BY‑LAWS   

Adopted April, 1976 

Amended April, 1983 

Amended April, 1987

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 - Application for Membership

Application for membership shall be submitted in such a manner as the Executive Committee may prescribe. Upon approval of an application and the receipt of dues, the applicant shall become a member.

Section 2 - Dues

An annual dues structure shall be established by the Executive Committee subject to review at the annual business meeting. The membership year for the annual dues shall be from conference to conference.

Section 3 - Due Process Rights

The Executive Committee by a 2/3 vote may censure, expel or suspend any member for cause provided that notice of such proposed action and reasons therefore be mailed or otherwise given to said member by the President thirty days in advance. Provided further, that such member shall be given an opportunity within thirty days notice to answer such charges in writing directed to the Secretary for consideration by the Executive Committee, which hearing shall be held at such time, place, and in such manner as may be prescribed. An appeal from the decision of the Executive Committee may be taken at the next annual business meeting of the Council, where, by a majority of those Regular Members voting, such decisions may be sustained, reversed, or modified.

Section 4 - Disqualification

Any member delinquent in the payment of dues for a period of three months shall be notified thereof by the Membership Coordinator and shall lose all rights of membership until current dues are paid.

Section 5 - Resignation

Any member may submit to the Executive Committee notice of the desire to resign. Dues or portions thereof shall not be refunded.

ARTICLE II. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1 - Duties

The Executive Committee shall within the provision of the Constitution and/or the By-Laws of the Council, perform the following functions:

1. Review and take appropriate action on all committee activities and recommendations.
2. Call business meetings.
3. Report regularly to the Council.
4. Take appropriate measures and perform all such duties as required to accomplish the objectives of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning.
5. Establish administrative policy and procedures for conducting the business affairs of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning.
6. Proceed in appropriate administrative areas not specifically covered by the Constitution, the By-Laws, or the established Administrative Policies of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning.

Section 2 - Quorum

A Quorum for conducting business at an Executive Committee meeting shall consist of four Executive Committee members.

Section 3 - Rules of Order

The business of the Executive Committee shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Section 4 - Resignation and Removal of Electees and Appointees

1. Any member who has been elected or appointed may resign from his/her responsibilities by submitting a letter of resignation to the President.
2. Any member who has been elected or appointed to serve the Council may be removed from such service by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee. If said member is also a member of the Executive Committee, said member will not be present when his/her case is discussed by the Executive Committee; the Executive Committee vote on said member will be transferred on this single issue to the most recent Past­ President whose term has expired. In the event of a resignation or removal, the President is responsible for ensuring that activities of any vacated office are continued whether by activating procedures as may be specified in the Constitution and By-Laws or by creating temporary procedures.

ARTICLE III. COMMITTEES

Section 1 - Standing Committees

Conference Committee

This committee shall be composed of six elected Regular members, elected for three-year terms in classes of two each year. They shall be responsible for planning and supervising the annual conference in cooperation with a representative from the host university appointed by the Executive Committee. The Vice President for Conferences is the Chairperson of this Committee. Included among its duties shall be responsibility for conventions, conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. It shall respond to all routine requests for consultative service addressed to the Research Council on Mathematics Learning. Additionally this committee is charged with the responsibility for finding ways to disseminate research in an appropriate style and manner.

Publications Committee

This committee shall be composed of six elected Regular members, elected for three-year terms in classes of two each year. The Vice­President for Publications is the Chairperson of this Committee. This Committee will work cooperatively with the Newsletter Editor and others appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Vice-President for Publications and approved by the Executive Committee to fulfill publications responsibilities. It shall be responsible for planning, editing, and distributing all official publications of the Council.

Section 2 - Nominating Committee

This committee’s members shall be nominated by the President-Elect and be approved by the Executive Committee.  It shall consist of at least five members. All nominations by this committee must be in agreement with the Constitution and/or the By-Laws of the Council.

Section 3 - Ad Hoc Committee

Ad Hoc committees may be formed by the President or by action of the Executive Committee. The duration of such a committee shall be stipulated in the initial motion to form it, and it shall be dissolved at the conclusion of that period unless specifically acted upon by the Executive Committee.

Section 4 - Quorum

A quorum of at least fifty percent of all committee members is required in order for any committee to conduct official business.

Section 5 - Procedures

The procedures under which any committee operates shall be determined by that committee subject to review by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV. BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Section 1 - Annual Conference

An annual conference will be held each year and will be hosted by a college or university. An institution desiring to host a conference will ordinarily make application to the conference committee at least two years prior to the conference. The conference committee will recommend a schedule of annual conferences to the Executive Committee for final approval. The annual business meeting of the Council will be held in conjunction with the annual conference.

Section 2 - Special Meetings

Written notice of any special meeting must be mailed (physically or electronically), including the agenda of business to be conducted as well as the time and place of such special meeting, to each Regular Member with at least thirty days advance notice.  

Section 3 - Collection and Disbursement

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of all money and property due the Council and for payment of such money owed by the Council as authorized by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall establish and maintain a uniform system of handling accounts of all receipts and disbursements. Ordinarily business obligations may be discharged by the Treasurer as they become due. For other bills, vouchers, etc., the Treasurer will seek the approval of the Executive Committee in order to maintain fiscal responsibility.

All expenses of Council officers, and/or members for which reimbursement is requested, shall be submitted to the Treasurer who shall, if the expense has received budgetary approval and is also properly documented, pay the same. Those expenses which have not received budgetary approval shall be submitted to the Treasurer who then shall present the request for reimbursement to the Executive Committee. Copies of all such accounts and other fiscal transactions shall be kept by the Treasurer for the official files and be made available for audit.

Section 5 - Audit

An audit of the financial transactions of the Council will be made by the auditor selected for that purpose through the Executive Committee at the following times: (a) annually, (b) whenever the office of Treasurer is vacated. The annual audit will be reported to the membership during the annual business meeting.

ARTICLE V. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTION

Section 1 - Nominations

As the Nominating Committee makes  its nominations, additional nominations shall be solicited.  Additional nominations must be made in writing and be signed by a Regular member. Members so nominated must meet the criteria established by these By-Laws, and must indicate their willingness to serve if elected.

Section 2 - Election Procedure

Elections will be conducted by secret ballot.  Ballots will be made available  to Regular members about seventy-five days prior to the annual business meeting. Those ballots received  at least forty-five days prior to the annual business meeting will form the basis for election.  The candidate(s) receiving the greatest number of votes will be declared elected except in the case of offices where, if necessary, a simple majority decision must be reached through a run-off election.  Election results will be announced at the annual business meeting (or, in the event that a run-off election precludes such an announcement, in the Newsletter or other Council publication).

Section 3 - Assumption of Office

Each elected officer and standing committee member of the Council shall assume office eighteen hours prior to the annual business meeting.

Section 4 - Duration of Office

All officers who are elected shall serve for a period of two years unless otherwise stipulated within the By-Laws.  The President-Elect shall serve for a period of one year, timed to coincide with the second year of the President's two-year term.  The term of office for a President elected in a special election shall be two years from either the preceding or nearest annual meeting date, whichever is deemed most appropriate by the Executive Committee; such determination shall be made in advance of such a special election. All committee members who are elected shall serve for a period of two years unless otherwise stipulated within the By-Laws.  In order to provide for continuity of leadership, the principle of staggered terms will be followed in the election of officers; where election due to vacancy threatens this principle, the Executive Committee may declare an office open for a one‑year term.  The immediate Past-President of the Council will serve on the Executive Committee for one year following his/her term as President.

The President, in collaboration with the Executive Committee and consultation with the Editor of Investigations in Mathematics Learning, will appoint a person to serve a three-year term as Vice President for Publications.  This appointment may be renewed based on a positive performance review by the Executive Committee during the last year of the appointment.  The Vice President for Publications may be removed from office for cause following an investigation of the Executive Committee.  Names for a person to serve in this position may be solicited from the membership at the Annual Business meeting.

Section 5 - Vacancies

In the event that any officer or standing committee member resigns or ceases to be a member of the Council, the Executive Committee shall declare a position vacant.  If the vacancy occurs in the office of President, the President-Elect shall become the President; in the event there is no President-Elect, the Past-President shall serve as protem until elected officers and committee members assume office prior to the next annual business meeting.  If such vacancy occurs in any other elective office or standing committee, the Executive Committee shall fill such vacancy by appointment from the regular membership rolls. Such an appointment shall be effective only until the next annual business meeting, unless otherwise stipulated in these By-Laws.

ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS TO THESE BY-LAWS 

These By-Laws may be amended by the following procedure:

1. Any Regular member(s) may propose amendments.
2. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee not less than sixty days prior to the annual business meeting.
3. The Executive Committee shall distribute in writing all proposed amendments together with its recommendations for approval or rejection to the Regular members not less than thirty days prior to the annual business meeting of the Council.
4. Proposed amendments to these By-Laws are approved, further amended, or disapproved at the annual business meeting of the Council by means of simple majority of those Regular members present and voting.

The Executive Committee, by unanimous vote, may make editorial changes in these By-Laws which improve clarity, delete non-substantive errors, and eliminate ambiguities of interpretation. Such changes will become effective three months after they are reported in the Newsletter. If objections are made in writing to the President by three members of the Council, regarding the substantial nature of a specified change, such changes will be handled by following the procedures specified in Article VI, Sections 2, 3, and 4.