Business Professionals of America
Sweeny High School Chapter
Constitution
Preamble
With the identification of business, information technology, and office occupations as an area of career and technical education, it has become necessary to provide student group experience for students enrolled in business education programs.
Leadership development through student groups can be effective in strengthening career and technical education for business, information technology, and office occupations.
It is deemed essential that:
- There be established a career and technical student group to serve the needs of those students enrolled in initial, refresher, or upgrading business, information technology, and/or office education programs.
- This organization is an integral part of the career and technical education curriculum preparing students for business, information technology, and office occupations.
- The organizational pattern facilitates the use of existing student groups as an integral part of the education pattern for business, information technology, and office occupations as established in law and regulation.
- This organization provides a means for individual state groups to participate as members of a national student group serving the career and technical educational needs of students enrolled in business, information technology, and office occupations.
Article I. Organizational Name
The name of this organization shall be Business Professional of America, Sweeny High School Chapter and shall be associated with the Texas Association and Secondary Division of the national organization.
Article II. Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be:
- 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, creed, sexual orientation, or disability of students interested in business careers as their objective.
- To develop leadership abilities through participation in career and technology education, civic, recreational, and social activities.
- To assist students in establishing realistic employment 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 utilizing the democratic process.
- To foster an understanding of the functions of labor, entrepreneurial, and management organizations in the American free enterprise system.
- To develop competent, assertive 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 and information technology education skills through competition.
Article III: Organization
Section 1: Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter is an organization operating in accordance with a charter granted by the (state) Association which is granted a charter by Business Professionals of America, Inc.
Section 2: The administration of Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter will be vested in Sweeny, TX.
Section 3: The Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter will have officers who will be elected annually by the membership. The officers, through the chapter president, will make recommendations to the advisor with respect to the welfare of the Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter.
Article IV: Membership
Membership in the Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter shall consist of any student from Sweeny High School enrolled in, or have been enrolled a business education, information technology, and/or office education program as approved by the state of Texas. The member must pay dues as established by the local, state, and national association; and will be eligible to hold office, participate in award programs, serve as a delegate to state and national meetings, or to otherwise represent his/her chapter in state and/or national Business Professionals of America affairs.
ARTICLE V - VOTING
Local members of Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter shall exercise their voting privilege through voting delegates at conferences. The allocation of the voting delegates from each chapter to the state and national association will be determined each year by the respective associations.
ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS
Officers of the Sweeny High School Chapter shall be elected by majority vote of the membership. Officer positions shall consist of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, historian, and parliamentarian. Officers elected one term shall continue to hold office until the election of officers the following term. The term of office shall be one school year.
ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS
Regular meetings of the Sweeny High School Chapter will be held. Parliamentary procedure for all meetings will be governed by the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
ARTICLE VIII - ADVISORS
The teacher or teacher/coordinator of each business education, information technology, and/or office education program will serve as an advisor of his/her Business Professionals of America chapter. However, an alternative advisor may be appointed as deemed necessary by the school administration.
ARTICLE IX - FINANCES
Local associations will be responsible for local, state, and national dues according to the number of individual members claimed. The Sweeny High School Chapter is also responsible for submitting dues to the appropriate designee by the designated deadline(s).
ARTICLE X - EMBLEM AND COLORS
Section 1: Colors are navy blue, tan, and red.
Section 2: The official Business Professionals of America emblem is the shield which represents the aims and objectives of the organization.
Section 3: The official Business Professionals of America Flag emphasizes the logo, tagline, and colors.
ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS
To amend this constitution, the proposed amendment must be presented in writing by the member proposing the amendment to the chapter president and chapter advisor at least ten days prior to the next regularly scheduled chapter meeting. The proposed amendment may be adopted by a two-thirds approval of the voting members.
ARTICLE XII - RULES, REGULATIONS, AND BYLAWS
The Sweeny High School Chapter of Business Professionals of America will adopt such rules, regulations, and bylaws as are deemed necessary by the members and advisor.
Business Professionals of America
Sweeny High School
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I - QUALIFICATIONS FOR STUDENT OFFICE
Section 1: Only active members will be eligible for office in the Sweeny High School Chapter.
Section 2: To be eligible for office in the Sweeny High School Chapter candidates must meet the qualifications as established by the chapter advisor.
ARTICLE II - DUTIES OF STUDENT OFFICERS
Section 1: President. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all business meetings; to preside over officer meetings; to make all necessary committee appointments including the designation of committee chairmen; to be available, as necessary, in promoting the general welfare of Business Professionals of America.
Section 2: Vice President. It shall be the duty of the vice president to serve in any capacity as directed by the president; to serve as chairman of the committees; to accept the responsibilities of the president as occasions may demand; and to be available, as necessary, in promoting the general welfare of Business Professionals of America.
Section 3: Secretary. It shall be the duty of the secretary to serve in any capacity as directed by the president; to record the proceedings of all business and officer meetings; to be available, as necessary, in promoting the general welfare of Business Professionals of America.
Section 4: Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep accurate records of all financial transactions conducted by the local chapter; provide a financial report at each local chapter meeting; work closely with the President and Local Chapter Advisor on fundraising initiatives; and promote the general welfare of Business Professionals of America and the Sweeny High School Chapter.
Section 4: Historian. It shall be the duty of the historian to maintain the Business Professionals of America Sweeny High School Chapter yearbook; the history of Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter; and to be available, as necessary, in promoting the general welfare of Business Professionals of America.
Section 5: Parliamentarian. It shall be the duty of the parliamentarian to be responsible for the general conduct at the meeting; to rule on rules of order, should the occasion arise, during the business meetings of Business Professionals of America, Sweeny High School Chapter; and to be available, as necessary, in promoting the general welfare of Business Professionals of America.
ARTICLE III - DUES
The membership year shall be September 1 through August 31. Annual state and national dues shall be established by the state and national associations, respectively. It will be the responsibility of the local chapter for the submission of these dues within the deadline. Local dues may be established and handled locally.
ARTICLE IV – GRADUATION CORDS & LETTER JACKETS
To earn a graduation or letterman jacket, a member must meet the following requirements. To earn a cord, a student must be an active member their senior year, and have earned a minimum of 800 points by the end of their senior year. To earn a letterman jacket, a student must be an active member for a minimum of 2 years, and have earned a minimum of 1,500 points. The purchase of the jacket will be the financial responsibility of the member who has earned it. The chapter advisor will provide a list of how members can earn points throughout their membership.
ARTICLE V - AMENDMENTS
To amend these bylaws, the proposed amendment must be presented in writing by a member to the chapter president and chapter advisor at least ten days prior to the next regularly scheduled chapter meeting. The proposed amendment must be considered at the next chapter meeting. The proposed amendment may be adopted by a majority approval of the voting members.