Commission bylaws

Article I-Name

The official name is the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology. The acronyms “CET” or “CCET” may also be used.

Article II-Legal Status

The CET was established in 2000 by an act of Connecticut’s legislature. The first meeting was convened on August 22, 2000. The CET operates pursuant to chapter 61a of the Connecticut General Statutes (Sections 4d-80-85).

Article III-Offices, Secretary, Records

Section A. Offices: The principal offices of the CET shall be at the site of its administrative host, the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Bureau of Enterprise Systems and Technology (BEST) located at 55 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105.

Section B. Secretary: The Executive Director of the CET shall keep the official records and attend to the routine proceedings of the CET.

Section C. Records: The official records of the CET shall be housed at its principal offices and shall be made available for review upon request in a manner consistent with Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act. Meeting minutes will also be posted to the Web site www.ct.gov/ctedtech on a regular basis.

Article IV-Purpose

The purposes of the CET, as set forth in subsection (c) of Section 4d-80 of the Connecticut General Statutes are to:

1. Be the principal educational technology policy advisor for state government;
2. Develop, oversee and direct the attainment of state-wide technology goals including:
   1. Connecting all institutions of higher education, libraries, public elementary and secondary schools, regional educational service centers and other parties through a state-wide high speed, flexible network that will allow for video, voice and data transmission.
   2. Wiring all public school classrooms and connecting them to the Internet and to the state-wide high speed network through wired, wireless, or any other digital transmission technology providing high speed connectivity.
   3. Providing access for all public libraries and libraries at institutions of higher education to a core set of on-line full text resources and to the ability to purchase collaboratively for other collections in order to maximize buying power.
   4. Ensuring, in cooperation with the State Board of Education, competency in computing skills by the sixth grade for all students.
   5. Ensuring competency in specific computing skills and the integration of technology into the curriculum for all public school teachers.
   6. Ensuring that institutions of higher education offer a wide range of course and degree programs via the Internet and through other synchronous and asynchronous methods.
3. Coordinate the activities of all state agencies, educational institutions and other parties involved in the creation and management of a reliable and secure network that will offer connectivity and allow for the transmission of video, voice and data transmission to public library, public school, regional educational service center and institution of higher education;
4. Be the liaison between the Governor and the General Assembly and local, state and federal organizations and entities with respect to educational technology matters;
5. Develop and maintain a long-range plan and make related recommendations for the coordination of educational technology. The plan shall (A) establish clear goals and a strategy for using telecommunications and information technology to improve education, (B) include a professional development strategy to ensure that teachers and faculty know how to use the new technologies to improve education, (C) include an assessment of the telecommunications, hardware, software and other services that will be needed to improve education, and (D) include an evaluation process that monitors progress towards the specified goals;
6. Measure the availability and usage of Internet access sites available to the public, including, but not limited to, those maintained by state and local government agencies, public libraries, public schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, businesses and other organizations and recommend strategies for reducing the disparities in Internet accessibility and usage across the state and among all potential users; and
7. Establish methods and procedures to ensure the maximum involvement of members of the public, educators, librarians, representatives of higher education, the legislature and local officials in educational technology matters and organize, as necessary, advisory boards consisting of individuals with expertise in a particular discipline significant to the work of the CET.

In performing its work pursuant to Chapter 61a of the Connecticut General Statutes, the CET may request any office, department, board, commission or other agency of the state to supply such reports, information and assistance as may be necessary or appropriate in order to carry out its duties and requirements.

Article V-Reporting Structure

The CET shall report annually on January 1 to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, the State Board of Education, and the Board of Governors for Higher Education on its activities, progress made in the attainment of the state-wide technology goals as outlined in the long-range plan and any recommendations.

Article VI-Membership

As outlined in Section 4d-80 of the Connecticut General Statutes, the membership of the CET shall consist of:

• The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management or a designee
• The Commissioner of Administrative Services or a designee
• The Commissioner of Education or a designee
• Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or a designee
• The President of the University of Connecticut or a designee
• The President of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities or a designee
• The State Librarian or a designee
• The Office of Consumer Counsel
• Two (2) individuals who represent business or have expertise in information technology appointed by the Governor
• A person who represents business or has expertise in information technology appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
• A person who represents business or has expertise in information technology appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate
• A chief elected official of a municipality appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate
• A representative of small business appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives
• An individual representing:
  • Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges
  • Connecticut Association of Boards of Education
  • Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
  • Connecticut Council of Small Towns
  • Connecticut Library Association

Article VII-Compensation/Terms of Service for Members

There shall be no compensation for service on the CET. Terms of service are as follows:

• The term of service of members appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker or President Pro Tempore shall be coterminous with the term of the appointing authority.
• The state agency representatives shall have no specified term.
• Members appointed by statutorily named entities shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing entity.

Article VIII-Officers and Terms of Office

Section A. Officers: The officers of the CET shall be Chair and Vice Chair.

Section B. Appointment of Officers: The Governor shall appoint the Chair from among the members of the Commission or their designees. Members of the Commission shall select a Vice Chair.

Section C. Terms of Office: The term of the Chair shall be coterminous with the Governor. The Vice Chair shall serve terms of two (2) years and may not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

Article IX-Duties of Officers

Section A. Chair: The Chair shall be the presiding officer of the Commission and shall have the same right to vote on pending questions as any other member. The Chair shall supervise the CET Executive Director, except that annual evaluations shall include participation by the Commission; may call special meetings; may approve expenditures of CET funds in the absence of the Executive Director; may establish committees and task forces; may appoint committee and task force chairs; may designate a facilitator, as needed, to assist in the conduct of meetings; may sign and execute, in the name of the CET, all authorized contracts or other instruments; and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the CET.

Section B. Vice Chair: The Vice Chair of the CET, at the request of the Chair or during the Chair's absence or inability to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the Chair of the CET, and when so acting shall have the powers of such Chair. The Vice Chair of the CET shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the CET.

Article X-Duties of Members

All Members shall engage actively in the matters of the Commission, pursuant to CGS Chapter 61a, including preparation for and attending all quarterly meetings. Members participate in the Commission’s planning, execution, and assessment of state-wide technology goals. They also maintain strong ties to their appointing offices and organizations, providing those entities with regular updates on Commission initiatives and concerns as well as expressing the interests of those constituents. Members are encouraged both to participate actively in and recruit subject matter experts to join the Commission’s Advisory Councils, in order to ensure current and active representation of all constituents.

Article XI-Staff

Subject to the provisions of chapter 67 of the Connecticut General Statutes, and within available appropriations, the CET may appoint an executive director and such other employees as may be necessary for the discharge of its duties. The Executive Director shall report to the Chair of the CET and shall be responsible for the day to day management of the CET. The Executive Director shall be selected by the CET and be responsible to and evaluated by the CET or a committee designated by the CET and the Chair of the CET. The Executive Director shall attend meetings of the CET and other committees of the CET, and shall perform duties defined by position description. The Executive Director will have fiscal responsibilities including budget preparation and expenditure, financial reporting, and auditing, and may sign and execute, in the name of the CET, all authorized contracts or other instruments, except in cases in which the signing and execution thereof shall have been expressly delegated to some other officer or agent by the CET. The Executive Director is authorized to accept contributions and donations to the state of Connecticut, the CET, or CET accounts set up for such purposes on behalf of the CET. In the Executive Director’s absence, and with the approval of the Chair, the Executive Director may delegate the responsibilities and duties of the position. The Executive Director shall be a non-voting, ex-officio member of the CET, and shall participate in all affairs of the CET. The Executive Director shall be eligible for benefits and compensation as established by the CET, which shall work in concert with the Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Policy and Management to determine such benefits.

Article XII-Committees/Task Forces/Advisory Boards

Committees and task forces may be created by the CET or by the Chair with CET approval to address specific issues. At least one of the chairs of all such committees and task forces shall be a CET member. The Chair of the CET shall appoint all committee and task force chairs. The committees and task forces may be structured to include non-CET member representatives with expertise and experience in the relevant subject area. Such entities shall establish their own meeting schedules to reflect the requirements of their timelines and membership availability and shall report, as necessary, to the full CET. The CET Executive Director or designee shall serve as staff to all CET committees and task forces.

The CET may organize advisory boards as needed. Membership of advisory boards shall involve individuals with expertise in a particular discipline significant to the work of the advisory board and shall ensure the maximum involvement of members of the public, educators, librarians, representatives of higher education, the legislature and local officials as appropriate. Advisory board members shall be appointed by the CET Chair, the Executive Director or by the chair of a relevant or companion CET committee.

Article XIII-Meetings-Times, FOIA, Quorum

Section A. Times: The CET shall meet at least quarterly. Additional meetings may be called as required. A calendar of meeting dates and times shall be filed with the Secretary of the State. The June or July meeting shall be considered the annual meeting and elected officer terms shall begin at the start of the CET’s July 1 – June 30 fiscal year.

Section B. FOIA: All CET meetings shall be open to the public in accordance with Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act and shall include an opportunity for public comment.

Section C. Quorum: An official quorum shall be a simple majority of the total number of members of the CET. No binding actions shall be taken or final decisions reached without a quorum present at a meeting.

Article XIV-Voting Rights and Conflicts of Interest

All members of the CET shall exercise voting privileges. No proxies may be given by any CET member to any other CET member. Members of the CET shall abstain from voting on any action of the CET whereby the CET member will receive direct financial benefit or remuneration from the action of the CET. Additionally, members of the CET shall strive to be aware of potential conflicts of interest and should abstain from voting when appropriate.

Article XV-Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote at any regularly scheduled CET meeting, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting and provided that the proposed amendment is included on the agenda.

Article XVI-Rules of Procedure

Procedures at all meetings of the CET, and at all meetings of any committee of the CET shall be in accordance with those procedures set forth in the then current edition of Robert's Rules of Order.