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Constitution and Bylaws

The terms of office are as follows:

a. The immediate past president, president, president-elect, and vice president, shall serve for one year.
b. The secretary and treasurer shall serve for two consecutive years. The election for secretary shall be held on even numbered years; the election for treasurer shall be held on odd numbered years.

Within-term vacancies in office shall be filled as follows:

a. A vacancy in the office of president shall be filled by automatic succession of the president-elect to the office.
b. A vacancy in the office of president-elect shall be filled by automatic succession of the vice-president to the office.
c. A vacancy in any of the offices, except president and president-elect shall be declared and filled by action of the Executive Board upon recommendation by the president. Such person(s) shall serve until replaced by a duly elected successor.

The procedure for removal of officers, for cause, shall be as follows:

a. A petition for removal of a Division officer, which states the cause for requested removal, shall be signed by 25 members of the Division or two (2) percent of said membership, which ever is larger. The petition shall be submitted in writing to the president. If the president is the subject of the removal, the petition shall be submitted to the president-elect.
b. The president, or president-elect shall, within 7 days, notify each Executive Board member in writing of the receipt of such a petition, solicit relevant evidence from all parties concerned and submit the information to the Executive Board within 30 days following receipt of the petition. A decision can be reached by a conference call, electronic mail ballot, postal mail ballot, or a meeting of the Executive Board.
c. A two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board is necessary for removal of the officer. Removal from office is effective immediately.
d. The officer being considered for removal shall be provided with the results of the Executive Board action in writing within 7 days.

In keeping with the stated purposes of the Division, the standing committees shall be:
a. Publications and Communications Committee
b. Research Committee
c. Professional Development, Standards, and Ethics Committee
d. Membership Committee
e. Public Policy Committee
f. Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Committee

All members shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of this Division, which shall include:

a. voting
b. attending business meetings
c. holding office
d. serving on committees
e. receiving all benefits provided by the Division

The president shall:

a. Serve as chief executive officer of the Division;
b. Call and preside at all sessions of the annual business meeting;
c. Call and preside at meetings of the Executive Board;
d. Recommend chairpersons of standing committees.
e. Be an ex-officio member of all committees.
f. Coordinate liaison relationships with other agencies or organizations;
g. Give leadership to general policy making and carry out the directions of the membership;
h. Make an annual report to The Council for Exceptional Children and to the Division;
i. Appoint a student representative to the Executive Board;
j. Assume the responsibilities of one of the Division’s representatives to the CEC Representative Assembly;
k. File with the CEC President by March 15 of each year, the names of the Division representatives to the CEC Representative Assembly who will serve during the next fiscal year.

The president-elect shall:

a. Serve in the place of and with the authority of the president in case of the president’s absence or inability to serve;
b. Assume responsibilities as Chair of the DLD Annual National Conference to be held during his/her term of office as president;
c. Recommend chairpersons of standing committees for terms coinciding with the beginning of the president-elect’s term as president.

The vice-president shall:

a. Serve in the place of and with the authority of the president in case of the president’s and the president-elect’s absence or inability to serve;
b. Assume designated responsibilities which will provide training for advancement to the office of president-elect and president;
c. Assume responsibilities as Co-Chair of the DLD Annual National Conference to be held during the year following his/her term of office as vice- president.

The secretary shall:

a. Keep a careful record of all proceedings of the annual business meeting and the meetings of the Executive Board;
b. Prepare official minutes of the annual business meeting and all meetings of the Executive Board in a timely manner for approval by the Board and filing by the Executive Director;
c. Transfer all records to the Executive Director at the time of succession of office.

The treasurer shall:

a. Prepare and submit an annual budget in cooperation with the Executive Board;
b. Make an annual report of the financial status of the Division to the Executive Board and at the annual business meeting;
c. Make all expenditures, as authorized by the Executive Board and approved by the president;
d. Transfer all funds and financial records to the new treasurer within 15 days after a change in officers;
e. Coordinate all banking and bookkeeping with The Council for Exceptional Children. Books shall be reviewed biennially at the conclusion of the fiscal year by a certified public accountant.

The immediate past president shall:

a. Serve as the chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee and the Past President’s Advisory Committee;
b. Assume the responsibilities of one of the Division’s representatives to the CEC Representative Assembly;
c. Assume the responsibilities of the Division representative on the C EC Program Advisory Committee (PAC) for the CEC Annual Convention to be held during his/her term of office.
d. Provide parliamentary advice at the Division annual business meetings and Executive Board meetings;

The Executive Board shall:

a. Serve as the Division's administrative policy-making body;
b. Conduct all appropriate executive business of the Division;
c. Recommend policies and programs for the Division to the annual business meeting in accordance with the constitution and bylaws;
d. Adopt an annual Division budget and report to the membership at the annual business meeting;
e. Authorize the activities of its committees.

Standing Committee chairpersons shall be appointed in the following manner:

a. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint the chairpersons of the standing committees listed in Constitution ARTICLE VIII, Section 1:

Makeup of standing committees:

a. Each standing committee shall have a minimum of six members, representing a broad geographical and professional selection, in addition to the chairperson. The chairperson and members of each standing committee will serve three (3) year terms.
b. Committee vacancies shall be filled by the chairperson, subject to approval by the Executive Board.
c. One-third, or the nearest fraction thereof, of the membership of each committee shall be appointed each year.

The Publications and Communication Committee shall:

a. Assess the composition of the Division membership and seek their advice regarding the desired scope of the publications program;
b. Continuously review the publications structure of the Division and recommend policies and procedures related to its growth and development;
c. Recommend to the Executive Board the publications which should be issued by the Division;
d. Coordinate the publication of Division newsletters;
e. Designate a member or members from the committee as the Division for Learning Disabilities Newsletter Editor(s);
f. Coordinate the publication of a professional journal.
g. Assume responsibilities for procedures in awarding the Kirk Awards.
h. Provide oversight for other Division publications and communications as requested by the Executive Board.

The Research Committee shall:

a. Review current research in the field of Learning Disabilities and related disciplines, and report noteworthy findings to the membership through Division publications;
b. Translate significant research results into ways of application in the classrooms and clinics where professional workers are working with persons who have learning disabilities;
c. Encourage the continuation of quality research in the field of Learning Disabilities;
d. Take responsibility for procedures with regard to the Annual Dissertation Award.

The Professional Development, Standards, and Ethics Committee shall:

a. Advocate for appropriate standards to maintain high quality education and services for persons with learning disabilities;
b. Promote high quality teacher preparation and delivery of educational, therapeutic, and social services to individuals with learning disabilities;
c. Promulgate activities which will disseminate effective practices to the membership;
d. Participate in appropriate committees or commissions which are developing or reviewing standards of performance for professionals in the field of learning disabilities and related fields;
e. Advocate for ethical practice in the field of learning disabilities.
f. Assume responsibility for awards that acknowledge high quality preparation and delivery of effective and ethical service to individuals with learning disabilities.

The Membership Committee shall:

a. Encourage and monitor the development of subdivisions;
b. Assist subdivisions in their continuing activities.
c. Maintain and report to the Executive Board a current listing of subdivision officers and their unit activities.
d. Assume responsibility for the procedures for membership awards.

The Public Policy Committee shall:

a. Serve as the Children and Youth Action Network (CAN) representative and:

• Include a subdivision CAN designee from each DLD subdivision in good standing where such an individual is identified;
• Establish and maintain contact with the Public Policy Unit of CEC;
• Distribute legislative information and action alerts to the DLD Executive Board and designated subdivision CAN contacts;
• Establish and maintain a CAN network and communication system to promote DLD’s policy recommendations and positions related to specific learning disabilities.

b. Study legislative and governmental affairs relative to needs and proposals;
c. Advise the DLD Executive Board about the need to develop position papers and suggest activities of a legislative construct, governmental procedure, or policy on behalf of persons with learning disabilities or the profession;
d. Conduct activities at the direction of the president.

The Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Committee shall:

a. Develop strategies and activities to recruit DLD members from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;
b. Increase publications concerning diverse populations,
c. Involve DLD within the International Network.

The following Ad Hoc Committees shall be reconstituted annually under the
chairmanship of the designated officers and with the following designated duties.

(1) The Nominations and Elections Committee shall assume the following responsibilities, with the immediate past-president serving as chair:
a. Solicit recommendations for nominations from the entire membership prior to December 1;
b. Nominate at least two candidates who have agreed to run for each office to be vacated;
c. Send the ballots to the membership four (4) weeks prior to the annual business meeting;
d. Declare winners by simple majority of votes cast;
e. Announce results of the election at the annual business meeting.
(2) The Conventions Program Committee shall accomplish the following, with the immediate past-president serving as Chair:
a. Solicit, review, and select papers for The Division for Learning Disabilities sessions at the Annual Convention of The Council for Exceptional Children;
b. Make recommendations for approval to the Executive Board for meetings or programs at the Annual Convention and at any Division-sponsored functions.
(3) The Past President's Advisory Committee shall assume the following responsibilities with the immediate past president serving as chair:
a. Upon request of the Executive Board, provide information and advice regarding current issues and problems facing the Division.
b. Upon request of the Executive Board, make suggestions regarding solutions to current problems and possible activities that might be carried out by the Division.
c. Meet annually at the CEC Convention.
d. Have as its members all Past Presidents of DLD.

a. Participate as a non-voting member of the Executive Board;
b. Provide logistical and support services to the Board;
c. Represent DLD at CEC Headquarters and various professional meetings;
d. Serve as a transition facilitator and institutional memory for the DLD Board;
e. Assume custody of all records except those specifically assigned to others;
f. Keep accurate rolls of Executive Board and committee memberships;
g. Assist the treasurer in the maintenance of financial records and monitoring of Division financial resources;
h. Maintain and periodically review the Division constitution and bylaws and furnish a current copy to the Council for Exceptional Children whenever changes are made;
i. Administer the organization’s business, represent the organization to others, and coordinate activities among the committees;
j. Initiate development activities including seeking external funding;
k. Perform all activities through direction from the President.