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EWA Bylaws

ARTICLE I

Name and Purpose of the Organization

Section 1.1

This organization shall be known as the Education Writers Association.

Section 1.2

The purpose of the organization shall be to advance public understanding of education through the communications media and to further the state of the art of education writing and reporting through various educational programs designed for the benefit of all education writers whether or not they be members of the organization.

ARTICLE II

Membership of the Organization

Section 1.1 There shall be four classes of membership:

Requirements for membership shall be as follows:

a) Journalist members include individuals from organizations or corporations that gather and disseminate news as their primary function and have clear standards governing the influence of their funding source(s) on their newsgathering methods and priorities. The definition of journalist also includes freelancers whose primary body of work is for entities that fit the above description, staffers at press associations or journalism education associations, and journalism instructors.

b) Advocate membership is open to individuals who work for institutions, organizations, foundations, and corporations directly or primarily devoted to education or educational issues, but whose primary purpose is advocacy for particular policy solutions, organizations, ideas, or products.

In cases where a person's membership designation is not immediately clear, the EWA executive director will make the final determination.

c) Student membership shall be open to students who aspire to a career in reporting or interpreting education.

d) Honorary membership may be extended by majority vote of the board of directors to individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the purposes of this organization. Honorary members shall not be charged dues.

Section 1.2 Procedures for obtaining membership.

a) The executive director shall accept applications for membership and issue credentials to those who are eligible under the provisions set forth in Section 1.1 (a through d).

b) The president shall, as needed, appoint a membership committee to rule on applications for membership from those who do not clearly fall within the criteria set forth in Section 1.1 (a through d) and to hear appeals from the interpretations of the executive director on any membership application. The committee shall have the right to reject any membership application or terminate any membership, subject to appeal to the board of directors.

Section 1.3 Rights of Members

All members shall be entitled to vote and hold elective office (as defined in Article IV) and shall be entitled to all other rights and privileges.

Section 1.4 Members' responsibilities.

Each member shall:

a) Conduct his or her professional activities in furtherance of the purpose of this organization.

b) Pay his or her dues promptly.

Section 1.5 Arrears

Dues are payable on receipt of a bill. A member shall be considered in arrears two months thereafter, and failure to remit dues may result in termination of membership.

ARTICLE III

Dues

Section 1.1

Dues for all membership categories shall be set by majority vote of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV

Officers and Board of Directors

Section 1.1

a) The elected officers of the organization shall be a president, two vice-presidents and a secretary, who shall be elected annually. The president shall be a working journalist. One vice-president and the secretary shall be journalist members. One vice-president shall be an advocate member.

b) An executive director shall be chosen as hereinafter described and shall be a non-voting official of the organization. The executive director shall administer the affairs of the organization and implement its policies as established by the board of directors.

Section 1.2

The board of directors shall be composed of up to seventeen members: The president, two vice-presidents, secretary and immediate past president of the organization; and up to twelve members of the organization to be named by the president with the advice of the other officers. A majority of board members shall be journalist members or those who have spent a significant portion of their careers in journalism organizations or journalism education. The president shall make every effort to select board members who represent the geographical and professional diversity in the membership.

a) The terms of office for board members shall be two years, with the terms of no more than two board members expiring in any one year.

Section 1.3

The president of the organization shall serve as chairman of the board. The vice-president who is an advocate member shall serve as vice-chairman. The executive director of the organization shall be a member ex-officio of the board, who shall, with the president, establish in advance the agenda for each meeting and who shall make recommendations to the board, but who shall not be empowered to vote on agenda items.

ARTICLE V

Nomination of Officers

Section 1.1

a) The president shall annually appoint a nominating committee.

b) The nominating committee shall prepare a slate which should be sent to the membership at large at least sixty days before the annual meeting.

c) Additional candidates may be nominated by any three members in good standing. These nominations must be received by the nominating committee not later than forty days before the annual meeting.

ARTICLE VI

Election of Officers

Section 1.1 Following expiration of the nominating period, the nominating committee shall prepare a mail ballot, listing all candidates for office, which shall be sent to all members at least thirty days before the annual meeting. The ballot must be returned to the chairman of the nominating committee within twelve days. The results, determined by a plurality of those voting, shall be announced at the annual meeting and in the association's publications. In those cases where no additional nominations are received by the nominating committee, the slate nominated by the nominating committee shall be declared elected.

Section 1.2 Term of Office Officers shall serve for one year, or until their successors are chosen, taking office at the annual meeting. No officer shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

ARTICLE VII

Board of Directors

Section 1.1 The board of directors shall establish policy for the organizations and shall oversee the operation of a program for the advancement of education writing, which shall consist of an annual awards contest, at least one annual in-service education seminar for education writers and individuals in related fields, and such other educational activities as the board of directors deems desirable and feasible in the furtherance of education writing generally.

ARTICLE VIII

Executive Director

Section 1.1 The executive director shall be chosen by majority vote of the board of directors.

Section 1.2 The executive director shall be a non-voting official and shall be compensated for his or her services in accordance with the agreement established between the executive director and the board of directors at the time of his or her appointment.

ARTICLE IX

Duties of the Officers

Section 1.1 Duties of the President
The president shall:

a) Guide and lead the organization.

b) Preside over all meetings of the organization.

c) Call special meetings.

d) Call to the attention of the membership any developments affecting the organization or of concern to the members.

e) Appoint membership and nominating committees and other committees.

f) Maintain close liaison with the executive director concerning the collection of dues, the maintenance of the organization's financial records, and the maintenance of the organization's membership records.

g) Arrange for the participation of the organization inprojects and programs of other groups that may be deemed beneficial to the organization.

h) Represent the organization in any activities in which the organization may be involved, or provide representation.

i) Assume whatever duties that might be necessary as the occasion arises, subject to subsequent approval by the board of directors.

Section 1.2 Duties of the Vice-Presidents

a) The vice-president who is a journalist member shall assume the functions of the president when the president is unable to perform them or when the president chooses to delegate them.

b) The vice-president who is an advocate member shall represent the interests of advocate members on the steering committee and board and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the president.

Section 1.3 Duties of the Secretary
The secretary shall:

a) Record the proceedings of all meetings.

b) Assume other duties that may be assigned by the president or the board of directors.

ARTICLE X

Duties of the Executive Director

Section 1.1 The executive director shall:

a) Serve as administrator of the organization.

b) Receive and be responsible for the collection of dues and the maintenance of the organization's financial and membership records.

c) Make recommendations to the board of directors, work with the president to establish the agenda for board meetings, preserve records of the meetings, and implement policies set by the board.

d) Assist the president, when requested, in carrying out the duties of the president as outlined in Article IX, Section 1.1 above.

e) Serve as ex-officio member of the board of directors and all other committees.

ARTICLE XI

Meetings

Section 1.1 Membership meetings Membership meetings shall be held at places and times designated by the board. The annual business meeting of the organization shall be held during the first six months of the calendar year.

Section 1.2 Quorum for membership meetings All members present at a regularly scheduled meeting of the organization shall constitute a quorum.

Section 1.3 Board of director meetings The board of directors shall meet at least once a year, at a time and place set by the president.

Section 1.4 Quorum for board of director meetings A majority of the whole board shall constitute a quorum and a majority of journalist members shall constitute a quorum. (Adopted September 1, 2008).

Section 1.5 Minutes of meetings A copy of the minutes of the annual business meeting and of all board of directors meetings shall be maintained with the records of the executive director.

Section 1.6 Parliamentary procedure Roberts Rules of Order shall be the determining reference whenever questions arise on points of order during the annual business meeting of the organization or during any meeting of the board of directors.

ARTICLE XII

Acts on Behalf of the Organization

Section 1.1 Summary provision The board of directors is authorized to do and perform such corporate and official acts as are necessary in carrying on the business of the organization. The board of directors may delegate any of these official duties to the executive director.

Section 1.2 The president, vice presidents, and secretary, acting as a steering committee of the board of directors, shall be empowered to take emergency action between meetings of the board. Such action must be presented at the next board meeting for review and ratification.

ARTICLE XIII

Activities of the Organization

Section 1.1 The organization may engage in any or all of the following activities:

a) Grants to qualified individuals for travel to study educational developments, trends, and practices, within and without the United States.

b) Grants to qualified individuals engaged in the profession of education communications to do any in-depth study at colleges, universities or other institutions approved by the board of directors.

c) Conduct education tours, in the course of which groups of education writers may visit schools, colleges, and universities.

d) Circulate on a regular basis to education writers reprints of stories about education appearing in the nation's press.

e) Conduct "excellence in writing" contests, not to be restricted to the members of any association.

f) Conduct workshops for beginning education writers and in-depth clinics for veteran writers.

g) Conduct seminars for education writers, on a regional or national basis, or jointly with educational organizations, associations, schools of journalism and other institutions, to explain and promote education writing as a career.

h) Conduct professional seminars for editors and publishers.

i) Encourage summer internships for college students preparing for a career in education writing.

j) Such other activities, approved by the board of directors, as may be appropriate to fulfilling the purposes of the organization.

Section 1.2 Prohibited activities

The organization may not:

a) Engage in political propaganda, or otherwise attempt to influence legislation.

b) Participate in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

c) Engage in any of the activities proscribed as prohibited transactions by Section 503(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

ARTICLE XIV

Miscellaneous

Section 1.1 Audit of books At least one month prior to the annual meeting of the board of directors, the
executive director shall cause the accounts of the organization to be audited by an independent professional accountant who shall submit to the executive director a full statement of the finances of the organization. Prior to the annual meeting of the board of directors, the executive director shall send a copy of such statement to each member of the board.

Section 1.2 Budget Prior to the annual meeting of the board of directors, the executive director shall prepare and send to the board members an estimate of the expenses and necessary appropriations for the following fiscal year.

Section 1.3 Fiscal year The fiscal year of the organization shall run from July 1 through June 30.

ARTICLE XV

Amendments to the By-Laws

Section 1.1 Amendments may be proposed by the board of directors or by petition of five journalist members. Adoption shall be by mail ballot and approval shall require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those voting in such ballot.