Constitution

Northeast Mississippi Community College

Hospitality Management Chapter of

Collegiate DECA

May, 2010

ARTICLE I - NAME       

The official name of this association shall be Northeast Mississippi Community College Hospitality Management Chapter of Collegiate DECA.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE    

Mission Statement: Collegiate DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.

DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program:

1.     Integrates into Classroom Instruction

An integral component of classroom instruction, DECA activities provide authentic, experiential learning methods to prepare members for college and careers.

2.     Applies Technology

DECA members put their knowledge into action through rigorous project-based activities that require creative solutions with practical outcomes.

3.     Connects to Business

Partnerships with business at local and broader levels provide DECA members realistic insight into industry and promote meaningful, relevant learning.

4.     Promotes Competition

As in the global economy, a spark of competition drives DECA members to excel and improve their performance. 

DECA prepares the next generation to be:

1.     Academically Prepared

DECA members are ambitious, high-achieving leaders equipped to conquer the challenges of their aspirations.

2.     Community Oriented

Recognizing the benefit of service and responsibility to the community, DECA members continually impact and improve their local and broader communities.

3.     Professionally Responsible

DECA members are poised professionals with ethics, integrity and high standards.

4.     Experienced Leaders

DECA members are empowers through experience to provide effective leadership through goal setting, consensus building and project implementation.

Attributes and Values: Competition, Innovation, Integrity, Teamwork.

ARTICLE III - ORGANIZATION

Section 1:        The Northeast Mississippi Community College Hospitality Management Chapter of Collegiate DECA is a chartered member of Mississippi Collegiate DECA, and is composed of all students at Northeast Mississippi Community College majoring in Hotel and Restaurant Management Technology, Culinary Arts Technology/Certificate, and non-majors. Non-majors are any other Northeast Mississippi Community College student(s) who wishes to participate.

Section 2:        The administration of the chapter is vested in the Chapter Executive Council which shall be composed of the chapter officers and lead advisor.  Executive Committee Officers shall be elected for a term of one year.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Active Members-       These shall be students enrolled at Northeast Mississippi Community College. An active member must pay dues established by this association and will be eligible to hold chapter and/or state office; participate in chapter, state or international competitive events program; and if chosen, serve as a voting delegate and represent the chapter in state and Collegiate DECA affairs.

Professional Members-          These persons may be associated with or participating in the professional development of Collegiate DECA and the associated majors as approved by the association. Such members may include teacher - coordinators, employers and/or training station sponsors of students, advisory - craft committee members and others willing to contribute to the growth and development of our active members. Professional members must pay dues as established by the association, but will be ineligible to serve as a voting delegate, hold office, or otherwise represent the association.

Alumni Members-      These persons must have been former members of a Collegiate DECA (Delta Epsilon Chi – DECA) chapter and must be concerned with the growth and development of Northeast Collegiate DECA.  Alumni members will pay dues as established by the association.

Honorary Life Members-       These shall be leaders in the field of education, in business, or in government and must be approved by the Chapter Executive Committee.

ARTICLE V – VOTING

The Chapter shall elect voting delegates who shall represent the chapter at the State Leadership Conference.

ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS

The Chapter Executive Council shall be empowered to call special meetings in addition to the regularly scheduled meetings.

ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS

Section 1:        The officers (Executive Committee) of the organization shall be:

                                    President

                                    Vice President – Hospitality Management

                                    Vice President – Non-Major

                                    Secretary

                                    Treasurer

                                    Reporter

                                    Historian

                                    Parliamentarian

Section 2:        Officers shall be elected during the fall semester of each academic year, except for the President which shall be elected during the spring semester of the previous year after the International Conference.       

Section 3:        The Vice Presidents shall be elected by the individuals in the majors they represent.                     

Section 4:        Officers shall serve a term of one year.        

Section 5:        Voting shall be done by secret ballot.        

Section 6:        Officers shall follow guidelines listed in A Guide for DECA Officers Handbook and attend all meetings. Those officers who the Executive Council feels are not fulfilling their duties will be brought before the chapter for impeachment, which shall require a 2/3 majority vote of chapter members.

Section 7:        The chapter President may appoint assistant and/or temporary officers, to fulfill the duties if the officer is unable to fulfill all their duties for an acceptable reason and may appoint committees.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES

The standing committees of the association shall be: Social, Fundraising, Community Service, and Public Relations/Publicity.

ARTICLE IX - DUES

Section 1:        State dues shall be determined at the State Leadership Conference for the school year which follows ($10.00) and shall be payable by the designated due date. The amount which has been set by the Board of Directors of DECA, Inc. as international dues ($10.00) shall be added to this amount and an additional assessment of $5.00 shall be made for local dues. Total Dues of $25.00.

Section 2:        The membership year shall be July 1 to June 30.

ARTICLE X - EMBLEMS AND COLORS

The emblem will be the same as the International Collegiate DECA emblem. The colors shall be the same as International Collegiate DECA (Blue).

COLORS: The official color of DECA is blue. PMS 287 CCMYK (100, 68, 0, 12) RGB (0, 83, 155) WEB RGB (00, 53, 98)  When blue ink is not available, black may be substituted. The logo may be printed in reverse on the official DECA blue or black when blue ink is not available.

OFFICIAL TYPEFACE

The DECA logo uses the Gotham font family. The typeface for DECA is Gotham Bold.

ARTCLE XI – AMENDMENTS

The constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the authorized delegates at any regular or special meeting.

ARTICLE XII – AUDITS

The accounts of the association may be audited at any time by any member, as long as notice has been given in order for all materials to be collected.

ARTICLE XIII -          

Section 1:        Such rules, regulations, and by-laws as are deemed necessary for proper conduct of this organization shall be adopted.

Section 2:        No rules, regulations, or by-laws shall be adopted which are contrary to the Mississippi Collegiate DECA Constitution.

Section 3:        In all meetings, “Roberts Rules of Order, Revised” shall serve as standard procedures