 Preamble
The American Junior Simmental Association, herein after referred to as the AJSA, is the official youth organization of the American Simmental Association. The AJSA and its members shall be subject to all rules and bylaws of the American Simmental Association unless otherwise specified herein. The constitution and bylaws of the AJSA, as ratified by the membership of the AJSA and approved by the Board of Trustees of the American Simmental Association, are to serve as a framework within which the affairs of the AJSA shall be conducted. Amendments to the constitution, as well as all policy decisions made by the AJSA Board of Trustees, shall be subject to final approval by the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees before said decisions become official AJSA policy. Article I: Name and PurposeSection 1: The American Junior Simmental Association is an official entity of
and shall operate within the scope of the bylaws, rules, policies and regulations
of the American Simmental Association.
Section 2: The objectives and purposes of the American Junior Simmental
Association shall be as follows:
(a) To improve and promote the SimGenetics.
(b) To improve and develop the capabilities of youth, both individually
and through group participation, in breeding, raising, exhibiting and
promoting SimGenetics.
(c) To develop and improve scholarship, leadership and community interest
among young cattlemen.
(d) To encourage high moral character, sportsmanship and clean living
among its members.
(e) To provide a mechanism whereby junior members may work in
conjunction with the American Simmental Association Activities
and Events Committee.
(f) To assist state associations with their youth programs and activities.
(g) To acquaint junior members and state associations with the structure
and functions of AJSA and ASA. Article II: Membership, Voting, Fees & Approval of State Jr. Assoc.
Section 1: Membership:
Active members shall be persons twenty-one (21)
years of age or under as of January 1 of the membership year.
Section 2: Voting:
Voting rights in the organization shall be vested exclusively
with active members.
Section 3: Fees:
AJSA membership fees are included in the fee paid to ASA
for a junior membership. AJSA members are entitled to all privileges of said
organization and, in addition, all privileges of membership in the American
Simmental Association, the parent organization, including the right to register
animals at member fees, but excluding the right to vote or hold office in the
parent organization.
Section 4: Approval of state junior associations:
Only one organization per state will be recognized by ASA. A state junior association will be
recognized and considered in good standing with ASA when the following conditions are met:
(a) A list of state junior association officers and state youth advisor(s)
is submitted to ASA on or before March 31 of each year.
(b) All state junior association officers are active members of AJSA.
(c) A state membership list is submitted to ASA on or before May 31 of
each year.
(d) The ASA is notified of any amendments to the state constitution.
New affiliates must send a complete constitution and bylaws to the ASA.
(e) No provision of the state association constitution is in conflict with the
AJSA or ASA constitution, bylaws or general rules and regulations.
(f) Membership is open to all youth twenty-one (21) years of age and under,
interested in Simmental cattle. Article III: Trustees, Officers and Executive CommitteeSection 1: Board of Trustees
(a) The active membership from each of the four (4) areas of the organization
shall elect annually, by majority vote, two (2) of their number to serve as
members of the Board of Trustees for a two-year term. No more than two
Trustees from one state can serve on the AJSA Board of Trustees at the
same time.
(b) Vacancy: In the case of any vacancy on the Board of Trustees, a successor
shall be selected from that area by the remaining members of the
Board to complete the unexpired term.
(c) Powers of the Board: The Board of Trustees shall have the power and
authority to:
1. Direct the affairs of the organization, including, but not limited to,
the right to amend or repeal the constitution of the organization,
subject to a vote of the membership.
2. Establish guidelines concerning the conduct, management and activities
of the organization, the admission, classification, qualification,
suspension and expulsion of members, removal of officers, expenditure
of money and other details relating to the general purposes of
the organization subject to review by the ASA Activities and Events
Committee and approval of the ASA Board of Trustees.
(d) Attendance: If any AJSA Trustee has two unexcused absences from
meetings or Classics, that Trustee is subject to removal from the Board
by the vote of the other AJSA Trustees.
Section 2: Areas of the organization:
The continental United States and Canada shall be divided into four (4) geographic areas
that are synonymous with the area designations for ASA. Junior members of foreign
countries will participate in the ASA area nearest their address.
Section 3: Officers:
The officers of the organization shall be the President, First
Vice President, Second Vice President, and two (2) area Vice Presidents, who
shall be elected by the Board of Trustees annually from the Board membership.
No more than one (1) Vice President shall be elected from a single area. The
term of office shall be one (1) year or until their successors are elected.
(a) President: The President shall preside over all Association meetings,
meetings of the Board of Trustees and meetings of the Executive Committee.
The President shall appoint all committees.The President shall
submit to the members at their annual meeting a report of the status of
the Association and its activities during the preceding year. No Trustee
of this Association may serve more than one year as President.
The President shall have such other duties and authority as maybe
prescribed elsewhere in this constitution or as determined by the Board
of Trustees.
(b) First Vice President: The First Vice President shall, in the absence, disability
or inability of the President to act, perform the duties or exercise
the powers of the President, and shall perform such other duties as the
President shall prescribe.
(c) Second Vice President: The Second Vice President shall attend all meetings
of the membership and of the Board of Trustees and shall record or cause to
be recorded all votes taken and the minutes of all proceedings in a Minutes
Book of the Association to be kept for that purpose, and shall perform such
duties as the President shall prescribe. The Second Vice President shall, in
the absence, disability, or inability of the President and the First Vice President,
perform the duties or exercise the powers of the President.
(d) Area Vice Presidents: The Area Vice Presidents shall perform such duties
as prescribed by the President.
(e) Vacancies of elective offices: All vacancies in the elective offices of the
organization shall be filled by election from the Board of Trustees for the
unexpired term. Those so elected shall serve until the election and
acceptance of their duly qualified successors.
Section 4: Executive Committee
(a) The Executive Committee of the organization shall consist of the President,
First Vice President, Second Vice President and the two (2) Area
Vice Presidents, elected by the Board of Trustees at its annual meeting.
(b) Powers of Executive Committee: All powers of the Board of Trustees
shall be, and they are hereby vesting in the Executive Committee. The
Executive Committee is empowered to direct the affairs of the organization
between annual meetings of the membership or meetings of the
Board of Trustees. Article IV: MeetingsSection 1: Membership Meetings:
(a) Meetings: The annual meeting of the membership shall be held at
such time and place as may be fixed by the Executive Committee of the
organization for the purpose of electing Trustees of the organization and
conducting such other business as may be brought before the meeting.
Special meetings of the membership may be called at the direction of
the President or by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.
(b) Notice of meetings: Written or printed notice of all meetings, stating
the place, date and hour of meeting, and in the case of a special meeting,
the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is being called, shall be
mailed not less than thirty (30) days before the date of the meeting. Such
notice shall be deemed to be mailed when deposited with the United
States Postal service and addressed to active members at their address
as it appears in the records of the Association.
(c) Quorum: A quorum for an annual membership meeting shall consist
of the active members, in good standing and present.
(d) Parliamentary procedures: Standard parliamentary procedure as
defined by Robert’s Rules of Order shall be followed at all meetings
of the Association membership.
Section 2: Board of Trustee Meetings
(a) Meetings: An annual meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be held at
such time and place as may be fixed by the Executive Committee of the
organization for the purpose of electing officers of the organization and
conducting such other business as may be brought before the meeting.
Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be held at such time and
place as designated in the notice, whenever called in writing by the
directors of the President or by a majority of the Board of Trustees.
(b) Notice of meetings: Written or printed notice of all meetings, stating the
place, date and hour of the meeting, and in the case of a special meeting,
the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be mailed
not less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting. Such notice
shall be deemed to be mailed when deposited with the United States
Postal Service and addressed to active members at their address as it
appears in the records of the Association.
(c) Quorum: A majority of the number of Trustees shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business, but if at any meeting of the Board there
may be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may
adjourn the meeting until a quorum shall be present.
(d) Parliamentary Procedure: Standard parliamentary procedure as
defined by Robert’s Rules of Order shall be followed at all meetings of
the Board of Trustees.
Section 3: Executive Committee meetings:
(a) The Executive Committee shall meet whenever called by the President
or three (3) of the members of the Committee acting jointly.
(b) Quorum: The quorum of the Executive Committee shall be three (3) members. Article V: CommitteeSection 1: Standing Committees:
The following Standing Committees will be appointed: Membership,
Education and Public Information, Finance and Special Events.
Section 2: Standing Committee Chairpersons:
Each Standing Committee shall be chaired by a Vice President of the AJSA.
Section 3: Committee members:
Standing Committee members shall be appointed by the President. Each
Trustee of the AJSA shall serve as a member of one (1) Standing Committee.
Section 4: Temporary Committees:
Temporary Committees shall be created at the discretion of the President.
Chairpersons and members of Temporary Committees shall be appointed by the President. Article VI: Place of BusinessSection 1: The official place of business for this organization shall be the
American Simmental Association, One Simmental Way, in Bozeman, Montana. Article VII: AmendmentsSection 1: The constitution of the organization may be amended at the annual
meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting.
Section 2: Proposed amendments to the constitution may be brought before
the annual membership meeting only if previously approved by a majority
vote of the AJSA Board of Trustees or the AJSA Executive Committee.
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