KHSSL

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KHSSL, Inc.
113 Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: 270.745.2736
Fax: 270.745.3295
Email:

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The Kentucky Highschool Speech League

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KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH LEAGUE, INC.

CONSTITUTION

(Approved By The board of Directors July 1989)

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of the organization shall be The Kentucky High School Speech League, Inc.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSES

Section 1: General Purposes: The League is organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes with no part of its net earnings inuring to the benefit of any individual; no part of its structure is to carry on propaganda for personal gain, and the League is not to participate in, nor intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

Section 2: Specific Purposes: To promote various kinds of speech and drama activities in the schools of Kentucky, to foster via educational competition and understanding and appreciation of worthwhile speech and drama, to encourage all students rather than a select few to participate, to assist Kentucky schools in their efforts to establish and develop curricular and extra-curricular speech and drama programs, to maintain high levels of speech and drama achievement, to award suitable recognition for excellence in speech and drama performance, and to foster a respect for and appreciation of freedom of speech as a vital force of democracy.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Any public, private, or parochial school in Kentucky may become a member of the League upon completing proper application forms supplied by the League office and by paying such membership dues as required. Home schooled students are also eligible for membership with the home school instructor or parent listed as the adult contact for the student.

Section 2: Student participants must be bonafide undergraduates of the school they represent in League activities. Students may compete only for the school in which they are enrolled full time. Home schooled students may compete for their association or independently.

Section 3: Schools shall register either in the Junior Division or the Senior Division.

  1. Junior Division: Students in grades 5-9 may enter the Junior Division. This includes schools having K-8, 1-8, 5-9, 7-9, 6-8, 6-9, and K-9. Those students in the 9th grade of a 9-12 high school must compete in the Senior Division.
  2. Senior Division: Students in grades 9-12 must enter the Senior Division. This includes 9-12 and 10-12 schools. Schools that house K-12 or 1-12 must enter all 9th grade students in the Senior Division
  3. A given student may enter but one division in a given school year.

ARTICLE IV: ADMINISTRATION

The administration of the Kentucky High School Speech League shall consist of a Director, a Board of Directors, and the Regional Managers.

Section 1: The Director of the League: The Director shall be directly responsible for the enforcement of all League operations as stipulated by the Board and shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors.

Section 2: Board of Directors: The Board shall consist of two members from each Region, with one representing the Junior Division and one representing the Senior Division. A member will serve a two-year term. Only full-time faculty members are eligible to serve on the board.

The Board shall establish League regulations and contest rules exclusively. The policies of the League shall be determined by the Board of Directors as representatives of their constituents.

Each member school in each division shall have one vote in the selection of the Board of Directors (the ballot shall be sent to the first person listed on the registration form). Candidates for the Board shall be faculty of schools registered with the League. Ballots for the election shall be prepared, distributed, and tabulated by the Director. The Board will elect its own officers: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary. Issues may only be voted on by those members of the Board of Directors present (no phone-in or proxy votes allowed).

Any member of the Board of Directors who misses one meeting without notifying the Director with a valid excuse shall be replaced by the Director. Unexpired terms shall be filled by the Director with Board approval.

Section 3: Regional Managers: The Commonwealth of Kentucky shall be divided into geofraphical regions to facilitate effective administration. Each Region shall be under the direction of a manager appointed by the Director upon approval of the Board. The Board may at any time replace a Regional Manager. Such appointments shall be for indefinite terms. Regional Managers shall organize and administer Regional Tournaments for their particular Region. Regional Managers shall work in close cooperation with the League office and coaches within their regions, submitting reports of all appropriate speech activities to the Director.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

Section 1: The Board of Directors shall meet in regular session once each academic year at a time and place determined by the Board. The meetings shall be open to any bonafide representative of member schools, with voting privileges limited to Board members.

Section 2: Special meetings may be called by the Director, or by any five members of the Board.

Section 3: Those present at a regular Board of Directors meeting shall constitute a quorum. The Director and five Board members shall constitute a quorum for special meetings. The five board members shall be the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and three Board members appointed for that given year.

ARTICLE VI: FINANCES

Section 1: Registration fees: Registration fees shall be based upon membership as defined in Article iii, Section 3. Dollar amounts shall be fixed by the Board.

Section 2: Entry fees: In addition to the school registration fee, an entry fee shall be assessed against each individual student participant. If a given student participates in more than one event, appropriate fees shall be charged – one for each participation. Entry fees shall be determined by the Board and be kept at the minimum necessary to cover the expenses of the given festival or tournament.

Section 3: The League shall have available for sale at cost appropriate ballots for debate.

Section 4: All monies received by the League shall be deposited in an Agency Fund maintained by the host institution with the institution serving as the role of the banker.

Section 5: The fiscal year of the League shall be from 1 July to 30 June.

Section 6: League expenses shall include payments for awards, costs related to Regional and State workshops and festivals, and other organizational expenses approved by the Board. Part of its earnings shall be allowed to be used to supplement salary and/or benefits of the League personnel.

ARTICLE VII: CONTESTS

Section 1: The number and type of contests shall be determined by the Board. Rules governing these contests shall be published yearly and shall be distributed to all member schools as early as possible in the school year. All contest rules shall be approved by the Board. Major changes in rules and events must be tabled by the Board until the next regularly scheduled Board meeting so the Director can survey the member schools.

Section 2: Regional contests shall be administered by the Regional Managers.

Section 3: State contests shall be administered by the Director.

Section 4: All contests shall be judged by qualified personnel selected by the contest administrator.

Section 5: The judge's decision in any contest may not be reversed by the Director, neither shall any contest be re-run.

Section 6: Any student repeating material from a previous year will be immediately disqualified.

Section 7: The Grievance Committee and the League Director will resolve any complaints in regard to contests on the regional or state level with appeals being handled by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII: PUBLICATIONS

Section 1: The League shall publish a yearly Handbook detailing contest rules and such other information as directed by the Board.

Section 2: A Member ship Directory shall be published yearly.

Section 3: Regional Managers shall be responsible for printing suitable programs for Regional Speech Tournaments. The Director shall be responsible for printing programs for the State Drama Festival and Speech Tournament

Section 4: The Director shall be responsible for printing samples of materials designed to aid students and teachers in contest preparations.

ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Board at any regular or special meeting provided notice of intent to amend has been distributed to all Board Members at least 30 days prior to the date amendments are to be considered.

ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

In all matters not covered by this Constitution, the Kentucky High School Speech League, Inc. shall be governed by the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order.