New Zealand Association of Japanese Language Teachers is a subject association which provides support for teachers and students of Japanese in New Zealand.
Our aims are to advocate for and promote Japanese education in Aotearoa, to support the needs of Japanese language teachers and to communicate information relevant to teachers and the teaching of Japanese.
Executives are a group of volunteers (non-regional) and shared responsibilities.
Executive members 2022-2023
| Contact Person | Jacqueline Murphy |
| Secretary | Jacqueline Murphy |
| Mika Sandford | |
| Treasurer | Fukuko Hoshino |
| Amara Kevern | |
| PR Coordinators, Website Administrators | Brendon Chapple |
| Jay Kim | |
| Beate Starke | |
| Resource Coordinators | Mika Sandford |
| Hiromi Horsley | |
| Event Coordinators | Karino Ito |
| Yukiko Kojima | |
| Matauranga Māori Project | Taka Kuze |
Constitution
1. The name of the Association shall be:
The New Zealand Association of Japanese Language Teachers (NZAJLT)
2. The aims and objectives of the association shall be:
- To advocate for and promote Japanese education in Aotearoa
- To support the needs of Japanese language teachers
- To communicate information relevant to teachers and the teaching of Japanese.
3. Functions shall include the following:
- Acting as a forum where all teachers of Japanese can share ideas relating to the study and teaching of Japanese.
- Speaking authoritatively on behalf of members on matters of concern.
- Acting as a pressure group and making appropriate representations on matters of concern for teachers of Japanese.
- Encouraging research into Japanese language teaching and learning in New Zealand.
- Maintaining a home page for the association.
- Promoting greater interaction in the teaching of Japanese between primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education.
- Encouraging professional development of teachers of Japanese.
- Encouraging visits by teachers and students of Japanese to Japan.
- Other activities as may from time to time seem appropriate to further the aims of the association.
4. Membership
Membership of the association shall be open to persons who subscribe to the aims of the association and who pay annual subscriptions.
The following categories of membership shall apply:
- Full individual membership – $30 per person
- Student teacher $15
These members will have access to the members only sections of NZAJLT homepage and will be entitled to a discount on some resources and activities.
5. Structure
NZAJLT is a national organisation. All members shall belong to the national association.
6. Biennial General Meeting
a. The biennial general meeting will take place at the NZALT (New
Zealand Association of Language Teachers) conference.
b. A biennial general meeting shall be open to all members of the association.
c. A list of financial members shall be published each year before the commencement of the Biennial General Meeting. All full members present at the meeting shall have voting rights.
d. At the BGM members shall:
- Receive the annual report of the President
- Receive the financial report of the Treasurers
- Vote on constitutional amendments
- Receive the results of the election of executive officers
- Appoint an auditor who shall hold office until the next BGM
- Set any special rate of subscription for the coming year
- Vote on remits submitted.
e. Procedure at meetings:
- All questions at general and special meetings shall be decided by vote according to the majority of those present and voting. In the case of an equality of votes the question shall be decided by the casting vote of the chairperson.
- In every poll or secret ballot every full member present at BGM shall be entitled to one vote.
- Any meeting may move into committee when a motion to move into committee is supported by a majority of those present and voting.
- The quorum at special and general meetings shall be ten members.
- If fewer than 20% of the membership are present at the BGM there shall be a digital referendum of members on items deemed significant by the executive.
7. Executive and Elections
a. Composition: The executive is made of a group of volunteers who share responsibilities. All members are encouraged to take a turn taking a role.
b. The national executive shall consist of:
- Presidents
- Secretaries
- Treasurers
- Resource Coordinators
- Event Coordinators
- PR Coordinators
c. The terms of office of the members of the National Executive.
Presidents 2 years
Secretaries 2 years
Treasurers 2 years
All officers shall be eligible for re-election, however Presidents may not serve two contiguous terms.
d. Between meetings of the full executive the day to day business shall be administered by a standing committee comprising:
Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers
e. Other positions such as teaching materials/examination writers
The executive may appoint from the general membership or the executive (unless otherwise stated).
f. Co-Option
The executive shall have the right to fill any casual vacancy on the executive which may arise. Such a co-opted member shall hold office until the next BGM and shall have full voting rights.
g. Elections
Nominations for membership of the executive shall be submitted in writing to the Secretaries at least six weeks before the BGM.
Nominations shall be published at least one calendar month before the BGM.
Where there is more than one nomination a ballot of financial members shall be conducted by scrutineers appointed by the executive in time for the results of such elections to be submitted to the BGM.
8. Subscriptions
a. The normal full subscription shall be $30 per individual member. The student teacher rate shall be $15.
Such a subscription shall be used to defray the costs of administration.
The financial year shall be 1 January – 31 December. The due date for subscriptions shall be not later than 31 March of any financial year.
b. The income and property of the association however derived shall be applied solely to the aims of the association as stated in Article 2 of this constitution.
c. Records of the association
The treasurers shall have the responsibility of keeping a true and accurate record of all financial transactions within and on behalf of the association, or receiving money, operating bank accounts, making payments and preparing the accounts for annual audit.
d. Signatures
Cheques drawn on the association and other financial documents shall bear the signatures of a Treasurer and one other executive member.
e. Investment
The Treasurer shall have the power to invest surplus funds of the association on the authority of either the national executive or the standing committee.
f. Upon payment of their subscription new members shall receive from the Treasurers acknowledgement of receipt of their subscription. They will also receive from the Secretary the names and email addresses of all executive members and a copy of the Constitution.
g. Application of Profits
i. Any income benefit or advantage shall be applied to the aims of the association.
ii. No member of the association or any person associated with a member shall participate in or materially influence any decision made by the association in respect of payment to or on behalf of that member or associated person of any income, benefit or advantage whatsoever.
iii. Any such income shall be fair and reasonable and relative to that which would be paid in an arms length transaction (being open to the market value)
iv. The provisions and effect of this clause shall not be removed from this document and shall be included and implied in any document replacing this document.
9. Expulsion of Members
If the executive shall be satisfied and resolve that the continued membership of any member is not in the best interest of the association or its objectives, notice shall be sent to the member stating the reasons why the continuation of his/her membership has been raised, and inviting him/her to submit any information or comment which he/she considers should have been taken into account, and if within seven days of notice no reply is deemed satisfactory, the member shall be notified in writing of the time and place not less than two weeks ahead at which the executive will meet to consider the matter and at which he/she can appear or be represented or to which he/she can forward such submission as he/she may desire. If the decision of the executive is to expel the member, the minutes shall state the reasons, and the tenor of any submission that may have been made by or on behalf of the member, and if the decision of the executive was not unanimous the number of votes recorded for and against the motion. The member shall be notified of the decision within seven days. A member who shall be expelled pursuant to this rule shall, if he/she shall have paid his/her membership fee for the current year, be entitled to a refund of the proportionate part thereof in respect of the balance of the year then expired.
A member expelled pursuant to this rule shall have right of appeal against such expulsion to the first general meeting held after the member has given notice of his/her appeal. The decision of the general meeting on the matter shall be final.
10. Changes to the Constitution
For changes to the Constitution a two thirds majority vote at the BGM shall be required, provided no change shall be permitted affects the winding up or pecuniary profits rules. Notice of such change shall be submitted to the secretary at least six weeks before the BGM and published at least one calendar month before the BGM.
For changes to the Winding Up rules a majority vote of the full executive shall be required. Such changes must remain within the aims and rules of the Constitution.
11. Winding Up
a. The association may be wound up voluntarily if, at a general meeting, its financial members pass by a simple majority of those present and voting a resolution to do so. This resolution must be confirmed by such a majority at a subsequent general meeting which has been called for that purpose and is held not earlier than thirty days after the original resolution was passed.
The voluntary winding up of the association if, at a general meeting, its financial members pass by a simple majority of those present and voting a resolution to do so. This resolution must be confirmed by such a majority at a subsequent general meeting which has been called for that purpose and is held not earlier than thirty days after the original resolution was passed.
The voluntary winding up of the association shall be subject to the rules of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 and any regulations made under the authority thereof.
b. In the event of the association being wound up, the surplus assets, after payment of the association’s liabilities and the expenses of the winding up, shall be handed to a non-profit organisation which include among their main objectives similar objectives to this association. In no event shall the surplus assets of the association be divided among the members thereof, or shall the members of the association have any beneficial interest therein.
August 2022