| Brochure | Constitution | Officers | Calendar of Events | |
| Contact | NFB of SC | Blindness Related Links | NFB | Access Technology |
The name of this organization shall be the South Carolina Association of Blind Students.
The purpose of this organization shall be to promote the educational welfare of secondary and post-secondary blind students of South Carolina and of the nation, to provide information and guidance to younger blind students, and to function as an integral part of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.
1. Active membership shall be of two (2) classifications:
A. Voting members, who must be blind and enrolled in secondary or post-secondary education, and
B. Associate members, who are sighted members or blind members no longer enrolled in post-secondary education and who shall have all privileges and responsibilities except those of holding office and of voting.
2. The First Vice President of this organization shall serve as Chairman of the Membership Committee which shall process all applications for membership to be submitted to the organization for action. The First Vice President shall serve as Attendance Chairman.
3. To comply with the constitution of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and the National Federation of the Blind, a good faith effort shall be made by this organization to maintain a membership consisting of a majority of blind members.
Membership in this organization automatically establishes membership in the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and the National Federation of the Blind.
Any member may be expelled for violation of this Constitution or for conduct unbecoming to a member of the Federation by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the active members present and voting at any regular business session of this organization. Any person who feels that he/she has been unjustly expelled from this organization may appeal to the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.
There shall be elected annually, a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and two Members of the Board of Directors. The terms of these officers shall begin immediately upon their election to office at the annual meeting of this organization. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the active members who are present and voting. There shall be no proxy voting. If no nominee receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the name of the person receiving the fewest votes shall be dropped from the list of nominees; and a second ballot shall be taken. This procedure shall continue until one of the nominees has received a majority vote from the active members present and voting. The duties of each officer shall be those ordinarily associated with that office.
The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of the five (5) constitutional officers and the two at-large Members of the Board of Directors. The Board shall meet at least two (2) times a year. Special meetings may be held at the call of the President or on written call signed by any four (4) of the board members. The Board shall advise the President and shall have charge of the affairs of the organization between meetings. At least four (4) members of the Board must be present at any meeting to constitute a quorum to transact business. The Board may be polled by telephone or mail ballot on any question.
This organization shall meet annually at the state convention of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.
The President may call other meetings of the body at any time he/she or a majority of the Board of Directors deems necessary. At such special meeting at least thirty-three and one-third (33-1/3) percent of the voting members must be present to constitute a quorum to transact business.
At the annual meeting, the sitting President of the South Carolina Association of Blind Students shall give a "State of the Division" address, reporting on the membership and activities of the Division over the past year.
The President may appoint such committees as he/she or the organization deems necessary.
The South Carolina Association of Blind Students shall be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, and this organization shall furnish to the President of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina annually, during the month of January, a list of the names and addresses of its members and elected officers. Further, a complete financial report showing all financial transactions for the previous calendar year shall be furnished to the State President by March 1st for appropriate accounting purposes and to comply with 501(c)(3) requirements and for Internal Revenue Service purposes. A copy of the Constitution of the South Carolina Association of Blind Students and of all amendments to the Constitution shall be sent to the President of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina immediately upon adoption.
The South Carolina Association of Blind Students shall not merely be a social organization, but shall formulate programs and actively work to promote the economic, social, and spiritual betterment of the blind. This organization shall comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind. Policy decisions of the National Federation of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina (whether made by the National Convention or the National Board of Directors or the State Convention or the State Board of Directors) are binding on this organization and this organization shall participate affirmatively in carrying out such policy decisions. As a condition of affiliation, it is agreed by this organization that the National Federation of the Blind (whether by action of the State Convention or the State Board) has the power to expel or discipline an individual member and to expel or reorganize a state affiliate or local chapter. In the event of reorganization, the assets of this organization belong to the reorganized chapter; and the former chapter shall dissolve and cease to exist.
The name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof is the property of the National Federation of the Blind; and this organization, if it ceases to be a part of the National Federation of the Blind (for whatever reason), shall forfeit the right to use the name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any variant thereof.
The dues of this organization shall be $5.00 per year payable in advance. The division shall promptly forward $2.00 per year to the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina for each member. No person may vote who is delinquent in the payment of his/her dues.
The funds of this organization shall be deposited in a bank
to be selected by the Treasurer with the approval of the
President. All financial obligations of this organization shall
be discharged by check, issued on written order by the President
and signed by the Treasurer, or in his/her absence or incapacity,
such check may be signed by the President. Written detailed
financial reports shall be given at the regular meetings of this
organization by the Treasurer.
In the event of the dissolution of this organization, or if (for whatever reason) it ceases to be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, its assets shall be given to the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina to be held in trust for a reorganized chapter. In the event no chapter is organized in the area for a period of two (2) years from the date this organization ceases to be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, the assets become the property of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.
This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of this organization by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members present and voting, provided the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing and read at a previous regular business session, and provided it is in compliance with the provisions of the Charter of Affiliation received from the National Federation of the Blind and with the policies of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.
This page was last updated on 2 June 2000
© Copyright 1997-2000 South Carolina Association of Blind Students
