The Black and Third World Educators’ Organization was founded in 1973. The primary goals were to enhance the quality of life for the University of Vermont racial minorities and to expose the University campus community to multicultural issues and concerns. These goals were achieved through collaboration with University officials’ recruitment and retention activities, academic advisement, social programs and orientation events held for prospective minority employees and their spouses.
In 1975, the Black and Third World Educators initiated an effort to seek a director for a minority cross-cultural educational program in the Living/Learning Center. With financial support from the University Administration a minority administrator was hired to develop the cross-cultural program. The establishment of the Center for Cultural Pluralism was a direct out-growth of that effort.
The Black and Third World Educators recognized the need to integrate the experience of America’s minorities into the curricula content. Singular testimonials of minority experiences, such as the Afro-American Cultural Festival or Harlem Renaissance Symposium, were perceived as valuable when faculty and students view those activities as calling attention to an existing status quo. Too frequently, students’ knowledge of America’s varied ethnic heritage was and is limited by educators who expose students to the attributes of a monolithic rather than pluralistic nation. The intention of BTWEO was to promote curricula that accurately reflected the true ethnicity of the United States.
In 1988, the Black and Third World Educators constitution was revised to further reflect goals and concerns. There were three standing committees established to guide some of the goals established by the BTWEO constitution.
In 1996, BTWEO changed their name to the ALANA Coalition.
The name of the organization shall be the "Black and Third World Educators Organization (BTWEO) of the University of Vermont."
The objectives of the organization shall be to generate educational programs inside and outside the formal educational structure; to initiate and support general educational reform designed to facilitate education, research, and service becoming more efficient and responsive to the needs of our constituency.
Section 1:
Each member of the organization must adhere to the aims and objectives of the organization.
Section 2:
Each member must have faculty, staff, or graduate student status at the University of Vermont.
Section 3:
Each new person seeking membership shall submit an application.
Section 4:
Each member of the organization shall have the right to attend executive meetings, speak at BTWEO meetings, and have one vote at general meetings.
Section 5:
Each member of the organization has a right to submit agenda items for discussion during the meetings.
The officers shall consist of a President and Vice President. The two are expected to provide leadership for a 12-month period (e.g. must make provisions for summer leadership coverage); a Secretary and Alternate Secretary; and one Treasurer. The officers shall be elected every two years in the month of April. Thus, all officers shall hold office for at least two years. The Executive Board is composed of the officers, the immediate past president and two additional designated members.
Section 1:
The President shall preside over all general and executive board meetings; shall, when necessary, represent the organization to other groups on campus and in the community; prepare the agenda for all meetings.
Section 2:
In the absence of the President, the order of leadership shall be as follows: Vice President, Secretary, Alternate Secretary, Treasurer, Former President, and the two additional designated members.
Section 3:
The Secretaries shall keep accurate record of membership and attendance at meetings; take minutes of the meetings and distribute them to the membership; shall give due notice of meetings prior to their occurrence; shall bear the responsibility for preservation of organizational records. In the absence of the Secretary, the Alternate Secretary shall assume these functions. In the absence of either secretary, the presiding officer shall designate a recorder.
Section 4:
The Treasurer shall handle all money designated for activities transacted for the organization. (Expenditure in excess of a pre-determined significant amount shall require an additional executive member's signature.) The Treasurer shall render a financial report at the completion of any BTWEO activity where money is transacted. The Treasurer shall present financial reports to the Executive Board on a quarterly basis. Reports at general meetings shall be made at the end of each six-month period, culminating in a final report for the end of each fiscal year.
Section 5:
The Executive Board shall have the authority to act for the BTWEO between meetings, shall exercise assistance in the selection of committees for specific purposes.
General meetings shall be held at least once each month on an annually designated date. Separate Executive Board meetings shall also be held monthly.
The standing committees of the BTWEO shall include the following:
A quorum shall consist of the presence of at least five members at a given meeting.
The constitution and by-laws may be amended by a two-third's vote of the members present at a given meeting, notified 14 days in advance.
Constitution Revised June 8, 1988