SECTION 1.1 – Name

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

SECTION 1.2 – Purpose

The purposes of this Association shall be to:

(1)   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.

(2) Provide in-service opportunities for the members of the Association.

(3) Strive to improve the profession of educational administration.

(4) Maintain effective communication among the members of the Association.

(5) Enhance continuing communications and cooperation 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 Active, Institutional, Associate and Honorary.

(1)        Active Members: Any chief executive officer who serves a school board and that officer's assistants may become an Active Member by the payment of the established dues.  Active Members must hold a valid Indiana Superintendent's license.  Active Members are entitled to attend 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 Active Member without payment of dues.

(2)             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 Associate Member by the payment of the annual dues established for Associate Members.  Associate Members have all the rights and privileges of Active 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.

(3)            Honorary Members: Active/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 an "Honorary" membership and so notify eligible candidates.

(4)               Institutional Member: A local Indiana school corporation may become an Institutional Member by payment of the established dues.  The Institutional Representatives must meet the membership qualifications established for Active Members of IAPSS.  The Institutional Representatives have all the rights and privileges of Active Members.  The term "Active Member" as used in this Constitution also includes "Institutional Representative".

(5)        Affiliate Sponsor: 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.

SECTION 1.4 – Officers

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

(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.

(2)        The President-Elect shall automatically become President for a one-year term following a year as President-Elect.

SECTION 1.5 -  Executive Committee

This Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the 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.

a.       The program Committee for the Annual Meeting shall be composed of the Vice-President, who shall act as Chairperson, and the District Chairpersons.

b.      The President, President-Elect, Immediate Past-President and Vice President may meet with representatives of the Indiana School Boards Association to plan the ISBA Fall Conference.

(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 and the annual financial report shall be available for Active/Institutional Members by the IAPSS Annual Meeting.

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

(6)        The Executive Committee shall establish a registration fee for each of the meetings sponsored by the Association in order to provide the necessary resources for the services rendered by the Association.

(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 Honorary/Retired Superintendents Organization, The Coalition of Growing and Suburban Schools, Inc., the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association.

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. 

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 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, 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 to review the audit of the books of the Association.

(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 mailed to each Active/Institutional 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 Active/Institutional Members.

b.      In the event no valid nominating petition is received for an office to be filled, the Elections Committee shall nominate an Active/Institutional 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.       Ballots shall be mailed 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 mailed to the membership.  When this occurs, the candidates will be automatically elected and the membership shall be notified.

(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)               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)           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)       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 Active/Institutional 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.