MAALLT – Mission And Bylaws

Mission Statement

Bylaws

The following are MAALLT’s bylaws (enacted March 31, 2024):

BYLAWS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING TECHNOLOGY, INC.

I.     THE ASSOCIATION

I.1    Name 

The name of this self-governing organization is the Mid-Atlantic Association for Language Learning Technology, Inc., hereafter referred to as “MAALLT” or “the Association.” MAALLT was incorporated in the State of Maryland on September 11, 2007. MAALLT is an officially recognized Regional Group (made up of the U.S.A. states of North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia) of the International Association for Language Learning Technology, hereafter referred to as IALLT.

I.2    Purpose 

MAALLT, like its affiliate organization IALLT, is a professional not-for-profit membership organization working toward the goal of improving language instruction through the use of technology. Its purpose is to promote the effective use and awareness of the benefits of technology-based instruction in language resource centers, facilities, and classrooms at all levels of education and training.

I.3    Membership 

Any person or organization sharing the purposes and objectives of MAALLT may become a member upon payment of fees as set up by the MAALLT Board. Full Members (those academic members paying dues) have all privileges of membership. Associate Members (commercial members, student members, and potential members) have all privileges of membership, except that they are not eligible to hold office or participate in the election of officers. Membership extends from one annual fiscal year to the following one. The Board of Directors may establish a membership dues schedule and rates and may change them as circumstances require.

I.4 Fiscal Year

The Fiscal Year shall commence on January 1 and end on December 31. 

I.5    Earnings 

All earnings are to be used solely to achieve the purposes of the Association and are not to be used for the personal benefit of any member or private person.

I.6 Expenditures

The President can authorize expenditures of $100 or less on an ad hoc basis. Repeated expenditures or those in excess of that amount must be approved by a majority vote of the voting members of the Board of Directors. The Board may, in its discretion, identify routine expenditures to be made by the Treasurer without repeated authorization or vote by the Board, e.g., routine operating expenses.

I.7 Non-discrimination Statement

MAALLT shall not discriminate on the basis of race, age, religion, color, creed, gender, ethnicity, marital status, mental or physical disabilities, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, veteran’s status, status with regard to public assistance, and membership or activity in a local commission.

I.8 Dissolution of Assets

Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

II.       GOVERNANCE AND OFFICERS

II.1   Governance

The determination of policy and the direction of affairs of MAALLT are the responsibility of the Board of Directors, whose members are elected and function as described in Section II. Every member of the Board of Directors must be a Full Member in good standing of MAALLT; the President must also be a Member in good standing of IALLT.

II.2   Elected Officers

The officers of the Association who make up the Board of Directors are the President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, Communications Coordinator and Programs Director. The Past President serves on the Board of Directors in a non-voting (ex officio and advisory) capacity.

II.2.i   President

The President presides at all meetings, conducts the business of the Association, and arranges meetings in conjunction with the host institution and/or relevant conference(s). The President also serves as liaison with the IALLT Regional Group Coordinator and represents the region on the IALLT Council.

II.2.ii   President-Elect

The President-Elect presides in the absence of the President and assists with meeting programs and Association business at the direction of the President and Board. The President-Elect also coordinates the efforts of the liaisons to the state world languages organizations (see below). The President-Elect becomes the next President upon the expiration of the current President’s term, as stated below.

II.2.iii Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for the financial affairs of the Association, including the collection of annual membership dues, payment of all bills, filing of all tax and related forms, and preparation of financial reports to the Board of Directors.

II.2.iv Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for the Association’s records, including membership information. This includes recording and disseminating to the board the minutes of each board meeting, and other duties as assigned.

II.2.v Communications Coordinator

The Communications Coordinator oversees the Association’s social media presence and website, including link updates and event details.

II.2.vi Programs Director

The Programs Director oversees the Association’s affiliations and coordinates event details.

II.2.vii Additional Officers

The Board of Directors may appoint additional officers to be assigned duties as required for terms up to two years.

II.2.vii a Resident Agent

The Resident Agent shall reside within the state in which MAALLT is incorporated and shall receive and transmit to the Board any official correspondence required of nonprofit, educational corporations in that state. The Resident Agent may hold an additional officer position concurrently. The Resident Agent is appointed by the President and is not an elected officer nor a member of the Board, unless the agent holds a concurrent Board position.

II.3   Elected Office Terms

The term of office for the President is two years; the term of office for the President-Elect is two years, after which they become President. The terms of office of the Secretary, Communications Coordinator, and Programs Director are for two years and may be renewed twice, for a total of six possible years. The terms of office of the Treasurer are for two years and may be renewed more than twice. New officers begin their terms at the start of the fiscal year. The immediate past president serves on the Board for two years following their term.

II.4   Elections

The election of officers is the responsibility of the immediate Past President, who solicits names for the ballots and submits a candidate list to the board of elected officers for review. Nominations may also be accepted from the floor. The list of candidates is presented to the membership for election every other year. Elected officers assume their duties at the start of the subsequent fiscal year.

II.5   Office Vacancies

Any vacancy, except that of the President, can be filled by appointment by the President for the remainder of a current term of office. The President’s appointment must be confirmed by a majority vote of the board at the next meeting. Only an elected President-Elect may succeed to the Presidency. An election must be held to replace the President-elect.

III.      MEETINGS

III.1   Meetings and Sites

There is to be at least one meeting each fiscal year, to be held at such a time and such a place as the Board of Directors decides. Consideration is to be made to rotate the location by state and area within the region and/or to hold the meeting virtually. State or sub-regional meetings may also be held at the discretion of the Board and membership. Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

III.2   Host Responsibilities

A host institution makes local arrangements and provides information on travel and lodging for members at in-person meetings.

IV.     AMENDMENTS

IV.1   Proposals for Amendments

Proposals for amendments to the Bylaws may be submitted to the Board of elected officers in a petition signed by at least five members in good standing. Any such proposal, with the Board’s recommendation, must be submitted to a vote by the membership.

IV.2  Effective Date

An amendment to the Bylaws becomes effective when it has been approved by no fewer than two thirds of the ballots returned and counted by the Immediate Past President.

V. Officially Sanctioned MAALLT Events

V.1 MAALLT Conferences

If members agree and a host/multiple hosts are available, MAALLT may organize a conference for its members. Such a conference may be in conjunction with another relevant conference, e.g., that of a state or local conference; it may also be multi-site with the sites linked via technology. Financial responsibility for any conference rests with the members and the conference host(s).

V.2 MAALLT-Sanctioned Events

MAALLT encourages its members to represent MAALLT and IALLT at relevant conferences they attend. The MAALLT Board will identify a MAALLT liaison for the world language association of each MAALLT state/region and the District of Columbia, whenever possible. The liaison will be responsible for encouraging MAALLT members to participate in state/regional activities and will publicize opportunities for MAALLT members. MAALLT liaisons to other organizations shall submit an annual report of their activities to the President.

V.3 MAALLT Affiliations

The Board may choose to establish affiliations with relevant organizations at its discretion, but any expenditure for this purpose must be approved by the membership, unless designated as an ongoing expense as noted above.

These Bylaws were enacted by a vote of the membership on March 31, 2024.