Article I. Name Intensive English Programs Governing Rules The name of this interest section shall be Intensive English Programs: A Professional Interest Section of Teachers to English of Speakers to Other Languages, Inc., hereinafter referred to as IEPIS. Article II. Statement of Purpose Intensive English programs (IEPs) exist to provide language instruction for those who, for whatever purpose, need or desire to acquire English in a relatively brief but intense period. TESOL s IEPIS exists to serve the needs of those who work in IEPs. The concerns of the membership may include methodology, curriculum design, materials development, placement, evaluation, program administration, technologically assisted instruction, English for specific purposes, culture, research, learners concerns, and members employment concerns. The primary goals and activities of the interest section are: A. To foster the recognition of English language instruction as a professional/academic discipline at all levels of education. B. To facilitate the gathering and exchange of knowledge and information among ESOL professionals in IEPs by sponsoring special projects, convention sessions, and publications in appropriate media. C. To stimulate and disseminate scholarship, research, and professional development regarding language teaching and related concerns in IEPs by sponsoring special projects, convention sessions, and publications in appropriate media. D. To provide a forum for the exchange of views on IEP-related issues through affiliate and TESOL conventions, and through appropriate media. E. To advocate for the professional concerns of the members and the students the members teach. F. To mentor, advise, and train members with regard to conference proposals, publications, and professional concerns. G. To promote ethical and high professional standards of teaching, administration, and employment practices in IEPs. H. To represent the needs and concerns of IEP professionals to the TESOL membership, Board of Directors, Central Office, and Interest Section Leadership Council (ISLC). I. To represent TESOL at affiliate conferences/activities and in institutional programs. J. To ensure the viability and continuity of TESOL by training and encouraging aspiring practitioners in the IEPIS to become officers. K. To identify persons within the IEP community who may serve as resources to others.
L. To cooperate with other organizations addressing the needs of IEPs in order to achieve common goals. Article III. Membership A. Membership shall be open to any member of TESOL who is interested in any concerns related to IEPs. B. All members who designate IEPIS as their primary professional interest section shall be entitled to one vote in any vote IEPIS conducts. Article IV. Annual Meetings A. Business Meeting of the general voting membership of IEPIS shall be held at the annual TESOL convention for the purpose of conducting business and disseminating information. The TESOL director in charge of the annual convention program shall determine the time and location of the meeting. 1. For conducting business, twenty (20) members of IEPIS shall constitute a program. 2. Minutes of the business meeting shall be kept for submission to TESOL along with the annual report of IEPIS activities. B. A planning meeting for the IEPIS shall be held at TESOL s annual convention. The TESOL director in charge of the annual convention program shall determine the time and location of the meeting. C. The business of the IEPIS may be conducted during the year between TESOL s annual conventions by such means as mail, telephone, fax, e-mail, and/or online tools. 1. A quorum for conducting business by the officers and Steering Committee shall be one half (1/2) of the members. 2. A quorum for conducting any business by mail, telephone, fax, e-mail, and/or online tools of the IEPIS members shall be thirty (30). D. The steering board of the IEPIS shall also conduct a Business Meeting at the annual TESOL convention at some point before the Interest Section Assembly convenes. The director in charge of the annual convention program shall determine the time and location of the meeting. A quorum for conducting business shall be one half (1/2) of the committee members. Article V. Officers A. The officers shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, an Immediate Past Chair, a Secretary, and a Historian. B. The term of the office shall be from the close of one annual TESOL Business Meeting until the close of the next annual TESOL Business Meeting (or the second and third
annual Business Meetings, respectively, in the cases of the Secretary and the Historian). Officers appointed to fill vacancies will take office upon their acceptance. C. The Chair, the Chair-Elect and the Immediate Past Chair will each hold office for one year. At the end of this term, the Chair-Elect will become the Chair, and the Chair will become the Immediate Past Chair. D. The Secretary will hold office for 2 years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. E. The Historian will hold office for 3 years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. F. Officers shall be elected or appointed as stipulated in Article X. G. All officers shall be voting members of IEPIS as specified in Article III.B., and they shall maintain voting membership during their terms in office. Article VI. Steering Board A. The Steering Board shall be the policy-making body of IEPIS. It shall consist of the Officers, three members-at-large, and the IEPIS Newsletter Editor. B. All officers of IEPIS shall be ex officio voting members of its Steering Board and will function as officers of the Board. C. So far as is practicable, the membership of the Steering Board shall be fairly distributed geographically, and shall represent the range of professional positions and affiliations present in IEPIS, such as instructors and administrators, university/college/proprietary programs, etc. D. Members-at-large of the Steering Board shall hold office for 3 years, with one member elected each year to provide staggered terms and, thus, continuity on the board. E. The term of a new member of the Board shall begin at the close of the annual TESOL convention following the election. The term of the retiring member of the Board shall end at the close of the annual TESOL convention during the year of retirement. F. All members of the Steering Board shall be voting members of the IEPIS as specified in Article III.B., and they shall maintain voting membership during their terms of office. G. The Steering Board shall convene at least once during the annual TESOL convention and before the annual IEPIS Business Meeting. Most Board business between annual Business Meetings shall be conducted by mail, e-mail, and/or telephone. H. Fifty percent (50%) of the membership of the Steering Board shall constitute a quorum for meetings of the Steering Board. I. Within the rules of TESOL and the limits set by these Governing Rules and the ISLC, the Steering Board shall establish such policies as are necessary for the operation of IEPIS and such projects as are necessary to achieve the goals of TESOL and of IEPIS.
Article VII. Duties of Officers and Steering Board A. The Chair: 1. Assumes responsibility for the functioning of IEPIS. 2. Organizes IEPIS s Intersection for the annual TESOL convention by coordinating with at least one other interest section and those who want to be included in the intersection presentation. 3. Plans the agenda for and presides at the Annual Business Meetings of IEPIS and the Steering Board. 4. Represents IEPIS in making public its policy decisions, except on the TESOL Board of Directors where the ISLC representative will represent the interest section. 5. Serves as an IEPIS Interest Section Assembly Delegate to the annual meeting of the Interest Section Assembly. 6. Prepares, in cooperation with the Steering Board, the TESOL Local Convention Chair(s), and the local IEPIS membership an action plan to attract, orient, and involve local IEP-affiliated educators in the annual TESOL convention. 7. Appoints members of all ad hoc committees, task forces, or commissions upon approval of the Steering Board. 8. Presides over and serves as an ex officio voting member of the Steering Board. 9. Serves in other such capacities as may be determined or assigned by TESOL, the ISLC, and/or the IEPIS Steering Board. 10. Submits an annual report of the IEPIS activities to the TESOL Board of Directors through the ISLC, and to the Annual Business Meetings of IEPIS. This annual report shall be published in the IEPIS Newsletter. B. The Chair-Elect: 1. In the temporary absence of the Chair, presides at the Annual Business Meetings of IEPIS and the Steering Board. 2. In cooperation with the Chair, prepares IEPIS s Academic Session for the annual TESOL convention. 3. Conducts an evaluation of the IEPIS s program offered at the annual TESOL convention and submits a report to the Steering Board within 60 days after the convention. This report should include recommendations for changes to be made the following year.
4. Develops mechanisms for close liaison with other TESOL groups and other professional organizations having similar concerns. 5. Serves as an ex officio voting member of the Steering Board. 6. Serves as an IEPIS Interest Section Assembly Delegate to the annual meeting of the Interest Section Assembly, if the IEPIS membership is adequate to warrant two representatives, serves as First Alternate in the event the Chair is unable to attend. 7. Assists the Chair in carrying out his/her assigned responsibilities and performs other duties assigned by the Chair and/or the Steering Board. C. The Immediate Past Chair: 1. Assumes the duties of the Chair, if possible, should the Chair become unable to serve the remainder of his/her term. 2. Assists and advises the Chair and Chair-Elect in the performance of their duties. 3. Serves as an ex officio voting member of the Steering Board. 4. Serves as an IEPIS Interest Section Assembly Delegate to the annual meeting of the Interest Section Assembly, if the IEPIS membership is adequate to warrant three representatives. Serves as Second Alternate in the event the Chair and Chair-Elect are unable to attend. 5. Prepares a slate of candidates for a ballot as specified in Article X. D. The Secretary: 1. Prepares the minutes of the annual meetings of the Steering Board and of IEPIS. Records proceedings of the Steering Board that may take place between the annual meetings. 2. Distributes the minutes of these meetings to the Steering Board members within 30 days after the annual TESOL convention for approval and subsequent entry into the permanent records of IEPIS and prepares a summary of the minutes for publication in the IEPIS Newsletter. Prepares a similar summary of any proceedings of the Steering Board that may take place between the annual meetings. 3. Prepares true copies of resolutions and other documents assigned by the Steering Board to transmittal to appropriate persons or for the records. 4. Prepares for distribution a list of the names, addresses, and professional positions of the officers, Steering Board members, Editorial Board members, and Nominating Committee members. 5. Serves as an ex officio voting member of the Steering Board. E. The Historian:
1. Supervises the maintenance of the IEPIS permanent records and archives. 2. Arranges for the appropriate display of IEPIS records and archives at the annual TESOL convention. 3. Maintains the IEPIS Governing Rules, keeping them current and distributing them as directed by the Steering Board. 4. Serves as Parliamentarian for the Annual Business Meetings of both the Steering Board and the IEPIS. 5. Serves as an ex officio voting member of the Steering Board. F. The Steering Board: 1. Sets policies for the general operation of IEPIS. 2. Conducts long-range planning for IEPIS, developing those projects and programs as are necessary to achieve the goals of TESOL and of IEPIS. 3. Supports the Chair and the Chair-Elect in efforts to obtain close liaison with other TESOL groups and other professional organizations having similar concerns. 4. May establish ad hoc committees, task forces, or commissions and gives them specific charges. Approves the appointments of all members by the Chair. 5. Appoints the Historian and the Editor of IEPIS Newsletter. 6. Sets general policy for the IEPIS Newsletter. VIII. Committees A. Ad hoc committees, task forces, and commissions may be established by the Steering Board for a period not to exceed one year. Members of such bodies shall be appointed by the Chair upon approval by the Steering Board. The Steering Board shall give such bodies their specific charges for that year. Article IX. Voting A. It will be the policy to elect officers and Steering Board members-at-large by e-mail/mail ballot, to be sent out no later than 60 days prior to the Annual TESOL Convention. The ballot will provide space for a possible write-in candidate for each office. Completed ballots will be returned to the Immediate Past-Chair who will report the results to the next meeting of the Steering Board. B. Elections will be determined by a majority of the votes returned by an announced date not later than 30 days prior to the beginning of the Annual TESOL Convention. A candidate receiving the highest number of votes for a position will be elected. A tie will be broken by the Steering Board.
Article X. Nominations, Elections, and Vacancies A. The Immediate Past Chair 1. Nominates candidates for the office of Chair-Elect and, every second year, Secretary. 2. Nominates a candidate to replace the retiring Steering Board member-at-large, so far as practicable preserving the distribution provided for in Article VI.C. 3. Secures the consent of all candidates to serve, if elected. 4. Determines that each candidate is a voting member of IEPIS as specified in Article III.B. 5. Prepares the slate of candidates, together with relevant biodata provided by each nominee, for distribution to the membership. B. Officers (except the Historian who is appointed by the Steering Board), and members-atlarge shall be elected by mail-in and E-ballots (e-mail, fax, electronic survey, etc.). The ballot shall provide space for write-in candidates and/or nominations from the floor for each officer/position. Mail-in ballots will be accepted from IEPIS members that have limited access to e-mail. All other members should vote for officers by using the E- ballot. C. If the office of Chair becomes vacant, the Immediate Past Chair will complete the term. If the Immediate Past Chair cannot serve, each preceding Past Chair, in sequence, shall be given the opportunity to complete the unexpired term. D. In the event of vacancies in the positions of Chair-Elect, Secretary, and/or members-atlarge, the Chair, in consultation with the other Officer(s), will make temporary appointments effective immediately and until the next annual election, and will notify the Nominating Committee to include candidates for all vacant positions at the next annual election. E. In the event that (a) representative(s) and (an) alternate(s) to the Interest Section Assembly is/are unable to attend the annual Assembly meeting, the Steering Board at its annual meeting will designate (a) substitute(s). The choice of the substitute(s) will be ratified and approved at the annual IEPIS Business Meeting. F. If the office of Historian or Editor becomes vacant, the Chair, in consultation with the other officers, will make temporary appointment until a regular search can be completed and a candidate approved by the Steering Board. Article XI. Publications A. IEPIS will publish The Intensive English Programs Interest Section Newsletter, a periodical devoted to the special interests of this interest section and not competing with any of the official organs of TESOL.
B. General policy for the IEPIS Newsletter will be developed by the IEPIS Editor and approved by the Steering Board. C. The Editor: Article XII. Authority 1. Is responsible for the editorial direction and publication of the IEPIS Newsletter. 2. Is responsible for liaison as appropriate with the editors of TESOL Quarterly, TESOL Journal, affiliate newsletters, and other interest section newsletters. 3. Shall be appointed by the Steering Board. 4. Shall serve a term of 3 years, which may be followed by one additional term of 3 years, upon approval of the Steering Board. A. The authority for the governance and maintenance of the IEPIS is based on the following: TESOL Bylaws, the Standing Rule for Interest Sections (No. XI), the Handbook for Interest Section Leaders, and policies and procedures established by the TESOL Board of Directors. These Governing Rules shall not be in conflict with any of the foregoing documents or actions. B. The Rules contained in Robert s Rules of Order, Newly Revised (1990) shall govern the business of the IEPIS in all cases not covered by the TESOL Constitution and Bylaws and these Governing Rules. Article XIII. Maintenance and Dissolution The procedures for maintenance and dissolution of the IEPIS are contained in Standing Rule XI. Article XIV. Amendments to the Governing Rules These Governing Rules may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the IEPIS members who participate in the voting, provided written notice of the proposed change(s) has been given to the membership of IEPIS at least 30 days prior to the vote, or by a three-fourths (3/4) of the members voting if no such notice has been given. A quorum is required for the amendment to take effect. Revised June 2010