Constitution and Bylaws

This page contains the up-to-date version of the NCERW Constitution and Bylaws. Historical versions and NCERW annual reports are included as attachments at the bottom of the page.

Article I: The name of the organization is the National Consortium of Environmental Rhetoric and Writing (NCERW).

Article II: The NCERW represents a constellation of stakeholders locally and nationally centered around educational principles and cultural practices that promote the generative (creative and life-sustaining) ecological relationships of language and literacy to the maintenance and well being of diverse communities. The NCERW seeks to establish an intellectual commonwealth to guide curriculum development, stimulate resource-sharing, and support multi-modal approaches to community engagement, networking, and research in environmental rhetoric and writing. NCERW promotes environmental literacy across the curriculum in educational institutions (K-16) toward the advancement of environmental justice and community activism.

Article III. The NCERW cultivates interdisciplinary research, scholarship, teaching, and social activism in environmental justice and ecological literacies by engaging the intellectual life cycle of writing across across academic, civic, and professional communities. NCERW projects and programs offers generative opportunities for scholarship, support, solidarity, and sanctuary serving scholars, teachers, and leaders working in environmental justice and ecological literacies.

A. To accomplish the mission and vision of the NCERW, the NCERW Advisory Board is constituted by the NCERW Program Chair, Regional Chapter Chairs, and Members who organize the following projects and programs, including:

NCERW Regional Chapter Summit (Fall Biennial Meeting following the Biennial Rhetoric Society of America Conference—alternating even numbered years)

NCERW Summer Writers (Regional Chapter) Workshops (Summer—alternating odd numbered years)

NCERW RSA Affiliated (Standing) Panel Session (Spring Biennial Meeting of the Rhetoric Society of America Conference—alternating even numbered years).

NCERW National Business Meeting and Reception (Spring Biennial Meeting of the Rhetoric Society of America—alternating even numbered years)

B. NCERW supports and publishes the NCERW Resource website designed and maintained by the NCERW Secretary and Program Chair to report on NCERW events, curriculum, projects, and scholarly publications:

NCERW Resource Website: https://sites.google.com/site/ncenvirorhetoric/

NCERW Secretary, Erin Penner Gallegos: <environ.rhet@gmail.com>

NCERW Program Chair, Michelle Hall Kells <mkells@unm.edu>

C. All NCERW projects and events are organized by the NCERW Advisory Board, chaired either by NCERW Program Chair, Regional Chapter Chairs or by other NCERW members.

D. NCERW supports and sponsors community outreach projects and curriculum development in environmental justice and ecological literacies for K-16 educational institutions including:

The NCERW New Voices Incentive Scholarship supports the journey of emerging Undergraduate Scholars engaged in the work of environmental literacy education. The NCERW New Voices Incentive Scholarship seeks to promote the health and wellbeing of vulnerable communities by recognizing the potential of promising new writers and engaging the generative ecological dimensions of writing across academic and public cultures.

The Ulysses Segovia Scholarship in Environmental Science, Public Health, and Ecological Literacies seeks to stimulate a growing pool of leaders at the Secondary educational level engaging research, teaching, and service in Environmental Sciences, Public Health, and Ecological Literacies toward improving human conditions across social groups. This scholarship is designed to recognize and encourage graduating high school seniors to pursue college degrees in Health, Science, Education, and Environmental Studies.

The SeaGlass Project represents a constellation of secondary-level educators, scholars, and community leaders committed to protecting the biodiversity, natural resources, and vulnerable communities living within our local and global environments through education and civic engagement. The SeaGlass Project is a non-profit organization established by public school teachers and student service administrators. The SeaGlass Project seeks to enhance awareness of our symbiotic relationships with nature; promote education across the curriculum in K-12 public schools; cultivate future citizen scholars in the environmental sciences, arts, humanities, and public health; generate intercultural and inter-departmental conversations on local and global ecological issues; promote environmental literacy across the curriculum; promote open public rhetoric and environmental discourses across differences.

E. NCERW supports and sponsors opportunities for established and emerging university-level scholars including the:

NCERW Writer-in-Residence Fellowship Program at Enchanted Rock Ranch in Hillsboro, New Mexico. Eligible members may submit project proposals to the NCERW Advisory Board to be awarded an NCERW Writer-in-Residence Fellowship.

Only six NCERW Writer-in-Residence Fellowships are awarded each year.

NCERW Fellows are entitled to the use of the 225 acre nature conservancy Enchanted Rock Ranch Retreat in Hillsboro, New Mexico for one week during the summer months between May to September (market value of this award is approximately $2,500.00).

NCERW Fellows are granted post-residence privileges (including invitations to participate in: published proceedings, conference panels and workshops as well as the NCERW Fellows Reception at the Biennial Rhetoric Society of America Conference).

Article IV: Membership to the NCERW is open to scholars and leaders enacting the governing principles of NCERW and promoting environmental studies and ecological literacies in educational institutions (K-16). Any student, staff, faculty, or community member who participates in an NCERW planning committee, project or event will be considered a Full member of NCERW. Full members are eligible to apply for any grants and fellowships offered by the NCERW. Full members may also be posted on the NCERW website.

A. Members may exercise voting privileges by participating in the Biennial NCERW Advisory Board, Regional, and National Business Meetings.

B. In NCERW Regional Summit and NCERW National Business Meetings, each Advisory Board member receives one vote on behalf of his or her represented chapter or committee. In matters concerning the entire NCERW, all Voting members (including Advisory Board members) have one equal vote.

C. No dues will be collected at this time. No cash grants are being offered at this time.

Article V: Members of the NCERW Advisory Board shall be equal in duties and responsibilities.

A. NCERW Advisory Board consists of the NCERW Program Chair, Regional Chapter Chairs and project committee chairs. Advisory Board members are volunteers individually in charge of a Regional Chapter or NCERW Committee who organize and act as representative of that committee.

B. Regional Chapter Chairs and Project Committee Chairs will act as representatives of their committee to the Advisory Board and will therefore report and present opinions and decisions from their committee as accurately and objectively as possible.

Article VI. Projects initiated by NCERW members that fall under the NCERW umbrella but do not arise from NCERW Advisory Board meetings will be recognized as affiliated but autonomous project committees. The chairs of these committees will be regarded as the committee chairs and project initiators, indefinitely.

A. These project chairs may attend regional and national meetings of the NCERW membership and the NCERW Advisory Board and will have full voting rights.

B. If members of these affiliated project committees determine that the chair (project initiator) is not acting according to NCERW governing principles or in the best interest of the project committee or the NCERW membership, these concerns should be brought before the NCERW Advisory Board for deliberation and resolution.

Article VII: NCERW Regional Summit meetings will be called at the beginning each Fall semester during alternating even-numbered years following the Biennial RSA Conference to prepare committees, welcome new members, discuss amendments, and any other business necessary for the entire NCERW Advisory Board and NCERW Membership. All NCERW members, committee chairs, and regional chapter chairs are welcome to participate and vote in NCERW Regional Summit meetings.

A. These meetings shall be held within the months of the Fall Semester and may be convened by the Regional Chapter Chairs at their hosting institutions.

B. Votes announced at the NCERW Regional Chapter (or committee) meetings may be conducted over email if a deliberation period that exceeds the meeting time is necessary. The NCERW Advisory Board (or committee chair) will set the time for the vote. Members that do not vote by the required date will be counted as having abstained.

C. If an NCERW Advisory Board representative is unable to attend Regional and National business meetings, another committee member will be selected to represent the committee and stand in as temporary Advisory Board representative at Advisory Board meetings.

D. Committee members who consistently miss meetings or do not complete promised tasks shall be deemed non-participatory and business can be conducted by other members without their presence at meetings.

E. Regional Chapter Chairs and Committee chairs are responsible for informing non-participatory members that they are considered non-participatory and for outlining actions necessary for these members to return to participatory status.

F. Should conflicts arise due to members being designated non-participatory, these matters will be taken before the NCERW Advisory Board for deliberation and resolution.

G. Any business conducted by committees when committee members are absent should be immediate communicated to absent members.

Article VIII: These NCERW Bylaws shall govern the general and administrative operations of the organization. In all other matters, common fairness shall govern with an emphasis on the community rather than the individual.

Article XIV: The NCERW Bylaws will be revised and updated as necessary on a biennial basis; revisions will be submitted to the NCERW Program Chair and NCERW Advisory Board and approved by the NCERW Advisory Board.

A. Any proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the NCERW Program Chair and Advisory Board. The proposed amendments shall be discussed at the next regional or national business meeting (or at a special meeting called for the purpose), and a vote shall take place at the meeting (or over email).