MASS Constitution
PREAMBLE
As amended 10/22/93
This Constitution of the Montana Association of School Superintendents is hereby established for the purpose of promoting:
a. The American ideal that equal educational opportunities shall be available to all sections of our state and to all of its people.
b. The continuous improvement in educational procedures, techniques, administration, supervision, and public relations.
c. A spirit of professional growth, congenial friendship, and loyalty among members.
d. Attention to the professional welfare of members, stimulating interest of members in the profession, and the advancement of administrators in the field of education.
e. Contact and working relationship with out professional organizations interested in education.
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this association shall be the Montana Association of School Superintendents and is hereafter within referred to as the "Association".
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Association shall be divided into five classifications:
a. Active Membership
b. Associate Membership
c. Senior Membership
d. Honorary Membership
e. Student Membership
Section 1: Active Membership
Eligible for active membership are Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents or other central office personnel who hold titles with line staffing equivalent to that of Assistant Superintendent.
Section 2: Associate Membership
Persons who are associated with educational administration but are not regularly certified or actively engaged in school administration or who hold central office positions other than Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent as defined in Article II, Section 1, may become associate members upon payment of dues and approval by the Executive Committee. Associate members are entitled to all privileges of the Montana Association of School Superintendents except to vote and hold office.
Section 3: Senior Membership
Active members who retire are eligible for Senior Membership status. These members shall have all rights and privileges of active membership except as prescribed in Article II, Section 1.
Section 4: Honorary Membership
The Executive Committee shall have the right to confer honorary memberships.
Section 5: Student Membership
Any person who is certified as a full-time resident graduate student at the University of Montana or Montana State University in an approved program in school administration shall be eligible for student membership. Student members are entitled to all privileges of the Montana Association of School Superintendents except to vote and hold office.
ARTICLE III - ORGANIZATION
Section 1: Officers
The elected officers of this organization shall be a president, president-elect, immediate past president, and an executive committee consisting of the nine (9) directors chosen from each area exclusive of the president and president-elect.
a. President
The President shall preside at the opening of the annual meeting and such other sections as he elects. He shall preside at the meetings of the Executive Committee. He shall have authority to call special meetings of the Executive Committee, or of the entire membership with the consent of the Executive Committee. He shall appoint all committees, both standing and special. He shall, with the consultation of the Executive Committee, prepare programs for the annual meeting of the Association. He shall perform any of the duties which customarily accrue to the office.
b. President-elect
In the absence of the President, the President-elect shall perform the usual duties of the office.
c. Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary will be employed by the Executive Committee and shall be responsible for a complete and accurate record of all meetings of the Association and Executive Committee. He shall receive all monies due the organization, keep all funds of the Association deposited in a designated bank, pay out of funds of the Association all bills approved by the Executive Committee, make an annual report to the Association at its annual meeting, and perform such other duties as the Executive Committee may assign.
Section 2: Terms of Office
a. Officers
1. The elected officers shall serve the Association for three years.
2. The President-elect shall assume the office of President at the end of the Annual spring meeting.
3. The President at the end of the official term shall serve as an advisor to the President as Past-President.
b. The Area President shall be elected to serve a term of one year in a method determined by the members of the area.
Section 3: Executive Committee
a. The Executive Committee shall be the President of the Association, President-elect, Immediate Past President, and nine (9) area presidents. The recognized area administrator groups are (and time term ends on the executive committee): Four Rivers, South Central, South Eastern, North Eastern, Hi Line, North Central, Central, Western, and North West.
b. Duties
1. The Executive Committee shall determine the exact date and place of the annual meeting.
2. The Executive Committee shall conduct necessary business between annual meetings of the membership.
3. They shall attend to the promotion of the best interest of the Association.
4. They shall fill vacancies of office which occur during the regular term, provided that if a vacancy occurs in the Executive Committee of any of the nine (9) area presidents, this vacancy shall be filled by the area administrative group involved.
5. They may remove an officer upon two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Committee.
6. They shall approve the annual budget and expenditures from the budget and present it to the membership for a vote at the spring meeting.
Section 4: Election of Officers
a. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the President at least thirty (30) days before the annual meeting and instructed in their duties at the time of appointment.
1. The nominating committee shall present, through the chairman, the nominees for the office of President-elect.
2. At the time of this nominating committee report, the presiding officer shall call for additional nominations from the floor, and any such nominations shall be placed on the ballot.
3. Immediately upon adjournment of the annual meeting, the Executive Secretary shall prepare a ballot and mail to all members. The ballots shall be sent back to the Executive Secretary within twenty (20) days. When the ballots are counted, the one receiving a majority of votes cast shall be named President-elect. If there is no such majority, the Executive Secretary will prepare a second ballot with the names of the two receiving the most votes and repeat the mail balloting. The one receiving the highest vote count shall be named President-elect. This will be done prior to June 1st.
b. The President-elect shall automatically succeed to the office of President
c. The Executive Secretary shall be employed by the incoming Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV - AMENDMENTS
All proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall report the action taken on such proposed amendments to the membership at the next regular meeting on the membership. Such report shall specify that the Executive Committee recommends, does not recommend, or reports without prejudice such amendments. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at a properly scheduled meeting with a quorum present shall be required for adoption of any amendment.
ARTICLE V
This Constitution shall take effect immediately after it has been approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the active membership present and voting at a regularly scheduled meeting with a quorum present.
ARTICLE VI - AFFILIATION
The policy of this organization shall be to not affiliate with any other organization other than those of school administrators or school business officials.
ARTICLE VII - ANNUAL MEETINGS SEPARATE FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
The Executive Committee shall at all times attempt to conduct the annual meetings separate from other educational gatherings. This shall not prevent holding of the annual meeting directly preceding or immediately following meetings of other school organizations and shall not prevent cooperative action with such organizations.
ARTICLE VIII - POLLING MEMBERSHIP BY MAIL
The Executive Committee may conduct special studies and referendum ballots by mail.
ARTICLE IX - SUPPORTING CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE
The Executive Committee or any members shall take no stand in the name of the organization for or against any candidate for public office unless specifically authorized and duly approved in a regularly called meeting. All candidates may be given identical questions and their answers publicized without comment.
ARTICLE X - DISSOLUTION OF ORGANIZATION
In event of dissolution of this organization, all monies in the treasury wherever deposited or located, shall, after payment of all outstanding indebtedness, be distributed to the paid active membership of record for the immediately preceding year.
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Approved and adopted at the Twenty-ninth Annual Meeting held in Missoula November 6, 1970
Amended 4/6/75 at Thirty-third Annual Meeting in Helena
Amended 4/11/76 at Thirty-fourth Annual Meeting in Helena
Amended 4/8/78 at Thirty-sixth Annual Meeting in Helena
Amended 4/25/87 at Forty-fifth Annual Meeting in Helena
Amended 10/22/93 at MCEL Meeting in Bozeman
ADDENDUM
Since the constitution was not adhered to in the operation of the "Executive Board", enclosed is the terms of office, by region, to "Reestablish" the three year terms.
Area Date "first term" ends
Four Rivers -94
South Central -95
South Eastern -96
North Eastern -94
Hi Line -95
North Central -96
Central -94
Western -95
North West -96
