CHAPTER

CONSTITUTION GUIDE
ENGLISH EDITION

"We believe:
That faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life;
That the brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations;
That economic justice can best be won by free men through free
enterprise;
That government should be of laws rather than of men;
That earth's great treasure lies in human personality;
And that service to humanity is the best work of life."

"Creemos:
Que la fe en Dios da sentido y objeto a la vida;
Que la hermandad de los hombres trasciende la soberana de las
naciones;
Que la justicia econmica puede ser obtenida mejor por hombres
libres a travs de la libre empresa;
Que los gobiernos deben ser de leyes ms que de hombres;
Que el gran tesoro de la tierra reside en la personalidad humana;
Y que servir a la humanidad es la mejor obra de una vida.

Nous croyons :
Que la foi en Dieu donne la vie son vritable sens;
que la fraternit humaine transcende la souverainet des nations;
que la libert des individus et de lentreprise assure mieux la justice
conomique;
que le gouvernement doit sappuyer sur la loi et non sur larbitraire;
que la personne humaine est la plus prcieuse des richesses;
et que servir lhumanit constitue luvre la plus noble dune vie.

CHAPTER CONSTITUTION GUIDE

2002 Edition

INTRODUCTION

For a local organization member (chapter) of Junior Chamber International (JCI), Inc., to satisfy the
requirements of its national organization, it must have a Constitution which embodies the regulations of
its national organization and reflects the principles of the JCI Constitution. To achieve this, a number of
requirements must be identified at local, national, and international levels.
This publication suggests a framework that provides a degree of standardization on which chapter
Constitutions can be based. It is not meant to be followed rigidly, as each Constitution should be drafted
to make allowances for local conditions. However, if a degree of uniformity among chapter Constitutions
can be achieved incorporating the principle points in this guide, the administration of the JCI organization
as a whole will benefit.
Chapter Constitution Guide is one of several publications prepared by the JCI World Headquarters. It is
our hope that you will find these guides valuable in your efforts to make your chapter administration more
effective, easily managed, and in accord with JCIs recommended structure.
We welcome your comments, criticisms, and suggestions so that we may continually improve our services
to you. Let us know your chapters other needs, and our professional staff will be happy to assist you.
Please be specific in your requests so that we can provide you with pertinent suggestions, publications,
and advice. We are here to help you in whatever way we can.

Secretary General
Junior Chamber International (JCI), Inc.

Copyright 2002 by Junior Chamber International (JCI), Inc. All rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE PURPOSE OF A CONSTITUTION.......................................................................................1

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF A JCI CHAPTER...........................................................2
SAMPLE CONSTITUTION OF A JCI CHAPTER
Chapter I

Name..............................................................................................................3

Chapter II

Emblem..........................................................................................................3

Chapter III

Affiliation.......................................................................................................3

Chapter IV

Purpose...........................................................................................................4

Chapter V

Membership....................................................................................................4

Chapter VI

General Assembly...........................................................................................6

Chapter VII

Membership Meetings....................................................................................7

Chapter VIII

Officers...........................................................................................................8

Chapter IX

Duties of Members of the Board of Directors...............................................10

Chapter X

Board of Directors........................................................................................12

Chapter XI

Executive Committee....................................................................................13

Chapter XII

Program Activities........................................................................................14

Chapter XIII

Finances........................................................................................................16

Chapter XIV

Dues..............................................................................................................16

Chapter XV

Principal Office.............................................................................................17

Chapter XVI

Rules of Procedure........................................................................................17

Chapter XVII

Amendments.................................................................................................17

APPENDIX I - The Question of Dues at Chapter Level

APPENDIX II - Standard Chapter Organizational Structure

CHAPTER CONSTITUTION GUIDE

THE PURPOSE OF A CONSTITUTION
The objects of any Constitution should be stated with clarity and simplicity. No Constitution can be
effective if it attempts to legislate for details, which are more suitably dealt with through policies, which
are the everyday working rules. The test of a Constitutions worth is its effectiveness in giving
prospective members a proper understanding of the nature, aims and purposes of the organization.
1.

The objectives of a Constitution are:

a.
To name the Association.
b.
To define the aims and purposes of the Association.
c.
To state who is eligible for membership.
d.
To prescribe how the Association shall be governed by covering such matters as:
i. What shall be the supreme authority; how shall it be composed; and when shall it meet?
ii. What officers shall it have; who shall elect or appoint them; and how shall they be elected
or appointed?
iii. How shall the policies be implemented, and who shall be responsible for seeing that this
work is fulfilled?
e.
To determine the method by which the Association shall be financed.
f.
To define parliamentary authority.
g.
To outline methods for amending the Constitution.

2.

The Constitution may be composed of:

a.

Articles: The articles of a Constitution are those separately marked sections or clauses, which
specify the purpose or other terms and conditions of the Association. The articles are the rules
and regulations by which the Association will work.

b.

Bylaws: The purpose of the bylaws is to help define the rules and regulations. As such, they
are subsidiary to the articles of the Constitution and must be drafted in a manner, which, in
the opinion of the organization, seems best suited to meet its requirements.

The specimen Constitution which follows is intended only as a guide. In drafting or reviewing its
Constitution, a local organization should bear in mind its own particular needs and circumstances.
Anyone using this document to draft or review a Constitution should also bear in mind that this sample
Constitution, its guidelines and comments reflect the official basic standards of Junior Chamber
International. Therefore, changes, additions or deletions should not be in conflict with the principles
therein.
Note: The comments made in the sample Constitution (typeset in italics) are not part of the Constitution
and should not be included in your Constitution as such.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF A JCI CHAPTER

The organizational structure of a chapter must be suited to meet its own needs. There are, nonetheless,
certain aspects of organization, which should be present in any chapter. These are:
1.

General Assembly. It is through this body that the control of the chapter is exercised. Its
composition is dealt with under Chapter VI of the sample Constitution.

2.

Board of Directors. The function of the Board of Directors is to provide direction to the chapter
and facilitate its administration. Its composition is dealt with under Chapter IX and X of the sample
Constitution.

3.

Executive Committee. Depending upon the size of the chapter, some of the members of the Board
of Directors may form an Executive Committee. The advantage of an Executive Committee is that
it can be called together easily to deal with urgent business and can attend to routine matters that
need not take the time of the whole Board. Its composition is dealt with in Chapter XI of the sample
Constitution.

4.

Project or Program Committees. The Project or Program Committees are the means through
which the work of the chapter is affected, and each member should be assigned to at least one
committee. Committees should be assigned to Directors or Managers according to the JCI Areas of
Opportunity. They should include within their terms of reference the work in which the chapter is
interested.

SAMPLE CONSTITUTION OF A JCI CHAPTER

CHAPTER I: NAME
ARTICLE 1-1.

NAME:

The Association shall be known as the Junior Chamber (name of city) and hereinafter in this
Constitution shall be referred to as the chapter.
COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 1-1:
JCI has adopted in its Constitution a Bylaw requiring all national organizations to use only the words
Junior Chamber before or after the name of the country. Chapters are also encouraged to use only the
words Junior Chamber before or after the name of their local community.
CHAPTER II: EMBLEM
ARTICLE 2-1.

EMBLEM:

If any, the emblem of the chapter shall consist of the emblem of Junior Chamber International, which
shall be reproduced as below:

BYLAW 2-2.
RESTRICTIVE USE:
The use of the name, initials and emblem
of Junior Chamber International shall be
restricted to properly affiliated members of the chapter and shall not be used by others without the written
consent of the President.
CHAPTER III: AFFILIATION
ARTICLE 3-1.

AFFILIATION:

The chapter shall be (and is hereby) affiliated with the (Name of national organization) and Junior
Chamber International, and this shall involve:
1.

Acceptance of the JCI Declaration of Principles and Purposes, which reads as follows:
The principles of Junior Chamber, inspired by the JCI Creed, are based on a belief in:
*
*
*
*
*
*

Faith in God
The brotherhood of man
Individual freedom and dignity
Government of laws
The value of human personality
Service to humanity.

2.

Compliance with the Constitution of the (name of the national organization) and Junior Chamber
International insofar as these affect the function of this chapter.

COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 3-1:

Some chapters would prefer to include the JCI Creed in full instead of only mentioning the JCI principles.
The sub point of Article 3-1 will then have to be rewritten accordingly.
CHAPTER IV: PURPOSES
ARTICLE 4-1.

PURPOSES OF THE JUNIOR CHAMBER:

The purpose of the Junior Chamber, inspired by the Declaration of Principles, shall be to contribute to the
advancement of the global community by providing the opportunity for young people to develop the
leadership skills, social responsibility, entrepreneurship and fellowship necessary to create positive
change.
ARTICLE 4-2.

PURPOSES OF THE CHAPTER:

The purposes of the chapter shall be:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Development of an awareness and acceptance of the responsibilities of citizenship.

Individual participation in internal training programs to develop leadership potential.
Active participation in planning and executing programs for the development of the individual and
the community.
Promotion of economic development.
Furtherance of understanding, goodwill and cooperation among all peoples.

ARTICLE 4-3.

POLITICS:

The chapter shall refrain from any partisan political activity, and its members shall avoid mixing their
personal activities with their Junior Chamber activities in a sense that the general public might infer that
the organization is politically oriented one way or another.
ARTICLE 4-4.

RELIGION:

This chapter shall refrain from sectarian or religious activities, and its members shall avoid mixing their
personal activities with their Junior Chamber activities in a sense that the general public might infer that
the organization is religiously oriented one way or another.
CHAPTER V: MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE 5-1.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Individual membership in this Association shall be open to young persons of good moral character in
respect to Article 5-2 and Bylaws 5-3 and 5-4.
ARTICLE 5-2.

AGE LIMIT:

The chapter shall maintain age limits of not less than eighteen (18) and not more than forty (40) years for
Individual Members, providing that membership shall continue until the end of the calendar year in which
4

the person reaches the age of forty (40) years, with the exception that the Immediate Past President may
serve in that capacity for not more than one (1) year.
BYLAW 5-3.
1.
2.
3.

REQUIREMENTS:

Applications shall be in writing on the form prescribed for that purpose and accompanied by the
first years subscription.
All applications must be sponsored by at least one member in good standing and must be accepted
by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Before being officially recognized, any member shall have attended an induction and basic training
course as set in the chapter policies.

BYLAW 5-4.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:

During the first months of affiliation, a member will be on a probationary period during which the
member should participate in all chapter activities and programs but will not have voting rights. After this
three-month period, the Board of Directors will confirm or deny the membership. During the probationary
period, all obligations including payments of dues apply.
ARTICLE 5-5.

RESIGNATION:

Any member may terminate association with the chapter immediately upon lodging notice of this wish
with the President, accompanied by all monies due to the chapter with no possible refund of dues already
paid.
ARTICLE 5-6.

DISQUALIFICATION:

Section 1. When two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board of Directors are of the opinion that a
member is no longer qualified for membership to the chapter, the Board of Directors may
suspend or terminate the membership of that member subject to ratification by a two-thirds
(2/3) vote of General Assembly.
Section 2. Any Individual Member whose dues are in arrears for more than thirty (30) days shall not be
entitled to vote at meetings of the chapter. A member whose dues are more than ninety (90)
days in arrears shall automatically cease to be a member.
COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 5-1 TO 5-6
When devising or reviewing Articles and Bylaws 5-1 to 5-6 of this Chapter, bear in mind that the quality
of the chapter membership will depend on the adherence to the principles mentioned, particularly in
Bylaws 5-3 and 5-4.
One may say that these Bylaws makes it too difficult for prospective members to join the organization.
Actually, the easier it is to be a member, the easier it is to quit. Conversely, when it is not easy to become
a member, members will think twice before resigning. Finally, it is very important for the credibility of the
chapter within the community that the member be properly trained and informed before they can be
recognized as members. Sponsorship by other members in Junior Chamberfar from being a way to
eliminate candidatesensures that the new member will receive any assistance needed.
ARTICLE 5-7.

OTHER MEMBERS:

Section 1. Honorary Members

Section 2. Sustaining Members. Any reputable individual or entity desiring to assist financially in
extending and promoting the purposes of the chapter shall be eligible for membership as a Sustaining
Member.
COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 5-7
Provision may be made for other memberships as may be determined by the chapter. These positions are
simply complimentary, granting the right to attend meetings and speak but neither to make motions nor
vote.
CHAPTER VI: GENERAL ASSEMBLY
ARTICLE 6-1.

SUPREME AUTHORITY:

The General Assembly shall constitute the supreme authority of the chapter. It shall control the affairs of
the chapter and shall retain all rights and privileges not specifically assigned to the Board of Directors, the
President, or any other chapter officer.
BYLAW 6-2.

EXCLUSIVE PREROGATIVES:

The General Assembly shall have the exclusive prerogative to vote on all of the following matters:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Election of all elective officers

Approval of the chapter Plan of Action and program(s) of activity of the ensuing year
Approval of the budget of the ensuing year
Amendments to the chapter Constitution
Approval of the appointment of the honorary auditors for the forthcoming year
Approval of the Long-Range Plan and reports.

BYLAW 6-3.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

The General Assembly shall receive and act upon reports and recommendations referred to it by the
Board of Directors or any member of that body and:
1.
2.
3.

To receive the Annual Reports of the members of the Board of Directors.

To receive the accounts for the year.
To transact any other business appropriate to an Annual General Meeting, including discussion and
approval of the chapter program of activities and budget for the ensuing year.

ARTICLE 6-4.

COMPOSITION:

The General Assembly shall be composed of:

1.
The chapter Board of Directors.
2.
All members in good standing at the time of any meetings.
Exceptions: The Honorary Members, Sustaining Members, and all other members as per Article 5-7 are
not part of the General Assembly.
ARTICLE 6-5.
6

VOTING:

At any meeting of the General Assembly, each Individual Member in good standing and present shall be
entitled to one vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands, except for election of the chapter officers or
unless a secret ballot be demanded by at least one-third (1/3) of the members present and voting.
BYLAW 6-6.

CASTING VOTE:

The President shall have the casting vote in case of equality votes, except in the case of election of
chapter officers.
ARTICLE 6-7.

PROXIES:

Proxies shall not be recognized, and no person may cast more than one vote.
ARTICLE 6-8.

QUORUM:

At any meeting of the General Assembly, fifty-one (51) percent of the total membership shall constitute a
quorum.
BYLAW 6-9.

DATE:

The General Assembly of this Association shall be held in the month of November each year at a date
decided by the Board of Directors.
BYLAW 6-10.

NOTICE:

Written notice of the General Assembly shall be dispatched by the Secretary General to every Individual
Member of the Chapter at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of said meeting. At least seven (7) days
before the General Assembly, the Secretary General shall send to each Individual Member an agenda
showing the business to be conducted and a list of those eligible for election to the Board of Directors.
BYLAW 6-11.

CANCELLATION:

The General Assembly can only be canceled for unexpected events. The General Assembly must be
rescheduled as soon as possible after the initial date.
CHAPTER VII: MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
ARTICLE 7-1.

OTHER GENERAL MEETINGS:

The chapter shall hold regular membership meetings on__________.

COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 7-1:
This Article must mention when these regular meetings will be held, for example, on the last Thursday of
each month. It is recommended that such meetings be held at least on a monthly basis, since they are not
only for business but also give an opportunity for the member to initiate and strengthen social relations.
Some chapters have bimonthly meetings, some even weekly meetings. However, too many General
Membership Meetings might inconvenience the member or interfere with committee business and have a
negative effect on chapter operation.

One idea is to alternate business meetings with social ones, so the membership will understand that
belonging to a chapter is not only having more obligations besides professional work and family duties.
Spouses might be invited to social meetings from time to time. The President may make announcements at
social meetings.
ARTICLE 7-2.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS:

Special General Meetings may be called at any time by the President, Board of Directors, or at the request
in writing of one third (1/3) of the membership in good standing. The object of such a meeting must be
stated at the time of requisition, and not less than fourteen (14) days notice of such a meeting must be
given to all members of the chapter.
CHAPTER VIII: OFFICERS
ARTICLE 8-1.

ELECTED OFFICERS:

The elected officers of the chapter shall be the:

1.
2.
3.

President.
Executive Vice President(s).
Vice President(s).

COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 8-1:

The number of Executive Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents depends on the size of the chapter. A
chapter can start with two (2) Vice Presidentsone in charge of Internal Affairs (Individual
Development and Management), and the second in charge of External Affairs (Community
Development, Business and Internationalism). When the chapter becomes larger, it can have four (4) Vice
Presidents in charge of the four JCI Areas of Opportunity. As the number of VPs increases, Executive Vice
Presidents should be elected in order to supervise those Vice Presidents.
ARTICLE 8-2.

APPOINTED OFFICERS:

The appointed officers of the chapter shall be the:

-

Treasurer.
General Legal Counsel.
Secretary or Secretary General.

ARTICLE 8-3.

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:

In addition to the elected officers, the Immediate Past President shall be an officer of the Chapter.
COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 8.3:
In new chapters, there will be no Immediate Past President the first year. In that event, it is common for
an experienced Jaycee (if available), who has previously been a member of another chapter, to fill this
position. Frequently the Immediate Past President also is the General Legal Counsel, and, in this case,
no GLC is appointed.
ARTICLE 8-4.
8

DUTIES:

The officers of the chapter shall carry out duties assigned by the President or as stipulated in this
Constitution.
ARTICLE 8-5.

ELECTION:

Each officer designated in Article 8-1 must be elected separately by a majority of votes cast during the
Annual General Meeting.
BYLAW 8-6.
1.

2.

NOMINATIONS:

Nominations shall be in writing, stating the name of the nominee and the office for which the
nominee is standing. They must also be supported by two members in good standing and received
by the Secretary General at least 30 days prior to the General Assembly. In addition the nominee
must deliver to the Secretary General a written consent to serve.
If no nominations for a position have been received in writing by the time of election, the chairman
may seek verbal nomination from General Assembly.

ARTICLE 8-7.

APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENTS:

The appointment of each officer to the Board of Directors as designated in Article 8-2 must be approved
by a majority of votes cast by the General Assembly during the Annual General Meeting or at any
General Membership Meeting held after January first of the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 8-8.

PERIOD OF OFFICE:

Elected and appointed officers shall hold office for a period of one (1) year commencing the first day of
January following their election or appointment. In the case of appointment after the first day of January,
the period of office will only be for the remaining part of the year of operation.
ARTICLE 8-9.

ELIGIBILITY:

Section 1. Restrictions:
No officer shall be eligible to hold the same office for more than one (1) term. A person may be re-elected
to the Board of Directors, but would not be eligible for reelection or reappointment to any office held in
the preceding year, unless:
1.
That officer was appointed to the office during the year and will not have served a full term in such
office prior to December 31.
2.
For a valid reason accepted by the President, the officer was obliged to resign before the expiration
of that officers term of office.
Section 2. Age:
No person shall be elected or appointed who will reach the fortieth (40th) birthday prior to assuming
office.
Section 3. Member:
Every nominee for election and every appointed officer shall be an Individual Member of the chapter and
must be, at the time of the election or appointment, current in the payment of dues to the chapter.
9

Section 4. Meeting Attendance:

Unless excused by the President for valid reasons, every nominee for election shall be in attendance at the
Annual General Meeting at which that individual is a nominee.
Section 5. Specific Qualifications of the President:
The President shall have served at least one year on the current or preceding Board of Directors.
COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 8-9, SECTION 5:
This section is obviously not applicable to the first year of a chapter. It is suggested to include it, but ask
the General Assembly to waive this section at the time of the first election. (See Article 17-3.)
BYLAW 8-10.

VACANCIES:

Section 1: Vacancies for any office on the Board of Directors other than that of the President, shall be
filled by a vote of the General Membership Meeting. Any member thus elected shall hold office for the
unexpired portion of the term of office of the original holder.
Section 2: Upon the death, disability, resignation, or other disposition that shall prevent the President
from serving, the Executive Vice President will assume the Presidency for the duration of the term for
which the President had been elected subject to the approval at the next General Membership Meeting. If
the chapter has no Executive Vice President, one of the Vice Presidents will be elected at the General
Membership Meeting.
BYLAW 8-11.

OATH:

All elected or appointed officers shall take the following Oath of Solemn Declaration of Office, to be
administered by the President at the Annual General Meeting or, if necessary, as soon thereafter as
possible:
I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of (title) of (name of chapter) and will,
to the best of my ability, serve as a living example of this organizations philosophy and beliefs, and
will uphold and enforce the Constitution of the Chapter, the National Organization and JCI at all
times.
BYLAW 8-12.

REMUNERATION:

All officers shall serve without financial remuneration.

CHAPTER IX: DUTIES OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
BYLAW 9-1.

DUTIES:

The President shall:

1.
10

Be responsible for the control and supervision of the chapter.

2.
3.
4.

Preside at all General Membership Meetings and meetings of the Board of Directors.
Represent the chapter in all instances.
Report to the General Assembly and Board of Directors.
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

BYLAW 9-2.

DUTIES:

The Executive Vice President shall:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Replace the President whenever needed or requested to do so by the President.

Assume overall responsibility for the membership growth of the chapter.
Monitor and coordinate the activities and programs of the chapter; supervise the activities of the
Vice Presidents.
Prepare the Plan of Action for the ensuing year.

COMMENTS ON BYLAW 9-2:

1.
2.

The duties described above apply where there is only one Executive Vice President.
Responsibility could be added or deleted depending on the number of members on the Board of
Directors.
VICE PRESIDENT

BYLAW 9-3.

DUTIES:

A Vice President shall:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Carry out such duties as may be assigned to him by the President and particularly to monitor,
coordinate, and promote the activities related to one or several JCI Areas of Opportunity.
Supervise the activities of the Commission Directors assigned to him.
Advise the President and Board of Directors on program and project matters.
Receive all material and information relating to programs and projects received from JCI and the
national organization in his field of responsibility and distribute these to the Directors concerned.
SECRETARY GENERAL

BYLAW 9-4.

DUTIES:

The Secretary General shall:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Be the administrative officer of the chapter responsible directly to the President.

Give notice of all General Membership Meetings of whatever nature.
Be responsible for taking minutes of General Membership Meetings and Board of Directors
Meetings and for keeping a permanent record of such minutes, which shall be open to inspection by
members at all reasonable times.
Prepare the agendas of all meetings and submit them to the President for approval.
Be responsible for the preparation of the Annual Report of the chapter.
TREASURER

11

BYLAW 9-5.

DUTIES:

The Treasurer shall:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Issue notices of dues payable and be responsible for their collection.

Keep books of accounts and financial records of the chapter.
Be responsible for the disbursement of monies at the direction of the Board of Directors.
Be responsible for the preparation of an Annual Report on the financial affairs of the chapter and
for quarterly financial statements.

All checks and other orders relating to the bank accounts of the chapter shall be signed by the President or
the Executive Vice President and shall be countersigned by the Treasurer.
GENERAL LEGAL COUNSEL
BYLAW 9-6.

DUTIES:

The General Legal Counsel shall:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Serve as Parliamentarian to the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.

Rule on matters of parliamentary procedure at the request of the presiding officer.
Make sure that the Constitution of JCI, the National Organization and chapter are respected at all
times.
Propose amendments to the chapter Constitution and Policy Manual if necessary.

BYLAW 9-7.

PARLIAMENTARIAN:

In the absence of the General Legal Counsel, the Presidentwith the concurrence of the meetingshall
appoint a Parliamentarian who shall serve for the period of the meeting.
PREAMBLE TO CHAPTERS X AND XI
Depending on the size of the chapter, and as a result of the size of the Board of Directors, an Executive
Committee can be settled.
Basically, the Executive Committee is composed of the President, the Executive Vice President, the
Secretary General, the Treasurer, and the General Legal Counsel. The Vice Presidents are not on the
Executive Committee, because they report to the Executive Vice President.
Note: If an Executive Committee is settled as a body apart from the Board of Directors, then a special
chapter must be drafted. This chapter will be numbered XI; Articles and Bylaws falling under this
chapter will be numbered accordingly. If there is no Executive Committee, Chapter XII and all
following chapters, Articles, and Bylaws of this sample Constitution will have to be renumbered.
CHAPTER X: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE 10-1.

COMPOSITION:

The Board of Directors is composed by the Executive Committee and the Vice Presidents.
BYLAW 10-2.
12

DUTIES:

The Board of Directors, which is the governing body of the chapter, shall:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Have control of the property of the chapter and the administration of its funds.
Discharge all functions of the chapter except those exercised by the General Assembly or delegated
to the Executive Committee, if any.
Make recommendations to the General Assembly.
Act on all matters referred to it by the General Assembly.
Plan and coordinate chapter activities.
Approve the affiliation of members.

BYLAW 10-3.

MEETINGS:

Section 1. Regular Meetings:

Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held monthly at such time and place as the President shall
decide. Five (5) days written notice of such meetings shall be given to each member by the Secretary
General, except when specifically scheduled at the time of the last meeting with mention in the minutes.
Section 2. Special Meetings:
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or by the Secretary General at
the request of at least one-third (1/3) of the members of the Board.
BYLAW 10-4.

QUORUM:

Fifty-one (51) percent of the members at any meeting of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
BYLAW 10-5.
1.
2.
3.

VOTING:

At all meetings of the Board of Directors each member present shall have one vote.
Voting shall be determined by a show of hands, unless decided otherwise at the Presidents
discretion or by one-third (1/3) of the members present at the meeting.
Proxy votes shall not be permitted.
CHAPTER XI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

ARTICLE 11-1.

COMPOSITION:

The President, the Executive Vice President, the Immediate Past President, the Secretary General, the
Treasurer and the General Legal Counsel shall comprise an Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 11-2.

DUTIES:

The Executive Committee shall:

1.
2.
3.

Manage the affairs of the chapter within the powers vested in it by the Constitution and the General
Assembly.
Implement the action decided upon by the General Assembly and the Board of Directors.
Recommend action to the Board of Directors.

13

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Constituted as a Finance Committee, review and revise the annual budget whenever deemed
necessary for submission to the Board of Directors for approval.
Receive reports from its members.
Propose, receive or consider constitutional amendments; endorse, recommend against, or request
changes to them. The proposer of the amendments shall be so informed and may maintain,
withdraw, or alter his amendments.
Receive and consider Senatorship applications and give advice to the President for endorsement or
rejection of same (in case there is no Senatorship Committee).
Be empowered by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of its members to dismiss any officer who does not
fulfill the duties of the office.
Upon recommendation of the President, set the duties and composition of a Strategic Planning
Committee and appoint its members.

BYLAW 11-3.

MEETINGS:

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall meet once a month at a place and time set by the President.
Section 2. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be held at the request of the President or a
majority of its members.
BYLAW 11-4.

QUORUM:

A quorum of the Executive Committee shall comprise a majority of its members.

BYLAW 11-5.
1.
2.

VOTING:

At all meetings of the Executive Committee each member shall have one vote.
Voting shall be determined by a show of hands unless decided otherwise at the Presidents
discretion or by one-third (1/3) of the members present at the meeting.
CHAPTER XII: PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

ARTICLE 12-1.

AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY:

To facilitate the achievement of the purposes of the chapter, its program activities shall apply to all four
Areas of Opportunity with the following terms of reference:
1.

Individual Opportunities: To provide the opportunity for the Individual Member to realize
personal potential through training programs.

2.

Community Opportunities: To develop the sensitivity of the Individual Member to societal

problems and knowledge of community dynamics in solving these problems through actual
experience.

3.

International Opportunities: To provide the opportunity for the Individual Member to contribute
to the development of goodwill, understanding, and cooperation among all peoples.

4.

Business Opportunities: To provide the opportunity for the Individual Member to contribute to the
development of the economic infrastructure, prosperity and well-being of all nations.

BYLAW 12-2.
14

COMMISSIONS:

In order to organize the chapters activities in a balanced and orderly manner, program activities shall be
conducted by the following commissions established under the JCI Areas of Opportunity:
1.

Individual Opportunities:
a.
b.
c.
d.
f.

Community Opportunities:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

JCI Major Emphasis Theme Commission

Community Development/Involvement Commission
Economic Affairs Commission
Children and Youth Commission
Government and Civil Affairs Commission

International Opportunities:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Personal Development Commission

Trainers Commission
Officers Training Commission
Membership Growth & Extension Commission
Meetings Commission

International Affairs and Relations Commission

Chapter Twinning Commission
JCI Meetings Commission
Awards Commission

Business Opportunities:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Finance Commission
Records Commission
Strategic Planning Commission
Marketing and Public Relations Commission
Business Affairs Commission
International Business Council
Chamber of Commerce Partnership Commission

COMMENTS ON BYLAW 12-2:

JCI recommends to each chapter that, subject to its membership needs, a Vice President be appointed for
each Area of Opportunity and any Commission Directors to any Standing Committees falling within the
above classifications. In larger chapters, there may be need for more than one officer per Area of
Opportunity.
BYLAW 12.3.

COMMISSION DIRECTORS:

The Chapter shall appoint one Director for each of the commissions mentioned in Bylaw 12.2.
The Commission Directors shall:
1.

Supervise the activities of the Project Chairmen assigned to their commissions.

15

2.
3.

Promote, coordinate, and supervise program and project activities within the terms of reference of
their assigned responsibilities.
Study information received relating to their responsibilities and recommend suitable action to the
Board of Directors.

BYLAW 12-4.

PROJECT CHAIRMEN:

Subject to ratification by the Board of Directors, a Project Chairman shall be appointed for each approved
project. Project Chairmen shall be responsible for the promotion, activation and coordination of their
projects; be Chairman of the Project Committee; and shall report on the progress of the project to the
Commission Director.
BYLAW 12-5.

AWARDS:

The chapter shall set an Awards Program to recognize and honor outstanding achievement in the
fulfillment of the purpose of Junior Chamber by its members and possibly appoint an officer to act as
Awards Manager.
CHAPTER XIII: FINANCES
ARTICLE 13-1.

FINANCIAL YEAR:

The financial year of the chapter shall be from January 1 to December 31.
BYLAW 13-2.

BOOKKEEPING:

The cash-book, ledger, and other bookkeeping records of the chapter shall be maintained by the Treasurer
under the supervision of the Board of Directors.
BYLAW 13.3.

BUDGET:

The Treasurer shall propose a budget for the ensuing year for submission to the Board of Directors. The
proposed budget shall then be submitted to the General Assembly for its approval.
BYLAW 13-4.

QUARTERLY REPORTS:

The Treasurer shall prepare quarterly financial statements and circulate them to the Board of Directors for
possible revision.
CHAPTER XIV: DUES
ARTICLE 14-1.

PAYMENT:

The Membership dues shall be paid annually no later than March 1.

COMMENTS ON ARTICLE 14.1:
A chapter may decide to request dues payment on a semiannual or quarterly basis. However, the more
installments, the greater burden it is for the Treasurer and the President to maintain records. Ideally, have
no more than four dues payment dates. Whenever dues dates are chosen, the chapter must take into
account the payment of the National dues.
16

BYLAW 14-2.

AMOUNT:

The annual due for an Individual Member is_________.

COMMENTS ON BYLAW 14.2:
1.
2.
3.

This article may also indicate the amount of dues to be paid by Honorary Members, Sustaining
Members, or Associate Members, if applicable.
Some chapters charge an admission fee to be paid once by each member at the time of induction (to
cover expenses such as new members kit, members pin, etc.)
Refer to additional comments made on attached appendix, The Question of Dues at Chapter
Level.

BYLAW 14-3.

NONPAYMENT OF DUES:

Any member who has not paid dues may temporarily or definitely cease to be a member as per Bylaw 5.6,
Section 2.
ARTICLE 14-4.

COLLECTION OF DUES IN TRUST:

All payments made by Individual Members for JCI dues shall be held in trust by the chapter and included
in the next membership registration and remitted in full to the national organization.
CHAPTER XV: PRINCIPLE OFFICE
ARTICLE 15-1.

PLACE:

The principal office of the chapter shall be located at ______________.

CHAPTER XVI: RULES OF PROCEDURE
ARTICLE 16-1:

PROCEDURE:

The business of this chapter shall be conducted according to this Constitution and, where not otherwise
provided, by Roberts Rules of Order Revised.
CHAPTER XVII: AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE 17-1.

ARTICLES:

Articles and Bylaws of this Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the General
Assembly members present and voting at the Annual General Meeting, provided that written notice of the
proposed amendment is given to each member thirty (30) days prior to the date the meeting is to be held.
ARTICLE 17-2.

WAIVER:

Articles and Bylaws of this Constitution may be waived by a unanimous vote of members at the Annual
General Meeting, provided that four-fifths (4/5) of the total voting strength in attendance participate in the
vote.

17

18

APPENDIXES

19

20

APPENDIX I
THE QUESTION OF DUES AT CHAPTER LEVEL
This appendix is mainly intended to assist new or prospective chapters; nevertheless, some longestablished chapters may find some basic and useful reminders.
Due to major differences among countries in terms of economy and purchasing power regarding
membership recruitment, it is impossible to provide chapters or potential chapters with more than general
remarks on handling the question of dues.
First of all, there may be a lack of understanding of the organizations structure. The dues that an
Individual Member pays to the chapter are financial resources not only for the chapter but also for the
national organization and Junior Chamber International.
Neither a chapter nor a national organization is as strong on its own as it is within an international
organization.
Every member or prospective member should be informed of this basic principle. Ideally, the individual
will understand that the payment of dues grants membership not only to a local and national organization
but also to Junior Chamber International.
Second, dues are not supposed to finance community development projects or programs, which are to be
financed by fund-raising projects or sponsorships. Dues are to finance the administrative functioning of
the chapter and, as a result, the functioning of the national organization and Junior Chamber International.
To a certain extent, dues could finance programs related to recruitment, training, Public Relations and
marketing. However, these programs would be better financed through fund-raising projects and
sponsorships.
When setting the dues members should pay the chapter, the chapter must remember that it should be
enough to pay the national organization dues, with the remainder sufficient to finance the functioning of
the chapter.
The above remarks show how difficult it is to determine a dues level. Two very important observations
are apparent:
1.

When a philosophy is set, it is difficult to change it, i.e., if you decide on low dues and then raise it,
you will probably have members fighting against the raise and even leaving the organization. The
opposite is also true: if the dues level is high and the chapter lowers it to attract new members, it
might risk losing members who feel the lower dues somehow devaluates membership and do not
want to belong to a low-level organization.

2.

Human nature prescribes that the more difficult it is to become a member of a group, the more
attractive such membership is. Also, when a member pays a due, that member wants something in
return. The more paid, the greater the desire to remain in order to gain the proper return on
investment. If your chapter is really providing what it is supposed to, higher dues might be a
recruitment difficulty but will also be a retention factor.

21

Finally, based on what should be paid to the national organization (which, in turn, must pay dues to JCI),
the minimum dues members should pay the chapter should be at least four (4) times what is owed JCI by
the national organization. Since the basic JCI due is US$10.50, the projected chapter due per member
would be US$42.

22

APPENDIX II
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
There is no ideal organizational structure that fits the needs of every Junior Chamber chapter, but there is
one that is right for yours.
Here are a few guidelines that will assist you in designing your chapters structure:
1.

No one person should be required to supervise more than ten people.

2.

The workload should be balanced among the Board members.

3.

The system must be flexible so that additional people and programs can be added during the year. It
must also be flexible enough to handle a reduction in the number of people and programs.

4.

It must provide for easy and rapid two-way communications. Remember, as the number of middlemanagement levels increases, the difficulties of communication multiply.

5.

It must allow for delegation of responsibility and authority.

6.

All supervisors must know what is expected of them, the importance of their roles in achieving
overall objectives, and the standards by which their performances will be judged.

Following are three sample organizational structures that may be helpful to you as you examine your
present structure. Remember, they are only samples; use all or just those portions that you feel are
applicable to your chapter.

FOR CHAPTERS WITH LESS THAN 30 MEMBERS

PRESIDENT*

SECRETARY
GENERAL

VICE
PRESIDENT*
Individual and
Business

IMMEDIATE
PAST
PRESIDENT
AND LEGAL
COUNSEL

VICE
PRESIDENT*
Community
and
International

COMMISSION
DIRECTORS

COMMISSION
DIRECTORS

PROJECT
CHAIRMEN

PROJECT
CHAIRMEN

TREASURER

MEMBERS

* Elected by General Assembly

23

FOR CHAPTERS WITH 31 TO 50 MEMBERS

PRESIDENT*

SECRETARY
GENERAL

GENERAL
LEGAL
COUNSEL

IMMEDIATE
PAST
PRESIDENT

VICE
PRESIDENT*
Individual Area

VICE
PRESIDENT*
Community
Area

JCI Mission:
VICE
PRESIDENT*
International
Area

TREASURER

VICE
PRESIDENT*
Business Area

To contribute to the advancement of the global

community
by providing
theCOMMISSION
opportunity
for young
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS skills,
DIRECTORS
people
to develop
the leadership
social
PROJECT
PROJECT
PROJECT and fellowship
PROJECT
responsibility,
entrepreneurship
CHAIRMEN
CHAIRMEN
CHAIRMEN
CHAIRMEN
necessary to create positive change.
MEMBERS

La Misin de la JCI:

FOR CHAPTERS WITH MORE THAN 50 MEMBERS

PRESIDENT*

Contribuir al adelanto de la comunidad mundial

SECRETARY
GENERAL
EXECUTIVE
IMMEDIATE
proporcionando
a las
personas
jvenes TREASURER
la
GENERAL
LEGAL
VICE
PAST
COUNSEL
PRESIDENT
oportunidad
de desarrollar
la PRESIDENT
capacidad de
liderazgo,
la responsabilidad
social, el VICE
espritu
VICE
VICE
VICE
PRESIDENT*
PRESIDENT* y el
PRESIDENT*
PRESIDENT*
empresarial
compaerismo
necesarios
para
Community
Individual Area
Business Area
International
Area
Area
crear cambios
positivos.
COMMISSION
DIRECTORS

COMMISSION
DIRECTORS

PROJECT
CHAIRMEN

PROJECT
CHAIRMEN

COMMISSION
DIRECTORS

COMMISSION
DIRECTORS

PROJECT
La Mission de la Jeune
Chambre :
CHAIRMEN

PROJECT
CHAIRMEN

"Contribuer au progrs
de la communaut
MEMBERS
mondiale en offrant aux jeunes gens la possibilit
* Elected by General Assembly
de dvelopper les techniques de direction, la
responsabilit sociale, lesprit dentreprise et la
solidarit ncessaire pour effectuer des
changements positifs."

Junior Chamber International

Cmara Junior Internacional
Jeune Chambre Internationale
Published by:

Junior Chamber International

16120 Chesterfield Parkway West, Suite 250
Chesterfield, MO 63017 U.S.A.
TEL. 1 (636) 449 3100 ; FAX 1 (636) 449 3107
E-mail: Training@Juniorchamber.org - Web site: www.juniorchamber.org