CONSTITUTION OF THE
KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF SkillsUSA
SECONDARY DIVISION
ARTICLE I
NAME
The official name of this organization shall be “SkillsUSA Kentucky”.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSES
· To unite in common bond all students enrolled in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education.
· To provide leadership for local chapters.
· To provide a clearinghouse for information and activities
· To provide recognition and prestige through an association of local chapters.
· To develop leadership abilities through participation in educational, vocational, 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 business and labor a sincere interest in and esteem for trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education.
· To develop patriotism through a knowledge of our Nation’s heritage and the practice of DEMOCRACY.
ARTICLE III
ORGANIZATION
Section I The Kentucky Association of SkillsUSA is an organization of local chapters operating in accordance with a charter granted by National SkillsUSA.
Section 2 The administration of SkillsUSA Kentucky shall be vested in the State Executive Council comprised of State Association Officers, the State SkillsUSA Director and a member of the SkillsUSA Kentucky Board of Directors.
Section 3 The State SkillsUSA Director shall be appointed by the Executive Director of the Office of Career & Technical Education.
Section 4 The State SkillsUSA Director shall be responsible for conducting the work of the State Association.
ARTICLE IV
STATE STRUCTURE (Secondary)
Section 1 The Kentucky Association of SkillsUSA shall consist of sixteen (16) technical regions including local school districts with level there (3) vocational programs.
Section 2 Each technical region shall have a professional representative whose title shall be “Regional SkillsUSA Director”
Section 3 The Regional SkillsUSA Directors shall have the following responsibilities:
· To represent their respective regions at a quarterly meeting with the SkillsUSA Director.
· To propose policy changes and additions to the State Executive Council defined in Article VI of this constitution.
· To conduct regional skill & leadership competitions in their respective regions annually prior to state conference and in time to meet the deadline for registering for State SkillsUSA Leadership and Skill Conference.
· To assist the State SkillsUSA Director with the execution of the contest at the State Leadership Conferences and Skills Championships each year.
· To provide leadership training in their regions in the form of fall leadership development conferences or other means as they may determine.
· To provide information to local chapters seeking to improve their chapter
· To provide information and assistance to the schools in their region in carrying out SkillsUSA activities.
ARTICLE V
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 Membership shall consist of the total active secondary members of chartered local chapters.
Section 2 Local members must be members of the State and National Associations for the chapter to qualify for a charter.
Section 3 Local chapter membership shall be open to all students regardless of race, color, sex, national origin or disability.
Section 4 Classes of membership are:
· Active Membership – Students enrolled in a coherent sequence of courses or career major that prepares the student for further education and/or employment related to technology, the health industry, trades or industry and is earning credit toward a diploma/certificate or its equivalent.
· Alumni Membership – Former active members who are no longer enrolled in vocational technical education. Although alumni members pay dues and may participate at the State/National level through the Youth Development Foundation of SkillsUSA, Inc., they are not eligible to serve as state/national voting delegates, hold state/national office or otherwise represent the State Active Association membership in SkillsUSA Charters may be issued for local and state alumni associations.
· Professional Membership – Persons associated with participating in the professional development of Kentucky SkillsUSA active members, as approved by the State Association. Professional members shall include advisors, teacher educators and supervisors. Professional members pay dues but shall not serve as state officers, national voting delegates or represent the Sate Association in any capacity, except on special assignment by the president.
· Honorary Life Membership – Individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of SkillsUSA and to vocational trade, industrial, technical and heath occupations education whose membership has been approved by the chapter executive council upon the recommendation of the chapter. The chapter shall provide membership services.
Section 5 A membership year shall be from September 1 through August 31.
ARTICLE VI
STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Section 1 The SkillsUSA Kentucky State Executive Council shall consist of the Postsecondary and Secondary State Officers, the State SkillsUSA Director and a member of the SkillsUSA Kentucky Board of Directors, and the State Officer Advisor.
Section 2 The duties and functions of the State Executive Council shall be:
· Conduct business pertaining to the student they serve.
· Execute the decisions of the State SkillsUSA Congress.
· Preside at State Conference.
Section 3 The officers of the State Executive Council shall be:
· Chairperson
· Vice Chairperson
· Secretary
These positions will be elected by the State Executive Council and consist of a mixture of Post Secondary and Secondary state officers who were elected for the current year.
ARTICLE VII
MEETINGS
Section 1 An annual State Conference shall be held to conduct association business. The State SkillsUSA Director shall determine the time and location of the State Conference.
Section 2 The annual Kentucky State Leadership Conference and Skills Championships shall be conducted to determine the students who will represent the Kentucky Association in the National SkillsUSA Championships. The State SkillsUSA Director shall determine the time and location of this meeting.
Section 3 The Kentucky Leadership Training Institute shall be conducted annually. The State SkillsUSA Director shall determine the time and location.
Section 4 Special Meetings shall be called by the State Executive Council.
Section 5 All meetings shall be conducted using parliamentary procedures in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, revised.
ARTICLE VIII
FINANCES
Section 1 Local chapters shall be responsible for annual state and national dues according to current guidelines.
Section 2 Local chapters shall send state and national dues to National SkillsUSA according to current guidelines.
Section 3 The SkillsUSA State Director shall present an annual financial report to both houses of the State SkillsUSA Congress.
Section 4 The fiscal year for SkillsUSA Kentucky Association shall be from September 1 through August 31.
ARTICLE IX
VOTING
Section 1 Members shall exercise their franchise at State meetings through duly elected delegates (senators and representatives) or duly assigned proxies.
Section 2 Members shall exercise their franchise at national meetings through duly elected delegates.
Section 3 Voting shall be by roll call, except for elections, which shall be done by secret ballot.
Section 4 State officers shall be elected by at least a majority vote of the State SkillsUSA Congress in joint session at the Annual State Leadership Conference. Officers are elected as a slate, with minimum of 7 and maximum of 10 elected as deemed necessary by the SkillsUSA KY State Director.
Section 5 When a candidate for an office does not receive a majority vote on the first ballot, the number of candidates for the office shall be reduced to the two receiving the most votes on the first ballot. A second ballot shall be called. If neither of the candidates receives a majority on the second ballot a third ballot shall be called, then a fourth and so on until one candidate receives a majority.
Section 6 When three or more candidates for an office receive an equal highest number of votes on the first ballot, all of them shall be included on the second ballot. This step shall be repeated until one candidate receives a majority or a number is reduced by two. Then Section 5 (above) shall be followed.
Section 7 If ten or less candidates are running for the State Officer, the seven candidates receiving the majority votes will serve as State Officers. They will be elected as slate of State Officers, with the appointment to office by the State Executive Council. Ties will be broken by a second ballot.
ARTICLE X
EMBLEM AND COLORS
The emblem and colors shall be the same as National SkillsUSA.
ARTICLE XI
STATE OFFICERS
Section 1 A Slate of State Officers (the number shall be 7 – 10 as deemed necessary by the State Director) shall be elected by the State SkillsUSA Congress in joint session at the Annual State Leadership Conference and shall serve from time of election through the time of election of new officers at the next state Conference.
Section 2 Vacancies in offices shall be filled by appointment of the State SkillsUSA Director and approved by the members of that division of the State Executive Council.
Section 3 Responsibilities of State Officers:
· Serve for one SkillsUSA membership year.
· Serve as National Voting Delegate of Alternate to the SkillsUSA National Leadership Conference and Skills Championship.
· Will attend a State Officer Training Conference.
· Will assist in conducting the Kentucky Leadership Institute.
· Will assist in conducting the Kentucky State Leadership Conference and Skills Championships.
· Assist the State SkillsUSA Director with SkillsUSA promotional and public relations activities.
· Be an active paid member of their local chapter.
ARTICLE XII
QUALIFICATIONS FOR STATE OFFICE
Section 1 Candidates for a state office shall:
· Be an active paid member.
· Be approved by a majority of their local chapter members.
· Have at least one semester remaining in a technical program.
· Be available to perform all duties required of them, as written in the Kentucky SkillsUSA State Officer Application/Contract Form.
· Fulfill the requirements of the Kentucky Statesman Award.
· Abide by the State Officer Code of Conduct.
Section 2 Candidates for state office must file their application and verification of meeting minimum qualifications to the state SkillsUSA Director by the deadline for State Conference Registration.
ARTICLE XIII
NATIONAL DELEGATES
Section 1 One National Voting Delegate per membership year shall be elected to attend the SkillsUSA Leadership Conference and Skills Championships. (This will be in addition to the newly elected State Officers who will be serving as National Voting Delegates.)
Section 2 National Delegates shall be elected by majority vote of the State SkillsUSA Congress in joint session.
Section 3 National Delegates and alternates shall meet all the requirements for SkillsUSA Kentucky State Officers, ARTICLE XII.
Section 4 Newly elected State Officers shall serve as National Voting Delegates and Alternates for their division at the National Leadership Conference and Skills Championships.
ARTICLE XIV
STATE SKILLSUSA CONGRESS
Section 1 The State SkillsUSA Congress shall consist of Delegates from each chapter.
Section 2 Each active, chartered chapter shall elect two Delegates (Senators) to serve for a term, which shall end the last day of the school year during which he/she was elected.
Section 3 Each active, chartered chapter shall elect one or more Delegates (representatives) according to the following number of members:
· 1-75=1
· 76-150=2
· 151-225=3
· 226-300=4
· 301-375=5
· 376-450=6
· 451-525=7
· 526-550=8
· 551-625=9
· 626-650=10
Section 4 Delegates shall be elected by a majority vote of their local chapter members and elections shall be held annually.
Section 5 The duties and functions of the State SkillsUSA Congress shall be:
· Enact by-laws, rules and regulations necessary for carrying out the program of work of the Association.
· Act on bills presented by the State Executive Council and the local chapters of the Association.
· In joint session elect state officers, national voting delegates and approve national officer candidates.
Section 6 Delegates shall pre-register for the State SkillsUSA Congress on or before a deadline set by the State SkillsUSA Director.
Section 7 Delegates shall be accompanied to the site of the State SkillsUSA Congress by an authorized supervisor from their school.
Section 8 Only duly elected Delegates or duly assigned proxies wearing official dress shall be seated at the State SkillsUSA Delegate meetings (Congress).
Section 9 The State SkillsUSA Congress shall meet in joint session to elect state officers, national delegates and approve national officer candidates. Only this joint session of the Congress will be open to the public. All visitors must leave prior to voting by secret ballot.
ARTICLE XV
RULES, REGULATIONS, BY-LAWS AND OPERATING POLICIES
Section 1 Only rules, regulations and by-laws necessary for the conduct of the business and activities of the association shall be adopted.
Section 2 Any rule, regulation or by-laws that is contrary to this Constitution shall not be adopted.
Section 3 By-laws shall be adopted by a majority vote of both Houses of the State SkillsUSA Congress (joint session).
Section 4 Operating policies shall be adopted by the State Executive Council.
ARTICLE XVI
AMENDMENTS
Section 1 The Constitution and By-laws may be amended as follows:
· Proposed amendment(s) from local chapters must be presented in writing to the State SkillsUSA Director sixty (60) days (no less) prior to the Annual State Leadership Conference.
· Proposed amendment(s) shall be reviewed and approved by the State Executive Council.
· Proposed amendment(s) shall be submitted to the local chapters by the State Executive Council no less than thirty (30) days before the Annual State Leadership Conference.
· Proposed amendment(s) are presented to the State SkillsUSA KY Delegate Session (Congress).
· To be adopted, a proposed amendment to the constitution must receive an affirmative two-thirds majority vote of both Houses of the State SkillsUSA Congress- Full body of Delegates.
· To be adopted, a proposed amendment to the by-laws must receive an affirmative majority vote in both Houses of the State SkillsUSA Congress.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
State dues shall be five dollars ($5.00) per member.
The “Membership Dues Increase Act of 1988” shall increase the dues from three dollars ($3.00) to five ($5.00). Revenue generated by this Act shall be used for:
1. The use, and benefit of Contest Teams participating in the National SkillsUSA Championships.
2. Authorized expenditures are: (1) registration, (2) housing, and (3) transportation.
3. Unused funds generated by this Act will become a part of the general fund for SkillsUSA Kentucky.
4. The State Treasurer shall present an annual report of expenditures authorized by this Act of the House of Representatives.
5. This Act became effective the day of enactment. (1998 State Conference)
Revised April 2024
*Bylaws need to be in line with current state and National dues