SKILLSUSA-VICA SECONDARY CONSTITUTION


Article I - Name
The official name of this organization shall be "SkillsUSA-VICA Secondary Division."

Article II - Purposes
The purposes of this organization are:

To unite in a common bond without regard to race, sex, religion, creed or national origin full-time students enrolled in classes with vocational trade, industrial, technical and health occupations objectives
To provide leadership for the state organizations
To provide a clearinghouse for information and activities
To provide national recognition and prestige through an association and affiliated organizations
To provide a vehicle, national in scope, for organizations to work articulately with trade, industrial, technology and health occupations student groups
To develop leadership abilities through participation in educational, vocational, civic, recreational and social activities
To foster a deep respect for the dignity of work
To assist students in establishing realistic vocational goals
To help students attain a purposeful life
To create enthusiasm for learning
To promote high standards in trade ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety
To develop the ability of students to plan together, organize and carry out worthy activities and projects through the use of the democratic process
To foster a wholesome understanding of the functions of labor and management organizations and a recognition of their mutual interdependence
To create among students, faculty members, patrons of the school and persons in industry a sincere interest in and esteem for trade, industrial, technology and health occupations education
To develop patriotism through a knowledge of our nation's heritage and the practice of democracy


Article III - Organization
Section 1. SkillsUSA-VICA is an organization of state associations, each operating in accordance with a charter granted by SkillsUSA-VICA Inc.

Section 2. The administration and authority in SkillsUSA-VICA affairs will be vested in the Board of Directors of SkillsUSA-VICA Inc.

Section 3. The national executive director is the administrator of the national headquarters. The executive director shall be appointed by and responsible to the Board of Directors for conducting the work of the national program.



Article IV-Membership
Section 1. Membership of SkillsUSA-VICA Secondary Division shall consist of the total eligible Secondary Division members of the chartered state association, territorial or U.S. possession, and members shall hold the same membership status as in their respective state and local organizations.

Section 2. A state association must have at least four local chapters and all members of the state must be members of the national organization to qualify for a charter.

Section 3. Each local chapter and state association shall be open for membership to all students regardless of race, sex, religion, creed or national origin.

Section 4. SkillsUSA-VICA will recognize members only through a state association, with the exception of direct membership. Classes of membership which will be recognized are:

Active Membership - Students enrolled in a coherent series of courses or career major that prepares them for further education and/or employment related to trade, industrial, technology and health occupations and who are earning credit toward a high school diploma/certificate or its equivalent.
Direct Membership - Full-time preparatory students enrolled in secondary vocational courses offered in trade, industrial, technology and health occupations education meeting the requirements of the State Plan for Vocational Education and residing in states without a state association to serve them. This classification will only be recognized if application for membership is made as part of an organized local SkillsUSA-VICA chapter sponsored by the appropriate Board of Education and with the consent of the state director. Direct members may not serve as national voting delegates or hold national office.
Alumni Membership - Former active members who are no longer enrolled in trade, industrial, technology and health occupations education. Although alumni members pay dues and may participate at the national level through the Youth Development Foundation of SkillsUSA-VICA Inc., they are not eligible to serve as national voting delegates, hold national office or otherwise represent the state active association membership in SkillsUSA-VICA. Charters may be issued for local and state alumni associations. The National Alumni Coordinating Committee oversees contributions to the Skills USA-VICA Alumni Fund, a fund which supports a variety of worthwhile projects for active SkillsUSA-VICA members.
Professional Membership - Persons associated with or participating in the professional development of SkillsUSA-VICA as approved by a state association. Such members shall include chapter advisors, teacher educators and supervisors. Professional members will pay dues as established by SkillsUSA-VICA, but members will be ineligible to serve as national voting delegates, hold national office or otherwise represent the state association in SkillsUSA-VICA.
Honorary Life Membership - Individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of SkillsUSA-VICA and trade, industrial, technology and health occupations education whose membership has been approved by the National Executive Council upon the recommendation of a state association. Such membership shall not require payment of national dues.

Section 5. A membership year shall be from September 1 through August 31.




Article V - National officers
Section 1. The national officers of SkillsUSA-VICA Secondary Division shall be a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, parliamentarian and a regional vice president from each of the regions established by the Board of Directors that has a chartered state association.

Section 2. National officers shall be elected by the House of Delegates at each annual national meeting and shall serve from September 1 through August 31.

Section 3. Should the office of president be vacated, the vice president shall succeed to the office of president. Vacancies in any other national office shall be filled by appointment by the president of the Board of Directors. If a national officer-elect fails to attend national officer training, the officer will forfeit the privileges of being a national officer for that year. Replacements for national offices will continue to follow the set guidelines, but only before national officer training. Vacancies occurring after national officer training will not be filled.



Article VI - Qualifications for national office
Section 1. Candidates for national office shall have:

Active membership status
Endorsement of their state association
At least one full school year remaining in a secondary preparatory vocational program
Been elected by their state delegates as a national officer candidate
Completed Levels I & II of the SkillsUSA-VICA Professional Development Program
The Board of Directors has defined the present active membership status and endorsement of the state association to read as follows: "Active membership status and be currently enrolled in a trade, industrial, technology and health occupations program at the time of application, and must plan to continue in the training program at least one more year. If a student is elected to serve and is unable to fulfill the obligation, the state may forfeit the right for officer candidates in their division the following year. The Board of Directors will review the situation, listen to the concerned parties and make the final recommendation/decision."

Section 2. Candidates shall file for office with the national executive director not later than June 1 prior to the date of the annual national meeting.

Section 3. No state is eligible to provide the national president for two consecutive years.

Section 4. A member who holds an elected position prior to election to a national office may be ex-officio in his/her state or local organization and must vacate the elected position during his/her tenure in national office.

Section 5.
A. The national staff will review applications to verify minimum qualifications outlined in Sections 1 through 4 and notify states of any deficiencies.

B. All applications that meet minimum qualifications contained in Sections 1 through 4 shall be submitted to the Nominations Committee.

C. The Nominations Committee will administer an objective written exam on the SkillsUSA-VICA Leadership Handbook and the Trainee (Level I) and Leader (Level II) degrees of the SkillsUSA-VICA Professional Development Program. All candidates who meet the minimum qualifications in Sections 1-4, and make 75 percent or higher on the test, shall be qualified to run for national office. The test will be originated by the national staff member responsible for training.

D. The Nominations Committee shall further interview all qualified candidates, review test results and recommend what office the candidate should seek. The candidate may or may not accept the recommendation.

E. The Nominations Committee shall prepare a primary ballot showing all qualified candidates for each office for the House of Delegates.

F. A two-minute speech will be given by each candidate, and the primary election will be held during the first House of Delegates meeting.

G. The two candidates receiving the highest number of votes, for each elected position, on the primary ballot shall be listed on the final ballot.

H. Before final ballots are cast the candidates shall respond to a problematic oral question before the House of Delegates. The question shall be the same for all candidates and shall be originated by the national staff member responsible for training.

I. Final ballots are cast by the delegates. All voting for national officers shall be by secret ballot.

J. The Nominations Committee shall be comprised of the following individuals:

National Executive Council;
One member of the Board of Directors of SkillsUSA-VICA Inc.;
One corporate member; and
Five regional representatives from the State SkillsUSA-VICA Directors Committee to be named by the national staff member responsible for training.


Article VII - National Executive Council

Section 1. The Secondary Division National Executive Council shall consist of the national president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, parliamentarian and regional vice presidents. The national executive director shall serve in an advisory capacity, with no voting privileges. It shall be the duty and function of the National Executive Council to:

Advise the Board of Directors concerning the execution of the decisions of the House of Delegates.
Conduct business pertaining to the students they serve.
Preside over the national meetings and conferences.
Call special meetings and conferences, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
Propose and review proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and recommend legislation to the House of Delegates.
Create, design or select an emblem, colors, motto, creed, jewelry, wearing apparel and other items it may wish to adopt as official property of the organization with approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. An advisor from each of the states that has a national officer shall serve as consultant to the National Executive Council.

Section 3. The National Secondary Executive Council shall be part of the Joint Executive Council in cooperation with the Postsecondary Division officers. The Joint Executive Council shall elect a chair, vice chair and secretary. The officer positions are rotated each year. In even years, the chair and secretary are chosen from the secondary division officers. In odd years, the reverse is true. The purpose of the Joint Executive Council is to provide coordination between the divisions.



Article VIII - House of Delegates
Section 1. The Secondary Division House of Delegates shall consist of two voting delegates from each chartered state association plus an additional delegate for each 1,000 Secondary Division members or major fraction thereof. Each delegate shall have one vote and must be present to vote. It shall be the duties and functions of the House of Delegates to:

Enact bylaws, rules and regulations necessary for carrying out the affairs and activities of the organization.
Elect national officers of the organization.
Act upon items of business as requested by the National Executive Council and the Board of Directors.
Section 2. No student delegates, contestants or participants at a national meeting shall be recognized or seated unless they are accompanied by one or more adult advisors from their respective state, territory or U.S. possession.



Article IX - Meetings
Section 1. An annual meeting of SkillsUSA–VICA shall be held at such time and place as the National Executive Council and Board of Directors may decide.

Section 2. The National Executive Council, with approval of the Board of Directors, shall be empowered to call special meetings.

Section 3. Parliamentary procedures at all meetings will be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.



Article X - Voting
Section 1. Members shall exercise their franchise at national meetings or conferences through duly elected representatives or delegates of the chartered state associations.

Section 2. All official delegates and alternates must be certified by the state advisor of each state, territory or U.S. possession to the National Executive Director not later than June 1 prior to national meeting.

Section 3. Voting on National Officers and honorary positions shall be done by secret ballot.

Section 4. Any person running unopposed for national office must have a majority vote of the number of delegates present when the vote is taking place to be elected.

Section 5. Any candidate eliminated by Section 4 shall not be eligible for appointment to that office.



Article XI - Finances
Section 1. State associations shall be responsible for annual national dues according to the number of individual members claimed in each membership classification.

Section 2. All organization monies from the state associations shall be deposited with the corporate treasurer of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Annual dues shall be .00 per active member, .00 for professional members, and .00 for all other memberships.

Section 4. Upon final dissolution or liquidation of SkillsUSA-VICA, and after the discharge or satisfaction of all outstanding obligations and liabilities, the remaining assets shall be used by the Board of Directors for the benefit of students of trade, industrial, technology and health occupations education, or be transferred to some recognized educational foundation.

Section 5. The fiscal year of SkillsUSA-VICA shall be September 1 through August 31.



Article XII - Amendments
Section 1. The Constitution and Bylaws may be amended as follows:

A proposed amendment must be presented in writing to the national executive director 90 days prior to a national meeting.
The amendments shall be reviewed by the National Executive Council and the Board of Directors.
Amendments must be submitted to each state association as soon as possible, but not less than 60 days before the annual meeting of the National Executive Council at the time of the national meeting.
It must then be presented for vote at an official business meeting of the House of Delegates at the national meeting. Amendments to the Constitution shall be adopted upon two-thirds affirmative vote of the House of Delegates. Amendments to the Bylaws shall be adopted by a majority of the House of Delegates.



Article XIII - Bylaws and operating policies
Section 1. Bylaws shall be adopted by a majority vote of the House of Delegates.

Section 2. Operating policies shall be adopted as determined by the National Executive Council and Board of Directors.

Section 3. A student elected to a national office must remain in active membership status until the completion of the term of office.

Section 4. The national president shall appoint committees as necessary to conduct the work of the national organization.

Section 5. All business to be brought before the House of Delegates must first be reviewed by the appropriate committee before presentation to the House of Delegates.



Secondary Division Bylaws
Article I - Committees
Section 1. It shall be the responsibility of the national president to appoint national committees and delegate their duties.

Section 2. The national president shall appoint each year, at the national meeting, the following committees:

Administration
Training and Program Development
SkillsUSA Championships and Industrial Relations
Publications and Public Information
Conference Management and Support Services
Nominations
The national president shall appoint other committees as necessary to conduct the work of the national organization.

Section 3. All business to be brought before the House of Delegates must Þrst be reviewed by the appropriate committee before presentation to the House of Delegates.