Constitution & ByLaws
Constitution
Article 1 – Organization Name
The organization shall be known as the New Jersey Association of Federal Program Administrators or NJAFPA.
Article 2 –Purposes
- To promote the exchange of knowledge, ideas and experience between and amongst federal education program administrators to the benefit of local schools.
- To assist local schools through a deeper understanding of federal regulations and the relevant resources available from the federal and state governments to effectively implement federal and state education entitlement programs.
- To develop the capabilities and resources of this organization in order to promote and assist the flow of information between federal and state departments of education and local education agencies responsible for the administration of federal and state education entitlement programs.
- To promote this organization’s role in federally supported education programs through job-embedded professional development programs.
- To support mentorship and collegiality among local federal education grant administrators serving the educational needs of students struggling to meet academic proficiency standards.
Article 3 – Membership
- Regular membership shall be open to those persons representative of the following interests:
- Any professional employee of a local school district involved in federal and/or state education entitlement programs and ancillary administration
- Any professional employee of the New Jersey Department of Education who is involved in federal education entitlement programs; and
- Any professional employee of an institution of higher education who is involved in federal education entitlement programs.
- Associate membership shall be open to retired former members of NJAFPA.
- Regular members shall be entitled to one (1) vote and may hold association office. Associate members and may not vote or hold office.
Article 4 – Officers
- The officers of the Association shall consist of President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. All officers serve three (3) year terms of office.
- The officers shall be elected by a majority of total ballots cast by the regular voting membership as directed in the By-Laws.
Article 5 – Executive Committee
- All officers of the association are voting members of the Executive Committee.
- Three (3) at-large representatives are appointed by the Executive Committee and serve as voting members of the Executive Committee. All representatives must be regular members and serve three (3) year terms.
- The business affairs of the Association shall be conducted by an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of the Association (Article 4, Section 1) and three (3) At Large representatives from the membership (Article 5, Section 2)
Article 6 – Meetings
- General membership meetings shall be held on a minimum of five (5) times per year.
- Executive Committee meetings shall be held in addition to general membership meetings, as provided for in the By-Laws.
Article 7 – Committees
- Committees for the promotion of specific phases of the Association’s work and to plan and execute special projects shall be appointed as established in the By-Laws.
- Standing Committees shall be:
- Finance
- Membership
- Sponsorship
- NAFEPA/Legislative Delegation
- Scholarship
- Special Projects (including Elections and as determined by the Executive Committee)
Article 8 – Adoption of Constitution
- The Association shall have a Constitution approved by a majority vote of the total ballots cast by the general membership.
Article 9 – Amendments and By- Laws
- Proposed changes will be referred to the Executive Committee by members. The Executive Committee will submit proposed changes to the general membership for review and approval.
- Two monthly readings of proposed changes of the Constitution and By-Laws shall occur prior to an adoption/ratification vote. Members shall be provided with electronic copies of any proposed changes.
- The Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the total ballots cast by the regular voting members.
By-Laws
Preamble
The By-Laws provide the regulations to implement the stated purposes of the organization.
Section 1 – Membership
- Active membership shall be open to all regular members defined in Article 3, Section 1.
- Application and payment of dues for membership shall be received and acted upon by the Executive Committee designee.
- Annual dues for membership shall be determined by the Executive Committee, upon recommendation of the Treasurer.
- The membership year shall be from July 1 to June 30.
- Associate members shall pay dues at a reduced rate set by the Executive Committee, upon recommendation of the Treasurer.
Section 2 – Election of Officers
- The elected Executive Committee will be installed not later than the month of June immediately following their election, and will commence duties on July 1.
- Nominations may be presented to the Elections Committee by the membership prior to the April general meeting in an election year.
- The Elections Committee shall determine a slate to be presented to the general membership at the April meeting in an election year.
- Nominations will also be taken from the floor at the April meeting.
- In a contested election, an electronic ballot will be distributed to all voting members prior to the April meeting in an election year.
- The Elections Committee shall oversee the balloting and report the election results electronically to the membership.
- In the event of a contested office, each candidate shall have the opportunity to address the membership in writing through a biographical statement attachment with the electronic ballot, prior to voting in an election year.
- In the event of a non-contested election, after the close of all nominations, the Secretary shall cast unanimous ballot finalizing the election.
Section 3 – Vacancy of Office
- Vacancy of office, excepting President, occurs when the elected or appointed member is no longer able to fulfill the duties of office, is no longer a member in good standing with the Association, or is deceased. The Executive Committee will solicit member candidates interested in the unexpired term(s) of office and appoint a replacement member to the vacant unexpired position(s).
- If for any reason the President vacates that office after being elected, the Vice President shall assume and hold the office of President until the next annual election of officers, and will be eligible for nomination for a full term in that office.
Section 4- Executive Committee
- The Executive Committee shall authorize the issue of publications, announcements, and other printed and electronic materials relating to the general work and activities of the Association.
- The regular Association business shall be conducted by the Executive Committee with the advice of the Association attorney and Association accountant, as needed, to comply with all federal and state laws governing non-profit associations. Reports of transacted financial business shall be reported to the membership at general membership meetings.
- The Executive Committee shall hold meetings, as needs dictate.
- The Executive Committee shall present the Association’s operating budget at the September general membership meeting for approval. A majority vote of the total ballots cast by the regular voting members is required to approve the annual operating budget.
- The Executive Committee is empowered to appoint an acting “officer” or “acting” representative if said individual is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of their association position due to excessive consecutive absences from association meetings/conferences. Excessive absenteeism is defined as missing three consecutive meetings/conferences or more than fifty per cent of the scheduled meetings/conferences. The temporary appointment will remain in force until such time that the Executive Committee can schedule a special election or the next regular election occurs.
Section 5 – Officer Duties
- The President should oversee all activities of the Association during the term of office. The President shall be a member of all committees. The President shall make all appointments with the concurrence of the Executive Committee.
- The Vice President shall be a member of all committees. The Vice President shall have the prime responsibility of chairing and overseeing the preparation of the Association’s Annual Conference by securing a location, presenters, preparing the conference operational budget each year, and presenting the Conference proposal to the Executive Committee for approval. The Vice President shall be a member of all committees. The Vice President shall assist the President and perform the duties of the President in the event of the absence of the President.
- The Secretary shall serve as recording and corresponding secretary for general membership and Executive Committee meetings. The Secretary shall maintain formal records of all official proceedings of the Association and be responsible for Association correspondence.
- The Treasurer shall chair the Finance Committee and be the bonded custodian off all monies belonging to the Association, and shall deposit same in a bank approved by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall have the prime responsibility of preparing the Association’s operational budget each year, and presenting said budget to the Executive Committee for approval prior to presentation to the general membership in September for approval. In the event of non-approval of the budget, it shall be returned to the Finance Committee for resubmission to the membership at the next regular meeting.
- The At-Large Representatives shall assist the Executive Committee in implementing all the objectives of the Association during the term of office. At-Large Representatives shall chair the Association committees as directed by the annual goals.
Section 6 – Executive Committee Stipends
- Stipends shall be disbursed as follows:
- Officers- $1,500 annum
- At Large Representatives- $750
- Conference Chairman – $500 In the event that an officer does not serve in that capacity.
Section 7– Meetings
- Notices of time, place and purpose of all meetings shall be emailed to all members and posted on the Association web
- A quorum for the transaction of general Association business shall consist of 20% of the regular voting membership.
- Special meetings may be called by the President, or by written request of members of the Executive Committee and/or general membership.
- Suspension of general meetings may be made by the President in agreement with the majority of the Executive Committee.
- A quorum for the transaction of business of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of Executive Committee members.
Section 8 – Committees
- Standing Committees:
- Shall be appointed at the first general membership meeting of the fiscal year, or as needed, by the President with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.
- Shall conduct their activities within the confines of the purposes of the Association.
- Committees so appointed shall serve until relieved of their specific duties by the President. Committee members may incur no expenses for the Association unless funds have been previously allocated and approved by the Executive Committee for such purposes.
- There shall be a minimum of one Executive Committee member serving as a member of all standing committees. The President shall be a member of all committees, except the Elections Committee.
- The Elections Committee shall be chaired by a volunteer regular member serving with three (3) additional volunteer regular members, no current elected officers nor representatives. No member of the Elections Committee may be nominated for office by the Committee nor be elected to office.
- The Finance Committee shall be chaired by the Treasurer and shall consist of at least two (2) additional regular voting members
Section 9 – Fiscal Year
- The fiscal year of the Association shall be September 1 to August 31.
Article 10 – Rules of Order
Roberts’ Rules of Order shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not otherwise covered in the Constitution or By-Laws.
Article 11 – Dissolution of the Organization
Upon the dissolution of the Association, the Association shall, after the payment of all liabilities, dispose of all assets of the Association exclusively for the purposes and in such manner as an organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable educational, religious or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify for exemption under Section 501 © (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
Revised 11/03
Revised 11/15
Revised 1/16
Revised 3/19
Revised 3/22
Revised 5/24
