Maine Educational Opportunity Association

ARTICLE I. NAME

Section 1

The name of the organization shall be the Maine Educational Opportunity Association hereafter referred to as the Association.

ARTICLE 11. PURPOSE

Section 1

The purpose of the Maine Educational Opportunity Association shall be to bring together those persons who are involved in programs that provide students access to secondary and postsecondary education. The Association will be particularly concerned about those students who, because of socio - economic status, ethnic background, physical handicap, restricted cultural - educational experiences find themselves in a position of disadvantage with traditional students.

Section 2

The Association will focus on the following:

a) coordinating efforts among other organizations and persons with similar concerns

b) responding efficiently and meaningfully to issues affecting the educational resources and environment of nontraditional students;

c) increasing the awareness of legislators, agencies, community groups, faculties and administrators about the educational and financial needs of low - income, minority, educationally disadvantaged and physically handicapped students;

d) promoting research, conferences, and activities that accomplish the purposes of the Association

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1

The membership shall consist of individuals interested in the purposes of the Maine Educational Opportunity Association.

a) Professional membership is defined as those professionals who are committed to the purposes of the Association. Each active professional member is entitled

to one vote and is eligible to hold office.

b) Associate membership is defined as all other individuals, including students, paying dues as specified in the constitution. Associate members may not vote or hold office.

Section 2

A member shall be dropped from membership for nonpayment of dues or other just cause, as defined by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS

Section 1

The officers of the Association shall be President, President - Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2

The Executive Committee will consist of four officers, the Maine Representative to NEAEOPP, the Conference Chair, and the immediate past-president. All Executive Committee members shall be Professional members of the Association.

Section 3

The Executive Committee should represent as nearly as possible the different MEEOA Programs and the geographic areas throughout the State.

Section 4

The term of office for all Executive Committee members shall be one year. There shall be no limit to the number of terms a person may be elected to the Executive Committee.

Section 5

If an officer or representative fails to fulfill the responsibilities of his or her office, the Executive Committee shall appoint a person to complete the unexpired term except in the case of the President and the President - Elect. If the President is unable to continue his or her term, the President - Elect will assume the Presidency immediately.

Section 6

In the event of the President — Elect’s death, resignation or assumption of the Presidency, there will be two alternatives depending on the length of time remaining in the term of office.

1. If there are fewer than six months remaining in the term of the departing President, the President - Elect will complete that term as President. The Executive Committee shall share the responsibilities of the President-Elect.
2. If there are six or more months remaining in the term of office, the vacancy shall be filled by a special at - large election. In this case, the new President — Elect will fill the remainder of that term and then assume the Presidency in the normal order.

Section 1

The President shall be chief executive officer of the Association, preside at all general meetings of the association, chair the Executive Committee, appoint all members of the committees subject to the confirmation of the Executive Committee, unless the method of selection is otherwise specified, and hold ex-officio membership on all committees. The President shall perform the duties customary to that office and such additional duties as directed by the Executive Committee.

Section 2

The President - Elect shall act in the place of the President at all association and Committee meetings. He or she shall be the chairperson of the association's annual conference committee.

Section 3

The Secretary shall perform the duties customary to the office and such additional duties as may be directed by the Executive Committee.

Section 4

The Treasurer shall represent the association in assuring that the receipts and expenditures of funds are in accordance with the directive of the association as defined by the Executive Committee. He or she shall submit a full financial report prior to or at the annual M

meeting and such interim reports as the Executive Committee may direct.

Section 5 Nomination and Election of Officers.

a) There shall be appointed a Nomination and Election Committee consisting of the President-Elect, who will chair the Committee and four professional members appointed by the Executive Committee. The Nomination and Election Committee shall poll the membership to encourage a broad base of nominations before establishing a slate to be presented to the annual Meeting (Art. IV, Sec. 3). The Nomination and Election Committee shall provide for nominations from the floor of the annual Meeting; each nomination shall be submitted in writing with five signatures of professional members supporting it.

b) The Nomination and Election Committee shall conduct the election with secret ballots and tabulate the results at the annual Meeting; a majority vote shall determine the results. In the event that there is no annual meeting, this procedure shall be carried out by mail. In the event of a tie, the candidates who tie will face an immediate run-off vote.

ARTICLE VI. DUES

Section 1

Annual Association dues shall be established by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII. MEETINGS

Section 1

An annual meeting shall be held at a time and place designated by the Executive Committee. At this time the membership will conduct the business of the association and elect officers. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Notice of all meetings of the association shall be mailed to each member at least fifteen days prior to the meeting.

Section 2

The professional members present at an official business meeting of the Association shall constitute a quorum.

Section 3

Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called at the discretion of the President or by a majority of the members of the Committee.

Section 4

A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Section 5

The Executive Committee shall have the authority to carry on all business of the Association between meetings of the membership.

ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES

Section 1

There shall be two standing committees - the Nominations and Elections Committee (Art. V, Sect. 5, a+b) and the Conference Committee.

Section 2

The Conference Committee will be chaired by the Conference Chair (Art. V Sect. 2). The Committee will consist of those regular members interested in working on the annual conference.

Section 3

Any other committees will be ad hoc and appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IX. FINANCES

Section 1

No part of the net earnings of the Association shall benefit any officer of the Association, or any private individual. Nor shall either be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the assets on dissolution of the Association.

Section 2

Reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the Association effecting one or more of its purposes.

Section 3

Upon dissolution of the Association its assets shall be distributed exclusively to charitable, scientific, literary, educational and/or testing for public safety organizations as may be selected by a majority vote of the sustaining association membership.

ARTICLE X. AFFILIATlON

Section 1

The association may affiliate with other organizations committed to similar purposes. The professional membership must approve such arrangements by a simple majority of those attending the Annual Meeting, when the Executive Committee has recommended affiliation and when all members have received a fifteen day notice of the motion to affiliate.

Section 2

Affiliation under this article involves only a friendly, mutually helpful relationship and implies no loss of independence by the Association or the affiliate.

Section 1

A proposal for amendment, supported with the signatures of five professional members, shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee.

Section 2

The Secretary shall mail notices of proposed amendments to each member of the Association not less than fifteen and not more than thirty days before

the next membership meeting. Two - thirds of the Professional members present at the membership meeting must approve the proposed amendment to effect its adoption.

Section 3

A similar procedure may be effected by mail if that is deemed necessary by the Executive Committee. Members must be notified at least fifteen days, but not more than thirty days, before the final count of the proposed amendment and of the procedure to vote. Two - thirds of the Professional members must approve the proposed amendment with a quorum of the total membership voting to effect its adoption.

ARTICLE XII. ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION

Section 1

Upon approval of this constitution in the manner prescribed for amendments in Article XI, this constitution shall be effective until amended, or dissolution of the Association.

As amended, January 8th, 1998

Revised 11/07/00 by Stephen Davis