Bylaws
Nebraska State Council for the Social Studies
Section 1 Membership
A. Membership in the Council shall be divided into four classes: active, associate, institutional, and life members.
1. Active members shall be persons who have paid dues to this Council. The annual dues for active membership in this Council shall be proposed by the Executive Board and ratified by a majority of those members attending the annual business meeting.
2. Associate membership is open to all individuals enrolled in an undergraduate teacher education program in any college in the state. The cost of the student membership will be one half of that of an active membership. Associate members are not permitted to vote or to hold office.
3. Institutional membership is open to schools, colleges, or other appropriate institutions. Dues shall be 1.5 times that of the active membership dues.
4. Life memberships are open to any member at a cost to be determined by the Executive Council and allow someone to be a voting member without paying annual dues.
B. Membership dues will be collected on a yearly basis beginning and ending with the annual conference.
Section 2 Officers, Duties, and Terms of the Council Board of Directors
A. The officers of this Council Board of Directors shall be a President, President-elect, Executive Secretary, Recording Secretary, Immediate Past President, Treasurer, and Council Advisor (preferably the current Director of Social Studies Education for the Nebraska Department of Education).
B. The officers shall perform the functions customarily attached to their respective offices, with such others described below.
1. The President shall preside over the annual conferences, regular meetings of the Council Board, and shall be primarily responsible for planning the annual conference(s). The President shall serve for a two-year period following a term as president-elect. They shall chair the annual conference, all membership meetings, and serve as chairman of the annual conference planning committee.
2. The President-Elect shall perform any duties the president is unable to fulfill and succeeds to the office of president following their term as president-elect. They shall assist the President in planning the annual conference and other duties as assigned by the President. They shall serve for a term of two years.
3. The Immediate Past President shall serve as an advisor to the Council Board for a term of two years following their term as President.
4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping a record of the Council's expenditures and receipts, and for the safekeeping of the Council's funds. They shall hold responsibility for solicitation and collection of Council dues. The treasurer may not disperse funds without the approval of either the president or the executive secretary. They shall be the person responsible for maintenance of the membership roster in cooperation with the Executive Secretary. They shall serve for a period of two years.
5. The Executive Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining historical records and Council archival data, coordinate communication and official documents with the National Council for Social Studies, file required state documents and papers, and coordinate decisions made by the Council or the Council Board. They shall be the person responsible for maintenance of the official membership roster in cooperation with the Treasurer. They shall serve for a term of five years.
6. The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for taking and disseminating all minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and Council. They shall serve for a term of two years.
7. Advisor shall advise the officers of the Council Board on any matters dealing with curriculum or standards for the teaching of social studies in Nebraska. The advisor shall be the current Director of Social Sciences for the Nebraska Department of Education if possible. Their term shall be as long as they hold that position.
C. Other Council Board Members
1. The officers may appoint other Council members to serve on the Council Board as needed. The other board members may include representatives from each of the Congressional districts and representatives from the professional organizations related to the social studies discipline. Other at-large members may be appointed by the officers as needed to carry out the work of the Council. They shall serve at the pleasure of the current officers.
2. Representatives from professional organizations related to the social studies discipline are encouraged to provide resources for NSCSS programs/conferences and updates of their respective organizations’ activities for the NSCSS at Executive Board meetings. Professional representatives can be removed from the Executive Board by a majority vote of voting members. They serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and can be voting members if the officers wish them to be.
3. The Congressional District Representatives shall serve as a communication agent to and from Council members in their Congressional districts. They may conduct a membership drive in the Congressional district primarily at the beginning of each school term. They serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and can be voting members if the officers wish them to be.
4. The Council Board may elect a delegate or delegates to the National Council for Social Studies annual conference. The Executive Board may contribute funds to send the delegate(s) to the NCSS Conference and the Assembly of Delegates.
5. The Executive Board may select one representative to attend the annual NCSS Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. and may contribute funds to send the representative.
D. Voting
All officers of the Council Board and any other Council Board members currently serving will be voting members. All decisions made by the Council Board require a simple majority vote of voting members present at the Council Board meetings. A quorum will consist of seven voting members.
Section 3 Meetings
A. The Council Board shall meet regularly to direct the affairs of the Council between annual conferences. The Board shall have administrative responsibility for all Council communication and shall make final decisions concerning the over-all organization and administration of all Council activities.
B. The members within the Congressional districts may organize district or local Councils with the approval (two-thirds vote of voting members) of the Council Board.
C. The annual conference of the Council shall be held each year at a time and place designated by the Council Board. The annual conference will also be the official annual business meeting unless directed otherwise by the Council Board. Council elections shall be held at the annual conference with prior notification to the membership. The Council Board shall report official business of the Council at the annual conference and vote on amendments to Council Constitution. All dues paying members shall be eligible to vote at the annual conference
D. The Council Board may call special meetings as needed to carry out the business of the Council.
Section 4 Committees
A. The Council Board may establish committees yearly as needed to plan the annual conference and carry out other activities of the Council. The Council Board shall make the appointments to any and all committees. Dues paying Council members are encouraged to volunteer to serve on committees by the Council Board members.
B. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Council Board members and shall present a slate of officers for election on the annual conference. The names of those individuals nominated for office shall be, if possible, communicated to the Council membership prior to the annual meeting. Nominations for officers may also be made from the floor at the annual meeting. Those nominated must be dues paying Council members.
C. The Awards Committee shall consist of the Council Board with input from the membership and have the responsibility of promoting and recommending candidates for Council awards. Nominations for the various awards may be submitted to the Council Board. The awards shall include but not be limited to the following awards: Paul Beck: Outstanding Social Studies Educator Award, Outstanding Teacher for each of the Congressional Districts, and Outstanding Student Teacher for each of the Congressional Districts. The Executive Secretary shall notify the nominees of the honor and awards will be given at the annual conference each year.
D. The Annual Conference Planning Committee shall be made up of Council Board members and other Council members as needed to plan and carry out the annual Conference.
Section 5 Changes to the Bylaws
The Council Bylaws shall be reviewed yearly before the annual conference by the Council Board. Changes in the Bylaws may be made by a majority vote of the Council Board. A copy of the Council Constitution and Bylaws should be available to any Council member at the time of the annual conference.
Nebraska State Council for the Social Studies
Section 1 Membership
A. Membership in the Council shall be divided into four classes: active, associate, institutional, and life members.
1. Active members shall be persons who have paid dues to this Council. The annual dues for active membership in this Council shall be proposed by the Executive Board and ratified by a majority of those members attending the annual business meeting.
2. Associate membership is open to all individuals enrolled in an undergraduate teacher education program in any college in the state. The cost of the student membership will be one half of that of an active membership. Associate members are not permitted to vote or to hold office.
3. Institutional membership is open to schools, colleges, or other appropriate institutions. Dues shall be 1.5 times that of the active membership dues.
4. Life memberships are open to any member at a cost to be determined by the Executive Council and allow someone to be a voting member without paying annual dues.
B. Membership dues will be collected on a yearly basis beginning and ending with the annual conference.
Section 2 Officers, Duties, and Terms of the Council Board of Directors
A. The officers of this Council Board of Directors shall be a President, President-elect, Executive Secretary, Recording Secretary, Immediate Past President, Treasurer, and Council Advisor (preferably the current Director of Social Studies Education for the Nebraska Department of Education).
B. The officers shall perform the functions customarily attached to their respective offices, with such others described below.
1. The President shall preside over the annual conferences, regular meetings of the Council Board, and shall be primarily responsible for planning the annual conference(s). The President shall serve for a two-year period following a term as president-elect. They shall chair the annual conference, all membership meetings, and serve as chairman of the annual conference planning committee.
2. The President-Elect shall perform any duties the president is unable to fulfill and succeeds to the office of president following their term as president-elect. They shall assist the President in planning the annual conference and other duties as assigned by the President. They shall serve for a term of two years.
3. The Immediate Past President shall serve as an advisor to the Council Board for a term of two years following their term as President.
4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping a record of the Council's expenditures and receipts, and for the safekeeping of the Council's funds. They shall hold responsibility for solicitation and collection of Council dues. The treasurer may not disperse funds without the approval of either the president or the executive secretary. They shall be the person responsible for maintenance of the membership roster in cooperation with the Executive Secretary. They shall serve for a period of two years.
5. The Executive Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining historical records and Council archival data, coordinate communication and official documents with the National Council for Social Studies, file required state documents and papers, and coordinate decisions made by the Council or the Council Board. They shall be the person responsible for maintenance of the official membership roster in cooperation with the Treasurer. They shall serve for a term of five years.
6. The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for taking and disseminating all minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and Council. They shall serve for a term of two years.
7. Advisor shall advise the officers of the Council Board on any matters dealing with curriculum or standards for the teaching of social studies in Nebraska. The advisor shall be the current Director of Social Sciences for the Nebraska Department of Education if possible. Their term shall be as long as they hold that position.
C. Other Council Board Members
1. The officers may appoint other Council members to serve on the Council Board as needed. The other board members may include representatives from each of the Congressional districts and representatives from the professional organizations related to the social studies discipline. Other at-large members may be appointed by the officers as needed to carry out the work of the Council. They shall serve at the pleasure of the current officers.
2. Representatives from professional organizations related to the social studies discipline are encouraged to provide resources for NSCSS programs/conferences and updates of their respective organizations’ activities for the NSCSS at Executive Board meetings. Professional representatives can be removed from the Executive Board by a majority vote of voting members. They serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and can be voting members if the officers wish them to be.
3. The Congressional District Representatives shall serve as a communication agent to and from Council members in their Congressional districts. They may conduct a membership drive in the Congressional district primarily at the beginning of each school term. They serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and can be voting members if the officers wish them to be.
4. The Council Board may elect a delegate or delegates to the National Council for Social Studies annual conference. The Executive Board may contribute funds to send the delegate(s) to the NCSS Conference and the Assembly of Delegates.
5. The Executive Board may select one representative to attend the annual NCSS Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. and may contribute funds to send the representative.
D. Voting
All officers of the Council Board and any other Council Board members currently serving will be voting members. All decisions made by the Council Board require a simple majority vote of voting members present at the Council Board meetings. A quorum will consist of seven voting members.
Section 3 Meetings
A. The Council Board shall meet regularly to direct the affairs of the Council between annual conferences. The Board shall have administrative responsibility for all Council communication and shall make final decisions concerning the over-all organization and administration of all Council activities.
B. The members within the Congressional districts may organize district or local Councils with the approval (two-thirds vote of voting members) of the Council Board.
C. The annual conference of the Council shall be held each year at a time and place designated by the Council Board. The annual conference will also be the official annual business meeting unless directed otherwise by the Council Board. Council elections shall be held at the annual conference with prior notification to the membership. The Council Board shall report official business of the Council at the annual conference and vote on amendments to Council Constitution. All dues paying members shall be eligible to vote at the annual conference
D. The Council Board may call special meetings as needed to carry out the business of the Council.
Section 4 Committees
A. The Council Board may establish committees yearly as needed to plan the annual conference and carry out other activities of the Council. The Council Board shall make the appointments to any and all committees. Dues paying Council members are encouraged to volunteer to serve on committees by the Council Board members.
B. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Council Board members and shall present a slate of officers for election on the annual conference. The names of those individuals nominated for office shall be, if possible, communicated to the Council membership prior to the annual meeting. Nominations for officers may also be made from the floor at the annual meeting. Those nominated must be dues paying Council members.
C. The Awards Committee shall consist of the Council Board with input from the membership and have the responsibility of promoting and recommending candidates for Council awards. Nominations for the various awards may be submitted to the Council Board. The awards shall include but not be limited to the following awards: Paul Beck: Outstanding Social Studies Educator Award, Outstanding Teacher for each of the Congressional Districts, and Outstanding Student Teacher for each of the Congressional Districts. The Executive Secretary shall notify the nominees of the honor and awards will be given at the annual conference each year.
D. The Annual Conference Planning Committee shall be made up of Council Board members and other Council members as needed to plan and carry out the annual Conference.
Section 5 Changes to the Bylaws
The Council Bylaws shall be reviewed yearly before the annual conference by the Council Board. Changes in the Bylaws may be made by a majority vote of the Council Board. A copy of the Council Constitution and Bylaws should be available to any Council member at the time of the annual conference.