Article VII: Board of Directors

Section 1

The Board of Directors of NAJA shall consist of nine (9) members.

Section 2

Each Board member will serve a three-year term of office. No Board member shall be elected to more than (2) terms in succession.

Section 3

The Board of Directors and its officers shall set policy for NAJA.

Specific responsibilities shall include:

  1. Holding annual meeting and meetings to select among its Board of Directors, a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer;
  2. Employing an executive director or other employees as deemed necessary and fixing his/her salary, providing offices, job description, and designing a fund for administrative purposes. The executive director’s contract shall be reviewed annually;
  3. Holding semi-annual meetings of the Board of Directors, or when deemed necessary, with meetings called by the President (who notifies the secretary to send a meeting notice).
  4. Seeking and securing funds for the operation of NAJA;
  5. Developing strong regional association ties with working Native American and non Native American media
  6. Associating themselves with state and area press associations in order to create ongoing press contacts with the area mass media and thereby enhancing and expanding coverage of Native American life by the mass media.

Section 4

Duties of Officers – Herein follows the description of the duties of NAJA Board of Directors’ officers:

  1. President – Preside at all meetings; cannot vote except in case of tie votes; calls meetings; sets meeting dates; supervises organizational staff; serves as Ex Officio member of all committees.
  2. Vice President – In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall assume all the duties of the President; serves as Ex Officio member of all committees.
  3. Secretary – shall maintain all the records of the organization; records the minutes of all meetings; may assign an assistant to help with the taking of the minutes.
  4. Treasurer – shall provide quarterly financial statements to the Board, shall provide annual statements to the membership; shall maintain three (3) accounts of NAJA funds – a general fund, an account on grants received and a scholarship account.

Section 5 Five (5) members of the Board of Directors, including a minimum of one (1) officer shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

  1. The Board shall determine how checks shall be issued.
  2. Board approval by telephone, mail, (facsimile) or at a meeting is required for all transactions over $1,500.00.

Section 6

The NAJA Board of Directors has the full authority to create an advisory Board, which can consist of only those members who have paid their dues in full.

Section 7

Board members will be responsible for all travel costs incurred while conducting NAJA business, with the exception of partial expenses provided by NAJA for the annual conference and the annual board retreat.

  1. NAJA shall provide Board members with a waiver of the conference registration fee for the annual conference.
  2. NAJA shall provide Board members with lodging and per diem during the annual Board retreat. Per diem will be calculated according to US government rates.
  3. Board members who cannot afford transportation expenses for the annual conference and annual fall retreat may request air fare or mileage from NAJA by submitting a written proposal to the NAJA Board for approval. Approval will be based on need and funds available under general operating expenses.
  4. Board members who cannot afford expenses to attend any other in-person NAJA Board meetings and/or official trips on behalf of NAJA may request airfare, or mileage, lodging and per diem from NAJA by submitting a written proposal to the NAJA Board for approval. Approval will be based on need and funds available under general operating expenses.
  5. Approved travel requests for the NAJA president other than the annual conference and annual Board retreat shall not exceed $1,200 per fiscal year.

Section 8

Board members may apply for paid positions within NAJA, but must abstain from discussing and voting on the matter.

  1. If hired for a permanent position, the board member must immediately resign from his or her board seat on acceptance of the position and submit a letter to the Board Secretary within ten (10) days.
  2. If hired as a temporary employee or consultant, the board member has the option of resigning or taking a leave of absence from Board duties for up to six (6) months.

Section 9

A one-time leave of absence from Board duties for up to six (6) months may be granted by the NAJA Board. If granted, the Board seat will remain unfilled for the length of the leave. A leave will be granted:

  1. In cases where a Board member has been hired as a temporary employee or paid consultant;
  2. For extenuating circumstances to be determined as such by the NAJA Board.