National Council for
Education Support Professionals

Constitution and Bylaws

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the National Council for Educational Support Professionals (NCESP).

Article II - Purpose

The NCESP shall be a special interest council within NEA and shall have as its general purpose the representation of its members in all matters relating to Educational Support Professionals (ESP). In order to accomplish these general purposes, NCESP shall have, among others, the following specific objectives:

a. To speak with a common voice on all matters affecting Educational Support Professionals (ESP).

b. To improve the structure of NEA in order to insure full and effective participation of all ESP.

c. To develop programs which, when implemented by NEA, will have a positive impact on the problems faced by ESP.

d. To impact the development of ESP training and make recommendations as needed, using ESP members where appropriate.

e. To identify and support candidates for NEA offices who will actively work for implementation of NCESP adopted programs and positions.

f. To provide the NEA president with a list of qualified candidates from NCESP membership and to actively promote the appointment of those members to appointed bodies.

 

Article III - Membership

Section 1 - Eligibility

Individual membership in NCESP shall be open to anyone who is an active NEA/ESP member. All individual members have one vote. Organization memberships are available. Organization memberships shall have weighted vote. See Section 4, Dues.

Section 2 - Rights and Obligations of Individual Members and Organization Members

Each organization membership shall be represented by the President and/or representative appointed by the local association and shall be entitled to the appropriate number of votes to be cast by its President or designated representative. Organization votes apply only to programs and policies. At no time shall a staff person or a non-NEA/ESP member be the designated representative. Individual Council members shall be entitled to one vote. Representatives and members must be registered at the conference/convention at which the vote is taken.

Section 3 - Membership Year

The membership year shall be from September 1 to August 31.

Section 4 - Dues

a. Annual individual dues for an NCESP member shall be $20.

b. An associate (non voting membership) is available at $10.

c. Annual membership dues for Organizations are:

1-100: $ 75, 2 votes
101-200: $150, 4 votes
201-300: $325, 8 votes
301-plus: $400, 11 votes

Weighted votes apply only to policy and issues. An individual can only vote in one category as an individual or for an association.

Section 5 - Individual Rights

The council shall not deny membership to individuals on the basis of size, race, religion, creed, age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or cultural heritage. The council shall not deny equal opportunity for employment. To this end, the council pledges its active commitment to being an equal opportunity employer and to actively seek minority candidates for association staff vacancies as they occur.

Article IV - Officers and Regional Directors

Section 1 - Officers

The officers of NCESP shall be a president, vice president, secretary treasurer, and regional directors.

Section 2 - Qualifications

a.        Each candidate for office shall be an Educational Support Professionals member of NEA and an active member of NCESP.

b.       A member of the NCESP Executive Committee shall not at the same time, hold an office of the NEA Board of Directors.

Section 3 -Terms of Office

a.       The president and secretary shall be elected to a three-year term on the same cycle.

b.       The vice president and treasurer shall be elected to a three-year term on the same cycle the following year as above.

c.       The regional directors shall be elected to three-year terms.

Section 4 - Responsibilities and Duties of Officers

a.     Responsibilities and Duties of the President

1. The president shall be the chief executive officer of NCESP.
2. The president may call and shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and at all general meetings of NCESP.
3. The president shall sign contracts and other legal documents connected with the business affairs and professional activities of NCESP in its name with executive committee approval.
4. The president shall appoint all committees and task forces and may rescind appointments of chairpersons and members of committees and task forces with executive committee approval.
5. The president shall be one of the authorized signatures for all NCESP accounts.
6. The president shall be the official representative and spokesman for the NCESP except in such cases in which its function is specifically designated to another.
7. The president and/or designee shall approve all vouchers.
8. The president may recommend NCESP members to outside organizations.
9. The president shall have release time available, reimbursed by NCESP, if funded by the budget.
10. The president shall serve as liaison to the NEA ESP Board Caucus.

b.       Responsibilities and Duties of the Vice President

1. The vice president shall assume the duties of the president in the absence of the president.
2. The vice president shall perform any other duties and tasks assigned by the president.
3. The vice president shall coordinate the annual membership plan.

c.        Responsibilities and Duties of the Secretary

1. The secretary shall keep the official minutes of all meetings and maintain the official files.
2. The secretary shall perform any other duties or tasks assigned by the president.

d.     Responsibilities and Duties of the Treasurer

1. The treasurer shall assure that accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements are kept and shall prepare quarterly reports for both the Executive Committee and the general membership.
2. The treasurer shall collect dues at the NCESP conferences and other NEA activities.
3. The treasurer shall chair the budget committee.
4. The treasurer shall perform any other duties or tasks assigned by the president.
5. The treasurer shall be one of the authorized signatures for all NCESP accounts.

e.     Responsibilities and Duties of the Regional Directors

1. The regional directors shall represent their regions at all NCESP meetings.
2. The regional directors shall conduct regional council meetings at the NEA regional meetings.
3. The regional directors shall maintain regular communication with the state contact and member associations within their region.
4. The regional directors shall perform other duties as assigned by the president of the Executive Committee.

Section 5 - Successions and Vacancies

a.      The vice president shall act in the absence of the president and, in the case of death or resignation of the president, shall succeed for the unexpired term. If for any reason the vice president cannot fulfill the succession, an interim successor shall be elected from the Executive Committee until a successor can be elected at the next regular meeting of the NCESP.

b.     In the event of a vacancy in the office of vice president, secretary and/or treasurer, an interim officer shall be elected from and by the Executive Committee until a successor can be elected at the next regular meeting of the NCESP.

c.     In the event a vacancy in the office of regional director, the president with approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint an interim director until the next regular NCESP meeting,  when the affected region shall elect a director to fill the unexpired term.

Article V - Executive Committee

Section 1 - Membership

Members of the Executive Committee shall be the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, regional directors and one NEA ESP At-Large Board Director, non-voting and selected by the NEA ESP Directors, shall serve as liaison between the NCESP and the NEA ESP-at-Large Directors. If no ethnic minorities are elected to the Executive Committee of the NCESP, there shall be a special election at the RA, for the purpose of electing an ethnic minority director-at-large for one year term. This person must be a minority as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Census.

Section 2 - Responsibilities and Duties of the Executive Committee

a.        The Executive Committee shall assist the president in identifying members for committees and task forces. It shall review committee plans, receive committee reports and act upon committee recommendations.

b.       The Executive Committee shall review and approve all appointments to committees and task forces and shall have the right to make recommendations to the president for recession of any appointment.

c.       The Executive Committee shall implement programs adopted at all official meetings of NCESP.

d.       The Executive Committee shall determine policy between official meetings of NCESP.

e.       The Executive Committee shall carry out all policies and programs in accordance with NCESP Bylaws.

f.        The Executive Committee shall submit a proposed budget to the membership at an NCESP meeting held in conjunction with the NEA Representative Assembly.

f.        The Executive Committee fill vacancies occurring in the offices of vice-president, secretary and/or treasurer.

h.       The Executive Committee shall determine the date and site of the NCESP meetings.

i.        The Executive Committee shall report its actions to the members.

Section 3 Executive Committee Meetings

The Executive Committee shall meet at least two times yearly.

Article VI - Meetings of the Council

Section 1- Membership

The council shall consist of one voting member from each member association and individual members.

Section 2

The Council shall be the policy making body of NCESP. It shall approve the budget and shall be the final judge of the qualification and election of officers. Powers not specifically delegated to the officers of the Executive Committee shall be vested by the Council.

Section 3 - Meetings

The Council may meet twice yearly. The date and site for the first meeting shall be determined by the Executive Committee. The second meeting shall be held in conjunction with the NEA Representative Assembly. Regional Council meetings shall be held at the NEA Regional Meetings.

Article VII - Committees

Section 1- Purpose

Committees or task forces may be appointed by the president, with the approval of the Executive Committee, to study issues and recommend action.

Section 2

The president shall be ex officio member of all committees and task forces except the elections committee.

Section 3 - Chairperson

The committee members shall elect their own chair.

Section 4 - Reports

The chairperson shall give reports to the president and/or Executive Committee as requested.

Article VIII - Nominations, Balloting and Elections

Section 1 - Elections Committee

The president shall appoint six members to the elections committee at the Executive Committee meeting held in conjunction with the first Council meeting. The Executive Committee shall approve the appointments.

Section 2 - Nominations

Candidates must be nominated by an NCESP member in accordance with the election procedure.

Section 3 - Balloting

The elections committee shall conduct the balloting for officers under procedures established by the Council.

Section 4 - Elections

a.       Officers of NCESP shall be elected at the meeting held in conjunction with the NEA Representative Assembly.

b.       Each member shall have one vote, provided the said member is an active member of NCESP. The president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and ethnic minority director-at-large (if applicable) shall be elected by all members and member association representatives present and voting. An individual can only vote in one category, as an individual member or as an association representative. Regional Directors shall be elected by members from the appropriate region.

b.       All candidates for each office receiving a majority of those eligible, present and voting shall be declared elected. If runoff election is needed and majority is not achieved, then plurality rules for the runoff election.

d.       The election committee shall count the votes. The results shall be reported immediately to the president and all candidates.

e.        Uncontested elections shall be awarded by acclamation.

Article IX - Quorum

Section 1 - Definition

A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members and member association representatives registered at an official council meeting.

Section 2 - Executive Committee

A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of its members present.

Article X - Rules of Order

Section 1 - Standing Rules

The Executive Committee shall submit standing rules, when established, to the body. Adoption shall require a two thirds vote of those members and member association representatives present and voting.

Section 2 - Parliamentary Authority

The current revision of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority of the Council, subject to the Bylaws and such special rules that have been adopted.

Article XI - Amendments

Section 1 - Voting

These Bylaws may be amended at the Regular Annual Meeting of the NCESP, in conjunction with the NEA RA, in a secret-ballot vote by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the ballots cast by delegates present and voting.

Section 2 - Submittal

Any proposed amendment to these bylaws shall be sent to the president of NCESP by May 1. Copies of the proposed amendment must be sent to all Organizational and Individual members at least 30 days prior to the council meeting.

Section 3 - Non-substantive Changes

The Executive Committee is authorized to make non substantive housekeeping changes to these Bylaws.

Article XII - Recall

An officer or executive committee member may be recalled or removed from office at any regular annual meeting of the Council in a secret ballot by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the ballots cast by delegates present and voting

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Article XIII - Council Dissolution

Upon the dissolution of the National Council for Educational Support Professionals, all assets belonging to the Council will be transferred to the National Education Association.  Any assets transferred should be earmarked for Educational Support Professionals programs.