ARIZONA INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 

The mission of the Arizona Indian Education Association is to develop educational strategies and activities consistent with Arizona’s academic standards and to provide research and resources to Arizona schools for their American Indian students to achieve academic excellence through culturally responsive education.

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

Article I –Name of the Organization 

The title of the organization shall be ARIZONA INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.  Hereafter referred to as the Association and/or AIEA. 

Article II –Objects and Purposes

The purposes of the Arizona Indian Education Association are as follows:

Section 1 The objects and purpose of the AIEA is to provide channels of communication among Indian education programs including pre-kindergarten through higher education and:
Section 2 Ensure the delivery of effective education services by Indian education agencies through collaboration with other federal, state, and tribal programs and to:>
Section 3 Serve as a network for information regarding:

• A) Parent committees/conferences
• B) Youth committees/conferences
• C) Budget committees
• D) Curriculum and instructional activities
• E) Funding resources
• F) New Indian education programs
• G) Agreements, contracts, or partnerships with other educational agencies, organizations, or institutions of higher learning

Section 4 To provide professional development activities and/or training for members of the association, American Indian parents and youth, and school administration staff via the following:

• A) Conferences
• B) Curriculum and instructional activities
• C) Funding resources
• D) New Indian education programs
• E) Formal and informal affiliation

Article III – Membership

Section 1 Membership in the AIEA shall be made available to any individual whosubscribes to the purposes and basic policies of the AIEA without regard to race, color, creed, or national origin under such rules and regulations, not in conflict with the AIEA bylaws.
Section 2 Membership of the Association will be Aug 1 to July 31 of each year.
Section 3 Association Dues - All membership fees will be paid to AIEA and are due by September 30 of each year.

• A) An individual member, a parent, and students 18 years of age and older, shall pay a membership fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per year with an entitlement of one (1) vote.
• B) Local educational agencies, tribal education programs and other educational organizations shall pay an annual membership fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) with an entitlement of two (2) votes maximum for each organization.
• C) Private corporations or business organizations shall pay one hundred dollars ($100.00) per year with an entitlement of two (2) votes maximum.

Section 4 Participation of Non-Members The AIEA shall not limit nor discourage participation from any interested individuals who do not have voting rights.

Article IV – Officers

Section 1 The executive officers of the Association shall consist of the following:

• President
• Vice President(s)
• Secretary
• Corresponding Secretary
• Treasurer

Section 2 Powers and Duties:

• A) The President shall be the official leader and spokesperson for the Association.  The President shall perform the following duties:
  
  1. Conduct Association meetings.
  2. Sign letters, reports, and other written communications on behalf of the Association.
  3. Serve as an authorized signatory for expenditures of Association funds through the use of a written authorization submitted to the Treasurer.
  4. Appoint sub-committees as needed to conduct association business.
  5. Other duties as may be recommended by the association.


• B) The duties of the Vice President are as follows:
  
  1. Preside in the absence of the President.
  2. Exercise all the rights and privileges of the President(s)-Elect when acting in that capacity.
  3. Serve as an authorized signatory for expenditure of Association funds through the use of a written authorization submitted to the Treasurer.
  4. Serve as chair for any special committee, task force, etc., at the discretion of the President.
  5. Fulfill the position as President in the event the President vacates office.
  6. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the President or by the Association.
  
  
• C) The Secretary and Corresponding Secretary shall perform the following duties as indicated.The Secretary is the recording officer who will act as the recorder of the assembly and the custodian of its records except those specifically assigned to others such as the treasurer’s books.  The duties of Secretary and Corresponding Secretary are as follows:
  
  1. Record minutes of all meetings, establish a quorum, take roll call, etc.
  2. Maintain updates of U.S. postal and electronic mailing lists
  3. Provide copies of meeting minutes to the President, Vice President, the Association members, and to such other persons as the Association may indicate
  4. Represent the President or Vice President in the absence of the President and Vice President
  5. Ensure that required notices are posted to the AIEA list serve in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws and in a timely manner
  6. Maintain a Calendar of Events for approved Association activities
  7. Act as custodian of all Association records
  8. Maintain and update lists of the addresses and contact numbers of Association members
  9. Maintain yearly attendance records of meetings and functions
  10. Notify nominees of election date/time and prepare/count ballots for election
  11. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the President or Vice President the Association
  
  
• D) The duties of the Treasurer will be to maintain an accounting of all AIEA funds in accordance with the following procedures established by the AIEA:
  
  1. Record all deposits and withdrawals, including check numbers, dates, description of items, and accounts
  2. Make copies of checks being deposited and attach copies to deposit receipts
  3. Keep all records in chronological order in a file or binder(s).
  4. Promptly deposit into the AIEA account any monies received
  5. Obtain appropriate officer signatures for any withdrawal of AIEA funds as approved by the Association
  6. Provide an updated written budget report at all regular AIEA meetings
  7. Maintain an active log of association budget reports submitted to the AIEA.

Section 3 Nominations and Elections

• Nominations of executive officers shall be made from the floor by a member at a regularly scheduled meeting in September of each year.  Annual elections shall be held in October of each year with a written notice sent to paid members ten (10) business days prior to the election or sooner.  A member is one who has submitted payment in full by September 30 of the current year (see Article III, Sect. 3).  The Secretary will notify all nominees immediately after the September meeting for acceptance and will print ballots for the election.
• Officers shall be elected by a secret written ballot in October.  Write-in votes are allowed.  Ballots will be distributed to the current members on the membership list maintained by AIEA secretary.  A member must be present at an election meeting to vote.  Proxy voting and absentee ballots shall not be permitted.  If there is but one nominee for any office, election for that office may be by voice vote.
• Nominees receiving the highest number of votes by current members at the October general meeting shall hold office until the following October.  Officers shall assume their duties following the meeting of the elections.  A transition meeting in which outgoing officers brief incoming officers on their duties and responsibilities shall follow the meeting.  The meeting will take place at the conclusion of the October general meeting or as decided upon by the incoming President and will include the passing on of any physical items, such as accounting or membership records, to the new officers.

Section 4 Eligibility
• Eligibility Nominees must have a current membership and must have actively participated in a minimum of five (5) AIEA meetings in the last year.

Section 5 Terms of Office
• The term of office for each officer shall be one year following the October election of officers.  The officers shall serve for the terms provided in these by-laws or until their successors are elected.

Section 6 Vacancy
• Any officer vacancy may be filled by appointment by the President with consent of the general membership.  The newly elected officer shall serve only for the remainder of the term.

Article V – Meetings

Section 1 Meetings
• The meetings of the AIEA shall be every month during the school year, or at the discretion of the membership.

Section 2  Meeting Locations
• AIEA meetings shall be held at various sites throughout the state.

Section 3 Annual Meeting
• The October meeting shall be know as the Annual Meeting for the purpose of election of the officers and directors, receiving reports and for any other business, which shall properly come before the meeting.

Section 4  Special Meetings
• Any special meetings may be called by the President, President-Elect, or by a majority vote of the AIEA.  All members shall be notified within at least three (3) business days prior to the meeting.  Notification of special meetings may be made only by telephone or e-mail/electronically.

Section 5 Quorum
• A quorum shall consist of five (5) current individual members.

Section 6 Agenda:
• Individual members of the AIEA are encouraged to submit agenda items to the Executive Committee three (3) weeks prior to the next meeting date.
• Members may submit these agenda items to either the President or Vice President using the e-mail/electronically or the telephone numbers provided at each AIEA meeting.

Article VI - Executive Committee

Section 1 Executive Committee
• The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers and Standing Committee Chairs for a minimum of 5 members and maximum of 8 total members.

Section 2 Financial Decisions
• The Executive Committee shall be responsible for carrying out financial decisions that have been voted on and approved by the association membership.

Section 3 Controls
• The Executive Committee will be responsible for conducting the checks and balances on all association accounts, regularly conferring with an outside financial consultant.

Section 4 Emergency Decisions
• The Executive Committee shall be responsible for making emergency decisions when necessary.

Section 5 Developing Agendas
• The Executive Committee shall be responsible for developing each meeting agenda and will direct the secretaries to disseminate the meeting agenda 10 business days prior to the next meeting or sooner.

Article VII - Committees

Section 1 The Standing Committees of the AIEA are as follow:
• Youth Conference Committee
• Parent Conference Committee
• Professional Development Committee

Section 2 Special Committees
• The President shall establish Special committees when deemed necessary to carry forth Association goals and/or activities of the association.

Section 3  Professional Development
• Professional Development shall be provided to the membership to support student achievement.
  1. Certificates for twenty-five (25) hours of professional development will be issued in August of each year to each members participating in a minimum of five (5) AIEA professional development sessions.
  2. Certificates for fifty (50) hours of professional development will be awarded in August of each year to each officer participating in a minimum of five (5) AIEA meetings in which professional development is offered.

IN WITNESS THEREOF

In witness thereof, the ARIZONA INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION has caused these amended bylaws to be executed on the 14^th day of September 2007.
Betty A. García-Pendley, AIEA President
AIEA Member, Official

Last Updated: Tuesday March 25, 2008	Contact the AIEA President