Constitution:

Louisiana Association for Continuing Education 

Constitution

Approved 5/3/07 at the Annual Meeting 

Article I: Name

Section 1. The name this organization shall be the Louisiana Association for Continuing Higher Education (LACHE).  

Article II:       Aims and Objectives

Section 1.        The aims and objectives of this association shall be:

1.1.   To emphasize the importance of continuing higher education and lifelong learning.

1.2.   To promote high standards of professional excellence in the conduct of college-based lifelong learning programs.

1.3.   To sponsor research on problems of continuing education and support research efforts of members.

1.4.    To provide for the interchange of information and ideas.

1.5.   To enlist the support of higher education for the continuing learning endeavors of individuals.

1.6.  To stimulate faculty and administration leadership in constructive support of continuing education objectives.

1.7.   To focus public attention upon and encourage acceptance and understanding of the importance of continuing higher education.

1.8.  To conduct meetings and other activities beneficial to the members.

1.9.  To cooperate with governing bodies, other groups and organizations in the achievement of these goals. 

Article III: Membership

Section 1. Institutional Membership.

1.1 Institutional membership shall be carried in the name of the Dean or Director of the Continuing Education Division or any other such person who may be designated by a Louisiana institution of higher learning as its continuing education representative. Member institutions must be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or be designated as an institution of higher education as by the Louisiana Board of Regents.

1.2 Institutional membership entitles the institution to cast one vote on matters requiring an institutional vote. 

Section 2. Associate Membership.

2.1 Memberships shall be open to all continuing education administrators and all persons employed within the fields of continuing education, outreach, and workforce development.

2.2 Associate membership entitles the individual to hold office in the organization and to vote in constituency and committee meetings.  

Section 3. Affiliate Membership

3.1 Affiliate membership is open to employees of Louisiana public agencies and departments or higher education-related associations which have an interest in continuing education.

3.2 Affiliate membership entitles the individual to serve on committees and to vote in committee meetings.         

 Article IV:      Officers

Section 1. Names. The officers of the Association shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Member-at-Large, and Past-President. 

Section 2. The Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Association shall be composed of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, two Members-at-Large, and the immediate Past-President. The Board of Directors shall conduct the business of the Association between annual conferences, administer policy, make recommendations to the membership, and fill all vacant offices with the exception of the Vice-President. 

2.1 The Board of Directors shall administer the affairs of the Association in accordance with the provisions of this constitution and pursuant to Association Bylaws and toward the end of effecting Association aims and objectives.

2.2 A quorum of the Board of Directors shall be a simple majority of elected officers present and participating in an announced meeting. 

Section 3. Qualifications. The officers and board members of this Association shall be Associate members in good standing of LACHE and shall be employed in continuing education within the State of Louisiana during their term of office. 

Section 4. Terms of Office. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Board Members-at-Large shall serve a one (1)-year term of office, commencing at the close of the Annual LACHE Conference. 

Section 5. Duties of the Officers.

5.1 President. The President shall be the chief officer of the Association and preside over the annual conference. The president shall have the authority to appoint committees and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

5.2 Vice-President. The Vice-President shall succeed the President of the Association at the end of the President’s term, or upon occurrence of a vacancy in the office of the President. In this case, the Vice-President shall serve the unexpired term of the President replaced, and shall then serve the elected term. The Vice-President shall also perform the duties of the President in the absence or incapacity of the President. The Vice-President shall be responsible for planning and coordinating the activities of the annual conference each year.

5.3 Secretary. The Secretary shall serve as the recording and corresponding officer of the Association, and shall be responsible for: recording the minutes of all business meetings of the Association; recording minutes of all Board of Director’s meetings; maintaining current lists of the membership with mailing addresses; maintaining an accurate list of the associate and institutional membership; distribution to the members of all communications, including any mailed ballots.

5.4 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt and expenditure of Association funds in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and with the fiscal policies established by the Board of Directors of the Association; shall maintain the financial records of the Association, including the billing and collection of membership dues and registration fees; shall report periodically to the Board of Directors on the financial status of the Association; shall issue an annual financial statement to the membership for distribution at the Annual Conference.

5.5  Members-At-Large. The Members-at-Large will attend all meetings of the Board of Directors, and work with the other officers to achieve the goals of the Association.

5.6  Past President. The immediate Past-President shall serve as a full voting member on the Board of Directors and shall fulfill such duties as are assigned by the President.   

Article V. Vacancy in Office.  

Section 1. Vice-President. Should the Association office of Vice-President be vacated between Annual meetings, the President shall direct the nomination committee to nominate an individual to the vacated office and present the nominee to the membership for election. 

Section 2. Other vacancies. Should the Association offices of Secretary, Treasurer, or Member-at-Large be vacated between Annual conferences, the Board of Directors may by majority vote of all officers select an individual from the membership to complete the unexpired term of office. 

Article VI. Annual Conference.

There shall be an annual conference of the Association. The Annual Conference must include a business meeting and election of officers. 

Article VII. By-Laws

By-Laws consistent with this constitution may be adopted or amended by a majority vote of the institutional membership. 

Article VIII. Amendments

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) written affirmative vote of the institutional membership.

ByLaws:

Louisiana Association for Continuing Education

By-Laws

Approved 5/3/07 at the Annual Meeting 

Article I. Committees 

Section 1. The Association shall have several standing committees. Membership and terms of service of all committees are subject to the review and approval of the Board of Directors.

1.1  A Membership Committee will recruit new institutional and associate members from institutions of higher education within the state of Louisiana. The Secretary of the Association will serve as an ex-officio member of the committee.  

1.2  A Program Committee will plan, organize, and recommend to the Board of Directors the program for each Association conference, in cooperation with the host institution. The Vice-President of the Association shall serve as an ex-officio member of the committee.

1.3   The Nominations Committee shall be charged with preparation of a slate of nominees for the positions of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Members-at-Large of the Association. The Nominations Committee will be chaired by the Immediate Past-President of the Association, and shall be composed of past-presidents of the Association.

1.4   An Information Resources Committee shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of information resources for the benefit of the membership, with the guidance of the Board of Directors. At least one Member-at-Large will serve as an ex-officio member of the committee. 

Section 2. The Board of Directors may establish and charge additional standing or special committees or task forces to carry out the functions of the Board of Directors or the Association beyond the purview of the existing standing committees of the Association. 

Section 3. Each committee should elect a recorder to record the minutes of meetings and activities of the committee and shall make an annual report of activities, either at the annual meeting, or as requested by the Board.  

Section 4. A quorum for any committee or task force meeting shall be a majority of the appointed members of the committee. 

Section 5. Voting on all matters that may be considered at a committee or task force meeting of the Association may be properly conducted by any appropriate method that provides equivalent opportunity of access to all committee members. 

Article II. Meetings 

Section 1. The time and the place of each Association meeting shall be determined by the Board of Directors, with notice thereof given to the Association membership not less than thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date. One of the Association meetings to be held annually shall be designated the Annual Business Meeting.

1.1  The location of the Association meetings will be varied to encourage attendance from institutions in the different regions of the state.

1.2  Institutional representatives, or their designees, present at a properly scheduled business meeting shall constitute a quorum.

1.3  Constitutional and Bylaws amendments and assessment or alteration of dues may only be considered at the Annual Business Meeting of the Association. 

Article III. Dues 

Section 1. Institutional Membership dues will be assessed at the direction of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall submit a dues schedule for all categories of membership for the next fiscal year at the Annual Business Meeting. Approval shall require a favorable vote of a majority of institutional members or their designees present and voting. 

Section 2. Associate membership dues shall be included in the registration fee for Association meetings.  

Article III. Dissolution 

The Association may be dissolved or merged with another similar organization conducting substantially the same activities, upon approval of a plan of dissolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the institutional membership of the Association. Such a plan of dissolution shall provide for the complete payment and discharge of all Association obligations before disposition of net assets, which may either be distributed equally among all member institutions (in the event of dissolution), or transferred to the newly formed organization (in the event of a merger) in a manner consistent with furthering the aims of the organization enumerated in the LACHE constitution. 



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