Reading Related Conferences  /  International Reading Association  /  Local Council Connection Reading Conference  /  Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Course  /  Great Reads of 2003  /  Legislative Update Author Connection  /  About ICIRA  /  For Teachers  /  Membership  /  Members in the News

ICIRA BYLAWS

BYLAWS OF THE IDAHO CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION

The Bylaws listed on this page can be viewed here or download for viewing and printing using Acrobat Reader. To download the file click on it. They are in .PDF format and require Acrobat Reader to view. The software is available for free by downloading from Adobe.

Click here to download the PDF Version of this document

ARTICLE I	ARTICLE II	ARTICLE III
Name	Nature	Eligibility
	Purposes	Active Members
		ICIRA Dues
		Arrears
		IRA Membership
		IRA Dues
ARTICLE IV	ARTICLE V	ARTICLE VI
Officers	Function	Composition
Term of Office	Composition	Function
Time of Assuming Office	Meetings	Quorum
Duties of President	Quorum	Meetings
Duties of Vice President	Budget	Notification of Meetings
Duties of Vice President Elect	Interim Decisions	Amendments to the Bylaws
Duties of Treasurer
Duties of Secretary
State Coordinator
Director of Membership Development
Past President
Vacancies
ARTICLE VII	ARTICLE VIII	ARTICLE IX
Election	Standing Committees	Representation at the Annual IRA Assembly
Nominating Committee	Number	Representation at the Annual State Assembly
Mode of Election	Mode of Appointment and Terms
Reporting	Chairpersons
Term of Office	Budget Committee
	Bylaws Committee
	Executive Committee
	Membership Committee
	Nominating and Elections Committee
	Program Committee
	Special Committees
	Mode of Appointment
	Family Literacy Committee
	Council of Merit Committee
	Legislative Committee
	Studies and Research Committee
ARTICLE X	ARTICLE XI	ARTICLE XII
Parliamentary Authority	Dissolution	Amendments Origin
		Procedures
		Incorporation

 Bylaws 

ARTICLE I back to top	ARTICLE I - Name
Name	The name of the Chapter shall be the Idaho Chapter of the International Reading Association, also referred to as ICIRA. It serves the State of Idaho.
ARTICLE II	ARTICLE II - Nature and Purposes
Nature	Section 1 - The Idaho Chapter of the International Reading Association shall be a statewide professional organization of individuals who are concerned with the improvement of reading, both as an aid to learning and as a leisure time activity.
Purposes	Section 2 - The purposes of ICIRA shall be: 1 to form a partnership with the International Reading Association by promoting membership and participation in IRA sponsored council activities. 2 to encourage the study of reading problems at all educational levels; 3 to stimulate and promote research in developmental, creative, corrective, and remedial reading; 4 to study the various factors that influence progress in reading; 5 to publish the results of pertinent and significant investigations and practices; 6 to assist in the development of more adequate teacher-training programs; 7 to act as a clearing house for information relating to reading 8 to disseminate knowledge helpful in the solution of problems related to reading; 9 to sponsor conferences and meetings planed to implement the purposes of ICIRA and the International Reading Association; 10 to promote mutual understanding and cooperative work among educators in the elementary, middle, and high schools, in special areas. in higher education and in leadership positions; 11 to promote and support existing local councils; 12 to encourage and assist in the development of local reading councils throughout the states; 13 to publish a Journal which will promote the purposes of ICIRA:
ARTICLE III back to top	ARTICLE III - Membership and Dues
Eligibility	Section 1 - Eligibility: Membership in ICIRA shall be open to all persons engaged in the teaching or supervision of reading at any school level, to parents, and to all others interested in the purposes of ICIRA.
Active Members	Section 2 - Active Members: Membership in ICIRA shall become effective upon payment of Council dues for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30.
ICIRA Dues	Section 3 - ICIRA Dues: Dues for annual membership in ICIRA shall be set by the Board of Directors and be approved by the Assembly. The amount shall be set forth in the Policy Manual. Dues are payable to the Council on the basis of open enrollment with expiration date on the yearly anniversary of the preceding payment.
Arrears	Section 4 - Arrears: Members who have not paid ICIRA dues for the current year are not extended the privileges of membership, including those of voting and holding office. Any member who has not paid ICIRA dues one month following expiration date will be considered inactive and shall be dropped from membership rosters and mailing lists.
IRA Membership	Section 5 - IRA Membership: A council shall be in good standing and entitled to representing at the Meeting of the International Reading Association Delegates Assembly if at least 10 members have paid dues to the Association for the current year.
IRA Dues	Section 4 - IRA Dues: Membership in the International Reading Association is strongly recommended for all council members. Dues to the International Reading Association, which entitle members to certain benefits and services may be collected by the council and sent to Association Headquarters or paid directly to Association Headquarters.
ARTICLE IV back to top	ARTICLE IV - Officers
Officers	Section 1 - Officers: The elected officers of ICIRA shall be President, vice President, Vice President-Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary who are elected as per procedures outlined under Article VII and Director of Membership Development and State Coordinator who are selected in accordance with procedures outlined by the International Reading Association. They shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall determine the goals and the action plans for ICIRA. Any member in good standing who is also a member of the International Reading Association is eligible to be an officer of ICIRA.
Term of Office	Section 2 - Term of Office: The term of the Vice President-Elect shall be one year. The Vice President-Elect then automatically succeeds to the office of Vice President for one year. At the expiration of this term as Vice President, the Vice President shall become President for a period of one year. The term of the Treasure shall be two years. The term of the Secretary shall be one Year. They may serve additional terms if so elected.
Time of Assuming Office	Section 3 - Time of Assuming Office: Officers shall assume the duties of office on July 1 following the election and shall continue to serve for the duration of their term.
Duties of President	Section 4 - Duties of President: The President shall act as the executive officer of ICIRA. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors, shall act as chair of the Executive Committee, shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and shall exercise general leadership and supervision over the affairs of ICIRA in implementing its purposes.
Duties of Vice President	Section 5 - Duties of Vice President: The Vice President Shall serve as a member of the Board of Directors, chair of the Program Committee, member of the budget Committee, and shall fulfill such other duties as assigned by the Executive board or the Assembly. The Vice President shall assume and perform the duties of the President in the event of the absence, incapacity or resignation of the President. Should the office of the President become vacant, the Vice President shall become President immediately and shall also serve the year for which elected.
Duties of Vice President Elect	Section 6 - Duties of Vice President-Elect: The Vice President-Elect shall serve as a member of the Board of Directors, the Budget Committee and as a member of the Program Committee. The Vice President-Elect shall fulfill such other duties as are assigned by the President, the Executive Board, or the Assembly. Should the office of Vice President become vacant, the Vice President-Elect shall serve the unexpired portion of the vice President's term in additional to the term to which elected. In the event that, for any reason, the Vice President is unable to assume the duties of the President immediately, the Vice President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President. In the event of vacancy in the office of Vice President-Elect, the Board of Directors shall have the power to fill this vacancy until the next regular election.
Duties of Treasurer	Section 7 - Duties of Treasurer: The Treasurer shall execute the duties essential to the maintenance of accurate and up-to-date records, have custody of the funds of the Council which shall be deposited in the name of the Idaho Chapter of the International Reading Association, serve as chair of the Budget Committee, prepare a financial report, with copies for the President's and Secretary's filed, to be read at each Executive committee and Board of Directors meeting, sign checks and drafts on behalf of the Council for disbursement of funds, in accordance with the approval of the Board of Directors, provide a bond to be filed with the President, cooperate fully with an annual audit, within thirty days of retirement from office turn over to the successor all funds, accounts, and books of the Council Treasurer.
Duties of Secretary	Section 8 - Duties of the Secretary: The Secretary shall 1 execute the duties essential to the recording of all business and happening at all meetings of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors and Delegates Assembly, 2 keep a permanent book of the minutes of all meetings, 3 notify appropriate members of the date, time, and place of meetings, 4 handle correspondence and notices 5 cooperate fully with the successor by turning over up-to-date records within thirty days of retirement from office.
State Coordinator	Section 9 - State Coordinator: A State Coordinator shall be elected every third year in accordance with the procedures for that election which are determined by the International Reading Association. The State Coordinator is a member of the Executive Committee, The Board of Directors, and serves on the Program and Budget Committees. The IRA Coordinator shall 1 maintain accurate records of charted councils within the state, i.e., names of the councils, their boundaries, and all officers' names and addresses and will report to IRA Headquarters the names and addresses of all local and state officers by the date specified by IRA; 2 support the state association, local councils, and special interest councils and groups; 3 promote the organization of additional councils; 4 attend and participate in activities for council leaders; 5 respond to request from IRA headquarters; 6 serve as a liaison between the International Reading Association and the State and Local Councils.
Director of Membership Development	Section 10 - Director of Membership Development: The director of Membership Development is a member of the Executive committee and of the Board of Directors. the Director of Membership Development shall 1 chair the Membership Committee comprised of Local Council membership directors; 2 establish a strategy to meet the State Council's as well as IRA's membership goals; 3 keep an accurate record of total membership; 4 organize and direct training activities of the Local Council Membership Directors; 5 organize and direct the operation of the membership booth at the fall conference; 6 establish a communications network with the Local Council Membership Directors and/or Local Council Presidents. The director of Membership Development may consecutively serve no more than two three-year terms. The Director of Membership Development is elected every third year in accordance with the procedures for that election, which are determined by the International Reading Association.
Past President	Section 11 - Past President: The Past President shall be a member of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, and chair the Nominating Committee.
Vacancies	Section 12 - in the Event of a vacancy in the office of Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Director of Membership Development, or State Coordinator, the Board of Directors shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the next regular election.
ARTICLE V back to top	ARTICLE V - Board of Directors
Function	Section 1 - Function: The Board of Directors shall exercise general supervision over the property and affairs of ICIRA. It shall have the general power to administer the affairs of ICIRA and shall report its actions to the next delegates assembly.
Composition	Section 2 - Composition: The Board of Directors shall consist of the current officers as listed below and the chairpersons of the standing committees: President Vice President Vice President-Elect Past President Secretary Treasurer The President (or president's designee) from each local or special interest council State Coordinator Director of Membership Development Editor of Portals
Meetings	Section 3 - Meetings: The Board of Directors shall be empowered to hold meetings on the call of the President, as the President shall deem necessary and at such times and places as the President may determine. No less than one meeting will be held each year.
Quorum	Section 4 - Quorum: A quorum is established when 50% of the members of the Board of Directors are present.
Budget	Section 5 - Budget: The Board of Directors shall review the annual budget prepared by the Budget Committee and shall accept or modify it. The budget shall then be presented at the meeting of the Assembly for final acceptance or modification.
Interim Decisions	Section 6 - Interim Decisions: The President is authorized to consult the Executive Committee concerning important decisions which must be made between meetings. All such decisions and/or actions shall be recorded by the Secretary and presented to the Board of Directors for approval at its next official meeting.
ARTICLE VI back to top	ARTICLE VI - Assembly
Composition	Section 1 - Composition: The Assembly shall consist of the Board of Directors, and two (2) delegates from each Local and Special Interest Reading Council. The delegates are appointed by the local or special interest council. Each Local or Special Interest Reading Council must have a minimum of ten (10) ICIRA and ten (10) IRA members to have voting privileges in the Assembly.
Function	Section 2 - Function: The Assembly shall be the legislative body of ICIRA and shall have full power and authority over the affairs of the council within the limits set by the bylaws. It shall have authority to review decisions made by the Board of Directors and accept or reject them.
Quorum	Section 3 - Quorum: a quorum shall consist of fifty percent of those eligible to vote in the Assembly.
Meetings	Section 4 - Meetings: The Assembly of the Idaho Chapter of the International Reading Association shall meet at least one time each year.
Notification of Meetings	Section 5 - Notification of Meetings: The secretary shall notify all Delegates to the Assembly at least on (1) month in advance of each meeting of the Assembly as to date, time, and place.
Amendments to the Bylaws	Section 6 - Amendments to the Bylaws: The Assembly of the Idaho Chapter of the International Reading Association shall have the power to amend these bylaws as provided in Article XII.
ARTICLE VII back to top	ARTICLE VII - Nomination and Election of Officers
Election	Section 1 - Election: All officers, except the President and vice-president, shall b elected prior to April 1.
Nominating Committee	Section 2 - Nominating Committee: The nominating committee shall be composed of the Past President and two additional members appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. The committee shall prepare a slate of nominees annually. Each nominee must be a member of the International Reading Association. Advance consent to serve if elected from each nominee shall be secured by the committee.
Mode of Election	Section 3 - Mode of Election: Option 1. At a meeting of the Assembly, the president shall give an opportunity to propose nominations from the floor for each office after the slate from the Nominating Committee has been presented including a short vita of each nominee. There shall be an attempt to have two (2) or more nominees for each vacant elected office. Voting shall be by ballot. Space shall be provided on the ballot form for the names of candidates nominated from the floor. A plurality of the votes cast shall constitute an election. In case of a tie, a ballot naming the nominees tied for most votes shall then be distributed. The results of the election shall then be announced. Option 2. The ballot and a short vita of each nominee shall be mailed to each member of the Assembly at least four (4) weeks prior to the date the ballots are to be counted. There shall be an attempt to have two (2) or more nominees for each vacant elected office. Space shall be provided for write-in candidates, and the date for return of the ballot shall be clearly stated on the ballot. On the date specified on the ballot, the votes shall be counted by the Nominating Committee and the results reported to the President in office at the time. A plurality of the votes cast shall constitute an election. A tie shall be broken at the next meeting of the Board of Directors.
Reporting	Section 3 - Reporting: The President shall be responsible for reporting the newly elected officers of ICIRA to IRA headquarters using the official form provided by the International Reading Association by the date specified on the form.
Term of Office	Section 4 - Term of Office: The term of office of each elected officer shall begin on July 1 following the election and shall continue to serve for the duration of the term set in Article IV, Section 2.
ARTICLE VIII back to top	ARTICLE VIII - Committees
Standing Committees	A. Standing Committees Section 1-A - Standing Committees: There shall be such standing committees as specified by the following sections and special (ad hoc) committees which may be added by the President.
Number	Section 2-A - Number of Standing Committees: The number of standing committees may be increased or decreased upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors and approval shown by a majority of votes cast at the Assembly.
Mode of Appointment and Terms	Section 3-A - Mode of Appointment and Terms of Standing Committees: The members of the standing committees shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors and shall serve for the term of the President unless otherwise specified in the charge to the committee.
Chairpersons	Section 4-A - Chairpersons of Standing Committees: The chairperson of each standing committee shall be appointed yearly by the president with the approval of the Board of Directors, except as specified in Article VIII, Section 2 and 6.
Budget Committee	Section 5-A - Budget Committee shall examine the income and expenditures of the Council and shall draft the annual budget. Members of the budget Committee shall be the President, Vice President, Vice President-Elect, State Coordinator and Treasurer. The treasurer will chair the Budget Committee. The committee shall: 1) Submit a tentative budget to the Board of Directors for its adoption at a regular meeting; 2) Recommended to the Board of Directors any additions or deletions to budget categories or expenditures as needed during the year; 3) Notify members of the Board of Directors or Committee Chair when they are spending more funds than allotted or deemed feasible.
Bylaws Committee	Section 6-A - Bylaws Committee shall review the Bylaws and policy manual, make recommendations for revisions, and oversee the bylaws amendment process.
Executive Committee	Section 7-A - Executive Committee will perform the duties of the board of directors, following established policies, when the board is not in session.
Membership Committee	Section 8-A - Membership Committee shall collect dues and turn all money over to the treasurer; keep an accurate record of total membership, including latest addresses and telephone numbers; provide every board member and chairperson with such current lists, plan ways to secure new members and retain present members at international, state and local levels. The Director of Membership Development shall chair the Membership Committee.
Nominating and Elections Committee	Section 9-A - Nominating and Elections Committee shall recommend a slate of nominees for office and carry out duties as defined in Article VII Section 1,2, and 3.
Program Committee	Section 10-A - Program Committee shall make long range plans for the Annual Conference or such other conferences as may be authorized by the Board of Directors. They shall serve as a resource for program support for councils. The vice President shall chair the Program Committee.
Special Committees	B. Special Committees Section 11-B - Special Committees: Special committees may be authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors and shall serve for a specified period.
Mode of Appointment	Section 12-B - Mode of Appointment of Special Committee: The members and chairpersons of special committees shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the board of Directors. Special committees may include those listed in Article VIII, Sections 13B-16B.
Family Literacy Committee	Section 13-B - Family Literacy Committee (parents and Reading) will plan programs and projects that promote family literacy, offer appropriate activities for children, and offer parents ways to help their children be more effective readers.
Council of Merit Committee	Sections 14_B - Council of Merit Committee will oversee the Honor Council Program and such other award programs as are assigned by the president.
Legislative Committee	Section 15-B - Legislative Committee will explore issues to be considered by the council, make recommendations, and prepare implementation plans.
Studies and Research Committee	Section 16-B - Studies and Research Committee will explore research issues and disseminate information about reading research. They all also encourage the members of ICIRA to engage in worthy reading research.
ARTICLE IX back to top	ARTICLE IX - Representation at the Annual Assemblies
Representation at the Annual IRA Assembly	Section 1 - Representation at the Annual IRA Assembly: Representation of ICIRA at The Delegates Assembly of the International Reading Association shall be in accordance with the bylaws as specified in the current International Reading Association Bylaws, Section 1, which reads as follows: ".....each state, provincial, regional, or special interest council of the Association shall be entitled to one delegate, provided the delegate has paid dues for the current year to the Association....One person may send an alternate for each delegate; an alternate may vote only when the delegate is absent."
Representation at the Annual State Assembly	Section 2 - Representation at the Annual State Assembly: Representation at the annual state assembly shall be in accordance with Article VI, Section 1 of these bylaws.
ARTICLE X	ARTICLE X - Parliamentary Authority
Parliamentary Authority	The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the proceedings of this association, except in such cases as are governed by the Bylaws and Special Rules adopted by ICIRA.
ARTICLE XI back to top	ARTICLE XI - Dissolution
Dissolution	In the case of the dissolution of ICIRA, any assets remaining after paying or making provisions for the payment of all liabilities of ICIRA shall revert to the International Reading Association.
ARTICLE XII	ARTICLE XII - Amendments.
Amendments Origin	Section 1 - Origin: Amendments to the Bylaws shall be proposed by 1) A quorum of the Board of Directors; 2) The Bylaws committee; or 3) A majority of the voting members present at regular business meeting of the Assembly. All proposed amendments shall be sent to International Reading Association Headquarters for approval before presenting them to the members for adoption.
Procedures	Section 2 - Procedures for Amending: Amendments may be adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Assembly at a regular meeting provided a quorum has been declared. (See Article VI, Section 3). The amendments must have been presented at a previous meeting, or circulated to each voting member at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting at which the voting on the amendments is to take place.
Incorporation	Section 3 - Incorporation: Amendments adopted as described in Section 2 shall be incorporated into these Bylaws. Copies of all amendments shall be sent immediately to IRA headquarters and shall be kept on file by the State President and Coordinator.