Proposed Constitution and Bylaws Revisions 2026

NAGT Constitution with Changes

Article III - Organization

Section 2. National Officers

The National Officers of the Association shall be President, Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor(s), Executive Director and six Councilors-at-Large. Duties, rights and responsibilities of the Officers are set forth in the Bylaws.

1. Elections shall be held annually by ballot at least forty (40) days prior to the Annual Meeting with elections lasting no less than 30 days. At least sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of the election, the Nominating Committee shall present to the Executive Director a list of nominations to be sent to the membership of the Association. The ballots shall indicate one nomination for President (incumbent Vice-President), Vice-President (incumbent Second Vice-President), Second Vice-President, Secretary/treasurer (every third year), and Councilors-at-Large. There will be write-in privileges for all offices except President and Vice-President. The Executive Director shall serve as teller and report the results of the ballots at the Annual Meeting.
2. The President and Vice-President shall serve one-year terms. A person that serves a full term as President, or Vice-President, or Second Vice-President, may not succeed himself/herself in that office. Upon expiration of the term of the President, or in the event the President were unable to complete his/her term, the Vice-President shall become the President and the Second Vice-President shall become the Vice-President. If necessary, an Acting Second Vice-President may be appointed by the President with the consent of the Executive Committee.
3. The Secretary shall be elected for a three-year term, and may be re-elected to one additional consecutive three-year term. If necessary, the President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, may appoint an Acting Secretary.
4. The Treasurer shall be elected for a three-year term, and may be re-elected to one additional consecutive three-year term. If necessary, the President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, may appoint an Acting Treasurer.
5. Elected Officers shall serve from the Annual Meeting following their election to the beginning of the Annual Meeting occurring at the end of their elected term of Office.
6. The Executive Director and Editor(s) are non-voting National Officers of the Association and are appointed by the Executive Committee.

Proposed Constitution Changes

Article III - Organization

Section 2. National Officers

The National Officers of the Association shall be President, Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary/treasurer Secretary, Treasurer, Editor(s), Executive Director and six Councilors-at-Large. Duties, rights and responsibilities of the Officers are set forth in the Bylaws.

1. Elections shall be held annually by ballot at least forty (40) days prior to the Annual Meeting with elections lasting no less than 30 days. At least sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of the election, the Nominating Committee shall present to the Executive Director a list of nominations to be sent to the membership of the Association. The ballots shall indicate one nomination for President (incumbent Vice-President), Vice-President (incumbent Second Vice-President), Second Vice-President, Secretary/treasurer (every third year), and Councilors-at-Large. There will be write-in privileges for all offices except President and Vice-President. The Executive Director shall serve as teller and report the results of the ballots at the Annual Meeting.
2. The President and Vice-President shall serve one-year terms. A person that serves a full term as President, or Vice-President, or Second Vice-President, may not succeed himself/herself in that office. Upon expiration of the term of the President, or in the event the President were unable to complete his/her term, the Vice-President shall become the President and the Second Vice-President shall become the Vice-President. If necessary, an Acting Second Vice-President may be appointed by the President with the consent of the Executive Committee.
3. The Secretary/treasurer shall be elected for a three-year term, and may be re-elected to one additional consecutive three-year term. If necessary, the President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, may appoint an Acting Secretary/treasurer.
4. The Treasurer shall be elected for a three-year term, and may be re-elected to one additional consecutive three-year term. If necessary, the President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, may appoint an Acting Treasurer.
5. The Councilors-at-Large shall be elected for one-time renewable, three-year staggered terms. Two of the six Councilors-at-Large shall be elected each year, with concern for providing balanced representation of the membership. In the event that a position is vacated during the term, the President may appoint a member in good standing to fill it until the next annual election.
6. Elected Officers shall serve from the Annual Meeting following their election to the beginning of the Annual Meeting occurring at the end of their elected term of Office.
7. The Executive Director and Editor(s) are non-voting National Officers of the Association and are appointed by the Executive Committee.

NAGT Bylaws with Changes

Bylaw II - Dues and Subscriptions

Section 1.

The dues of the Association shall be established by Executive Committee action, according to the needs of the Association, with appropriate notice to be provided electronically and published on the NAGT website. For each paid member of a Section which has been designated by the Executive Committee as active and which has filed an annual financial report with the Executive Director, the Association will remit a sum of money to the section for carrying out its functions. For purposes of this remission, a Section shall be declared "active" if it has a full slate of elected officers and the Section has done at least one of the following during the previous year:

• conducted a Section conference and/or field trip;
• selected an OEST awardee;
• distributed a newsletter to the members of their Section; or
• conducted a planning meeting, attended by at least three of the Section officers. The amount to be remitted per member will be determined by the Executive Committee annually. Sections have the option of assessing additional dues.

Bylaw IV – Officer and Editor Responsibilities

Section 4. Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for taking and distributing minutes for all regularly scheduled meetings of the NAGT Council and Executive Committee. The secretary will also ensure the accuracy of all association records, including meeting minutes, policies, and position statements. The secretary will chair the membership committee and ensure that accurate information is shared with the membership, and oversee and/or maintain historical records.

Section 5. Treasurer

The Treasurer will serve as chair of the Finance Committee to assist the Executive Director in the preparation and presentation of financial reports and the proposed budgets. The treasurer will also manage, with the Finance Committee, the Executive Committee's review of and action related to the board's financial responsibilities. The Treasurer shall have the authority to expend funds in accordance with the adopted annual budget or for other business of the Corporation by direction of the Executive Committee.

Section 6. Executive Director

The Executive Director works closely with the Executive Committee to promote and serve the mission of the NAGT and coordinates its major programs and functions for essential annual operations. With the assistance of the Treasurer, the Executive Director prepares and presents the financial report and the proposed budget for the following year to the Executive Committee for approval prior to the start of the fiscal year.

Section 7. Councilors-At-Large

Six Councilors-at-Large normally bring a variety of expertise and professional backgrounds to the Executive Committee. Councilors shall attend all Executive Committee meetings and be responsible for specific administrative tasks mutually agreed upon in the Executive Committee.

Section 8. Editor, Journal of Geoscience Education

The Editor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for a three to five-year term coinciding with the editing of three to five volumes of the Journal of Geoscience Education. The Editor may be re-appointed for additional terms without limit. Associate editor(s) and/or editorial board are appointed by the Editor.

Section 9. Editor, In the Trenches

The Editor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for a three- to five-year term coinciding with the editing of three to five volumes of In the Trenches.The Editor may be re-appointed for additional terms without limit. Associate editor(s) and/or an editorial board are appointed by the Editor.

Bylaw VI - Standing Committees

Section 2. Neil Miner Award Committee

This Committee administers the selection of the recipient of the annual Neil Miner Award for "exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the geosciences". The Committee is composed of the President of the Association, who serves as Chair, the immediate Past-President; the Secretary; and two members recommended by the Executive Committee. No one may serve as an appointed member for more than two years in succession. The Committee shall select the recipient of the Neil Miner Award.

Section 4. Nominating Committee

This Committee shall present to the Executive Director a list of nominations to be sent to the membership of the Association. There shall be at least one nomination for President (incumbent Vice-President), Vice-President (incumbent Second Vice-President), Second Vice-President, Secretary (every third year), Treasurer (every third year), and Councilors-at-Large. The Committee shall be composed each year of the five most recent available Past-Presidents of the Association, the immediate Past-President serving as Chair. Tenure will begin each year following the Annual Meeting. Should it become necessary to depart from this committee composition because of emergency or other difficulty, the current President of the Association shall make necessary appointments from the membership.

Section 6. Investment Committee

The Investment Committee is responsible for annually reviewing the performance of endowment investments and recommending investment and/or endowment spending changes, if any, to the Executive Committee in accordance with the National Association of Geoscience Teachers endowment policy. The Committee is composed of a chair and four other members as directed by the Executive Committee. The membership of the Investment Committee will include the Second Vice President, Treasurer, and two NAGT at-large members appointed by the Executive Committee to 3-year staggered terms. The Chair of the Committee is appointed by the Executive Committee.

Section 8. Finance Committee

The Finance Committee recommends financial policies, strategies, and budgets that support the mission, values and strategic plan of the organization. Its purpose is to ensure the financial health and integrity of the organization in pursuit of its mission. The Finance Committee is a subcommittee of the Executive Committee and consists of the following members: Executive Director, Business Manager, President, Treasurer (who will serve as chair), and two to three additional members of the Executive Committee.

Section 9. Membership Committee

The NAGT Membership Committee is charged with developing and implementing strategies for identifying and recruiting potential members and engaging and retaining current members; the membership committee reports to the Executive Committee. The committee will consist of at least five members, including at a minimum: the Secretary (who will serve as chair), the designated liaison to the sections, and one member from the leadership of each of the divisions.

Section 10. Ad Hoc Committees

The Executive Committee shall establish such Ad Hoc Committees, and appoint their Chair, as may be in the interests of the Association. The specific purpose, number of members, and terms of office shall be specified at the time of the creation of the Ad Hoc Committee. Such stated conditions may be altered only by direct action of the Executive Committee.

Proposed Bylaw Changes

Bylaw II - Dues and Subscriptions

Section 1.

The dues of the Association shall be established by Executive Committee action, according to the needs of the Association, with appropriate notice to be published in the Journal of Geoscience Education provided electronically and published on the NAGT website. For each paid member of a Section which has been designated by the Executive Committee as active and which has filed an annual financial report with the Executive Director, the Association will remit a sum of money to the section for carrying out its functions. For purposes of this remission, a Section shall be declared "active" if it has a full slate of elected officers and the Section has done at least one of the following during the previous year:

• conducted a Section conference and/or field trip;
• selected an OEST awardee;
• distributed a newsletter to the members of their Section; or
• conducted a planning meeting, attended by at least three of the Section officers. The amount to be remitted per member will be determined by the Executive Committee annually. Sections have the option of assessing additional dues.

Bylaw IV – Officer and Editor Responsibilities

Section 4. Secretary/Treasurer

The Secretary/Treasurer will be entrusted with the financial welfare of the association. The Executive Director will send periodic reports to the Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer will assist the Executive Director in the preparation and presentation of financial reports and the proposed budgets. With the assistance of the Executive Director, the Secretary/Treasurer will prepare and present the financial report and the proposed budget for the following year at the annual meeting. The Secretary/Treasurer is also responsible for taking and distributing minutes for all regularly scheduled meetings of the NAGT Council and Executive Committee. The Secretary/Treasurer shall have the authority to expend funds in accordance with the adopted annual budget or for other business of the Corporation by direction of the Executive Committee.

Section 4. Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for taking and distributing minutes for all regularly scheduled meetings of the NAGT Council and Executive Committee. The secretary will also ensure the accuracy of all association records, including meeting minutes, policies, and position statements. The secretary will chair the membership committee and ensure that accurate information is shared with the membership, and oversee and/or maintain historical records.

Section 5. Treasurer

The Treasurer will serve as chair of the Finance Committee to assist the Executive Director in the preparation and presentation of financial reports and the proposed budgets. The treasurer will also manage, with the Finance Committee, the Executive Committee's review of and action related to the board's financial responsibilities. The Treasurer shall have the authority to expend funds in accordance with the adopted annual budget or for other business of the Corporation by direction of the Executive Committee.

Section 5. Section 6. Executive Director

The Executive Director works closely with the Executive Committee to promote and serve the mission of the NAGT and coordinates its major programs and functions for essential annual operations. With the assistance of the Secretary/Treasurer, the Executive Director prepares and presents the financial report and the proposed budget for the following year to the Executive Committee for approval prior to the start of the fiscal year. The Executive Director shall have the authority to expend funds in accordance with the adopted annual budget or for other business of the Corporation by direction of the Executive Committee. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

Section 6. Section 7. Councilors-At-Large

Six Councilors-at-Large normally bring a variety of expertise and professional backgrounds to the Executive Committee. Councilors shall attend all Executive Committee meetings and be responsible for specific administrative tasks mutually agreed upon in the Executive Committee.

Section 7. Section 8. Editor, Journal of Geoscience Education

The Editor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for a three to five-year term coinciding with the editing of three to five volumes of the Journal of Geoscience Education. The Editor may be re-appointed for additional terms without limit. Associate editor(s) and/or editorial board are appointed by the Editor.

Section 8. Section 9. Editor, In the Trenches

The Editor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for a three- to five-year term coinciding with the editing of three to five volumes of In the Trenches.The Editor may be re-appointed for additional terms without limit. Associate editor(s) and/or an editorial board are appointed by the Editor.

Bylaw VI - Standing Committees

Section 2. Neil Miner Award Committee

This Committee administers the selection of the recipient of the annual Neil Miner Award for "exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the geosciences". The Committee is composed of the President of the Association, who serves as Chair, the immediate Past-President; the Secretary/treasurer; and two members recommended by the Executive Committee. No one may serve as an appointed member for more than two years in succession. The Committee shall select the recipient of the Neil Miner Award.

Section 4. Nominating Committee

This Committee shall present to the Executive Director a list of nominations to be sent to the membership of the Association. There shall be at least one nomination for President (incumbent Vice-President), Vice-President (incumbent Second Vice-President), Second Vice-President, Secretary/treasurer (every third year), Secretary (every third year), Treasurer (every third year), and Councilors-at-Large. The Committee shall be composed each year of the five most recent available Past-Presidents of the Association, the immediate Past-President serving as Chair. Tenure will begin each year following the Annual Meeting. Should it become necessary to depart from this committee composition because of emergency or other difficulty, the current President of the Association shall make necessary appointments from the membership.

Section 6. Investment Committee

The Investment Committee is responsible for annually reviewing the performance of endowment investments and recommending investment and/or endowment spending changes, if any, to the Executive Committee in accordance with the National Association of Geoscience Teachers endowment policy. The Committee is composed of a chair and three four other members as directed by the Executive Committee. The membership of the Investment Committee will include the Second Vice President, Treasurer, and two NAGT at-large members appointed by the Executive Committee to 3-year staggered terms. The Chair of the Committee is appointed by the Executive Committee.

Section 8. Finance Committee

The Finance Committee recommends financial policies, strategies, and budgets that support the mission, values and strategic plan of the organization. Its purpose is to ensure the financial health and integrity of the organization in pursuit of its mission. The Finance Committee is a subcommittee of the Executive Committee and consists of the following members: Executive Director, Business Manager, President, Treasurer (who will serve as chair), and two to three additional members of the Executive Committee.

Section 9. Membership Committee

The NAGT Membership Committee is charged with developing and implementing strategies for identifying and recruiting potential members and engaging and retaining current members; the membership committee reports to the Executive Committee. The committee will consist of at least five members, including at a minimum: the Secretary (who will serve as chair), the designated liaison to the sections, and one member from the leadership of each of the divisions. 

Section 9. Section 10. Ad Hoc Committees

The Executive Committee shall establish such Ad Hoc Committees, and appoint their Chair, as may be in the interests of the Association. The specific purpose, number of members, and terms of office shall be specified at the time of the creation of the Ad Hoc Committee. Such stated conditions may be altered only by direct action of the Executive Committee.