BYLAWS OF NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF JAPANESE
ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1. The name of the organization is the New Jersey Association of Teachers of Japanese (hereinafter NJATJ).
2. NJATJ is incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as a nonprofit professional association of persons interested in the development and dissemination of knowledge concerning Japan.
3. NJATJ is incorporated under the laws of the federal government of the United States of America (Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service) as a nonprofit professional association of persons interested in the development and dissemination of knowledge concerning Japan.
4. The purpose of NJATJ is to assist Japanese language teachers by conducting workshops, assisting with cultural projects, recognizing student and teacher achievement, and serving as a liaison between Japanese language education and community/government of the State of New Jersey.
5. The official address of NJATJ shall be designated by its incumbent Executive Secretary with the approval of the Board. The official archives of NJATJ and its financial records shall be maintained at, or immediately accessible to, that place.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSES OF NJATJ
NJATJ shall:
1. In general, promote interest in and study of Japanese language among educators, students, the general public, and opinion leaders in government, the mass media, and other professions;
2. Hold an workshop in cooperation with an academic institution within the State of New Jersey, and such other meetings and seminars as will further its objectives;
3. Assist public and private cultural and educational agencies and institutions in State of New Jersey in developing programs, disseminating teaching materials on Japanese language, and encouraging research and publication on Japanese language education;
4. Advance the professional interests of the NJATJ membership, and serve its members professional needs;
5. In fulfillment of these purposes, maintain a website and such other materials as the Board may authorize.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership in NJATJ is open to all persons and institutions interested in Japanese language education. A member shall be defined as one who has paid the annual dues established by the Board.
2. Classes of membership and membership dues are determined by the Board with the consent of the membership at the Annual Business Meeting.
3. Only dues-paying members shall vote at the Annual Business Meeting and other meetings, or by mail or electrical ballots (See Art, VIII, 3, 4, 5, and 6).
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
1. The officers of NJATJ are a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Executive Secretary.
2. All officers shall be elected by ballot and all must be members of the NJATJ.
3. The President serves for a two-year term and is the chief executive officer of NJATJ. The President shall:
a. Preside at the Annual Business Meeting and at meetings of the Board and Advisory Council;
b. Call meetings of the Board, Advisory Council, and, if he/she considers it necessary, other committees;
c. Serve as ex officio member of all NJATJ committees;
d. Represent NJATJ in its relations with public and private agencies and
the general public;
e. Present an Annual Report to the membership on NJATJ activities at the Annual Business Meeting, along with any recommendations for action presented by the members. Copies of the Annual Report shall be available for members at the Annual Business Meeting;
4. The Vice-President, who also serves for a two-year term, shall:
a. Assist the President in carrying out his/her duties;
b. Perform such executive functions as he/she and the President shall agree upon, with the consent of the Board;
c. Temporarily perform the duties of the President in the event of sickness or absence, or upon the President's request.
d. Succeed to the office of President upon the expiration of the President's two year term;
5. The Secretary is elected for a two-year term, and shall:
a. Prepare the minutes of the Annual Business Meeting and meetings of the Board and Advisory Council;
b. Maintain a record of meetings of other NJATJ committees, and ensure that copies of the committees' minutes and records are available on the NJATJ website.
6. The Executive Secretary is elected for a three-year term, and shall:
a. Direct annual membership application process;
b. Maintain an up-to-date membership list;
c. Facilitate the communications
7. The Treasurer is elected for a three-year term, and shall:
a. Keep the financial records of NJATJ and disburse funds upon authorization of the Executive Committee or the President (such authorization may be specific or general, to the extent permitted by these Bylaws);
b. Prepare an annual financial report for the Board and the membership;
c. Be in charge of submitting/updating the required financial reports to federal, state, and local government authorities;
d. Arrange for an audit of NJATJ accounts at the conclusion of his/her incumbency.
8. In the event that an elected officer or at-large member is unable to complete a term of office, the Board shall appoint a replacement. Vacancies in officer positions shall be appointed from among the elected members if possible, and the resulting vacancy filled by appointment from the membership, provided however, that a vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Vice-President, to serve until his own term as President commences.
ARTICLE V. BOARD
1. The Board consists of the officers of NJATJ, the immediate Past President during the year following his/her term, four at-large members. All Board members must be members of the NJATJ.
2. The Board administers the affairs of NJATJ and makes and implements policies. Whatever the Board deems a major policy decision must be approved by a majority of NJATJ members casting ballots.
3. The Board shall, among other functions:
a. Appoint standing committees and ad hoc committees and their chairs, and oversee and approve committee activities, as necessary;
b. Appoint the webmaster(s).
c. Receive and act upon reports from officers and committees;
d. Approve an annual budget, modifications thereof, and the annual financial report of the Treasurer;
e. Approve the projects;
f. Approve expenditure of NJATJ funds;
g. Fill vacancies in NJATJ elective offices (See Art. IV, 8);
h. Upon the recommendation of the Nominations Committee, approve and present to the NJATJ membership a slate of candidates for election to NJATJ offices.
4. Chairs of standing committees and editors of NJATJ publications may be invited to participate in Executive Committee discussions.
5. End of term of office. The terms of all officers and members of the Board, except the Treasurer, Executive Secretary, end at midnight on December 31 of the second year after Annual Business Meeting following their election, according to their specified terms of office. The terms of the Treasurer and Executive Secretary begin at 12:01 a.m. on January 1 and end at midnight on December 31 of third year following their election, according to their specified terms of office. However, in the event of unforeseen vacancy or absence, incumbents remain in office until their successors are chosen.
ARTICLE VI. ADVISORY COUNCIL
1. The Advisory Council offers advice to the Board on policies and long-range plans and finance.
2. The President, with the concurrence of the Board, annually appoints up to ten members to the Advisory Council for two-year terms. All must be members of the NJATJ.
3. Members of the Advisory Council shall be appointed with due regard for representation of different institution. They shall include at least one person in an occupation other than education, and one person from the Consulate General of Japan in New York.
ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES
1. The standing committees shall include a Workshop Committee, a Publications Committee, an Awards Ceremony Committee, a Finance Committee, a Membership Committee, and a Nominations Committee. Ad hoc committees may be established by the Board as need arises, but may not continue in existence for more than three years.
2. The President, with the concurrence of the Board, appoints the chairs of committees.
3. The chair of each committee shall make a written annual report on its activities and expenditures to Board.
4. The Workshop Committee shall serve until the completion of the Annual Workshop for which it is responsible. This committee shall:
a. Prepare the program for approval by the Board.
b. Assist and coordinate its activities;
c. Prepare a final report on the Annual Workshop for the Board.
d. Make arrangements for Workshop preregistration;
e. Provide the final report, including attendance statistics;
5. The Publications Committee shall:
a. Serve as the Editorial Board for NJATJ publications. Editors of such publications shall be members of the Committee;
b. Publish the NJATJ activities for website and maintain the website;
c. Recommend to the Board other publication projects to further the objectives of NJATJ;
d. Carry out publication projects or programs approved by the Board.
6. The Awards Ceremony Committee shall,
a. Conduct the annual Japanese Language and Culture Study Award Ceremony.
7. The Finance Committee shall include the Treasurer, an additional member of the Board, and a member of the Advisory Council. The Committee shall:
a. Prepare the annual budget for the following calendar year for approval by the Board in time for presentation at the Annual Business Meeting (see Art. VIII, 7)
b. Recommend to the Board categories of membership and levels of dues and other charges, such as Annual conference registration fees;
c. Recommend ways in which financial resources can be mobilized to support NJATJ activities.
8. The Membership Committee shall include the Executive Secretary,
a. Recommend to the Board for promoting membership in NJATJ, and carry out approved programs:
b. Serve as contact point for members with professional needs for assistance, particularly at Annual Workshop;
c. Recommend to the Board ways in which members' professional needs can be served by NJATJ, other than professional placement activities.
9. The Nominations Committee, composed of the NJATJ Presidents, the previous term President, Vice Presidents, and Executive Secretary, shall:
a. Prepare a list of candidates for election as NJATJ officers and members-at large of the Board for consideration and approval by the Board. The slate is then presented to the membership for a vote by the Nominations Committee (see Art. VIII, 5);
b. In preparing its list, take into account diverse distribution; broad
representation of the character of NJATJ member ship in terms of institutional affiliation, gender, age, competence, experience, and availability.
ARTICLE VIII. MEETINGS, ELECTION, AND DECISIONS
1. The Board meets at least twice each year. All committees meet at least once each year. Other committee meetings may be called by the committee chairs or by the President.
2. The Annual Workshop of NJATJ shall include an Annual Business Meeting of the membership.
3. Dues-paying members present at a business meeting of the NJATJ or its committees shall constitute a quorum; but no decision may be made at an Annual Business Meeting unless at least six members, in addition to members of the Board, are present (see Art. III, 3).
4. All decisions will be made by a simple majority of dues-paying members who vote or by consensus proposed by the chair and accepted unanimously at Annual Business Meetings or ballot by mail or electrical form (see Art. III, 3).
5. The election of officers and members-at-large of the Board shall be by a simple majority of valid vote. Only those whose dues are paid for the current year are eligible to vote. Ballots shall be submitted in envelopes or electrical format. Ballots will be checked against a list of dues paid members by the Executive Secretary, who shall then count the ballots, whose responsibility is to certify the results. The election results will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting (see Art. III, 3).
6. When a membership decision is needed on a policy question or between Annual Business Meetings, the Board may submit this issue to eligible voters by mail or electrical ballots. A decision shall be by a majority of the valid ballots received. The procedure will otherwise be the same as in the previous paragraph (see Art. III, 3).
7. The fiscal year of NJATJ shall be January 1 – December 31. A draft budget for the next year shall be submitted to the Board for its approval at least one month before the commencement of the year to which it will apply.
8. Robert's Rules of Order, current edition, shall govern NJATJ proceedings except as otherwise provided in these bylaws.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS
Amendments to these bylaws must be approved by the Board and then submitted for approval at the Annual Business Meeting.
ARTICLE X. DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS UPON LIQUIDATION
In the event that NJATJ is dissolved, its assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purpose within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of nay future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. The said allocation of assets shall be made by decision of the Executive Committee at the time of dissolution.
[Approved by the First Membership Meeting on May 3, 2009]A
[Amended by the business meeting on September 20, 2013]
ARTICLE II 5. In fulfillment of these purposes, maintain a website and such other materials as the Board may authorize.
ARTICLE V 5. The terms of all officers except Treasurer and Executive Secretary end of the second year of December 31
ARTICLE VIII. 7. The fiscal year of NJATJ shall be January1- December 31
[Amended by the business meeting on September 25, 2015]
ARTICLE I 3. NJATJ is incorporated under the laws of the federal government of the United States of America (Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service) as a nonprofit professional association of persons interested in the development and dissemination of knowledge concerning Japan. (newly added.)
ARTICLE I 4. Is the one previously listed as ARTICLE I 3.
ARTICLE I 5. Is the one previously listed as ARTICLE I 4. (The previous ARTICLE I 5. “Officers of the NJATJ will transfer a copy of their NJATJ records and official correspondence to the Executive Secretary within sixty days of the end of the fiscal year” is deleted.)
ARTICLE IV 3. e. Present an Annual Report to the membership on NJATJ activities at the Annual Business Meeting, along with any recommendations for action presented by the members (previously “by the Executive Committee”). Copies of the Annual Report shall be available for members at the Annual Business Meeting;
ARTICLE IV 4. e. “Assume responsibility either fore overseeing workshop and awards program, or for outreach and publicity” is deleted.
ARTICLE IV 5. b. Maintain a record of meeting of other NJATJ committees, and ensure that copies of the committee’s minutes and records are available on the NJATJ website (previously “records are sent to the Executive secretary, the President, and others who may be designated by the President).
ARTICLE IV 6. a. Direct annual membership application process (previously “Maintain records of all NJATJ activities and the minutes of all meetings”).
ARTICLE IV 6. c. Facilitate as a director of the communications (previously “Provide copies of records to Executive Committee members at their request and to others, upon request of the President”).
ARTICLE IV 6. d. “Make required reports to federal, state, and local government authorities” is deleted.
ARTICLE IV 6. e. “Maintain the office of record and the Archives of NJATJ.” Is deleted.
ARTICLE IV 7. b. Is previously listed as ARTICLE IV 7. c. (“Be a member of and assist the Finance Committee in preparing the annual budget of NJATJ (See Art. VII, 8, a)” previously listed as ARTICLE IV 7. b is deleted.)
ARTICLE IV 7. c. “Be in charge of submitting/updating the required financial reports to federal, state, and local government authorities” is amended from “Furnish the Executive Secretary with information for required financial reports to federal, state, and local government authorities” which was previously listed as ARTICLE IV 7. d.
ARTICLE IV 7. d. Is previously listed as ARTICLE IV 7. e.
ARTICLE V 3. “Appoint the editors of NJATJ newsletters” previously listed as ARTICLE V 3. b. is deleted.
ARTICLE VII 1. The standing committee shall include a Workshop Committee, a Publications Committee, (“an Outreach and Publicity Committee” is deleted) an Award Ceremony Committee (previously “Awards Committee”), a Finance Committee, a Membership Committee (previously “Membership Services Committee), and Nominations Committee. Ad hoc committees may be established by the Board as need arises, but many not continue in existence for more than three years.
ARTICLE VII 4. The Workshop Committee (“include the Vice President, and” is deleted) shall serve until the completion of the Annual Workshop for which it is responsible. This committee shall:
ARTICLE VII 4. e. Provide (“information to the Conference Program Committee for” is deleted) the final report, including attendance statistics;
ARTICLE VII 5. The Publications Committee shall (“include the secretary” is deleted):
ARTICLE VII “The Outreach and Publicity Committee shall include the Vice President; ~” previously listed as ARTICLE VII 6. is deleted.
ARTICLE VII 6. The Awards Ceremony Committee (previously “The Awards Committee”) shall (“include Vice President” is deleted),
ARTICLE VII 6. a. Conduct the annual Japanese Language and Culture Study Award Ceremony (previously “Conduct achievement recognition, and/or speech, and essay contests in accordance with guidelines approved by the Board, select the winners, and arrange for their attendance for recognition”.)
ARTICLE VII 6. “Assist and/or coordinate nomination to the National Honor Society program” previously listed as ARTCILE VII 6. b. is deleted.
ARTICLE VII 8. The Membership (“Services” is deleted) Committee shall include the Executive Secretary,
ARTICLE VII 8. a. Recommend to the Board for promoting membership in NJATJ, (“in consultation with the Outreach and Publicity Committee” is deleted) and carry out approved program.