1.0 – HEAD OFFICE
1.0 The National Office of CASA shall be located in the national capital region.
2.0 – BILINGUALISM
2.1 All staff of CASA must be fluent in both of Canada’s official languages or must work to attain fluency.
2.2 All public CASA documents including but not limited to: press releases; policy documents; correspondence with Members; meeting minutes; and, Constitution, Bylaws, policies, and procedures of CASA shall be made available in both of Canada’s official languages.
2.3 At the written request of any Full Member to the National Director, all CASA meetings shall be conducted simultaneously in Canada’s two official languages.
3.0 – EXECUTION OF CONTRACTS AND NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS
3.1 Contracts or documents requiring execution by the CASA shall be signed by:
(i) The National Director; or,
(ii) The Chair of the Board of Directors, or in his or her absence, a designate.
3.2 Cheques and negotiable instruments issued by CASA shall be signed by:
(i) The National Director;
(ii) A designated member of Head Office for expenses under $3000;
(iii) The Chair of the Board of Directors for expenses above $3000.
4.1 Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held via teleconference or other electronic means that allow the Board members to adequately communicate with one another. All Board members must consent in advance to the method of communication and must have equal access to the necessary equipment.
4.2 Meetings of the Board of Directors shall consist of the following:
i) A National Director report;
ii) A Treasurer report;
iii) Regional Director reports;
iv) A written report from the Government Relations, Member Relations, Policy, and Public Relations Chairs to the Board of Directors; and
v) Any necessary business, as deemed by the Board of Directors.
4.3 The National Director report shall consist of the activities and progress of the head office team on CASA initiatives, and a monthly listing of the media relations, communications, lobbying and external relations that have been undertaken.
4.4 The Treasurer report shall consist of a review of monthly financial statements, and a report on the activities and any other matters relating to the financial status of CASA.
4.5 The Regional Director reports shall consist of the activities, news and events within the region, including updates on recruitment, Member and non-member activities, regional initiatives and relevant government announcements.
4.6 The Government Relations, Member Relations, Policy, and Public Relations reports shall consist of the activities and progress of the respective committees.
5.1 Notice of each General Meeting shall be given no later that two (2) calendar months prior to the meeting. The agenda and meeting itinerary shall be sent to each Member no later than twenty-one (21) calendar days prior to the commencement of the meeting. The meeting notices must remind Full Members of their right to vote by Proxy.
5.2 Consideration shall be given to accommodate Members from all regions in terms of the time and place of General Meetings. When possible, General Meetings shall be held in different regions on a rotating basis.
5.3 The “Policy and Strategy Conference” shall be a regularly scheduled meeting to be convened by a host member organization not later than the thirtieth (30) of June of any calendar year. At the Policy and Strategy Conference the membership shall create and adopt policy, conduct national campaign review, elect Regional Directors, Alternate Regional Directors, a Treasurer, a Government Relations Chair, a Member Relations Chair, a Policy Chair, a Public Relations Chair, a Chair and a Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors, ratify the annual operating budget and appoint auditors for the fiscal year.
5.4 The “Lobby Conference” shall be a regularly scheduled meeting to be convened in Ottawa not later than the thirty-first (31) of October in any calendar year. At the Lobby Conference the membership shall engage in direct lobby opportunities with federal government representatives and other groups relevant to post-secondary education.
5.5 The “Annual General Meeting” shall be a regularly scheduled meeting to be convened in Ottawa, unless otherwise directed by the Members, not later than the twenty-eighth (28) of February in any calendar year. At the Annual General Meeting the membership shall deliberate and adopt changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, draft budgetary recommendations for the next fiscal year, and select and ratify the next National Director, when appropriate.
5.6 The timelines and content for the General Meetings may be altered by Special Resolution. The Board of Directors may conduct a fax vote and by special resolution alter the location, date and the content of any General Meeting.
5.7 A designate of the Head Office or a designate of the Board of Directors, when appropriate, shall chair General Meetings. The chair shall serve at the pleasure of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Full Members present.
5.8 Full Members may submit motions to be decided at a meeting to the Board of Directors through the National Director not less than seven (7) calendar days prior to the General Meeting.
5.9 In accordance with the Constitution, meetings of the membership shall be conducted according to the current version of “Robert’s Rules of Order” or any special rules of order CASA may adopt.
5.10 In accordance with the Constitution, motions may be added to the agenda at any General Meeting by Ordinary Resolution.
5.11 Full Members shall be given priority in discussions and granted first access to speaking lists at meetings.
5.12 All Proxies must be appointed to Full Members and expressly announced at the commencement of a plenary session. Any change to a Proxy must be announced prior to voting.
5.13 Any Full Member may hold a maximum of one Proxy at any meeting.
5.14 Minutes shall be taken in accordance with “Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised”.
6.0 – EMERGENCY GENERAL MEETINGS
6.1 The Board of Directors may call, at any time, additional General Meetings in the case of an emergency or other special circumstance. Such a meeting requires fourteen (14) calendar days of written notice sent to each Member. The written notice shall contain the agenda for the meeting.
6.2 The Board of Directors must call an Emergency General Meeting if a simple majority of all Full Members requisition such meeting in writing to the National Director.
7.1 All attendees shall pay a prescribed fee to cover the expenses of General Meetings. In the case that the prescribed fee more than covers the cost of the General Meeting, the surplus may either be applied against the cost of the next General Meeting, or refunded to the Members.
7.2 Full Members, Associate Member and Provisional Members may attend all sessions of General Meetings at the regular Delegate Fee.
7.3 Observers may attend General Meetings for designated sessions at the regular Delegate Fee.
7.4 Guests, as identified and invited by the Board of Directors, may attend General Meetings for designated sessions at cost.