CONSTITUTION 

ARTICLE I – NAME

The official name of this organization is the “B.C. School Personnel Association”.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

The purpose of B.C. School Personnel Association (“The Association”) is to promote the growth of knowledge in school personnel administration toward a goal of more effective personnel practices and procedures in education.

ARTICLE III – DISSOLUTION

Upon the winding up or dissolution of the Association, the assets which remain after payments of all costs, charges, and expenses which are properly incurred in the winding up shall be distributed to such charitable organization or organizations as shall have a similar charitable purpose.  This provision shall be unalterable.

 

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I – ORGANIZATION

The Association is governed by the membership. At the annual general meeting, the members of the Association in attendance and entitled to vote shall elect an Executive to oversee its affairs between annual general meetings.

The elected members of the Executive shall be:

1. The President;
2. The Vice-President
3. The Secretary-Treasurer; and
4. A minimum of 2, and a maximum of 5 directors

The immediate Past President shall also be a non-elected member of the Executive

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

The members of the Association are the applicants for incorporation of the Association, and those persons who subsequently become members, in accordance with these By-Laws and, in either case have not ceased to be members

Except in respect of applications for Honorary membership, a person may apply to the Executive for membership in the Association and on acceptance by the Executive is a member.

Honorary membership shall be accorded upon recommendation of the Executive and approval by resolution passed at a general meeting by a majority of the votes cast.

There are five categories of membership namely: Active, Retired honorary, Vendor, and Student. Voting and office holding rights are determined by membership category.

1. Active - For school personnel whose responsibilities include school and district personnel administration; for individuals whose assigned work includes personnel functions in other educational institutions. Full voting and office holding rights.
2. Retired - Any active member who becomes ineligible for active membership is eligible for retired membership provided he/she has had one year of active membership in the Association immediately preceding his/her becoming ineligible for active membership. Retired members shall be entitled to participate in all activities of the Association except voting and holding elective office.
3. Honorary Honorary - membership may be accorded to persons who have distinguished themselves in school personnel work, the affairs of the Association, or in the field of education. Honorary members shall be entitled to participate in all activities of the Association except voting and holding elective office.
4. Vendor - Membership for vendors, consultants, or exhibitors supplying goods, services, and other facilities to the Association or educational organizations and institutions. No voting or office holding right.
5. Student - Membership for individuals engaged in a course of study related to school personnel administration. No voting or office holding rights.

A person shall cease to be a member of the Association

1. by delivering his resignation in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer or by mailing or delivering it to the address of the Association;
2. on his death or in the case of a corporation on dissolution;
3. on being expelled; or
4. on having been a member not in good standing for 12 consecutive months.

A member may be expelled by a special resolution of the members passed at a general meeting. The notice of special resolution for expulsion shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the reason or reasons for the proposed expulsion. The person who is the subject of the proposed resolution for expulsion shall be given an opportunity to be heard at the general meeting before the special resolution is put to a vote.

All members are in good standing except a member who has failed to pay his/her current annual membership fee, or any other subscription or debt due and owing by the members to the Association, and the member is not in good standing so long as the debt remains unpaid.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS

Officers of the Association shall include the President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and a minimum of 2, and a maximum of 5, Directors, who shall be elected by majority vote of members entitled to vote and voting in attendance at the annual general meeting.

The immediate Past President or designate shall be the chair of the nominating committee for the election of officers at the annual general meeting. Nominations for office shall be submitted to the nominating committee on behalf of the nominee prior to the commencement of the annual general meeting. Prior to the election of officers at the annual general meeting, the meeting chair shall announce the nominations received and call for further nominations from the floor.

In the event that there are more than two nominees for election to the offices of President, Vice-President, or Secretary-Treasurer, and no nominee receives a majority of the votes cast in respect of an office, the nominee who receives the most votes shall be elected to the office.

In the event that there are more persons nominated for the office of Director than there are offices available, each nominee shall be voted upon in turn, and those nominees receiving a majority of votes cast shall be elected as Directors unless more nominees receive a majority of votes cast than there are offices available, in which event the number of nominees sufficient to fill the offices available who receive the most votes shall be elected as Directors.

ARTICLE IV – REGIONAL CHAPTERS

Members of the Association may form regional chapters.

ARTICLE V – MEETINGS

There shall be an annual general meeting of the general membership once in each calendar year, and not more than 15 months after the adjournment of the previous annual meeting.

Other general meetings may be scheduled by the Executive as deemed necessary.

ARTICLE VI – DUES AND FINANCE

Dues to the Association shall be determined annually by the Executive and approved at the annual general meeting shall be payable to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association upon application for membership or by the commencement of the annual general meeting each year for continuing members.

ARTICLE VII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

1. President

   It shall be the duty of the President to preside, or to arrange for presiding officers, at all meetings. The President shall be Chairperson and a member of the Executive and shall call extra meetings of the Executive whenever he/she deems it necessary, or he/she is requested to do so by a majority of the members of the Executive. The President shall provide leadership for all activities of the Association and perform all other duties pertaining to his/her office.

2. Vice-President

   The Vice-President shall carry out the duties of the President during the President’s absence, and such other duties as are assigned by the Executive.

3. Secretary-Treasurer

   The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep a complete and accurate record of all proceedings of all meetings of the Association and of all meetings of the Executive. The Secretary-Treasurer shall have the records present at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep an accurate list of all members of the Association and shall revise the list annually, or as necessary.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive and hold in safekeeping all monies due the Association, keep an accurate record of all Association funds and sign all cheques for bills approved by the Executive or by the President in the interval between meetings of the Executive. The Treasurer shall present an audited statement for the previous fiscal year at the annual general meeting.

At the expiration of the term of office, the Secretary-Treasurer shall deliver to his/her successor all books, records, and property of the Association for which he/she is custodian. The Secretary-Treasurer will perform other duties as assigned by the Executive.

4. Past President

   The Past President or designate shall serve as chairperson of the nominating committee for officers, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive.

ARTICLE VIII – TERMS OF OFFICE AND VACANCY OF EXECUTIVE

1. The officers must retire from office at each annual general meeting when their successors are elected. If a successor is not elected, the person previously elected or appointed continues to hold office.
2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of the President and serve for the remainder of the vacant term.
3. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Vice-President, the President shall, with the concurrence of the Executive, appoint a Director to complete the remaining portion of the term.
4. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary-Treasurer, the President shall, with the concurrence of the Executive, appoint a member to complete the remaining portion of the term of office.
5. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Director, the President shall, with the concurrence of the Executive, appoint a member to complete the remaining portion of the term of office.
6. The members may by special resolution remove a director or officer before the expiration of his/her term of office. In the event of a vacancy of an officer or director, the process outlined in Article VIII, 1 – 5, regarding vacancy of office will be followed.
7. No director or officer shall be remunerated for being or acting as a director or officer but a director or officer shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred by him/her and approved by the Executive while engaged in the affairs of the Association.
8. An act or proceeding of the Executive is not invalid merely because there are less than the prescribed number of officers in office.

ARTICLE IX – MEETINGS AND RULES AND PROCEDURES

1. The parliamentary authority for the Association is Robert’s Rules of Order, 10th edition, Newly Revised, in all cases in which it is applicable and in which it is not inconsistent with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association.
2. A quorum for Executive meetings of the Association shall be constituted by four officers. A quorum for general membership meetings shall be constituted by 30 members.
3. Executive decisions may be made by a majority of the Executive at regular meetings or through telephone conference calls, or by other electronic means. Actions resulting therefrom shall be included in the minutes of the next regular meeting of the Executive.
4. The Association must give not less than 14 days’ written notice of a general meeting to those members entitled to receive notice of a general meeting. A notice may be given to a member personally, by mail to the member at the member’s registered address, or by other electronic means. A notice sent by mail is deemed to have been given on the second day following the day on which the notice is posted, and in proving that notice has been given, it is sufficient to prove the notice was properly addressed and put in a Canadian post office receptacle. A notice sent by electronic means is deemed to have been given on the second day following the day on which the notice is delivered by electronic means, and in proving the notice has been given it is sufficient to prove that it was sent to the member’s registered address.
5. The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of a notice by, any of the members entitles to notice does not invalidate proceedings at that meeting.
6. A member in good standing who is present at meeting and eligible to vote is entitled to one vote. Voting is by show of hands, unless another method of voting for a particular vote is approved from time to time at a general meeting. Voting by proxy is no permitted.

ARTICLE X – MINUTES OF MEETING

Minutes of all meetings of the Executive shall be sent to all members of the Executive. Minutes of all general membership meetings shall be distributed to the entire membership.

ARTICLE XI – SIGNING OFFICERS

Upon assuming office, the Secretary-Treasurer shall be appointed as the principal signing officer of the Association by resolution of the Executive. Upon the recommendation of the President, and with the approval of the Executive, one other member of the Executive may be designed as a supplementary signing officer of the Association with authority to sign in the absence of the Secretary-Treasurer.

ARTICLE XII – BORROWING POWERS

In order to carry out the purposes of the Association, the Executive may, in the name and on behalf of the Association, borrow monies needed for the operation of the Association subject to the approval of the membership at an annual general meeting. However, a debenture may not be issued without the sanction of a special resolution.

ARTICLE XIII – APPOINTMENT OF THE AUDITOR

The Executive shall recommend the appointment of an auditor for approval by the membership at the annual general meeting.

ARTICLE XIV – COMMITTEES

Standing and special committees shall be established as needed to carry out the purpose of the Association. Committee appointments may be made by the Executive.

1. Standing Committees

   The membership at the annual general meeting shall approve the establishment of any standing committees of the Association as well as their purpose and responsibilities.

2. Special and Ad Hoc Committees

   The Executive may establish any special or ad hoc committees to assist with the Association’s business and appoint members to serve on such committees for the term specified or until the end of the next annual general meeting.

ARTICLE XV – AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Constitution and By-laws shall be made by a resolution passed in a general meeting by a majority of not less than 75% of the votes of those members entitled to vote and voting at the meeting of which not less than 14 days’ notice in the manner provided for in these By-Laws specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been given.