Bylaws

Article I
Name of the Organization

The name of this organization shall be the New Mexico Organization of Language Educators, NM OLE.

Article II
Statement of Purpose

The purposes of this organization shall be to promote second language instruction and development of programs within the state, to provide a unified voice/spokesperson addressing issues of second language instruction at the state level, to support second language teachers and their professional development and to provide a forum for sharing ideas and concerns among second language teachers.
The New Mexico Organization of Language Educators is organized exclusively for educational purposes, including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

Article III
Membership

Section 1
Membership is open to all those actively involved in language instruction and to those who share an interest in the profession and its product.

Section 2
There are three types of membership:
1. professional: those presently engaged in second language instruction
2. student: those enrolled as students of a second language at the university level
3. extended professional: those not presently active in the profession of second language teaching.

Article IV
Officers

Section 1
The elected officers of the organization shall be a President, a President-Elect and a Treasurer.  The Secretary shall be appointed by the President. In addition, the Vice-Presidents of the Regional Collaboratives within the state will act as Vice-Presidents of the state organization.

Section 2
The President shall act as a liaison with regional and national organizations of second language teachers. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Board and shall perform other duties as may be assigned in the Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 3
The President-Elect shall preside, in the absence of the President, at all regular and special meetings. S/he shall serve one year as President-Elect and the following year as President. 

Section 4
The Vice-Presidents shall serve as liaisons between their regional collaboratives and the state organization.

Section 5
The Secretary shall maintain all organization records, shall record minutes of all meetings and shall provide them to the President for approval. A summary of the minutes shall also be provided to be included in the newsletter.

Section 6
The Treasurer shall keep record  of the organization’s financial status. S/he shall keep all organization funds in a bank approved by the organization and in the name of the organization subject to withdrawal by checks signed by the President or the Treasurer. S/he shall disburse the funds of the organization under the charge of the Executive Committee. An annual Treasurer’s report shall be prepared and submitted to the membership.

Section 7
The Executive Board shall consist of the above mentioned officers. The Executive Board shall have the power to manage and coordinate the affairs of the organization within the limits established by the Constitution. Any action taken by the Executive Board may be overridden by a three-fourths (3/4) majority of the members present at a regular or special meeting of the General Membership.

Article V
Elections

Section 1
Elections shall be scheduled during the annual fall meeting. The terms of office are as follows: President – 1 year, President-Elect – 1 year and to serve the following year as President, Secretary – 1 year and Treasurer 1 – year. The Vice-Presidency, an appointed office, shall be a 1-year term. 

Section 2
Should an officer resign during the year, the President with the approval of the Board, shall appoint someone to serve the remainder of the term. Should the President resign, the President-Elect shall complete the President’s term and a new President-Elect shall be appointed. The new President shall complete this term and his/her own term unless s/he chooses not to serve two terms. 

Article VI
Meetings

Section 1
Meetings are open to all members and must occur once within a calendar year.

Section 2
Members must be notified one month in advance of the time, place and agenda of general or Executive Board meetings. 

Section 3
The Executive Board shall meet at least three times during a calendar year. 

Article VII
Quorum

A quorum shall be required for the legal transaction of business by the organization or its Executive Board. At a meeting of the organization’s members, a quorum shall consist of 20 percent of the members of the organization. At a meeting of the Executive Board, a majority of its members shall constitute a quorum.

Article VIII
Dues

Section 1
Membership dues shall be determined each year at the fall meeting and shall be due at that meeting.

Section 2
No charge of assessment may be levied against the membership unless approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the General Membership of the organization.

Article IX
Amendments

The Constitution may be amended by a three-fourths (3/4) majority of the members in attendance at any general meeting of the organization, provided a notice of the proposed amendment or amendments shall have been mailed to each member, along with the notice of the meeting at which the members will consider the amendment(s).

Article X
Parliamentary Authority

In matters not covered by the Constitution, Roberts Rules of Order shall serve as the parliamentary authority.

Article XI
Disbursement of Earnings

No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to: its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof.

Article XII
Political Activities

No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation; and the organization shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, this organization shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of this organization. 

Article XIII
Dissolution of the Organization

Upon the dissolution of the organization, the Executive Board shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the organization, dispose of all or the assets of the organization exclusively for the purposes of the organization in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Executive Board shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of Bernalillo County, exclusively for such purposes or to such an organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated for such purposes.