1. Regular Membership: dues for US and international members
2. Student Membership: dues for full-time US and international college/university students
3. Retiree Membership: dues for retired US and international members
4. Organizational Membership: dues for US and international educational organizations
5. Friend of NNELL: dues for US and international supporters of NNELL who have made contributions of $1,000 or more during a membership year
6. Publisher Membership: dues for US and international publishers

Article II. Election of Officers

Section A. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the members. Election shall be done by written ballot and provided to members with the annual membership renewal mailing. The Immediate Past President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint and chair a Nominating Committee of not less than three members, including the chair, to present a slate of nominations. No member of the Executive Board, other than the Immediate Past President, shall serve on the Nominating Committee. The newly elected officers shall assume their duties at the organization’s Annual Meeting of the Executive Board.

Section B. A vacancy in any office or position except that of the President shall be filled by an appointment of the President. In the case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency, except in the case where s/he has been appointed to that position. In such a case, the President shall be elected by the membership in a special election.

Article III. Duties of Officers

Section A. The President shall be the official representative of the organization and shall preside at all meetings. The President shall call meetings of the Executive Board and carry out all business of the organization. The President shall appoint committee chairs and oversee all committees. The President shall name the Advisory Board and appointed Board positions. The President shall appoint the Executive Secretary and Membership Secretary with approval of the Executive Board. The President shall act for the organization between meetings of the Executive Board and shall keep the Executive Board informed on matters pertinent to the organization. The term of the President is two years. Following that term, s/he shall serve on the Executive Board for two years as Immediate Past President.

Section B. The Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President and shall succeed to the Presidency either if a vacancy occurs or when the President’s term ends. The Vice-President shall chair the Bylaws Committee and the Awards Committee. The Vice-President carries out duties as assigned by the President. The term of the Vice-President is two years.

Section C. The Secretary/Treasurer shall record and distribute to the Executive Board the minutes of all Executive Board meetings. S/he shall record and distribute the minutes of all membership meetings to the membership. The Secretary/Treasurer is also responsible for submittingrecords of the organization for archival purposes. The Secretary/Treasurer shall work with the Executive Secretary to oversee the financial operations of the organization and provide financial reports to the Executive Board and membership.

The term for the Secretary/Treasurer is two years.

Section D.The Immediate Past President shall chair the Nominating Committee and serve aseditor of the organization’s electronic publication. The Immediate Past Presidentshallserve as the organization’s representative to the Delegate Assembly at the annual meeting of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The term of the Immediate Past President shall be two years.

Section E. The Executive Secretary shall be appointed by the President, with approval of the Executive Board, for a renewable three-year appointment. The Executive Secretary shall serve as the primary contact for the organization and shall respond to inquiries about early language learning. S/he shall be responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the membership database with the Membership Secretary, receiving membership dues, and depositing them in the financial organization approved by the Executive Board. S/he shall be responsible for maintaining the financial records of the organization and for keeping the Executive Board apprised of the state of the organization in collaboration with the Secretary/Treasurer. S/he will work closely with the Executive Board in carrying out the mission of the organization.

Section F. The Membership Secretary shallbe appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Board, for a renewable three-year appointment. The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the membership list, sending the annual membership renewal correspondence, and receiving membership dues. S/he shall be responsible for responding to inquiries related to membership in the organization and for providing the Executive Board, state and regional representatives, journal editor, and website editor with current membership information. S/he shall work closely with the Executive Board in sending electronic communication to the membership, following an established publication calendar. The Membership Secretary shall work with the Executive Secretary to prepare membership materials for Executive Board meetings and the annual conference.

Section G. The Editor of the organization’s official publication shall be appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Board, to serve on the Board for a renewable one-year appointment, beginning May 1 of the calendar year. The Editor shall be responsible for the preparation of two issues of the official publication which will appear in the fall and spring of each membership year. Prior to publication, the Editor will report to the Executive Board plans concerning the content, length, and deadline of each issue. The Editor shall be responsible for appointing annually in May for the following academic year editorial staff that may include Guest Editors, Contributing Editors, and a Review Board. Each will be selected from the NNELL membership. The Editor shall be responsible for the content of each publication, establish deadlines, define a process for and supervise the refereeing of articles, and supervise work of the Guest Editors, Contributing Editors, and Review Board. The Editor shall organize and supervise the preparation, design, printing, and mailing of the publication and will request the disbursement of funds from the Executive Secretary for the publication process .

Section H. The National Networking Coordinator shall be appointed by the President to serve on the Executive Board for a renewable appointment of three years. S/he shall oversee the work of the regional and state representatives, coordinate placement of representatives with the President, and publish the National Networking Newsletter three times a year. The National Networking Coordinator shall chair the NNELL Conference Committee and shall work closely with the Executive Board in the development of NNELL-sponsored institutes and professional development events for NNELL members. S/he will also serve as chair of NNELL’s ACTFL Conference Committee.

Section I. The six Regional Representatives shall be appointed by the President for a renewable three-year term to the Advisory Board and shall report directly to the National Networking Coordinator. Each Regional Representative shall be responsible for maintaining frequent contact with individual state representatives within the particular region, and for submitting news of the individual states’ NNELL-related activities to the National Networking Newsletter three times per year. Regional Representatives shall be invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the Executive Board. They shall attend the annual meeting of Regional Representatives, and summer meetings as called.

Section J. The Editor of the organization’s website shall be appointed by the President, with approval of the Executive Board, to serve on the Executive Board for a renewable appointment of one year. The Web Editor shall be responsible for updating and maintaining the organization’s official web site (nnell.org) with approval of the Executive Board.

Section K. The Early Language Learning Advocate shall be appointed by the President to serve on the NNELL Board for a renewable appointment of three years. The Early Language Learning Advocate shall chair the Advocacy Committee. The Early Language Advocate shall work closely with the President and Executive Board in promoting early language learning and staying abreast of current policies and issues. The Early Language Advocate shall oversee advocacy initiatives of the organization and respond to requests for advocacy needs at the national, state, and local level. The Early Language Advocate shall maintain a compilation of current research in the field of early language learning for use in dissemination to the membership and for posting on the organization’s website.

Section L. The NNELL Organizational Liaison(s) shall be appointed by the President to serve on the Advisory Board for a renewable term of three years.

Article IV. State Representatives

The fifty State Representatives shall be appointed by the National Networking Coordinator, with the approval of the President, for a renewable one-year term and shall report directly to the Regional Representative within their geographical area. Each State Representative shall be responsible for maintaining frequent contact with the NNELL members in their state, for engaging in ongoing and active recruitment for NNELL membership, for contributing to the National Networking Newsletter three times per year and for offering at least one session annually at their state conference.

Article V. Standing Committees

Section A . The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of candidates for each vacant office for the election of officers and shall prepare a ballot that includes a short description of each candidate’s qualifications to be mailed to the membership with the renewal membership mailing.

This committee shall be chaired by the Immediate Past President and shall be made up of three members, including the chair.

Section B. The Awards Committee shall organize the nomination of NNELL members for national awards in the foreign language profession. This committee shall be chaired by the Vice-President and shall be made up of three members, including the chair.

Section C. The Bylaws Committee shall study all proposed changes in the Constitution and Bylaws and report to the Executive Board recommendations for appropriate wording and actions on proposals. The Bylaws Committee shall publish changes in the organization’s official publication and in the Members-Only Section of the organization’s website in the spring of the membership year and shall send the changes to the membership with the renewal mailing for a vote by the membership. The Vice-President shall chair this committee, and the President shall appoint three members to serve.

 Section D. The Finance Committee shall assist the Executive Secretary and Secretary/Treasurer in preparing the annual budget that will be presented to the Executive Board at the annual board meeting and to the membership for approval by vote at the annual membership meeting. The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve as chair of this committee. This committee shall consist of three members, including the chair.

Section E. The Conference Committee shall organize and coordinate NNELL sessions and the NNELL booth at the annual meeting. The National Networking Coordinator shall chair this committee, and the President, upon recommendation of the National Networking Coordinator, shall appoint a minimum of three members to serve from among the state and regional representatives.

 Section F. The Advocacy Committee shall organize and promote early language learning at the local, state, and national level. The Early Language Advocate shall chair this committee, and the President, upon recommendation of the Early Language Learning Advocate, shall appoint a minimum of three members in good standing to serve.

Article VI. Amendments

Section A. A proposed amendment may be submitted to the membership by :(1) a majority vote of the Executive Board or (2) a petition signed by 30 members in good standing of the organization.

Section B. A proposed amendment shall be sent to the membership in writing with the renewal mailing for a vote and shall appear in the Members Only section of the organization’s website.

Section C . The bylaws may be amended by subsequent ratification by two-thirds vote of the membership responding by written vote.

Article VII. Parliamentary Procedure

All matters not covered by the Constitution and Bylaws and other basic documents of the Organization shall be governed by the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.