Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter of KOTESOL
CHAPTER CONSTITUTION
Article I. Name.
This organization is a regional Chapter of the national organization known as Korea TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), herein referred to as KOTESOL. The Chapter name is therefore the Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter of KOTESOL. The Korean name of the national organization is 대한영어교육학회. Therefore, the Korean name of this Chapter is 대한영어교육학회, 부산-경남.
Article II. Purpose.
KOTESOL is a not-for-profit organization established to promote scholarship, disseminate information, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding among persons concerned with the teaching and learning of English in Korea. In pursuing these goals, KOTESOL shall cooperate in appropriate ways with other groups having similar concerns. The Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter works to this same purpose on these same kinds of concerns.
Article III. Membership.
According to the national Constitution of KOTESOL, membership shall be open to professionals and other interested persons in the field of language teaching and research who support the goals of KOTESOL. Nonvoting membership shall be open to institutions, agencies, and commercial organizations. Qualified individuals who apply for membership and pay the annual dues of the organization, as established by the national body, shall be enrolled as members in good standing and shall be entitled to one vote in any KOTESOL action requiring a vote of the membership.
Article IV. Finances.
KOTESOL shall operate its finances on the principles of transparency, accountability and stewardship. (Our treasury is based on membership fees from member in this region, but split with the national treasury.)
Article V. Amendments to this Chapter Constitution.
This Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter Constitution may be amended by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of those members present at an ABM, provided that a written notice of the proposed change(s) has been endorsed by at least five current active members in good standing and has been distributed to all members at least 15 days prior to the vote.
CHAPTER BYLAWS
Article I. Language.
The official language of KOTESOL is English, and so it is of the Chapter.
Article II. Chapter Officers and Elections.
Section 1. A Chapter of KOTESOL can be established with a minimum of twenty members, unless otherwise specified by the National Council.
Section 2. Membership fees for individuals shall be set by the Council, 50% of which will go to the National Organization, and 50% will belong to the Chapter.
Section 3. All Chapter officers must be current KOTESOL members.
Section 4. Any Chapter that fails to retain 18 members for 24 consecutive months may be dissolved by majority vote of both (a) nationally elected officers; and (b) all Chapter KOTESOL Constitution & Bylaws, representatives in attendance at a duly called and noticed National Council meeting. Dissolution shall take place immediately, with Chapter finances and assets reverting to the national treasury, and any current membership transferred to other Chapter(s).
Section 5. Chapters shall develop Chapter Election Policies consistent with the following provisions:
Subsection a. Chapters shall hold elections at the first Chapter meeting following the National Annual Business Meeting, hereafter called the Chapter Annual Business Meeting (ABM). A Chapter may specify another time to hold its Chapter Annual Business Meeting, but this must be established in the chapter bylaws. At the Chapter ABM, officers for the following offices must be elected:
Sub-subsection i. President, who serves as Chapter representative to the National Council.
Sub-subsection ii. Vice-President.
Sub-subsection iii. Treasurer, who maintains liaison with the National Treasurer for matters of finance and membership.
Subsection b. Other voting officers should be elected or appointed in accordance with the Chapter’s own Constitution and Bylaws and duties designated as appropriate. Similarly, non-voting officers may be appointed at the discretion of the Chapter.
Subsection c. The Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter prefers to add the offices of Secretary and Membership Officer to the Chapter Council.
Subsection d. Term of office concludes, regardless when elected or appointed, with the next Chapter Annual Business Meeting. Officers may run for re-election.
Subsection e. Vacancies in the required elected Chapter offices, as stipulated in the Chapter’s Constitution and Bylaws, may be filled only by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of voting officers of the Chapter, and then confirmed by a simple majority vote of the membership at the next regularly scheduled and announced Chapter meeting where all current Chapter members present have the right to vote.
Subsection f. Absentee and proxy ballots shall not be permitted.
Article III. Elections.
Section 1. All elected positions shall be elected by a majority vote in the general elections of the Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter of KOTESOL, where majority vote is defined as a simple plurality of the votes cast. Whenever possible, the Chapter shall appoint an Elections Officer who is not a candidate to run the elections.
Section 2. No candidate for a position on the Chapter Council shall be elected who fails to receive at least twenty-five percent (25%) of all votes cast for that position, and at least 25% of total votes cast must be cast for this position. Where no candidate meets this requirement, the post shall be declared vacant.
Section 3. In the case of a tie vote in the general elections, a run-off election between the candidates who are tied shall occur through a specially arranged by-election for that purpose, to be administered by the Nominations and Elections Officer whose term shall be extended for the duration of the by-election.
Section 4. Voting procedures for all elected positions may be carried out by online voting.
Section 5. Absentee and proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Article IV. Parliamentary Authority.
The Busan-Gyeongnam Chapter adheres to a consensus model of decision making on all relevant business of the Chapter (with the exceptions of Constitution/By-Laws changes and elections as laid out above). When a consensus cannot be met, a simple majority vote shall be held.
