CONSTITUTION

NORTH CENTRAL DISTRICT

OF THE IOWA FFA ASSOCIATION

Revised and Amended at the 2008 North Central District Convention

March 1, 2008

ArticleI.Name and Function

  1. The name of this organization will be the North Central District of the Iowa FFA Association.
  2. The words “Future Farmers of America” may be officially used to designate the association, the chapters, and the members.
  3. This organization accepts in full, the provisions of the state constitution and bylaws of the Iowa Association of the FFA.

Article II.Officers

  1. The officers of the North Central District of the Iowa FFA Association shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, Sentinel, and Advisor.
  2. These officers shall perform the usual duties of their respective offices according to the official FFA manual and shall constitute the executive committee of the North Central FFA.
  3. All vacancies of the district officers shall be appointed by the North Central FFA Executive Committee.
  4. All district officers, except the State Vice-President, must hold at least the Chapter FFA Degree, be active members, and serve as a district officer while enrolled in high school.
  5. The number of applications shall be limited to two per chapter to the district nominating committee.
  6. The procedure for selecting and serving on the nominating committee and the format used for officer interviews will be as included in the Nomination Committee Guidelines adopted by the district delegates. See end of constitution for officer election and nominating committee process.

Article III.Meetings and Conventions

  1. A District Convention shall be held annually. The district advisor shall decide the time and place and should be at least 30 days prior to the state convention with regard to guidelines set forth by the State FFA Advisor.
  2. Each chapter is entitled to send two delegates of active membership to the convention to represent the chapter.
  3. The district will conduct sessions according to the Robert’s Rules of Order and the Official FFA Manual.

Article IV.Expenses

  1. Mileage will be paid at the rate of 12 cents per mile of proportional to available funds to the North Central District Executive Committee members.
  2. Mileage will be paid only for required district functions. (I.e. District Camp, District Meetings, District Judging contests, District Convention, and Greenhand Workshops.)
  3. Other expenses for the district officers for the function of their office will be paid (i.e. telephone calls, postage, and printing expenses with the verification of expenses upon request by the executive committee.)
  4. All district officer expenses for the year will be paid for by March 31 with a balance of at least $250.00.
  5. The district officer’s treasurer’s book for the year will be closed for the previous year by March 31 with a balance of at least $250.00.

Article V.Dues

A.Dues will remain at the current level unless a change is recommended by the district officers and approved by a majority vote of the delegates at the annual District Convention.

B.District dues are $50 per chapter per year, to be paid to the state association at the time of the state affiliation fee. Dues are to be paid no later then November 1.

C.Any chapter not paying dues by December 1st will be delinquent to participate in the Freshman Quiz, Chapter FFA Quiz contests. Also District Farm Management, Soils, District FFA Camp, District Meats, Livestock Judging contests, Greenhand Fire-up or any district sponsored activity or event. These are all district-sponsored contests and activities.

Article VI.Assessments

  1. Special assessments approved by a two-thirds vote of the chapters in the district shall be made to each chapter.
  2. Assessments will be due upon request by the District Treasurer and the District Advisor.
  3. Chapters not paying assessment (s) will be ineligible to participate in the district-sponsored contests, activities, or events.

Article VII.Amendments

  1. Amendments to this constitution shall be submitted in written form to the District Secretary at least one month prior to the annual meeting. A two-thirds vote of all delegates is necessary for adoption. The amendment must not conflict with state or national constitutions.

Article VIII.Contests

  1. Proficiency awards are due at the date and time set prior to the District Convention by the District Advisor. No late applications will be accepted.
  2. All proficiency awards, books, and officer applications must meet state requirements.
  3. Freshman Quiz and Chapter FFA Quiz contests will be held at Sub-District and District levels according to previously written rules.

District Officer Nomination and Election Process

  1. ELIGIBILITY
  2. Candidates eligible for District Office shall be the following:
  3. Active FFA member.
  4. Have received their Chapter FFA Degree.
  5. Sophomore or junior in high school.
  6. The number of applicants per chapter shall be determined by the respective district.
  7. The limitation of the number of terms for district office shall be determined by the respective district..
  1. APPLICATION
  2. A standard application shall be developed by the Iowa FFA Officer Team.
  3. The application shall be distributed to eligible candidates, completed by each candidate, and submitted prior to the interview process.
  4. Each district shall set due date for the application.
  5. Each candidate shall submit their Supervised Agricultural Experience Records at the time of the interview process for verification of their SAE by the Nomination Committee Advisor.
  6. The application shall be a scored component of the process evaluated by multiple individuals before the interview process following scoring rubric.
  7. Applications shall be used as a reference for the Nomination Committee members during the selection process.
  1. NOMINATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS
  2. Each district’s Nomination Committee shall be 7 members including the Chair and will consist of the following:
  3. Current District FFA President shall serve as Chair.
  4. One active high school FFA member from each of the sub-districts.
  5. One current Iowa FFA Officer not native of the district.
  6. The remaining committee members shall be selected from the following list choosing no more than one per area:
  7. Past District FFA Officer
  8. Retiring District FFA Officer
  9. Past Iowa FFA Officer
  10. FFA member from district that has graduated from high school
  11. One FFA Advisor shall serve as the Nomination Committee Advisor being an ex-offico, non-voting committee member that not included in the 7 committee members.
  1. EXAM
  2. An exam testing knowledge related to district office shall be developed by the Iowa FFA Officer Team.
  3. Each candidate shall complete the exam.
  4. The exam shall be a scored component of the candidate scoring rubric completed by the Nomination Committee.
  1. INTERVIEWS
  2. Round One - One ten minute individual candidate interview consisting of 5 questions from the following categories:
  3. Personal
  4. Agriculture/SAE
  5. Leadership
  6. Additional categories can be selected by the Iowa FFA Officer Team
  7. Round Two - Group activity where candidates are placed in groups for an interview with the Nomination Committee.
  1. SCORING RUBRIC
  2. The following Candidate Scoring Rubric shall be used to assist the Nomination Committee in the selection of candidates:

CANDIDATE SCORING RUBRIC

COMPONENTPOINTS

Application20

Test10

Interviews

Individual40(8 points per question)

Group30

_____

TOTAL POINTS100

  1. SELECTION
  2. The Nomination Committee shall use the scoring system as a tool to assist them in making their decisions.
  3. The Nomination Committee shall slate two candidates per office for the ballot to be presented for vote by the district delegates.
  1. ELECTION
  2. The Nomination Committee Chair shall announce the ballot to thedistrict delegates.
  3. Nominations shall be called for from the delegate floor for any offices. Eligible candidates who completed the interview process shall only be considered for floor nominations.
  4. Nominations shall be closed and the delegates shall proceed with the voting process following a non-sliding ballot voting procedure.
  5. Balloted candidates shall present a maximum of two-minute speech to the delegate body.
  6. Following the candidate speeches, each candidate shall answer two questions generated by the Nomination Committee. Each balloted candidate will answer the same questions. A maximum of a one-minute response shall be given to each candidate to answer each question. Balloted candidates shall rotate in the order of responding to the questions.
  7. Following speeches and questions by the balloted candidates for an office, district delegates shall vote according to constitutional guidelines.
  8. In case of a tie vote, one additional question shall be asked to the balloted candidates for the office followed by a re-vote by the district delegates.