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1. The name of the Association shall be the NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKING TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION, hereinafter known as NESTA.
2. The objectives of NESTA shall be:
   
   • to provide Native English Speaking Teachers, hereinafter known as NETS, with professional and personal support in order to help them to effectively fulfill their duties and to enjoy the experience of living and working in Hong Kong;
   • to offer support and advice to the Education Bureau, hereinafter known as the EDB, and to the schools under the Hong Kong Government NETs scheme in order to help them to recruit, to provide induction, and to deploy NETs as effectively as possible;
   • to promote and enhance high standards of English language teaching in Hong Kong.
3. NESTA shall not be affiliated with any other teaching association or any political party.
4. NESTA shall from time to time enter into agreements with businesses and / or service providers for the purpose of providing benefits, products and / or services to NESTA.
5. NETs employed in either the primary or the secondary schools under the Hong Kong Government Enhanced NET scheme or DSS schools and those Advisory Teachers (ATs) and Regional NET Coordinators (RNCs) who were originally employed as NETs under the Hong Kong Government Enhanced NET scheme shall be eligible to be members of NESTA subject to payment of an annual membership fee to be determined by a vote at the NESTA general meeting. ATs and RNCs are not eligible to hold Executive office in NESTA.
6. NESTA shall also include those members who have been granted lifetime membership by NESTA in recognition of their outstanding and meritorious service as members of NESTA. Outstanding and meritorious service shall be, but not limited to, service of at least two consecutive years on a NESTA committee. Lifetime memberships shall be granted to up to three eligible NESTA members per year and shall be granted only to members who have retired within a year from the NET scheme. The Executive shall rescind the lifetime membership of any member who reenters the NET scheme either as a primary or secondary NET or as an AT or RNC. Lifetime members shall be exempt from payment of the annual membership fee.
   
   To be considered for lifetime membership, a member shall be nominated by at least two members of the general membership. Nominations, along with written rationales of no more than 250 words, shall be submitted to the Executive. After reviewing all nominations, the Executive may approve and present to the membership for vote at the June general meeting up to three lifetime memberships a year.
   
   Lifetime members are not eligible to hold Executive office in NESTA. Those members who have already been granted lifetime membership shall be grandfathered.
   
7. All NESTA members will be issued an electronic membership card and number, which will be required for voting at NESTA general meetings and for electronic votes.
8. Members shall be able to exercise voting privileges either at a NESTA general meeting or by electronic voting.
9. Robert's Rules of Order shall be used at all NESTA meetings where they are not inconsistent with the Constitution or the By-laws or any other special rules of order NESTA may adopt. Robert's Rules of Order may be simplified to meet the needs of the Association.
10. The NESTA Constitution may be amended by a simple majority vote of the members in attendance at a General Meeting or by electronic voting, provided that at least one (1) month notice of theproposed amendments has been given to the NESTA membership. Ten percent (10%) of the total NESTA membership shall be required to vote on the proposed amendments before they can be accepted as amended.

1. NESTA bylaws shall not contravene the Constitution.
2. The NESTA bylaws supersede all other verbal or written guidelines, policies, procedures and traditions but are subject to the NESTA Constitution.
3. NESTA Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of the members in attendance at a general meeting or by electronic voting provided that at least one (1) month notice of the proposed amendments has been given to the NESTA membership. Ten percent (10%) of the total NESTA membership shall be required to vote on the proposed amendments before they can be accepted as amended.

Composition
The Executive shall consist of a chairperson, a secretary, a treasurer, a secondary liaison officer, a primary liaison officer, a communications officer and three (3) councillors.

Duties of the Executive Committee

The duties of the Executive shall be:

• to hold/attend executive and general meetings;
• to promote an understanding of the objectives of NESTA;
• to fill vacancies on the Executive by holding a by-election if there are more than 3 months of the term of office remaining or by appointment if there are less than 3 months of the term of office remaining;
• to hold 4 general meetings each year, in September, December, March and June;
• to supervise the compilation of the NESTA budget for approval at the September General Meeting and to authorize and approve NESTA expenses;
• to promote and publicize the activities of NESTA;
• to send out notices to members requesting volunteers to work on committees and to make appointments to committees;
• to receive committee reports;
• to make known to members the Constitution and the Bylaws of NESTA and the procedures for the general meetings;
• to ensure that the Constitution and Bylaws are followed;
• to inform/consult the chairperson between regular meetings on NESTA matters.
• to enforce the suspension of any member, who, for a third time in any given year, has violated the Code of Conduct of the NESTA website.

Duties of the Executive Committee Members

Chairperson
It shall be the duty of the chairperson:

• to promote the objectives of NESTA;
• to call NESTA meetings, preside thereat and plan the agenda thereof;
• to be responsible for maintaining order at all meetings;
• to be responsible for the execution of motions that have been carried by the association;
• to keep the membership informed of NESTA business through the NESTA website and by electronic mailing;
• to attend to all correspondence as directed by the Executive;
• to keep on file a record of all members in good standing;
• to forward to the general membership the names and electronic mailing addresses of the Executive within a month of their election to office;
• to attend Executive Committee meetings and general meetings and to give reports to the membership.

By virtue of the office, the chairperson shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

Secretary
It shall be the duty of the secretary:

• to record and keep on file the minutes of executive and general meetings, noting especially motions carried, with mover and seconder;
• to list motions at executive meetings for expenditure approvals in the minutes;
• to amend any errors in the minutes before presenting them to the membership for adoption at the next general meeting;
• to post all minutes of the general meetings adopted by the membership and minutes of all executive meetings on the NESTA website;
• to inform members of future meetings at least one (1) week before they take place;
• to be responsible for all correspondence which will be incorporated into the agendas and tabled at the meetings;
• to prepare the agendas for the Executive Committee meetings and post to Executive Committee members at least one (1) day in advance of the meeting. Executive Committee members may contact the secretary to add any item to the agenda up to one (1) day prior to the meeting;
• to prepare the agendas for the general meetings and to post agendas on the NESTA website at least one (1) day in advance of the meeting. Members may contact the secretary to add any item to the agenda up to one (1) day prior to the meeting;
• to attend Executive Committee meetings and general meetings.

Treasurer
It shall be the duty of the treasurer:

• to present to the membership for vote at the June NESTA general meeting a proposed membership fee for the following year;
• to receive and acknowledge all monies from the membership;
• to deposit all funds in the name of NESTA in a bank account approved by the Executive;
• to keep an account of all money received, and to provide a monthly financial report to the membership;
• to pay all authorized accounts and expenses incurred by NESTA as directed by the Executive;
• to present the budget for approval to the membership at the first NESTA general meeting subsequent to the Executive approval of the proposed budget;
• to present a financial report to date to the membership at the final NESTA general meeting of the year;
• to keep a copy of a separate list of financial motions from executive meetings (for audit);
• to have the accounts audited annually and to present the report to the membership;
• to attend Executive Committee meetings and general meetings and to give reports to the membership.

Liaison Officers
It shall be the duty of the liaison officers:

• to consult with the Executive committee on cases as and when necessary;
• to liaise with the EDB on behalf of the Executive and the membership of NESTA;
• to prepare a verbal or written report given at NESTA general meetings;
• to take up cases on behalf of individual members who have not reached a satisfactory agreement in their dealings with the EDB or their individual schools in an attempt to achieve a positive resolution;
• to attend Executive Committee meetings and general meetings and to give reports to the membership.

Communications Officer
It shall be the duty of the communications officer:

• to liaise with the webmaster to maintain and regularly update the website;
• to maintain an updated electronic mailing list of the membership;
• to maintain the events' calendar on the website;
• to secure sponsorship for the website and member benefits;
• to provide technical assistance to members using the website and forum;
• to attend Executive Committee meetings and general meetings and to give reports to the membership.

Councillors
It shall be the duty of the councillors:

• to assist the other members of the Executive in their duties as requested;
• to attend Executive Committee meetings and general meetings.

Removal of Executive Committee Members from Office

A member of the Executive Committee who fails to perform the duties inherent to the position may be removed from office by a vote of the NESTA membership.

Any member may bring forward such a motion provided they give at least one month's notice of such impending action to the NESTA membership.

Members shall vote on such motions to remove a member from the Executive Committee by electronic voting or at a general meeting. In order for the motion to be passed, thirty percent (30%) of the total membership must vote on the motion.

A member of the Executive Committee who is absent from Executive Meetings for three consecutive meetings without a valid reason will be deemed to be in breach of his/her Executive duties and will be automatically removed from office.

A standing committee shall be a committee that serves a permanent and continuing function for NESTA.

Standing committees of NESTA shall be:

• Professional Development Committee
• Social Committee
• Benefits and Welfare Committee
• Charity Committee
• Speech Festival Committee
• Debating Committee - Five (5) members
• Debating Disciplinary Tribunal

Selection and Composition of Standing Committees:

1. The Executive shall send out notices requesting volunteers to serve on standing committees to be appointed at the September Executive Committee meeting for a one-year term.
2. If positions become vacant on a committee or if new committees are established during the year the Executive shall fill such vacancies following the above procedures.
3. Each standing committee shall select a chairperson from the committee members.
4. Each standing committee shall seek Executive Committee approval on all legally-binding contracts or agreements that the committee may enter into on behalf of NESTA.

A special committee shall be a committee that is established for a specific purpose and ceases to exist after the task assigned to it is completed and the committee makes its final report. A special committee shall be formed by a motion and a vote by the membership at a general meeting or by electronic voting.

Selection and Composition of Special Committees:

1. The Executive Committee shall send out notices requesting volunteers to serve on special committees when the need arises.
2. If positions become vacant on a committee during the year, the Executive Committee will ask for applications and will appoint members to fill the vacancies.
3. Each special committee shall select a chairperson from the committee members.
4. Each special committee shall seek Executive Committee approval on all legally-binding contracts or agreements that the committee may enter into on behalf of NESTA.

Duties of Standing Committees
The duties of the standing committees shall be:

Professional Development Committee

• to provide professional development days;
• to make reports to the Executive Committee and the membership at general meetings.

Social Committee

• to be responsible for organising social activities;
• to make reports to the Executive Committee and the membership at general meetings.

Benefits and Welfare Committee

• to monitor the remuneration package in recruiting qualified and experienced NETs to the scheme by keeping up-to-date information and statistics on the different aspects of the package;
• to monitor deployment practices to ensure that the deployment of NETs in schools is effective in helping NETs achieve the aims of the scheme;
• to request that the EDB review aspects of the remuneration package and/or deployment issues as and when necessary;
• to make reports to the Executive Committee and the membership at general meetings.

Charity Committee

• to recommend to the membership appropriate charities to sponsor;
• to organize appropriate fund raising events to support such charities;
• to make reports to the Executive Committee and the membership at general meetings.

Speech Festival Committee

• to organise an annual NESTA speech festival;.
• to make reports to the Executive Committee and the membership at general meetings.

Debating Committee

The Debating Committee shall be made up of five NESTA members of good standing.

• to organise the NESTA Debating Competition;
• to promote English-language debating in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools, with the aim of improving students' oral communication, written expression, analysis and research skills in English;
• to foster an ethos that supports the development of debating in lower-banded and less advantaged schools in the local school system.
• to organise professional development workshops and to provide other means of professional support to coaches, adjudicators, students and other stakeholders involved in the competition;
• to secure sufficient funds for the running of the competition, through corporate sponsorship, NESTA funds, participation fees or other means;
• to establish and review the rules and regulations annually and to publish such rules and regulations in the NESTA debating competition handbook and on the NESTA website;
• to forward any disciplinary matters to the Debating Disciplinary Tribunal;
• to make reports to the Executive Committee and the membership at general meetings.

Debating Disciplinary Tribunal

The Tribunal shall be composed of three NESTA members who are not current Executive Committee members, coaches in the NESTA Debating Competition, nor members of the NESTA Debating committee.

The duties of the Debating Disciplinary Tribunal shall be:

• to handle all disciplinary matters within the NESTA Debating Competition;
• to make recommendations to the Executive Committee. The subsequent decision(s) of the Executive Committee shall be final.

Removal of Standing / Special Committee Members from Positions

Members of standing committees and special committees who fail to perform the duties inherent to the position may be removed from that position by a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee provided that at least ten (10) days written notice of such impending action be given to the member. The Executive Committee's decision shall be final.

A Motions and Elections Officer shall be appointed by the Executive Committee. The appointee shall not be a current member of the NESTA Executive Committee.

The Motions and Elections Officer is responsible for overseeing all motions proposed by the membership and all elections of Executive Committee members.

A. Motions

Motions may be proposed by any member for discussion and a vote online. For online voting to take place, motions must be sent to the Motions and Elections Officer no later than ten (10) days before a general meeting. The quorum shall be ten percent (10%) of the membership. All motions must have a member to move the motion and a member to second the motion. All motions must include a rationale.

Duties of the Motions and Elections Officer for Motions

The duties of the Motions and Elections Officer for all motions shall be:

• to receive motions from the membership that are;
  • constitutional
• to liaise with the webmaster with regards to the procedures for motions online;
• to post the motion(s) and inform members of the vote on the NESTA forum;
• to receive the online voting results from the webmaster;
• to obtain a list of those voting online from the webmaster and to oversee the vote;
• to announce the voting results at general meetings.

Procedures for Discussion of Motions at General Meetings

1. There shall be only one (1) motion on the floor for discussion at a time.
2. Members shall speak for or against a motion in the following order:
   • the mover of the motion
   • the seconder of the motion
   • a speaker against the motion
   • a speaker for the motion
   
   The discussion on the motion shall continue in this manner until there is no longer a speaker for or a speaker against the motion or until the vote is called.
3. Members shall speak for or against the motion once only.
4. The mover has the right to speak a second time for the motion and, by doing so, ends the discussion.

Procedures for Voting on Motions
Motions shall be sent to the Motions and Elections Officer to be

• posted on the NESTA Forum for discussion;
• Motions that do not propose a change to the NESTA Constitution require at least ten (10) days notice before a vote;
• Motions that propose a change to the NESTA Constitution require at least one (1) month’s notice before a vote;
• Voting on motions shall be from 20th to 25th of each month from September to June;
• Results of each vote will be posted on the NESTA Forum within one (1) week of the vote.

B. Elections

The election of the NESTA Executive Committee will be held annually at the June general meeting.

Duties of the Motions and Elections Officer for Elections

The duties of the Motions and Elections Officer for elections of Executive Committee members shall be:

• to post notice to all members on the NESTA forum of the date and time of the upcoming election at least four (4) weeks prior to the election;
• to invite candidates to stand for the positions of NESTA chairperson, secretary, treasurer, primary liaison officer, secondary liaison officer, communications officer and councillors (3);
• to receive nominations up to one (1) week prior to the election;
• to prepare and post a list of declared candidates on the NESTA forum no later than one (1) week prior to the election;
• to ask for names of volunteers to help with the election;
• to conduct the election for the Executive Committee by electronic voting or a vote at the June general meeting;
• to announce the members of the newly-elected Executive Committee at the June general meeting and on the NESTA forum within one week of the elections.

Procedures for Elections of the Executive Committee

The procedures for the elections of the Executive Committee shall be as follows:

• Executive Committee members shall be elected by electronic voting or a vote of the members in attendance at the June general meeting provided that ten percent (10%) of the members vote;
• The candidates shall be nominated by a member no later than one (1) week prior to the election;
• If there are no declared candidates for a position at the time nominations are closed, the Motions and Elections Officer will accept nominations from the floor at the June general meeting;
• No other nominations will be accepted for executive positions once nominations are closed;
• Candidates shall be allowed to submit statements of no more than 250 words to the Motions and Elections Officer to be posted on the NESTA forum one (1) week before the election date. The content of the statements must be accurate and not libelous or malicious in nature;
• Electronic votes will be accepted up until 24 hours before the election;
• The order of candidates to be elected/acclaimed shall be:
  
  1. Chairperson
  2. Secretary
  3. Treasurer
  4. Primary liaison officer
  5. Secondary liaison officer
  6. Communications officer
  7. Councillors (3)
• Candidates may speak for two (2) minutes before the vote at the June general meeting;
• The vote for the Executive Committee members shall be by secret ballot;
• The term of office for all Executive Committee members shall be for one (1) year;
• The newly-elected members of the Executive Committee shall assume their positions on 1st July;
• To be eligible for service on the executive, the person must remain a member of NESTA throughout the duration of his or her term of office.

Executive Committee Meetings
The Executive Committee members shall:

• attend to matters of importance to NESTA
• attend meetings with the EDB
• appoint committee members
• authorise expenditures of monies and to attend to other matters of importance to NESTA

General Meetings

• NESTA general meetings shall be chaired by the chairperson or his or her designate.
• Agendas and notices of meeting dates shall be posted on the NESTA website prior to the general meetings.
• There shall be 4 general meetings each year, in September, December, March and June.
• Members shall vote on motions by electronic voting or at a general meeting provided notice of the motion has been posted on the NESTA forum ten (10) days before the general meeting. In order for motions to be passed, ten percent (10%) of the total membership must vote on the motions by electronic voting or in person at the general meeting.

Committee Meetings

• Committee meetings shall be held at a time and location determined by the committee chairperson.

Forum Moderator
A Forum Moderator shall be appointed by the NESTA Executive.
Duties of the Forum Moderator
The duties of the Forum Moderator shall be:

• to monitor all postings on the NESTA forum;
• to give warnings to members who have violated the Code of Conduct for the first and second time within a year;
• to refer members who have violated the Code of Conduct for the third time within a year to the NESTA Executive.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR NESTA WEBSITE Members of the NESTA website shall not:

• post material that is knowingly false, defamatory, inaccurate or abusive in any way
• use vulgar or obscene language
• use any part of another member's post on any other website or forum without the author's given consent

Any member found to have violated the Code of Conduct of the NESTA website shall:

• be given a warning by the Forum Moderator, which will remain on the member's record for one (1) year from the time the warning is issued
• on the third violation, be suspended from the NESTA website for a period of time determined by the NESTA Executive committee

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