Bylaws

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 journalism.

Section 1.1: Categories of Membership

There shall be four categories of membership.

Requirements for membership shall be as follows:

a) Journalist membership is open to individuals whose primary professional activities involve reporting, writing, producing, editing, or otherwise preparing the news and editorial content of independent news media products. The definition of journalist also includes freelancers whose primary body of work is for independent news media, staffers at press associations or journalism education associations, journalism instructors, and journalism students.

b) Community membership is open to anyone who does not meet the definition of journalist member but is interested in advancing education journalism. This includes reporters and writers for education organizations and institutions; educators; public information officers; education policymakers; and others interested in improving coverage of education to create a better-informed public.

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.

The Board of Directors may also establish sub-categories of membership.

Section 1.2 Procedures for obtaining membership.

a) The executive director shall accept applications for membership and shall determine and issue membership to those who are eligible under the provisions set forth in Section 1.1. In cases where a person’s membership designation is not immediately clear, the EWA executive director will make the determination.

b) The president shall, as needed, appoint a membership committee to advise the executive director on membership criteria.

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 1.1

Dues for all membership and sub-membership categories shall be set by the executive director in consultation with the Board of Directors.

Section 1.2: Payment of Dues

Dues are payable annually. Failure to remit dues may result in termination of membership.

Section 1.1: Officers of the Board

a) The officers of the organization shall be a president, two vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, and the immediate past president. The president shall be a working journalist at the time of taking office. One vice-president shall be a journalist member. One vice-president shall be a community 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.

c) The president of the organization shall serve as chairman of the board. The vice-president who is a community 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.

Section 1.2: Number and Qualifications of the Directors

The board of directors shall be composed of no less than nine and no more than seventeen members: The president, two vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer and immediate past president of the organization; and up to eleven members of the organization.

a) A majority of board members shall be journalist members or individuals who have spent a significant portion of their careers in journalism organizations or journalism education.

b) Board members shall be nominated and appointed, and vacancies to board positions shall be made, according to the policies approved by the board of directors.

c) The terms of office for board members shall be two years.

Section 1.3 Removal of a Member of the Board of Directors

A director may be removed with cause at any time by majority vote of the board of directors, provided that written notice is given to the entire board.

Section 1.1

a) The president shall annually appoint a nominating committee.

b) The nominating committee shall prepare a slate of officers which should be sent to the membership at large at least sixty days before the officers’ terms begin. All candidates for board officer positions must be current board members. Board officers shall be elected according to the provisions in Article VI, Section 1.1.

c) Additional candidates may be nominated by any three members in good standing. These nominations must be solicited not later than sixty days, and must be received not later than forty days, before the officers’ terms begin.

d) Board officer positions vacated before the end of the term will be filled according to board policies.

Section 1.1

Following expiration of the nominating period, if there are additional nominations to the slate of officers, the nominating committee shall prepare a ballot, listing all candidates for office, which shall be sent to all members at least thirty days before a vote is finalized. The results, determined by a plurality of those voting, shall be announced 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

Board officers will take office at a time set by board policies. All board officers shall serve two-year terms, and shall be eligible to serve a second consecutive term. No officer may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

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 public understanding of education through the communications media and to further the state of the art of education journalism. This program shall include an annual awards contest, at least one annual in-service education seminar for education journalists and individuals in related fields, and such other educational activities as the board of directors deems desirable and feasible in the furtherance of education journalism and the EWA mission generally.

Section 1.1

The executive director shall be chosen or removed 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.

Section 1.1 Duties of the President

The president shall serve as the chairman of the organization and shall supervise all affairs of the organization according to the policies approved by the board of directors.  The president shall have all the customary powers and duties of a president in accordance with the bylaws. The president shall preside at all meetings of the board of directors and steering committee. The president may appoint and assign duties to membership and nominating committees and all other committees.

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 a community member shall represent the interests of community 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 record the proceedings of all meetings and assume other duties that may be assigned by the president or the board of directors.

Section 1.4 Duties of the Treasurer

The treasurer shall be responsible for overseeing the management and reporting of the organization’s finances.

Section 1.4 Duties of the Immediate Past President

The immediate past president shall offer counsel to the president and board of directors and perform such duties as the president delegates.

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.

Section 1.1 Annual meetings

The annual membership meeting shall be held at a place and time designated by the board.

Section 1.2 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 1.3 Quorum for board of director meetings

A majority of the whole board shall constitute a quorum.

Section 1.4 Minutes of meetings

A copy of the minutes of all board of directors meetings shall be maintained with the records of the executive director.

Section 1.5 Parliamentary procedure

Robert’s 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.

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, secretary, and treasurer, 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.

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.

Section 1.1 Audit of books

The executive director shall cause the accounts of the organization to be audited annually by an independent professional accountant who shall submit to the executive director and the chair of the Audit Committee a full statement of the finances of the organization. The executive director shall provide a copy of the audit to the full board of directors in a timely manner.

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 be established by board policy.

Section 1.1

Amendments may be proposed by the board of directors and adopted by a majority vote of the board of directors. Amendments may also be proposed by petition of at least 25 percent of EWA members calling for a vote on the proposed amendments. Member-proposed amendments not approved by the board shall require a majority vote of the membership for approval.