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OCEA Policies

Bylaws - Policies

SECTION A: MEMBERSHIP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: A.1 MEMBERSHIP SUPPLIES -- Adopted 9/27/75; Revised 3/1/89; Revised 2/96

A.2 MEMBERSHIP PROCESSING PROCEDURE--Adopted 9/27/75; Amended 11/13/75; Revised 3/1/89; Revised 4/96

All membership applications and dues payments will be forwarded to the Executive Director for processing. Within 10 days after the receipt of each membership application accompanied by a dues payment, the executive Director will complete the following actions in the order specified:

1. Update the OCEA computer disk

2. Deposit dues payments

3.1 Mail new members:

a) A welcoming letter from the President

b) A member certificate

c) A copy of the most recent issue of the OCEAN

d) NCEA and NAPE membership brochures

3.2 Mail new and renewing institutional members:

a) A letter of welcome or renewal acknowledgment

b) A brief explanation of OCEA institutional benefits

3.3 Inform the newsletter committee (or contractor) of new members to be welcomed in next issue of OCEAN

A.3 FORUMS -- Adopted 11/95

Forums associated with OCEA are:

1. Community School

2. Business & Education Partnerships

3. Volunteer Programs

4. Community College

A.4 MEMBERSHIP YEAR -- Adopted 9/27/75; Revised 3/1/89

The membership year is concurrent with the calendar year. Members who default in dues for a period of four (4) months after the start of any new membership year are dropped from the membership rolls

A.5 DUES REFUNDS -- Adopted 9/27/75; Amended 3/1/89

No dues payment shall be returned to any member after it has been deposited in the Association's account, unless approved by the President.

All newsletters and packets mailed within Oregon and the rest of the continental United States will be mailed third class when possible. All newsletters and packets mailed to Canada must be mailed first class.

A.6 MEMBERSHIP MAILINGS -- Adopted 4/27/76; Amended 3/1/89

All newsletters and packets mailed within Oregon and the continental United States will be mailed third class when possible. All newsletters and packets mailed to Canada must be mailed first class.

A.7 ADDITIONAL FEES -- Adopted 4/22/76; Amended 3/1/89

All members from Canada will be charged an additional $7.50 fee to off-set mailing costs. from all other countries will receive a letter from the Executive Director asking for their fees for computed mailing cost. Any member may receive the OCEAN by first class mail by extra $7.50 per year to cover postage.

SECTION B: COMMUNICATIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: B.1 FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS -- Adopted 3/1/89; Revised 2/96

B.2 CORRESPONDENCE -- Adopted 9/27/75; Amended 3/1/89; Revised 2/96

One copy of all correspondence on OCEA letterhead will be forwarded to the Executive Director for inclusion in a correspondence file. The Executive Director should send a copy to the President or any other Board member of any correspondence that pertains to that individual's duties.

B.3 OTHER COMMUNICATIONS -- Adopted 9/27/75; Revised 2/96

The office of the Executive Director will be utilized, whenever possible, for long distance telephone calls, reproduction, and mass mailings in order to minimize costs.

B.4 OCEA ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNICATION PLAN -- Adopted 3/1/89; Revised 2/96

At the leadership retreat, the President-Elect shall prepare for the Board of Director's approval, an Organization and Communication Plan, which identifies a series of actions that will be taken during the coming fiscal year to carry out Association business and to sustain membership, including person(s) responsible and timelines, The plan shall include the following areas:

1. Shared administrative responsibilities of the Officers, Board, and Executive Director
2. Board, Committee and Forum responsibilities
3. President's responsibilities
4. Other Officer's responsibilities
5. Executive Director's job description and responsibilities.

The Board of Directors shall adopt the year's Organization and Communication Plan no later than the August or September Board meeting.

SECTION C: FISCAL POLICIES: C.1 INCOME PROCESSING -- Adopted 9/27/75; Revised 2/96; All OCEA income will be receipted and transferred immediately to either the Tresurer or the Executive Director for deposit.

C.2 EXPENSE PROCESSING, GENERAL -- Adopted 9/27/75: Amended 8/10/75, 3/1/89: Revised 2/96

All OCEA bills will be paid by checks processed by the Treasurer or Executive Director within 30 days after they are received by that person

C.3 CONFERENCE, WORKSHOP, AND STANDING COMMITTEE FINANCING --Adopted 3/1.89: Revised 2/96

The OCEA Annual Conference and other major conferences/workshops are sources of income for OCEA. It is the responibility of the conference chair and other conference/workshop chairs to plan for and reach projected income goals. Specifically:

1. Registration fees should be sufficient to cover all expenses including, but not limited to postage, printing, meals, honorariums, and other direct costs associated with the conference/workshop.

2. OCEA members serving as resource persons/presenters are not eligible for honorariums or meals, lodging and travel reimbursement without prior approval by the OCEA Executive Committee.

3. Prior approval by OCEA Executive Committee is needed for individual speaker/presenter/ resource person expenses greater than $100.

4. Resource persons will be notified in writing of provisions 2 & 3 above by the Conference Committee.

5. Complimentary meals at conferences will be limited to one per each presenter and or guests as determined by conference committee.

6. All standing committees may request funds as needed upon approval by the Board ofDirectors.

7. Executive Committee may approve expenditures from the money market account, when available, in increments up to $500 per workshop.

Workshop Fee Recommended Guidelines -- Adopted 11/21/98

If the OCEA office receives and fills a request for training or workshop presentations from non members, a standard presentation fee will be applied. A sliding scale will be employed if budgets cannot accommodate the standard fee. OCEA will charge $200 for a two hour presentation, $400 for a four hour presentation, and $700 for a full day. If two or more people are requested, the fee will increase by $100. Fees will be reduced by half for OCEA members. Fees will be divided in the following way: one fourth of the net income to the presenter(s) and three fourths net income to the OCEA. Expenses allowed for food, lodging, mileage, copies, materials. Presenters always have the option of donating their portion of the fee back to OCEA.

C.4 BUDGET CHANGES -- Adopted 3/1/89; Revised 2/961.

1. OCEA Committee Chairs are responsible for operating within thier committee's approved budget. Budget changes require the approval of the OCEA Board of Directors

2. The President, in close cooroperation with the Executive Director and Treasurer, is responsible for monitoring and not over spending the amount budgeted for Administrative Expenditures. Budget transfers from or between Administrative, Committee and Contingency accounts require the approval of the OCEA Board of Directors

3. All expenditures from the Contingency require the prior approval of the OCEA Board of Directors.

C.5 LIQUID ASSETS -- Adopted 3/1/89

Sufficient liquid assets, to cover all administrative expenses, will be maintained over a 12-month period for OCEA operations.

C.6 INVESTMENTS -- Adopted 9/27/75; Revised 3/1/89

The Executive Director, in consultation with the Treasurer, is responsible for researching and investing cash on hand in low-risk, interest-bearing accounts.

C.7 SHORT AND LONG TERM DEBT -- Adopted 3/1/89

It is the policy of the OCEA Board of Directors to not borrow funds for any purpose.

C.8 MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT FOR OCEA MEMBERS -- Adopted 8/11/78

Under no circumstances will a member of the Association be reimbursed for mileage or other travel expenses from Association funds without prior approval by the Board of Directors and/or the Executive Committee

SECTION D: GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: D.1 POLICY DEVELOPMENT -- Adopted 2/19/76; Amended 3/1/89; Revised 2/96

D.2 AWARDS -- Adopted 6/11/76; Amended 8/28/81; Revised 3/1/89, 2/96

AWARDS CATEGORIES

The following awards will be presented during the annual conference:

1. C. S. Mott Award for Community Educator of the Year

2. Business-Education Partnership Coordinator of the Year

3. Community College Community Educator of the Year

4. Community Programs & Services Community Educator of the Year

5. Volunteer Coordinator of the Year

6. Award for Contributions to the Field of Community Education

7. OCEA Service Award

8. Award for Cooperation by a Community Member

9. Business Partner of the Year

The following awards will be presented by the President or other appropriate person at the Annual Conference

1. Gavel Plaque Award (Presented to Past President)

2. Secretary's Award (at conclusion of term)

3. Treasurer's Award (at conclusion of term)

4. Outgoing Board Member's Award

5. Outgoing Forum Chair Awards

6. Presidental Recognition (Pen Set--or the like) (Presented to President)

President will pass gavel to President Elect at the spring Leadership Retreat. Special awards may be presented any time during the year with the approval of the Awards Chairperson and Executive Committee.

1. A nomination form will be mailed to all members in the OCEAN two times (October and November issues), seeking nominations for the nine (9) award categories for the annual awards.

2. The awards Committee will meet at least four (4) weeks prior to the Annual Conference to evaluate award nominations and select recipients for the awards. The Executive Director will serve as Board Liaison at this meeting.

3. Awards Committee designs the program for the Banquet Awards presentations. Should include getting presentors for each award informing them of 3 minute introduction limit, obtain Master of Ceremony, secure awards, design program.

4. The Awards Chairperson and the Executive Director will be responsible for selecting the materials and plaques for the awards and have the appropriate inscriptions made.

5. Local employer and newspaper of award recipients are to be notified by Public Relations Committee after the presentation of the awards.

D.3 OCEAN PUBLISHING PROCESS -- Adopted 9/13/76; Amended 8/28/81; Revised 3/1/89

The Oregon Community Education Association News will be published on a schedule established by the Board and mailed to all members.

Responsibility for generating news and feature articles rests with the Newsletter Committee. The Chair of the committee will forward all material to the newsletter contractor, who edits and designs the newsletter, has it published, and mails it in accordance with deadlines set by the committee each year.

Complimentary copies of the OCEAN will be mailed to a list of individuals which includes directors of ~ affiliate state and national organizations, NCSCEA liaisons, education organizations, etc. This list will be reviewed yearly by the Executive Committee no later than September.

D.4 NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE -- Adopted 9/19/76; Amended 3/1/89;
Revised 2/96

OCEA believes it is important to encourage members to participate as candidates for all elected offices of the Association. The following guidelines have been developed to aid the Nomination and Elections Committee in their tasks as specified in Section IV of the OCEA By-laws.

NOMINATION PROCESS

1. Send out applications for nominations through OCEAN at least six (6) weeks prior to the annual business meeting.

2. Contact all Board Members and Officers by letter requesting names of nominees for elected offices five (5) weeks prior to the annual business meeting.

3. Request the Past-President to conduct a brainstorming session to acquire names of nominees during the Executive Board meeting prior to the annual business meeting.

4. Telephone all nominees requesting confirmation of their desires to run for an elected office as nominations are received. If nominees cannot be reached via telephone within three (3) days of the receipt of their nomination, the next step of the process should be initiated.

5. Send letters to all nominees requesting confirmation of their desire to run for an elected office.

6. Deadline for all nominations should be seven (7) days prior to the annual business meeting.

ELECTION PROCESS

1. Ballots will be included in the first issue of the OCEAN following the annual business meeting. Deadlines for receiving ballots will be set for 30 days following the mailing. The deadline date and time will be marked on the ballot.

2. New members joining OCEA following the ballot mailing in OCEAN, but prior to the final voting deadline, will receive a ballot in their welcoming packet.

3. Ballots will be counted by the Nominations and Elections Committee and results of the elections will be conveyed to the Past President immediately following the counting of ballots. It is the responsibility of the Past President to send the results to the Executive Director and to inform the Executive Committee

4. The Past President will communicate to ALL candidates informing them of the results to the elections.

5. The results of the elections will be published in the OCEAN as soon as they are announced by the Past President.

D.5 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS -- Adopted 3/26/77; Revised 3/1/89

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President Elect, Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Executive Director shall attend in an advisory role. Executive Committee meetings shall be held before each Board meeting or upon request of the President in order to set the Board meeting agenda, and to review other business as needed. Executive Committee meetings will be held at a site and time determined by the President or by conference call. The schedule for Executive Committee meetings will be included in the yearly calendar established at the Leadership Retreat.

D.6 NATIONAL CONVENTION AND NCSCEA REPRESENTATION -- Adopted 3/26/77; Amended 8/28/81. 8/19/89

OCEA shall be represented at the National Community Education Association Convention and the National Council of State Community Education Associations Summer Workshop by the President or designee. The Association shall provide partial financial responsibility for travel, registration, room, and board (if desired) by the representative(s). In the event the President is unable to attend the NCEA Convention, the Past President or President Elect will replace the President as OCEA's representative. The representative will be responsible for attending all activities pertaining to state associations, Delegate Assemble, NCEA Board or exhibits that are relevant to OCEA, and preparing a report for the OCEA Board. The President shall appoint additional delegates to the Delegate Assembly, according to the number to which Oregon is entitled. The President or designee shall attend the NCSCEA Summer workshop and will prepare a report for the Board.

D.6.a AMBASSADOR POLICY -- Adopted 11/21/97

Money in budget adopted for Ambassadors is open to all OCEA members. Fill out application form. Cap on amount. Can be submitted throughout the year. Required to bring back information in the form of OCEAN article, presentation to the Board or at conference. Person going must represent OCEA. Committee of the Board to make determination. Commiffee made up of president elect and three forum chairs. Must have three present to vote.

D.7 LEGAL CONTRACTS -- Adopted 3/26/77

Any legal contract entered into by OCEA must be reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee and signed by the President.

D.8 DISTRIBUTION ANDIOR USE OF OCEA MAILING LABELS -- Adopted 8/11/78

The Executive Committee is solely authorized to approve the distribution and/or use of OCEA mailing labels or membership lists for purposes of commercial, political, or membership solicitations.

D.9 POLITICAL ACTION -- Adopted 8/28/81; Revised 3/1/89

OCEA shall actively support/oppose those statewide ballot measures, initiatives, and legislative issues deemed to be supportive/detrimental to community education in the state of Oregon. Support may be demonstrated in any of the following ways:

1. Oral or written endorsement
2. Oral or written public testimony
3. Volunteer campaign activities
4. Financial campaign contributions

Political action shall be limited to public policy issues with a direct relationship to community education. Races for local, state, and federal political office shall not be considered for political action by OCLA.

Issues for political action consideration shall be identified or reviewed initially by the OCEA Governmental Relations Committee, a standing committee within OCEA. Once identified, the committee shall research and recommend appropriate action on each issue to the OCEA Board of Directors. Recommended action must be approved by at least 75 per cent majority vote at a regular Board meeting, or a unanimous vote at an emergency meeting of the Executive Board.

OCEA may solicit nonpartisan information on the community education related views of state and federal political candidates through a standardized questionnaire. If deemed of interest to OCEA members by the OCEA Governmental Relations Committee and the Executive Director, the complete responses of all candidates surveyed shall be printed in the Association newsletter.