STLHE SAPES stlhe

Constitution

Article I: Name
Article II: Purpose and Specific Aims
Article III: Membership
Article IV: Officers
Article V: Steering Committee
Article VI: Publications Committee
Article VII: Educational Developers Caucus
Article VIII: General Meetings
Article IX: Annual Conference
Article X: Finances
Article XI: Amendments to the Constitution
Article XII: By-laws
Article XIII: Archives
Article XIVI: Dissolution of STLHE

Article I: Name

The name of the organisation shall be THE SOCIETY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION, hereinafter referred to as STLHE or the Society.

Article II: Purpose and Specific Aims

The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education has been in existence since 1981. It was founded by a group of faculty development professionals from the universities of Guelph, McMaster, Waterloo and Western Ontario, who had met informally for a number of years to discuss teaching and learning issues. The purpose of the Society shall be to bring together and support those individuals who are interested in the improvement of teaching and learning in higher education.

The specific aims of the Society shall be:

  1. To increase the emphasis on teaching in post-secondary education.
  2. To encourage and facilitate the improvement of teaching and learning and the scholarship of teaching in post-secondary education.
  3. To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on post-secondary teaching and learning.
  4. To contribute to the professional development of members.
  5. To disseminate scholarship on teaching, learning, instructional development and policy in post-secondary education.
  6. To recognise and reward outstanding contributions to teaching excellence and educational leadership in post-secondary education.
  7. To encourage cooperation between STLHE and other societies in Canada and abroad that have complementary interests.
Article III: Membership
  1. There shall be two categories of membership in STLHE: regular and honorary life member.
  2. Regular membership in the Society shall be open to anyone who supports the aims set out in Article II and who pays the prescribed membership fees.
  3. The Steering Committee shall have the power to create various types of membership under this Article.
  4. All recipients of the Society's 3M Teaching Fellowship shall be honorary life members of the Society. The Steering Committee of STLHE may also admit such other persons to be honorary life members in the Society as it may determine from time to time. Honorary life members will be admitted because they support the aims set out in Article II and have made a distinguished contribution in teaching, in the scholarship of teaching, in educational leadership, in instructional development or in policy-making, or because they have served STLHE well over a significant period. Honorary life members shall have voting rights but shall not be required to pay membership fees.
  5. The Steering Committee shall have the power to create honorary positions of distinction other than those provided for under Article III, Section 3. Such positions require ratification at a General Meeting.
  6. STLHE reserves the right to terminate the membership of an individual for actions contrary to the purposes of the Society or the Society's good standing. Such terminations require ratification at a General Meeting.

Article IV: Officers

The Officers of STLHE shall be:

  1. President
  2. President-Elect
  3. Past-President
  4. Secretary
  5. Treasurer
  6. Coordinator of the 3M Teaching Fellowships
  7. Programme Chair of the Publications Committee
  8. Chair of the Educational Developers Caucus.
  9. Other officers appointed by the Steering Committee to address specific functions.
Article V: Steering Committee
  1. The activities of the Society shall be overseen by a Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall consist of the Officers and Regional Representatives as provided by By-Law 2 (a). The size of the Steering Committee shall not exceed 20 members.
  2. The Steering Committee shall be responsible for setting the Society's general policies, preparing its annual budget, planning its activities, and managing its day-to-day affairs.
  3. The Steering Committee shall have the power to establish, support and encourage Special Interest Groups (SIGs) within STLHE and to establish terms of reference for their operation. The Steering Committee shall also have the power to dissolve such groups at any time.
  4. There will be two scheduled meetings of the Steering Committee per year, one at the Annual Conference and one in the winter. Regional Representatives who are unable to attend a meeting may nominate a substitute.
Article VI: Publications Committee
  1. A range of publications, including a newsletter, will be published.
  2. There shall be a Publications Committee consisting of a Chair appointed by the Steering Committee and other members appointed by the Chair.
Article VII: Educational Developers Caucus
  1. There shall be an Educational Developers Caucus which will work within the aims and structure of the STLHE to facilitate the advancement and evolution of faculty development as a field of practice and scholarship by coordinating communication, networking, professional development opportunities, and advocacy strategies.
  2. There shall be two scheduled meetings of the Educational Developers Caucus per year, one of which will be at the Annual General Meeting of the Caucus held during the winter (or at the Annual STLHE Conference).
  3. Election of Officers by the membership of the Caucus will take place at the annual general meeting of the Caucus.
  4. The Officers of the Caucus shall consist of:
    • A Caucus Chair whose term of office shall be two years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
    • Vice-Chair (Communications) whose term of office shall be two years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
    • Vice-Chair (Professional Development) whose term of office shall be two years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
    • Past Chair responsible for facilitating the transition to the new leadership team for one year.
    • Treasurer whose term of office shall be two years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
  5. The Educational Developers Caucus will have the authority to establish a schedule of annual membership fees to be used to support its work.
  6. By agreement with the Steering Committee, the Educational Developers Caucus will share in any basic infrastructure of the STLHE created to support communication and programming (e.g. STLHE "Secretariat").
  7. The Educational Developers Caucus shall have the responsibility to maintain a set of By-Laws to direct the effective functioning of the EDC. Such By-Laws must be in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the STLHE.
  8. The Officers may submit to any Annual General Meeting of the EDC for approval amendments to the By-Laws. Such proposals submitted to the Officers in writing by fifteen (15) or more members of the EDC must be submitted to the general membership for consideration.
  9. The EDC shall regularly report on its activities to the Steering Committee of the STLHE.
Article VIII: General Meetings
  1. There shall be a minimum of one (1) General Meeting of the membership of STLHE, one of which shall be the Annual General Meeting held during the Annual Conference. Between General Meetings the authority of STLHE shall be vested in the Steering Committee in accordance with this Constitution.
  2. General Meetings may be called:
    1. as directed by the Annual General Meeting;
    2. as deemed advisable by the Steering Committee;
    3. at the written request of twenty (20) members or 5% of the members, whichever shall be the greater.
  3. The Steering Committee shall have the authority to set the time, place and format of General Meetings. Notwithstanding this authority, on receipt of a written request as provided for by Section 2 (iii) of this Article, the Steering Committee must call a General Meeting, to be held within two months of the date of receipt of the request.
  4. General Meetings shall have the power to:
    1. approve amendments to the Constitution;
    2. approve changes to the By-Laws;
    3. approve the slate of Officers;
    4. approve the financial statements, annual budget and dues structure;
    5. direct and review the general affairs of STLHE and ratify actions taken by the Steering Committee between General Meetings.
  5. The quorum for General Meetings shall be 20 members, or 20% of the total membership of STLHE, whichever shall be the lesser number.
  6. Written notice of General Meetings shall be sent to all members at least four weeks in advance of the meeting.
  7. Unless otherwise specified by the Constitution or By-Laws, decisions of General Meetings shall be determined by a two-thirds majority of those voting. Voting shall normally be by show of hands.
Article IX: Annual Conference
  1. An annual conference shall be held to further the purpose of the Society, unless exceptional circumstances acknowledged and confirmed by a General Meeting prevent this from occurring.
  2. The Steering Committee shall appoint a conference convenor and give direction for the organisation and format of the conference. The powers of the conference convenor will be determined by the Steering Committee and can be revoked by the Steering Committee.
Article X: Finances
  1. Membership fees shall be set at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with the Society's needs.
  2. In cases of special need the Steering Committee may propose a levy on members. Such a proposal must be approved in accordance with Article X.
  3. All revenue received by STLHE shall be used entirely for the work of STLHE in furthering its purpose.
  4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for preparation of financial statements each year, shall arrange to have them audited, and shall have them approved by the Steering Committee before presenting these financial statements to members at the Annual General Meeting for formal approval.
  5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt of all revenues, including fees, and shall be responsible for the keeping of all financial records. Cheques, bills, authorities and other instruments authorising payment from STLHE's accounts shall require at least two signatories, who will be members of the Steering Committee appointed for that purpose.
  6. The Steering Committee shall recommend to the Annual General Meeting a budget for the coming year. When approved, this budget shall govern the financial commitment of STLHE for that year.
  7. No part of the income of STLHE shall be paid to any member of STLHE, except that members of the Steering Committee and others may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in carrying out STLHE business. Employees of STLHE shall be fairly and reasonably compensated for services in carrying out STLHE responsibilities.
  8. STLHE may receive grants and other monies and may deposit and expend these according to terms laid down by the donor and acceptable to the Steering Committee.

Article XI: Amendments to the Constitution

The Steering Committee may submit to any General Meeting for approval amendments to the Constitution. Such proposals submitted to the Steering Committee in writing by twenty (20) or more members of the Society must be submitted to the general membership for consideration. Notice of motion to amend the Constitution shall be given in writing and included with the notice of the General Meeting. An amendment to the Constitution shall become effective immediately it is adopted, unless an alternative date has been set as part of the adopted amendment.

Article XII: By-laws

  1. The Steering Committee shall have the responsibility to maintain a set of By-Laws to direct the effective functioning of STLHE.
  2. The Steering Committee may submit to any General Meeting for approval amendments to the By-Laws. Such proposals submitted to the Steering Committee in writing by twenty (20) or more members of the Society must be submitted to the general membership for consideration.
  3. Notwithstanding Section 2 of this Article, the Steering Committee shall have the power to change the By-Laws of STLHE through a simple majority vote of Steering Committee members. Such changes shall remain in force as interim By-Laws until presented to the next General Meeting.

Article XIII: Archives

The Society shall maintain records of its activities.

Article XIV: Dissolution of STLHE

Proposals for the dissolution of STLHE shall conform to the rules for constitutional amendments. A simple majority of all members shall be required for such a dissolution. Any member unable to be present at a General Meetings called to consider the dissolution of STLHE may request to vote on the issue by alternate means (for example, mail, email, fax). In the event of dissolution, all assets (after satisfying all debts and liabilities) and all records shall be dealt with in such a manner as the General Meeting resolving on dissolution decides. The Steering Committee shall have no power to dissolve STLHE except by a ballot of all members in accordance with this Article.