Article I – Name

The official name of this organization shall be the Illinois Association of DECA and may be referred to as Illinois DECA or DECI. The DECA tagline is An Association of Marketing Students.

Article II – Purposes

The purposes of this organization are:

(1)   To assist local Chapters in the growth and development of DECA.

(2)   To further develop a respect for education in marketing and management, which will contribute to occupational competence.

(3)   To promote understanding and appreciation for the responsibilities of citizenship in our free, competitive enterprise system.

Article III – Organization

Section 1. The Illinois Association of DECA is an Association of local Chapters within the State of Illinois.

Section 2. The administration of Illinois DECA shall be vested in the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors. The Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors will be appointed by the DECI Executive Director(s).

Section 3. The Illinois Association may be composed of three Divisions: (1) High School Division, (2) Junior Collegiate Division and (3) Professional Division. The State Officers of each Division shall be elected in accordance with the procedures described in the Bylaws of that Division.

Section 4. Charters will be issued to local DECA Chapters by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

Article IV – Membership

High School Members. These shall be students enrolled in a high school program of Marketing Education as approved by the State of Illinois. Members must pay dues as established by the Illinois Association and will be eligible to hold Chapter or State Office, participate in Chapter or State Competitive Events, and if chosen, may represent the Chapter in State DECA affairs of the High School Division. High School Division members of Illinois DECA belong to International DECA and are eligible to hold International Office, participate in International Competitive Events after qualifying at S-CDC, and if chosen, may represent the Illinois Association in the International DECA affairs of the High School Division.

Junior Collegiate Members. These shall be Marketing Education students enrolled in schools offering 13th and 14th year levels of instruction in junior colleges, post secondary schools, community colleges, area vocational and technical schools as approved by the State of Illinois. Members must pay dues as established by the Illinois Association for the Junior Collegiate Division and will be eligible to hold Chapter or State Office, participate in Chapter or State Competitive Events, and if chosen, may represent the Chapter in State DECA affairs of the Junior Collegiate Division. Any Junior Collegiate Division member of Illinois DECA belonging to International DECA will also be eligible to hold International Office, participate in International Competitive Events, and if chosen, may represent the Illinois Association in the International DECA affairs of Delta Epsilon Chi.

Professional Members. These shall be persons associated with or participating in the professional development of DECA as approved by the Illinois Association. Such persons will pay dues as established by the Illinois Association, may include such persons as Teachers, Teacher-Coordinators, Teacher-Educators, Marketing Education Supervisors, employers, parents of DECA members, school administrators, teachers and others willing to contribute to the growth and development of DECA.

Honorary Life Members. These shall be leaders in the field of education, in business or in government and must be approved by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

Article V – Voting

Section 1. Chapters of the Illinois Association shall exercise voting privileges through Voting Delegates as described in the Bylaws of each Division.

Article VI – Meetings

Section 1. Two State DECA Conferences shall be held each year and shall serve as the official annual meetings of the Illinois Association of DECA. A business meeting may be held at the State Career Development Conference in the spring (no later than April 30) of each year.

Section 2. The Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors shall be empowered to call special meetings.

Article VII – Officers

Section 1. The officers of the Illinois Association shall be selected in accordance with the procedures described in the Bylaws of each Division.

Section 2. Officers shall serve for a term of one year.

Article VIII – Dues

Section 1. State dues shall be determined by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

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

Article IX – Emblems and Colors

Section 1. The emblem of the Illinois Association of DECA and its colors shall be the same as those adopted by International DECA.

Article X – Delegates to International Conference

Section 1. The number of voting delegates shall be variable with the directives of the Constitution of DECA. The Illinois DECA Executive Director(s) or their appointee will appoint voting delegates.

Article XI – Rules, Regulations, and Bylaws

Section 1. Such rules, regulations and Bylaws as deemed necessary for the proper conduct of this organization shall be adopted.

Section 2. No rules, regulations or Bylaws shall be adopted which are contrary to this Constitution.

Section 3. In all meetings, Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall serve as standard procedure.

Article XII – Amendments

Section 1. This constitution may be amended by 2/3 majority vote of the Voting Delegates at the business meeting. Amendments may be introduced by any Voting Delegate of the Illinois Association of DECA, the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors or the Executive Council on any Division providing that the amendment is submitte to the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors in writing at least 30 days prior to the business meeting.

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION BYLAWS

Bylaw I – Name

Section 1. The official name of this Division of the Illinois Association of DECA shall be the High School Division.

Bylaw II – Membership

Section 1. Illinois DECA will recognize individual membership in the High School Division only through Chartered Chapters.

Section 2. Individual members shall compose all Chartered Chapters and shall be recognized as Active Members.

Section 3. Membership eligibility, privileges and dues shall be governed as described in the State Constitution.

Bylaw III – Voting Delegates

Section 1. The High School Division of Illinois DECA shall exercise its membership voting through Voting Delegates.

Section 2. Voting Delegate apportionment for the business meeting of Illinois DECA will be governed by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

Section 3. Voting Delegate apportionment for State Officer elections will be governed by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

Section 4. Voting Delegate apportionment for purposes not stated above will be governed by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

Bylaw IV – State Officers

Section 1. Only Active Members of the High School Division will be eligible for State Office in this Division.

Section 2. All State Officer candidates will be required to take the State Officer Candidate’s Exam and the number to be interviewed by the Nominating Committee will be determined by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

Section 3. Based upon the results of the State Officer Candidate’s Exam and Nominating Committee interviews, the Nominating Committee will submit to the Voting Delegates a slate of all candidates declared eligible for the Executive Council. There will be no additional nominations from the floor.

Section 4. The Executive Council will consist of a President and up to four Vice-Presidents.

Section 5. The Executive Council will have a minimum of 3 meetings a year, which includes a meeting closely following elections.

Section 6. In the absence of the President, the Executive Council will appoint an acting President for that meeting.

Section 7. If the President of the Executive Council is unable, by discretion of the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors, to fulfill the officer’s responsibilities, a new President will be determined from within the Executive Council within 30 days by majority vote of the Executive Council. All deadlock votes will be decided by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors.

Section 8. If any member of the Executive Council is unable to fulfill their responsibilities with more than 1/2 the serving time remaining, a replacement will (may) be selected from nominees submitted by the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors to the Executive Council.

Section 9. The Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors shall be responsible for publishing the State Officer election procedures in accordance with the Bylaws of the High School Division.

Bylaw V – Duties of Executive Council

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the High School Division; to develop with the Executive Council a Program of Work for the year; and to be available as necessary to represent Illinois in promoting the general welfare of DECA.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Vice Presidents to serve in any capacity as directed by the President or the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors, to accept the responsibilities of the President as occasions may demand and to be available as necessary in promoting the general welfare of DECA.

Bylaw VI – Amendments

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by 2/3 majority votes of the Voting Delegates present at the business meeting. Amendments may be introduced by any Voting Delegate of the Illinois Association – High School Division, the High School Division Executive Council or the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors providing that the amendment is submitted to the Illinois Association of DECA Board of Directors in writing at least 30 days prior to the business meeting.

The above Bylaws shall also apply to the Junior Collegiate and Professional Divisions substituting Junior Collegiate or Professional where High School is stated.