Constitution and By-Laws
  
  Illinois Section
American Association of Physics Teachers
October 11, 2008

I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers.

II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this Section shall be the advancement of the teaching of physics and the furtherance of appreciation of the role of physics in our culture.

III. MEMBERSHIP

A. The membership shall be Illinois residents and consist of three classes: regular, student, and retired members.
B. The regular membership shall consist of (a) residents who are teachers and (b) other persons whose membership will, in the judgment of the Council, promote the objectives of the Section.
C. The student membership shall consist of college or university students and high school students who have an expressed interest in physics.
D. Retired members shall consist of former regular members who have retired from teaching. They are exempt from paying Section dues.

IV. THE OFFICERS

The officers of the Section shall consist of the President, Secretary-Treasurer, Past President, President-Elect, and Section Representative to the national AAPT.
A. The duties of the officers are as follows:
  1.

The President is to chair the Council meetings and the business meeting of the Section. This person is responsible for providing leadership and overseeing the general operation of the Section.
  2. The Secretary-Treasurer serves as recording and corresponding secretary for the Section, is responsible for the Section minutes and treasury, and for communications with the membership.
  3. The President-Elect shall serve as the Meeting Committee chair for the meetings to be held during the year.
  4. The Past President serves as chair of the Nominating Committee and assumes the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
  5. The Section Representative is responsible for communications between the Section and the national AAPT and its affiliates. This person or someone else appointed by the Council represents the Section at the national AAPT meetings.
B.

Election and Terms of Officers
  1. The officers of this organization shall consist of President-Elect, President, Past-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Section Representative.
  2. The President-Elect is elected for a one-year term by the membership at the annual Fall meeting.
  3. The President-Elect shall become President for a one-year term at the completion of the term as President-Elect.
  4. The President shall become Past-President for a one-year term at the completion of the term as President.
  5. The Secretary-Treasurer and the Section Representative shall serve three-year terms for a maximum of two successive terms.
C.

All duly elected officers assume their offices at the conclusion of the Fall meeting.

V. THE COUNCIL

A. A Council of seventeen members, twelve representatives and five officers, shall govern the Section.  The representatives will consist of four members from each of three areas (high school, 2-year college, 4-year college) elected to staggered four-year terms. One member from each area will be elected each year.
B. The Publicity Committee chair, newsletter editor, Webmaster, and listserv manager shall be non-voting ex-officio members of the Council.
C. The President shall serve as chair of the Council, but will have only a tie-breaking vote. All other officers shall serve on the Council and be voting members.
D. The Council shall meet during the Fall and Spring meetings of the Section. The President or any two Council members may call other meetings of the Council.
E. If a vacancy occurs on the Council, the balance of the term shall be filled by an election at the next meeting of the Section.

VI. AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the voting membership present at the regular Fall and Spring meetings of the Section.  Proposed amendments to be considered at a meeting must be sent to each member of the Section at least one week prior to the meeting.

BY-LAWS

 
I. DUES

Membership dues shall be set to cover the expenses of the Section. Changes in the dues shall be decided upon by a vote of the Section at the time of the annual Fall meeting as the need may arise. Retired members shall have honorary life-membership with no dues assessed.

II. COMMITTEES & APPOINTMENTS

A.

Standing committees will serve t further the goals of the Section.  The Council prescribes duties and procedures for each standing committee.
  1. The Council shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of the Past President, who shall act as its Chair, along with other members appointed by the Chair.
  2. The Council shall appoint a Membership Committee, the composition and leadership of which are prescribed by the Council.  The President shall serve as Chair.  The Committee will include a representative from the site of the future meeting, and may include other members appointed by the Council.
  3. The Council shall appoint a Meeting Committee consisting of the President-Elect, who shall act as its chair, and a representative from the site of the future meeting  (who need not be a member of the Section). The Council may appoint additional members.
  4. The Council shall appoint one of the Section's high school members as chair of the Committee for the High School Teacher Award. The appointment lasts for four years.  The winner of the award shall be determined by a vote of the Council.
  5. The Council shall appoint a Committee for the Distinguished Service Citation consisting of the Secretary-Treasurer and the two most recent award recipients, the earlier recipient serving as committee chair. The winner of the award shall be determined by a vote of the Council.
  6. The Council shall appoint a Section member as Publicity Committee Chair, for the purpose of providing meeting notices, meeting news, and photographs to the AAPT national office.  Committee members will consist of the Section's Webmaster, listserv administrator, and newsletter editor.
  7. The Council shall appoint a Rossing Lectures Committee that is only active prior to joint meetings involving the ISAAPT and other AAPT Sections (and the APS Prairie Section).  The committee shall consist of the Secretary-Treasurer as chair and a representative of the host institution of the joint meeting.  After discussion with the Chief Financial Officer of the AAPT, the Secretary-Treasurer will formally request the necessary funds (from interest earned by the Rossing Fund) to pay for invited speakers at least 15 days before the funds are needed.  A specific rationale of the projected costs for the speaking engagement (name of speaker, budget, and copy of the program) as well as a brief report of the actual expenses must be included in the request.
  8. The Council shall appoint a Committee for High School Physics Teacher Recruitment, Preparation, and Retention.  This committee's three members serve without term limits and at the pleasure of the Council.  The President shall appoint the chair of this committee with the advice and consent of the Council.
B.

Special appointments will serve to further the goals of the Section.
  1. The Council shall appoint a Section member as Editor of the Section's newsletter, the Illinois Physics Teacher.
  2. The Council shall appoint a Section member as Webmaster for the Section's Web site.
  3. The Council shall appoint a Section member to serve as listserv manager.
C.

The Council may establish ad hoc committees and make other appointments as necessary.  The Council shall specify the term of all such appointments.

III. MEETINGS

A. Fall and Spring meetings shall be held each year at a place decided upon by the Council.  A business meeting shall be held at the Fall meeting.
B. Other meetings may be arranged by the Council including a summer retreat of the Council of the Section.  Adequate notice shall be communicated to the membership.

IV. AMENDMENTS

The By-laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the voting membership present at the regular Fall and Spring meetings of the Section.  Proposed amendments to be considered at a meeting must be sent to each member of the Section at least one week prior to the meeting.