Constitution of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG

1. Name

The name of the organization shall be the Japan Association of Language Teachers - Junior Senior High School N-Sig, herein referred to as the Junior Senior High School N-SIG.

2. Affiliation

The JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG is an affiliate of JALT (The Japan Association of Language Teachers)

3. Purpose

The JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG is a not-for-profit organization whose primary focus in JALT for increased research and discussion of issues directly related to the development of foreign language education in Japanese secondary schools. The organization shall foster research, issue publications, hold periodic meetings, and carry out other activities to further its aims.

4. Membership

Individual voting membership shall be open to any JALT member upon payment of ¥1500 annual membership fee currently sent by JALT.

5. Annual Meeting

a. The JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG shall hold an Annual Meeting during the JALT International Conference at a time and place announced to all N-SIG members at least one month in advance of the meeting. Members present at this meeting shall constitute a quorum.

b. All JALT members are welcome to attend this meeting, but only members of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG as ascertained by Membership related-officers shall be entitled to vote.

6. Officers and Administration

a. The JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG Coordinating Committee is the policy-making body of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG is the policy-making body of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG and is comprised of the officers listed in the Bylaws below, Section 1.

b. Terms of Officers elected at the Annual Meeting or thereafter shall start immediately and be effective as a rule until the election at the following year's Annual Meeting. This is not to alter post-election responsibilities previously planned, however.

7. Nominations, Elections and Removals

a. Elections shall be held at the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG's Annual Meeting. Voting shall be by secret written ballots when there are contested positions.

b. Nominations for Officers may be submitted in writing prior to the election or proposed from the floor at the Annual Meeting. Any member of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG may nominate members in good standing for any office.

c. Before announcing the results of an election, ballot results, if any, shall be examined by at least two JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG officers or three JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG members who are not candidates for office.

d. In the event of a tie vote, the members of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG Coordinating Committee shall cast the deciding votes. In the event that there is a tie by the Coordinating Committee itself, the deciding vote shall be cast by the incumbent Chair.

e. If an officer resigns or vacates his/her position, the members of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG Coordinating Committee members shall know of the vacancy for over a week while nominees are sought. They then shall elect a successor to serve in that position until the next Annual Meeting. Ballots in the case of a contested position may be sent by fax or mail to the designated elections officers, a Coordinating Committee member not contesting the position.

f. An officer who fails to perform his or her duties under the Constitution or By-Laws may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote by secret ballot of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG Coordinating Committee (excluding the officer in question) if a petition signed by at least 5% of the membership is submitted to the Committee. The officer in question shall notified of the petition and offered the option to officially resign.

g. A notice announcing the officers of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG shall be mailed to all N-SIG members in the first newsletter after the election.

8. Amendments

a. Amendments to this constitution must be proposed by at least three members of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG Coordinating Committee or by at least 5% of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG members.

b. The proposed amendment(s) must be ratified by two-thirds of the members voting by mail or at the Annual Meeting to become effective immediately, by a clear procedure detailed to all JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG members in writing beforehand.

Bylaws of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG

1. Duties of Officers

    (1) CHAIR: The Coordinator shall have general responsibility for coordinating the activities of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG  Coordinating Committee and for directing the affairs of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG.  S/he shall preside at the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG Annual Meeting and at other JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG sponsored events.  In the absence of the Coordinator, another Officer appointed by the Coordinator shall chair the meeting.  S/he shall submit an annual report to the JALT President through the N-SIG Representative.

    (2) TREASURER: The Treasurer shall keep all financial records, and collect and disperse all funds of the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG. S/he shall present an account of the financial status of the organization at the JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG Annual Meeting, and submit regular financial reports to the National N-SIG Treasurer Liasion.  The Treasurer shall prepare the financial documents for an internal audit, to take place after the books have been closed at the end of each calendar year.

    (3) MEMBERSHIP: The Membership Chair shall be responsible for registering and renewing membership, keeping membership information provided by members, maintaining a comprehensive and up to date list of the membership, data basing for internal analysis, and forwarding membership information to the appropriate JALT officers.

    (4) NEWSLETTER EDITOR: The Newsletter Editor shall work with other JALT Junior Senior High School N-SIG  Newsletter staff in editing and publishing at least 3 regular newsletters or special publications of this organization per calendar year.

    (5) PROGRAMS: The Program Chair shall supervise the planning and organization of all regular and special programs and provide the necessary information to publicity-related officers of the N-SIG or other JALT agencies as need. S/he shall solicit presentation proposals from Junior Senior High School N-SIG members and arrange for vetting them where necessary. S/he shall contact and arrange for speakers to present at the JALT International Conference and N-SIG Symposium, actively offering programs to JALT Chapters, special events of JALT or other L2 educational organizations.

    (6) AT-LARGE: The Administrative Liaison shall assist other Junior Senior High School N-SIG Officers with projects at the recommendation of the Chair and will participate in projects of an administrative nature organized in cooperation with other JALT N-SIGs.

2. Conflicts of Interest

Junior Senior High School N-SIG officers must attempt to avoid conflicts of interest between their professional duties of office and their private interests. Specifically, a conflict of interest shall be said to exist if: (1) a person editing a Junior Senior High School N-SIG publication decides whether his/her own article should be published or how it should be edited, (2) if a Junior Senior High School N-SIG Officer wishes to represent this organization as a speaker at a JALT event, or (3) an N-SIG officer uses the name or resources of the N-SIG (a) to promote the sale of non-N-SIG materials or services, or (b) to seek employment opportunities or elective offices.

    To avoid such cases, the following measures are appropriate: All members must be informed of Junior Senior High School N-SIG publishing or presenting opportunites, as early as possible before deadlines for submitting proposals, in Calls for Papers or Presentations published in the Junior Senior High School N-SIG newsletter or by mail to all members. (1) Any person(s) editing a Junior Senior High School N-SIG publication may write articles for that publication. However, they must abstain from deciding to accept/reject and to edit such an article must be made by the other N-SIG publications-related officers. (2) Any officer may represent the Junior Senior High School N-SIG at a conference, but must abstain from the selection process. Program-related officers excluded presentation proposals shall supervise the vetting of proposals. (3) Any officer may engage in commercial activities, but must not associate the name or resources of the N-SIG or any JALT forum with non-N-SIG activities.

3. Amendments to the Bylaws

Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed and carried out in the same manner as constitutional amendments. In addition, these Bylaws may be amended by a three-quarters vote of the Junior Senior High School N-SIG Coordinating Committee.