Constitution of the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers
Article I. Name
Section 1. The Association shall be known as the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers.
Section 2. The Association is a division of the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education.
Section 3. This Association shall be affiliated with the Association for Career and Technical Education and the National Association of Agricultural Educators.
Article II Objectives
The objectives of this Association are:
Section 1. To assume and maintain an active state leadership in the promotion and furtherance of all levels of agricultural education.
Section 2. To bring together all agricultural educators and others interested in a state organization devoted exclusively to their interests at all levels of agricultural education.
Section 3. To provide an opportunity for agricultural educators to discuss all problems affecting agricultural education on a state level.
Section 4. To serve local organizations of agricultural educators in the solution of any problems which may arise.
Section 5. To have and possess all the rights, powers and privileges given to corporations by common law.
Section 6. To cooperate with the Association for Career and Technical Education, Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education, and National Association of Agricultural Educators in furthering the cause of all vocational education.
Section 7. To cooperate with all education entities in furthering the mission of agricultural education to provide a total dynamic educational system.
Section 8. To encourage mutual helpfulness among its members and uphold high standards for the teaching of all areas of agriculture.
Section 9. To help its members contribute more to their communities, their State and their Nation.
Article III Membership
Section 1. Membership shall be active, associate, honorary, student and retired.
Section 2. Active Membership
A. Active membership shall be restricted to the teachers of Agricultural Education in schools of the State of Illinois who have paid the active membership fee. Voting shall be confined to active members.
B. There shall be two categories of active membership: annual and life
Section 3. Associate Membership
A. Members of the staffs of the divisions of Agriculture Education at the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Western Illinois University; the Agriculture Consultant staff of the Illinois State Board of Education; and the Executive Director and Associate Executive Director of the IAVAT; shall be Associate members of the Association. Illinois Association of Community College Agriculture Instructors members may be either Active or Associate members of the Association. Others may become Associate members by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee. Associate members have the right to attend all meetings and participate in discussions.
B. There shall be two categories of associate membership: annual and life.
Section 4. Honorary membership shall be open to anyone interested in Agricultural Education upon their acceptance by a majority vote of the Board of Directors present at any regular meeting. Honorary members have the right to attend all meetings and participate in all discussions.
Section 5. Student membership shall be open to any student who has entered a recognized College of Agriculture or Community College in the State of Illinois and who has declared intent to pursue a career in Agricultural Education. Student members shall have the right to attend all meetings and participate in all discussions.
Section 6. Retired membership shall be open to anyone qualified to be an active or associate member of IAVAT who has retired completely from his or her profession. Retired members shall have the right to attend all meetings and participate in all discussions.
Article IV Sections and Districts
Section 1. The State shall be divided into twenty-five sections for organization and administration purposes and each section shall be designated by number. The location, size and designated number of each section shall be determined by the Board of Directors of this Association as provided in Article XI, Section 4 of this Constitution, except that enumeration of sections shall be at the north end of the State.
Section 2. The twenty-five sections of the State shall be grouped into five districts for the purpose of election of directors. Section 1-5, inclusive shall constitute District I; Section 6-10, District II; Section 11-15, District III; Section 16-20, District IV; Section 21-25, District V.
Article V Association Officers
Section 1. The officers of this association shall be the President; Past President; Vice President; Treasurer; five Directors, one from each District of the State; and Section Chairperson from each of the twenty-five Sections.
Section 2. The duties of each officer shall be those that usually pertain to that office, including those described in this Constitution.
Section 3. The President, Past President; Vice President; Treasurer; the five Directors, and the President of the Illinois Association of Community College Agriculture Instructors shall constitute the Board of Directors of this Association. Ex-officio members shall be the Executive Director and Associate Executive Director of the Association and the Agriculture Consultant staff, Illinois State Board of Education.
Section 4. Only active members of the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers who have completed two years in good standing shall be eligible for election to office. In case any officers cease to be an active member, they may continue to serve in that office until the next annual meeting provided they remain in the field of Agricultural Education. In the event an officer ceases to teach Agricultural Education and leaves the field of Agricultural Education, the office shall be declared vacant immediately and be filled as prescribed in Article IX.
Section 5. The Secretary for the IAVAT Board of Directors shall be appointed annually by the IAVAT President at the first Board of Directors meeting following the annual conference.
Section 6. Any state officer (Past President, President, Vice President or Treasurer) failing to carry out their duties or committing acts unbecoming an officer of the IAVAT may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the members at the next annual meeting.
Section 7. A District Director failing to carry out their duties or committing acts unbecoming an officer of the IAVAT may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of their district membership at the next annual meeting.
Article VI Election of Association Officers
Section 1. The President and Vice President shall be elected by the members present at the annual meeting and shall hold office until the close of the next annual meeting.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall be elected by the members present at the annual meeting and shall serve a period of two years. The Treasurer shall be elected in the even-numbered years.
Section 3. District Directors shall be elected by the members present from that District at the annual meeting and shall serve for a period of two years. Directors shall be elected from even-numbered districts in even-numbered years and from odd-numbered districts in odd-numbered years.
Section 4. The President, Vice President and Past President upon completion of more than one half a term in office, shall not be eligible to succeed themselves.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall be eligible to serve a maximum of three terms, six years, in succession.
Article VII Representatives to the IACTE Board of Directors
Section 1. Representatives to the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education Board of Directors shall be designated annually by the IAVAT Board of Directors.
Article VIII Election and Duties of Section Officers
Section 1. The officers of the section shall be Chairperson, Secretary, Section Fair Manager and Advocacy Representative.
Section 2. Chairpersons and Fair Managers of the even-numbered sections shall be elected in the even-numbered years for a term of two years. The Secretary and Advocacy Representative of the even-numbered Sections shall be elected in the odd-numbered years for a term of two years. Chairpersons and Fair Managers of the odd-numbered sections shall be elected in the odd-numbered years for a term of two years. The Secretary and Advocacy Representative of the odd-numbered Sections shall be elected in the even-numbered years for a term of two years.
Section 3. Section Chairpersons shall be responsible for administering, within their sections, programs of the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers, and the agricultural education component of the Career and Technical Education Division of the Illinois State Board of Education.
Section 4. Each Section Secretary shall keep an accurate record of the business transacted at the Section meetings, collect and record the IAVAT dues paid, and assist the Section Chairperson in transacting the business of the Section. The Section Secretary or their appointee shall be the custodian of all Section funds.
Section 5. The Section Chairperson shall call a conference of the teachers in their Sections near the beginning of each year to consider and take action regarding problems specific to the teachers of their Sections.
Section 6. The twenty-five Section Chairpersons shall constitute a nominating committee chaired by the Past President to recommend a slate of candidates for the state offices, to be presented at the annual meeting of the Association.
Article IX Vacancies in Office
Section 1. In the event of a vacancy in any office, except the Section Office, the Board of Directors shall fill the office by appointment, until the next annual meeting of the Association.
Section 2. In the event of a vacancy in a Section office the members of the Section shall elect one of their number to complete the unexpired term of office.
Article X Privileges and Penalties
Section 1. All members of the Association, who are in good standing, shall have the privilege of taking part in all association activities as provided by this Constitution.
Section 2. Any member whose dues are unpaid, either in whole or in part, after October 31, shall not be in good standing until such dues are paid.
Article XI Special Duties and Powers of Board of Directors
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall from time to time recommend to the Association programs of activities that will promote education in agriculture or the interests of the Association.
Section 2. The President, with the advice of the Board of Directors, shall appoint all regular committees.
Section 3. The Board of Directors may empower the President to approve all bills presented for payment by the Treasurer, before they are paid.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to determine and make any needed revisions of the boundary lines of the Sections and Districts of the Association.
Section 5. The Board of Directors shall hold one annual meeting, which shall be called by the President at the time and place most convenient to the members of the Board. A special meeting may be called by the President at any time and place they may designate.
Section 6. If there is disagreement regarding the meaning of this Constitution, it shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to make an interpretation which shall stand until an amendment can be considered, as provided in Section 1, Article XII.
Section 7. The Board of Directors, between annual meetings, shall attend to any matters of state or national legislation which affect the welfare of the Association or of education in agriculture.
Section 8. The Board of Directors may recommend changes in the dues to be paid by the membership. Recommendations for changes in dues shall be made at least 30 days in advance of the annual meeting. A majority vote of the members present at the annual business meeting is required to change the dues.
Section 9. The Board of Directors shall arrange for and the President shall call an annual meeting of the Association during the annual summer conference of teachers of Agricultural Education for the purpose of hearing reports, electing officers, and conducting any other business of the Association in keeping with the Constitution or By-Laws.
Section 10. The Board of Directors shall require bond for the Treasurer.
Article XII Transaction of Business
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall prepare the agenda of the annual meeting. A copy of the agenda shall be sent to each officer of the Association one week prior to the meeting.
Section 2. Each Section Chairperson shall conduct a meeting of the teachers of their section during the annual conference and shall give each member an opportunity to study and discuss the agenda of the annual business meeting of the Association. Members may suggest additional items which shall be added to the agenda. No votes will be taken at the Section meeting on the items presented for the agenda.
Section 3. The Section Chairperson shall meet with the officers of the Association and submit to them suggestions from their Section for changes in the agenda.
Article XIII Amendments
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended, revised, or repealed by a two-thirds vote of all members voting at any regular meeting, provided a written notice giving exact wording of the intended change is sent to each member at least thirty days prior to the date of the meeting.
Section 2. The Bylaws of this Association may be amended, repealed, or added to by a majority vote of the members present at any annual meeting.
Bylaws
Article I Career Development Events
Section 1. State Career Development Events shall be conducted by the IAVAT Board of Directors with the advice of the Agriculture Consultants, Illinois State Board of Education.
Section 2. The general superintendent for the career development events shall be the President of the Association. Superintendents of career development events shall be members of the Board of Directors or others appointed by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Rules necessary for conduct of the IAVAT sponsored career development events shall be made or amended from time to time by the Board of Directors. The rules shall be made available to each member of the Association at least thirty days prior to the date set for the contest.