Constitution & Bylaws
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE SPECIAL ISSUES GROUP (SIG)
SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES GROUP
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of the organization shall be known as The Special Needs Issues Group of the National Art Education Association, herein referred to as SNAE/NAEA respectively.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The purpose shall be to define and establish the role of the Special Needs Issues Group as a special interest group of NAEA and:
ARTICLE III
Membership
Membership is open to NAEA members with interested in the accessibility of art education for all individuals early childhood through adulthood.
ARTICLE IV
Elected and Appointed Officers
The elected officers of SNAE shall be a President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. The President shall appoint the Membership Chair, Communications Chair, Listserv Chair, and Representative to Delegate’s Assembly.
Section 1: Duties of Officers
Section 2: Chairs of Standing Committees
Section 3: Nomination and Election of Officers
ARTICLE V
Meetings
The Special Needs Issues Group annual business meeting shall be held during the NAEA Convention. Its purpose shall be for electing officers, receiving reports of officers and committees, and for any other business that shall arise.
ARTICLE VI
SNAE BOARD
Section 1: The officers and the chairs of the standing committees shall constitute the SNAE Board.
Section 2: The SNAE BOARD shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Special Needs Issues Group, make recommendations to the members attending the annual meeting, and shall perform such other duties as specified in these Bylaws.
Section 3. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF SNAE BOARD The president, past-president, president-elect, secretary and treasurer shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have authority to represent and to act for the SNAE Board in the interval between meetings of that body. The Executive Committee shall also serve as the Finance Committee.
ARTICLE VII
Standing Committees
ARTICLE VIII
Parliamentary Authority
Robert’s Rule of Order, Newly revised (latest edition) shall be the authority on all questions of Procedure not otherwise covered in the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE IX
Fiscal and Administrative Year
The fiscal and administrative year shall coincide with that of NAEA.
ARTICLE X
Adoption of Constitution and Bylaws
Section 1: A proposal for official organization as a Special Interest Group of NAEA was accepted by an affirmative vote from those present at the Meeting o the Special Needs in Art Education Interest Group at the 2000 Annual convention in Los Angeles, CA.
Section 2: A proposal for official organization as a Special Interest Group of NAEA was endorsed by unanimous vote from those present at Delegate’s Assembly at the 2001 Annual convention in New York.
Section 3: This constitution and bylaws became effective immediately following a ratification by two-thirds (2/3) majority of members present at the Special Needs in Art Education Issues Group Membership Drive/Business meeting held in Miami, Florida in 2002.
ARTICLE XI
Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution and Bylaws must be presented in writing to the Special Needs Issues Group Executive Board and the membership one month in advance of the annual meeting. An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting shall be necessary for the adoption of proposed amendments.
Accepted: New Orleans, La. March, 2015
Bylaws Committee:
Juli Dorff, Chair
Beverly Levett Gerber
Heather Fountain
SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES GROUP
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of the organization shall be known as The Special Needs Issues Group of the National Art Education Association, herein referred to as SNAE/NAEA respectively.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The purpose shall be to define and establish the role of the Special Needs Issues Group as a special interest group of NAEA and:
- Provide a voice and advocacy for those with special needs and the art educators who work with them and art and museum educators with special education concerns;
- Provide a forum to share best practices for working with students with special needs through the arts. Students with special needs include but are not limited to those who identify as having learning and/or cognitive issues, emotional/behavioral disorders, gifted, physical impairments (e.g., deaf, hard of hearing, mobility or visually impaired). It also includes those who have been identified as at risk due to environmental, social or emotional factors such as incarceration, poverty or abuse. Summaries can become NAEA Advisories;
- Provide information for the NAEA website related to teaching, advocating and working with individuals with special needs including information about agencies or resources that focus on the arts for individuals with special needs;
- Provide a liaison with the Council for Exceptional Children in order to share information, education and training expertise;
- Develop a network of NAEA members who have an interest in ensuring that those with special needs have access to the arts;
- Interface with art therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy to share information about adaptive equipment, research, and strategies for teaching art to students with special needs.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Membership is open to NAEA members with interested in the accessibility of art education for all individuals early childhood through adulthood.
ARTICLE IV
Elected and Appointed Officers
The elected officers of SNAE shall be a President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. The President shall appoint the Membership Chair, Communications Chair, Listserv Chair, and Representative to Delegate’s Assembly.
Section 1: Duties of Officers
- President: It shall be the duty of the President to preside at annual Special Needs Issues Group meetings; to appoint regular and special committees, a Membership Chair, Communications Chair, Listserv Chair and Delegate’s Assembly Representative with approval of the Executive Board; to serve as ex-officio member of all committees excepting the Nominating Committee; to inform the membership of activities and concerns of SNAE and NAEA; and to perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office of President.
- President-Elect: It shall be the duty of the President-Elect to assume the duties of the President in the event of absence or vacancy in the office; to assist the President in planning the annual meetings; to fulfill other responsibilities designated by the President.
- Secretary: It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record the minutes of the annual SNAE business meetings; to provide a copy of such minutes to the President and President-Elect, to fulfill other responsibilities designated by the President.
- Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to manage all the funds of the organization working closely with NAEA to secure dues collected by NAEA on behalf of SNAE.
- Past-President: Serves as chair of the Nominating Committee as well as an advisor to the President.
Section 2: Chairs of Standing Committees
- Membership: Appointed by the President.
- Communications: Appointed by the President.
- Listserv: Appointed by the President.
- Delegate’s Assembly: Appointed by the president.
- Awards Committee: Chaired by the current President and comprised of Past Presidents.
- Nominating: Chaired by the Immediate Past President. Past-presidents also serve on this committee.
- Program: Chaired by the President-Elect serving with four (4) at large members appointed at each annual meeting.
- Professional Liaison and Professional Development: Appointed by the President.
Section 3: Nomination and Election of Officers
- The election of officers shall be held annually. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected in even-numbered years and the President-Elect in odd-numbered years. The Nominating Committee shall draw up a single slate of officers and shall report at the annual business meeting. The committee also accepts nominations from the floor.
- The officers shall be elected by ballot to serve for two (2) years, or until their successors are elected. No officer shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office. The term of office shall begin at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected. Officers will be elected by a majority vote of members during the annual business meeting. The President may appoint, with the approval of the executive Board, an interim officer to fill any vacancy until the new election can take place.
ARTICLE V
Meetings
The Special Needs Issues Group annual business meeting shall be held during the NAEA Convention. Its purpose shall be for electing officers, receiving reports of officers and committees, and for any other business that shall arise.
ARTICLE VI
SNAE BOARD
Section 1: The officers and the chairs of the standing committees shall constitute the SNAE Board.
Section 2: The SNAE BOARD shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Special Needs Issues Group, make recommendations to the members attending the annual meeting, and shall perform such other duties as specified in these Bylaws.
Section 3. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF SNAE BOARD The president, past-president, president-elect, secretary and treasurer shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have authority to represent and to act for the SNAE Board in the interval between meetings of that body. The Executive Committee shall also serve as the Finance Committee.
ARTICLE VII
Standing Committees
- Membership: Maintains the records of membership. Upon approval of the membership, the membership list shall be circulated to all consenting members.
- Communications: Manages the SNAE website and oversee the organization’s web presence.
- Listserv: Maintains the listserv for Special Needs Issues Group Members.
- Delegate’s Assembly: Represents the issues and stances of the SNAE at the NAEA Delegate’s Assembly at the Assembly’s annual meeting held the day before the annual NAEA conference.
- Awards Committee: Accepts nominations for SNAE awards and organized the review and selection of recipients, notifies all nominees of results, acquires certificates for award winners and creates the Awards brochure.
- Nominating: Makes, accepts and reviews nominations for the election of officers.
- Program: Plans SNAE sessions of interest to members and the general NAEA membership for presentation at the annual NAEA Convention. This committee should include representatives from diverse settings, including colleges, universities, schools, and museums. In addition, this committee will review and select proposals that have been submitted to the NAEA under this issues group focus for the annual conference.
- Professional Liaison and Professional Development: Consisting of representatives from various areas where art education has contact with individuals with special needs, such as, but not inclusive to those from various regions, those representing various populations and those representing individuals of various ages, (i.e.: Service organizations, adult agencies, hospitals, therapeutic facilities, museums, public and private schools, early childhood supports, colleges and universities) with a maximum membership of twelve (12). The committee members investigate ways to provide leadership to those who serve individuals with special needs in art education and other relevant professional organizations. Members will also serve as liaisons with state and regional associations, and the national board. This committee will be responsible for determining ways to support the needs and interests of SNAE members throughout the year.
- Ad hoc: The President can appoint an ad hoc committee as needed to carry on the work of the Special Needs Issues Group.
ARTICLE VIII
Parliamentary Authority
Robert’s Rule of Order, Newly revised (latest edition) shall be the authority on all questions of Procedure not otherwise covered in the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE IX
Fiscal and Administrative Year
The fiscal and administrative year shall coincide with that of NAEA.
ARTICLE X
Adoption of Constitution and Bylaws
Section 1: A proposal for official organization as a Special Interest Group of NAEA was accepted by an affirmative vote from those present at the Meeting o the Special Needs in Art Education Interest Group at the 2000 Annual convention in Los Angeles, CA.
Section 2: A proposal for official organization as a Special Interest Group of NAEA was endorsed by unanimous vote from those present at Delegate’s Assembly at the 2001 Annual convention in New York.
Section 3: This constitution and bylaws became effective immediately following a ratification by two-thirds (2/3) majority of members present at the Special Needs in Art Education Issues Group Membership Drive/Business meeting held in Miami, Florida in 2002.
ARTICLE XI
Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution and Bylaws must be presented in writing to the Special Needs Issues Group Executive Board and the membership one month in advance of the annual meeting. An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting shall be necessary for the adoption of proposed amendments.
Accepted: New Orleans, La. March, 2015
Bylaws Committee:
Juli Dorff, Chair
Beverly Levett Gerber
Heather Fountain