Colorado Junior Classical League

Constitution and Bylaws

of the Colorado Junior Classical League

Preamble

We, the members of the Colorado Junior Classical League, in accordance with the constitution of the National Junior Classical League (NJCL), in order to promote cooperation among the member-school chapters, establish a basis for order and to increase unity, promote friendship and encourage understanding among the members, do hereby ordain and establish this constitution.

Article I

Name:  The name of this organization shall be the Colorado 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 and cultural 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 for Operation:

Section 1.  Constitution: 
This 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 operation of the Colorado Junior Classical League.

Section 2. 
Executive Board:  The Committee of the Colorado Junior and Senior Classical Leagues is responsible for working with the Colorado Junior Classical League officers and their sponsors. The Colorado Junior Classical League Executive Board includes the State Chairs and the State Officers. The Executive Board shall act as an agent through which Colorado Junior Classical League business between conventions may be conducted. The President of the Colorado Junior Classical League shall act as Chair.

Article IV

Membership:

Section 1. 
Individual Membership in this organization shall be of three kinds: member of a chapter, member-at-large, and long distance member. All members shall be taking or shall have taken a classical language or course in the classical humanities. Membership may be granted to others at the discretion of the local chapter.

Section 2. 
Local Chapters: Local chapters shall be made up of at least five individual members who qualify and shall affiliate properly with the state and the National Junior Classical League. These chapters shall have a qualified sponsor.

Section 3. 
Members-at-Large: Properly qualified persons who wish to become members of the Colorado Junior Classical League but who have no local chapter may become active members-at-large by affiliating properly with their state organization and applying to the National Junior Classical League. For purposes of voting, members-at-large will be included with the nearest geographical chapter.

Section 4. 
Long Distance Membership: Students who take Latin via long distance communication, due to the lack of a local program/teacher, may become members by applying both to the Colorado Junior Classical League and the National Junior Classical League.

Section 5. 
Good Standing: Local chapters, members-at-large and long distance members shall be admitted to the Colorado Junior Classical League upon proper payment of dues. In each year thereafter, in order for a chapter to remain in good standing and be able to sponsor a candidate for Colorado Junior Classical League office and to vote at the Colorado Junior Classical League Convention, each chapter shall pay dues for the current school year postmarked no later than February 1. Additional members may be added to a local chapter's roster up until March 1. All members-at-large and long distance members must send dues prior to February 1.  Dues and roster should be sent to the current state co-chairs.

Section 6. 
Sponsors: Local chapters must be sponsored by a Latin teacher, by a teacher of the classical humanities, or by another adult high school graduate. In order to attend the Colorado Junior Classical League Convention, however, the sponsor must be willing and able to write tests, judge classical events, and notify the state officers by the time of the Fall Forum that he/she will be the contact person for all convention mailings.

Section 7. 
Good standing of sponsors: 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 may participate.

Section 8. 
State Chairs: A candidate for Colorado Junior Classical League chair must be a current member of The American Classical League, a Colorado sponsor of a chapter in good standing, and a Colorado resident. 2 chairs shall be elected for 4 year terms, staggered every 2 years.  Election will be by a majority of Colorado Junior Classical League local chapter sponsors. In a situation where there are no willing candidates a co-chair may be re-appointed for additional terms under the same conditions he or she was elected under for the first term.

Article V

State Officers

Section 1. 

State Officers Defined: The elected officers of this organization shall be the following: President, Vice President, Editor, Secretary, Parliamentarian, Historian, and Treasurer and Treasurer.  There shall also exist an appointed office of Machinator.

Section 2. 
Term of office for elected officers: The term of office for each elected officer shall be for one year only, from the election at the state convention until a successor is chosen at the next state convention.

Section 3. 
Qualifications: To be eligible to run for elective office, a candidate MUST have the permission of his or her parent(s) and local sponsor (The sponsor MUST have fulfilled ARTICLE IV, Section 6 prior to granting said permission); MUST have attended at least one Junior Classical League State Convention; and MUST be a member of a chapter in good standing.

Section 4. 
Officer Attendance at NJCL Convention: All state officers are strongly encouraged to attend the National Convention during their term of office. Colorado Junior Classical League will allocate each year $150 per state officer participating in the National Junior Classical League Convention up to a total of $750 for five officers. Should more than 5 officers attend the National convention, $800 will be distributed evenly among them.

Section 5.  Machinator: 

The office of Machinator will be appointed by the previous holder of that office, in consultation with the chairs, and may continue to hold said office for up to and not exceeding three years.  At any time, the Machinator may choose to abdicate from office, at which time he or she will appoint a successor as defined above. The Machinator must be in compliance with Article V Section 3.

Section 6. Nomination Procedures:

A. Filing for Office: Any eligible person who wishes to run for Colorado Junior Classical League office may become a prospective candidate by filing the designated forms with the State Parliamentarian on or before March 1. These forms will be included in the Convention Packet; the forms shall be available after January 15 from the State Parliamentarian for all prospective candidates.

B. Changing Office: Any candidate wishing to change the office for which he is filing may do so by notifying the Parliamentarian by March 15. The original papers and signatures will be adequate although the approval of the parents and local sponsor for the change must be assured.

C. Campaign Speeches: In the 1st General Session of State Convention, introductions of candidates will be made, and subsequently, a campaign speech shall be made by each candidate and shall not exceed two minutes.

Section 7: Election Procedures:

A. Voting Procedures: Each chapter in good standing and in attendance at the Colorado Junior Classical League State Convention shall have one vote.

B. A Candidate must receive a majority of votes cast to be elected to an office. In case of a tie, all sponsors present and in good standing shall participate in a tie-breaking vote.

Section 8. State of Emergency: 

If, prior to the 1^st General Assembly of State Convention, there are no candidates for a certain office, then the parliamentarian shall declare a state of emergency for that office.  At such a time, any person may choose to run for said office, as long as he or she meets the qualifications listed under Article 5, Section 3. If parent permission is not available, that requirement can be waived until after the convention.

Section 9.  Vacancies:

A. Should a vacancy occur in the office of President, the Vice President shall become President, and the duties of the former Vice President shall be absorbed by the other officers.

B. Should any vacancy occur other than in the office of president, or should a state officer default in the performance of his or her duties, the Executive Board may appoint a replacement after soliciting nominations of qualified individuals and after getting permission of the said individual’s parents.

Section 10: Removal from Office:

A. Grounds for Removal: The Colorado Junior Classical League shall have the power to remove any of its officers as provided in this section. The grounds for such removal shall be the infraction of the convention rules and/or serious negligence in the discharge of the duties of that office.

B. Removal Procedures: The following procedures shall be followed in all proceedings leading to the possible expulsion of an officer and shall not exceed a 14-day time limit from the time of the resolution.

1. A resolution by the Executive Board to consider the removal of an officer can be introduced by any member of the Executive Board or by a petition bearing the signatures of the officers of at least three local chapters.

2. If said resolution to consider the removal of an officer should pass the Executive Board by a simple majority, that same officer's sponsor shall guarantee that adequate defense shall be made by the officer, by telephone, by mail, or in person, to all those who shall vote on the question of his or her removal. No vote shall be taken to remove that officer until his sponsor shall be satisfied that he has finished presenting his defense.

3. After the officer in question has finished his defense, a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board shall be necessaary to remove the officer. NO officer shall be denied proceedings aimed at his or her removal.

Article VI

Bylaws:

Section 1. 

Bylaws: Bylaws not contrary to any provision of this Constitution may be established.

Section 2. 

Bylaws Procedure: Bylaws may be established, amended or appealed by a majority vote. Notice of proposed change of bylaws must be given at least one general session prior to final action on said change.

Article VII

Ratification::  The ratification of the Constitution shall be by mail ballot. Each chapter will receive a copy for approval. A ballot not returned by a chapter will be considered an affirmative vote. A two-thirds affirmative vote will be required for adoption.

Article VIII

Amendment:  Amendments to the constitution may be drafted and proposed by the Executive Board and voted upon by the General Membership using the voting policies outlined in Article V, Section 7. Proposed amendments shall become effective upon a two-thirds majority chapter vote at state convention.  Additionally, chapters may draft amendments and submit them to the executive board for consideration via email or postal mail by March 1.

~ Revised April 21, 2006