ARTICLE I - ORGANIZATION

The name of this organization is the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, herein called AEOE.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

AEOE is dedicated to the education of children and to helping them increase their awareness and understanding of their natural environment. This organization believes in the potential of education to help children perceive and understand environmental principles and problems.

We encourage carefully-planned and sustained programs of formal and nonformal education. By exploring personal values and providing involvement based on student perceptions, interests and competence, we seek the development of a personal ethic appropriate to the enhancement of environmental quality.

To this end, we continuously support educators in their quest for the skills, attitudes and materials so essential to help learners know and care about their environment.
 

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section A. AEOE shall be composed of members who exhibit interest in furthering the purposes indicated in the positional statement of Article II.

Section B. Application for paid membership shall be made on the official membership form and sent to the membership chairperson of the section in which he resides.

Section C. A member shall hold membership in the section of his choice. Membership is transferable to other Sections as he takes new residence. Members living outside of State-Sectional boundaries may become members-at-large, designating the nearest Section for dues, communication, and voting.

Section D. The membership for all regular, institutional and student members shall be for one year.

Section E. The membership period for all Life Members shall be the lifetime of the member.
 

Section F. Membership categories and Privileges are:

Regular members- Entitled to vote, hold office, receive all publications and attend all meetings.

Life members- Same rights as regular members.

Institutional - Shall be represented by one individual who will receive memberships- all privileges of regular membership except voting and holding elected office.

Student member/Retired member - Entitled to all privileges of regular memberships.

Honorary Life- Granted by the Executive Board and entitled to all privileges of regular membership except voting and holding elected office.

Members -At-Large Such members shall be sustained as originally defined; entitled to all privileges of regular membership.

Section G. Memberships are not transferable from one person to another.

Section H. Memberships may be revoked by vote of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE IV - GOVERNMENT

The governing body of AEOE is the Executive Board.

ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section A. The Executive Board shall be made up of Section Chairpersons and Chairpersons-elect who select a Coordinating Secretary.

Section B. The Executive Board is responsible for the general implementation of the positional statement and the purposes of AEOE as stated in Article II of the By-laws. The Executive Board shall administer AEOE and meet at the Annual Conference and other times as needed. They will have the following responsibilities:

1. Elect from themselves the positions of President, Vice-President, and Secretary.
2. Plan and execute the Executive Board meeting at the Annual Conference which will also be attended by the newly elected Executive Board. During the meeting leadership and voting privileges will be passed to the newly elected Board.
3. Appoint a Coordinating Secretary every year. The Coordinating Secretary may be selected to serve consecutive years.
4. Administer the budget of the Coordinating Secretary, which will be funded by assessments of sections.
   1. Review all financial records of sections and maintain records or audit.
   2. Approve a budget for the office of Coordinating secretary.
   3. Any additional assessments needed to administer AEOE at the Executive Board level must be approved by all of the Section Boards.
   4. Approve any major expenses other than budgeted categories.
5. Establish policy concerning AEOE.
6. Review proposals for changes in the Articles of Incorporation before membership vote.
7. Review proposals for By-Law changes subject to membership vote.
8. Review Annual Reports of sections prepared by the Section Chairperson and approve it for publication in section newsletters. Said written report is due at the Spring Conference.
9. Approve applications for the creation of new sections.
10. Approve any redistricting necessary for the creation of new sections.
11. Select and present national awards from names submitted from each section.
    1. Howard Bell Award- to be presented at the Spring conference.
    2. Other Special Awards.
12. The Executive Board shall have the power of appointing ad hoc committee and committee chairpersons as deemed necessary.
13. To instruct the Coordinating Secretary and newly elected Executive Board in the duties of the offices. Changes as to services rendered by Executive Board will be made at the Annual Conference.
14. Decide which section will be responsible for the next Annual Conference.

Section C. Duties of the members of the Executive Board:

President:

1. Coordinate agenda and chair the Annual meeting of the Executive Board using input from each Board member.
2. See that the duties of the Executive Board are carried out and delegate additional responsibilities appropriately.
3. Fill vacancies on the Board created by resignation or inability to act with approval from Executive Board and section involved.
4. Audit the financial records of the coordinating secretary 6 weeks prior to review by the Executive Board at the Annual Conference.

Vice-President:

1. Take over in absence of President. Assist President.

Recording Secretary:

1. Take minutes at Executive Board meetings and mail copies to all sections and Board members.
2. Assist President. 

Section D. The duties of the Coordinating Secretary shall be to:

1. Serve at State Treasurer (chief financial officer).
2. Act as communication officer between Sections so that they can work together in an effective way.
3. Handle all correspondence and maintain the principal office for the transaction of business of the corporation (AEOE). The permanent mailing address for AEOE is Hi Hill School, Star Route, La Canada, CA 91011. Make arrangements to have mail forwarded.
4. Be responsible for engraving the Howard Bell Award and the dissemination of information about candidacy for the award to the sections. Be responsible for the whereabouts of the perpetual award and bring it to the annual Spring conference. In December send information about candidacy to the units so the information may be put in newsletters. Due date for nominations should be about 6 weeks before the Spring Conference. Arrange for the Executive Board to select a winner.
5. Establish a format for Annual sectional reports.
6. Maintain a current file of Annual Sectional reports and general correspondence.
7. Summarize Annual Sectional reports for approval of Executive Board to be published in section newsletters.
8. Present to the Executive Board a proposed budget necessary to maintain office of Coordinating Secretary. Be held accountable for the monies rendered by the units: keep accurate, current records; seek approval from the Executive Board for expenditures not specifically listed in the budget. Have the coordinating secretary records audited by two members. Deliver all financial records and receipts to the Executive Board Chairperson 6 weeks prior to the Annual Conference along with the budget proposal for the next fiscal year.
9. Secure the audited reports of each section to deliver this to a qualified CPA to have proper legal documents filed each year to protect Articles of Incorporation.
10. Assist Historian for AEOE.
11. Obtain and maintain a liability insurance that covers all sections.
12. Carry out duties as requested by the Executive Board.
13. Instruct the newly elected coordinating secretary at the Annual Conference.
14. Be a voting member of the Executive Board.
15. Act as a liaison to other organizations in the environmental and outdoor education field, as selected by the Executive Board, and delegate liaison responsibilities as appropriate.

ARTICLE VI - TERM OF OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS

Section A. The Executive Board shall serve for one year beginning at the Annual Conference, unless re-elected for a second term of office by section vote.

Section B. Vacancies on the Executive Board created by resignation or inability of an officer to act shall be filled by appointment for the Section involved.

ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS

Section A. The Executive Board shall meet at the Spring Conference and as necessary to conduct business at the request of the sectional boards.

Section B. A quorum consists of a simple majority of the members of the Executive Board. All decisions affecting Sections must meet the approval of section boards.

ARTICLE VIII - SECTIONS OF AEOE

Section A. A Section may be created upon application of 25 or more AEOE members to and with the approval of the Executive Board. This application shall be submitted for approval in written form or as prescribed by the Executive Board.

Section B. A Section may select any appropriate geographic boundary, providing no infringement is made on an area within previously established Sections and approval is given by the Executive Board.

Section C. Existing Sections may redistrict their boundaries, either becoming smaller or larger, providing all involved Sections agree, all sections maintain the required 25 members, and approval of the Executive Board is obtained.

Section D. A section is governed by these By-Laws and is responsible to the Executive Board on matters of policy and fiscal procedures.

Section E. Leadership of a Section shall be vested in a Section Board which shall consist of a Chairperson, Chairperson-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, and Chairpersons of standing committees.

Section F. Section Board meetings shall be open to membership with the voting privileges remaining within the Board.

Section G. Each Section shall have a nominating committee of three members in good standing. Recommendations for the committee would be the immediate Past-Chairperson and two members not on the current Section Board. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the Section Chairperson at least 90 days prior to the annual Spring conference.

Section H. The nominating committee shall be charged with the duty of presenting candidates for the office of Chairperson-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. All nominees must accept the nomination before being presented for office. The write-in vote of additional candidates is permissible, with the candidates consent.

Section I. Information regarding candidates shall be provided to the membership prior to the election, usually by newsletter.

Section J.  Chairpersons elected each year may not serve more than two consecutive years if re-elected.

Section K. The positions of Treasurer and Secretary can be appointments made by the Section Chairperson or elected by ballot.

Section L. The standing committees may be established as needed by the Section Council. Suggested Committees are: Budget, Publications and P.R., Conference, Membership, Awards, Nominating, Activities, or Other.

Section M. The Section Chairperson may appoint ad hoc committees whenever it is necessary.

Section N. The Section Board will have the following responsibilities to the Executive Board:

1. Standing committee reports will be turned into the section Chairperson who in turn will prepare an annual report to the coordinating Secretary. A standardized format will be used.
2. The Section Treasurers shall have books audited for the year beginning January 1 and ending December 31 and a Financial Report showing disbursement and income for the same time period to be included in the Chairperson's report.
3. The Section Treasurers shall prepare a proposed budget to be adopted by Section Board for the ensuing year, beginning July 1 and ending June 30, following the format outlined by the Coordinating Secretary.
4. All dates for section events should be forwarded to the Coordinating Secretary whenever possible to aid in publicity and the prevention of conflicts.
5. Section newsletters and board meeting minutes must be sent to all sectional board and committee members and the coordinating secretary.

ARTICLE IX - DUES

Section A. Dues will be determined at the discretion of the Executive Board. Honorary memberships as designated by the Executive Board require no dues. Dues collected shall be used at the discretion of the Section Board and the Executive Board in carrying out the purposes of AEOE.

Section B. The anniversary date for payment of yearly dues may vary among Sections.

Section C. The annual dues for membership may be changed if approved by all Section Boards and the Executive Board.

ARTICLE X - FINANCES

Section A. The Section treasurer shall be required to deposit all funds legally acquired by the Section of AEOE in a recognized banking institution in an account in the name of AEOE. All checks must be signed by two designated members of the Section Board and one of these shall be the Treasurer.

Section B. The Coordinating Secretary of the Executive Board shall be required to deposit all funds in a recognized banking institution, keep accurate records of income and expenditures to be audited yearly, and see that monies not used are rebated to the Sections or redeposited in the budget. The Coordinating Secretary's budget will be based on the approved projected yearly expenditures and paid by all AEOE sections on an equal basis by July 1 of the current year.

Section C. All donations or grants in excess of $25.00 must have prior approval by the Section Board and/or the Executive Board before being accepted. These funds or grants shall be used as general budget funds unless specifically designated. Designated funds or grants shall be used in accordance with the provisions thereof.

ARTICLE XI - AFFILIATION AND DISSOLVEMENT

Section A. The Executive Board may recommend an affiliation with other organizations whose aims are consistent with those of AEOE and where such affiliation would tend to augment the stated aims of AEOE. A simple majority vote of the voting members is necessary to ratify affiliation.

Section B. A simple majority vote of the voting members is necessary for dissolvement. The vote to dissolve shall be by mail vote of the membership. A copy of the proposed dissolvement must be presented to each member at least sixty (60) days before the vote be called.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENT

Section A. The Articles of Incorporation shall be amended by a mail vote. A copy of proposed amendment and the existing Articles of Incorporation must be presented to each AEOE member at least thirty (30) days before the vote is called. A simple majority vote of eligible members voting shall be necessary to amend.

Section B. The By-Laws shall be amended by approval of the Executive Board and the Section Boards. A simple majority vote of each Section shall be necessary to amend. All actions of the Executive Board must be ratified by the majority of all Section Boards except the selection of the Coordinating Secretary who shall be selected by the Executive Board.

Revision History

16Sep2000: Article III, Section C: changed from "in which he resides" to "of his choice".

16Sep2000: Article V, Section D: added paragraph 1 to make SCS state treasurer.

16Sep2000: Article V, Sections B & C: change state chair and vice-chair to president and vice-president.

Spr2000: Article XII revised; Article V, Section D, paragraph 14 on liaisons added.