Constitution

International Association for Cognitive Education and Psychology Constitution

ARTICLE I.   

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Association and Organization: The terms that designate and refer to the INTERNATONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COGNITIVE EDUCATION (IACE). Constitution: The primary document of the IACE that serves as the basic charter to guarantee rights and power to the members. IACE promotes research, education, and other applications in systematic and effective modes of perceiving, knowing, thinking learning, and problem solving. 

ARTICLE II. 

NAME, OFFICE, AND EMPLOYEES

SECTION 1.

Name

The name of the organization shall be THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COGNITIVE EDUCATION (IACE) which shall be a legally incorporated not-for-profit organization. The organization will do business and be publically known as THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COGNITIVE EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY (IACEP). 

SECTION 2.

Office

The Association shall maintain a stable place of business. 

SECTION 3. 

Employees

The Association may employ such professional, para-professional, and support staff as may be needed to accomplish the purposes of the organization. 


ARTICLE III. 

PURPOSES

SECTION 1. 

Purpose

The purpose of the Association shall be, through research and education:
a.      to advance the cognitive education of children, youth, and adults;
b.      to promote, stimulate and disseminate applications of knowledge on the development, acquisition, and application of logical thought;
c.      to encourage and provide opportunities for the professional growth of individual members;
d.      to inform the public about the practice of cognitive education;
e.      to advance the standards of education and related areas. 

SECTION 2. 

Limitations 

The Association shall be not-for-profit, shall be nonpartisan, and shall be nonsectarian in its purposes and activities, and shall seek to promote cognitive approaches generically in research, education, and other applications without preferences for any specific theoretical system or program. 

SECTION 3: 

Dissolution

The Association shall use its funds only to accomplish the objectives and purposes specified in the Constitution and no part said funds shall inure to, or be distributed, to the members of the Association. On dissolution of the Association, any funds remaining after the payment of all debts shall be distributed to one or more not-for-profit organizations with goals similar to this one. 

ARTICLE IV. 

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. 

Group Membership

a.  The Organization shall consist of the following categories of membership:
1. Members (a person from a discipline concerned with cognitive development and education.)
2. Patron Member (a regular member who meets all the requirements for eligibility as a regular member, but who contributes fixed amounts in excess of regular dues in order to provide special support to the activities of IACE)).
3. Honorary Member (non-voting).
4. Associate Member (a person who is interested in cognitive development and education and who is not employed in one of the disciplines associated with it).
5. Distinguished Member (a person recommended by the membership committee for this category) without payment of dues.
6. Student Member (a non-voting person who is full-time undergraduate or graduate student and pays one-half of the regular membership fee).b.  Members pay dues according to their status. 

ARTICLE V. 

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

SECTION 1. 

Officers

a.      The officers of the Association shall be the President, the President Elect , the Immediate Past President, the Vice Presidents who are representative of regions and languages of the world where the Association has members (the numbers to be determined in accordance with the bylaws), Membership Secretary, Secretary and Treasurer. All officers shall be members of the Association.
b.      The names of the candidates for elective offices shall be submitted by the Nominating Committee or by petitions. Candidates shall be elected to office by vote of the members as described in the by-laws.
c.      The terms of office of the President, President-elect, Immediate Past President, Vice-Presidents, Membership Secretary, Secretary, and Treasurer shall begin at the adjournment of each international meeting, and conclude at the adjournment of the next international meeting. Officers shall not succeed themselves beyond one additional term.
d.      In the event that the President shall not serve out his or her full term for any reason, the President-elect shall succeed to the unexpired term thereof and continue as President through the following term. If the President-elect is unable to succeed to the Presidency, both tea President and President-elect shall be elected by the members at the time of the next election.
e.      The Executive Committee, by majority vote, shall fill any vacancy in an elected, unexpired office except for the office of the President-elect. Any members so chosen shall serve until the term of the vacated office has expired and a successor duly elected.
f.        Removal of officers from their elected posts for due cause shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee and the Ethics and Professional Conduct committees. A two-thirds vote for this combined body shall be required for removal. 

ARTICLE VI. 

GOVERNMENT

SECTION 1.

Operations

The By-laws shall provide guidelines for policies and procedures for the Association. Policies and procedures shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and ratified by the membership. 

SECTION 2. 

Appointments 

The President shall appoint the committees as needed to carry out the functions of the Association. Appointment of standing committees shall require the consent of a majority of the Executive Committee Ad hoc committees may be on his/her sole authority. The President shall be an ex-officio (nonvoting) member of such committee. 

SECTION 3. 

The Executive Committee 

a.      The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Association. In addition to the elected officers, the two co-founders and first Presidents of the Association shall be permanent members for the Executive Committee.
b.      The Executive Committee shall conduct all matters of business, administer policy and make recommendations to the members. The Executive Committee shall be charged with conducting the affairs of the Association. 

SECTION 4.

Standing Committees 

Standing committees shall include the following: 

  1. Nominations and Elections
  2. Membership
  3. Ethics & Professional Conduct
  4. Finance/Budget
  5. Governance
  6. Historian for IACE

Article VII. 

COMMITTEES

SECTION 1. 

Administration 

a.      There shall be standing and other committees appointed to fulfill the functions of the Association. The purpose of each standing committee shall be described when appointed by the President as described in Article VI.
b.      The President, subject to approval by the Executive Committee, shall have the power to recommend to the Executive Committee the addition, deletion, or change of a standing committee. The Executive Committee shall be required to act on any such recommendations. 

SECTION 2. 

Appointments

 The President shall appoint committees with the advice of the Executive Committees provided in Article VI. 

ARTICLE VIII. 

MEETINGS

SECTION 1. 

Time and Place

The international meetings of the Association shall be held at such time and place as determined by the Executive Committee at intervals usually of no less than 18 months or greater than 24 months. A Program Chair, appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Committee, will construct the conference program with assistance of a program committee.

SECTION 2.

Quorum

 Executive Committee. A quorum shall consist of one-half of the duly constituted body. When necessary, Executive Committee members may be contacted by telephone, or other means, instead of calling together the body to conduct a special meeting. 

SECTION 3. 

Records

Minutes of the meetings shall be kept in the same manner as all other minutes of the Executive Committee, and all voting will be recorded in writing. 

ARTICLE IX.

FINANCES

SECTION 1.

Dues

Dues shall be payable upon receipt of an annual dues statement from the Association. The amount of dues shall be set by the Executive Committee. 

SECTION 2.

Budget and Fiscal Year

The Executive Committee, upon the recommendation of the Treasurer, shall determine the budget and present a report of the budget to the membership. The Fiscal period shall coincide with the legal requirements of the state in which the organization is located. 

SECTION 3.

Expenditures

 Upon adoption of the budget by the Executive committee, all accounts payable being duly approved by the Secretary/Treasurer, or in his or her absence by the President, shall be paid by voucher signed by those authorized to issue checks. 

SECTION 4.

Debt

 No member of this Association shall contract, or cause to be made in the name IACE, any debt for any nature whatsoever without the specific proper authorization of the Executive Committee.

SECTION 5.

 Examination of Records

A regular examination and report by a committee appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board will review the financial records of the Association at least once annually. 

SECTION 6. 

Salaried Personnel

 Officers shall not be salaried employees of the Association. 

SECTION 7. 

Dedication of Funds and Dissolution

 All assets of IACE shall be permanently dedicated to the purposes set forth in Article III and in case of dissolution of the Association, all assets will be distributed to a public or tax exempt cause as provided in Article III of this Constitution. 

ARTICLE X. 

CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

SECTION 1.

Rules 

a.      The rules contained in the most recent revision of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Association in all cases in which they are applicable.
b.      The parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Committee.

SECTION 2. 

Meetings

 a.      Certain business requiring vote of the members may be conducted by mail ballot (e.g. election of officers, approval of policy changes). b.      There shall be a least one formal business meeting at each international conference of the Association, to which all members must be invited, to be held at such time and place as to make it possible for the maximum number of members to participate. At such business meetings the President ad the members of the Executive Committee shall report to the members present and participating the status of the Association, including its financial status, and seek the advice of the members with regard to the affairs of the Association. 

ARTICLE XI. BRANCHES

SECTION 1. 

Establishment of Branches

 a.      Branches of the Association shall be established where members seek regional, national, or provincial/state identity to promote the purposes of the Association.
b.      Branch will be constituted on the basis of a minimum number of full members of the Association as determined by the Executive in the by-laws.
c.      Specific criteria for Branch status will be included in the by-laws of the Association.
d.      The Executive Board of the Association would consider and determine the eligibility of the applicant members at its first meeting after the receipt of a written application.e.      Branch activities will be supported financially by the Association as determined by the by-laws of the Association. 

SECTION 2.

Withdrawal of Branch Status

Branch status shall be withdrawn if the condition for Branch status are not fulfilled or subsequent to a written application from the executive board of the Association granted Branch status. 

ARTICLE XII. 

AMMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION

SECTION 1.

Amendments

a.      The Constitution of the Association may be amended by mail ballot to the members.b.      A two-third vote of those voting by mail ballot shall be required for an amendment to pass.c.      The mail ballots must be returned within forty-five (45) days of their actual posting. 

ARTICLE XIII. 

Effective date

SECTION 1. 

This Constitution, upon ratification, shall become effective immediately, March, 1994. 

Amended:      7/95
Amended:      6/97
Amended:      9/99
Amended:      8/02