CONSTITUTION OF THE NATIONAL NETWORK FOR EARLY LANGUAGE LEARNING (NNELL)

(as amended to October 2005)

Article I. Name and Purpose

The name of the organization shall be THE NATIONAL NETWORK FOR EARLY LANGUAGE LEARNING (NNELL). The purpose of NNELL is to provide leadership in support of successful early language learning and teaching.

Article II. Membership

Membership in NNELL shall be open to individuals and organizations sharing NNELL’s vision, mission and purpose, and shall entitle them to all privileges of membership upon paying dues as stipulated in the Bylaws.

Article III. The NNELL Board

The NNELL Board shall be made up of the Executive Board, the appointed officers, and the Advisory Board. Together they will function in their established capacities as overseers of the organization.

The Executive Board shall consist of four elected officers: the President, the Vice-President, the Immediate Past President and the Secretary/Treasurer.

The appointed officers with voting privileges shall be the National Networking Coordinator and the Early Language LearningAdvocate. The appointed officers who are non-voting members shall be the editor of the organization’s publication, the editor of the organization’s website, the Membership Secretary, and the Executive Secretary.

The Advisory Board shall consist of the following non-voting members: the six Regional Representatives and the NNELL Organizational Liaison(s).

Article IV. Meetings

The organization shall have at least one meeting of the membership annually. Notice of the Annual Meeting shall be announced by mail or electronic mail to the membership at least one month before the date of the meeting. The Executive Board shall also hold at least one annual meeting.

Article V. Committees

The Standing Committees of the organization shall be the Nominating Committee, the Bylaws Committee, the Conference Committee, the Awards Committee, and the Advocacy Committee. The Immediate Past President shall chair the Nominating Committee. The Vice-President shall chair the Bylaws Committee and the Awards Committee. The National Networking Coordinator shall chair the Conference Committee. The Early Language Learning Advocate shall chair the Advocacy Committee. The Secretary/Treasurer shall chair the Finance Committee.

Article VI. Collaborations

NNELL actively seeks to collaborate with other organizations or groups that share the mission of NNELL .

Article VII. Publications

NNELL shall publish at least two issues of the official publication, Learning Languages, and three issues of E-NNELL NOTES annually. NNELL shall maintain an official website at nnell.org.

Article VIII. Dedication of Assets

In the event of dissolution, the net assets of the organization, after payment of debts, shall proceed to another non-profit foreign language organization exempt from federal tax under the provisions of 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code to be decided upon by the Executive Board.

Article IX. 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 appear in the Member’s Only Section of the organization’s website and shall be sent to the membership in writing with the renewal mailing for a vote.

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

Article X. 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.