CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I.

NAME.

SECTION I. The name of this Association shall be The Catholic Educational Association of the United States.

ARTICLE II.

OBJECT.

SECTION 1. The object of this Association shall be to keep in the minds of the people the necessity of religious instruction and training as the basis of morality and sound education; and to promote the principles and safeguard the interests of Catholic education, in all its departments.

SEC. 2. To advance the general interests of Catholic education, to encourage the spirit of cooperation and mutual helpfulness among Catholic educators, to promote by study, conference and discussion the thoroughness of Catholic educational work in the United States.

SEC. 3. To help the cause of Catholic education by the publication and circulation of such matter as shall further these ends.

ARTICLE III.

DEPARTMENTS.

SECTION 1. The Association shall consist of the Catholic Seminary Department; the Catholic College and University Department; the Catholic School Department. Other departments may be added with the approval of the Executive Board of the Association.

SEC. 2. Each Department regulates its own affairs and elects its own officers. There shall, however, be nothing in its regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.

ARTICLE IV.

OFFICERS.

SECTION I. The officers of the Association shall be a President General; several Vice Presidents General to correspond in number with the number of departments in the Association; a Secretary General; a Treasurer General; and an Executive Board. The Executive Board shall consist of these officers, and the Presidents of the Departments, and two other members elected from each department of the Association.

SEC. 2. All officers shall hold office until the end of the annual meeting, wherein their successors shall have been elected, unless otherwise specified in this Constitution.

ARTICLE V.

THE PRESIDENT GENERAL.

SECTION I. The President General shall be elected annually by ballot, in a general meeting of the Association.

SEC. 2. The President General shall preside at all meetings of the Association, and at the meetings of the Executive Board. He shall call meetings of the Executive Board by and with the consent of three members of the Board, and whenever a majority of the Board so desire.

ARTICLE VI.

THE VICE PRESIDENTS GENERAL.

SECTION 1. The Vice Presidents General, one from each department, shall be elected by ballot in the general meeting of the Association. In the absence of the President General, the First Vice President General shall perform his duties. In the absence of the President General and First Vice President General, the duties of the President General shall be performed by the Second Vice President General; and in the absence of all these, the Third Vice President General shall perform the duties. In the absence of the President General and all Vice Presidents General, a pro tempore chairman shall be selected by the Association on nomination, the Secretary putting the question.

ARTICLE VII.

THE SECRETARY GENERAL.

SECTION 1. The Secretary General shall be elected by the Executive Board. The term of his office shall not exceed three years, and he shall be eligible to re-election. He shall receive a suitable salary, and the term of his office and the amount of his compensation shall be fixed by the Executive Board.

SEC. 2. The Secretary General shall be Secretary of the general meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board. He shall receive, and keep on record all matters pertaining to the Association and shall perform such other duties as the Executive Board may determine. He shall make settlement with the Treasurer General for all receipts of his office at least once every month. He shall give bond for the faithful discharge of his duties. He shall have his records at the annual meeting and at the meetings of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VIII.

THE TREASURER GENERAL.

SECTION 1. The Treasurer General shall be the custodian of all moneys of the Association, except such funds as he may be directed by the Executive Board to hand over to the Trustees of the Association for investment. He shall pay all bills when certified by the President General and Secretary General, acting with the authority of the Executive Board. He shall make annual report to the Executive Board, and shall give bond for the faithful discharge of his duties.

ARTICLE IX.

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.

SECTION 1. The Executive Board shall have the management of the affairs of the Association. It shall make arrangements for the meetings of the Association, which shall take place annually. It shall have power to make regulations concerning the writing, reading and publishing of the papers of the Association. meetings.

SEC. 2. It shall have charge of the finances of the Association The expenses of the Association and the expenses of the departments shall be paid from the Association's treasury, under the direction and with the authorization of the Executive Board. No expense shall be incurred except as authorized by the Executive Board.

SEC. 3. It shall have power to regulate admission into the Association, to fix membership fees and to provide means for carrying on the work of the Association.

SEC. 4. It shall have power to create Trustees to hold the funds of the Association. It shall have power to form committees of its own members to facilitate the discharge of its work. It shall audit the accounts of the Secretary General, and of the Treasurer General. It shall have power to interpret the Constitution and regulations of the Association, and in matters of dispute its decisions shall be final. It shall have power to fill all vacancies occurring among its members.

SEC. 5. The Executive Board shall hold at least one meeting each year.

ARTICLE X.

MEMBERSHIP.

SECTION 1. Any one who is desirous of promoting the objects of this Association may be admitted to membership on payment of membership fee. The payment of annual fee entitles the member to vote in meetings of this Association, and to a copy of the publications of the Association issued after admission into the Association. The right to vote in department meetings is determined by the regulations of the several departments.

ARTICLE XI.

MEETINGS.

SECTION 1. Meetings of the Association shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Executive Board of the Association.

ARTICLE XII.

AMENDMENTS.

SECTION 1. This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at an annual meeting, provided that such amendment has been approved by the Executive Board and proposed to the members at a general meeting one year before.

ARTICLE XIII.

BY-LAWS.

SECTION 1. By-laws not inconsistent with this Constitution may be adopted at the annual meeting by a majority vote of the members present and voting; but no by-law shall be adopted on the same day on which it is proposed.

BY-LAWS.

1. The Executive Board shall have power to fix its own quorum, which shall not be less than one-third of its body.