CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
AREA V FFA
ARTICLE I. NAME
Section A. The name of the organization is Area V Association of the Texas FFA. The letters FFA may be used to designate the Association, its activities, or the member’s thereof.
ARTICLE II. MISSION AND STRATEGIES
Section A. Mission: FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Section B. To accomplish this mission, the Area V FFA Association:
1. Develops competent and assertive agricultural leadership.
2. Increases awareness of the global and technological importance of agriculture and its contribution to our well-being.
3. Strengthens the confidence of agriculture students in themselves and their work.
4. Promotes the intelligent choice and establishment of an agricultural career.
5. Encourages achievement in supervised agricultural experience programs.
6. Encourages wise management of economic, environmental, and human resources of the community.
7. Develops skills in teamwork, communications, human relations and social interaction.
8. Builds character and promotes citizenship, volunteerism and patriotism.
9. Promotes cooperation and cooperative attitudes among all people.
10. Promotes healthy lifestyles.
11. Encourage excellence in scholarship.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section A. Membership in this organization shall be of four kinds:
1. Active (as covered by Article VIII Section B of this constitution).
2. Alumni (as covered by Article V Section C of the National FFA Constitution).
3. Honorary (as covered by Article IV. Section E of National FFA Constitution).
4. Collegiate (as covered by Article III. Section D of the National FFA Constitution).
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section A. The officers of the Area V FFA shall be as follows: president, first vice president, and five vice-presidents. The Area president shall be elected at the Area V Convention in May. The first vice-president shall be the first runner-up to the president. The remaining five vice-presidents shall be designated to their office in the opening and closing ceremonies based on the Area Convention election ranking process. Area officer candidates shall have an opportunity to demonstrate FFA, agricultural education, parliamentary procedure and agricultural industry knowledge via a written exam and writing exercise, present their qualifications to a selection committee and appear before the area convention body delegates and deliver a campaign speech and be elected in accordance with the Area V Officer Selection Policies and Procedures.
Section B. Each District may elect one Area officer each year. The Area officer shall be elected by a combination of exam score (25%), 25 percent, interview score (35%), 35 percent and a score derived from the vote of the delegates present (40%), 40 percent and in accordance to Area V Officer Selection Policies and Procedures.
Section C. The officers shall be elected annually and may serve only one term.
Section D. Area Candidates (state officer nominee, area officer nominee, or talent team) will not be allowed to set up a campaign booth at the Area Convention.
Section E. No handout material or wall posters will be allowed. This rule will be enforced.
Section F. Area-wide materials mailed out in advance are not permissible.
Section G. Area and state officer candidates will not be allowed to use props during their campaign speeches.
Section H. Area officers must hold the Chapter FFA Degree and must have been active in their local chapters.
Section I. The term of office for Area V officers must be served while still enrolled as a senior high school student. Members running for state officer candidate must be a graduating senior or beyond but still an active member of the FFA.
Section J. The Area V officers shall be installed at the Area V FFA Convention.
Section K. The advisor(s) of the Area President shall serve as the Area Advisor(s). A Co-advisor shall be elected by the Area V Agriculture Science teacher membership. The Co-advisor shall serve a period of 3 years. At the close of the 2nd year (during State PI Conference), an Assistant Co advisor shall be elected to begin the 3 year term. The 1st year as Assistant Co-advisor shall be one of “training.”
Section L. Area V FFA officers are expected to participate in the following:
1. State FFA Convention
2. Area V FFA Convention
3. State FFA Leadership Camp
4. Area V FFA District Officer and Chapter Officer Leadership Camp
5. National FFA Convention if an appointed delegate
6. Area V FFA Leadership Development Events
7. Area V FFA Career Development Events
8. Area V FFA Greenhand Camp (date to be determined during Area Executive Committee meeting each June by Executive members)
Section M. Any officer who becomes ineligible during more than one six-week period shall be asked to resign. A new officer shall be elected from the respective district to replace this officer.
Section N. Area officers must attend both state and area leadership camps. No area officer may miss more than two Area V functions unless emergency situations arise. These will be determined as “emergency” by the Area V Executive Officer Committee.
ARTICLE V. AREA ADVISORY COUNCIL
Section A. The Area Advisory Council shall be composed of the advisor(s) to the area officers (including the appointed co-advisor), and the state officer from Area V.
Section B. The area advisory council shall cooperate and serve in an advisory capacity to the Area Advisor of the FFA, assist with the administrative direction of the organization, and interpret the area constitution of the FFA.
Section C. The Advisory Council shall have the power to approve or disapprove the action of the area officers.
Section D. The Advisory Council shall meet at the same place as the Area FFA officers and at other times when called by the chairperson of the council.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
Section A. The area shall meet in May each year for the following purposes:
1. Election of State Officer
2. Election of Area Officers
3. Conducting public speaking events
4. Election of FFA talent team to represent the area in the state convention
5. Selection of chapters to represent the area in National Chapter contests.
6. Rating of chapters in Area V
7. Checking applications for Lone Star degrees.
8. Select nominees for Honorary Lone Star FFA Degrees, both teacher and non-teacher.
9. Selection of area entries for state and national awards programs
10. Selection of area applicants for scholarship awards
11. Selection of Area Star Lone Star, Area Star Chapter, and Area Star Greenhand FFA Degree recipients.
Section B. The area shall meet at other times as called by the area executive committee.
Section C. The voting delegation by chapter at each area meeting shall consist as follows:
Members Voting Delegates
1-50 one voting delegate
51-100 two voting delegates
101-150 three voting delegates
151-200 four voting delegates
201-250 five voting delegates
251-300 six voting delegates
ARTICLE VII. Area FFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section A. The area officers and the advisory council will compose the executive committee.
Section B. A quorum shall consist of at least 8 people representing at least 4 districts.
Section C. The President of the FFA shall serve as the chairperson of the executive committee.
Section D. The executive committee meeting may be called by the chairperson of the executive committee or by the chairperson of the advisory council.
Section E. Any unresolved issues shall be decided by the Agricultural Science Teachers Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VIII. DUES
Section A. The dues shall be $1.25 per member annually and $.50 per member for camp totaling $1.75.
Section B. Full local, district, area, state and national dues shall be paid by all active members in order to participate in Area V FFA activities and awards. Each chapter must send a copy of the Official FFA membership roster to determine eligibility.
ARTICLE IX. DUTIES OF THE AREA OFFICERS
Section A. The President. It shall be the duty of the president to preside over the area meeting and over meetings of the executive committee. The president shall call one area meeting on such date and such place as shall be designated by a majority vote of the executive committee. The president shall appoint all committees and may serve as an ex-officio member of these
committees.
Section B. The Vice-President. It shall be the duty of the six vice-presidents, acting under the direction of the president, to look after the welfare of the FFA Organization in the six districts in the area. In case the office of president becomes vacant by resignation or otherwise, the first vice-president shall assume the duties of the president.
Section C. The Area Advisor. It shall be the duty of the area advisor to serve as ex-officio member of all committees and to assist the area officers in conducting meetings and carrying out programs.
ARTICLE X STATE LEADERSHIP CAMP
Section A. Newly elected state officer, Area V officers, and outgoing state officer will constitute the representatives allotted at the state leadership camp in Star, Texas.
ARTICLE XI. NATIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATES
Section A. National convention delegates shall be the Area V state officer and the remaining number of delegates shall be appointed from among the area officers. The area officer delegates shall be appointed based upon the number of votes received when elected at the Area V FFA Convention. (Example- If four additional delegates are needed, four officers with the highest number of votes would be appointed to serve as delegates).
ARTICLE XII AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Section A. The constitution may be amended at a regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the delegates present, provided they represent a quorum.
Section B. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the chapters in the area in good standing, providing each chapter is notified at least 14 days in advance of the meeting and supplied with a statement of the proposed amendment.
Section C. All proposed amendments shall be in the hands of the chairperson of the advisory council at least 30 days prior to the date of the regular meeting, and said chairperson shall then notify all chapters in the area at least 14 prior to the regular meeting.
(Amended & Approved 09/15/2015)
