Constitution and Bylaws

Section 1.1 - Name

The name of this Association shall be the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents (IAPSS).

Section 1.2 - Purpose

The purpose of this Association shall be to:

Serve as an agent for the superintendency to help influence significant decisions pertaining to the education of all school children in the State of Indiana.

1. Provide in-service opportunities for members of the Association.

2. Strive to improve the profession of educational administration.

3. Maintain effective communication among the members of the Association.

4. Enhance continuing communications and cooperations with the ISBA, public school administrative associations, and other organizations interested in education, for the purpose of promoting common concerns and professional interest.
   

Section 1.3 - Membership

The membership of this Association shall be Institutional Member, Aspiring Member, Associate Member, and Honorary Member. IAPSS membership is not open to charter schools.

Institutional Members: Any chief executive officer who serves a school board and that officer’s assistants may become an Institutional Member by the payment of the established dues. Institutional members must hold a valid Indiana Superintendent’s license or hold district-level administrative responsibilities. Institutional members are entitled to all meetings of the Association, may hold office, and may vote on all questions. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction by virtue of the office shall be invited to become an Institutional Member without payment of dues.

Aspiring Superintendent: Currently serves in an administrative position at the building level. Aspiring Superintendent members may attend IAPSS seminars, serve on district-level committees (except Executive Committee), receive IAPSS communications, access the Superintendents’ Assistance Program, and attend the Prospective Superintendent Seminars at a reduced rate of 50%.

Associate Members: Any person who is engaged in educational administration with the exception of the superintendent, college or university, including students in educational administration, or is a retired superintendent may become an Association Member by the payment of annual dues established for Associate Members. Associate Members have all the rights and privileges of Institutional Members, except they do not have the right to hold office, to vote, to attend meetings of the Executive Committee or executive sessions of the Association.

Honorary Members: Former Active or Institutional Members who retire will be granted Honorary Membership with privileges of an Associate Member. The Executive Director shall annually examine the records to determine those eligible for Honorary Membership and so notify eligible candidates.

Business Partner Sponsors: The IAPSS Affiliate Sponsorship Program was initiated in 1996 as a means to further the work of the Association with particular emphasis upon the enhancement of in-service programming for the membership. The demand for quality in-service endeavors has consistently increased in recent years for leadership within both the public and private sectors. Pursuant to the concept of the Affiliate Sponsor Program, the Association created the Business Partner Program in 2014 to expand upon the use of funds to enhance professional development opportunities and programs for IAPSS members. In 2016, the concept of tiered business partners was created to properly identify the level of benefits from the Association to be commensurate with the amount provided as a sponsor in each tier and the classification of Affiliate Sponsor was incorporated into the tier of Sagamore Foundation or Friend of IAPSS as the choice of existing Affiliate Sponsors.

The following tiers of business partners were created and approved by the Executive Committee in 2016.

• Diamond - $25,000 - 3 Partners

• Platinum - $15,000 - 7 Partners

• Gold - $10,000 - 10 Partners

• Silver - $5,000 - 10 Partners

• Bronze - $2,500 - Unlimited

• Friend - $1,000 - Unlimited

• IAPSS Sagamore Foundation - $1-$999 - Unlimited

Section 1.4 - Officers

The officers of the Association shall be a President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, and a Treasurer. The President, President-Elect, Vice President, and Secretary shall serve a period of a one-year term, in succession, starting July 1 of each year. The Treasurer shall be elected to take office on July 1 on odd-numbered years and shall serve for a period of two years, or until his/her successor is elected. The Executive Committee shall fill vacancies for the unexpired portion of the term. The officers shall not be eligible to succeed themselves.

(1) The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the organization, shall preside at all meetings of the Association, and shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee for one year following the termination of the term as President. In the absence or inability from any cause when the President cannot preside, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President.

Section 1.5 - Executive Committee

This Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, the District Chairpersons, the Chairperson of the Legislative Committee, and the Chairperson of the Policies and Resolutions Committee.

(1) The President of the Association shall be Chairperson of the Executive Committee.

(2) The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to arrange the times and places of meetings, to arrange a program for the Annual Meeting and such other meetings as may be necessary and desirable, to initiate policies of the Association and carry them into effect, and to perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Association.

(3) The Executive Committee shall approve annually a calendar of in-service activities, which should be planned to meet the needs of the membership.

(4) The Executive Committee shall adopt an Annual Budget covering the period from July 1 through June 30 at the July Executive Committee Meeting and the annual financial report shall be available for Members by the IAPSS Annual Meeting.

(5) The Executive Committee shall adopt an Annual Budget covering the period from July 1 through June 30 at the July Executive Committee Meeting and the annual financial report shall be available for Members by the IAPSS Annual Meeting.

(6) The Executive Committee may recommend a change in the dues structure at the time of the Annual Meeting which, if approved by action of the members, shall become effective on the following July 1.

(7) The Executive Committee may approve representatives from external organizations to attend meetings of the Executive Committee to provide regular updates concerning their organizational priorities and activities. Organizations include the Indiana Retired Public School Superintendents, The Coalition of Growing and Suburban Schools, Inc., the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association. IAPSS Business Partner representatives from the category of “Diamond” will have the opportunity to attend all IAPSS Executive Committee Meetings in the capacity of IAPSS External Committee Members.

Section 1.6 - Executive Director

An Executive Director shall be appointed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall determine the terms of employment for the Executive Director.

(1) The Executive Director shall serve as the registered lobbyist for this Association and interpret the programs of this Association on legislative matters to the members of the General Assembly and to other groups interested in education.

(2) The Executive Director shall keep a record of the proceedings of this Association and have charge of all permanent records. The proceedings of each annual session shall be included in the permanent records of the Association.

(3) The Executive Director shall receive and deposit all funds, including the collection of membership dues, belonging to the Association, and with the approval of the Executive Committee make payment from these funds for the expenses of the Association. All checks issued in payment shall bear the signature of the Treasurer and the Executive Director. The Executive Director shall be bonded and shall keep an accurate record of the receipts and expenditures.

(4) The Executive Director shall perform all other appropriate duties as designated by the Executive Committee.

(5) The Executive Director shall have the option of conducting official business of the Association with the use of today’s technology by either e-mail communications or telephone conference calls with members to gain approval.

Section 1.6.5 - Associate Director

An Associate Director shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee shall determine the terms of employment for the Associate Director.

Section 1.7 - Districts

The State shall be divided into Districts. The number of Districts and the boundaries of each shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

(1) The membership of each District shall elect a Chairperson and may elect a Vice-Chairperson for a two-year term, and the Executive Committee shall establish the election dates so that one-half of the Districts elect a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson each year. The District Chairperson and District Vice-Chairperson shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms.

(2) The District Chairperson shall work with District representatives in planning District meetings. Two District meetings of members of the Association shall be held annually, one scheduled prior to January 1, and the second prior to July 1. Additional meetings may be held at the pleasure of the membership.

(3) The date of the Annual Meeting shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

Section 1.8 - Committees

The President shall appoint the Chairperson of the committee. The Committee Chairperson shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms as Chairperson of the committee.

(1) Legislative Committee
There shall be a Legislative Committee appointed by the IAPSS Districts for terms of three years and so selected that each District has one representative. The President, President-Elect, and Vice-President shall be ex-officio members.
(a) The Chairperson of the Legislative Committee shall be appointed for a two-year term.
(b) It shall be the duty of the Committee to propose to the Association such legislation as it deems advisable for the best interests of schools and of the school children of the State and upon the authority of the Association to have such legislation proposed to the General Assembly and to exert its influence to have such proposed legislation enacted into law.

(2) Policies and Resolutions Committee
There shall be a Policies and Resolutions Committee appointed by the IAPSS Districts. Membership on this Committee shall be a Chairperson appointed from the membership for a two-year term, a representative from each District appointed for a three-year term, and as ad hoc members, the Immediate Past-Chairperson for two years, and the Immediate Past-President for one year.

It shall be the duty of this Committee to survey such current educational problems, procedures, and activities as shall be deemed pertinent and vital by the committee or as may be directed by the Association, study such problems, review the IAPSS Constitution/Bylaws, as well as association procedures, and activities and submit recommendations for the consideration of the Association at any called meeting.

(3) The Auditing Committee
There shall be an Auditing Committee of three members appointed annually by the President. That committee shall meet with the external auditors to review their findings from their “annual review” of the Association’s accounting procedures.

(4) Elections Committee
The IAPSS Districts shall appoint annually an Election Committee consisting of one member from each District whose duties shall be to organize the elections and recommend to the Association candidates for the offices of the Association.
(a) The election of officers shall be by ballot emailed to each  Member and the ballot shall include all candidates for each office to be filled, nominated by valid petitions, supported by no less than 20 signatures of Members.
(b) In the event no valid nominating petition is received for an office to be filled, the Elections Committee shall nominate a Member to fill the ballot.
(c) Nominating petitions shall be submitted for offices between October 1 and November 1.
(d) During November, the Elections Committee shall meet to establish the slate for offices.
(e) Once the slate is established, a ballot shall be sent electronically to the members by the Executive Director on or before December 1, and all ballots shall be returned by December 15. Should there be only one candidate for each elective office, no ballot shall be issued to the membership. When this occurs, the candidates will be automatically elected and the membership shall be notified. The Chairperson of the Election Committee shall notify the Executive Director of the election results. The Executive Director shall notify each candidate for the office of the outcome of the election as determined by the election committee.

(5) Professional Development Committee
The IAPSS Districts shall appoint annually four members of this Committee for terms of two years. On even-numbered years the appointment shall come from even-numbered Districts, one from each District. On odd-numbered years the appointment shall come from the odd-numbered Districts, one from each District. The Committee shall be responsible for planning at least two IAPSS seminars each membership year.

(6) State Superintendent’s Advisory Committee
The IAPSS Districts shall appoint annually four members of this Committee for terms of two years. On even-numbered years the appointment shall come from even-numbered Districts, one from each District. On odd-numbered years the appointment shall come from the odd-numbered Districts, one from each District. (The President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Immediate Past-President, and Executive Director shall serve as ex-officio members of this committee). The Committee shall, with approval of the Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction, meet with that State Superintendent six times during the membership year to discuss matters of concern regarding the operation of Indiana’s public elementary and secondary schools.

(7) Distinguished Service Awards Committee
The IAPSS Districts shall appoint annually four members of this committee for terms of two years. On even-numbered years the appointments shall come from the even-numbered Districts, one from each District. On odd-numbered years the appointments shall come from the odd-numbered Districts, one from each District. It shall be the duty of this committee to annually review the awards system and recommend the recipients of each award.

(8) Federal Legislation Committee
The IAPSS President shall appoint co-chairpersons and a representative from each of the Indiana Congressional Districts to serve on this committee for a term of two years. Committee representatives from odd-numbered Congressional Districts shall be appointed on odd-numbered years. Committee representatives from even-numbered Congressional Districts shall be appointed on even-numbered years. It shall be the duty of this Committee to provide leadership, information, and initiative in keeping abreast of all federal legislation. The IAPSS President shall appoint the members of the Federal Legislation Committee and fill any vacancy on that committee.

(9) Committee Member Vacancy
In the event of a vacancy in the membership of a committee, with exception of the IAPSS Federal Legislation Committee, the IAPSS District Chairperson from which the vacancy occurred shall fill the vacancy so that District representation is continued and the members so appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term.

(10) Ad-Hoc Committees
The President of the Association shall have the authority to appoint ad hoc Committees when there is a need that is important to the professional superintendent and to education in Indiana.

(11) Term Length
IAPSS committee members shall not serve more than two consecutive full terms as a member of a committee.

Section 1.9 - Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the Members, who shall vote during the business session of the annual meeting, after receiving written notice of the changes during the annual IAPSS/ISBA Fall Conference following the state-wide hearing for legislative positions and policies and resolutions. Those amendments which are approved will become effective the following January 1.

Review of the IAPSS Constitution/Bylaws is the responsibility of the Policies and Resolutions Committee and shall occur every three (3) years. Their report shall occur during the March executive committee meeting (starting in 2014) or more often as deemed necessary, for the purpose of review and revision as deemed to be required and/or appropriate by the IAPSS Executive Committee.

If an emergency should exist as determined by the Executive Committee, a temporary amendment may be approved by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee. Any temporary amendment would be subject to the regular amendment process as soon as possible.