Consortium Bylaws

Article One: Mission Statement
The Greater Cincinnati Tech Prep Consortium is a collaborative partnership linking business, industry and labor with secondary schools, career technical planning districts, and colleges in an eight county area of Southwestern Ohio. The mission of this consortium is to provide for advanced skill education and training in technology-related careers, which will result in a two-year certificate or associate degree, a baccalaureate degree, and/or employment in a technical career. College Tech Prep will prepare students for high-skill, high-wage careers demanded by an increasingly competitive world economy. Issues centered around student access and achievement for college and career readiness (SACRED) drive the work and goals of this educational reform movement.

Article Two: Responsibilities
The Steering Committee of the GCTPC is responsible for the overall management of the GCTPC and its programs. This committee oversees and manages the development, implementation, and evaluation of the GCTPC and its programs.
· Approve policy and direction for the consortium through majority vote and consensus
· Monitor and assess the progress of programs, strategies, and activities
· Approve the annual budget and major revisions as well as oversee budget practices
· Approve the appointment and evaluate the performance of the Tech Prep Director
· Promote business and education linkages and collaboration in the region
· Assist in formulating long range planning, goals and strategies
· Assist in resource development and public relations

Article Three: Membership
The GCTPC Steering Committee shall consist of representatives from member educational institutions (two-year or four-year colleges, career technical planning districts, local school districts) and business, industry, and labor organizations and agencies. Membership is defined as follows:
Full Education Member: Fee-paying with voting privileges (one vote per institution). Member institution appoints representative to the Steering Committee.
Business/Industry/Labor Member: Non fee-paying with voting privileges (one vote per organization). Member organization appoints representative to the Steering Committee.
Associate Member: Non-fee paying with no voting privileges. An associate member provides advice and support to the GCTPC. Associate members include provisional educational members, community organizations or agencies, and team leaders of major GCTPC team structures.

Representatives
GCTPC Steering Committee shall consist of the following representation:
· Business, industry, and labor representatives
· Higher education representatives with permanent membership of Fiscal Agent
· Secondary education representatives (including both career centers and comprehensive school districts)
· Tech Prep Director as an ex-officio member
The ratio or total number of representatives reflects the three major stakeholder groups with one-third of the membership being from business, colleges, and secondary school partners.

Terms of Service
Members serve staggered two-year terms and can be re-elected or appointed by their organization or institution. Terms are staggered to prevent more than half of this committee turning over in one year.

Article Four: Officers
The Steering Committee elects a Chair and Vice Chair (one of whom must be from industry) annually. These officers may succeed themselves in office if duly elected. The Steering Committee may elect to appoint additional officers or special ad-hoc task force leaders to report to them.

The Chair and Vice Chair will be elected annually at the first committee meeting of the new calendar year (usually held in mid-January).

Vacancies in any office will be filled for the expired term through the regular procedures of the Nominating Committee.

Article Five: Procedures
Regular Meetings
The Steering Committee shall meet at least four times a year.

Accountability and Performance
Steering Committee members are expected to attend and actively participate in all meetings. Excessive absences may result in a vote by the Steering Committee requesting that the member institution appoint an alternative representative.

Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Steering Committee may be called by the Chair, Tech Prep Director, or by twenty percent (20%) of the membership. Notice of any special meeting shall be given by the person or persons calling the meeting at least five (5) work days in advance. Notice may be sent by fax, e-mail, written letter, or telephone.

Quorum
The necessary quorum for a vote of the Steering Committee for the transaction of business is a majority of the membership.

Minutes
Minutes of the Steering Committee shall be taken by the designated Tech Prep staff person and distributed to all committee members within ten (10) days of the meeting. Minutes will be amended or approved at the subsequent meeting. All approved minutes will be kept on file in the consortium office.

Compensation
With the exception of the Tech Prep Director and Staff, Steering Committee members shall serve without compensation.

Personnel
The Steering Committee shall appoint a search committee to hire the Tech Prep Director. The Steering Committee selects the director. In addition, the Steering Committee will evaluate the Tech Prep Director annually in consultation with the employing agency (fiscal agent). The Tech Prep Director will select Tech Prep personnel with the input and guidance from the Steering Committee as appropriate to the position. The director shall conduct an annual evaluation of these employees in consultation with the employing agency. All personnel actions will be consistent with the guidelines of the employing agency.

Article Six: Committees/Organization Team Structures
Appointments
Consortium committees or teams shall be established as needed by the Steering Committee.

Types
The following committees/teams are established to conduct consortium business.

COUNCIL
The Council advocates, communicates and coordinates the implementation of Tech Prep within individual institutions/organizations.

Meetings
The Council meets at least eight times during the academic year.

Council Responsibilities
· Coordinates institutional participation of Tech Prep events
· Facilitates curriculum work such as pathway development, articulation agreements and curriculum meetings
· Assists in collecting student data, sharing information with appropriate internal groups, and helping students in Tech Prep activities and processes
· Communicates all institutional information to Tech Prep and refers this information to appropriate internal offices or groups
· Represents their institution/organizations at Tech Prep activities and programs. Attends and participates in Tech Prep meetings and events
· Serves on special projects or task forces as an institutional representative

Number of Members
Each institution or organization is represented on the Council and appoints its representative.

Operational Teams
Teams and ad hoc committees assist the Steering Committee, Council, and staff in carrying out GCTPC activities and implementing processes to achieve state goals and performance targets. Each team has its own unique charge.
· Marketing Advisory Team
· Pathway Management Team
· Urban Initiative Team
· Consortium Recognition/Awards Team
· Student Support System Team
· Parent Advocates for Tech Prep
· Curriculum Advisory Committees
· Nominations Committee or Search Committee

Marketing Advisory Team
This team promotes College Tech Prep and its programming to its stakeholders by offering insights, direction, and evaluation of GCTPC marketing plans, special events, and communication efforts.

Pathway Management Team
This team facilitates and coordinates the vital function of pathway development, program review, and articulation management. These pathway managers represent specific technology areas in which they have expertise.

Pathway Areas
· Business and E-commerce Technologies
· Health, Horticulture, and Environmental Technologies, Biotechnology/Biosciences
· Information Technologies and Panel of Experts
· Engineering, Construction and Automotive Technologies
· New pathway managers may be appointed to serve based upon new program start-ups.

Urban Initiative Team
This team monitors community activities and represents the consortium at community meetings to promote Tech Prep programming and information.

Consortium Recognition/Awards Team
The CRAT performs the vital service of assisting Tech Prep students, educators, and programs/pathways in their quest for improvement/development. This team examines proposals and information so that GCTPC can reward its members and assist them to grow continuously.

Student Support System Team
The team oversees consortium activities that promote and ensure pathway readiness and completion for the Tech Prep students especially as they transition to college. This team monitors the needs and issues that students face as they move in their pathways from high school to college and into their careers.

Parent Advocates for Tech Prep
The team will assist the consortium in promoting Tech Prep and serving its students. This parent group will assist in identifying scholarship and service opportunities for Tech Prep students.

Curriculum Advisory Committees
One advisory committee shall be established for each pathway or Tech Prep program area. Representatives from business and industry, secondary and post-secondary partners convene annually to provide counsel and feedback on program areas, recommend changes or revisions to curriculum offerings, provide direction and support for the pathway and its students.

Nominations Committee or Search Committee
This committee shall consist of at least three members of the Steering Committee with at least one representative from business/industry/labor. This committee shall be chosen from the Steering Committee membership to elicit nominations for chair, vice chair, and any other positions so charged by the Steering Committee.

This committee is charged with the selecting and hiring of the candidates for the director’s position. It recommends the final candidates for the directorship to the Steering Committee. This sub-committee must follow all hiring processes and policies of the fiscal agent.

Article Seven. Fiscal Procedures
Obligation of Funds
The fiscal agent in consultation with the Steering Committee and Tech Prep Director shall be responsible for all contractual procedures and fiscal accounting.

Financial Reporting
The fiscal agent shall be responsible for requesting the release of the project funds from funding agencies to the consortium, and it will submit interim and final project expenditure reports as required to the Steering Committee and funding agencies.

Contracts & Agreements
The Director shall be authorized to arrange contracts in accordance with appropriate budget line items, the procedures established by the Fiscal Agent and the Steering Committee, and for purposes in accordance with approved project objectives and activities.

Dispositions of Assets
The fiscal agent shall control the disposition of grant assets including cash and equipment in conformance to State and Federal rules and regulations.

Article Eight. Amendments to the By-Laws
Amendments to these By-Laws must be approved by the majority vote of the Steering Committee.

Article Nine. Assurances
The programs and projects of GCTPC shall be conducted in compliance with the rules and regulations pertaining to the Ohio Revised Code, the Ohio Department of Education, and the Ohio Board of Regents.

Date: May 6, 2003

These By-Laws for the Greater Cincinnati Tech Prep Consortium were approved during the Steering Committee meeting of May 6, 2003 at Sinclair Community College, following the Regional Visioning Conference.

About Us > Greater Cincinnati Consortium