CONSTITUTION

 

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Article I-Name

The name of this organization shall be “The South Carolina Campus Law Enforcement Association”.

 

Article II-Purpose 

1.      To promote professional ideals and standards for campus law enforcement so as to better serve the educational objectives of higher education in South Carolina.

2.      To promote the professional development of the members of this Association, and the law enforcement and security officers serving under them.

3.      To collectively represent campus law enforcement to the citizens of South Carolina in order to obtain their understanding and support of professional campus law enforcement.

4.      To develop and disseminate approved administrative and technical practices and promote their use in campus law enforcement and security. 

5.      To foster police cooperation, unity of action and the exchange of information and experience among campus administrators of this State.

6.    To encourage adherence of all of all campus law enforcement and security officers to high professional standards of conduct.

 

Article III - Membership

Section 1.  Eligibility:

 Within the Association, there shall be the following membership classifications: Institutional, Associate, Sustaining and Honorary and/or Retired.

 a.      Institutional Membership: Institutional membership in this Association shall be limited to the administrator of the law enforcement or security function of every institution of higher education in South Carolina and to members of his/her command staff as designated by the administrator.  Such institutions include colleges, universities, two year colleges, technical schools above the secondary level, teaching hospitals, seminaries and all other institutions of higher education which offer a degree requiring at least two years of academic credit.   Branches of parent institutions, having separate geographic locations are entitled to membership.  Those institutions which do not have law enforcement or security functions established are entitled to membership.  That member would be an administrative officer having responsibility for protection of life and property on that campus. Institutional members are entitled to vote and hold office in the Association.

b. Associate Membership: Associate membership is available to employees of the institution, other than the chief administrative officer, who have direct responsibility for the provision of security or law enforcement services.  Associate membership may only be approved for those employees whose administrator currently holds an Institutional Membership in the Association.  Contract guards, not employed by the institution, are ineligible for membership.

1.       Associate members may hold any elected office other than president or vice president and would hold executive voting privileges as that office holder.

 2.      Associate members may vote on all issues other than officer elections.

c.      Sustaining Membership: All persons or businesses who are donors of funds to the Association for the purpose of advancing, improving or bettering the campus law enforcement profession may be recommended to the Executive Board to become sustaining members of this Association under such rules as the Executive Board may establish and approve.  If the person or business accepts the recommendation, such membership shall be with all the privileges except that of holding office and voting.

d.     Honorary and/or Retired Membership: The active membership shall determine the criteria to be met in each individual case involving such membership.  This membership holds rights and privileges of an Associate Member.

Section 2. Election to Membership:

a.   All applicants for membership shall complete and sign the form of application provided by the Association and submit the application to the treasurer.  Such application shall include an agreement by the applicant to abide by the Association’s purpose.

b.      Admission of applicants for all classes of membership shall be by majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 3.  Termination of Membership:

a.   Any member may resign from the Association by submitting a written resignation to the Executive Board. Such resignation shall be effective as of the date received by the Association, unless said resignation specifies another date.

b.      Members of any classification may be removed from membership for cause by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board.  For any cause other than non-payment of dues, removal shall occur only after the member against whomever complaint was made, has been advised of the complaint and has been given reasonable opportunity for defense; and such member, if removed, may appeal the decision of the Executive Board at the next general meeting of the Association, providing that notice of intent to appeal is submitted to the President at least ten days in advance of the meeting.   The Executive Board shall be empowered to order suspension of any member upon receipt of a unified complaint of misconduct.  The person against whom the complaint was filed shall be notified in writing. 

 Section 4.  Dues:

a.    Annual (1 July – 30 June) membership dues shall be due and payable by July 31^st of each year.  Dues for Sustaining Membership will be established by the Executive Board and ratified by a majority vote of the membership.

b.    Dues will be as follows:

Institutional Membership	$50.00
Associate Membership	$25.00
Sustaining Membership	see (a.) above
Honorary/Retired	0

 

Article IV- Organization

Section 1. Officers:

The officers of the Association shall consist of a president, a vice-president, treasurer, secretary and past president, which hold the elected office for a two year term. Elections will be held to fill all officer positions except that of the past president position. This office will automatically be filled with the previous president.

Section 2. Powers and Duties:

a.      President:  The president shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and shall preside at all meetings.   He shall have authority to appoint all committees and to appoint replacements for elected officers who vacate their terms prior to expiration.  Such replacements will complete the remaining term only.  Elections for this position will take place in even numbered years.

 b.      Vice President: The vice president shall act for the president in the president’s absence and shall become the president in the event of the president’s vacating an elected term for any reason.  A vice-president who has become president for the purpose of filling a remaining term shall only hold office for that term. Elections for this position will take place in odd numbered years.

 c.       Treasurer:  The treasurer shall collect funds owed to the Association, dispense all funds for expenditures duly authorized, maintain accurate financial accounts, and provide a financial report to the membership at each quarterly meeting. Elections for this position will be in odd numbered years.

 d.      Secretary:  The secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the Association, keep a record of the minutes of such meetings, be responsible for the records of the Association, handle correspondence as necessary, provide the membership with copies of the minutes and other publications of the Association.  Elections for this position will take place in even numbered years.

 e.       Past President: The past president continues as an Executive officer for the Association for two years and serves as the chair for the Membership and Nominating Committee.

 f.        Executive Board: The Executive Board shall consider and report at any regular meeting all matters coming to their attention during the interim between such meetings.  The Board, likewise, shall have the power to request a Special Meeting of the Association upon a majority vote of the members of the Board.  It shall, through appropriate sub-committees, present subjects for general discussion; suggest means for advancement of the purposes of the Association; designate work to be done between sessions of the Association; convene when and where practical to accomplish its functions; audit all accounts; disseminate literature; and, in every way promote the interests of the Association in any and all matters pertaining to its purpose.  The Board may meet at various times during the year as necessary in order to make decisions regarding the on-going operation of the Association.  The Board is free to make decisions on any phase of operations that are not specifically reserved to action by the membership or the Board.

g.  Chaplain: The Chaplain, appointed by the President, shall serve at the pleasure of the President.

Article V. Elections

Those interested in running for office shall submit his/her name by July of each election year to the Membership and Nominating Committee. Nominations will be presented to the membership at the summer meeting and through the minutes forwarded to the members.   During the fall meeting, the Membership and Nominating Committee will present the slate of nominees to the membership for action.  Also at that time, nominations will be accepted from the floor to add to the slate of nominees.  All nominees for each office will then be allowed five (5) minutes to present himself or herself to the membership.  Upon completion of all presentations, the vote will be held to fill all available offices.  The Membership and Nominating Committee will count the votes and present the newly elected officers to the membership at the completion of the meeting.   Officers elected will take office at the winter meeting.

 Article VI. Meetings

Section 1. Quarterly:

There shall be four (4) meetings each year, one in each calendar quarter.  The procedure of all meetings shall follow Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.

Section 2. Called:

The President of the Association may have emergency called meetings to include representation from officers and board members to take care of matters of utmost importance in the operation of the Association.   Called meetings will be kept to a minimum and will be as a last resort in an attempt to resolve unfinished or emergency business of the Association.

Section 3. Voting:

Institutional membership holds all voting privileges.

Section 4. Quorum:

A quorum shall consist of a majority of the total-voting members actually in attendance at any designated meeting of the Association.

Article VII.  Removal from Office:

Any elected representative of the Association may be removed from office by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership in attendance at any business meeting.  Any vote to remove an officer must be preceded by a written presentation of facts showing cause for the removal and shall allow for rebuttal by the officer in question.   The process should be expeditious.  The Membership and Nominating Committee is responsible for investigation of any allegation.

Article VIII.  By-Laws:

This Association may at any regular meeting adopt or change any by-laws so long as such action does not conflict with this Constitution.

Article IX.  Amendments to the Constitution:

1.      Any and all articles, sections or paragraphs of this Constitution may be amended by approval of three-fourths of the voting members present at a regular meeting.

2.      Voting on amendments shall be limited to proposals that have been presented for discussion to the membership at the last regular meeting before such voting.

 

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