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Research Council on Mathematics Learning BY-LAWS Adopted April 1976 Amended April 1983 Amended April 1987 Amended November 2025
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP Section 1 - Application for Membership Application for membership shall be submitted in such a manner as the Research Council on Mathematics Learning Board (hereafter referred to as Board) 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 Board subject to review at the annual business meeting. The membership year for the annual dues shall be from January 1 to December 31. Section 3 - Due Process Rights The Board 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 Board, which hearing shall be held at such time, place, and in such manner as may be prescribed. An appeal from the decision of the Board may be taken at the next annual business meeting of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning (hereafter referred to as 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 thirty days shall be notified thereof by the Treasurer and shall lose all rights of membership until current dues are paid. Section 5 - Resignation Any member may submit to the Board notice of the desire to resign. Dues or portions thereof shall not be refunded. ARTICLE II. RCML BOARD Section 1 - Duties The Board 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 Council. 5. Establish administrative policy and procedures for conducting the business affairs of the Council. 6. Proceed in appropriate administrative areas not specifically covered by the Constitution, the By-Laws, or the established Administrative Policies of the Council. Section 2 - Quorum A Quorum for conducting business at a Board meeting shall consist of at least half of the Board members. Section 3 - Rules of Order The default structure of business meetings of the Board shall be aligned with contemporaneous editions of Robert’s Rules of Order. Section 4 - Resignation and Removal of Electees and Appointees 1. Any member who has been elected or appointed may resign from their 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 Board. If said member is also a member of the Board, said member will not be present when their case is discussed by the Board. 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 a local education institution who is appointed by the Board. The Vice-President for Conferences is the Chairperson of this Committee. Its responsibilities shall include conventions, conferences, workshops, seminars, and similar events. It shall respond to all routine requests for consultative service addressed to the Council. Publications Committee This committee shall be composed of six elected Regular members, elected for three-year terms in classes of two each year. The Vice-President 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 Board to fulfill publications responsibilities. It shall be responsible for planning, editing, and distributing all official publications of the Council. Section 2 - Nominating Committees Elections Committee This committee’s members shall be nominated by the President-Elect or Past-President and be approved by the Board. It shall consist of at least three members. The President-Elect or Past-President is the Chairperson of this Committee. It shall be responsible for soliciting eligible members to run for an elected position. All nominations by this committee must be in agreement with the Constitution and the By-Laws of the Council. Awards Committee This committee’s members shall be nominated by the President-Elect or Past-President and be approved by the Board. It shall consist of at least three members. The President-Elect or Past-President is the Chairperson of this Committee. It shall be responsible for soliciting eligible members to apply for a Council award. Additionally, it shall be responsible for reviewing and selecting awardees. 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 Board. 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 Board. 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 Board. ARTICLE IV. BUSINESS AFFAIRS Section 1 - Annual Conference An annual conference will be held each year and will be hosted by a representative from a local education institution. An institution desiring to host a conference will ordinarily make application to the e Board at least two years prior to the conference. Board 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 Board. 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, or invoices, the Treasurer will seek the approval of the Board in order to maintain fiscal responsibility. The Board decides financial commitments, documents decisions in meeting minutes, and directs the President to sign all documents which financially obligate the Council. Section 4 - Expenses 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 from the Board 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 Board. 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 Board 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. Nominations can come from the Elections Committee as well as self-submitted by any eligible member who is in good standing. All nominations must be made in writing and be submitted by the eligible member. Nominees 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 eligible members over a time period of 30 days. 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 Board; such determination shall be made in advance of such a special election. The immediate Past-President of the Council will serve on the Board for one year following his/her term as President. 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 Board may declare an office open for a one‑year term. Section 5 - Vacancies In the event that any officer or standing committee member resigns or ceases to be a member of the Council, the Board 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 Board 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 Board not less than sixty days prior to the annual business meeting. 3. The Board shall distribute in writing all proposed amendments together with its recommendations for approval or rejection to eligible 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 eligible members present and voting. The Board, 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.
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