GSIS Bylaws

BYLAWS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE I – Name

It is accepted that the Name of the organization is often referred to as GSIS.

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE II – Objective and Purpose

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE III – Association of Attendees

Section 1: Active Associates

Active associates in GSIS shall be by request and upon payment of the established annual Registration fee (normally associated with Conference attendance). Opportunity for an active association is open to any individual who supports the objectives and purposes of this organization. These individuals must meet one of the following criteria:

a. Currently employed by any Educational Facility within the State of Georgia,

b. Employed by the Georgia Department of Education or other state agency as honorary members of GSIS, which fees may or may not be charged.

Section 2: Other Associates

a. An honorary association may, upon recommendation and approval of the Board of Directors, be conferred upon individuals who have performed meritorious service for the organization. No Registration fees will be expected of the recipient. Honorary associates shall not be entitled to hold office.

b. Vendor Associates shall be available to individuals and corporations that are not eligible for active Association according to the requirements outlined in Section 2. Vendor Associates shall be eligible to attend all conferences, receive all correspondence sent to the active Associates, and receive any other services that GSIS may provide its Associates. Vendor Associate shall not be entitled to hold office. These individuals would normally meet one of the following criteria:

1) Employed by a software vendor

2) Any other interested vendor employee.

3) Other Board approved individuals.

4) The Board of Directors shall be the final authority when addressing all questions pertaining to the eligibility of Association in GSIS.

 Section 3: Registration Fees

The annual Registration fees shall be payable at any time and shall be for association in GSIS for one year from the beginning of one annual conference to one day prior to the following annual conference

Registration fees shall be reviewed annually by the Board of Directors. 

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE IV – Officers and Directors of the Organization

Section 1: Executive Officers’ Committee

The Executive Officers’ Committee of GSIS shall be President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These five members shall constitute the Executive Officers’ Committee for one full year.

a. The President is a member of the Executive Officers’ Committee and assumes the leadership in achieving the objectives and policies of the GSIS. It is the duty of the President to preside or arrange for a presiding officer at all meetings. It is also the responsibility of the President, with the advice and assistance of the Executive Officers’ Committee, to assist in preparing programs for the annual meeting. The President is also responsible for the appointment of all committees not otherwise identified. The President is to serve as the President of the Board of Directors and the Executive Officers’ Committee; to call such meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Officers’ Committee as may be necessary; to serve as an ex-officio member of all committees; to name a parliamentarian when needed; and to perform all other duties pertaining to the office.

b. The President-Elect is a member of the Executive Officers’ Committee. The President-Elect shall perform all the duties of the office of President in case this office is vacated temporarily or permanently.

c. The Past President is a member of the Executive Officers’ Committee for one (1) year after his/her term as President has expired. The primary duty of this office is to aid the other officers in an advisory capacity to ensure continuity between the purposes of the organization from one administration to the next. This officer has full voting rights on the Board of Directors and on the Executive Officers’ Committee.

d. The Treasurer is a member of the Executive Officers’ Committee and shall present all Reports to the Executive Officers’ Committee as outlined in the Bylaws Article VIII. Upon review of Reports, such report will be disseminated to the Board of Directors for their approval.

e. The Secretary is a member of the Executive Officers’ Committee and shall maintain the minutes of both Executive Officers’ Committee and Board of Directors meetings.

f. It is the responsibility of the Executive Officers’ Committee to develop the Registration fee structure and the incentive program to best attract Presenters, Vendors, Sponsors, volunteer participants, and other attendees.

 Section 2: The Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Officers’ Committee and a maximum of ten (10) additional at large associates of GSIS.

a. The Board of Directors shall oversee the direction in which the Executive Officers’ Committee are steering the future of the GSIS.

b. The Board shall receive the minutes of each of the Executive Officers’ Committee Board meetings.

 Section 3: Elections, Installation, and Removal from Board

a. Board members shall be elected for a minimum of one year.

b. Board members shall serve for a maximum of ten consecutive years unless extended by majority vote of the Board of Directors. After two consecutive years off the conference board, interested associates may be re-elected to the Board of Directors

c. The Board of Directors shall implement procedures for annually notifying active associates of any Board of Directors vacancies and accepting applications for vacant positions.

d. The Board of Directors shall convene a meeting during the dates of the annual conference or within 24 hours after the conclusion of the annual conference to vote on the continuance of current Board Members interested in remaining on the Board.

e. The Board of Directors shall elect new members to the Board of Directors, by majority vote,  during the conference or within 45 days of the conclusion of each annual conference.

f. In the event that a member of the Board of Directors routinely fails to perform the duties of his or her elected position and/or fails to contribute to the general business of the Board of Directors through participation in meetings (defined as in-person, phone or video conferencing, via email or other future technology), the Board may, by majority vote, remove said member from the Board of Directors.

g  If a member of the Board of Directors fails to attend three meetings within a year (The last day of the conference to the day before the last day of the conference), an automatic discussion between the president and the board member will ensue to determine whether the member will continue on the board.

(a)  The board will take into consideration why the member was unable to attend, such as family emergencies, prior engagements that they are unable to reschedule or work-related emergencies.

(b)  The board will take into consideration the contributions the member has contributed to the board/conference for the present and past years.

h. In the event that a member of the Board of Directors resigns or is removed from office prior to the beginning of the annual conference, he or she shall not be eligible for reimbursement of conference expenses and shall be required to pay the applicable conference registration fee.

 Section 4: Vacancies of Board Members Prior to the end of Elected Term

a. It shall be at the discretion of the President to determine whether mid-term Board of Directors vacancies shall be filled.

b. In the event that the President seeks to fill a mid-year vacancy, the Board may vote to refer to existing applications on file or convene a new application window for the purpose of selecting new members to the Board of Directors.

c. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to vote on changes to the Officer Committees’ positions, as necessary, based upon mid-year vacancies.

Section 5: Voting

a. Voting opportunities may include In-Person at Full Board Meetings, Phone or Video Conferencing, via email, or other future technology. By definition, a majority vote is when 51% of the attendees are in agreement (see also Meetings for definitions on what constitutes a quorum).

b. Unless otherwise noted, the majority decision of the  Board of Directors shall be deemed final.

Section 6: Compensation for Services

a. No member of the GSIS Board of Directors, part-time or full-time, shall receive a salary for services or duties performed on behalf of the organization.

b. Active Members of the Board of Directors may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in conducting matters pertaining to Organizational function(s),

1) Such expenses shall be in compliance with the State Accounting Office (SAO) of Georgia.

2) Members of the Board of Directors are prohibited from seeking reimbursement of eligible expenses from both the GSIS organization and their employer. Any reimbursements authorized by the GSIS Board of Directors shall not also be submitted by the Board Member for reimbursement by his or her employer.

3) Expenses must be approved by the Board of Directors prior to expenses being incurred if Board member desires reimbursement for other incurred expenses such as additional lodging required for early arrivals or late departures.

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE V – Committees

Additional Committees may be created by the Executive Officers’ Committee. Such committees will be subcommittees under the Executive Officers’ Committee.

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE VI – Meetings

Section 1: The Board of Directors will meet as often as is deemed necessary, but no less than five (5) meetings per year.

Section 2: Meetings may consist of telephone/video conference calls or in-person meetings, or general Business meetings. Communication via the Board of Director’s listserv may also be utilized to limit travel expenses.

Section3:  All Board Members are encouraged to participate in the discussion and in the voting.

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS

Proposed Bylaw amendments may be submitted by any attendee of the GSIS conference to any member of the Board of Directors for consideration. Such proposal shall be discussed and voted upon by the Board of Directors If proposed amendments receive a majority vote of the Board of Directors, amendments shall be published for at least thirty (30) days before the final adoption as an amendment.

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE VIII – Financial

Section 1: The Treasurers Report shall be prepared by the treasurer and presented to the Board of Directors at each scheduled meeting. The Treasurer’s Report will be disseminated to the Board of Directors for their approval.

Section 2: Post-Conference Annual Report shall be presented to the Board of Directors at the first meeting post-Conference. Section 3: The Annual Budgetary information shall be submitted to the proper authority for the purpose of Annual Income Tax Reporting.

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE IX – Dissolution of Organization

Bylaws to the Constitution ARTICLE X – Definitions & RULES OF ORDER

All business of this organization shall be governed by Roberts’ Rules of Order Revised.

Mass communication may be in the form of mailings, listserv, websites, or any other method approved by a majority of the Board of Directors.

Voting by Email shall be considered a viable option. All responses shall be returned within 2 Business days of posted motion in order to be considered in the voting. A majority is considered 50% plus 1 of the responses.

Decisions approved by a majority of the Board of Directors shall be deemed.

Alternative Meetings may be used in lieu of Board meetings to reduce expenses. Alternative meetings could consist of conference calls (video and/or telephone), listserv notification, email, and other technologies that may be available.