CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE SOCIAL
STUDIES SPECIALISTS

ARTICLE I -THE ORGANIZATION

Section 1 - Name

The name of this organization shall be the Council of State Social Studies Specialists, hereinafter referred to in this constitution as the Council.

Section 2 - Purpose

The purpose of the Council shall be to study, strengthen, and promote the leadership role of the state social studies specialists through such means as:

• (1) The exchange of ideas and the dissemination of information among the membership in matters regarding state programs, experimental studies, consultative or supervisory practices and services, and other items of general concern to the membership.
• (2) Cooperative study of problems pertaining to the work of the state social studies specialists.
• (3) Cooperation with organizations professionally interested in the extension and improvement of social studies instruction.

Section 3 – Memberships/Partnerships

(1) The Council may offer three classes of membership -- regular memberships, associate memberships, and honorary memberships.

• a) Regular membership – Regular membership is open to members of the National Council for the Social Studies who are current state department of education officials with significant responsibilities for social studies. Regular members may vote; participate in Council meetings; hold office; serve on National Council for the Social Studies committees representing the Council; and receive publications and other services of the Council.
• b) Associate membership -- Associate membership is open to members of the National Council for the Social Studies who are former state department of education officials and former regular members of the Council. Associate members may participate in Council meetings; hold office as Executive Secretary; serve on National Council for the Social Studies committees representing the Council; and receive publications and other services of the Council.
• c) Honorary membership – Honorary membership is open to persons who have contributed significantly to the work of the Council and are not otherwise eligible for membership. Honorary members may participate in Council meetings and receive publications and other services of the Council.

(2) The Council may offer partnerships to organizations which are related to social studies at the national level or organizations which host special programs of limited duration related to social studies at the national level. Partner organizations are entitled to one representative to the Council. When a partner organization has within it an associate member of the Council, the associate member will serve as the organization's representative.  These representatives may participate in Council meetings and receive publications and other services of the Council.   
 

(3) Applications for regular and associate memberships may be made to the Executive Committee.  Nominations for honorary membership may be made to the Executive Committee. Decisions relative to eligibility for membership shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee.  Applications for partnerships may be made to the Executive Committee.  Decisions relative to partnership offers shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee. 

(4) Persons accepted for regular and associate memberships may join the Council by paying the applicable membership dues. Persons selected to honorary memberships will not be required to pay membership dues. Organizations offered partnership status may become partners by paying the applicable partnership fees.  When a partner organization has an associate member of the Council serving as its representative, the partner organization shall pay the applicable partnership fees and the associate member shall pay the applicable membership dues.    

(5) The period of membership of each person who joins the Council shall begin the initial day of the annual meeting and shall end on the day before the next subsequent annual meeting. The period of partnership status for each partner organization shall begin the initial day of the annual meeting and shall end on the day before the next subsequent annual meeting.
 

ARTICLE II -OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section I - Officers

The officers of the Council shall be President, President-elect, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, and Member-at-Large. With the exception of the Executive Secretary, who may be an associate member, all officers must be regular members of the Council.

Section 2 - President

The President and/or President-elect shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee, the annual meeting, and all special meetings of the Council; shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided for in the constitution or by a vote of the Council; shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, other than the Executive Committee, of the Council; shall authorize the Treasurer to pay all bills in accordance with the Council budget approved by the Executive Committee; and shall represent and act in the name of the Council when it is not in session. The term of office for President shall be one year. 

Section 3 - President-elect

The President-elect shall assume the office of President if this office is vacated during the term of office; shall preside over the meetings in the absence of the President; and shall assist the President in the administrative work of the Council. The President-elect shall assume the office of President at the close of the annual meeting, which follows the election as President-elect. In addition the President-elect shall, at the discretion of the President, preside over the annual meeting. The term of office for President-elect shall be for one year.

Section 4—Vice-President

The Vice-president shall assume the office of President-elect if this office is vacated during the term of office; shall assist the President and President-elect with the administrative work of the Council. The Vice-president shall assume the office of President-elect at the close of the annual meeting, which follows the election of the new Vice-president. In addition, the Vice-president will assist the President-elect in planning the annual conference program. The term of office for the Vice-president will be one year.

Section 4 – Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary shall take and keep minutes of all Council and Executive Committee meetings; preserve all documents and records of the Council and transmit them to the successor; serve as an assistant to the Program Committee; support ongoing work with new members, the website, and communications; and shall perform other duties given by the President and/or the Executive Committee.  The term of office for the Executive Secretary shall be for two years.

Section 5 - Treasurer  

The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of membership; send reminders of dues owed; receive all monies of the Council and provide for their safekeeping; prepare a budget for approval by the Executive Committee; pay all authorized bills and keep an accurate and current record of all receipts and expenditures of Council funds; make detailed reports at the annual meetings; and shall perform other duties given by the President and/or the Executive Committee.  The term of office for the Treasurer shall be for two years.

Section 6 - Member-at-Large

The Member-at-Large shall serve on the Executive Committee. The term of office of the Member-at-Large shall be for three years.

Section 7 - Directors

Two Directors will serve on the Executive Committee. One Director will be elected each year and the term of office for each Director shall be two years.

Section 8 - Resignations

Resignations of officers and directors shall be made by written statement and submitted to the remaining members of the Executive Committee. The ranking officer shall, with the approval of the Executive Committee, make an interim appointment to serve the balance of the unexpired term.

ARTICLE III -COMMITTEES

Section 1 - Executive Committee

• (1) The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Council, the two Directors, and the immediate past President. The Executive Secretary shall be an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the Executive Committee.
• (2) It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to carry out the general policies of the Council and the directions of the regular membership as expressed at the annual and special meetings. The Executive Committee shall have the power to approve a Council budget and approve interim appointments to fill unexpired terms when vacancies occur on the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall keep the membership informed of its actions through expeditious delivery of copies of the minutes of each meeting.
• (3) At the time of their election, with the exception of the Executive Secretary, members of the Executive Committee shall be regular members of the Council. If, during his/her term of office, a member of the Executive Committee becomes ineligible for regular membership, he/she shall continue to serve in his/her elected capacity until the next annual meeting, when a successor regular member shall be elected to complete the term of office.

Section 2 - Nominating Committee

• (1) The Nominating Committee shall consist of regular members appointed from three of five regional areas as follows: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Mountain States, and Far West. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint them at the annual meeting. The ranking officer, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint the three members of the Nominating Committee in the event the President is absent.
• (2) The Nominating Committee shall be responsible for nominating the officers and Directors, except for the President, to the membership of the Council for election either at the annual meeting or by other balloting method, as directed by the Executive Committee or the membership during a duly authorized meeting.

Section 3 - Publications Committee

The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint the Publications Committee. The chairman of the Publications Committee shall be the editor of the Newsletter for the Council. The Publications Committee shall also arrange for the publication of such other material as directed by the Executive Committee.

Section 4 - Program Committee

The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint the Program Committee. The President-elect shall be the chairman of this committee. The Program Committee shall be responsible for the planning of programs for the annual and special meetings of the Council.

Section 5 - Other Committees

The President shall appoint such other committees as are required to further the purpose of the Council.

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS

Section 1 - Annual Meeting

(1) A meeting of the Council shall be held prior to, or in connection with, the Annual Conference of the National Council for the Social Studies or such other professional organizational meetings agreeable to the Council of State Social Studies Specialists by vote of the Council at the annual meeting, and shall be held in the approximate area of the chosen meeting.
(2) The Council for the State Social Studies Specialists shall make provisions for the meeting room at the chosen conference and assume the financial obligations accruing therefrom.

Section 2 - Special Meetings

Special meetings shall be at the call of the Executive Committee.

Section 3 - Quorum

One third of the regular members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the meetings of the Council.

Section 4 - Parliamentary Authority

Robert's Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the meetings of the Council in all cases to which they are applicable.

ARTICLE V - MISCELLANEOUS

Section 1 – Constitutional Amendments

Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by a petition signed by ten percent of the regular members and adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of those regular members present and voting at an official meeting or by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by regular members in a virtual or remote method designated by the executive committee.

Section 2 - By-Laws

The By-Laws of the Council are to be made, altered, or rescinded by a majority vote of those regular members present and voting at an official meeting or casting ballots by a method designated by the Executive Committee.

Section 3 - Election of Directors

The Directors of the Council of State Social Studies Specialists will be elected by a majority vote of those regular members present and voting at an official meeting or by a majority of the votes cast by regular members in a virtual or remote method designated by the Executive Committee. 

Section 4 - Dues and Fees

Dues and/or fees may be required of regular and associate members and partner organizations with the amount of such dues and/or fees subject to the majority vote of those regular members present and voting at an official meeting or by a majority of the votes cast by regular members in a virtual or remote method designated by the Executive Committee. 

Section 5 - Balloting

Any action which may be taken by the Council, Executive Committee, or any committee or subcommittee of the Council at an official meeting which requires formal voting by the regular membership may be taken by a majority vote of those regular members present and voting at an official meeting or by a majority of the votes cast by regular members in a virtual or remote a method designated by the Executive Committee. 

(Revised and Approved, 2019) PDF Version