FLORIDA BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS OF AMERICA, INC.
CONSTITUTION
(Amended February 3, 2008)
ARTICLE I. NAME
The official name of this organization shall be the Florida Business Professionals of America, Inc., and shall be referred to as Business Professionals of America, Florida Association.
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II. PURPOSES
The purposes of this organization are:
- To provide opportunities for chapter members in leadership and development
- To unite in a common professional bond without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, marital status, or disability of students enrolled in classes with business careers as their objective
- To development leadership abilities through participation in career and technical education, civic, recreational, and social activities
- To assist students in establishing realistic career objectives
- To create enthusiasm for learning
- To promote high standards in ethics, workmanship, and scholarship
- To develop the ability of students to plan together, organize, and carry out worthy activities and projects through the use of democratic processes
- To foster an understanding of the functions of labor, entrepreneurial, and management organizations in the American free enterprise system
- To develop competent, aggressive business leaders
- To develop and strengthen members’ confidence in themselves and their work
- To provide satisfactory social and recreational activities
- To foster practical application of business skills through competition
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III. ORGANIZATION
Section 1. Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, is an organization of local chapters, each operating in accordance with a charter granted by Business Professionals of America, Inc. Only chapters in good standing shall be referred to as “Business Professionals of America.”
Section 2. The administration of this organization shall be vested in the Board of Directors of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association.
Section 3. Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, shall have an Executive Council that will make recommendations to the Board of Directors and perform such other duties as designated in the bylaws.
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IV. MEMBERS
Section 1. Membership in Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, shall consist of the individual members of the chartered local chapters.
Section 2. Classes of membership shall be Active, Professional, and Honorary Life.
a. Active members shall be secondary or postsecondary
students who become members while enrolled in business and/or business-related
courses and programs as approved by the Board of Directors. Active members
shall pay regional, state, and national dues as established by Business
Professionals of America and will be eligible to hold office; participate
in the Workplace Skills Assessment Program; serve as a voting delegate;
and otherwise represent their local, regional, and state chapters in
Business Professionals of America activities.
b. Professional members may be persons or businesses
associated with, or participating in, the professional development of
Business Professionals of America. Such members may include local and
state chapter advisors, business teachers, teacher educators, supervisors,
employers and/or supervisors of cooperative education students, advisory
committee members, business persons, and other persons contributing
to Business Professionals of America growth and development. Professional
members shall pay dues as established by the Board of Directors but
shall be ineligible to participate in competitive events, serve as voting
delegates, or hold office.
c. Honorary life members may be individuals who are
approved by the Board of Directors. Honorary life members shall not
be required to pay dues and shall be ineligible to participate in competitive
events, serve as voting delegates, or hold office.
Section 3. By paying dues and becoming a member of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, each student agrees to abide by the organization’s constitution, bylaws, rules and regulations, dress codes, and competitive event guidelines.
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V. STATE OFFICERS
Section 1. State Officers. The elected state officers of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, shall be a President, Executive Vice President, Secretary, and Reporter. A Parliamentarian is appointed annually.
Section 2. Election of State Officers.
a. The President, Executive Vice President, Secretary,
and Reporter shall be elected annually by majority vote of the voting
delegates present and voting at the State Leadership Conference.
b. State officers shall be elected by voice vote. If no candidate
for an office receives a majority vote on the third ballot, the candidate
receiving the lowest number of votes for that ballot shall be dropped
from each subsequent ballot until one applicant receives a majority
of the votes cast.
c. With the exception of unopposed candidates, no two state officers
shall be elected from the same region.
d. No state officer shall hold a regional office at the same
time he/she is a state officer.
Section 3. Term of Office. State officers shall be elected for a one (1) year term, shall assume office at the close of the conference at which they were elected, and shall serve until the close of the following State Leadership Conference.
Section 4. Vacancy in Office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Executive Vice President shall assume the office of President. A vacancy in any other office shall be filled by appointment by the State Advisor with the approval of the Executive Council.
Section 5. Appointment of Parliamentarian. The student scoring the highest on the Parliamentary Procedure written test at the State Leadership Conference shall be appointed to serve as parliamentarian. This student must have at least one (1) full year remaining before graduation from high school.
Section 6. Removal from Office. If any officer fails to carry out the duties as designated in the organization’s bylaws or policies and procedures or exhibits conduct inappropriate of a state officer, the officer may be removed from office by either a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the Executive Council or an action by the Board of Directors.
Section 7. Qualifications and Duties. The qualifications for and duties of all state officers shall be designated in the bylaws.
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VI. REGIONAL OFFICERS
Section 1. Regional Officers. The elected regional officers of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, shall be a Regional President and any such additional officers as determined by the respective regions.
Section 2. Election of Regional Officers. Each region shall decide how to elect regional officers in their respective regions. Regional officers shall be elected annually at the regional meetings.
Section 3. Term of Office. Regional officers shall be elected for a one (1) year term, shall assume office at the close of the State Leadership Conference, and shall serve until the close of the following State Leadership Conference.
Section 4. Vacancy in Office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Regional President, the Regional Advisor in consultation with the State Advisor shall appoint a Regional President to complete that term of office.
Section 5. Removal from Office. If any regional officer fails to carry out the duties as designated in the organization’s bylaws or policies and procedures or exhibits conduct inappropriate of a regional officer, the Regional Advisor in consultation with the State Advisor shall determine whether or not the regional officer should be removed from office. In the event that it is determined that the regional officer should be removed from office, the regional officer shall be immediately divested of his/her office.
Section 6. Qualifications and Duties. The qualifications for and duties of the Regional President shall be designated in the bylaws.
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VII. ADVISORS
Section 1. Local advisors. Each local chapter shall have an advisor who shall be a teacher at that school.
Section 2. Regional Advisors.
a. Each region shall have a Regional Advisor elected in
accordance with the rules and procedures of the respective region.
b. Regional Advisors shall be responsible and accountable for
all regional finances and shall present appropriate financial reports
to the State Advisor when requested.
Section 3. State Advisor. The State Advisor shall be the administrative chair of the organization and shall have all the duties and powers customarily reserved for this position, including the right to serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
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VIII. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
The elected state officers and Regional Presidents shall, along with the State Advisor and the Regional Advisors, serve as the Executive Council of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association.
Section 1. Meetings.
a. Meetings of the Executive Council shall be at the call
of the State Advisor.
b. A majority of the members of the Executive Council shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 2. Duties. The duties of the Executive Council shall be designated in the bylaws.
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IX. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, shall conduct the policy and procedure affairs of this organization and shall have full control and management of the affairs and business of this organization.
Section 1. Membership. The Board of Directors shall be comprised of the following members:
a. State President
b. State Advisor
c. Regional Advisors
1. Regional advisors shall be
current BPA regional advisors or have served previously in that capacity
in a career and technical student organization.
2. The number of regional advisors represented on the Board of
Directors shall be determined annually according to the following sliding
scale based upon BPA membership for the previous school year in the
five regions as designated by the Florida Department of Education:
1
– 1,000 student members 1 regional advisor
1,001 – 3,000 student members 2 regional advisors
3,001 – 6,000 student members 3 regional advisors
6,001 or more 4 regional advisors
3. Regional advisor representatives to the Board of Directors shall be elected at the State Leadership Conference by local chapter advisors of each respective region.
d. One Florida Association of Business Technology Education
Supervisors (FABTES) representative
e. Two business representatives
f. One immediate past president of the Board of Directors
g. The Florida Department of Education State Supervisor for Business
Technology Education shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board
of Directors.
Section 2. Term of Office. The term of office for members of the Board of Directors shall be from July 1 through June 30. Membership on the Board of Directors shall be for three (3) years with the following exceptions:
a.
The State President shall
serve a one (1) year term commencing with his/her installation as State
President and ending with the installation of his/her successor;
b. The State Advisor shall serve a one (1) year term as appointed
annually by the Board of Directors;
c. The FABTES representative shall serve a perpetual term as
appointed by FABTES;
d. The immediate past president shall serve a one (1) year term.
Section 3. Officers. Only members of the Board of Directors shall be permitted to hold office. The State President and State Advisor are not eligible to serve as officers.
a. The elected officers of the Board of Directors shall
be a President, Vice President, and Secretary. The President shall appoint
a Treasurer who shall be bonded. Two signatures shall be required for
payment of all expenditures.
b. The officers shall be elected for a one (1) year term to commence
on July 1.
c. No officer shall for reason of his/her office be entitled
to receive any salary or compensation for serving as a member or officer
of the Board of Directors.
d. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the
Vice President shall assume the office of President. A vacancy in any
other office shall be filled by appointment by the President.
e. The duties of the officers shall be designated in the bylaws.
Section 4. Meetings. The Board of Directors shall only act in the name of the organization when it shall be regularly convened by the President after due notice of the meeting is given to all members.
a. The annual meeting of
the Board of Directors shall be held during the State Leadership Conference.
The Secretary shall mail to every member a notice informing them of
the time and place of the annual meeting.
b. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall
be held as determined by the President of the Board of Directors.
c. The presence of not less than one-half of the members
shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct the business
of this organization.
d. An emergency meeting of the Board of Directors may
be called by the President when deemed necessary for the best interest
of the organization. This meeting may be conducted via telephone and/or
electronic media. No other business but that specified in the meeting
notice may be transacted at any emergency meeting without the unanimous
consent of all present.
e. At the request of three (3) members of the Board
of Directors, the President shall call a meeting to be held within thirty
(30) days.
f. At the discretion of the President, emergency matters
may be voted on by mail vote of the members of the Board of Directors.
In this event, a mail vote ballot shall be sent out at least ten (10)
days prior to the date on which the vote will be taken. All ballots
shall be returned to the President who will count the votes.
g. All actions of the Board of Directors shall require
approval of at least a majority of the members present and voting.
Section 5. Voting. Each member of the Board of Directors shall have one (1) vote and such voting may not be done by proxy.
a. All votes except for
the election of officers and members of the Board of Directors shall
be viva voce. Ballots shall be provided for the election of officers
and members of the Board of Directors.
b. At any regular or emergency meeting, if a majority
so requires, any questions may be voted upon by ballot.
c. At all votes by ballot, the President shall immediately
prior to the commencement of balloting appoint a committee of three
members who shall act as tellers. At the conclusion of such balloting,
the tellers shall certify the results in writing to the President. The
certified copy of the results shall be physically affixed to the minutes
of that meeting in the minutes' book. No teller shall be a candidate
for office or shall be personally interested in the question voted upon.
Section 6. Vacancy in Membership. Vacancies in a Regional Advisor position shall be filled by a vote of the Board of Directors until the end of the next annual meeting. Vacancies in a business representative position shall be filled by an appointment made by the President until the end of the next annual meeting.
Section 7. Removal from Membership. A member of the Board of Directors may be removed when sufficient cause exists for such removal. The Board of Directors may entertain charges against any member. A member may be represented by counsel upon any removal hearing. The Board of Directors shall adopt such rules and regulations for this hearing that the Board in its discretion may determine to be necessary for the best interests of the organization.
Section 8. Salaries/Contracted Services. The Board of Directors shall hire and establish the compensation of any and all employees and/or contracted services providers that the Board in its discretion may determine to be necessary for the conduct of the business of the organization.
Section 9. Committees. All committees shall be appointed by the President. Membership on all committees shall be for a period of one (1) year or less if the committee is terminated by action of the President. Standing committees shall be designated in the bylaws.
Section 10. Duties. The duties of the members of the Board of Directors shall be designated in the bylaws.
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X. MEETINGS
Section 1. The state Fall and State Leadership Conferences shall convene annually as determined by the Board of Directors. Regional Leadership Conferences shall convene annually as determined by the rules and regulations or each respective region.
Section 2. Fall Leadership Conference. The Fall Leadership Conference shall be conducted by the Board of Directors, the Executive Council, the State Advisor, and the contracted services providers.
a. Each local chapter in good standing shall be entitled
to send delegates, who shall be chosen from the active members, to the
conference.
b. When any items of official business of the organization need
to be conducted at the conference, each local chapter in good standing
shall be entitled to send voting delegates, who shall be chosen from
the active members, in accordance with the following scale:
1-50
active members 2 voting delegates
51-100 active members 3 voting delegates
101-150 active members 4 voting delegates
Each additional 50 active members
or portion thereof 1 additional voting delegate
c. All local chapter voting delegates shall be officially
certified by their local chapter advisor and their names submitted to
the conference coordinator in advance of the conference.
d. Registered local chapter voting delegates present and voting
shall be entitled to vote on all issues, which come before the membership.
There shall be no proxy voting.
e. The quorum for the transaction of business shall be a majority
of the registered voting delegates present and voting at the meeting.
Section 3. Regional Leadership Conference. Regional Leadership Conferences shall be conducted annually in accordance with the rules and regulations of each respective region.
Section 4. State Leadership Conference. The State Leadership Conference shall be conducted by the Board of Directors, the Executive Council, the State Advisor, and the contracted services providers.
a. Each local chapter in good standing shall be entitled
to send delegates, who shall be chosen from the active members, to the
conference as determined by the Board of Directors.
b. Each local chapter in good standing shall be entitled to send
voting delegates, who shall be chosen from the active members, in accordance
with the following scale:
1-50
active members 2 voting delegates
51-100 active members 3 voting delegates
101-150 active members 4 voting delegates
Each additional 50 active members
or portion thereof 1 additional voting delegate
c. All local chapter voting delegates shall be officially
certified by their local chapter advisor and their names submitted to
the conference coordinator in advance of the conference.
d. Registered local chapter voting delegates present and voting
shall be entitled to vote on all issues, which come before the membership.
There shall be no proxy voting.
e. The quorum for the transaction of business shall be a majority
of the registered voting delegates present and voting at the meeting
- All registrations for the National Leadership Conference must be received in the state office by the designated deadline.
- Any contestant not registered for the National Leadership Conference by the competitive event deadline as determined by the Board of Directors will be deemed ineligible to compete.
- Substitutions in event contestants will be made at the discretion of the State Advisor.
- National Officer Candidates. Members wishing to run for national office must meet all qualifications as set forth in the national and state bylaws, must submit their written intent to run for national office along with a resume to the State Advisor at least thirty (30) days prior to the State Leadership Conference, and must be approved to run for national office by the Board of Directors prior to the opening session of the State Leadership Conference.
- Approved candidates may campaign at the State Leadership Conference to be Florida’s candidate for national office at the National Leadership Conference. No campaign materials will be allowed. Campaigning shall be limited to a speech at the opening session and caucusing at the regional caucus meetings.
- Local chapter voting delegates present and voting at the State Leadership Conference will cast ballots for national officer candidates at the same general session when the state officers are elected.
- Each voting delegate shall vote for the number of candidates allowed per state by national Business Professionals of America. The national office candidates receiving the highest votes and are able to be supported according to the number that the state association may allow by national Business Professionals of America, shall be endorsed by the state chapter.
- When the number of national officer candidates is lower or equal to the number the state can support for national office, each voting delegate shall cast a ballot for each candidate, and the candidates who do not receive a majority vote of the voting will not have the endorsement of the state chapter and will therefore be unable to run for national office that year.
- The state association can support the number of candidates per division as specified by national Business Professionals of America.
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XI. EMBLEM AND COLORS
Section 1. The emblem of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, shall be the official emblem of the national Business Professionals of America, Inc.
Section 2. The official colors of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, shall be navy blue, tan, and red.
Section 3. All students who are members in good standing and whose dues are fully paid shall be eligible to wear the official membership pin of Business Professionals of America.
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XII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this constitution, bylaws, and any special rules of order which Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, may adopt.
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XIII. AMENDMENTS
Proposed amendments to this constitution shall be presented in writing to the State Advisor at least sixty (60) days prior to the State Leadership Conference. The State Adviser shall submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Council for review and to the Board of Directors for approval. The approved proposed amendments will then be published and circulated to all chapters for consideration at least thirty (30) days prior to the State Leadership Conference. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the voting delegates present and voting at the State Leadership Conference shall be required for adoption. No amendment shall be in conflict with the purposes of Business Professionals of America, Florida Association, as stated in Article II.