TEFANZ Constitution & Policies

Constitution of the

TEACHER EDUCATION FORUM OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND (TEFANZ) INCORPORATED

Incorporated Society Registration Number 973718,

Incorporated 09-AUG-1999[1]  Current Status REGISTERED

The objects (purpose) of the society

The purpose of this organisation is to promote, foster and advocate for:

• High quality, degree level teacher education programmes for early childhood, primary, secondary, and Māori medium
• Teacher education as a means to implement a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi
• The role of teacher education in contributing to community and environmental wellbeing
• Partnership, cooperation and collaboration within the teacher education profession and with the wider education community, nationally and internationally
• Teaching as a graduate profession

In order to achieve this, TEFANZ will:

• Provide a national voice for teacher education issues in the political and policy arena.
• Advocate for and support Māori and Pacific Peoples within teacher education and teacher education research.
• Provide a forum for generating and disseminating teacher education research and scholarship, and for discussion of related research, practice and policy matters.
• Recognise excellence and outstanding contribution to the teacher education profession.
• Adhere to the rules of Incorporated Societies in New Zealand with regard to reporting and financial accountability.

Membership

Membership will be open on an institutional basis to all New Zealand providers of initial teacher education degree programmes or graduate level programmes which are approved for registration by the New Zealand Teachers Council.

Membership will also be open, on application to the Chairperson, to individual teacher educators whose institutions are not members of TEFANZ, or have retired from the teacher education profession.

Membership will be contingent upon the payment of annual Institutional and individual membership subscription fees which will be set by the Executive and ratified at the Annual General Meeting. A reduced fee for retired former members will be available.

Membership may be suspended, or a member expelled if:

• The member institution/individual member does mot meet the membership criteria or fails to pay its subscription within one month after having been invoiced
• The member institution/individual member brings TEFANZ into disrepute
• Suspension or expulsion will be by majority vote at an ordinary or special meeting of the Executive. There will be a right of appeal to the Executive.

If a provider institution wishes to withdraw from membership, written notice should be given to the TEFANZ Chair.

Fellow of TEFANZ: may be awarded from time to time by the Executive to a member or former member who has made an outstanding contribution to teacher education in ways that further the objectives of the Association.

Meetings

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

An AGM will be held during the TEFANZ annual Forum or Conference meetings. Other general meetings, workshops or seminars may be organised on recommendation of the Executive or AGM.

An AGM quorum will consist of representation by 50% of the member provider institutions.

Each member provider will be represented by one member with one vote. Individual members do not have voting rights at the AGM.

The business of the AGM will include:

• Chairperson’s report
• Financial report
• Election of members of Executive.

Executive

• Membership of the Executive will consist of representatives of member provider institutions.
• The executive will normally comprise between 7-10 members. Six members will be elected and have the power to co-opt up to three further members to ensure Māori representation and that of a range of member provider institutions, an immediate past chair may also sit on executive.
• One of the elected members will be the Chair who will normally be appointed at the first meeting after the AGM in a TEFANZ Conference year, for a two year term.
• The immediate past chair will normally remain on the executive for a period of one year after they vacate their role. At the end of this period, a deputy chair will normally be identified from the remaining executive members. The deputy chair will move to chair the following year.
• The normal term for an elected executive member is four years. Elections will occur at the AGM when executive members’ terms of service end.
• There is an expectation that members of the executive will attend all meetings of the executive during their tenure.
• Co-opted members’ terms of service will be identified at the time of co-opting.
• A quorum for the executive meetings will be 50% of the executive committee.
• The Executive will determine the venue and nature of annual forums/conferences or other activities in consultation with any host committees.
• The Chairperson convenes meetings of the society and ensures that the rules are followed.
• The executive may appoint minutes secretary and financial officer roles if deemed necessary. The terms of service will be identified at the time of establishment.
• The Chairperson or nominee is able to speak on behalf of TEFANZ, in consultation with the Executive, on teacher education matters.
• The Teacher Education Institution of the Chair will host the records and assets of TEFANZ, which will be transferred accordingly. The Chair will maintain scrutiny of funds and ensure preparation of the annual financial report.
• A secretary will be elected from within the executive.
• The Executive may set up working parties for specific tasks, with membership appointed by the Executive.

Control and use of the society’s common seal

The common seal of the association will be held by the chair and use of the seal will be restricted to executive members and authorised by resolution of the executive committee.

How the society’s property will be distributed if it is wound-up or dissolved

• If the organisation is dissolved, the Chair, in consultation with the Executive, will oversee the winding up process and disbursement of any funds or other assets.

[1] This constitution was revised and passed by motion put at the AGM, July 19, 2019.