Constitution for Area VII FFA Association
(In no way will the Area VII FFA Constitution be in conflict with the State and National Constitutions.)
ARTICLE I
Name and Purpose of the Organization
Section A: The name of the organization shall be “The Area VII FFA Association.”
ARTICLE II
Aim and Purposes
The objectives of the Association will be the same as the National FFA Constitution.
ARTICLE III
Organization
Section A: The Area VII FFA Association is the organization of, by, and for students enrolled in Agricultural Science and Technology programs. It shall consist of district FFA organizations and local FFA chapters.
Section B: Delegates from active local chapter shall meet in area conventions, and make adjustment(s) in the constitution not in conflict with State and National constitutions, organize, elect officers, set up a program of work and plans for carrying it out within the area, and their cooperation, contribution, and participation in the State and National FFA program of work.
ARTICLE IV
Procedure for Determining Standing of Chapter
Section A: The same as in the National FFA Constitution.
ARTICLE V
Membership
Section A: Membership in the Area VII FFA Association shall be of four kinds: (1) Junior, (2) Active, (3) Alumni, and (4) Honorary.
Section B: Junior Membership – Active chapters of the Texas FFA Association / Texas Association of Future Farmers of America may form Junior FFA Chapters for the purpose of enhancing and encouraging the education of younger students who are interested in the agricultural industry.
Membership in the Texas Junior FFA organization shall consist of students enrolled in schools that are in the third grade or nine years old and may continue until they become eligible to enroll in the Agricultural Science and Technology program.
Each junior FFA chapter shall submit yearly a roster to the State FFA Association that includes name, date of birth, age, grade, address, and social security number. Each local chapter can set and collect dues. No state and/or national dues are to be collected.
Section C: Active Membership – National FFA Constitution
Section D: Alumni Membership – National FFA Constitution
Section E: Honorary Membership – National FFA Constitution
ARTICLE VI
Membership Degrees and Privileges
Section A: National FFA Constitution
Section B: Qualification for degrees – National FFA Constitution
ARTICLE VII
Procedure for Selecting American FFA Degree
Section A: The same as in the National FFA Constitution.
ARTICLE VIII
Emblems
Section A: The same as in the National FFA Constitution.
ARTICLE IX
Officers
Section A: The officers of the Area shall consist of six student officers (one from each district) which includes a student president and five student vice-presidents, and an Area Advisor.
Section B: The Student Officers shall constitute a board of Student Officers. It shall be the duty of such board to advise and make recommendations to the Area Advisory Council with respect to the conduct of the activities and business of the organization.
Section C: The Area Advisor shall be the local advisor of the Area president.
ARTICLE X
Procedure for the Election of Area Officers
Section A: The elected officers of the Area VII FFA Association shall be selected and nominated by each of the District Associations. Each of these officers has an opportunity to demonstrate FFA, agricultural education, parliamentary procedure and agricultural industry knowledge via a written exam, present their qualifications to an evaluation committee and appear for the area convention body delegates and deliver a campaign speech.
A president shall be elected from the area officers by a combination of exam score, interview score and a score derived from the vote of the delegates present. Candidates shall advance to a run-off election via a method approved by the delegate body and the area elections executive committee.
The area elections executive committee shall consist of the outgoing area officers, with the Area Executive Board acting as an advisory committee. The chairman of the elections committee shall be an Agricultural Science teacher designated by the Area Executive Board.
The area elections executive committee and the Area Executive Board will work in conjunction with each other on all decisions concerning the election.
Results of all elections will be announced as seen fit by the two committees. No results will be posted concerning the election, and any questions concerning the election shall be taken up with the chairman of the executive committee.
The winner of the final election shall be declared President of the Area Association, and the candidate receiving the second-highest score total in the final runoff election shall be declared the first vice-president. The remaining officers shall be called vice-presidents, and shall assume the stations of the various other FFA offices for ceremonial purposes at the annual convention and other meetings throughout the year.
Section B: Candidates must be enrolled in high school during their term of office, have completed two years of instruction in Agricultural Science and Technology and have been an active member for the past twenty-four months, consecutively.
Section C: If for any reason a student office becomes vacant, the area officers shall appoint the alternate from the district in which the vacancy occurs to fill that said vacancy. If, for any reason, the office of the president should become vacant, the 1st vice-president shall fill the office of president.
Section D: Area officer candidate election processes and campaigning procedures shall be established according to the Area VII Association Officer’s Policy Handbook.
Section E: Area FFA Officers shall serve from one area convention through the next succeeding area convention and shall not be re-elected, or eligible for re-election to another area office.
ARTICLE XI
Duties of the Area Officers
Section A: Duties shall be set up in accordance to those given in the official FFA manual and other duties that they may be called upon to perform.
Section B: Each officer shall be required to attend all regular meetings, the Area and State FFA Conventions, the Area and State Leadership Conferences, or any other meetings that maybe necessary.
ARTICLE XII
Area VII FFA Meetings
Section A: The Area Association shall hold one meeting annually, namely, the Area FFA Convention. Additional meetings may be called if necessary.
Section B: Each chapter is entitled to send voting delegates from its active membership to the Area Association meeting based on active membership. They are:
1 to 50 members – 1 delegate
51 to 100 members – 2 delegates
101 to 150 members – 3 delegates
151 to 200 members – 4 delegates
201 to 250 members – 5 delegates
251 to 300 members – 6 delegates
Section C: Called meetings shall be determined by the Area FFA President, Area Advisor, and Area President as to time and place.
ARTICLE XIII
Area Advisory Council
Section A: The Area VII Advisory Committee will serve as the Area VII FFA Advisory Council.
ARTICLE XIV
Dues
Section A: Annual membership dues shall be fixed by a majority vote of the delegates attending the Area meeting at the Area Convention and does not conflict with State and National regulations.
Section B: A chapter will be considered active and in good standing when they meet the requirements of Area, State, and National organizations.
Section C: A 50 cent charge per student will be assessed to offset the expenses of the Area VII Coordinator if this person is not employed by a School District.
ARTICLE XV
Contests
Section A: Leadership Contests – (1) Two teams from each district shall be eligible to compete in the Area leadership contests. (2) Each participating team will follow the guidelines set forth by the State Leadership Committee.
Section B: Prepared Public Speaking Contest – (1) The Area Prepared Public Speaking Contest may be held annually at the meeting held during the Area FFA Convention. (2) Each district is entitled to two representatives. (3) Contestants will follow the guidelines set forth in the latest edition of the “Career Development Event Handbook,” Texas FFA Association, available on the Texas FFA website.
Section C: Talent Contest – (1) Each district may be allowed one team. (2) Time of the contest shall be at the Area FFA Convention. (3) Teams will follow the guidelines set forth by the State Committee on Talent Contests.
Section D: All Contests – (1) Teams to be eligible to participate must be in good standing with the Area Association. (2) Team members must be in high school and members of the FFA. (3) Members of the first place state-winning team in each contest shall not be eligible to compete in that same contest thereafter.
Section E: All Judging Contests – (1) All teams will follow the guidelines set forth in the latest edition of the “Career Development Event Handbook,” Texas FFA Association, available on the Texas FFA website.
ARTICLE XVII
Plaques
Section A: Upon completion of their term of office, the Area officers may be awarded plaques or other suitable recognition given.
ARTICLE XVIII
Amendments
Section A: Proposed amendment to the Area constitution or by-laws must be submitted in writing to the Area Coordinator at least 60 days prior to any Area meeting. Those proposed changes must in turn be submitted in writing to the local chapters of the Area at least 30 days prior to the next succeeding meeting of the Area Association, be reviewed by the Area officers and submitted by them to the delegates with recommendations. Amendments may be made or revisions made in the Area constitution at the Area meeting by a two-thirds majority vote of the official delegates present.
Revised: May 10, 2006
Area VII FFA Convention
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX