FLAG CONSTITUTION

Article I - Name and Affiliation

The name of this organization shall be the Foreign Language Association of Georgia, hereafter referred to as FLAG. This organization shall be the state's constituent of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). As the official state foreign language association, FLAG shall offer its cooperation to the regional conference, Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT).

Article II - Purpose

The purpose of FLAG shall be to promote and improve the teaching of classical and modern languages in the schools and institutions of higher education in the State of Georgia; to develop fellowship and esprit de corps among classical and modern foreign language teachers at all levels; and to foster international understanding and an appreciation of all languages and cultures, past and present.

Article III - Membership

1. Membership in FLAG shall be of the following types: regular, student/retired, patron, joint husband and wife, and honorary. Regular membership shall be open to any person interested in the study of foreign languages and cultures. Student memberships shall be open to full-time college and university students pursuing advanced courses in foreign languages. Honorary memberships may be conferred at the pleasure of the organization.
2. Annual dues, as defined in the bylaws, shall entitle a member to a subscription of the official publication and to other privileges of membership as set out in the constitution and by-laws.

Article IV - Executive Committee

All Executive Committee Members shall have been FLAG members for three years prior to seeking an office. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, President-Elect, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Recording/Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer/Administrator, Immediate Past President, four members-at-large, and at least one Foreign Language representative of the Georgia Department of Education.

Article V - Duties of the Executive Committee Members

1. President

   The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization. Should the President be absent, the President-Elect shall preside. The President shall perform such duties as set forth in this constitution. The President shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee (only in the case of a tie vote) and voting ex-officio member of all other committees. The President shall represent FLAG at SCOLT and/or appoint (a) replacement or concomitant delegate(s).

2. President-Elect

   The President-Elect shall be the presiding officer in the absence of the President. The President-Elect shall also make information and applications available for the annual FLAG awards and provide nomination forms for the nominating committee for the next year's officers. The President-Elect is also to supervise the election and announcement of the annual FLAG awards. In the capacity of President-Elect, this person is also to be preparing to assume the presidency of the organization.

3. First Vice-President

   The First Vice-President shall plan the program of the annual conference of the organization. The First Vice-President shall also act as the official historian during the First Vice-President's term of office.

4. Second Vice-President

   The Second Vice-President shall serve as coordinator of the Spoken Foreign Language Contest (French, German, Latin, Spanish, et al.) for middle school and secondary students. The Second Vice-President will also supervise any other contest or special activity which the organization may wish to implement.

5. Recording/Corresponding Secretary

   The Recording/Corresponding Secretary shall maintain an accurate record of all regular and/or called meetings and present minutes of the sessions to the members in oral or written form, according to the request of the President. At the President's request, this person shall also be responsible for all correspondence.

6. Treasurer

   The Treasurer shall keep an accurate financial account of the business of the organization and provide an annual written report of expenses and a proposed budget to the membership at the annual conference. This person shall also present an accurate membership list and current financial report to each Executive Committee Meeting.

7. Members-at-Large

   The Members-at-Large shall advise and assist the organization by offering advice and counsel on any matters that pertain to this organization from the perspectives of FLES, Middle School, Secondary School, and Post-Secondary and to the larger concerns of Foreign Language, in general. Specifically, the FLES member at large shall serve as coordinator of the Elementary Spoken Foreign Language Contest.

8. Immediate Past President

   The Immediate Past President shall offer thoughtful and helpful suggestions to the other Executive Board Members. This person shall endeavor to provide a continuum of policies and decisions while encouraging innovative leadership. The Past President is a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.

9. Foreign Language Representative(s) of the Georgia Department of Education

   The Foreign Language Representative(s) of the Georgia Department of Education shall act as a liaison between our organization and the State Department. This (these) person(s) shall inform the Executive Committee of the newest directions in Foreign Language Education and shall endeavor to foster the highest communication between the Executive Committee and those Foreign Language teachers we represent. These representatives are non-voting members of the Executive Committee.

10. Vacant Office

    If an office becomes vacant, the Executive Committee may appoint an interim replacement until the completion of the unexpired term.

Article VI - Tenure of Office

1. The Executive Committee Members, as listed in Article IV, shall hold office for a term of two years. No officer will hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms, or four years, with the exception of the Treasurer who may serve additional consecutive years at the discretion of the Executive Committee. After one term out of office, however, each Executive Committee Member shall be eligible for election to that same office, if so nominated.
2. Elections by the general dues-paying membership shall be held prior to the annual conference, with results announced at the conference. Newly elected officers shall begin their term at the conclusion of the annual conference.

Article VII - Meetings

This organization shall hold an annual conference according to appropriate scheduling in relation to other foreign language meetings. Special called meetings may be held at the discretion of the President and the Executive Committee, providing the full membership has been notified in writing at least ten days in advance.

Article VIII - Committees

1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected state officers and the Members-at-Large; they shall conduct the business of the association between regular meetings of the members. The Foreign Language Representative of the Georgia Department of Education shall serve as non-voting, advisory capacity to this committee.
2. Standing Committees shall be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee is such a committee. Other committees may be appointed at the discretion of the President. The standing committees shall hold office for the duration of the President's term unless released or dismissed by the President.
1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five regular members and the President-Elect, representing, insofar as possible, a cross-section of the membership in languages, teaching levels, geographic locations, race, and sex. This committee shall meet at least once and shall report to the Executive Committee. This committee shall present for election the names of one or more persons for each office (excluding members-at-large); the slate shall represent, insofar as possible, a cross-section of the membership in languages, teaching levels, geographic locations, race, and sex. Any member may submit names to the Nominating Committee for consideration as officers; such names should be submitted prior to the election.
2. Members-at-Large shall be nominated and voted on prior to the annual conference.

Article IX - Representation in Offices and Chairmanships

The Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee shall assure fair and broad representation in the positions of leadership in the association as officers and chairs. Leaders shall be considered on the basis of competencies, representative languages, representative geographic locations, representative levels of teaching, representative races, and sex. Nominations and appointments will be made for the benefit of the total membership.

Article X - Order of Business and Voting Procedure

Standard parliamentary procedure, according to Robert's Rules of Order, shall apply to the business and voting procedures of the organization. Ordinary business must be conducted and passed by simple majority vote of members present. Amendments to the constitution shall require a two-thirds majority vote of members voting after prior notification to the membership.

Article XI - By-Laws

By-laws may be enacted by the members as long as they are not in conflict with the constitution. By-laws may be passed, amended, or rescinded by a simple majority vote of the members voting after prior notification to the membership.

• Paragraph 1 - Dues

  Annual dues for regular members shall be set by the Executive Committee. Joint membership (husband and wife) shall also be determined by the Executive Committee. [Previous amendment adopted by vote of the membership at the annual conference on February 17, 1996.] Student membership shall be at a reduced rate, and Patron membership shall be double the annual dues. Dues shall be for the twelve (12) month period beginning 1 September and are due 1 September each year.

• Paragraph 2 - Publications

  FLAG membership shall entitle each member to a subscription to the professional journal of FLAG.

• Paragraph 3 - Meeting Site

  The FLAG annual conference shall be held at a location to be determined by the Executive Committee. Any called meeting shall be located at the discretion of the President and the Executive Committee.

• Paragraph 4 - Honorary Membership

  Any member of FLAG may present to the Executive Committee the name of a person whose contribution to foreign language education merits statewide recognition as worthy to become an honorary member of FLAG. The nominee shall be considered by the Executive Committee and, if determined acceptable, the nominee shall be submitted to the entire membership for approval. A simple majority of the members voting shall confer honorary membership.

• Paragraph 5 - Awards

  Flag shall present annually its own set of awards. Criteria for each award will be publicized and nominations will be sought from the membership for each award. The Executive committee may vote to award any or all of these awards as determined by the nominations. At the discretion of the Executive Committee, FLAG may award a Certificate of Excellence to any persons who have demonstrated commitment and support of foreign languages.

• Paragraph 6 - Activities

  Activities of FLAG shall include the Spoken Language Contests, publication of the professional journal of FLAG, an annual conference, and any other activities as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.

• Paragraph 7 - Termination

  In the event FLAG ceases to exist as an association, any funds remaining after all obligations have been paid will be forwarded to the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT).

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