6.04.05 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.