Division Bylaws
Article I: Mission
Geo2YC, a Division within the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, Inc. (NAGT), exists to provide:
A. A forum for exchanging ideas, concerns, resources, and information about two-year college (2YC) geoscience programs
B. A network for full-time and part-time/adjunct faculty to improve geoscience instruction at two-year colleges and comparable undergraduate instruction at four-year institutions
C. A vehicle for making recommendations to the NAGT Council and NAGT membership on items of special interest and benefit to 2YC geoscience faculty, staff, administrators, and students
D. Curricular and technological pathways that will produce successful geoscience majors, qualified geoscience technicians, and geoscience-literate citizens
E. Collaboration and support for research in 2YC geoscience education
F. A focal point for communication and advocacy for 2YC geoscience education within NAGT and with other professional organizations
Article II: Fiscal year
The fiscal year of the Division shall extend from September 1 to August 31.
Article III: Officers and Responsibilities
The Division shall be governed by an Executive Board consisting of officers elected by the Division membership. These officers shall include the President, Vice President, Immediate Past President, Secretary/Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, and Archivist.
The one-year terms of the Vice President, President and Immediate Past President shall be consecutive, with the Vice President becoming President once the President completes their term. The other Division officers will serve three-year terms.
Responsibilities of the President
A. Leadership
a. Provide overall leadership of the Division
b. Represent the Division and the interests of 2YC geoscience education on the NAGT Council
c. Recruit Division members to serve as liaisons with education groups in external professional organizations, such as the Geological Society of America (GSA) and the American Geophysical Union (AGU)
d. Coordinate Division activities within NAGT and with liaisons to external organizations
e. Communicate regularly with a liaison on the NAGT Executive Committee
B. Newsletter
a. Collaborate with the Newsletter Editor in maintaining editorial policy and tone for the Newsletter
b. Submit a column or letter to the Newsletter Editor for publication in each issue of the Newsletter
C. Meetings
a. Prepare and distribute agendas, and preside at meetings of the Division and Executive Board
b. Ensure that minutes of previous meetings are distributed by the Secretary-Treasurer within one (1) month after each meeting
c. Attend all meetings of the NAGT Council or, if unable to attend, designate an alternate to represent the Division
D. Finances
a. Approve current expenditures up to $500 per annum total in line with established expense policies and in line with the current budget. Larger amounts must be approved by the Executive Board.
b. The President shall appoint two (2) members of the Division to audit the financial records of the Division at the end of the term of the Secretary/Treasurer. The auditors shall report the results of their audit to the Executive Board.
E. Administration
a. Coordinate the annual election of officers with the Nominating and Elections Committee. The President shall ensure that all candidates are informed of the results of the election.
b. File an annual Division report with the NAGT Executive Director
c. Provide the Vice President with copies of all significant business communications sent and received by the President
Responsibilities of the Vice President
A. In the absence of the President, preside at meetings of the Division and the Executive Board
B. Assume the duties of the President should they resign, become incapacitated or otherwise be unable to fulfill their responsibilities
C. Chair the Long Range Planning Committee
D. Coordinate with the Webmaster and Newsletter Editor to recruit and maintain contact with Sustaining Members
E. Recruit Division members to serve as liaisons to NAGT Sections
F. Coordinate Division activities with NAGT Section liaisons and report on NAGT Section 2YC activities to the Executive Board
G. Assume other duties as requested by the President
Responsibilities of the Immediate Past President
A. Chair the Nominations and Elections Committee
B. Serve on the Long Range Planning Committee
C. Assume other duties as requested by the President
Responsibilities of the Secretary-Treasurer
A. Act as recording secretary for meetings of the Division and Executive Board
B. Submit minutes of Division and Board meetings to the President within one (1) month following the meeting
C. Maintain accurate records of all aspects of the Division finances including the Division budget
D. Receive and promptly deposit funds in checking and savings accounts as appropriate and manage them in accordance with guidance from the Executive Board
E. Disburse funds to pay for budgeted expenditures incurred in the normal activities of the Division. If funds are requested for expenditures that are not a part of the yearly budget, the President may approve amounts up to $500 total per year. The Executive Board must approve amounts above $500 total.
F. Produce the Treasurer's Report at the end of the fiscal year and submit this report to the President for inclusion in the agenda of the next Executive Board meeting
G. File an annual Division financial report with the NAGT Executive Director
H. Upon completion of the term in office:
a. Provide copies of all financial records to auditors appointed by the President
b. Transfer all Division funds and financial records to the incoming Secretary/Treasurer
c. Provide the incoming Secretary/Treasurer with support and job training as needed
Responsibilities of the Newsletter Editor
A. Prepare and produce a Division newsletter
B. Distribute the newsletter four (4) times per year or at intervals directed by the Executive Board
C. Collaborate with the President and Vice President to establish an editorial tone for the Newsletter which is in accordance with Article I. Provide space in each issue of the Newsletter for content submitted by the President
D. Prepare and publish a working annual calendar for the production and distribution of the Newsletter.
E. Submit an electronic copy of the Newsletter to the Webmaster and Archivist.
F. Submit articles and announcements to NAGT national and sectional publications, and to publications of other organizations
G. Provide the incoming Editor with:
a. Copies of all business correspondence that were sent or received during their term in office
b. Copies of all files, records, and other data relating to the newsletter
c. Support and job training as needed
Responsibilities of the Webmaster
A. Make the Division website a dynamic interactive medium for geosciences education in two-year colleges. Ensure that its design is efficient, simple, and attractive.
B. Keep the Division homepage updated with information about activities of the Division, NAGT, and other geoscience professional societies, and with announcements relevant to 2YC geoscience education
C. Coordinate with Division members to keep information on the web site current, and make updates promptly when new information is provided
D. Provide links to current and past newsletters
E. Work with the Archivist to make sure that electronic copies of all substantive Division information are posted in a part of the website dedicated to record keeping
F. Coordinate web site content with the NAGT Webmaster and with Webmasters for other 2YC geoscience and education web pages
Responsibilities of the Archivist
A. Maintain an archive of important documents and records for the Division. This shall include, but not be limited to, annual lists of section officers and award recipients, meeting times and locations, programs of sponsored activities and meeting sessions, copies of newsletters, meeting minutes, publications, and workshop materials, and photographs of Division events and sponsored activities
B. Coordinate with members of the Executive Board to ensure that important communications, documents, photographs, and records are retained for the archives
C. Coordinate with the NAGT national office to:
a. Store copies or originals of archival materials in a safe and secure location
b. Maintain an accurate and current list of all members of the Division
Article IV: Membership
The categories of membership are as follows:
A. Regular membership- Any Active/Regular Member of NAGT who is interested in 2YC geoscience education or who shares instructional or programmatic challenges with 2YC educators. A regular member of the Division may vote, hold office, nominate candidates for office, and serve on committees.
B. Student membership- Any Student Member of NAGT interested in 2YC geoscience education. Student members may attend regular meetings and serve on committees.
C. Honorary membership- A candidate for honorary membership shall be a long-standing member of the Division or a distinguished individual whom the Division wishes to honor. A nomination for honorary membership may be made by any member and shall be awarded by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board. Honorary members shall have all rights and privileges accorded regular members.
D. Sustaining membership- A candidate for sustaining membership shall be a college, university, learning center, publisher, retailer, manufacturer, or similar entity that supports the mission of the Division. Sustaining members shall have rights and privileges accorded by the Executive Board.
E. Adjunct membership– Any Adjunct Member of NAGT who is interested in 2YC geoscience education or who shares instructional or programmatic challenges with 2YC educators. An Adjunct member of the Division may vote, hold office, nominate candidates for office, and serve on committees.
F. Retired membership– Any Retired Member of NAGT who is interested in 2YC geoscience education or who shares instructional or programmatic challenges with 2YC educators. An Retired member of the Division may vote, hold office, nominate candidates for office, and serve on committees
Article V: Dues
The dues of the Division shall be established by Executive Board action, according to the needs of the Division, with appropriate notice to be published in the Division Newsletter. Dues are to be paid by December 31 and cover the succeeding year; they shall become delinquent on January 1 with suspension of privileges in the Division. All members of the Division shall pay the annual dues using procedures approved by the Executive Board.
Article VI: Standing committees
A. Nominating and Elections Committee: This committee shall be chaired by the Immediate Past President and consist of three other past presidents of the Division. This committee shall solicit nominations for positions on the Executive Board and shall oversee the annual election of officers. Elections shall be held annually by ballot or secure web site. At least sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of the election, the Nominating Committee shall present to the President a list of nominations to be sent to the membership of the Division. The ballots shall indicate at least one nomination for President and Vice-President, and every third year the Secretary/Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster and Archivist. Nominees for the President and Vice-President shall either be currently employed at a 2YC as a geoscience instructor, or have had experience teaching geoscience at a 2YC. There shall be write-in privileges for all offices. The Committee Chair shall serve as teller and report the election results to the Division.
B. Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award Committee: This committee selects the three quarterly winners of the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, and manages the selection of the annual winner from these three. The committee will have four members serving 2-year terms. Committee members will share responsibilities writing about the winners for the division newsletter. The committee will select their Chair, who will serve a two-year term. In addition to managing the selection process and workflow, the Chair will communicate with the Newsletter Editor (to submit the winners' biographies), the Secretary/ Treasurer (for transfer of division funds for awards), and the division President (to keep them informed of committee activities). The division President will make sure to promote the award and award deadlines to the greater membership.
C. Long-range planning committee: This committee, chaired by the Vice President, shall develop and identify resources to achieve the Division mission as specified in Article I. This shall include identifying and soliciting potential sustaining members.
D. Ad Hoc Committees: The Executive Board shall establish such Ad Hoc Committees, and appoint their Chair, as may be in the interests of the Division. 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 Board.
Article VII: Quorum
The number of Executive Board members necessary for a quorum to conduct a meeting of the Executive Board shall be sixty-seven (67) percent of all officers.
Article VIII: Conflict of Interest
All Board and Committee members, including the President, shall abstain from any decisions that may result in a conflict of interest, financial or otherwise, on the part of that individual.
Article IX: Amending the Bylaws
The Executive Board shall establish such amendments to the Bylaws as may be needed to accomplish the mission set forth in Article I. Members shall be notified at least sixty (60) days in advance of a proposed amendment to the Bylaws, and notified within thirty (30) days after an amendment has been adopted by the Executive Board. At least two thirds of the Board members must approve an amendment before it is adopted. An amendment to the Bylaws shall go into effect ninety (90) days after adoption unless the President receives written objections from a quorum of twenty (20) percent of the voting membership of the Division. If a quorum objects in writing to an amendment, then that amendment shall be held in abeyance until the next annual election of officers, at which time a majority vote of the eligible members shall be required for its adoption and for it to become immediately operational.