wabcjcl.org: Washington / British Columbia Junior Classical League

Washington/British Columbia Junior Classical League Constitution

PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Junior Classical League, in order to develop a better understanding of the classics and their cultural and practical value; to interest others in these fields of study; to stimulate involvement in the areas of service; and to provide a means for attaining these goals; do ordain and establish this constitution for the Washington/British Columbia Junior Classical League.

Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be The Washington/British Columbia Junior Classical League.

Article II - Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be to promote a more thorough knowledge of classical life, history and literature; to impart a better understanding of the practical value of the classics; to interest other students in the classical languages and literature, government, laws and arts; and as members of the organization, to pattern our citizenship in respect to family, school and nation after the best examples of the classical civilizations.

Article III - Authority
The constitution, in conjunction with the Bylaws and Manual of the National Junior Classical League and Robert's Rules of Order, shall be the authority for the operation of the Washington/British Columbia Junior Classical League.

Article IV - Membership
Section 1. Local chapters shall be made up of at least five individual members who qualify and shall affiliate with the National Junior Classical League. Each chapter must have a qualified sponsor.
Section 2. Any person who wishes to become a member of the WA/BC JCL but who does not have a local chapter may affiliate with another chapter by meeting that chapter's membership requirements.
Section 3. Local chapters must be sponsored by a Latin teacher or by an adult who is of legal age, meets the qualifications of the NJCL, and who lives in the vicinity.
Section 4. A sponsor must be a member of The American Classical League, responsible for his or her chapter's activities, and accountable for the welfare of his or her chapter's members during any chapter activity in which some or all participate.

Article V - State Chair
The state chapter will elect a state chair every three years at the state convention. All sponsors who are current members of the American Classical League shall be eligible. The state chair shall be elected by the majority of the sponsors of the local chapters. Voting shall be done by written ballot with the names of the candidates on the ballots. In the event of a vacancy the sponsors of the active local chapters shall select a replacement to fulfill the unexpired term.

Article VI - Officers
Section 1. The elected officers of this organization shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Parliamentarian, Historian, and Editor.
Section 2. The term of office for each officer shall be for one year from the election at the state convention until a successor is chosen at the next annual state convention.
Section 3. To be eligible to run for elective office, a candidate must have permission from his or her parents, local sponsor, and state chair.

Article VII - Quorum
A quorum shall consist of three-fourths of the voting delegates attending the state convention.

Article VIII - Bylaws
Section 1. Bylaws not contrary to any provision of this constitution may be established.
Section 2. Bylaws may be established, amended or repealed by a majority vote. Notice of any proposed change of bylaws must be submitted to the Parliamentarian at the fall planning meeting prior to the state convention.

Article IX - State Convention
The State Junior Classical League Convention shall be held at a local facility designated by the newly elected president. The convention shall be held on a weekend based on the convenience of the host facility.

Article X - Ratification
The ratification of the Constitution shall be by written ballot. Each chapter will receive a ballot at the state convention. Each chapter will receive a copy of the proposed constitution prior to the convention. A ballot not returned will be considered an affirmative vote. A two-thirds affirmative vote will be required for adoption

Article XI - Review
This Constitution shall be reviewed annually by the elected officers of the chapter.

Article XII - Amendments
This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all the voting delegates at the state convention. Notice of any proposed amendment must be submitted to the Parliamentarian at the Fall Planning meeting prior to the state convention.

WA/BC JCL Constitutional By-Laws

I - Fall Planning Meeting
A meeting shall be held early in the school year by sponsors, chapter officers, and any interested delegates at a place and time designated by the state chair. The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss the forthcoming convention program. The sponsors shall hold a separate meeting on this date to make testing assignments and to discuss any information regarding the welfare of the state chapter.

II - Dues
Chapter dues shall correspond with the size of the chapter. Chapters consisting of thirty-one (31) or more members will pay twenty-five dollars ($25.00) plus two dollars ($2.00) per member. Chapters consisting of eleven to thirty members will pay fifteen dollars ($15.00) plus two dollars ($2.00) per member. Chapters consisting up to ten (10) members will pay ten dollars ($10.00) plus two dollars ($2.00) per member. All dues are to be paid to the Washington/British Columbia Junior Classical League and sent to the state chair for deposit.

III - Vox Latina
The Vox Latina shall be the official literary and arts magazine for this organization. An edition shall be distributed at the annual state convention. The Vox Latina shall be the responsibility of the state editor.

IV - Good Standing
A chapter shall be in good standing when its membership has paid its dues by February 1st of the current school year. A chapter must be in good standing in order to participate in an election, to nominate for election someone from its own chapter, and to receive awards at the state convention for its delegates.

V - Candidates For State Offices
Candidates for a state office must announce their intention to run for office prior to the state convention by contacting the state chair or state parliamentarian. In the event that only one candidate has indicated his or her intention to run for office, that candidate shall run unopposed. If there are no candidates running for an office the state chair and the state parliamentarian shall be empowered to seek candidates.

VI - Campaign Procedure
Candidates will be allowed to make a campaign speech behind the podium not more than three minutes in length. All candidates will be allowed the opportunity to answer questions submitted from delegates to the parliamentarian and read by the parliamentarian or a state officer designated by the parliamentarian. The questions will be reviewed by the parliamentarian as to their appropriateness and shall be directed to all candidates for the specified office. All candidates will be limited to $30 in campaign expenses.

VII - Voting Procedure
Section 1. Each chapter shall select two delegates from within that chapter. Voting shall be by written ballot, with the names of the candidates on the ballots. No write-in votes shall be counted. Only members in good standing may vote. The voting delegates must vote in accordance with their chapter's decision. The ballots must be given to the state parliamentarian.
Section 2. The state parliamentarian and the state chairman, along with a third person chosen by both, shall privately count the ballots. In the event that the state parliamentarian is a candidate for another office, another person, agreed upon by all three counters, shall take the parliamentarian’s place when counting votes for that office for which the parliamentarian is a candidate.
Section 3. A candidate must receive a majority of all votes cast, including abstentions, to be elected to an office.
Section 4. In the event that there are more than two candidates for an office, and none receives a majority of the votes cast on the first ballot, a second vote shall be taken, between the two candidates who received the most votes on the first ballot.
Section 5. If a vacancy should occur, the position shall be filled by an appointment by the state chair.

VIII - Duties of the President
The President shall preside at all meetings and assemblies; be responsible for the state convention program; appoint committees and coordinate their activities; work with the state chair to prepare for meetings, and the convention; maintain correspondence with fellow officers.

IX - Duties of the Vice-President
The Vice-President shall serve as the presiding officer in the absence of the President; be responsible for publicizing JCL and promotion of membership; be in charge of hospitality at the fall planning meeting and state convention by coordinating efforts with the host facility. The Vice-President also, in consultation with the State Chair, shall set rules for the spirit contest at the State Convention, shall select themes for spirit days at the State Convention, shall judge the spirit competition at the State Convention, and shall promote spirit and enthusiasm, among individual schools, for the JCL, their own schools and the classics in general

X - Duties of the Secretary
The Secretary shall record the minutes of the fall planning meeting and the general meetings at the state convention; submit the minutes of the fall planning meeting to the state chair; act as a liaison between this state and the national organization; pass minutes and records on to the succeeding secretary.

XI - Duties of the Parliamentarian
The Parliamentarian shall guide meetings in accordance with this constitution and Robert's Rules of Order; supervise the officer elections; be responsible for the questionnaire for officer candidates; be responsible for proposed amendments.

XII - Duties of the Historian
The Historian shall compile all Junior Classical League materials of historical interest. The Historian shall create a scrapbook of these materials, beginning with materials received from the previous Historian, and present that scrapbook to the state chair at the state convention during which he or she serves as Historian. The Historian shall post results from the previous convention (at which he or she was elected Historian) on the WA/BC JCL website, as well as post any relevant WA/BC JCL information and announcements throughout his or her term of office. The Historian shall work with the state chair to maintain and update the WA/BC JCL website, and shall pass all materials and records on to the new Historian, for inclusion in the next year’s scrapbook, at the following WA/BC JCL convention.

XIII - Duties of the Editor
The Editor shall be responsible for the Vox Latina; submit as many editions throughout the year as possible; make one edition available to all delegates at the state convention.

XIV – Vacant Offices
If an office is vacated during its term of service, the state chair shall appoint a qualified delegate to serve in that office for the remainder of its term. The delegate must have the permission of his or her sponsor to be appointed to the office.

XV – Removal of Officers
Section 1. A WA/BC JCL officer may be removed from his or her office if he or she is not performing the duties of that office as outlined in this constitution and its by-laws. Any such removal shall require a two-thirds vote by the sponsors of all the chapters in good standing at the time the vote is taken.
Section 2. Should an officer not be in attendance at the fall planning meeting, a vote to remove that officer from his or her office may be taken by the sponsors in attendance at the meeting. Such a vote may be requested by the state chair, or by any of the sponsors or WA/BC JCL officers in attendance at the meeting.
Section 3. If an officer does not spend enough time in attendance at the WA/BC State Convention to perform the duties of his or her office as described in this constitution and its by-laws, the sponsors attending that convention may vote to remove the officer from his or her office. Such a vote may be requested by the state chair, or by any of the sponsors or WA/BC JCL officers in attendance at the convention.
Section 4. At any other point during the year, the state chair may call for a vote of the WA/BC sponsors, if he or she believes that an officer is not fulfilling the duties of his or her office. Also, any sponsor or WA/BC JCL officer may request that the state chair call for such a vote, and the state chair must honor any such request. The state chair shall mail a ballot and a letter of explanation to each sponsor of a chapter in good standing. These ballots shall be returned to the state chair, and must be postmarked no later than three weeks after the state chair first mailed them. Any votes not returned postmarked by that deadline will be counted as votes not to remove the officer. All votes will be held in the strictest confidence by the state chair.

XVI – Officers’ Reports
The duties of each WA/BC JCL officer shall include the delivery of a brief report detailing his or her actions as a state officer. This report shall be delivered during the final General Assembly of the state convention during which the officer is serving his or her term of office.

WA/BC JCL Constitutional Amendments

I - Increased Due Requirements for the State Budget
Bylaw II was amended to the constitution to provide additional funds for the chapter. The bylaw was ratified on March 11, 2001, at the 54th WA/BC JCL State Convention, introduced by the WA/BC SCL and prepared by Andrew Lee. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Anna Conser.

II - Amendment of the Constitution
Article XII, providing a procedure for amending this constitution, was ratified on March 10, 2002 at the 55th annual WA/BC JCL State Convention, proposed by Ian Logan at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Poppy Slocum.

III - Removal of the Office of Treasurer
The office of treasurer was removed from the list of WA/BC JCL offices, and control of the WA/BC JCL’s finances was given to the State Chair and an adult auditor to be selected annually. This amendment took effect immediately after the 2003 WA/BC JCL Convention. This amendment was proposed by several delegates at the 2001 Fall Planning Meeting, and was drafted by Matan Barnea. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Poppy Slocum.

IV - Voting Procedure
An amendment to bylaw VII, governing voting procedure, was ratified on March 10, 2002 at the 55th annual WA/BC JCL State Convention, proposed by Ian Logan at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Poppy Slocum.

V - Vacant Offices
Bylaw XIV, which delineates a procedure for filling vacant offices, was ratified on March 10, 2002 at the 55th annual WA/BC JCL State Convention, proposed by Ian Logan at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Poppy Slocum.

VI - Removal of Officers
Bylaw XV, which describes the procedure for removing non-productive officers from their office, was ratified March 10, 2002 at the 55th annual WA/BC JCL State Convention, proposed by Ian Logan at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Poppy Slocum.

VII - Officers’ Reports
Bylaw XVI, adding annual reports to the list of officers’ duties, was added to the bylaws on March 10, 2002 at the 55th annual WA/BC JCL State Convention, proposed by Ian Logan at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Poppy Slocum.

VIII - Historian’s Duties
The duties of the WA/BC JCL Historian, governed by Bylaw XII, were amended on April 25, 2004 at the 57th annual WA/BC JCL Convention. This amendment was proposed by Ian Logan at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Elizabeth Cain.

IX - Dues Increase
The annual dues owed by each member of the WA/BC JCL, as set by Bylaw II, was changed from $1.00 to $2.00 to provide additional funds for the state organization. This amendment was proposed by Ian Logan at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Elizabeth Cain.

X-Vice - President’s Duties
The duties of the office of Vice-President, governed by by-law IX, were amended on April 10, 2005 at the 58th annual WA/BC JCL Convention to include supervision of WA/BC JCL spirit activities, especially at the State Convention. This amendment was proposed by Jason Yokoyama at the previous Fall Planning Meeting. Parliamentarian at the time of ratification was Alex Lark.

<most recently updated 4/24/05>