INTEREST GROUPS

1. Formation of Interest Groups.

1. Formation of an interest group requires a written request submitted to the Vice President before the last MLA Board of Directors meeting held at the annual conference and requires the approval of the MLA Board of Directors.
2. An interest group is identified for the fiscal year, July 1 - June 30, in which the request is made.
3. Participants/members of an interest group shall select their own chair(s).
4. The request for formation shall be made on a form provided for this purpose and must state the purpose for which the interest group is being formed and the activity which the group plans to accomplish during the fiscal year.
5. The Vice President, with the concurrence of the Board of Directors, will identify the interest groups and their chair.

2. Responsibilities of Interest Group Chairs.

1. Interest group activities are the responsibility of interest group chair or designee.
2. The chair is responsible for communication with MLA members with similar interests. The Executive Director shall send interest group chairs an updated membership list in April (before the conference) and October (after renewal date). News notes of interest Group plans and activities may be submitted to the editor of the association's publication.
3. The chair shall maintain communication with the Directors at Large of the association concerning plans, activities, conference programs, etc.
4. Budget requests for the fiscal year shall be submitted to the Directors at large prior to development of the budget, which is adopted at the first meeting of the MLA Board.
5. All expense claims forms must be documented with receipts, a brief explanation for the expense, and signed by the interest group chair when submitted to the MLA President for reimbursement.