ATA Constitution and By-laws
CONSTITUTION
Article I.
Preamble
"In order to develop a true professional spirit among agricultural educators,
and to
foster a fraternal spirit among these persons, we band together in this
professional
fraternity."
Article II.
Name
This organization shall be known as the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Tau
Alpha,
National Professional Honorary Agricultural Education Fraternity.
Article III.
Purpose
The California Polytechnic State University Chapter of the Alpha Tau Alpha
is an
Honorary Professional Fraternity intent on providing opportunities to its
members
for professional development in the area of Agricultural Education.
This club's
goals are:
1. To provide opportunities for members to learn the meaning of the professional
spirit and the philosophy of Vocational Agriculture.
2. To provide a program that will aid the member in becoming more competent
in
areas that are not covered in teaching method classes.
3. To provide information on current Agricultural Education issues to ATA
members so that they will become familiar with problems and challenges
facing
the Vocational Agriculture teacher.
4. To increase the communication between members and student teachers in
order to increase the members' awareness of problems facing the student
and
the teacher.
5. To provide opportunities for members to become acquainted with a wide
variety
of individuals and organizations relating to vocational agriculture.
6. To encourage the development of the spirit of professionalism in vocational
agriculture throughout the university system by participating in and sponsoring
workshops and seminars.
Article IV.
Membership
Section A - Active Membership
Active membership to this fraternity shall be limited to juniors and seniors
who are
registered at Cal Poly and are ,preparing to teach agriculture, and to graduate
students whose interests are in Agricultural Education.
Section B - Associate Membership
Associate membership shall be limited to those actively engaged in teaching
vocational agriculture.
Section C - Honorary Membership
Honorary membership is limited to members of the faculty of institutions
having an
ATA chapter, to individuals engaged in agricultural leadership, to those
desiring to
promote the welfare of community life, and to those promoting the professional
in
the field.
Article V.
Officers
Officers of this fraternity shall be president, vice president, secretary,
treasurer,
reporter, sergeant-at-arms, and Ag. Council Representative who shall
act as an
Executive Committee and shall execute the duties incumbent with these offices.
Article VI.
Committees
Special committees may be appointed by the President with the approval of
the
Executive Committee as the need arises.
Article VII.
Meeting
Meeting dates and times shall be held when decided upon by the
Executive Committee.
Article VIII.
Dues
The National initiation fee is required by the member whether he is active,
associate, or honorary. No subsequent membership dues are required
by the
National chapter.
Article IX.
Advisor
The advisor shall be an Agriculture Education teacher-educator at the University.
He shall be approved in advance by his respective department head and school
dean.
Article X.
Amendment
Section A - Submission Of
Amendments to this constitution and By-laws shall be submitted in writing
at any
regular meeting of the chapter. Amendments may be adopted by a two-thirds
vote of the members present at the next regular meeting.
Section B - Approval Of
Amendments must be approved by the Codes and By-laws Committee, the
Student Senate and the University before becoming effective.
BY-LAWS
Article I.
Membership
Section A - Active Membership
1. Active membership to this fraternity shall be limited to persons fulfilling
these
requirements:
a. Candidate has expressed the desire to seek employment as a Vocational
Agriculture Teachers upon attainment of the California Teachers'
Credential.
b. Candidate must be a junior, senior, or graduate student.
c. Candidate has scholastically maintained a grade point average of 2.5
or
above.
d. Candidate must provide evidence that he or she has successfully
displayed
his or her abilities as a leader.
e. Candidate must have completed
the Step I interviews for the teaching
program and on his/her interview received an approval or provisional
approval.
Section B - Honorary Membership
1. Honorary membership shall not exceed 10% of the active membership.
Section C - Election to Membership
The eligible candidate will fill out an application that will be given to
the ATA
secretary. The application will be reviewed by the Membership Committee.
If the
candidate is deemed acceptable he/she will be elected to the club by the
Membership Committee.
Section D - Membership Privileges
1. Only active members may participate in meetings, be elected to office,
vote,
debate or represent the organization.
2. There may be no membership discrimination on the basis of race, sex,
religion,
national origin, or sexual preference.
3. This organization or any of its members shall not conspire to commit
any act
which causes or is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical or emotional
harm to
any member of the campus community.
Article II.
Duties of Officers
Section A - Duties of President
1. To obey and enforce the Constitution and By-laws of the fraternity.
2. The president shall be held accountable by the fraternity as a whole.
3. The president shall act as the official representative of the fraternity
unless a
representative is otherwise appointed.
4. The president shall have the power to appoint all committees and shall
execute
other duties incumbent with the office.
5. It is the duty of the president to call and preside over all the meetings
and other
activities of the chapter.
Section B - Duties of the Vice-president
1. In the absence of the present, the vice-president shall act
in the official
capacity of the president and take upon himself all the duties of
that office.
2. In case the president is removed from office by any means, the vice-president
shall act at the president until a new president is elected.
Section C - Duties of the Secretary
1. The secretary shall act as a recorder of all business brought before
the
organization and shall take a complete record of each meeting.
2. The secretary shall notify the National Secretary of all changes in the
personnel
of officers; and shall furnish him/her with a complete list of names, roll
numbers
and addresses of initiates with their initiation dues.
3. The secretary shall cooperate with the local advisor in submitting any
required
reports, including the Annual Report of Accomplishments of the Club.
The
secretary shall submit a year-end report to the Activities Planning Center
within
two weeks after elections.
4. The secretary shall carry on all correspondence with the local chapters
which
the Executive Committee deems fit.
5. The secretary shall be held responsible and accountable for all the books
and
records of the fraternity.
Section D - Duties of the Treasurer
1. The treasurer shall render a report at each regular meeting of the fraternity
or at
the request of the Executive Committee.
2. The money obtained by the treasurer shall be deposited under the account
of
Alpha Tau Alpha which is maintained by the ASI business office.
At the end of
the year the account book shall be balanced and the checks placed in the
care of
the secretary to be kept as a permanent record.
3. The treasurer shall be held responsible and accountable to the fraternity.
4. All bills to be paid must be signed by the treasurer and countersigned
by the
secretary; and all receipts and canceled checks shall be kept by the secretary
as
a permanent record.
Section E - Duties of the Reporter
1. Report all activities of the chapter to local and state papers.
2. Be responsible for chapter newsletter and annual.
Section F - Duties of the Sergeant-at-Arms
1. Arrange for a meeting room.
2. Prepare meeting room for assembly.
3. Put the room in order after the meeting.
4. Assist in the initiation procedure.
5. Assist the president in keeping order.
Section G - Duties of the Agricultural Council Representative
1. Attend the Ag. Council meetings.
2. Report to club information received from the Ag. Council.
Section H - Duties of the Executive Committee
1. It shall be the duty and power of this Executive Committee to take immediate
action in regard to conditions which may arise where it would not be expedient
and possible or necessary to call a meeting of the fraternity. In
such cases the
Executive Committee shall, to the best of its ability, take action of which
the
fraternity as a whole would approve.
2. Meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held upon notice from the
president.
Article III.
Elections
Candidates for office shall fill out an application which will be screened
by the
advisor and the Executive Committee for active membership, the minimum GPA,
and the ability to serve the full year. The intent to be an officer
is signified by the
application. Any officer unable to complete his/her duties, shall
formally resign as
soon as possible. All vacancies shall be filled by re-election, except
the office of
president, which shall be filled by the present vice-president; a new vice-president
shall then be elected. In case of vacancies in both in both the presidency
and the
vice-presidency, the procedure will be to elect members to fill the respective
offices.
All officers shall be elected from the active membership of the chapter
and should
be active members who are preparing to teach agriculture. Only those
turning in
applications by the deadline are eligible to run for office. Elections
will be held
using the sliding ballot method. Active members may nominate candidates
for
each office from the list of those turning in applications. The balloting
will begin
with president and there is no limit on the number of times a candidate
may slide.
All officers shall be elected for one year. They shall verify their
ability to serve for
the full year at the time of application.
These officers shall be elected by plurality of vote of members in good
standing at
a regular club meeting.
Article IV.
Finances
Section A - First Year Dues
In the first year the initiate will need to pay the following:
1. ATA National Initiation fee
2. ATA Local Annual Dues
3. CFFA Annual Dues
4. ATA Pin and Certificate Cost
Section B - Subsequent Years
For the years thereafter the member shall pay the following:
1. ATA Local Annual Dues
2. CFFA Annual Dues
Article V.
Meetings
Section A - In Accordance
All meetings shall be in accordance with ASI By-laws and the
Alpha Tau Alpha Constitution.
Section B - Parliamentary Procedure
Parliamentary Procedures not covered by these By-laws shall be handled
according to Robert's Rules of Order.
Section C - A Quorum
A Quorum shall consist of one-half of the active membership.
Section D - Special Meetings
Special meetings can be called by the president.
Article VI.
Conflicts
This Constitution and By-laws shall be in accordance with the
ASI By-laws and Codes and the policies of the University.