Proposed By-laws for the Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee

Here are the proposed by-laws for MSAAC. They're based on the Loudoun Education Alliance of Parents (LEAP). Please let me know of any changes, recommendations, or if you like the by-laws. One change will need to do is make the language gender nuetral; instead of Chairman, the title should be Chairperson.

Article I: Name
  The name of this organization shall be the Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee.

Article II: Articles of Organization
  This ADVISORY COMMITTEE exists as an unincorporated association of its members. Its “Articles of Organization” comprise these bylaws, as from time to time amended.

Article III: Purposes
Section 1. The purposes of this ADVISORY COMMITTEE are:
a. To secure for all students in Loudoun County Public Schools the highest advantages in academic, vocational, physical, cultural, and social education.
b. To provide a forum for the discussion and sharing of common educational concerns and ideas about minority student achievement.
c. To serve as a network for interaction among local parent groups, parents, students, teachers, administrators, citizens, and the School Board as to issues affecting student achievement in Loudoun County Public Schools.

Section 2. The purposes of this ADVISORY COMMITTEE are promoted through regular meetings, which may include an educational program and a forum for the     development of ideas.  In addition to such meetings, these purposes may be further developed through conferences, committees, projects and     programs, and are governed and qualified by the basic policies set forth in Article IV.

Article IV: Basic Policies
  The following are basic policies of this ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
a. The ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian, nonpartisan, and shall not serve as advocates for any individual, community group, or agency.
b. The name of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE and the names of any members shall not be used in connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose not appropriately related to the Purposes of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
c. The ADVISORY COMMITTEE may provide a forum for candidates seeking public office to speak but shall not support or participate in the campaign of any person seeking public office.  In addition, the ADVISORY COMMITTEE may provide a forum for the discussion of pending legislation or enacted laws affecting education, but shall not take an active position to lobby for or against such legislation.
d. The ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall work to provide quality education for all students and shall contribute to the decision-making process establishing school policy, recognizing that the legal responsibility to make decisions has been delegated by the citizens to the LCPS School Board and Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.
e. The ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall meet for the purposes of conference and cooperation in matters affecting public schools and students in public schools.
f. The actions of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall not be binding upon local school parent groups or school staff.

Article V: Membership
Section 1. There shall be two classes of membership in the ADVISORY COMMITTEE.     Those members hereinafter designated as “founding members” shall constitute    the initial membership of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  They shall hold office    until the close of the regular meeting in November 2008, at which time such class    of membership shall cease to exist.  After November 2008, membership shall consist of one delegate from each public school in Loudoun County, who shall be
a representative of the parent group in the school.

Section 2. The names of delegate from each school shall be submitted to the ADVISORY COMMITTEE by participating local schools and the delegates’ terms shall begin at the close of the November meeting or at the time of their appointment.

Section 3. Each local public school shall be entitled to representation in the ADVISORY COMMITTEE by one delegate or their alternate as selected by the local parent groups, according to its own procedure, regardless of the number of parent groups within each school.  In no case, shall there be more than one delegate and one alternate representing any school.

Article VI: Officers and Their Election
Section 1. Officers
a. The officers of this ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall be a chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary.  The past chairman shall serve on the Executive Committee for one year as an advisor.
b. Officers shall be elected by ballot no later than the regular meeting in October 2008 for the inaugural year and shall assume their duties at the close of this meeting.  Following the initial year, elections for officers shall be held in May of each year.
c. Officers shall serve for a one-year term and may be reelected to a second one-year term for their respective office.  Officers may be subsequently elected to a different office or having left the Executive Committee for one year, may once again be eligible for election to a prior office.

Section 2. An effort shall be made to secure distribution of leadership throughout the     county in order to prevent concentration in one cluster area, as defined in     the Standing Rules.  No more than two delegates from a cluster may serve     as officers simultaneously.

Section 3. Nominations
a. Nominations for officers shall be made by a “Nominating Committee” as provided for in Article X.
b. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the time the report of the Nominating Committee is given, provided consent of the nominee has been obtained.

Section 4. Vacancies
a. In the case of a vacancy in the office of Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall accede to that office and shall serve until the end of the one-year term.
b. Vacancies occurring in other offices shall be filled by a majority vote of the delegates present.  The Executive Committee shall present a nominee for the vacancy and nominations may be made from the floor as provided previously in this Article.

Article VII: Duties of Officers
Section 1. The Chairman
a. shall preside at all meetings of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE when present;
b. shall coordinate the work of the officers and committees;
c. may call “special meetings” upon request of a majority of delegates or as deemed necessary by the Chairman or Executive Committee;
d. may appoint “special committees” when deemed necessary by the Executive Committee;
e. may appoint a parliamentarian to advise the Executive Committee when deemed necessary;
f. shall represent the ADVISORY COMMITTEE in all matters of business or appoint a member of the Executive Committee to do so as needed;
g. shall perform any other duties as specified in the Standing Rules.

Section 2. The Vice-Chairman
a. shall preside at all meetings of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE in the absence of the Chairman;
b. shall assist the Chairman as deemed necessary;
c. shall serve as chairman of the Programs Committee, as outlined in the Standing Rules;
d. shall perform any other duties as specified in the Standing Rules.

Section 3. The Secretary
a. shall record and maintain the Minutes of all meetings of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE;
b. shall conduct correspondence as requested by the Executive Committee;
c. shall maintain an accurate roster of the names and addresses of the member school parent groups and their leadership;
d. shall maintain an accurate roster of the names, addresses and email addresses of the delegates of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE;
e. shall perform any other duties as specified in the Standing Rules.

Section 4. All officers shall perform their duties as specified in these Bylaws and     Standing Rules.  Officers shall deliver to their successors all official     material immediately following the meeting at which their successors are     elected.

Article VIII: Meetings
Section 1. The ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall meet monthly, as described in the Standing Rules,  September through May, except for the month of December, unless otherwise provided for by the Executive Committee with proper notice to the delegates.

Section 2. An “Annual Meeting” shall be held for the purpose of electing officers,     receiving year-end reports from officers and committees and selecting a     preliminary list of programs for the upcoming year.

Section 3. “Special Meetings” may be called by the Chairman, the Executive      Committee and upon the request of the majority of the delegates present     provided that proper notice has been given to delegates.

Section 4. All meetings of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall be open to the public, but    the privilege of introducing motions and voting shall be limited to the delegates or
their alternates.  No member may cast more than one vote and there shall be no voting by proxy.

Section 5. A quorum for the transaction of business of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall consist of those delegates or their alternates present at a meeting called with proper notice.

Article IX: Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE, the past President serving as Advisor, and the Chairmen of the Standing Committees or Special Committees at the direction of the Chairman.

Section 2. The Executive Committee
a. shall transact business as directed by the ADVISORY COMMITTEE;
b. shall have the responsibility of guiding the ADVISORY COMMITTEE between regular meetings with the exception of making final determinations of policy;
c. shall create Standing of Special Committees as deemed necessary;
d. shall approve the work of Standing or Special Committees;
e. shall report at each regular meeting of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE as deemed necessary;
f. may call “Special Meetings” of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE;
g. shall plan and set the agenda for regular meetings of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

Article X: Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall be Programs,    Nominating, Bylaws, and other Committees as may be created by the Executive
      Committee.

Section 2. The Chairmen and members of the Standing and Special Committees with    the exception of Programs (which is elected under the provisions of these
  Bylaws), shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

Section 3. The term of the Standing and Special Committees and their Chairmen     shall be one year.

Section 4. The Chairmen of each Standing and Special Committee shall present a     plan of work to the Executive Committee for approval.  No committee     work shall be undertaken without the consent of the Executive Committee.

Section 5. Duties of the Standing and Special Committees shall be determined by the     Executive Committee and the provisions of these Bylaws and Standing     Rules.

Section 6. Nominating Committee
a. shall consist of at least three and no more than five delegates of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE with representation from different clusters within the county;
b. shall be elected by ballot at a regular meeting not less than two months prior to the election;
c. shall be nominated from the floor, shall elect their own Chairman and shall recommend nominees from the delegates of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE;
d. If a Nominating Committee cannot be elected, as provided in this Article, the current Executive Committee shall serve as the Nominating Committee with the exception of the MSAAC Chairman.

Section 7. The quorum of any committee shall be the number of members present at     a properly called meeting.

Section 8. The Chairman shall be an ex-officio member of all committees with the   exception of the Nominating Committee.

Article XI: Standing Rules
  Standing Rules may be adopted from time to time as deemed necessary, to    supplement these Bylaws.  They may be adopted without previous notice     by a majority vote of the delegates or their alternates present at any     properly called meeting.  However, no Standing Rule, Resolution or     Motion is in order that conflicts with these Bylaws.

Article XII: Parliamentary Authority
The parliamentary authority for this ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall be Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, and shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or Standing Rules.

Article XIII: Amendments
  These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of this ADVISORY
COMMITTEE by a two-thirds vote of the delegates or their alternates present and voting, provided written notice of the proposed amendment(s) shall have been given at least thirty days prior to the meeting.