ARTICLE I - NAME
1. The name of this association shall be the American Association of Philosophy Teachers, hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the Association."
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
1. The purpose of the American Association of Philosophy Teachers is to promote and improve the quality of instruction in philosophy at all educational levels; to encourage research, experimentation, and investigation in the teaching of philosophy; to facilitate professional cooperation of the members; to hold public discussions and programs about the teaching of philosophy; to make available to teachers information concerning the selection, organization, and presentation of philosophical material; to sponsor the publication of desirable articles and reports; and to support and cooperate with individuals or organizations concerned with the improvement of instruction in philosophy.
ARTICLE III - NOT FOR PROFIT ASSOCIATION
1. The American Association of Philosophy Teachers is not organized for profit, and no part of its net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any officer or employee of the Association except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to and for the Association in connection with one or more of its purposes. The purposes of the Association are exclusively educational, literary, and scientific within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. The Association shall not conduct any activities not permitted to be conducted by an organization exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) if the Internal Revenue Code and its regulations as they now exist or as they hereafter be amended.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership in the Association is open to any person or organization engaged in or interested in the teaching of philosophy or in the improvement of such teaching, and sympathetic to the objectives of the Association.
2. Persons and organizations become members of the Association when
they file an appropriate membership application which is accompanied by
the initial payment of membership dues.
3. There shall be six types of membership in the Association:
(a) Regular Member. Any person, without regard to race, color, creed, or sex, sympathetic to the objectives of the Association, having paid appropriate dues shall be a Regular Member of the Association. Within this category is recognized a person with Part-time or Adjunct employment, and dues for such persons shall be equivalent to those for Emeritus and Student members.
(b) Emeritus Member. Any person, without regard to race, color, creed, or sex, sympathetic to the objectives of the Association, who has retired from remunerative professional work, having paid his or her Emeritus Member's dues shall be an Emeritus Member of the Association.
(c) Honorary Member. Any philosopher or teacher of philosophy, entitled to the highest recognition within the power of the Association to confer, shall be eligible for election as an Honorary Member, provided that such a person shall have demonstrated a distinguished career in teaching, research or service in philosophy. Nominations for Honorary Membership shall be proposed in writing to the Board of Officers of the Association by at least five Regular Members of the Association. Such nominations shall be supported by appropriate biographical and bibliographical information. Nominees for Honorary Membership, upon receiving endorsement of a three-fourths majority vote of the Board of Officers voting, shall be declared elected. Honorary Members shall not be assessed dues.
(d) Student Member. Any regularly matriculated undergraduate or graduate student sympathetic to the objectives of the Association, having paid his or her Student Member's dues, shall be a Student Member of the Association.
(e) Sustaining Member. Any person, organization or corporation interested in advancing the purposes of the Association shall be eligible to be a Sustaining Member. Any candidate for Sustaining Membership who shall have applied or been nominated, and paid the Association dues for Sustaining Members shall be a Sustaining Member of the Association.
(f) Life Member. Any person eligible for Regular Membership and who has contributed not less than twenty-five times the annual dues for Regular Members in one calendar year to the Association shall be a Life Member.
4. All members shall be entitled to the privileges of the Association as specified in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and by the Board of Officers, except that Sustaining Members shall not be eligible to vote, and only Regular, Emeritus, Honorary and Life Members may become officers of the Association.
ARTICLE V - DUES AND FINANCES
1. The Board of Officers of the Association shall determine the annual dues for each type of membership. Honorary Members and paid-in-full Life Members shall not be assessed dues.
2. The Board of Officers of the Association shall determine salaries and honoraria, if any, to be paid to the officials and employees of the Association, but no member of the Board of Officers may vote on any question involving a salary to be paid to him or her.
3. The Board of Officers of the Association shall adopt an annual budget. It shall order an annual independent audit of the financial accounts of the Association, and shall give a financial report at each regular meeting of the Association.
4. Unless or until the Board of Officers of the Association shall set a different fiscal year, it shall begin on January 1 of each year and end on December 31.
ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS
1. The officers of the Association shall be: The President, The Vice President, the Executive Director, and other members of the Board of Officers as described below.
2. The President shall serve for two years and shall take office at the conclusion of his or her term as Vice President. The President shall preside at regular and special full meetings of the membership of the Association.
3. The Vice President shall serve for two years, and upon expiration of his or her term shall become President for two years. In the event of the death, resignation, absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of the President.
4. The Executive Director of the Association shall serve for five years, and shall be elected by the Board of Officers of the Association. The Executive Director shall be the chief executive and operating officer of the Association, and shall exercise general supervision over the day-to-day affairs of the Association. In the absence of the President and Vice President, at full meetings of the membership of the Association, the Executive Director shall preside. The Executive Director shall maintain the national office of the Association, keep membership records, serve as secretary and as a signatory on all financial accounts of the Association. The Executive Director shall also carry out such other duties as the Board of Officers may require of him or her. In the event that the position of Treasurer is vacated, the Executive Director shall remain as signatory until the Board of Officers appoints a new Treasurer.
5. The Treasurer of the Association shall serve for five years, and shall be elected by the Board of Officers of the Association. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer and a signatory on all financial accounts of the Association. The Treasurer shall be the primary person responsible for disbursement of funds in payment of the Association’s bills. The Treasurer shall be records of all financial transactions of the Association, and provide quarterly financial reports to the Executive Director, and as requested by the Executive Director. In the event that the position of Executive Director is vacated, the Treasurer shall remain as signatory until a new Executive Director is appointed by the Board of Officers.
6. The Board of Officers of the Association, herein after sometimes called “the Board”, shall be composed of the above officers, the immediate past President, the chairpersons of any standing committees of the Association, the immediate past Executive Director, and three other members of the Association (designated "At Large" members of the Board of Officers). The Chairpersons of any standing committees shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Board and confirmed by a majority vote of the Board; the At Large members of the Board shall be elected by the members of the Association by a majority of those voting. The three At Large members shall serve concurrent terms. The Chair-person of the Board of Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board, and shall serve a two year term.
7. The Board of Officers is the governing body of the Association. It shall meet at least once a year. The meetings of the Board of Officers shall be open for observation, and by invitation with the right to speak but not to vote, to any member of the Association.
8. The Board of Officers is authorized to establish a National Office. The staff of the National Office shall implement policies of the Board of Officers. The Executive Director of the Association shall be the head of the National Office.
9. The elected officers of the Association will take their offices on January 1 in the year following their election, which ordinarily takes place in even-numbered years.
ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES OF THE ASSOCIATION
1. The Board of Officers is authorized to establish standing committees of the Association. The chairperson of the Board of Officers and confirmed by a majority vote of the Board, and the terms of office of members of any standing committees shall be determined by the Board of Officers.
2. There shall be a Nominating Committee consisting of four members of the Association, elected by majority vote of members at regular full meetings of the Association and serving two year terms. The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one person each for the positions of Vice President and each At Large member of the Board of Officers. Election of Officers shall be by mail ballot sent by the Nominating Committee to members of the Association not less than three months in advance of the beginning of the terms of the Officers being elected.
ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION
1. There shall be a regular full meeting of the membership of the Association at least once each two years. The time and place of such meetings shall be determined by the Board of Officers. The Board of Officers may call special meetings of the Association.
ARTICLE IX - DISSOLUTION
1. In the event of dissolution of the Association, the Board of
Officers shall dispose of all the Association's assets in such a way as
to promote only such purposes as are exclusively educational, literary,
or scientific within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal
Revenue code of 1954 and its regulations as they now exist or as they
hereafter be amended.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS
1. Any proposed amendment to this constitution must be submitted to the Executive Director in writing, signed by at least ten members of the Association. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the membership at the time of the next regular election of officers or at the next regular full meeting of the membership of the Association, whichever comes earlier. An amendment must have the approval of two-thirds of the members voting.
ARTICLE XI - BYLAWS
1. Bylaws of the Association may be adopted and amended. Proposed bylaws and amendments must be submitted to the Executive Director in writing, signed by at least ten members of the Association. Proposed bylaws and amendments shall be submitted to the membership at the time of the next regular election of officers or at the next regular full meeting of the membership of the Association, whichever comes earlier. A bylaw or amendment to the bylaws must have the approval of two thirds of the members voting.