CASAA about us constitution

Constitution

CASAA ACCVE

Canadian Association of Student Activity Advisors

Association Canadienne des Conseillers à la Vie Étudiante

Bylaws (Constitution) and Resolutions

Adopted October 1988 in Lower Sackville, NS

Last Amended October 2002 in Saskatoon, SK

Printed in October 2003

Bylaws updated Jan 2004

Article I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Canadian Association of Student Activity Advisors (CASAA).

Article II. OBJECTS OF THE ASSOCIATION

The objects of the Association shall be:

To promote education and the development of citizenship, employability, and leadership skills among students within Canadian schools.
To facilitate the professional development of Student Activity Advisors by helping to equip them with the resources, ideas, and support to become effective trainers of student leaders.
To encourage among Canadian schools the sharing and exchange of ideas pertaining to student leadership, education, and activities.
To support the organization and growth of provincial associations for Student Activity Advisors.
To encourage, foster and develop among its members, a recognition of the importance of student activities in national life, and all directly related objects.

Article III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility

A. Upon payment of the annual fee, membership shall be open to all Junior and Senior High school student activities advisors, educational affiliates, or interested individuals.

B. The CASAA membership year shall be September 1 to August 31.

C. Any member wishing to withdraw from membership may do so upon a notice in writing to the Board through its Executive Director.

D. If any member is in arrears for fees or assessments for any year, such member shall be automatically suspended at the expiration of six months from the date such fees were due, and thereafter shall be entitled to no membership privileges or powers in the Association until reinstated.

E. Upon a majority vote of all members of the Board of Directors in good standing, any member may be expelled from membership for any cause, which the Board may deem reasonable.

Section 2. Honorary Memberships

A. An honorary Life Membership may be conferred on individuals at the Annual General Meeting by a majority vote of the members present.

B. Honorary Life Memberships shall be conferred upon all former members of the CASAA Board of Directors.

Article IV. CASAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Composition

A. The Board of Directors shall consist of an 8-member Executive and Directors from each province/territory to a maximum of 21 persons, and subject to the Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have full control and management of the affairs of the Association.

B. The Executive members of the Board shall be:

President
Past President
Vice President
Executive Director
Publications/Communications Director
2 Canadian Student Leadership Conference (CSLC) Directors
Francophone Director

C. The additional members of the Board shall include:

13 Provincial/Territorial Directors

Section 2. Eligibility

A. Members of the Board of Directors shall be CASAA members. Board members must maintain their membership throughout the term of office or the position shall be forfeited.

B. The Board shall appoint the Publications/Communications Director and Executive Director from the membership.

C. The Board shall appoint each CSLC Director the year prior to hosting the Canadian Student Leadership Conference.

D. The francophone advisors attending CSLC may elect one Francophone Director, otherwise the position shall be filled by an appointment of the Board.

E. Provincial/Territorial associations may each appoint one Director.

F. Any member of the Executive may serve as a Provincial/Territorial Director.

Section 3. Term of Office

A. The term of office for the President, the Past President, and the Vice President shall be two years commencing at the Annual General Meeting.

B. The Board of Directors shall elect the Vice President at the CSLC Board meeting with the format of such election as determined by the President.

C. At the end of the term of office, the Vice President shall be appointed President and then Past President in sequential terms.

D. The term of office for the Executive Director, the Publications/Communications Director, the CSLC Directors, and the Francophone Director shall be two years commencing at the Annual General Meeting.

E. The term of office for the Provincial and Territorial Directors shall be two years. The term for half of the provinces shall begin in the even years and the other half shall begin in the odd years.

Section 4. Termination of Service

A. Any member of the Board of Directors may execute the termination of service by writing a letter of resignation to the President at any time.

B. An appointee of the Board shall fill any vacancy in the Executive of the CASAA Board of Directors until the next meeting of the Board.

C. The Provincial/Territorial associations shall fill any vacancy of the Provincial/ Territorial Directors.

Section 5. Meetings

A. The Annual General Meeting of the membership shall be held annually to coincide with the annual Canadian Student Leadership Conference. Any member who has not withdrawn from membership nor has been suspended nor expelled, shall have the right to vote at any Annual General or other General Meeting of the Association. Such votes must be made in person and not by proxy or otherwise.

B. A meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held at each Canadian Student Leadership Conference.

C. Meetings of the Board require a quorum of 10 members, 3 of whom are Executive members, to transact business on behalf of the Board.

D. Additional meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Executive.

Article V. DUTIES OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The President shall:

Call and preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Serve as the official representative of the Association.
Coordinate the fiscal management program and the promotions program.
Supervise the business of the Association and all activities of the Board members.

Section 2. The Past President shall:

Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Preside at meetings in the absence of the President.
Provide counsel to the Board of Directors.
Maintain a current set of bylaws and resolutions for the Association and supervise the amendment process.
Orient each newly appointed CSLC Organizing Committee in its duties.

Section 3. The Vice President shall:

Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Preside at meetings in the absence of the President and Past President.
Maintain a current CSLC handbook for the Association.
Serve as a liaison for the CSLC Directors.

Section 4. The Executive Director shall:

Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Administer the day-to-day affairs of the Association including all finances.
Present an audited financial statement and budget for approval at the Annual General Meeting.

Section 5. The Publications/Communications Director shall:

Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Coordinate the publication and distribution of an Association newsletter.
Serve as a liaison to all international publications.
Supervise the media relations program and all communications between the Association and all other agencies.

Section 6. The CSLC Directors shall:

Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Complete the planning and presentation of the annual Canadian Student Leadership Conference (CSLC).
Advise the Board on all matters pertaining to CSLC.

Section 7. The Francophone Director shall:

Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Supervise the translation of all Association publications.
Advise the Board of Directors on all issues pertaining to language.

Section 8. The Provincial/Territorial Directors shall:

Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Annual General Meeting.
Report the activities of their associations to the Board of Directors.
Advise the Board of Directors on all issues pertaining student activities as representatives of their associations.

Article VI. POWERS OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Administer Affairs

The Board of Directors of the Association shall administer the affairs of the Association in all things and make or cause to be made for the Association, in its name, any kind of contract which the Association may lawfully enter into and, save as hereinafter provided, may exercise all such other powers and do all such other acts and things as the Association is authorized to exercise and do.

Section 2. Expenditures

The Board of Directors shall have power to authorize expenditures on behalf of the Association from time to time and may delegate, by resolution to an officer or officers of the Association, the right to employ and pay salaries to employees. The Board of Directors shall have the power to make expenditures for the purpose of furthering the objects of the Association.

Section 3. Borrowing Power

The Board of Directors of the Association may from time to time:

Borrow money on the credit of the Association;
Issue, sell or pledge debt obligations (including bonds, debentures, debenture stock, notes or other like liabilities whether secured or unsecured) of the Association;
Charge, mortgage, hypothecate or pledge all or any currently owned or subsequently acquired real or personal, moveable or immovable property of the Association, including book debts, rights, powers, franchises and undertakings, to secure any debt obligations or any money borrowed, or other debt or liability of the Association; and
Delegate the powers conferred on the Board of Directors under this paragraph to such officer or officers of the Association and to such extent and in such manner as the directors shall determine.

The powers hereby conferred shall be deemed to be supplemental to, and not in substitution of any powers to borrow money for the purposes of the Association possessed by its directors or officers independently of this Bylaw.

Section 4. Fund Raising

The Board of Directors shall take such steps as they may deem requisite to enable the Association to acquire, accept, solicit or receive legacies, gifts, grants, settlements, bequests, endowments and donations of any kind whatsoever for the purpose of furthering the objects of the Association.

Section 5. Agents and Employees

The Board of Directors may appoint such agents and engage such employees as it shall deem necessary from time to time and such persons shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors at the time of such appointment.

Section 6. Remuneration of Agents and Employees

The remuneration of agents, employees and committee members shall, subject to the other provisions of this Bylaw, be fixed by the Board of Directors by resolution.

Article VII. FOR THE PROTECTION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

Except as otherwise provided in the Act, no director or officer for the time being of the Association shall be liable for the acts, neglects or defaults of any other director or officer or employee or for any loss, damage or expense happening to the Association through the insufficiency or deficiency of title to any property acquired by the Association or for or on behalf of the Association or for the insufficiency or deficiency of any security in or upon which any of the moneys of or belonging to the Association shall be placed out or invested or for any loss or damage arising from the bankruptcy, insolvency or tortuous act of any person including any person with whom any moneys, securities or effects shall be lodged or deposited or for any loss, conversion, misapplication or misappropriation of or any damage resulting from any dealings with any moneys, securities or other assets belonging to the Association or for any other loss, damage or misfortune whatever which may happen in the execution of the duties of the director's or officer's respective office or trust or in relation thereto unless the same shall happen by or through the director's or officer's own willful neglect or default.

Article VIII. INDEMNITIES TO DIRECTORS AND OTHERS

Every director or officer of the Association or other person who has undertaken or is about to undertake any matter or liability on behalf of the Association (or any corporation controlled by it) and their heirs, executors and administrators, and estate and effects, respectively, shall from time to time and at all times, be indemnified and saved harmless out of the funds and assets of the Association, from and against:

a) all costs, charges and expenses whatsoever which such director, officer or other person sustains or incurs in or about any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding that is brought, commenced or prosecuted against the director, officer or other person for or in respect of any act, deed matter or thing whatever, made, done, permitted or omitted by them, in or about the execution of the duties of such person or in respect of any such liability; and

b) all other costs, charges and expenses which the director, officer or other person sustains or incurs in or about or in relation to the affairs thereof, except such costs, charges or expenses as are occasioned by their own willful neglect or default.

The Association shall also indemnify any such person in such other circumstances as the Act or law permit or requires. Nothing in this Bylaw shall limit the right of any person entitled to indemnity to claim indemnity apart from the provisions of this Bylaw to the extent permitted by the Act or law.

Article IX. FINANCES AND AUDIT

The annual CASAA membership fee shall be payable by each member school, educational affiliate, or individual. The amount shall be established by the Board of Directors and approved at the Annual General Meeting.
The fee shall be payable at the time of registration for the CSLC or directly to CASAA Executive Director.
The Executive Director shall present a printed financial statement and budget to the association for approval at the Annual General Meeting.
The Association in accordance with the budget and approved resolutions shall reimburse expenses incurred by the Board of Directors in the discharge of their duties.
A duly qualified accountant shall audit the books, accounts and records of the Association at least once each year. Such auditor at the Annual General Meeting shall submit a complete and proper statement of the standing of the books for the previous year.
The fiscal year of the Association shall be September 1 to August 31.

Article X. BOOKS & RECORDS

The books and records of the Association may be inspected by any member of the Association at the Annual General Meeting or at any time upon giving reasonable prior written notice and arranging a time satisfactory to the officer or officers having charge of same. Each member of the Board shall at all times have access to such books and records.

Article XI. SEAL

The Board of Directors, by resolution shall direct the custody and use of the seal of the Association (if any).

Article XII. BILINGUAL SERVICES

The association shall strive to ensure the provision of all activities and services in both of the official languages of Canada as advised by the Francophone Director.

Article XIII. PATRONS

The Governor General of Canada shall be the Honorary Patron of the Association.

Article XIV. AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Bylaws shall be recommended by the Board of Directors, distributed to the membership prior to the Annual General Meeting, and approved by a majority vote of the Association members present at the Annual General Meeting.

Resolutions

Resolution # 01 NET PROFIT FROM THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

It was agreed that....10% of the net profit be kept by the host school(s); 20% by the Host School Board(s); and 70% by CASAA to promote student leadership. October 1991

Resolution # 02 PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATION TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rotation of Directors shall be as follows:

Odd Year BC SK PEI NS NF NWT NU Executive Director

Even Year AB MB ON QC NB YU Francophone October 1991

Resolution # 03 BOARD OF DIRECTORS - WINTER MEETING

CASAA will pay...AIRFARE, MILEAGE ($0.25/km), ACCOMODATION (double occupancy), and FOOD (to a maximum of $35/meeting day). All receipts must be kept...no reimbursement without receipts. Any other expenses will be considered on an individual basis and must include receipts. There is no guarantee that expenses in this category will be paid. January 2004

Resolution # 04 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The term of office will be two years, renewable, and commence at the Winter Board meeting. All expenses will be paid by CASAA. April 1993

Resolution # 05 CONFERENCE FLOAT

The Conference Planning Committee for any CSLC may apply for a FIVE THOUSAND ($5000.00) DOLLAR Conference Float up to two years in advance of the conference. The application for this loan must be accompanied by an explanation or rationalization for the said request. An additional $5000 line-of-credit can be requested if required. This loan must be returned to CASAA immediately following said CSLC. January 2004

Resolution # 06 TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATION

In order to reduce costs, the following provincial representatives will be responsible for communicating with the territories regarding the work of CASAA:

BC - Yukon, AB - NWT, MB - NU October 1999

Resolution # 07 CANADIAN STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (CSLC)

The annual student leadership conference should commence some time during the last two weeks in September. April 1994

Resolution # 08 CASAA REBATE PROGRAM

A CSLC Planning Committee may claim as conference planning committee expense, registration fees, and travel costs for no more than ten students. April 1995

Resolution # 09 CASAA PLAQUE TO CSLC HOST SCHOOL

CASAA will present a plaque in recognition of hosting CSLC to the host school. In addition, the CSLC doves and a CASAA/CSLC banner will be passed from one host school to the next. January 1996

Resolution # 10 SUPPLY TEACHER COSTS FOR BOARD MEMBERS

CASAA will pay the supply teacher costs for a Board member who may not otherwise be able to attend the Winter Meeting. The request for payment must be received from the member's Administration Office. January 1998

Resolution # 11 MEMBERSHIP FEE

The annual membership fee for each school or educational affiliate will be $75. January 2004

Resolution # 12 CSLC DELEGATE FEE

The CSLC delegate fee for 2003 - 2005 will be $225. January 2004

Resolution # 13 DUTIES OF PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL DIRECTORS

The duties of a Provincial Director are to include:

Annually presenting, at the Winter Board meeting, a provincial report.
Representing CASAA, to the members, in their province.
Bringing to CASAA, advisor concerns raised in their province.
Marketing" memberships to potential schools/teachers in their province.
Serving on standing or special committees as required.
Maintaining the "Director Manual" and passing it on to their replacement when their term finishes.
Coordinating the provincial delegation to CSLC each year. (This includes t-shirts as well as assuring proper supervision is maintained.) January 2004

Resolution # 14 CASAA SUPPORT FOR CSLC ADVISOR PROGRAMS

CASAA will provide up to $3000 to support workshops for advisors. (Invoice(s) to be forwarded to the Executive Director for processing.) January 2004