Southeast Alaska Native Educators Association

Section One: The membership of this organization shall be comprised of individuals residing in Southeast Alaska interested and involved in improving educational performance and opportunities for Alaska Natives:

Section Two: The board of the SOUTHEAST ALASKA NATIVE EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION will be comprised of eleven (11) members from Southeast Alaska communities and organizations:

ARTICLE IV

Officers

Section One: The officers of the organization shall be a Chairperson, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and seven (7) board members. These officers shall perform the duties as prescribed in the by laws and by the parliamentary process adopted by the organization.

Section Two: No board member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

Section Three: The officers shall have general supervision of SOUTHEAST ALASKA NATIVE EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION business, including: meeting at a fixed hour and place, offering recommendations to the organization for meeting action items such as budgets, projects and proposed expenditures; establishing the purpose of all committees; performing other duties as may be prescribed by the membership and these by laws. The officers shall be subject to the orders of the organization, and none of its acts will conflict with action by the organization.

Section Four: The members will be responsible for recommending candidates for vacancies.

ARTICLE V

Duties of the Officers

Chair: The Chair shall a) preside at all meetings of the organization, b) exercise general supervision over the interests and welfare of the organization, including activities of the SEANEA Lead Teacher, c) appoint committee chairs, as needed, subject to approval of the officers, d) call meetings of the organization and of the officers for one year, following election to the Chair.

VICE-Chairperson: In the absence of the Chair, or in the event of a vacancy in the office of the Chair, or the inability or refusal of the Chair to act, the Vice-Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chair, and when acting in this capacity shall have all powers of and subject to the restrictions of the Chair. The Vice-Chair shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the membership and the officers.

SECRETARY: The Secretary shall a) keep the minutes of the organization and of the officer meetings, b) assure that all notices are duly given, in accordance with the provisions of these by laws or as required by law, c) provide minutes to the organization and the officers in a timely manner as determined by the Chair, d) appoint a substitute Secretary when the elected Secretary cannot perform these duties, e) serve as custodian of all recorded minutes and the organization's records, f) perform other such duties ass may be normally part of the office of the Secretary as assigned by the Chairperson or the officers.

TREASURER: The Treasurer shall a) receive, account for, and deposit in the SEANEA account all funds of the organization, b) make monthly status reports of such funds, c) make authorized disbursements by the issuance of check warrants or monies as appropriate.

ARTICLE VI

Standing Committees

Section One: Parent Involvement

At least three members. The committee will make recommendations on how to help Native parents, school, or school board members improve the involvement of parents in the education of their children.

Section Two: Student Performance/Achievement

At least three members. Provides recommendations on how Native students can obtain fair and equal treatment in the classroom, especially focusing upon benchmark assessments, examinations and student placement.

Section Three: Cultural Standards

At least three members. Provides recommendations to the School District implementing the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools. Focus will be upon creating content-based material, incorporating ancestral language usage included in standard curricula, endorsed by culturally responsive instructors to students.

Section Four: Higher Education/Tribal College

At least three members. Provides recommendations to students, school staff and parents, advocating for higher attrition rate of Native students in higher education institutes. Working in partnership with existing organizations, create working sessions with student and families in goal setting.

Section Five: Legislation

At least three members. Committee will monitor relevant legislative action, affecting Native population. Proposed legislation that will impact Natives will be reported to membership, with specific recommendations discussed with SEANEA. Dissemination of relevant materials to partner organizations.

Section Six: Publicity

At least three members. Function as spokesperson to media who request information from JNEC organization, impacting Native population. Responsible for distributing applicable literature to SEANEA body and other Native organizations that will benefit from the material.

ARTICLE VII

Meetings

Section One: The regular meetings of the organization shall be held as called by the chair and at least quarterly.

Section Two: The Chair shall designate one of the three first regular meetings of the calendar year as an Annual Meeting of the members, which shall be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving officer reports, committee reports, and for other business that may arise.

Section Three: A quorum at any meeting of the board shall consist of half the members plus one. Except where otherwise prescribed in the by laws, decisions shall be made by a majority vote of members present. The officers may constitute a quorum, providing the membership has been given three days' notice of any meeting.

Meetings may be held telephonically or by other means, so long as participants have an equal opportunity to speak.

ARTICLE VIII

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order - Newly (Revised) - shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the by laws and any special rules of order the organization may adopt.

ARTICLE IX

Amendment of by laws

These by laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a two-thirds vote of members present, provided that the amendment is submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting.