CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES GROUP

 ARTICLE I
Name

This name of the organization shall be known as The Special Needs Issues Group of the National Art Education Association, herein referred to as SNAE/NAEA respectively.

ARTICLE II
Purpose

 The purpose shall be define and establish the role of the Special Needs Issues Group as a special interest group of NAEA and:

• Provide a voice for art and museum educators with special education concerns;

• Provide a forum to share best practices of art teachers with special education students. Special needs populations include but are not limited to students who are gifted, students who have learning and/or cognitive issues, students with behavior disorders, or students who have physical impairments (e.g., deaf, hearing or visually impaired) – Summaries can become “NAEA Advisories”;

• Provide information for the NAEA web-site for special education related topics (information about agencies or resources that focus on the arts for special education students);

• Become a liaison with The Council for Exceptional Children in order to share both information and education and training expertise;

• Develop a network of NAEA members and special education teachers who teach with and through the arts;

• Interface with art therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy to share information about adaptive equipment, research, and strategies for teaching art to special education students.

ARTICLE III
Membership

Membership is open to NAEA members with specific interests in individuals with exceptionalities and special needs in art education, from pre-school to adult. There are no membership dues.

ARTICLE IV
Elected and Appointed Officers

 The elected officers of SNAE shall be a President, President-Elect, and Secretary. A Membership Secretary and List Serve Secretary shall be appointed. A Treasurer may be appointed by the Executive Board if immediate need arises before this position can be formally ratified in compliance with procedures for amending this constitution.

Section 1: Duties of Officers

•  President : It shall be the duty of the President to preside at annual Special Needs Issues Group meetings; to appoint regular and special committees, a Membership Chair and List/Web Master, with approval of the Executive Board; to serve as ex-officio member of all committees excepting the Nominating Committee; to inform the membership of activities and concerns of SNAE and NAEA; and to perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office of the President.

• President-Elect : It shall be the duty of the President-Elect to assume the duties of the President in the event of absence or vacancy in the office; to assist the President in planning the annual meetings; to fulfill other responsibilities designated by the President.

• Secretary : It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record the minutes of all annual SNAE business meetings; to provide a copy of such minutes to the President and President-Elect, to fulfill other responsibilities designated by the President.

• Membership : The Membership Secretary shall maintain records of membership. Upon approval of the membership, this list shall be circulated to all consenting members.

• List Serve : The List Serve Secretary shall maintain the list serve for Special Needs Issues Group Members.

Section 2 : Nomination and Election of Officers

• The election of officers shall be held annually. The Secretary shall be elected in odd-numbered years and the President-Elect in even-numbered years. A Nominating Committee shall draw up a single slate of officers and shall report at the annual business meeting. Nominations from the floor may be made with the consent of the nominee.

• The officers shall be elected by ballot to serve for two (2) years, or until their successors are elected. No officer shall serve more than two (2) Consecutive terms in the same office. The term of office shall begin at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected. A majority of votes cast by members attending the annual business meeting shall elect the officers. The President may appoint, with the approval of the Executive Board, an interim officer to fill any vacancy until the new election can take place.

ARTICLE V
Meetings

 The Special Needs Issues Group annual business meeting shall be held during the NAEA Convention. Its purpose shall be for electing officers, receiving reports of officers and committees; and for any other business that shall arise.

ARTICLE VI
The Executive Board

 Section 1: The officers and the Chairs of Standing Committees shall constitute the Executive Board .

Section 2: The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of Special Needs Issues Group; make recommendations to the members attending the annual meeting; and shall perform such other duties as specified in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII
Standing Committees

Section 1: A Program Committee of five (5) members, composed of the President-Elect as Chair and four (4) members at large shall be appointed at each annual meeting. It shall be the duty of the committee to plan SNAE sessions of interest to members and the general NAEA membership for presentation at the annual NAEA Convention. This committee should include representatives from diverse settings, including colleges, universities, schools, and museums.

Section 2 : A Professional Liaison and Professional Development Committee shall consist of representatives from each of the areas of education that has contact with special needs populations, i.e., Higher Education, Museum Education, Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Level, Secondary, and from diverse regions, with a maximum of 12, to investigate ways to provide leadership to special needs in art education and other relevant professional organizations. Members will also serve as liaisons with state, regional associations, and the national board. This committee will also be responsible for determining ways to support the needs and interests of SNAE members throughout the year.

Section 3 : A Nominating Committee composed of three (3) members appointed by the Executive Board shall carry out the duties as specified in Article IV, Section 2 of these bylaws.

Section 4 : Ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the President from time to time as needed to carry on the work of the Special Needs Issues Group.

ARTICLE VIII
Parliamentary Authority

 Robert's Rule of Order, Newly Revised (latest edition) shall be the authority on all questions of Procedure not otherwise covered in the Constitution and Bylaws .

ARTICLE IX
Fiscal and Administrative Year

The fiscal and administrative year shall coincide with that of NAEA

ARTICLE X
Adoption of Constitution and Bylaws

 Section 1 : A proposal for official organization as a Special Interest Group of NAEA, was accepted by an affirmative vote from those present at the Meeting of the Special Needs in Art Education Interest Group at the 2000 Annual Convention in Los Angeles , CA .

Section 2 : A proposal for official organization as a Special Interest Group of NAEA, was endorsed by unanimous vote from those present at Delegates Assembly at the 2001 Annual Convention in New York .

Section 3 : This constitution and bylaws will become effective immediately following a ratification by two-thirds (2/3) majority of members present at the Special Needs in Art Education Issues Group Membership Drive/Business Meeting to be held at the NAEA Annual Convention to be held in Miami , Florida in 2002.

ARTICLE XI
Amendments

 Amendments to this Constitution and Bylaws must be presented in writing to the Special Needs Issues Group Executive Board and the membership one month in advance of the annual meeting. An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting shall be necessary for the adoption of proposed amendments.