Dear Active Members of the Education Law Association,
We are pleased to invite you to our Annual Business Meeting, which will take place on Friday, October 27 at 10:00 AM as part of the 69th Annual Conference in Reno-Tahoe.
Our business meeting is a pivotal event in which you will vote on proposed changes to the constitution and participate in electing our new Board of Directors. This occasion will not only shape the future leadership of our organization, as noted in the Executive Director’s Report but also feature the exciting reveal of our raffle results. It’s an event imbued with anticipation and promise, and we sincerely hope you will join us to make your voices heard and perhaps even walk away with fantastic prizes.
AGENDA
I. President’s Report
II. Executive Director’s Report
III. Nomination Committee
Julie F. Mead, Ph.D., Immediate Past President and chair of the nomination committee, will introduce the following slate of nominees for board leadership. All active members are eligible to vote during the annual business meeting.
The nominee for Vice President is Jeffrey C. Sun, J.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Professor & Distinguished University Scholar, Associate Dean for Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, and Director of the SKILLS Collaborative at the University of Louisville. He is also Counsel at Manley Burke. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the Education Law Association and is currently serving a second term. He also co-edits The Yearbook of Education Law series, serves on the Budget & Finance Committee, and co-chairs next year’s conference committee.
The nominee for Board Member is Beth Godett, J.D., Ed.D., an Adjunct Professor of Education Law and Policy Affiliation at Rider University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. She began her career as an English teacher, then a principal, and, ultimately, a superintendent. She is the co-chair of this year’s conference committee.
The nominee for Board Member is Lenford C. Sutton, Ph.D., M.B.A., Professor, and Past Chair of the Educational Administration and Foundations Affiliation at Illinois State University. Dr. Sutton’s research focuses on education funding, the privatization of public schools, the fiscal effects of educational reform, and school desegregation. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the Education Law Association.
The nominee for Board Member is Christopher D. Thomas, J.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Florida’s College of Education. Previously, he was a practicing attorney with Frost Brown Todd LLC in Columbus, Ohio. He currently serves as co-editor of the 2024 Principal’s Legal Handbook and on the publications, awards, community engagement, and education committees.
IV. Constitution & Bylaws
The proposed constitutional changes are only substantive in that nonprofit associations are required to elect or appoint a secretary to record action items and votes. The Board agreed that changing the names and slightly altering the function of one of the Executive Committee positions were the best options moving forward.
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