SkillsUSA
High School Division Constitution
ARTICLE I-NAME
The official name of this organization shall be "SkillsUSA High School Division."
ARTICLE II-PURPOSES
The purposes of this organization are:
To unite in a common bond without regard to race, sex, religion, creed, national origin or disabilities, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, full-time students enrolled in programs 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, occupational, civic, recreational and social activities.
To foster a deep respect for the dignity of work.
To assist students in establishing realistic career 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 is an organization of state associations, each operating in accordance with a charter granted by SkillsUSA, Inc.
Section 2. The administration and authority in SkillsUSA affairs will be vested in the Board of Directors of SkillsUSA, 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 High School Division shall consist of the total eligible High School 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, national origin or disabilities, as defined by the American with Disabilities Act.
Section 4. SkillsUSA will recognize members only through a state association. 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.
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 SkillsUSA Foundation, they are not eligible to serve as national voting delegates, hold national office or otherwise represent the state active association membership in SkillsUSA. Charters may be issued for local and state alumni associations.
The National Alumni Executive Board oversees contributions to the SkillsUSA Alumni Fund, a fund which supports a variety of worthwhile projects for active SkillsUSA members.
Professional Membership-Persons associated with or participating in the professional development of SkillsUSA 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, but members will be ineligible to serve as national voting delegates, hold national office or otherwise represent the state association in SkillsUSA.
Honorary Life Membership-Individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of SkillsUSA and trade, industrial, technology and health occupations education whose membership has been approved by the SkillsUSA Board, Inc., 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 High School Division will be a slate of five, elected at large. Additionally there will be five Regional Officers elected from the region in which they reside and elected by the House of Delegates.
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. During the time period between national officer elections and training, vacancies in any 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 High School preparatory career-technical program.
Been elected by their state delegates as a national officer candidate
Completed Levels I & II of the SkillsUSA 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. 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 4.
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 Leadership Handbook and the Trainee (Level I) and Leader (Level II) degrees of the SkillsUSA 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 interview all qualified candidates and review test results and recommend candidates.
E. The Nominations Committee shall prepare a final ballot showing all qualified candidates for the House of Delegates.
F. A two-minute speech will be given by each candidate during the House of Delegate meeting. A primary election will be held for all regional offices and the top two recipients from each region will be listed on the final ballot.
G. 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.
H. Final ballots are cast by the delegates. All voting for national officers shall be by secret ballot. The 5 top recipients will be the national officers.
I. The Nominations Committee shall be comprised of the following individuals:
1. National Executive Council;
2. One member of the Board of Directors of SkillsUSA, Inc.;
3. One corporate member; and
4. Five regional representatives from the State SkillsUSA Directors Committee to be named by the national staff member responsible for training.
ARTICLE VII-NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Section 1. The High School 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 High School Executive Council shall be part of the Joint Executive Council in cooperation with the College/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 High School 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 High School Division House of Delegates shall consist of two voting delegates from each chartered state association plus an additional delegate for each 1,000 High School 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 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 elected to a national office must receive a majority number of the votes recorded
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 established and determined by the national board of directors, in consultation with the state association directors, with the proviso that increases shall be no more than $0.50 increments for student dues and no more than $1 professional dues and documented by actual "proof of need."
Section 4. Upon final dissolution or liquidation of SkillsUSA, 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 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.