KANSAS
GEOGRAPHIC ALLIANCE
BY-LAWS
Goal:
All students in Kansas K-12 will demonstrate competency
in geography content and skills as articulated in Geography For
Life.
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Kansas Geographic Alliance
(KGA) is to promote and support the teaching of geography in K-12 classrooms.
Membership:
The alliance is primarily a professional development
organization for educators. Membership is open to individuals in government,
business, and the general public.
Alliance Organization:
The governing body of the Alliance shall consist
of a primary coordinator, a co-coordinator, a publication director,
an executive committee, special committees as needed to carry out the
working of the Alliance, and as desired by a majority vote of the executive
committee, a coordinator emeritus.
Coordinators:
Duties of the Primary Coordinator:
· The primary coordinator's responsibility
is to provide administration of the Alliance including:
· Managing of Alliance funds including all reporting procedures and
serving as liaison to National Geographic Society
· Working with publication director to manage TC database and outreach
efforts
· Working with Executive Committee chairperson, including developing
agendas as well as determining location and time of meetings
· Notifying members of important dates and topics, and ensuring that
proper procedure is followed
· Working with special committees as needed
· Supporting co-coordinator in the development of the summer institute,
Geography Awareness Week, and other Alliance activities
Duties of the Co-Coordinator:
· The co-coordinator's responsibilities
include:
· Serving in all capacities as the primary coordinator during any time
period that the primary coordinator is unavailable for responsibilities mentioned
above
· Serving as a primary coordinator for summer institutes, Geography
Awareness Week, and other Alliance activities
· Serving as outreach coordinator to other post-secondary departments
and institutions
· Working with special committees as needed
Duties of Emeritus Coordinator:
The emeritus coordinator's responsibilities shall
be that of advisor.
Duties of Publications Director:
Under guidelines and determinations from the Executive
Committee, the Publications Director shall affect communications with
Alliance members and others as deemed necessary.
Selection of Coordinators:
In the event a KGA coordinator wishes to resign
the position, at least a six-month, but preferably a one-year, notice
should be given. When no advance notice is possible, the remaining
coordinator assumes all coordinator responsibilities. The Executive
Committee and the coordinator may decide not to seek an immediate replacement
coordinator. When a replacement is deemed desirable, the Executive
Committee will appoint a Coordinator Search Committee. The Search Committee
will be responsible for consulting with the National Geographic Society
Geography Education Program to plan the search and selection process.
In order to maintain fiscal and institutional continuity, the Search
Committee should give priority to a suitable candidate at the previous
Coordinator's institution. If no suitable candidate is found at that
institution, the Search Committee will conduct a wider search. The
final selections of the Coordinator will be recommended to the National
Geographic Society on a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.
Selection of Publications Director:
The Publications Director shall be appointed by
the Coordinators with the approval of the Executive Committee.
Executive Committees:
The Executive Committee serves as the primary
policy making body of the KGA.
Membership:
Executive membership - voting members
· Two coordinators
· Publications director
· Nine teacher consultants (ideally including at least one consultant
each in grades K-4, 5-8, & 9-12)
Selection of teacher consultant members:
· Members shall serve a three-year term
with one third of the members being elected each year.
· A member can be nominated for a new term after a one-year absence
from the committee.
· Coordinators will present a list of nominees to exceed the number
of vacancies.
· The general membership of the KGA in attendance at the fall meeting
shall be the voting body.
· The three nominees receiving the most votes will be elected to the
executive committee.
· Newly elected members will begin their term in January following their
election.
· Any teacher consultant member who resigns or misses two consecutive
meetings without justifiable cause may be replaced.
· The coordinators, with the approval of the executive committee, may
appoint a replacement member to serve the duration of any unexpired term.
· The appointed member may then stand for election at the end of the
appointed term.
Ad hoc membership
Non-voting
· National Geographic liaison
· Other people invited at the pleasure of the executive committee (state
social studies specialist, other state officials, funding agency representative,
etc.)
Duties of the Executive Committee:
Executive members
· At the fall meeting, elect a chairperson
(preferably someone having served one previous year on the executive
committee).
· The chairperson will be responsible for facilitating meetings, working
with coordinators to determine location and time of meetings, and ensuring
that proper procedure is followed during executive committee sessions.
· The newly elected chairperson will assume position upon election.
· A recorder shall be selected by the committee to take official minutes
of the executive committee and any executive session meetings. This position
will be for a two-year term.
· Reviewing annual operation budget.
· Establishing program priorities.
· Assist in planning, facilitation, and coordination of alliance projects
or appoint committees to do the same.
Meetings of the Executive Committee:
· The executive committee must meet at
least two times per year including a fall and a spring meeting.
· The meetings shall be open to all members of the KGA and interested
parties.
· The committee shall have the ability to call an executive session
of the executive committee with approval of a majority vote of the committee
members present.
· Approval of all motions requires a majority vote of the executive
members present.
Amending the By-laws:
The by-laws shall be reviewed periodically.
Amendments shall be proposed to the executive committee by a formal motion
in writing. Approval of changes or additions to the by-laws requires
a two-thirds vote of the voting members of the executive committee.
