Constitution of the St. Louis Area Physics Teachers
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this Association shall be the "St. Louis Area Physics Teachers," a section of the American Association of Physics Teachers. It may, in all its activities, be referred to as "SLAPT."
ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVES
The objectives of SLAPT shall be to advance the teaching of physics, to promote the role of physics in society, and to encourage communication among those teaching all levels of physics. The purpose of these objectives is educational and scientific. SLAPT shall maintain an emphasis for its objectives to those that benefit the greater St. Louis region.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
The membership shall consist of four classes: regular members, student members, emeritus members, and honorary members.
• Regular members shall be teachers of physics or physical science at the university, college, high school, middle school, or elementary school level, and any other persons whose membership supports the objectives of SLAPT.
• Student members shall be students currently enrolled in an educational institution in a physics course or the equivalent.
• A person who has been a member of SLAPT prior to his/her retirement shall at retirement, become an emeritus member upon the member's request to the association.
• SLAPT may, by special action, designate other persons as emeritus or honorary members. Emeritus and honorary members shall enjoy all the privileges of regular membership and shall pay no dues.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS
The officers of SLAPT shall be: President, President-elect, Past President, Section Representative, Secretary, Treasurer, and Web Master.
• The President shall be responsible for the business of SLAPT and shall preside at meetings and business meetings of the officers and of SLAPT. The President shall have the power to appoint committees and replacement officers as described in Articles V and VI. The President shall hold office from June 15 until June 14 of the following year and then shall succeed to the office of Past President.
• The President-elect shall assume the duties of program chair, or co-chair in the case of joint meetings, for all meetings. The President-Elect shall have other duties as may be determined by SLAPT. The President-elect shall hold office from June 15 until June 14 of the following year and shall then succeed to the office of President.
• The Past President shall be the official representative of SLAPT to all societies designated by SLAPT. The Past President will serve as the chair of the Nominating Committee and the Awards Committee and have other duties as may be determined by SLAPT.
• The Section Representative to the Council of the American Association of Physics Teachers shall represent SLAPT at all national meetings, communicate AAPT information to SLAPT, and perform other duties as determined by SLAPT. If the Section Representative is unable to attend a scheduled section representatives meeting of the AAPT, s/he shall secure an alternate. The Section Representative shall notify the AAPT Secretary in writing regarding the change in representation prior to the meeting.
• The Secretary shall keep all records of SLAPT, be responsible for communicating with Association members in a timely fashion about the programs of SLAPT, and keep an up-to-date membership list. The Secretary shall serve a four-year term. The Secretary may serve more than one consecutive term.
• The Treasurer shall collect annual dues from the members, disburse funds in payment of expenses incurred necessary for conducting SLAPT's business, and present a report on the financial status of SLAPT at the end of the annual planning meeting of SLAPT. The Treasurer shall serve a four-year term. The Treasurer may serve more than one consecutive term.
• The Web Master shall maintain the SLAPT website as the official means of communication. The Web Master shall serve a four-year term. The Web Master may serve more than one consecutive term.
ARTICLE V: COUNCIL
The Council consists of the elected officers, past and present. The Council governs SLAPT. The responsibilities of the Council include setting the annual calendar, approving expenditures, and filling Council vacancies. Council actions shall require approval by a simple majority of the membership who casts a ballot.
ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES
There shall be two standing committees: a Nominating Committee and an Awards Committee.
The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Past President and include two other members. The Nominating Committee shall issue a call for candidates and ensure that the proposed candidates have agreed to serve if elected.
The Awards Committee shall be chaired by the Past President and include two other members. The Awards Committee shall call for nominations for the Gene Fuchs Award and any other awards designated by the Council.
The President, with the consent of the Council, may appoint other committees of one or more members as s/he may deem desirable to further the objectives of SLAPT. Such committees shall cease to exist no later than the close of the spring planning meeting.
ARTICLE VII: ELECTIONS
Officers shall be elected by a simple majority of the present and voting SLAPT members at the time of the annual spring meeting. Candidates for all positions shall be members of SLAPT. They shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee or nominated directly by voice, with a second, at the spring planning meeting. In case of a tie, the President shall determine the winner by a chance event.
ARTICLE VIII: DUES
Annual dues shall be set by the Council. Funds will be used to cover the expenses of SLAPT. The fiscal year for SLAPT shall begin on June 15.
ARTICLE IX: MEETINGS
There shall be monthly meetings during the school year, including workshops and other events, arranged by the Council and interested members. Notices of the time and place of these meetings shall be announced to all members of SLAPT.
ARTICLE X: NONDISCRIMINATION
SLAPT shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, or sex.
ARTICLE XI: NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Constitution, SLAPT shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an association exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law, or (b) by any association contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law.
SLAPT shall continue forever unless a two-thirds majority of the members shall vote to dissolve SLAPT. A proposal to dissolve SLAPT may be submitted for vote by the Council at any time. In the event that SLAPT is dissolved, the Council, after paying or making provision for payment of all liabilities of SLAPT, shall dispose of all assets of SLAPT exclusively for the purposes of SLAPT to such charitable, educational, or scientific organization(s) as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization(s) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law, except that in the case of funds granted by an Agency stipulated otherwise, disposition shall be made in accordance with provisions contained in the pertinent grant documents.
ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended by recommendation of the Council and approval from two-thirds of the membership that cast a ballot. The proposed amendment must be available to all members for review and discussion for at least two weeks before voting.
ARTICLE XIII: BY LAWS
By-Laws may be added to this Constitution if recommended by the Council.
Adopted by SLAPT 9 October, 2007
