HOLMES SCHOLARS COUNCIL

Operating Guidelines

March 3, 2003

NAME

The name of this body shall be the Holmes Scholars Council.

MISSION AND PURPOSE

The Holmes Scholars Council is organized for four main purposes:

• to support the mission, goals, and objectives of the Holmes Partnership

• to provide a formal structure for maintenance of social and scholarly relationships among Holmes Scholars

• to represent the interests and voices of Holmes Scholars nationwide

• to work toward the diversification of faculty and students in Schools and Colleges of Education and of K-12 teachers

STRUCTURE

Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the body’s business and operations unless otherwise noted in these operating guidelines.

The organizational structure of the Holmes Scholar’s Council is as follows:

Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee shall be comprised of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Historian, Research Coordinator, and Advisor(s).

The Executive Committee provides leadership and planning assistance for Holmes Scholars programs and activities and for the annual Holmes Scholars conference. The Executive Committee also coordinates scholarly activities such as research and publications. Executive Committee members are expected to attend the National Holmes Partnership meeting.

Furthermore, the Executive Committee shall be the liaison between the Holmes Scholars and the Holmes Partnership Board of Directors.  The President of the Holmes Scholars Council or a designated representative shall represent the Council on the Holmes Partnership Board of Directors.

Regional Representatives:

There shall be one (1) representative to the Holmes Scholars Council from each of the five (5) Holmes Partnership regions: Far West, Midwest, South Central, Southeast, and Northeast. Each of these regional representatives shall act as liaison between the various institutions in the respective region and the Executive Council. Regional representatives are expected to attend the region meeting as well as the national meeting.

Institutional Representatives:

There shall be one (1) Holmes Scholar representative from each Holmes Partnership institution. These representatives will address Scholars concerns that are germane to their campus. They also are responsible for disseminating information to the Scholars. Institutional representatives and are expected to attend the region meeting(s).

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Holmes Scholars Council—with the exception of the advisors who are appointed by AACTE when the Holmes Scholars program comes under their portfolio—is automatically open to all persons who have been designated Holmes Scholars by a Holmes Partnership institution.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the overall guidelines and operating procedures of the Holmes Scholars Council. This Committee shall also delegate responsibility for day-to-day operations to other standing committees and individual members.

Officers and Duties:

President

• schedule and convene Executive Committee meetings

• preside over Executive Committee meetings

• represent the Holmes Scholars Council on the Holmes Partnership Board of Directors

Vice-President

• assist the President in carrying out leadership activities

• advise the President on decision-making

Secretary

• keep and maintain records of all Executive Committee actions – i.e. meeting minutes

• take minutes of all Executive Committee meetings

• distribute copies of meeting minutes and agenda

• periodically make Holmes Scholars aware of scholarly activity through the listserv

Historian

• chronicle the history and accomplishments of the Council specifically as it relates to research and publications

·         assist with recruitment and membership of Holmes Scholars

·         develop and edit an on-line newsletter for posting on the Holmes Scholars web site. This newsletter would include short essays, and information about the experiences of Holmes Scholars

Research Coordinator

• coordinate research, publication, and conference presentation efforts of Holmes Scholars

·         assist in implementing the research agenda of the Holmes Scholars within the realms of the Holmes Partnership overall national agenda

Advisor

·         Advise the Holmes Scholars Council on matters concerning leadership, structure, organization, and operation of the Council.

ELECTIONS AND TERMS OF SERVICE

Elections:

Election of new Executive Committee members or election of current members to a second term—with the exception of the advisors who are appointed by AACTE—shall occur as the first item of business at the Annual Meeting of the Holmes Scholars Council. Executive Committee members shall be elected by a majority vote of the Holmes Scholars Council present at the Annual Meeting.

Terms:

The term of Executive Committee members is one (1) year.  To permit continuity, the initial Holmes Scholars Council shall be elected for two (2) year terms.  Executive Committee members shall be nominated and elected by a majority vote of the Holmes Scholars membership. The President of the Executive Committee shall serve on the Holmes Partnership Board of Directors.

MEETINGS

The Executive Committee of the Holmes Scholars Council shall meet twice per year.  One meeting shall take place at the annual Holmes Partnership conference. The other meeting shall take place at another time and place to be determined by the members of the Executive Committee. 

Electronic meetings shall take place at least once per month and then as otherwise by members of the Executive Committee.

A general meeting of the entire Holmes Scholars Council shall be held at the annual Holmes Partnership conference.

VACANCIES

When a vacancy on the Executive Committee occurs, the Committee shall seek nominations for new members from the Holmes Scholars Council. At the next scheduled Executive Committee meeting, the Committee shall vote to accept or reject that nomination. An individual whose nomination is accepted will immediately begin service on the Executive Committee. If a nomination is rejected, that additional nomination will be requested until a new nomination is accepted and the vacant position filled.

RESIGNATIONS

Resignation from the Executive Committee must be in writing and received by the Secretary.

SPECIAL MEETINGS

Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called as determined by the President or one-third of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall notify each member of the Executive Committee in advance of special meetings.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The primary contact for the Holmes Scholars Council shall be:

Ira K. Thomas, Ph.D.

Associate Director - Research & Information

American Association of College for Teacher Education (AACTE)

1307 New York Ave, NW,

Suite 300

Washington, DC 20005-4701

Tel: 202-293-2450 ext. 501(Phone) 202-457-8095 (fax)

ithomas@aacte.org

holmes-scholars@aacte.org

Dr. Thomas shall forward all appropriate and pertinent information to either the President or Secretary of the Holmes Scholars Council who will then further forward information the rest of the Holmes Scholars.

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