SECTION 210:40-21-1. Multicultural equity advisory committee operational procedures

(a)   Purpose. The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Multicultural Equity Title IV-CRA Programs of the Oklahoma State Department of Education in planning activities relating to educational equity in the State of Oklahoma. The Title IV-CRA Programs include Educational Equity (Sex Desegregation), Human Relations (Race Equity), and National Origin (Language Issues). The Multicultural Equity Section also encompasses the Bilingual Education Program and the Emergency Immigrant Education Program. Committee recommendations, suggestions for improvement or change, and new ideas for continued progress in all phases of programs related to educational equity will be submitted to the State Department of Education for consideration and possible presentation to the State Board of Education.

(b)   Name. The name of the organization shall be the Multicultural Equity Advisory Committee, hereinafter referred to in this Section as the Committee.

(c)   Membership.

(1)   Selection of Advisory Committee members.

(A)   Committee members are recommended by the State Department of Education and approved by the State Board of Education. Committee members represent various cultural, educational, civic and professional organizations and institutions of higher education. Each member has a working knowledge of the governance structure of education, legal trends, programs, practices, and is familiar with current State and Federal Legislation.

(B)   The membership of Advisory Committee will not exceed 15 members. The right to vote is restricted to only those individuals officially appointed to serve on the Committee.

(C)   Resignations shall be made by written statement and submitted to the Committee. In the case of resignation, an interim appointment to serve the balance of the unexpired term may be made by the State Board of Education upon the recommendation of the State Department of Education.

(2)   Term of appointment. The term of appointment to the Committee shall be three (3) years on a rotating schedule which will be congruent with the timelines of the Title IV Grant. At the end of the third year term, the Administrative Supervisor of the Multicultural Equity Section will call for nominations for the rotation and establishment of a new committee.

(3)   Officers of Committee.

(A)   The officers of the committee shall be chosen from among the membership and consist of a Chairperson and a Chairperson-elect. The terms of office for the officers shall be one (1) year. The Chairperson-elect will be elected at the first meeting of each fiscal year. Nominations will be made from the floor of said meeting. The Chairperson-elect of the previous year will assume the office of Chairperson.

(B)   Chairperson. The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings of the Committee.

(C)   Chairperson-elect. The Chairperson-elect shall assume the duties of the Chairperson if the position is vacated and shall preside over the meetings in the absence of the Chairperson.

(D)   The Multicultural Equity Section staff will assume secretarial responsibilities, including taking minutes of all meetings and making them available to all Committee members and appropriate State Department of Education staff, preserving all documents and records of the Committee and issuing notices of meetings. Copies of all records shall be filed with the Multicultural Equity Section of the State Department of Education.

(4)   Ex-officio members. The State Department of Education Multicultural Equity Section professional rstaff shall serve as ex-officio members of the Committee.

(d)   Meetings.

(1)   Schedule of meetings.

(A)   The Committee shall meet a minimum of two (2) times each year. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Oklahoma Open Meeting Law. The Committee will not meet without the representation of the Multicultural Equity Section professional staff of the State Department of Education.

(B)   Meeting dates and official meeting announcements shall be cooperatively agreed upon by the Committee Chairperson and the Administrative Supervisor of the Multicultural Equity Section of the State Department of Education. Advance notice (reasonable time) of dates and locations of meetings shall be sent to each member in order to facilitate their attendance.

(2)   Quorum. A majority (51%) of Committee members shall constitute a quorum.

(3)   Recommendations. Recommendations of the Committee shall represent consensus of a majority of committee members.

(e)   General provisions.

(1)   Mail ballots. Action taken by the Committee requiring formal voting by the official membership may be taken by a fourteen (14) day mail ballot.

(2)   Amendments. Possible procedural changes must be sent to all official members for their consideration and review 15 days prior to the next scheduled meeting. Proposed amendments and/or revisions to the Procedures must be adopted by a quorum (51 %) of the official membership and recommended to the State Department of Education.

[Source: Amended at 10 Ok Reg 4189, eff 7-6-93 (emergency); Amended at 11 Ok Reg 2003, eff 5-26-94]