Bylaws, Policies, & Procedures Handbook - Iowa Reading Association

The purpose of the Iowa Reading Association shall be to:

serve as a professional organization concerned about literacy;
stimulate and promote the study of literacy at all educational levels;
disseminate information of investigations and practices;
maintain an awareness of the impact of literacy;
promote mutual understanding and cooperation among educators; and
promote a level of reading proficiency among all people commensurate with each individual’s unique capacity.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 1: Eligibility

Membership shall be open to all persons interested in furthering the purposes of the Iowa Reading Association.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 2: Categories

The categories of membership shall be International Literacy Association (ILA), Iowa Reading Association, and local reading council or association.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 3: Admittance

Membership may be initiated at any time during the year.

Admittance to:

International Literacy Association shall be by filing an application with its Executive Director and paying the initial dues.
Iowa Reading Association shall be by:
filing an application with a local council and paying the required state and local dues or
filing state-only membership with the Executive Director and paying the required state-only dues.¹
Local reading council/association shall be as established by that body.

POLICIES:

If members belong to more than one local council, Iowa Reading Association dues will be paid to only one local council.²
The membership list of the Iowa Reading Association may be purchased by Association members for educational research upon approval of the President. Members who have not agreed that their names be made available will be excluded. A member requesting the mailing list will pay the cost of providing the mailing labels.
Membership lists or labels may be made available to nonprofit/profit educational organizations including local councils of the Iowa Reading Association upon approval of the President, and a fee of $100/$400 respectively, may be charged. Members who have not agreed that their names be made available will be excluded. A two-week lead time will be required. The labels will include name and address. Only complete lists will be available.³

¹ Amended 06/00 | ² Amended 08/87 | ³ Amended 06/04

Section 4: Classes of Membership

Classes of membership shall be:

Active. Any person who meets the admittance requirements.
State-only. Any person who meets the admittance requirements.⁴
Sustaining. Any active member who contributes at least $10 in addition to the active dues. Sustaining members shall be recognized by their names appearing in distinctive print in a publication.
Student. Any person who is a full-time student.⁵
Retiree. A person who has formally terminated active employment.⁶

POLICIES:

Student membership shall be annually granted if written verification of full-time student status including signature of an advisor or instructor. Verification shall accompany their membership form.⁷
Membership and Annual Conference fees will be granted to retirees at the student rate.⁸

⁴ Amended 06/00 | ⁵ Amended 06/90 | ⁶ Amended 04/98 | ⁷ Amended 06/90 | ⁸ Amended 10/97

Section 5: Dues

Annual dues for membership shall be set by the Delegates Assembly upon recommendation of the Board of Directors. Any proposed changes in dues to be recommended by the Board of Directors shall be published with the call to the delegates Assembly.

POLICIES:

If members belong to more than one local council, Iowa Reading Association dues will be paid only one local council.⁹
Student members shall pay one-half full member dues of the Iowa Reading Association.
Local councils are encouraged to charge student members no more than 1/2 of full member local dues.¹⁰
The active member dues shall be $50 per member; students, retirees, pay $25.00^.11
State only dues shall be $50.¹²

⁹ Amended 03/85 | ¹⁰ Amended 06/90 | ¹¹ Amended 06/07, 10/11, 06/18, 06/19 | ¹² Amended 06/18, 06/19

Section 6: Membership Year

Membership year for dues purposes shall go from October 1st to September 30th of the following year.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 7: Termination

Membership shall terminate by failure to pay dues; no person’s membership shall terminate unless the dues remain unpaid after 60 days beyond the preceding membership year.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 1: Titles

The officers of the Association shall be the President, President-Elect, Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, Director of Membership, and the Past President. The duties of the President, President-Elect, Vice President and Past President may be fulfilled by co-officers assuming those roles. The Treasurer and an Executive Director ¹³ ¹⁴ shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.

POLICIES:

None codified

¹³ Amended 05/14 | ¹⁴ Amended 06/07

Section 2: Eligibility

The eligibility requirements shall be set forth in the Policy Handbook.

POLICIES:

To be considered for candidacy for Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer, an individual must:

be a member of the Iowa Reading Association;
be a member of the International Literacy Association; and¹⁵
may have served the Iowa Reading Association in any of the following ways:
1. Board of Directors member;
2. a state committee chairperson; or
3. an officer of a local council¹⁶

¹⁵ Amended 06/18 | ¹⁶ Amended 10/94, 06/18

Section 3: Term

The term of the Vice President shall be one year after which they shall succeed to the office of the President-Elect for one year. At the end of that year, they shall succeed to the office of President for one year.

The terms of the Treasurer and the Secretary shall be three years; they may serve¹⁷ two consecutive terms. The Secretary shall assume the office at the conclusion of the Annual Conference and shall continue to serve for the duration of the term or until a successor can assume duty. The Treasurer shall assume the office on July 1.¹⁸

The Executive Director shall be designated upon nomination of a candidate by the Executive Committee every triennium following the initial establishment of the position.¹⁹

POLICIES:

The Treasurer’s three-year term shall begin July 1. The Treasurer may serve two consecutive terms.²⁰
The Secretary’s three-year term shall take effect following the annual conference. The Secretary may serve two consecutive terms.²¹

¹⁷ Amended 06/16 | ¹⁸ Amended 06/10 | ¹⁹ Amended 10/92 | ²⁰ Amended 06/16 | ²¹ Amended 06/16

Section 4: Vacancies

In the event the Vice President office is vacated, the Nominating Committee shall propose a nominee to fulfill the term of Vice President. At the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority vote shall be cast for Vice President. If the President, President-Elect, and Vice President are incapacitated or resign, the Secretary shall serve as acting President until such time as a special or next regular election can be held. Vacancies in the offices of Treasurer and Secretary shall be filled by the Board of Directors until the next election.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 5: Joint Positions²²

When the duties of the President, President-Elect, Vice President, Past President are fulfilled by co-officers:²³

They may use the title inherent in their position.
Excluding any voting rights, all rights, powers, duties, and responsibilities of the position may be divided among the co-officers.
The position shall have the same voting power as if held by a singular individual.
All reimbursements by the Association to co-officers of a position shall be made in such amounts equivalent to those that would be made as if the position were held by a single officer.
Unless otherwise provided for by the Board, the presence of a single Office Holder shall satisfy any requirement of attendance.
In the event a co-officer resigns, the remaining officer shall assume all relinquished rights, powers, duties, and responsibilities of the position. At the next meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board may vote to allow the remaining officers to continue their remaining terms.

POLICIES:

The acceptable tiebreakers for the Iowa Reading Association are:

Random selection of co-officer or other party to cast tie-breaking vote.
Written acquiescence of the majority’s decision.
Coin toss, Rock-Paper-Scissors or other game of luck which provides equal probability of victory.

²² Amended 06/20 | ²³ Amended 06/19

Section 1: General Duties

The officers shall perform the duties incumbent upon their office and as prescribed by these Bylaws, Policies, and the parliamentary authority. All officers shall be a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.

POLICIES:

Transfer meetings may be scheduled so incoming officers receive materials and discuss duties and responsibilities prior to the Leadership Conference.²⁴ The current President shall appoint a director(s) to discuss the structure and organization of the board of directors and the responsibilities for the various positions.²⁵
Transfer meetings may be scheduled so incoming regional directors can receive materials and discuss duties and responsibilities prior to the Leadership Conference.²⁶
Attendance at regional, international and leadership conferences:

Goal: The Iowa Reading Association may have annual representation at regional, international, and leadership conferences. ²⁷

Budget: The President, President-Elect, Vice President and State Coordinator may be encouraged to attend regional, international and leadership conferences.²⁸ The stipend, as allocated in the budget, to attend will be equally distributed among these parties. The other board members and Executive Director may also attend as permitted by the Board.²⁹

Representation: The Board of Directors shall determine the total amount available for attendance at regional, international, and leadership conferences. This shall be reflected in the annual budget.

Section 2: President

The President shall be the executive officer of the Association. He/she shall preside at all meetings of the Association, shall serve as chair of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, and shall exercise general leadership and supervision over the affairs of the Association in implementing its purpose. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

POLICIES:

Responsibilities related to the International Literacy Association:

Shall share with the Board of Directors communications from International Literacy Association headquarters.³⁰

Responsibilities related to Iowa Reading Association:

Shall act as official representative of the Iowa Reading Association.
Shall share with the Board of Directors communications from International Literacy to insure the implementation of its purposes.
Shall maintain active communication with councils throughout the state by stating objectives, needs, and plans for the state council.
Shall maintain close communication with the State Coordinator and send copies of major communications to the coordinator.
Shall maintain communication with the officers concerning all matters of the organization.
Shall maintain a positive relationship with other professional organizations and educational units within the state.
Shall turn all files over to the incoming president after the passing of the gavel at the State Conference.
Shall approve a voucher for payment to a local council following approval of their grant request.³¹
Shall develop special projects consistent with the aims of the organization for approval by the Board of Directors.³²
The President shall be responsible for monitoring the availability of computer-related technology. Computer-related technologies shall be provided for the Executive Director.³³

Responsibilities related to Committees:

Shall communicate with the chairpersons of the standing and ad hoc committees to ensure that the committee charges are being completed.
Shall appoint temporary or ad hoc committees as needs arise.
Shall request the Executive Director to procure, duplicate, and compile written reports for each Delegates Assembly from: Treasurer, State Coordinator, Director of Membership Development, standing and ad hoc committee chairpersons.³⁴
Shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee. 5. Shall thank committee chairpersons in a timely fashion.³⁵

Responsibilities related to meetings:

Shall chair meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.³⁶
Shall work with the State Coordinator to plan Leadership Workshop for state and local officers.
Shall preside at the annual meeting of the Delegates Assembly.
Shall give the agenda for a Board of Directors meeting to the Executive Director so that he/she can distribute it to board members two weeks prior to the Board of Directors meeting.³⁷
Shall invite newly elected officers to attend the Winter board meeting and all subsequent meetings.³⁸
Shall appoint two Directors to approve minutes at each Board of Directors meetings.³⁹

Section 3: President-Elect

The President-Elect shall serve as a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and chair of the Program Committee. They shall assume and perform the duties of the President in the event of the absence of the President. Should the office of President become vacant, the President-Elect shall become President immediately and shall serve the unexpired portion of the President’s term in addition to the year in which they were elected.

POLICIES:

Responsibilities related to committees:

Shall consult with the President and Vice President in appointing members of all standing and ad hoc committees and in appointing chairpersons of these committees.⁴⁰
Shall invite members to serve as committee chairpersons and as committee members. The standing committee chairs shall be approved at the first Board of Directors meeting.⁴¹
Shall serve as a member of the Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures Committee.⁴²

Responsibilities related to meetings:

Shall attend all Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings of the Iowa Reading Association.⁴³

Responsibilities related to appointments:

The auditor shall be recommended by the Budget Committee and confirmed by the incoming President.⁴⁴

Responsibilities related to Annual State Conference:

See Program Committee, Article XII, Section 10.

⁴⁰Amended 10/94 | ⁴¹Amended 08/87 | ⁴²Amended 09/87 | ⁴³Amended 08/87 | ⁴⁴Amended 10/94

Section 4: Vice President

The Vice President shall serve as a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, shall work closely with the President-Elect and shall assume and perform the duties of the President-Elect in absence of the President.

POLICIES:

Responsibilities related to Iowa Reading Association:

May be encouraged to attend the International Conference in year in which he/she took office.⁴⁵

Responsibilities related to Delegates Assembly:

Shall act as sergeant-at-arm at the Delegates Assembly.

Responsibilities related to Annual State Conference:

Obtain major speakers for the Annual State Conference to be held during the Vice President’s tenure as President-Elect.⁴⁶
Serve as Facilities Subcommittee Chair for the Annual State Conference.⁴⁷

Responsibilities related to Board of Directors:

Shall attend all Board of Directors, Executive Committee meetings and the Delegates Assembly.⁴⁸

⁴⁵Amended 10/10, 06/18 | ⁴⁶Amended 10/15 | ⁴⁷Amended 10/96 | ⁴⁸Amended 06/18, 6/25

Section 5: Secretary

The Secretary shall record the minutes at all meetings of the Delegates Assembly, of the Board of Directors, and of the Executive Committee.

POLICIES:

Responsibilities related to Board of Directors and Delegates Assembly:

Shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Delegates Assembly.
Shall maintain a record of attendance at all Board of Directors meetings.
Shall act as presiding officer over the Board of Directors in the event that the President, President-Elect, and Vice President are incapacitated, absent or resign.
Shall be available for reference at all meetings, a copy of the Iowa Reading Association Bylaws and the Policies and Procedures Handbook.

Responsibilities related to minutes:

Shall accurately record all minutes of the Board of Directors meetings and Delegates Assembly. A printed permanent record of such minutes shall be maintained for future reference. These minutes will also be posted on the Iowa Reading website.⁴⁹
The minutes should include:
the kind of meeting, “regular” or “special”
name of the assembly
date and place of the meeting
mention of the presence of the regular Chairperson and Secretary, or, in their absence, the name of their substitutes
disposition of the minutes of the previous meeting
a record of what is done by the assembly
motions, including points of order and appeals, whether sustained or lost; other motions that were not lost or withdrawn; the name of the member who introduced the main motion but not the name of the seconder.
vote counting: when a count has been ordered or when the vote is by ballot, the number of votes on each side shall be made available on request from the executive director up to the next election. the hours of meeting and adjournment.⁵⁰

Responsibilities related to the newsletter editor: (Published at least 3 times a year- Fall, Spring, and Summer)⁵¹

Decide articles to be published in the newsletter and assign members to write those articles.
Proofread articles and include graphics, if necessary.
Send all materials to the webmaster in a timely fashion.
Choose new columns, if deemed necessary.
Routinely survey members as to the newsletter’s effectiveness.
Present at the annual Leadership Workshop.⁵²

⁴⁹ Amended 06/16 | ⁵⁰ Amended 03/08, 06/16 | ⁵¹Amended 06/25 | ⁵²Amended 06/16

Section 6: Treasurer

The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds of the Association which shall be deposited in the name of the Iowa Reading Association of the International Literacy Association. They shall submit a written financial report for each meeting of the Board of Directors. They shall serve as treasurer for all conferences and meetings involving finance, and shall receive all other monies due the Association. He/she shall sign checks for the disbursement of funds only upon proper receipt and shall provide a bond for an amount fixed by the Board of Directors and paid for by the Association. The bond is to be filed with the President. He/she shall submit all books for an annual audit. If a resignation occurs, the Treasurer shall turn over to the successor all funds, accounts, and books of the Iowa Reading Association within 30 days.⁵³

POLICIES:

Responsibilities related to Board of Directors and Delegate Assembly:

Shall attend budget hearings at Annual State Conference.⁵⁴
Shall attend all Board of Directors, Executive Committee meetings and the Delegates Assembly.⁵⁵
Shall present in writing the amounts of income, expenditure, and the total current income, expenditures and balance at each meeting of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Delegates Assembly. This shall include a check register.^{56, 57}

Responsibility for budget and record keeping:

Receive all books and necessary information from the previous Treasurer in preparation for the new fiscal year.⁵⁸
Shall be the person authorized to open a checking account and to sign checks. The president⁵⁹ shall sign checks if the Treasurer is incapacitated.
Notify the President of the bank account number for the records of the Association.
Establish records to reflect categories of income and expenditure that are identical with the categories on the approved annual budget. In addition, these records shall be maintained to reflect each item of income or expenditure within the budget categories.
Pay only those bills which are budget line items.
Record and properly identify any income from conferences under “conference income” and record and properly identify any subsequently paid expenses of the conference under the category, “conference expenses.”
Encourage the submission of all bills for payment in July so that the books can be closed and the bank statement finalized by August 31.
Have keys and a signature card for the Iowa Reading Association safety deposit box in addition to the Executive Director.⁶⁰

Procedures for payment of expenditures:

A voucher shall be submitted to the Treasurer/budget chair for all expenditures paid by the Iowa Reading Association.⁶¹
1. Individuals not on a committee submit vouchers to the Budget Committee Chair or the Chair’s designee, to review and forward to the Treasurer for payment.⁶²
2. Conference vouchers will be signed by the conference Chair and sent to the Treasurer for payment.⁶³
3. Following approval of a grant by the Board of Directors, the President shall issue a voucher for payment to a local council.⁶⁴
All vouchers must be filled out in detail specifying the exact product or service for which payment is to be made; accompanying receipts must be enclosed whenever possible (e.g. mileage to board meeting, Cedar Falls to Des Moines, 210 mi. x 30 cents/mile = $63.00).⁶⁵
Only one account may be requested on a voucher. If an individual has items from two different accounts, separate vouchers must be submitted.
Only persons responsible for an account may authorize reimbursement from that account (e.g. budget chair may not spend from membership account.). If expenses belong to an account from which the person is not authorized to spend, the voucher must be countersigned at the bottom by the person who is responsible and by the budget Committee Chair.⁶⁶
Persons authorized by the Treasurer to expend funds from an account shall keep a file of vouchers regarding that account.⁶⁷
Treasurer/ budget chair approves, dates, and initials and submits them for payment.⁶⁸
When expenditures for any line item account exceed the amount approved in the budget, the individual responsible for the account must report the request, prior to the expenditure, at a Board of Directors meeting and receive approval by majority vote of the Board members present. The President shall notify the individual requesting the funds of the Board of Directors action.⁶⁹
The Iowa Reading Association may pay expenses for the following persons to attend the Annual Conference of the International Literacy Association: Past President, President-Elect, Vice President, State Coordinator, and Director of Membership Development.⁷⁰
The Iowa Reading Association may pay expenses for the following persons to attend the International Literacy Association’s Leadership Conference, Regional Conference or Annual Convention: Secretary and Treasurer. The Board of Directors will determine the amount of compensation per individual to be paid by the organization.⁷¹

Section 7: Director of Membership Development

The Director of Membership Development shall serve as Chair of the Iowa Reading Association’s Membership Committee, establish a strategy to meet Iowa Reading Association’s membership goals, and develop a promotional plan and train local council Membership Directors, focusing on organization of campaigns and methods of presenting membership information as well as processing membership forms.

POLICIES:

QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered for candidacy for Director of Membership Development, an individual must:

1. be a member of a local council, and Iowa Reading Association.⁷²
have demonstrated leadership capabilities.
have the ability to work cooperatively with others to carry out the responsibilities of the office.

TERM OF OFFICE

The Director of Membership Development shall serve a maximum of two three-year consecutive terms. The extension for any additional term shall be at the discretion of the Iowa Reading Association Board of Directors.

MODE OF APPOINTMENT

Each local council President and Board of Director shall be notified of the impending vacancy of the Director of Membership Development’s position by the Iowa Reading Association President. This notice shall be accompanied by the pages from the Bylaws and Policies Handbook, which describe the procedure for selection, the responsibilities, and an application form.
Each application may be accompanied by no more than two letters of recommendation completed by individuals who are familiar with the qualifications of the applicant. If currently employed, one of these three should come from the applicant’s supervisor who has the power to give permission for the applicant to attend conferences and workshops.
Appointment shall be approved by a vote of the Board of Directors of the Iowa Reading Association.⁷³

RESPONSIBILITIES

Serve as Chair of the Iowa Reading Association’s Membership Committee.
Establish a strategy to meet Iowa Reading Association’s membership goals.
Develop a promotional plan and train local council Membership Directors, focusing on organization of campaigns and methods of presenting membership information as well as processing membership forms.
Update image public relations materials.⁷⁴
Organize and direct the operation of the membership booth (assisted by the State Coordinator) and other promotional activities during the Annual State Conference.
Develop a communication plan that networks with the local council Membership Directors, Regional Directors. First communication should be prior to August 15 and then routinely⁷⁵ through May.
Submit news and promotional items for inclusion in the Iowa Reading Association newsletter on a regular basis.
Attend Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings.
Provide a summary of activities at each Board of Directors and Executive Committee meeting.
Work with the Executive Director and Board of Directors:
1. to order membership forms;
2. to develop a procedure for disseminating membership promotional packets;
3. to build a yearly profile of membership for the Board of Directors; and
4. to share local councils membership.
Submit an annual budget request for the Membership Committee to the Budget Committee.
Develop and implement a program to follow-up on those failing to renew membership.
Assist in promoting membership at all three levels - local, state, and international.⁷⁶
Train the new Director of Membership Development upon expiration of term and transfer all records and information to that individual prior to the first meeting of the new director.
Preparing for Delegate Assembly the Membership Director will receive names of leadership attendees from the State Coordinator, record a current list of International Literacy Association members from International, check that all attendees are current ILA members, make ballot cards which include name of council, name of person, and expiration date, and finally see that there are no more than four votes per council.⁷⁷

Section 8: Executive Director

The Executive Director shall provide administrative support for the Association through leadership, management, financial and clerical responsibilities as designated by the President and the Board of Directors.⁷⁸

POLICIES:

The Executive Director will possess the following qualifications:

Must be bondable.
Must have computer ability in the areas of word processing, data processing, and spreadsheet usage.
Will provide a location for the “office” which establishes a permanent address and phone for the Association.
Will have public relations skills.⁷⁹

Leadership

Provide information, training, and/or other support as needed to state officers as they assume their leadership roles.⁸⁰
Serve as a resource to Regional and state officers as they work with their successors.⁸¹
Serve as an official spokesperson for the Association at the direction of the President.⁸²
Attend meetings/functions as a representative of the Association at the direction of the President.⁸³

Management

Serve as the Registered Agent for the Association, a position the Association must have with the State of Iowa as an incorporated group.⁸⁴
Provide continuity for the Association through knowledge of the Association’s Bylaws, Policies and Procedures, and other records.⁸⁵
Serve as an information clearinghouse.⁸⁶
Maintain continuous records for the Association.
Send membership renewal notices. Receive dues and membership forms from local councils keeping the Director of Membership Development informed of all transactions.⁸⁷
Work with the Bylaws, Policies and Procedures Chair to update the Policies and Procedures Handbook.
Locate facilities for Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings as well as arrange for meal functions and/or refreshments.
Assist in the distribution and receipt of election ballots as set forth in Article VIII.
Send an updated copy of Bylaw changes annually to the International Literacy Association.⁸⁸
Ensure that each incoming Board Member receives notification at the meeting following the Annual State Conference of current Bylaws, Policies and Procedures posted on the www.iowareading.org website plus dates of Board and Association activities.⁸⁹
Maintain an accurate list of computer-related technologies owned by the Association and where they are housed.
Turn over files and correspondence to the successor.

Financial

Handle Annual State Conference registration. Process refunds only if requested 10 days or more prior to the opening of the Conference. Refunds dated after that deadline will not be honored.⁹⁰
Keep and submit cash receipts.⁹¹
Rent a safe deposit box for the Iowa Reading Association in his/her home community and have keys and a signature card for the box in addition to the Treasurer.⁹²
Procure surety bond for Executive Director and Treasurer with a reputable bonding company.⁹³
Provide information as requested annually by the auditors.⁹⁴
Inform the board of pertinent information regarding the CDs prior to maturity dates for possible board action.⁹⁵

Clerical

Maintain and update the Association membership file.
Handle correspondence designated by the President and/or the Board of Directors.
Procure, duplicate and compile written reports from: Treasurer, Liaisons, and Committee Chairpersons for each Board of Directors meeting.
Send agenda and written reports to the Board of Directors two weeks prior to the meeting.
Duplicate and prepare packets of all materials needed for the Delegates Assembly.
Distribute copies of the minutes from Delegates Assembly and the Board of Directors meetings to members of the Board, presidents of local councils, and committee chairpersons.
Provide copies of the minutes to the Publications Chairperson so that they will be included in the newspaper and thereby disseminated to the membership.
Provide a current copy of the Bylaws, Policies and Procedures Handbook to all members of the Board of Directors at the Fall board meeting.96
Communicate with local council membership directors to share information regarding dues and mailing of membership renewals.97
Prepare and distribute information about Delegates Assembly 30 days prior to the event and secure delegates from each local council
Prepare and distribute to all local councils copies of current proposed bylaws amendments 30 days prior to the Delegates Assembly.

Section 1: State Coordinator

The State Coordinator shall maintain a liaison between the International Literacy Association and the Iowa Reading Association and shall perform such duties as are developed and stated by the International Literacy Association. This position is appointed for a term of three years by ILA upon recommendation of the Iowa Reading Association.⁹⁸

POLICIES:

Responsibilities related to Iowa Reading Association:

The State Coordinator may be eligible to attend annually and receive a stipend for International Conference and/or Regional Conference expenses.⁹⁹
The State Coordinator may be expected to attend the International Literacy Association’s Leadership Conference when one is offered.

⁹⁸ Amended 06/18 | ⁹⁹ Amended 11/08, 06/23

QUALIFICATIONS FOR STATE COORDINATOR:

To be considered for candidacy for State Coordinator, an individual must:

be a member of a local council, Iowa Reading Association, and International Literacy Association
be willing and able to carry out the duties of the position
have demonstrated leadership within the Iowa Reading Association.

TERM OF OFFICE:

The International Literacy Association Board of Directors affirms its position that state/provincial coordinators shall serve a maximum of two three-year consecutive terms. The extension for any additional term shall be at the discretion of the Iowa Reading Association Board of Directors. The State Coordinator shall begin serving as of April 1st as unofficial assistant coordinator. The official role will begin July 1st of the appointed year. The State Coordinator shall serve for not more that two.¹⁰⁰

three-year terms of office unless the term is extended at the discretion of the Iowa Reading Association Board of Directors.¹⁰¹

¹⁰⁰ Amended 06/06 | ¹⁰¹ Amended 06/18

MODE OF APPOINTMENT:

Each local council President and Board of Director shall be notified of the impending vacancy of the State Coordinator’s position by the Iowa Reading Association President. This notice shall be accompanied by the pages from the Bylaws and Policies Handbook, which describe the procedure for selection, the responsibilities, and an application form.
Each application must be accompanied by no more than three letters of recommendation completed by individuals who are familiar with the qualifications of the applicant. If currently employed, one of these three should come from the applicant’s supervisor who has the power to give permission for the applicant to attend conferences and workshops.
The President shall appoint a special screening committee, which shall consist of at least three persons, one of who shall be a past State Coordinator or President. The responsibility of this committee shall be:
to screen the candidates according to the qualifications as outlined in the bylaws and policies of the Association;
to prepare a ballot listing the names of those applicants who meet the recommended criteria as outlined in the Bylaws and policies of the Association;
to count the votes which should equal those members of the Board of Directors who are eligible to votes, as specified in the Association’s Bylaws; and
to report the results of the election to the Board of Directors and International Literacy Association, who will make the appointment.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Maintain accurate records of chartered councils within the state (names of councils, their boundaries, and all officers’ names and addresses).
Report to International names and addresses of all local and state officers by June 30 by completing the online officer report on the www.literacyworldwide.org website.
Support the State Association, local councils and Special Interest Councils in performing their duties.
1. Arrange an annual Leadership Workshop for all local and state officers and committee chairpersons.
2. Distribute yearly organizational materials from International Literacy Association headquarters at the Leadership workshop.¹⁰²
3. Prepare and distribute at Leadership Workshop an annual state directory including names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of state officers, state committee chairs, and local council officers.
4. Encourage local council leaders to use the media to interest the public in Iowa Reading Association, International Literacy Association, and literacy.
5. Establish a working relationship with the Professional Development Associate.
6. Assist the Director of Membership Development in the operation of the membership booth during the Annual State Conference.
7. Work with the Treasurer to obtain annual financial reports from all local councils.
Promote the organization of additional councils.¹⁰³
1. Identify key people interested in reading in areas of the state where there is no council. Encourage them to start a new local council or a special interest council.
2. Assist new councils with programs, budgets, election procedures, formulation of bylaws, and organization procedures.
3. Remind new councils to work with the Treasurer to report their local council finances and ensure fiduciary responsibility.¹⁰⁴
Communicate with all councils in the state on a regular basis by visiting council meetings, written correspondence, telephoning, or e-mailing.
Work to advertise Iowa Reading Association, International Literacy Association, and literacy.
Serve as a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
Provide a summary of activities at each Board of Directors and Executive Committee meeting.
Train the new State Coordinator upon expiration of term and turn over all records and information to that individual.
Submit news and promotional items for inclusion in the Iowa Reading Association newsletter on a regular basis.
May attend the annual International Literacy Association’s workshop for state association leaders if such an event is offered.

¹⁰²Amended 10/10 | ¹⁰³Amended 06/18 | ¹⁰⁴ Amended 06/18

Section 2: In-state expenses for Officers, State Coordinator, Directors and Director of Membership Development

MILEAGE:

Reimbursements must be approved by the board. If approved the following rates will apply. Officers, State Coordinator, Directors and Director of Membership¹⁰⁵ Development shall be reimbursed thirty cents ($0.30) per mile when they travel to local¹⁰⁶ councils, Board of Directors meetings, committee meetings, and/or Leadership Workshop. In addition, when one of these individuals serves as the official representative of the Iowa Reading Association at any professional educational meeting, mileage will also be paid.¹⁰⁷

¹⁰⁵Amended 06/20 | ¹⁰⁶ Amended 10/06, 10/11 | ¹⁰⁷Amended 10/93

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:

Reimbursements must be approved by the board. If approved the following rates will apply. Designated hotel accommodations (double-occupancy rates) will be paid for¹⁰⁸ official participants from the appropriate line item providing that appropriate vouchers have been submitted.¹⁰⁹

MEALS:

Reimbursements must be approved by the board. If approved the following rates will apply.¹¹⁰

Designated meal expenses for official participants shall be paid at the following rates: Breakfast, $7; Lunch, $10; and dinner, $15.¹¹¹
Reimbursement will be made from the appropriate line item providing that appropriate vouchers have been submitted.¹¹²
Out-of-state expenses for Association business shall be paid at the rate of $32 per day.¹¹³

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 1: Composition

The Delegates Assembly shall consist of the Board of Directors and four (4) Delegates from each local council within the state. Delegates are to hold Local and State memberships. Delegates shall be selected by each local council.¹¹⁴

POLICIES:

If for some reason a certified Delegate cannot attend, an alternate may be appointed. This alternate needs to meet the same membership qualifications as a Delegate and must be a member of the same council. A written statement from the Delegate or a member of the Local Executive Board verifying this change must be presented to the state Executive Director.¹¹⁵

¹¹⁴ Amended 04/98, 06/25 | ¹¹⁵ Amended 10/97, 06/25

Section 2: Function

The Delegates Assembly shall be the legislative body of the Iowa Reading Association and shall have full power and authority over the affairs of the Association within the limits set by these Bylaws. It shall have authority to accept or reject any decisions made by the Board of Directors. Items proposed by a Delegate under new business shall require a majority vote for consideration.

POLICIES:

All substantive motions must be handed in writing to the Secretary before a vote is taken.¹¹⁶

¹¹⁶ Amended 09/87

Section 3: Notification

The Executive Director shall notify all delegates at least one (1) month in advance of the Delegates Assembly as to date, time, and place.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 4: Meetings

The Delegates Assembly shall meet concurrently with the annual Leadership Workshop.¹¹⁷

POLICIES:

None codified

¹¹⁷Amended 04/98

Section 5: Quorum

The quorum shall consist of a majority of the delegates in attendance.¹¹⁸

POLICIES:

None codified

¹¹⁸ Amended 06/00

The Vice President and Secretary shall be elected by ballot. The Nominating¹¹⁹ Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees. No person shall be on the ballot who has not previously given consent to serve. The ballot will include provisions for write-in candidates. These ballots shall be sent to the membership of the Association by April 1st.

The due date for ballots to be received must be stated on the ballots. Any ballot¹²⁰ received following the due date shall be considered null and void.¹²¹

POLICIES:

See Article XII, Section 8.

¹¹⁹ Amended 06/07 | ¹²⁰Amended J06/16 | ¹²¹ Amended 10/07, 10/15

Local reading councils shall be organized into five regions. The Board of Directors shall establish the regions and shall review their composition every triennium following the initial establishment. Each region shall elect one director. In the event that a regional boundary is adjusted so that an elected director is subsequently residing outside the region, that director shall continue to serve the region for the remainder of their term of office.¹²²

POLICIES:

None codified

¹²² Amended 06/18

Section 1: Composition

The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and five Regional Directors (one from each region).¹²³ The State Coordinator, the Past President, the Director of Membership Development, and the Executive Director shall attend without vote.

¹²³ Amended 06/04, 06/18

POLICIES:

The Regional Directors are the link between the Board of Directors and the local councils. They shall:
1. Attend all Board of Directors meetings and actively participate in the Annual Conference and Leadership Workshop.¹²⁴
2. Make every effort to attend one meeting of each local council in your Zone per year. Reimbursements for mileage, meal, and incidental expenses will be reimbursed as the budget allows. Reimbursements must be approved by the board. If approved the following rates will ¹²⁵ apply. Regional Directors may receive reimbursement for mileage, meal, and incidental expenses incurred to attend meetings.¹²⁶
3. Update local council Officers of actions taken at Board of Directors Meetings within two weeks through written communication to review important from Board Meeting; remind Councils of important deadlines; share accomplishments of other Councils within Region; and encourage the membership to present and/or participate in the Annual Conference.¹²⁷
4. Prior to the Fall Board of Directors Meeting, interact with local councils through personal contact, by telecommunication, or by hosting a Fall breakfast to: share job description; share program ideas; plan any Regional activities; review timelines for awards, scholarships, creative writing contest, poetry contest, etc.; encourage participation in Honor and Merit Council Awards; and share the means of communication between Regional Director and local council Officers.¹²⁸
Qualifications: To be considered for candidacy for Regional Director,¹²⁹ an individual must:
1. be a member of the Iowa Reading Association
2. be a member of the International Literacy Association
3. and have served the Iowa Reading Association as:
  1. a state committee chairperson and/or
  2. an officer of a local council and/or
  3. have given outstanding service to the Iowa Reading Association¹³⁰

The current President shall appoint a Director(s) to facilitate transfer meetings. Transfer meetings may be scheduled so incoming officers can receive materials and discuss duties and responsibilities prior to the Leadership Workshop.¹³¹
Duties of the Past President shall be assigned by the President and/or the Board of Directors.¹³²

Section 2: Function

The Board of Directors shall exercise general supervision over the property and affairs of the Association. It shall review the minutes of the Executive Committee; shall develop policies for presentation to the Delegates assembly; shall take action recommended in committee reports; shall have the general power to administer the affairs of the Association between meetings of the Delegates assembly; and shall take such actions as are necessary and proper to facilitate the purposes of the Association, within the powers delegated by these Bylaws. It shall make provisions for an annual audit of the financial records of the Association. It shall approve standing committees and their chairpersons at its first meeting. At a Budget meeting in August the Board shall review the proposed annual budget for¹³³ the coming year as prepared by the Executive Committee. Modifications may be suggested to the Executive Committee. The Board shall adopt and amend a budget at its August Budget meeting and shall make a report to the Delegates Assembly. The Board may amend the budget at any time by a majority vote.

POLICIES:

All state projects shall be approved by the Board of Directors. Each project shall be reviewed and evaluated at the spring Board meeting.
The audit shall be approved by the Board of Directors at the first meeting following the receipt of the audit report.

¹³³ Amended 06/20

Section 3: Nomination and Election

In those regions where a new Regional Director is to be elected, the Nominating Committee shall secure a nominee from each region. The Executive Director shall prepare an electronic ballot of candidates by regions. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes will be declared the winner.¹³⁴

POLICIES:

To be considered for candidacy for the Regional Director an individual will:
be a member of the Iowa Reading Association;
be a member of the International Literacy Association; and
have given service to the Local/State/International reading associations.¹³⁵
If a tie exists following a revote, the Board member will be selected by a flip of a coin at the next Board of Directors meeting¹³⁶
Regional Directors may serve two consecutive terms.¹³⁷
Timeline for election of regional directors:
1. Local councils that will be replacing their regional director should brainstorm at Leadership Workshop about who might be nominated.
2. Current regional directors will find their own replacements based on recommendations from their respective councils. They will mentor them and advise them as they begin as Regional Director.¹³⁸
3. An election can be held if there is more than one candidate vying for a Regional Director position. The electronic ballot will be prepared and disseminated by the Executive Director to those councils involved by February 1.¹³⁹
4. Ballots will be returned to the Executive Director by March 1.¹⁴⁰
5. The chair of the Nominating Committee will notify candidates of the results of the election by March 1.¹⁴¹

Section 4: Notification

The Executive Director shall notify all Regional Directors of the date, time and place of the Board meeting at least one (1) month in advance.

POLICIES:

The Executive Director and the President shall set Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings for the year and announce the dates at the Board of Directors meeting prior to Leadership Workshop.¹⁴²

¹⁴² Amended 04/09

Section 5: Meetings

Meetings shall be held five (5) times annually. The first meeting of the new Board of Directors shall be held within 24 hours following the close of the Annual Conference. The second meeting shall be held in the Fall; the third meeting in the Winter; the fourth meeting in the spring; and the fifth meeting shall be held prior to the annual conference. The President may call special meetings as deemed necessary.

POLICIES:

The Board of Directors may be called for a special session when any member of the Executive Committee, including non-voting members feels that the Board should take action on behalf of the Association that needs to be enacted before the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.¹⁴³
A committee of two board members shall be appointed to approve the minutes of the Board of Directors meetings; the committee is to be appointed on a rotating basis by the President at each meeting.¹⁴⁴
The State Coordinator and Director of Membership Development may make motions and actively participate in discussion of motions.¹⁴⁵
The Executive Director may be a part of any discussion.¹⁴⁶
Committee chairs when invited may present committee reports with a motion and may answer questions directly related to this motion. This committee person will not be a part of other board discussion unless called upon by the Board.¹⁴⁷
Liaisons of appropriate professional groups may be invited to attend Board meetings by the president and/or the Board of Directors.¹⁴⁸
Other invited guests may be a part of discussion directly related to the topic of their invitation.¹⁴⁹
Members of the Iowa Reading Association may request to be on the agenda by notifying the President.¹⁵⁰
No discussion of an agenda item will take place unless there is a written report or a motion that has been moved and seconded.¹⁵¹
Travel and Expense:
1. Reimbursements for mileage, meals and hotel accommodations will be reimbursed as budget allows. Reimbursements must be approved by the board. If approved the following rates will apply.¹⁵²
2. Mileage: Travel expenses for all Board meetings shall be paid.¹⁵³ This shall be limited to thirty cents ($0.30) per mile.¹⁵⁴ Mileage is not paid to board meetings at the State Conference. In lieu of that, the cost of 1/2 the double room rate per night for up to two nights will be paid. Each Director should submit a voucher for reimbursement.¹⁵⁵
3. Hotel Accommodations: Designated hotel accommodations (double-occupancy rates) will be paid for official participants from the appropriate line item providing that appropriate vouchers have been submitted.¹⁵⁶
4. Meals: Designate meal expenses for official participants shall be paid at the following rates:Breakfast, $7.00; Lunch, $10.00; and Dinner, $15.00. Reimbursement will be made from the appropriate line item providing that appropriate vouchers have been submitted.¹⁵⁷

Section 6: Quorum

Seven voting members of the Board shall constitute quorum.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 7: Term of Office

The five elected Regional Directors of the Board shall serve for three years. Regional Directors from two regions shall be elected each year. In alternating years there will be an election of directors. The elected officers shall serve the period of time of¹⁵⁸ their office.

POLICIES:

Regional Directors may serve two consecutive terms.¹⁵⁹
When completing a term for an Officer/Board Member vacating an office: if completing two (2) years or more, it will be considered a full term. If completing less than two (2) years, it will not constitute a term.¹⁶⁰

¹⁵⁸ Amended 06/04, 06/18 | ¹⁵⁹Amended 10/92 | ¹⁶⁰Amended 06/97

Section 8: Vacancies

A vacancy in a directorship not provided for in these Bylaws may be filled by the Board of Directors.

POLICIES:

After the Board of Directors declares a Regional Director seat vacant, the Nominating Chair shall contact the local council Presidents of that Region for nominations (shall attempt to find two nominations).¹⁶¹ The Nominating Chair will conduct the election as follows: A ballot of candidates shall be prepared. Each council member in the region shall be sent an electronic ballot. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes will be declared the winner. In case of a tie vote, the tie candidates will be re-voted. The results will be reported at the next Board of Directors meeting. The new Director shall be seated at that meeting.¹⁶²This Director shall fill the length of the unexpired term.¹⁶³

¹⁶¹Amended 06/05 | ¹⁶²Amended 09/87 | ¹⁶³Amended 02/96

Section 1: Composition

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, who shall serve as chairperson, the President-Elect, the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. The State Coordinator, the Director of Membership Development, and Executive Director shall be non-voting members.

POLICIES:

The Past-President may be invited by the President to attend Executive meetings. The Past-President may participate in discussion, but does not have voting rights.¹⁶⁴

¹⁶⁴Amended 06/20

Section 2: Function

The Executive Committee shall be authorized to transact business for the Board of Directors between meetings of the Board. All transactions shall be approved by the Board at its next meeting. The Executive Committee shall oversee the administrative procedures of the organization. It shall also prepare the agenda for the Board meetings and Delegates Assembly, review all committee reports and make recommendations for Board action, and perform other responsibilities as directed by the chairperson.

POLICIES:

No member of the Executive Committee, acting as an individual, may communicate with the International Literacy Association using official Iowa Reading Association stationery or his/her official title.¹⁶⁵

¹⁶⁵Amended 01/93

Section 3: Meetings

The Executive Committee shall meet at least one month before each Board of Directors meeting. In addition, the President may call special meetings. Notice should be given by telephone, mail, e-mail or in person at least seven days prior in the meeting.¹⁶⁶

POLICIES:

Minutes of the Executive Committee meetings shall include a listing of participants.¹⁶⁷
Travel and Expenses:
1. Reimbursements for mileage, meals and hotel accommodations will be reimbursed as budget allows. Reimbursements must be approved by the board. If approved the following rates will apply.¹⁶⁸
2. Mileage reimbursement shall be limited to 30 cents per mile.¹⁶⁹
3. Meals: Designated meal expenses for official participants shall be paid at the following rates: Breakfast, $7.00; Lunch, $10.00; and Dinner, $15.00. Reimbursement will be made from the appropriate line item providing that vouchers have been submitted.¹⁷⁰

¹⁶⁶ Amended 06/03 | ¹⁶⁷ Amended 01/93 | ¹⁶⁸ Amended 06/20 | ¹⁶⁹ Amended 10/93, 06/07, 10/11 | ¹⁷⁰ Amended 10/97

Section 4: Quorum

A quorum shall consist of three voting members.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 1: Titles

The committees shall consist of the Standing Committees as specified in Sections 2 through 11 of this Article, and of Ad Hoc Committees in accordance with Section 13 of this Article.171

POLICIES:

Reimbursements must be approved by the board. If approved the following rates will apply.¹⁷²
Committee chairs who are official participants will be reimbursed for mileage, hotel accommodations (double-occupancy rates), and meal expenses at the same rate as the Board of Directors provided that appropriate vouchers have been submitted.¹⁷³
Committee chairs are encouraged to be members of the International Literacy Association and the Iowa Reading Association.
All committee members shall be members of the Iowa Reading Association.¹⁷⁴
It would be desirable if the new chairperson of a standing committee would be taken from the ranks of the committee membership. In order to secure continuity in committee work, the appointment of the chairperson of a Standing Committee should be such that he/she functions for at least a two-year period. However, chairpersons shall be appointed each year. The rotation of committee chairpersons shall be the general policy at the end of a two-year term except in cases where a special ongoing project requires an extension to three years.
All committees shall begin functioning when Board of Directors approval is given at the first Board of Directors meeting. Funds budgeted for committees are not to be used for expenses to attend the Leadership Workshop.
Unless specific exceptions are approved by the Board, committee members will be appointed for one year only by the incoming President but following incoming Presidents will have the freedom to appoint for additional one-year periods.
Unless specific exceptions are approved by the Board, each member will be notified when he/she is appointed that his/her appointment will be for one year and that reappointment may be made up to the maximum necessary for continuity in completing a task or desirable for new points of view and competencies.
In order to secure continuity in committee work, the membership of a committee should have a carry over of at least one (1) member. The membership of ongoing committees shall be staggered so that new members participate with those who have previously served.

¹⁷¹ Amended 06/19 | ¹⁷² Amended 06/20 | ¹⁷³ Amended 10/13 | ¹⁷⁴ Amended 10/91

Section 2: Duties of the Awards Committee

The Awards Committee shall establish eligibility criteria and deadlines for awards given by the Iowa Reading Association. Nomination forms and procedures shall be prepared and disseminated by this committee. This committee shall select the recipients and bestow the awards. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

The committee shall:

Present the following awards:
Celebrate Literacy
Iowa Reading Teacher of the Year
Administrator of the Year
Iowa Reading Association Service Award.
Review and update the previous year’s criteria and nomination forms prior to Leadership Workshop.
Prepare packets for and present information at Leadership Workshop.
Receive applications by February 14.¹⁷⁵
Select award recipients by March 1.¹⁷⁶
By March 15, notify both the local council that submitted a winning nomination and the winner so each can be present during the annual conference.¹⁷⁷
Purchase awards to be presented.
Submit an article to recognize recipients of each award to the editor of the Iowa Reading newsletter following the annual conference.
Maintain an ongoing list of recipients of each award.

¹⁷⁵Amended 05/14 | ¹⁷⁶Amended 05/14 | ¹⁷⁷Amended 05/14

Section 3: Duties of the Budget Committee

The Budget committee shall be responsible for developing the proposed annual budget. It will review quarterly reports submitted by the Treasurer to assess the Association’s financial status.¹⁷⁸ All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

The Association’s fiscal year will be September 1 - August 31.¹⁷⁹
The committee will be composed of Board members.¹⁸⁰
The committee will present an initial budget at the final Board meeting; a preliminary budget at the Budget Hearing meeting during Annual Conference; and a final budget at the first Board meeting of the year. The budget shall be based on actual conference revenues and membership dues.
All vouchers, with the exception of the Executive Director and the Conference Chair, will be sent to the Budget Committee chairperson for approval before being paid by the Treasurer.

¹⁷⁸Amended 06/25 | ¹⁷⁹ Amended 06/18 | ¹⁸⁰ Amended 10/10

Section 4: Duties of the Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures Committee

The Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures Committee, chaired by the Past President¹⁸¹ shall review the Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures of the Association to determine if they are meeting current as well as foreseeable needs. Such changes as are alleged necessary shall be drafted by this committee, and the committee shall make appropriate recommendations. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

Review the Bylaws, study the policies and recommend changes, if needed.
Past President will send a current copy to the webmaster upon approval by the Board of Directors.¹⁸²
The committee chairperson (the Past President) shall notify the President who shall notify committee chairs and others affected by approved policy changes.¹⁸³
Maintain the Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures Handbook by writing changes or additions (including renumbering) and dates revised to either document as needed.¹⁸⁴
Committee chair sends revised bylaw changes to International Literacy Association.¹⁸⁵
Committee chair sends proposed Bylaws changes to the Executive Director¹⁸⁶ in time to be sent out with the Call to Delegates Assembly.¹⁸⁷

Section 5: Duties of the Creative Writing Committee

DUTIES OF THE SHORT STORY COMMITTEE

The Short Story Committee shall establish procedures for promoting creative writing and reading for the Iowa Reading Association. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

Prior to Leadership Workshop, establish procedures for the Iowa Reading Association contest in Short Story writing.¹⁸⁸
Prepare packets for and present information at Leadership Workshop.
The President-Elect (Conference Chair) will notify the Short Story Chair of the date and time the winning student writers will be recognized during the Summer conference.¹⁸⁹
Notify state winners, their teachers, parents/guardians, local committee chair, and local council presidents in a timely manner.¹⁹⁰
Provide recognition for first, second, and third place winners with a certificate and also provide the first place winners with a small gift.¹⁹¹

¹⁸⁸ Amended 06/18 | ¹⁸⁹ Amended 05/14 | ¹⁹⁰ Amended 05/14, 06/18 | ¹⁹¹ Amended 05/14

DUTIES OF THE POETRY CONTEST COMMITTEE

The Poetry Contest Committee shall establish procedures for promoting poetry writing and reading for the Iowa Reading Association. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.¹⁹²

POLICIES:

Prior to Leadership Workshop, establish procedures for the Iowa Reading Association contest in poetry writing.
Prepare packets for and present information at Leadership Workshop.
The President-Elect (Conference Chair) will notify the Poetry Chair of the date and time the winning student writers will be recognized during the Summer conference.¹⁹³
Notify state winners, their teachers, parents/guardians, local committee chair, and local council presidents in a timely manner.¹⁹⁴
Provide recognition for first, second, and third place winners with a certificate and also provide the first place winners with a small gift.¹⁹⁵

¹⁹² Amended 09/02 | ¹⁹³ Amended 06/18 | ¹⁹⁴ Amended 05/14, 06/18 | ¹⁹⁵ Amended 05/14

Section 6: Duties of the Iowa Merit Council Committee

The Iowa Merit Committee shall oversee procedures for recognizing local council leadership and service within the state. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

Prior to Leadership Workshop, review procedures and guidelines for obtaining Merit Council status.
Prepare packets for and present information at Leadership Workshop.
At Leadership Workshop, work with the President-Elect to plan council recognition display and recognition of recipients at Awards Banquet at Annual Conference.
Receive completed documentation of local council materials by May 1.¹⁹⁶
Committee will meet to evaluate materials by May 1.¹⁹⁷
Committee chairperson will notify winning councils prior to the annual conference.
Maintain an ongoing list of yearly winners.
Submit an article to recognize winners to the Iowa Reading newsletter editor.
Provide a recognition certificate for local councils meeting all requirements of the Merit Award.¹⁹⁸
Provide a press release to local councils attaining Iowa Merit Council status for submission to their local newspapers.¹⁹⁹

¹⁹⁶ Amended 05/14, 06/18 | ¹⁹⁷ Amended 05/14 | ¹⁹⁸ Amended 06/95 | ¹⁹⁹ Amended 06/95

Section 7: Duties of the Membership Committee

The Membership Committee shall be responsible for stimulating the growth of the Association. It shall secure new memberships and retain current ones. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

The committee shall:

Be chaired by the Director of Membership Development.
Organize and prepare materials for membership campaigns to actively pursue a larger membership at all levels of the organization.
Visit local councils to present membership development activities and provide information about the Iowa Reading Association.
Prepare and distribute materials to local councils that could be used for short promotional presentations regarding International Reading Association memberships.
Coordinate state and international memberships. People who are International Literacy Association members but not Iowa Reading Association members should be encouraged to join at the state level and vice versa.
Help the local councils promote student memberships at each college or university.²⁰⁰

²⁰⁰ Amended 01/94, 10/11, 06/18

Section 8: Duties of the Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall meet and prepare a slate of nominees for each elective office: Vice President and Secretary. There shall be a minimum of two²⁰¹ nominees for each elective office if possible.²⁰² This slate shall be reported to the Board at its spring meeting and submitted to the electorate by mail ballot. In preparing the slate, the Nominating Committee shall be responsible for securing advance consent from all nominees before presenting the slate to the Board. Recommendation for nominees that are made to the Nominating Committee may come from the membership at-large, presidents of each local council, or members of the Board of Directors. These recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

²⁰¹ Amended 06/17, 06/25 | ²⁰² Amended 06/25

POLICIES:

The committee shall consist of a chairperson and the Regional Directors with the following duties:²⁰³

For election of Officers:

Secure a slate of officers by January 1.^{204, 205} The consent form that is used should include the information relative to the campaign, i.e. that the only printed campaigning to be done will be that of the candidate flyer that accompanies the ballots.
Secure the vitae and photographs of the nominees by February 1.^{206, 207} This information will be used in the Spring newsletter with the election ballot.²⁰⁸
Prepare and print a candidate’s information in the spring. newsletter with the election ballot.^{209, 210}These vitae shall be printed and published solely by the Association. No other printed²¹¹ campaigning shall be done.
The electronic ballots shall be mailed to the Association membership in the Fall.²¹² Ballots must ‘be returned and received by the Executive Director within two weeks of the newsletter mailing.²¹³
Within two weeks after the deadline for submitting the ballots, no less than two members of the Nominating Committee shall assist the Executive Director in counting the ballots.²¹⁴
Within five days of counting the ballots, the committee chair will call to notify the election winners, and send written notice to all candidates of the slate of new officers.
Submit an article for publication in the Iowa Reading newsletter issue prior to Conference informing members of the newly elected officers.²¹⁵
Notify the Executive Director of the slate of officers by March 1, so that they can notify the Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
Maintain a file of “Letters of Consent” reflecting individuals who have run or been willing to run for positions in the past. This information can be used as a reference for future elections and should be kept for six years.

For Election of Regional Directors:

Local councils that will be replacing their Director should brainstorm at Leadership Workshop about who might be nominated.
The Nominating Committee shall prepare an information sheet about the candidates that include the following information: local council name, past and present local council involvement, and past and present Iowa Reading Association involvement.
The Executive Director will send electronic ballots and information sheets to Presidents of local councils involved in the election by December 1.
Local council members will be sent an electronic ballot to complete by the assigned deadline.
Ballots will be returned to the Executive Director within 2 weeks.²¹⁶
The Chair of the Nominating Committee will notify candidates of the results of the election within 2 weeks of reading the ballots.

Section 9: Duties of the Program Committee

The Program Committee shall make plans for the Annual Conference and other such meetings as may be authorized. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

The committee shall be composed of the President-Elect, Vice President, and others to be approved by the Board.²¹⁷
The committee shall assume responsibility for planning and implementing the Annual Conference.
The committee shall provide input into the development of the conference budget for approval by the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors at the Fall meeting.
The President-Elect shall chair the committee, maintain and update a conference handbook, and report the conference plan at each board meeting.
The Executive Director shall be responsible for all facets of registration.
The following is a suggested protocol to be used with conference speakers.
1. Inform the speaker of the composition of the group and size of the audience.
2. Make necessary plans for the speaker, by phone or letter: date(s), place, and time; length of presentation; honorarium, travel expenses, meals, lodging - who will pay for which items?; AV equipment needed; ask for vitae, photo,²¹⁸ title, and abstract; follow up with a letter confirming all details discussed.
3. Plan for hosting of speakers: have one person to assist the speaker; meet at airport, hotel door, or other; check for appropriate accommodations; check on set up of speaking room and equipment.
4. Plan for the introduction of the speaker: could be person hosting, an officer, or Board member; use the vita supplied; make the introduction short. After the meeting: have an honorarium check prepared and hand it to the speaker; follow with a thank you note; send articles or publicity noting the speaker; get travel expense receipts and pay as soon as possible. It is recommended that speakers be paid in full²¹⁹ following their speaking presentation.²²⁰

PROMOTION

Inasmuch, when the Conference is a joint venture, it is a necessity that each association maintain its identity. Therefore, it is suggested that all promotional material be headed: “sponsored by the Iowa Reading Association of the International Literacy Association and [name of other sponsoring organization]”.

²¹⁷ Amended 10/96 | ²¹⁸ Amended 06/25 | ²¹⁹ Amended 02/89 | ²²⁰ Amended 06/18

Section 10: Duties of the Publications Committee

The Publications Committee, chaired by the Secretary, shall assume primary²²¹ responsibility for directing and supervising the publications of the Association. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

The terms of the Iowa Reading newsletter editor shall coincide with the term of the state Secretary.²²²

The committee shall:

Be composed of the Chair and others who work with the editor of the Iowa Reading newsletter, and represent the broad spectrum of the Association.²²³
Function as a sounding board for policy suggestions from the editor of Iowa Reading newsletter.²²⁴
Coordinate the search for editor according to the following procedure:
1. Notification
  1. One year before the end of an editor's term, the Publications Chair shall confer with the President and President-Elect of the Association regarding the need to fill an upcoming editor position(s).
  2. Notice of vacancy in the editorship shall be made through the newsletter and/or other appropriate methods.²²⁵
  3. Deadlines for application shall be no earlier than three weeks after the mailing date of any Iowa Reading Association publication which reaches the total membership.
2. Candidates and Length of Term
  1. The editor(s) of the Iowa Reading newsletter shall serve a three-year term with the option to apply for one reappointment.²²⁶ However, reappointment is not automatically assumed.
  2. All candidates shall submit to the Publications Chair both a resume and a letter of application which reflect qualifications for the editorship.
3. Resignations
  1. If the State Secretary/Newsletter resigns before the term expires, the Board of Directors shall appoint a Secretary/Editor to complete the unexpired portion of the term.²²⁷
  2. If an Editor resigns before the term expires, the Board of Directors shall receive recommendations from the search committee and appoint an Editor to complete the unexpired portion of the term.²²⁸

Section 11: Duties of the Public Relations Committee

The Public Relations Committee, chaired by the Vice President of the Association, shall inform the public of the activities of the Association, advise local councils of methods to improve their publicity and perform all other public relations duties as assigned by the Board of Directors. All actions and recommendations for further actions shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings.

POLICIES:

The committee shall:

Consist of the Vice President and members chosen by that person.²²⁹
Distribute relevant newsletters and emails to area education agencies, universities and colleges and the Iowa Department of Education regarding Association activities. This committee will ask to link to their web pages as well as to ours.²³⁰
Establish and maintain a listing of these contacts at the aforementioned institutions. This list will be updated on a yearly basis.²³¹
Produce a press release following Iowa Reading Association sponsored events to be posted on our state web page (i.e. statewide class, Leadership Workshop, annual Iowa Reading conference, Young Writer’s Celebration, etc.). A letter will be written by this committee recognizing state officers and zone directors and sent to their respective supervisors.²³²
Provide further information to the Executive Director who will forward this information to the webmaster.²³³

²²⁹ Amended 10/12 | ²³⁰ Amended 10/12 | ²³¹ Amended 10/12 | ²³² Amended 10/12 | ²³³ Amended 10/12

Section 12: Composition of Standing Committees

The members of the Standing Committees shall be members of the Association, shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board. Committees shall serve for the term of the President. In making appointments considerations should be given to the desirability of an experienced committee and gradual change of personnel. The Chairperson of each Standing Committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board.

POLICIES:

Standing Committee Chairpersons shall be members of the International Literacy Association and Iowa Reading Association. ²³⁴
All committee members shall be members of the Iowa Reading Association.²³⁵

²³⁴ Amended 10/91 | ²³⁵ Amended 10/91

Section 13: Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees may be authorized by the Board of Directors or Delegates Assembly. Members and chairperson of each Ad Hoc Committee shall be appointed by the President and reported to the Board of Directors. Each Ad Hoc Committee shall report in writing its actions and recommendations for further actions to the Board of Directors prior to each of the meetings. Upon completion of its responsibilities, the Committee shall be disbanded.

POLICIES:

Ad Hoc Committee chairpersons shall be members of the International Literacy Association and Iowa Reading Association.²³⁶
All committee members shall be members of the Iowa Reading Association.²³⁷

²³⁶ Amended 10/91 | ²³⁷ Amended 10/91

Section 1: Origin of Amendments

Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by:

the Board of Directors,
the Bylaws Committee,
two or more local councils, but such proposals must be submitted to the Bylaws Committee
petition of fifty or more active members who may bring a proposal to the Delegates Assembly.

POLICIES:

None codified

Section 2: Adoption of Amendments

Proposed amendments shall be circulated to the Delegates with the call to the Delegates Assembly. An amendment shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote. Amendments adopted by the delegates shall be incorporated into the Bylaws.²³⁹

POLICIES:

Proposed amendments shall be circulated by the Director of Membership Development 30 days prior to the Delegates Assembly with the call to attend.

²³⁹ Amended 06/00

In case of dissolution of this Association any assets remaining after the payment of debts or provisions therefore will revert to the International Literacy Association. In case of permanent dissolution of a local council of this Association any assets remaining after the payment of debts or provisions therefore will revert to the Iowa Reading Association if the disbanding council has a bank account under the Iowa Reading Association’s Employer Identification Number (EIN). This EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a nine-digit number issued by the Internal Revenue Service and is used to identify the local council’s affiliation to the Iowa Reading Association.²⁴⁰

POLICIES:

None codified

²⁴⁰ Amended 06/25

ARTICLE I: NAME

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ARTICLE II: PURPOSES

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ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Eligibility

POLICIES:

Section 2: Categories

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Section 3: Admittance

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Section 4: Classes of Membership

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Section 5: Dues

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Section 6: Membership Year

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Section 7: Termination

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ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

Section 1: Titles

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Section 2: Eligibility

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Section 3: Term

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Section 4: Vacancies

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Section 5: Joint Positions22

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ARTICLE V: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1: General Duties

POLICIES:

Section 2: President

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Section 3: President-Elect

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Section 4: Vice President

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Section 5: Secretary

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Section 6: Treasurer

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Section 7: Director of Membership Development

POLICIES:

QUALIFICATIONS

TERM OF OFFICE

MODE OF APPOINTMENT

RESPONSIBILITIES

Section 8: Executive Director

POLICIES:

Leadership

Management

Financial

Clerical

ARTICLE VI: LIAISONS TO INTERNATIONAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION

Section 1: State Coordinator

POLICIES:

QUALIFICATIONS FOR STATE COORDINATOR:

TERM OF OFFICE:

MODE OF APPOINTMENT:

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Section 2: In-state expenses for Officers, State Coordinator, Directors and Director of Membership Development

MILEAGE:

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:

MEALS:

POLICIES:

ARTICLE VII: DELEGATES ASSEMBLY

Section 1: Composition

POLICIES:

Section 2: Function

POLICIES:

Section 3: Notification

POLICIES:

Section 4: Meetings

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Section 5: Quorum

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ARTICLE VIII: ELECTIONS

POLICIES:

Section 5: Joint Positions²²