, Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect, and GILC Chairperson shall be elected on an annual basis by a majority of members present at the winter meeting of the Association.
The Advocacy State Representative shall be elected on a semi-annual basis by a majority of members present at the winter meeting of the Association.
The State Representative shall be elected at the winter meeting and the position shall be governed by NAFSA guidelines.
Section D: Nominating Committee
A nominating committee shall propose a single slate of nominees for offices to be filled. Nominations for officers will also be taken from the floor immediately prior to the election.
The GAIE Nominating Committee shall be composed of the current Chairperson, immediate Past‐Chair, immediate past State Representative and two members elected from the Association.
The elected members of the Nominating Committee shall be nominated in writing by any member of GAIE to the Chairperson no less than two weeks prior to the winter meeting each year. After having accepted the nomination, the candidates’ names will be presented to the membership for election at the winter meeting by a majority of the members present.
Section E: Advocacy Committee
The Advocacy Committee shall be formed by the Advocacy State Representative and the GAIE Chairperson-Elect as the second Advocate, with the option for additional Advocates to join.
The Advocacy State Representative will have a two‐year term. The Chairperson-Elect’s term on the Advocacy Committee ends automatically when the Chairperson-Elect becomes Chairperson, and the new Chairperson-Elect automatically becomes the second Advocate.
After selection at the winter conference, the Advocacy State Representative’s term will begin from March 1.
Section F: Vacancies
Chairperson: A vacancy in the office of the Chairperson shall be filled by the Chairperson-Elect, who shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term in addition to serving as Chairperson for the following year.
Chairperson-Elect: A vacancy in the office of Chairperson-Elect shall be filled by special election among the membership.
Secretary/Treasurer: A vacancy in the office of Secretary/Treasurer shall be filled at the discretion of the Chairperson and Chairperson-Elect with approval from the Leadership Team.
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect: A vacancy in the office of Secretary/Treasurer-Elect shall be filled by special election among the membership.
GILC Chairperson: A vacancy in the office of the GILC Chairperson shall be filled at the discretion of the Chairperson with a majority approval of the GILC Leadership Team. In the event that no GILC Leadership Team exists, the Chairperson may determine whether or not to hold GILC that year.
Advocacy State Representative: A vacancy in the office of Advocacy State Representative shall be filled by special election among the membership. The person so selected must meet general eligibility requirements.
Webmaster: A vacancy in the office of Webmaster shall be filled at the discretion of the Leadership Team. The person so selected must meet general eligibility requirements.
Other offices: Vacancies in all other offices shall be filled by the Chair with consent of the Leadership Team. The person so selected must meet general eligibility requirements.
Section G: Removal
Any member of the Leadership Team, or of the sub-committees, who fails to perform his/her duties may be removed from office by a majority vote from the remaining Leadership Team.
Article 4: Appointed Positions
Section A: Appointed Positions
The Leadership Team shall appoint volunteers from within the Association’s membership to serve according to the needs of the Association. Examples of appointed positions may include but are not limited to GAIE Webmaster, Listserv Manager, CIPP‐RR Assistants, etc.
Article 5: Meetings
Section A: Meetings
There shall be at least one official meeting held annually.
The Chairperson, with the assistance of the Secretary/Treasurer, shall be responsible for the organization of the annual meeting.
Section B: Procedure
Roberts Rules of Order shall prevail at all meetings unless otherwise specified.
Article 6: Amendments and Revisions
Section A: Amendments and Revisions
Proposed amendments or revisions to this Constitution must be presented to the Leadership Team in writing at any regular business meeting of the Association. At the next business meeting of the Association, this Constitution may be amended or revised by a two‐thirds majority vote of those present.
Article 7: Dissolution
Section A: Dissolution
Upon the dissolution of this 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 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.
(Constitution revised May 2017)
Section A: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Georgia Association of International Educators, hereafter referred to as “GAIE” or “the Association.”
Section B: Purpose
The organization is organized exclusively for educational purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
The purpose of the Association shall be to promote international educational exchange of students and scholars. To accomplish this purpose, the Association supports the following goals:
- To bring together those in the state of Georgia who are engaged or interested in the international educational exchange of students and scholars.
- To collect and disseminate relevant information.
- To develop and recommend desirable principles, policies and practices.
- To support opportunities for professional development for those participating in the field.
- To represent the views of the membership in supporting international education.
Article 2: Membership and Dues
Section A: Membership
Any person interested in the purpose of the Association may be a member.
Section B: Dues
Dues may be determined by the Leadership Team (as defined under Article 3, Section A of this Constitution) with the consent of a two‐thirds majority of those present at any annual meeting of the Association.
Article 3: governance
Section A: Elected and Non-Elected Officers
The Executive Committee shall consist of elected officers of GAIE and shall be the Chairperson, Chairperson‐Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect, Advocacy State Representative, State Representative to NAFSA, and Georgia International Leadership Conference (GILC) Chairperson. The non-elected officer shall be the Webmaster, which shall be chosen by the Executive Committee. All officers, elected and non-elected, shall hereinafter constitute the “Leadership Team.”
With the exception of the State Representative (whose tenure is determined by NAFSA guidelines), Advocacy State Representative (whose tenure is two years), and the Webmaster (whose tenure is two years), terms for the Leadership Team are considered to be for a period of three years (as elect, present, and past).
Section B: Duties
The Chairperson shall conduct the business of the Association, as well as be responsible for organizing annual programs and meetings. In addition, the Chairperson will provide general guidance and support to the GILC Chairperson. The Chairperson shall serve as Past‐Chair for one year following completion of term as Chairperson.
The Chairperson‐Elect shall attend meetings one year before taking office in order to become familiar with the duties associated with serving as state Chairperson. The Chairperson‐Elect will also assist the current Chairperson with appropriate duties, as determined by the Leadership Team. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Chairperson‐Elect shall serve as Chairperson.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain the records of the organization, shall provide a report of the financial status of the Association at annual meetings, maintain a reserve of a minimum of $5,000 in the GAIE account, keep meeting minutes and disseminate those minutes to appropriate persons, as well as notify members of meetings and disburse funds with the approval of the Chairperson. The Secretary/Treasurer shall also serve as the conference registrar for all state meetings, as well as assist the Chairperson with the organization and coordination of annual programs and events. In addition, the Secretary/Treasurer will share resources with and assist in supporting the GILC Chairperson and appropriate GILC Leadership Team members on financial matters as needed.
The Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect shall attend meetings one year before taking office and work closely with the Secretary/Treasurer to become familiar with the duties associated with the office. In the absence of the Secretary/Treasurer, the Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect shall serve as Secretary/Treasurer.
The GILC Chairperson shall manage the Georgia International Leadership Conference. GILC will remain a unique program overseen by GAIE. The GILC Chairperson’s role will be to construct and oversee a Leadership Team to coordinate GILC. The GILC Chairperson will be an advocate for GILC within the GAIE Leadership Team and will regularly attend GAIE Leadership Team meetings. The GILC Chairperson shall serve as Past-GILC Chairperson for one year following completion of term as GILC Chairperson.
The Past-Chairperson and Past-Secretary/Treasurer shall act in a consultative role to assist the Leadership Team with operations of the Association.
The Advocacy State Representative shall attend GAIE meetings, advocate for state and/or national legislation that encourages international education, advise GAIE membership on ways to become active, share our stories, represent GAIE members’ concerns over relevant and timely issues, and encourage GAIE members to exercise their advocacy skills.
The State Representative to NAFSA shall be the liaison between NAFSA and GAIE.
The Webmaster shall attend GAIE Meetings, representing the international education interests of professional and community volunteers in Georgia. The Webmaster shall also maintain an attractive and informative GAIE website with up-to-date information for utilization by members and the Leadership Team, assist with any technical issues, and assist the Leadership Team by posting relevant information to the listserv or on the GAIE website. In addition, the Webmaster shall work closely with the Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, and other relevant planning-committee members on all website updates related to conferences, including posting programs and presentations from events and conferences in the appropriate areas of the website.
All officers on the Leadership Team will be expected to attend all GAIE conferences and events as well as NAFSA conferences and events if possible.
Between the end of the winter conference and the following planning-committee meeting, the Past-Chairperson, Past-Secretary/Treasurer, Past-GILC Chairperson, Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, and GILC Chairperson shall meet in person for a transition meeting. Any pending business shall be communicated at this time, and a review and transfer of finances, including bank statements of the previous year, shall take place. A report of this meeting, including a state of the finances shall be distributed to the membership via the GAIE listserv by the outgoing and incoming Chairpersons.
Section C: Officer Elections
The Chairperson‐Elect, Secretary/Treasurer‐Elect, and GILC Chairperson shall be elected on an annual basis by a majority of members present at the winter meeting of the Association.
The Advocacy State Representative shall be elected on a semi-annual basis by a majority of members present at the winter meeting of the Association.
The State Representative shall be elected at the winter meeting and the position shall be governed by NAFSA guidelines.
Section D: Nominating Committee
A nominating committee shall propose a single slate of nominees for offices to be filled. Nominations for officers will also be taken from the floor immediately prior to the election.
The GAIE Nominating Committee shall be composed of the current Chairperson, immediate Past‐Chair, immediate past State Representative and two members elected from the Association.
The elected members of the Nominating Committee shall be nominated in writing by any member of GAIE to the Chairperson no less than two weeks prior to the winter meeting each year. After having accepted the nomination, the candidates’ names will be presented to the membership for election at the winter meeting by a majority of the members present.
Section E: Advocacy Committee
The Advocacy Committee shall be formed by the Advocacy State Representative and the GAIE Chairperson-Elect as the second Advocate, with the option for additional Advocates to join.
The Advocacy State Representative will have a two‐year term. The Chairperson-Elect’s term on the Advocacy Committee ends automatically when the Chairperson-Elect becomes Chairperson, and the new Chairperson-Elect automatically becomes the second Advocate.
After selection at the winter conference, the Advocacy State Representative’s term will begin from March 1.
Section F: Vacancies
Chairperson: A vacancy in the office of the Chairperson shall be filled by the Chairperson-Elect, who shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term in addition to serving as Chairperson for the following year.
Chairperson-Elect: A vacancy in the office of Chairperson-Elect shall be filled by special election among the membership.
Secretary/Treasurer: A vacancy in the office of Secretary/Treasurer shall be filled at the discretion of the Chairperson and Chairperson-Elect with approval from the Leadership Team.
Secretary/Treasurer-Elect: A vacancy in the office of Secretary/Treasurer-Elect shall be filled by special election among the membership.
GILC Chairperson: A vacancy in the office of the GILC Chairperson shall be filled at the discretion of the Chairperson with a majority approval of the GILC Leadership Team. In the event that no GILC Leadership Team exists, the Chairperson may determine whether or not to hold GILC that year.
Advocacy State Representative: A vacancy in the office of Advocacy State Representative shall be filled by special election among the membership. The person so selected must meet general eligibility requirements.
Webmaster: A vacancy in the office of Webmaster shall be filled at the discretion of the Leadership Team. The person so selected must meet general eligibility requirements.
Other offices: Vacancies in all other offices shall be filled by the Chair with consent of the Leadership Team. The person so selected must meet general eligibility requirements.
Section G: Removal
Any member of the Leadership Team, or of the sub-committees, who fails to perform his/her duties may be removed from office by a majority vote from the remaining Leadership Team.
Article 4: Appointed Positions
Section A: Appointed Positions
The Leadership Team shall appoint volunteers from within the Association’s membership to serve according to the needs of the Association. Examples of appointed positions may include but are not limited to GAIE Webmaster, Listserv Manager, CIPP‐RR Assistants, etc.
Article 5: Meetings
Section A: Meetings
There shall be at least one official meeting held annually.
The Chairperson, with the assistance of the Secretary/Treasurer, shall be responsible for the organization of the annual meeting.
Section B: Procedure
Roberts Rules of Order shall prevail at all meetings unless otherwise specified.
Article 6: Amendments and Revisions
Section A: Amendments and Revisions
Proposed amendments or revisions to this Constitution must be presented to the Leadership Team in writing at any regular business meeting of the Association. At the next business meeting of the Association, this Constitution may be amended or revised by a two‐thirds majority vote of those present.
Article 7: Dissolution
Section A: Dissolution
Upon the dissolution of this 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 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.
(Constitution revised May 2017)
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