CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

ARTICLE I: NAME

Section 1: The organization known as the North Carolina Federation of Cooperative Extension Associations (NCFCEA) was formed March 1974.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

Section 1: The primary purpose of Federation is to establish and maintain a professional structure through which members may be joined in a unified professional effort.

Section 2: The objectives of Federation are as follows:

• To promote professional improvement of all professional Extension workers.
• To support and encourage the development of a united approach to a total Extension program.
• To encourage and promote high professional standards and maintain a high esprit de corps among all members.
• To promote understanding and cooperation among all Extension workers and to provide a channel for exchange of ideas.
• To strive for increased opportunity for individual members to pursue a career in their chosen area of extension work.
• To establish and maintain a close relationship and line of communication with Extension administration.
• To provide educational programs for the benefit of the members.
• To provide opportunities for recognition of leadership and service.
• To work for the benefit and service of members and ultimately for all the clientele of North Carolina

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership in Federation shall consist of North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents (NCACAA), North Carolina Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NCEAFCS), North Carolina Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NCAE4-HA), North Carolina Association of Cooperative Extension Specialists (NCACES), North Carolina Cooperative Extension Secretaries Association (NCCESA) and North Carolina Association of Extension Program Assistants, Associates and Technicians (NCAEPAAT).

Section 2: Federation membership is open to any professional Extension association at NCSU or NCA&TSU upon written request for membership. The board will review the request, and if approved by a formal vote of the board, be brought for consideration before respective associations within federation, and will be brought before the Federation membership at the annual meeting for a vote.

ARTICLE IV: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Section 1: The Federation Executive Committee shall consist of the offices of President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President and Webmaster.

Section 2: Past President: The Past President shall serve as Advisor to Federation in all matters, chairs the Constitution Committee, installs new officers at the annual meeting and serves as chair of the Auditing Committee.

Section 3: The President shall coordinate the business of Federation and preside at all meetings.

The President will invite guests as deemed appropriate. The President will compose and present a Certificate of Appreciation to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting of member association delegates.

The President shall also serve as the representative for Federation in its relationship with groups and at designated functions on behalf of Federation. The President is responsible for presenting common concerns and issues to Administration. The President is to apprise members of upcoming Federation events and deadlines. The President maintains, updates and presents the Federation gavel to the President-Elect at the annual business meeting.

Section 4: The President-Elect shall preside in the absence of the President. Primary responsibilities include coordination of the annual meeting of member association delegates, serving as Chair of the Recognition and Awards Committee and serving as a member on the Budget Committee to develop an operating budget.

Section 5: Secretary: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the Federation, keep an archive of minutes, constitution and by-laws and correspondence for historical purposes and provide these materials to the web master in a timely manner. Secretary maintains any responses to issues/concerns/questions posed by the Federation to Extension administration.

Section 7: The Webmaster shall be responsible for keeping information current and updated on the Federation web page. This shall include, but not be limited to minutes of meetings, member associations state and national information, Federation meeting information, Federation officer listing and member associations officer listings.

Section 8: The Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Committee and the President and President-Elect from each member association.

Section 9: The Board of Directors shall have the power to act on behalf of the membership when Federation is not in session as long as doing so does not compromise the integrity of the constitution and bylaws.

ARTICLE V: ELECTIONS

Section 1: Offices of the Executive Committee: Past-President, President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Webmaster shall rotate according the schedule outlined in Appendix B (at the end of the constitution and bylaws). Member associations will rotate up the list one level annually. The association holding the Past-President position will rotate to the bottom of the list. This shall be the established rotation for future year. This list will be synchronously updated upon acceptance of member associations. One representative from each member association must be included on the Executive Committee. In order to accommodate new association membership, officer or member-at-large positions will be created at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Section 2: All slots of the Executive Committee positions, except Past-President and President, shall be filled by the respective member association following the rotation schedule in Appendix B (at the end of constitution and bylaws). Elected officers may serve only one consecutive term per office. To be eligible to serve as a Federation officer, the candidate must be an active member in the association they represent.

Section 3: The President-Elect shall succeed to the Presidency unless opposition is voiced through the Board of Directors.

Section 4: The President shall move to the position of Past-President and serve as Advisor to Federation.

Section 5: Member associations shall be responsible for filling any vacancies that occur on the Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors in the rotation slot they currently hold.

Section 6: No officer may hold two positions concurrently in NCFCEA.

Section 7: Term of office: The Executive Committee will be installed at the annual meeting or other appropriate occasion and serve a one-year term from January 1 - December 31. The Board of Directors shall follow this same service schedule.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Section 1: The Federation shall hold meetings as deemed necessary by the President. In order to conduct official business, at least one person from each member association must be present.

Section 2: Proceedings, rules, parliamentary proceedings shall, except as herein provided, be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order, latest edition.

ARTICLE VII: DUES

Section 1: 

The dues for NCFCEA shall be collected and forwarded from each member association to the NCFCEA treasurer in a timely manner approved by the Executive Committee. The dues of member associations shall be payable to NCFCEA by March 31.

Section 2: The amount of the annual dues shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by the member associations.

ARTICLE VIII: COMMITTEES

Section 1: The standing committees of Federation shall be: Constitution and Bylaws; Budget; and Recognition and Awards.

Section 2: The Past President shall be Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, with Presidents from each member association serving as members.

Section 3: The Treasurer shall be the Chair of the Budget Committee, with the President and President-Elect serving as members. The Budget Committee shall prepare a proposed budget and present it for consideration at the first Board of Directors meeting.

Section 4: The Past-President and President comprise the Auditing committee. They shall audit the NCFCEA accounts at the close of the calendar year and present a report at the first Board of Directors meeting.

Section 4: The President-Elect shall be the Chair of the Recognition and Awards Committee, with President-Elects from each member association serving as members.

Section 5: Other committees shall be organized as the President and/or Board of Directors deems necessary. Committees shall consist of one representative from each member association. Representatives are to be chosen by their respective association.

Section 6: To facilitate smooth committee transition, incoming and outgoing Committee Chairs will convene briefly during a session of Federation to be determined by the President.

ARTICLE IX: ADOPTION AND AMENDMENTS

Section 1: Ratification of this constitution and by-laws must be accomplished by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at the meetings of the individual associations, provided the membership of each association is notified in writing of the ratification vote at least thirty days in advance. Said notice shall include a copy of the proposed constitution and by-laws.

Section 2: This constitution and by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the delegates present at any annual (currently the forum) or special meeting of the federation, provided the total membership is notified of the proposed changes at least thirty days prior to the meeting.

Section 3: Amendments to this constitution and bylaws shall take effect immediately unless superseded in this document.