Constitution

Preamble:

We, the members of the Tennessee Educators of Aquatic and Marine Sciences, join in an effort to foster aquatic and marine education for students and educators alike. Our mission is to promote aquatic education through conferences, the TEAMS newsletter, and workshop opportunities that will train in teaching methodology, strengthen knowledge, and inform our members of the new trends, publications, and programs available to them and their students. Through these opportunities to learn and network, we firmly believe that we can improve the quality of aquatic and marine education in the National Marine Educators Association, NMEA, and subscribe to their mission: to make known the world of water, both salt and fresh..

Goals:

The primary goal of the TEAMS organization is to provide opportunities for educators of all kinds to learn more about aquatic resources, experience first-hand opportunities that are available to educators and students in the field of environmental education, and network with other educators and resource professionals from formal and informal teaching backgrounds. All of this is done in an effort to improve the aquatic and marine education of our students and to promote the concepts of environmental stewardship to all..

Objectives:

Environmental Stewardship: To encourage educators, both formal and informal, to be proactive in their teaching efforts and to facilitate the transaction from classroom learning to community caring.

Awareness: To create a group of educated citizens that are informed about their community’s natural resources, educational institutions, resource professionals, educational opportunities, and environmental concerns.

Networking: Provide opportunities for our members to meet, talk with, and take advantage of resource professionals, educational programs, and experiences of their peers.

Participation: To encourage educators, both formal and informal, to try new teaching methodology, to feel comfortable with new topics, and to continue to learn for themselves as well as for the benefit of those that they are educating.

Educating: To keep educators abreast of new trends in teaching, new information on aquatic fauna and flora, and new opportunities for themselves and students.

Researching: To locate and utilize the plethora of marine resources that are available through our sister chapters.

. Article I

Name and Place of Business

Section 1. Name

The name of the corporation shall be the Tennessee Educators of Aquatic and Marine Sciences (hereinafter referred to as TEAMS.)

Section 2. Place of Business

The principle office of TEAMS in the state of Tennessee shall be located at the home of the Membership Secretary. TEAMS may have other such offices in the state of Tennessee, as the Board of Officers may designate.

Article II

Purpose, Functions and Policies

Section 1. Purpose s

(a) To promote aquatic and marine educational programs in order to make them more accessible to Tennessee educators.
(b) To inform our members of new publications, educational programs, and events that would help in their effects to include more aquatic and marine education in the classroom.
(c) To make members aware of the concerns relating to our aquatic systems, flora and fauna in Tennessee by feature articles in the newsletter and by conference presentations.
(d) To encourage our members to become more involved in teaching their peers and sharing their knowledge by creating a forum where their ideas and input are welcomed and valued.
(e) To promote environmental stewardship of our Tennessee educators and students that will have positive effects on their community.

Section 2. Functions

(a) To publish a quarterly newsletter for our members to inform them of upcoming events and workshops, new publications, and feature articles on aquatic fauna and flora.
(b) To host an annual conference to introduce new ideas and opportunities and to provide a forum for our members to network with others, share information, and present their own ideas and accomplishments.
(c) To provide in the field learning experience for educators that can be passed on to their students.
(d) To recognize and promote the natural resources and programs of the educational institutions of our state for the utilization of educators and students alike.
(e) To utilize the resources of our parent organization’s, NMEA, members to expand on marine education to ensure that our students are well educated about fresh as well as saltwater habitats, flora, and fauna.

Section 3. Policies

(a) The TEAMS organization shall be nonpartisan and shall neither promote nor oppose the candidacy of any person seeking public office.
(b) In the advancement of the purposes and functions listed herein, TEAMS shall be operated as a non-profit corporation pursuant to the Tennessee General Corporation Act and exclusively for the promotion of social welfare within the meaning of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or the corresponding provision of any further United States Internal Revenue law. No part of TEAMS’ net earnings shall insure to the benefit of any officer or individual, except compensation for services rendered in its behalf to make payments and distributions in the furtherance of the purposes and factions set forth in this article.
(c) The Board of Officers or its designee shall have the sole responsibility to represent or speak for the Corporation.

By-Laws

Article I

Composition
Section 1. Board of Officers

There shall be a Board of Officers whose function shall be to carry out the programs, activities and policies of TEAMS, assure a responsible balance program and present TEAMS to the public. The structure and function of the Board of Officers shall be as specified in Article III of these By-Laws.

Section 2. Membership

Membership in the Tennessee Educators of Aquatic and Marine Sciences shall consist of institutional and individual categories. Membership fees and contributions of membership categories shall be established by the Board of Officers.

(a) Organizations or institutions whose aims and purposes are in keeping with the purposes of TEAMS may hold membership.
(b) Any individual who subscribes to the purposes of TEAMS may hold membership.

Article II

Meetings

Section 1. Annual Meetings

(a) Two meetings will take place annually, one during the annual conference and one during the Tennessee Science Teachers Association (TSTA) Conference. The Board of Officers will determine the place and exact time.
(b) Written notice of the annual meeting will be given no less than 30 days in advance thereof.
(c) All members of TEAMS may participate in the annual meetings. Membership in TEAMS may be obtained with the payment of registration fee at the annual conference or the membership fee at any point during the year. Only persons that hold a current membership to TEAMS will be allowed to attend the meetings.
(d) The Board of Officers shall establish the purpose of the annual meetings. Members desiring to submit topics of discussion, resolutions, or amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws must submit a formal written letter to the Board of Officers no less than 60 days prior to the annual meetings stating the proposed change and justification for the change.

Section 2. Special Meetings

Due to the wide geographic distribution of the members of the Board of Officers, it is anticipated that special meetings of the Board of Officers may be necessary during the course of the year. Such meetings will be varied and limited in occurrence.

Section 3. Majority

(a) For voting decisions based on membership majority decisions, two-thirds of the attending membership at a TEAMS meeting shall constitute a majority.
(b) For voting decisions based on Board of Officers majority decisions, two-thirds of the attending officers shall constitute the majority.

Section 4. Annual Report

The Board of Officers shall prepare and approve an annual report including financial statements of TEAMS. A summary of this report will be printed in the TEAMS newsletter.

Article III

Board of Officers

Section 1. Board of Officers

There shall be a Board of Officers consisting of a President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Program Director, Membership Secretary, NMEA Chapter Representative along with three region specific officers to represent each of our three regions. Regional delineation is done by counties as defined by the Tennessee State Code.

Section 2. Qualifications

Officers shall be people who:

(a) are current members of the TEAMS organization
(b) are in good standing with TEAMS
(c) possess an interest in environmental education, conservation of natural resources, and the principles of aquatic and marine habitats, flora and fauna.

Section 3. Elections

(a) Call for nominations shall be requested via the Fall TEAMS newsletter.
(b) Elections will be held via the Winter newsletter of TEAMS.
(c) Formal announcements regarding election results will be mailed to all candidates within a month and a half of the Spring newsletter being mailed out to members. All other members will be notified of the election results via the Spring newsletter.
(d) New officers will be expected to attend the annual board meetings along with the current officers. At the TEAMS Conference each of the officers will be sworn into their new office. The incoming officers will be recognized at a dinner reception during the annual TEAMS Conference.

Section 4. Terms

(a) Officers shall serve no more than 2 consecutive terms in the same office, with the exception of the office of Treasurer.
(b) The office of Treasurer shall have no term limits.

Section 5. Officers

(a) Offices that comprise the Board shall be President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Program Director, Membership Secretary, NMEA Chapter Representative, Eastern Representative, Central Representative, and Western Representative.
(b) The office of NMEA Chapter Representative shall be filled by the out-going president. If the president is elected to a second term, the NMEA Chapter Representative and President-Elect, will also serve a consecutive term. If the out-going president is unable to serve as the NMEA Chapter Representative then the in-coming president shall appoint a replacement.

Section 6. Committees

(a) Conference committees shall be formed in June and shall include the Program Director, President-Elect and all of the officers that live or serve in the region that is hosting the annual conference. The conference committee is in charge of coordinating all of the details that are involved in hosting an annual conference.
(b) The Board of Officers reserves the right to form committees when needs arise that need special attention. These committees shall be temporary or permanent as designated by the Board.

Section 7. Dues

The Board of Officers shall establish, and reserves the right to alter dues amount for TEAMS members. These decisions will be based on the logistics of membership renewal and economic needs of TEAMS.

Section 8. Authority

The Board of Officers shall have authority to:

(a) Implement the environmental education program of TEAMS as approved by the membership of TEAMS.
(b) Receive and distribute funds.
(c) Negotiate contracts.
(d) Issue public statements.

Article IV

Finances

Section 1. Sources

Voluntary contributions by participating individuals, organizations and groups will at all times be encouraged. TEAMS may receive grants and contributions from business and industry, state and federal agencies, educational and community foundations, national conservation organizations, and other sources whose purposes and functions are in harmony of the purposes and functions of TEAMS. In addition, an annual assessment of Dues shall be established pursuant to Article III, Section 7 of these By-Laws.

Section 2. Annual Audit

The books of TEAMS shall be audited by an auditing committee or commercial accounting firm appointed or designated by the Board of Officers, at the annual meeting. The audit report shall be made available for all the members of TEAMS as a part of the annual report set forth in Article II, Section 4 of these By-Laws.

Section 3. Deposits and Withdrawals

The funds of TEAMS shall be deposited in such a bank as determined by the Founding Board of Officers. Choice of bank may be changed if there is a consensus of the majority of the Board to do so under Article II, Section 3 of these By-Laws. Withdrawals shall be by check, issued and signed by the current Treasurer of TEAMS. Vouchers, purchase orders, receipts, statements or other evidence of purchase or obligation shall be necessary conditions of the issuing and signing of any check. The Treasurer shall maintain a current financial statement, which shall be available, upon request, at any meeting of the Board of Officers. All expenditures shall be authorized by the President. All expenditures over $100 shall be authorized, either written or verbally, by the President. If the President is unavailable then another member of the Board of Officers may approve the expenditure.

Section 4. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of TEAMS shall be the calendar year.

Article V

Amendments
Section 1. Process

Notice of any proposed amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws must be presented to the Board Officers as specified in Article II, Section 1 (d) of these By-Laws.

Section 2. Voting Procedure

Voting on any amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws shall be done by majority vote of the membership as specified in Article II, Section 3 (a) of these By-Laws.