6.0 The State Chapter

THE STATE CHAPTER

The PA FBLA Management shall administer the operation of the Pennsylvania FBLA chapter in accordance with policies established by the PA FBLA Board of Directors; bylaws approved by the voting delegates at the SLC; the National FBLA office; and guidelines developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Career and Technical Education. The State Chapter is organized as shown in this chart.

State FBLA Office

The state FBLA office issues information to keep local chapters informed; renders advice to schools wishing to organize FBLA chapters; plans and conducts a state leadership conference to carry on state chapter business and provide competitive activities; prepares, disseminates, and updates this publication which provides guidelines for administering FBLA on the local, regional, and state levels; and prepares and updates the Pennsylvania FBLA website which provides information useful to members.

Board of Directors

The PA FBLA Board of Directors serves as the policy-making body of the state chapter and is comprised of the following voting members: (a) six local advisers at large, (b) the PA FBLA state president, (c) the PA FBLA state first vice president, (d) a representative from business and/or industry, (e) a representative from school administration, (f) two persons at large, (g) the PA FBLA Board treasurer, (h) an alumnus of FBLA, (i) two retired members of education or the education field, (j) the adviser to the state president, and (k) the adviser to the state first vice president. The following shall serve on the Board of Directors in a non-voting capacity: (a) the PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman, (b) the PA FBLA Conference Coordinator, (c) the PA FBLA State Adviser, (d) the PA Competitive Events Coordinator(s), (e) Middle Level Coordinator, (f) Virtual Chapter Coordinator/Adviser, (g) the PDE business education/ marketing adviser, (h) the PDE FBLA CTSO facilitator, and (i) the immediate past president of the Board of the Directors.

A candidate for a position on the Board must complete an online application form and submit as directed. The signature of the superintendent is mandatory if applying for one of the adviser-at-large positions. Elections shall take place by mail or electronic ballot, and only one adviser per chapter is eligible to vote. The Board of Directors application will be completed online; however, a printed worksheet is found in Appendix L.

In order to be eligible to apply for the FBLA Alumnus position, the applicant must have completed at least three years after high school graduation and cannot currently be serving as a local chapter adviser. In order to be eligible to apply for the person-at-large position, the applicant must have completed at least three years after high school graduation. In order to apply for the school administrator position, the applicant must have three complete years of service as a school administrator. In order to be eligible to apply for an adviser-at-large position, the applicant must have three years’ experience as an FBLA chapter adviser.

Local chapter advisers shall be eligible to cast ballots for the FBLA Alumnus position on the Board of Directors.

Refer to Article II of the PA FBLA Bylaws for more information on the Board of Directors.

Board members shall be reimbursed at the IRS rate for travel plus the necessary lodging and planned meals for official Board functions, unless reimbursed by their school or business.

The rotation schedule for the board of directors is available here.

When a vacancy is created, the Board shall have the authority to appoint a successor to fulfill the remainder of the term.

For a normal rotation, personnel appointments are made at the Board of Directors meeting prior to the State Leadership Conference.

Executive Director/State Chairman

The Executive Director/State Chairman shall have the following duties:

1. Serve as a liaison between the national association and the state committee and manage the day-to-day operations of PA FBLA.
2. Serve as official representative of the state committee to the national association.
3. Bring matters relating to the operation of the state chapter to the attention of the president and chief executive officer and national Board of Directors.
4. Prepare and submit state chapter reports to the national headquarters, including budgeting and financial reports, membership, projects, and activities.

The PA FBLA Board of Directors shall contract on an annual basis an Executive Director/State Chairman. The Board shall annually determine the contracted fee for the services performed by the Executive Director/State Chairman. The Executive Director/State Chairman shall be bonded.

All financial accounts shall carry the Executive Director’s/State Chairman’s, the State Adviser’s, the Conference Coordinator’s, and the Board Treasurer’s signature.

State Adviser

The State Adviser shall:

1. Coordinate the activities of the Executive Committee members, which include assistance to state officers during Executive Committee meetings and all other FBLA functions; assist with the operation of the SLW; and assist with the operation of the SLC.
2. Maintain close communication with the state president, Executive Director/State Chairman, Conference Coordinator, Competitive Events Coordinator, and the PA FBLA Board of Directors.
3. Serve as a liaison between the Executive Director/State Chairman and the Executive Committee.

The PA FBLA Board of Directors shall contract on an annual basis the State Adviser. The Board shall annually determine the contracted fee for the services performed by the State Adviser.

Competitive Events Coordinator.

The state competitive events coordinator shall have, but not be limited to, the following duties:

1. Coordinate the preparation and distribution of tests and other related materials for the region leadership conferences.
2. Coordinate the preparation of tests and other related materials for the State Leadership Conference.
3. Coordinate the testing center at the State Leadership Conference.
4. Secure judges and event administrators for competitive events at the State Leadership Conference.

The PA FBLA Board of Directors shall contract on an annual basis a Competitive Events Coordinator. The Board shall annually determine the contracted fee for the services performed by the Competitive Events Coordinator.

Conference Coordinator

The state competitive events coordinator shall have, but not be limited to, the following duties:

1. Secure and contract locations for Board of Directors meetings, Executive Committee meetings, the State Leadership Workshop, the State Leadership Conference, and other special meetings such as the Region Advisers Summit and the New Chapter Advisers Summit.
2. Complete all details regarding lodging, meals, and program elements for the Board of Directors meetings, Executive Committee meetings, the State Leadership Workshop, the State Leadership Conference, and other special meetings such as the Region Advisers Summit and the New Chapter Advisers Summit.
3. Organize and complete all travel arrangements, as necessary, for the National Leadership Conference.
4. Complete travel arrangements, as necessary, for the National Fall Leadership Conference.

The PA FBLA Board of Directors shall contract on an annual basis a Conference Coordinator. The Board shall annually determine the contracted fee for the services performed by the Conference Coordinator.

Board Treasurer

The Board Treasurer shall have the following duties:

1. Review and approve payment of all bills.
2. Serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.
3. Serve as chairman of the Board of Directors Finance Committee.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee plans and implements the annual program of leadership development. Its members include the president, first vice president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, three vice presidents at large, and the parliamentarian. Non-voting members of the Executive Committee include the local chapter advisers of the state officers and members of the Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee, including the non-voting members, are expected to attend the following:

1. Two Executive Committee meetings—June and January
2. National Leadership Conference (NLC)–June or July
3. SLW, including one preparation day—October or November
4. SLC, including one preparation day—March or April

State officers are encouraged to attend the:

1. Pennsylvania Business Education Association Conference–November
2. National Fall Leadership Conference–November

The state officers will be given an allowance to be used toward the expenses of attendance at approved FBLA functions (the registration fee will be reimbursed upon meeting all requirements). The amount and function is to be based on the budget recommended by the Executive Director/State Chairman and approved by the Board of Directors.

All officers must submit a written narrative report of their activities during the national conferences (NLC, NFLC) they attend. The report must be submitted to the State Adviser, Executive Director/State Chairman, Staff Assistant/ML Coordinator and Conference Coordinator. Lodging and meals for advisers will be financed by the state chapter for the June, October or November, January, and March or April committee meetings. Travel expenses plus expenses of the advisers for the other functions listed above should be reimbursed by their respective school districts.

The state chapter shall pay for the cost of uniforms for state officers based on the approved state chapter budget. The officer or local chapter or local school district is expected to supply any other required components of the uniform as established by the State Adviser. In addition, the responsibilities of the members of the Executive Committee, including the non-voting members, are to:

1. Attend FBLA meetings, workshops, and conferences on the local and regional level.
2. Develop a working knowledge of parliamentary procedure.
3. Maintain a file of all correspondence, instructions, and guidelines pertaining to the current state position and transfer this file to the incoming officer or adviser at the SLC. A loose-leaf notebook is suggested for a file so that additions to each division of the notebook can be updated easily.
4. Seek opportunities to explain the objectives and activities of FBLA to others, especially businesspersons.
5. Complete any other assignments delegated by the State Committee and/or Board of Directors.

State officers are encouraged to:

1. Attend at least one regional workshop or conference outside his or her home region.
2. Represent the state chapter at functions, such as business education conferences.
3. Visit at least one school that does not have an FBLA chapter to promote the establishment of a chapter.

Specific Responsibilities of Executive Committee Members

The responsibilities of the state president are to:

1. Preside at Executive Committee meetings and business meetings of the state chapter.
2. Write to regional presidents by October 30, and suggest that they correspond with the president of each chapter in their region to encourage attendance at their respective RLC and the SLC.
3. Serve as a voting delegate at the NLC.
4. Serve as a member of the PA FBLA Board of Directors.
5. Maintain a close and continuing relationship with the State Adviser.
6. Submit monthly reports to the State Adviser, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, and Conference Coordinator.
7. Present a workshop at the SLW, if required.

The responsibilities of the state first vice president are to:

1. Preside over Executive Committee meetings and business meetings of the state chapter in the absence of the president.
2. Assist the president in duties assigned to him/her.
3. Write to regional presidents as directed by State Adviser informing them they will be recognized at the SLC.
4. Serve as a voting delegate at the NLC.
5. Serve as a voting member of the PA FBLA Board of Directors.
6. Submit monthly reports to the State Adviser, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, and Conference Coordinator.
7. Present a workshop at the SLW, if required.

The responsibilities of the state secretary are to:

1. Keep an accurate record of the proceedings of Executive Committee meetings. Provide a copy of these minutes to the State Adviser, Conference Coordinator, ML Coordinator, and the Executive Director/State Chairman within two weeks following each meeting. In addition, provide a copy of the minutes of the SLC business meetings to the state office and to the newly elected president for his/her report at the NLC.
2. Write any preliminary and/or follow-up correspondence relative to state chapter business as directed by the State Adviser, Conference Coordinator, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, or Executive Committee.
3. Serve as the alternate voting delegate at the NLC, if necessary.
4. Write to regional secretaries as directed by State Adviser and suggest they correspond with the secretaries of each chapter in their region to encourage attendance at their respective RLC and the SLC.
5. Serve as the installing official during the chapter installation ceremony at the SLC and perform other specific assignments.
6. Submit monthly reports to the State Adviser, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, and Conference Coordinator.
7. Present a workshop at the SLW, if required.

The responsibilities of the state treasurer are to:

1. Send receipts to local chapters for checks received for the state project.
2. Submit checks received for the state project and an updated spreadsheet weekly accounting for all state project contributions to the Executive Director/State Chairman.
3. Submit an updated spreadsheet of state project contributions weekly to the State Adviser and Executive Director/State Chairman.
4. Submit monthly reports to the State Adviser, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, and Conference Coordinator.
5. Present a workshop at the SLW, if required.

The responsibilities of the state reporter are to:

1. Publish the PA FBLA Penn Pal at least four times a year to be distributed to local chapters.
2. Send receipts to local chapters for articles submitted for the Penn Pal.
3. Submit a minimum of one article relative to state chapter activities to the national FBLA office for possible inclusion in Tomorrow’s Business Leader.
4. Submit monthly reports to the State Adviser, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, and Conference Coordinator.
5. Present a workshop at the SLW, if required.

The responsibilities of the vice presidents at large are to:

1. Perform duties assigned by the Executive Director/State Chairman or State Adviser.
2. Write to the president of each chapter in the various regions as directed by State Adviser and suggest that the president encourage all members to attend their respective RLC and the SLC.
3. Submit monthly reports to the State Adviser, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, and Conference Coordinator.
4. Present a workshop at the SLW, if required.

The responsibilities of the state parliamentarian are to:

1. See that meetings of the Executive Committee and business meetings at the SLC are conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, current edition.
2. Bring to all meetings Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, current edition, and the National and State Constitutions and Bylaws.
3. Be certain that only the proper members of the Executive Committee vote and make motions. These include the nine officers.
4. Submit monthly reports to the State Adviser, ML Coordinator, Executive Director/State Chairman, and Conference Coordinator.
5. Present a workshop at the SLW, if required.

The responsibilities of all advisers of state officers are to:

1. Chaperone and participate in all meetings attended by their state officer.
2. Assist the state officer with the performance of his/her responsibilities.
3. Prepare assigned topics for officer training during the June Executive Committee meeting, if requested.
4. Work closely with the state officer in preparing his or her speaking parts for the SLW and SLC.
5. Present a workshop at the SLW, if requested.
6. Perform duties assigned by the Executive Director/State Chairman, State Adviser, or Conference Coordinator.

Procedure for Becoming a State Officer

In September, the state office shall post an application for state office on the PA FBLA web site. All candidates must adhere to the PA FBLA State Officer Candidate Guidelines stated in Appendix I, the Election Campaign Guidelines in Appendix J, and the Officer Travel Policy in Appendix K.

To be considered a candidate for PA FBLA State President or PA FBLA State First Vice President, candidates are required to have held the elected office of FBLA local chapter president or region president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, or any other state office by October 1 of the year in which they file their application for state office. The candidate must be recommended by the local chapter adviser.

To be considered for the offices of PA FBLA Secretary, PA FBLA Treasurer, or PA FBLA Reporter, a candidate shall hold or have held an elective office in either his/her local or regional chapter or a comparable office in an organization on the approved list of national activities released by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and be recommended by the local chapter adviser. A candidate who wishes to run for the office of vice president at large shall have at least two full years remaining as an active member.

If the prospective candidate meets the qualifications and is willing to accept the responsibilities, he/she should complete the online application and obtain the necessary signatures of the chapter adviser, his/her parent/guardian, school principal, and the chief school administrator. The completed application must be returned to the Executive Director/State Chairman by the date indicated. The prospective candidate and respective adviser or adviser designee shall view the Podcast (if applicable) and complete the mandatory questions relating to the Podcast content, participate in the officer candidate interviews, and attend the SLC to meet with the orientation committee before being officially nominated. No more than one candidate from a local chapter may campaign for an elected office. A candidate may apply for one elected office or one appointed office–not both.

Before making a decision to run, the member and the adviser should discuss with the school administrator absence from school and travel expenses for transportation, lodging, and meals. Also, please refer to the Anticipated Costs for Upcoming School Year Document that is posted on the PA FBLA web site. Most expenses, other than transportation, of the student member of the committee are reimbursed from the state chapter. If the school administrator is unwilling to support the member and adviser AND the adviser is unwilling to attend all meetings with the officer, the application should not be submitted.

A state officer shall be financially liable if he/she resigns his/her position for a reason other than a medical or a catastrophic situation. The State Committee will determine the amount of the financial liability.

The deadline for state officer candidate applications is January 15. If there are no candidates for a state office by January 15, all applicants for all offices by the January 15 deadline and their advisers will be notified of the vacancy and will be given an opportunity to switch to the vacant position. To switch to the vacant position, applicants and their advisers must provide written notification to the PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman postmarked/e-mailed no later than January 30.

If there are no applicants by the January 30 deadline, all advisers are to be notified of the vacancy and begiven an opportunity to file an application postmarked by February 22.

Officers must comply with the Officer Travel Policy as stated in Appendix K. All elected officers and their candidates are expected to attend all required events as listed as part of the state officer candidate application. In the event a state officer candidate adviser’s inability to travel to the NLC due to a health situation or emergency, a plan will be developed for coverage through collaboration with the PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman.

The state committee may appoint a student as a state officer if a vacancy exists after elections are held at the State Leadership Conference. The state committee may choose from among students not elected to other offices; students from schools with already elected state officers; or by advertising a vacancy.

Parliamentarian

The highest scoring ninth-through eleventh-grade member in the parliamentary procedure written test that is administered during the SLC who has indicated his/her desire for the office by submitting the completed application by the date indicated, thus obtaining the approval of his/her school as described in the previous paragraphs, shall be appointed to serve as state parliamentarian during the next school year. All members who are eligible may apply.

State Officer Accountability Guidelines

It is a privilege for a student to represent his/her local high school and Pennsylvania FBLA as a state officer. A state officer is expected to abide by all rules, regulations, and policies adopted by the PA FBLA Board of Directors. The Board treats these policies with utmost importance and will take disciplinary action for violation of said policies. The Board also reserves the right to discipline the said officer regardless of what action the local school district takes.

Each state officer is accountable for performing the mandatory duties and responsibilities of his/her office as outlined in the PA FBLA Policy/Leadership Handbook.

A state officer’s term:

• Commences when a newly elected officer takes his/her oath of office during the Awards Program at the State Leadership Conference (in the year elected) and
• Ends at the conclusion of the Newly Elected State Officer Orientation Breakfast during the following year’s State Leadership Conference.

Any state officer who fails to fulfill his/her duties/responsibilities as a state officer and/or fails to uphold the FBLA Delegate Code of Conduct and/or Code of Ethics while in office shall be subject to due process proceedings as follows:

1. Failure of an officer to fulfill his/her duties/responsibilities (as outlined above) shall be documented in writing to the State Adviser. The report shall contain the name of the person(s) involved, the date of the incident, and the specific nature of the problem.
2. State Adviser, within seven (7) business days* of receiving the report of misconduct, shall notify in writing (by certified mail/return receipt) said officer of the report and schedule a meeting (via conference call or in person) with the officer to discuss same within seven (7) business days.* If the state officer is a minor, the following shall be invited to participate in this meeting as a non-speaking participant:
   – Parent(s) or guardian(s) as listed on the State Officer Application currently on file in the State Office (by certified mail/return receipt)
   – Officer’s adviser as listed on the State Officer Application (by certified mail/return receipt)
   – PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman
3. State Adviser shall determine the degree of seriousness of the offense and recommend the action to be taken.
4. The Executive Director/State Chairman of Pennsylvania FBLA reserves the right to review the incident before a recommendation is made.
5. The report of the State Adviser’s determination shall be given in writing within seven (7) business days* of the meeting with the officer to:
   – State officer (by certified mail/return receipt)
   – State officer’s parent/guardian (by certified mail/return receipt)
   – State officer’s adviser(by certified mail/return receipt)
   – State officer’s principal
   – PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman
   – PA FBLA Board of Directors President
6. The said officer may, upon receipt of the report of determination of the State Adviser, concur with the written document, thus concluding the matter, or request a hearing before the PA FBLA Board of Directors. If said officer requests a hearing, PA FBLA Board of Directors will determine the time and location of the meeting.
7. The PA FBLA Board of Directors shall:
   – Concur with the State Adviser’s determination; or
   – Concur with the State Adviser’s determination and take additional action; or
   – Determine its own action.
8. The Board’s decision shall be final, and it shall be given to the officer within fifteen (15) business days.* The proceedings shall be sealed.

*Business days are defined as Monday through Friday excluding federal holidays and published closing dates of the PA FBLA offices. The mailing postmark will determine the notification date.

State Officer Succession Guidelines

If there is the resignation in the office of the state president, the state first vice president will become the state president.

If there is a vacancy in one of the state officer positions after elections are held at the State Leadership Conference, the vacant position may be filled at the discretion of the State Committee prior to the National Leadership Conference based on the guidelines identified in the bylaws. In all instances, the State Committee should consider as a first option the student who received the next highest number of votes in the elections at the State Leadership Conference. The State Committee also has the discretion, if deemed critical, to fill a vacancy after the National Leadership Conference.

State Officer Interview Committee

The state officer interview committee shall be a minimum of three individuals: (1) the state adviser, (2) a voting Board of Directors member, (3) and another person selected by the state adviser who shall not be the adviser of one of any of the applicants. The Executive Director/State Chairman shall also be considered a member of the interview committee.

National Officer Candidate Selection Criteria

Pennsylvania has built a strong state chapter and participation on the local, regional, and state levels is outstanding. To complete the total cycle of leadership development, serious consideration also must be given to encourage students with strong leadership potential to run for national office. Pennsylvania FBLA members are encouraged to run for national office and must meet the following criteria:

1. Hold or have held a local, region, or state level for at least 4 months prior to submitting the national officer application.
2. Maintain a “B” average in all business subjects.
3. Submit a letter of application to the Executive Director/State Chairman outlining reasons and qualifications for seeking office one month prior to the first day of the SLC. This application must include the signature of the chapter adviser, the parent/guardian, the principal, and the chief school administrator.
4. Campaign at the SLC.
5. Deliver a campaign speech at the SLC.
6. Solicit support for the national campaign by outlining platform and campaign strategy to those chapters planning to attend the NLC. (Example: Type a list of all things needed to run a campaign, different projects that could be assigned to cooperating chapters, etc.)
7. The deadline for PA FBLA members who wish to run for national office will be January 15—the same as the state officer candidate application deadline. National officer candidates will complete a similar online application as state officer candidates.
8. Candidates for national office will be required to complete all components of the state officer election process.
9. Approved national officer candidates will be required to attend the May/June state officer leadership training program.

If one or two candidates run for national office, the winner must be endorsed by a majority of the voting delegates at the SLC. If more than two candidates run, the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes at the SLC will be Pennsylvania’s candidate.

If a vacancy occurs on the national slate of national office candidates after the Pennsylvania State Leadership Conference, the Executive Director/State Chairman, along with the State Committee, may grant permission for a current state officer or a former state officer to declare his or her candidacy for national office.

All voting delegates from Pennsylvania to the NLC will be committed to the winning candidate, and each school represented at the NLC will be asked to assist with the campaign.

Scholarship Program

The Board of Directors has approved a scholarship program for Pennsylvania FBLA members. The scholarships are provided for Pennsylvania FBLA members by schools located in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. This program is coordinated by the state FBLA office. Most of the scholarships are for one-half tuition and are renewable each semester until a program is completed, provided the recipient maintains the grade average indicated on the application.

Each chapter is sent the current listing of scholarships as well as pertinent information about each scholarship at the beginning of the school year. A member may apply for more than one scholarship. Prior acceptance to the institution is not a prerequisite for a scholarship; however, the applicant should contact the institution indicating intent to apply for an FBLA scholarship. The applications are evaluated and a recipient is selected by a scholarship committee from each institution.

Any questions relative to this program should be addressed to the state FBLA office.

In addition, William Selden Scholarships are awarded to 15 outstanding senior PA FBLA members. The Who’s Who Criteria, which is posted on the PA FBLA web site early in the school year, is used to determine the recipients.

Administration of William Selden Scholarship Fund

1. All funds collected shall be deposited with the PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman.
2. All funds shall be invested by direction of the PA FBLA Board of Directors.
3. The scholarship value and the number of recipients shall be determined by the PA FBLA Board of Directors. Only seniors are eligible to apply by completing the Who’s Who Criteria and the “Future” level of the Business Achievement Awards.
4. The recipient may attend the school of his or her choice.
5. The scholarship money shall be paid after submitting an official transcript to the Executive Director/State Chairman upon completion of the first semester and maintaining a GPA of at least 2.0. Requests for scholarships must be made by June 1 following the student’s first year of post-secondary education.

State Project

Each year the Executive Committee approves a state project. Local chapters are asked to have at least one local project to raise funds or provide service in support of the state project. Informing individuals in the community of the project, seeking their support, and securing appropriate publicity helps to ensure the project’s success. Information relative to the current state FBLA project is sent to all chapters at the beginning of the school year.

Each local chapter may submit a proposal for the next year’s state project by submitting the online form to the state office by March 1.

The proposal must include:

1. A background of the organization including guidelines as to what services it offers.
2. The amount of money used for administration as opposed to the actual money used for the services.
3. How this project would relate to the goals of FBLA.
4. Any advertising received regarding the organization.
5. Any services besides monetary ones with which FBLA could help.
6. The name, address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address of a representative of the organization who must make a project proposal presentation to the Executive Committee in June.

Five projects will be selected by votes from the new state officers. A final selection will be made after representatives from these top five organizations make a 15-minute presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session, to the Executive Committee at its May/June meeting.

State Fundraisers

A state fundraiser will be approved annually by the PA FBLA Board of Directors. Currently, Tom Wat, Nestle Beich, and Xpress Promo are the approved fundraisers.

PA FBLA Penn Pal

The state reporter will be responsible for publishing the PA FBLA Penn Pal, the official PA FBLA newsletter. Advisers are responsible for sharing the newsletter with the chapter officers and members.

State Leadership Workshop (SLW)

The SLW is conducted in October or November at a site determined by the PA FBLA Board of Directors.

Participation

Every chapter is urged to be represented by its adviser(s) and members. There are no attendance restrictions. All members of the state Executive Committee, regional presidents, regional secretaries, and regional advisers should attend and participate. Local chapter advisers shall assume full responsibility for the conduct of their members at the SLW.

Middle-level members are permitted to attend the entire State Leadership Workshop.

Registration and Financing

SLW lodging and registration forms will be published prior to the workshop. Lodging and meals for Executive Committee members are financed by the state chapter. Funds from the state chapter shall not be used to reimburse participants for transportation to the SLW.

PA FBLA will accept purchase orders as a form of payment with the condition that final and complete payment is due 30 days prior to the opening date of the State Leadership Workshop unless a payment schedule is established with the PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman prior to the 30-daydeadline.

Credit card payments are accepted with a 3% convenience fee.

There will be a $25 processing fee for all checks identified as NSF.

Refund Policy

All refund requests must be in writing. A full refund will be granted if the request is postmarked 30 days before the opening date of the workshop. No partial refunds will be given. This policy is subject to change based on the site of the workshop.

Program

The purpose of the SLW is to provide leadership training for officers and to prepare programs of activities for the school year. The program may feature sessions for members and advisers relative to chapter operation, parliamentary procedure, fundraising, state project, community projects, regional activities, competitive events, and occupational information. Speakers may include state officers, local advisers, former members, national office staff members, and businesspersons.

Sales by Local Chapters

Local chapters are not permitted to conduct fundraising activities at the SLW unless permission is granted by the PA FBLA Board of Directors.

Battle of Chapters Event

The Battle of the Chapters will be conducted at every SLW. The guidelines are found in Appendix E.

State Leadership Conference (SLC)

Attendance Policy

The attendance policy for the SLC can be found here.

Delegates at the State Leadership Conference

Each chapter will receive two voting delegate ribbons to be distributed at will by the chapter adviser. During the SLC, the responsibilities of the delegates are to elect state officers and act upon any other items of business that appear on the agenda.

Registration and Financing

It is mandatory that all chapters complete the mandatory online State Leadership Conference registration and lodging through the PA FBLA website.

Each member and adviser pays his/her lodging, registration fee, and transportation. An adviser and/or member who attends the SLC and does not lodging or have meals at the hotel shall pay the registration fee which is established by the PA FBLA Board of Directors plus a commuter fee. Any guests of members or advisers who attend part of the SLC and are not responsible for the supervision of students shall pay 50 percent of the registration fee. Attendance of these guests is conditional based upon approval by the Executive Director/State Chairman or Conference Coordinator.

PA FBLA will accept purchase orders as a form of payment with the condition that final and complete payment is due 30 days prior to the opening date of the State Leadership Conference unless a payment schedule is established with the PA FBLA Executive Director/State Chairman prior to the 30-day deadline.

There will be a 3-tier SLC registration payment system. There will be:

1. An early-bird registration fee (per person) as established by the Board of Directors for which payment will be due by January 20 unless a purchase order has been submitted or payment schedule established.
2. A regular registration fee (per person/$25 greater than the early-bird registration fee) for all payments made between January 21 and March 20 unless a purchase order has been submitted or payment schedule established.
3. An onsite registration fee (per person/$50 greater than the early-bird registration fee) for payments made between March 21 and the SLC opening day unless a purchase order has been submitted or payment schedule established.

All lodging payments will be due by January 31 of the year of the State Leadership Conference unless a purchase order is submitted or payment scheduled established with the PA FBLA Executive Director.

Credit card payments are accepted with a 3% convenience fee.

There will be a $25 processing fee for all checks identified as NSF.

Refund Policy

State Leadership Conference registration refunds are made under the following conditions:

1. All refund requests must be in writing through an online form established by PA FBLA.
2. Full registration refunds will be given if submitted prior to the registration deadline.
3. A 50 percent refund will be given if postmarked up to 15 days prior to the opening of the State Leadership Conference.
4. No refunds will be given for requests postmarked 14 days or less prior to the opening of the State Leadership Conference.

Exhibitor’s Fees

The PA FBLA Board of Directors will set fees for groups exhibiting at the SLC, including fundraising companies, textbook/machine companies, educational institutions, and scholarship schools.

Program

Leadership experiences are provided through election campaigns, discussion available through speakers, competitive events, and special programs. The members have social experiences while traveling to and from the conference, dining formally and informally, enjoying conference entertainment and recreation, and sharing experiences.

Sales by Local Chapters

Local chapters are not permitted to conduct fundraising activities at the SLC unless permission is granted by the PA FBLA Board of Directors.

Business Meetings

State chapter business meetings are conducted during the SLC. Each chapter is entitled to be represented by two voting delegates during these meetings.

Seating Policy

A section shall be reserved for guests, Executive Committee schools, and Board of Directors’ schools for all sessions of the SLC.

Election of State Officers

All campaign speeches by candidates for state office will be given during the opening session. See the State Officer Candidate Guidelines in Appendix J, the Election Campaign Guidelines in Appendix K, and the Travel Policy in Appendix L for more information.

Local chapter delegates have a designated time during the SLC to vote.

Installation of Chapters

All new and reactivated chapters will be given the opportunity to participate in this ceremony at the SLC.

This ceremony is described in Appendix A.

Installation of Officers

The newly elected state officers–president, first vice president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, vice presidents at large, and parliamentarian–will be officially installed prior to the conclusion of the SLC.

This ceremony is described in Appendix B.