Print This Document Constitution of the Tennessee Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans Adopted September 9, 1891 Amended in Division Conventions through April 30, 1983, Murfreesboro; April 27, 1985, Nashville; April 19, 1997, Manchester; April 29, 2006, Burns; April 26, 2008, Knoxville; April 30, 2011, Cookeville; and April 21, 2012, Dover, and April, 2018, Chapel Hill. ARTICLE I - NAME This organization shall be known as the  TENNESSEE DIVISION, SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS.  ARTICLE II - OBJECT AND PURPOSES Section 1 - To collect and preserve such manuscripts, books, papers, documents, flags, relics and mementoes relating to the War Between the States as would be of assistance in the preparation and perpetuation of an impartial history of same.  Section 2 - To illuminate and clarify the great Constitutional, political, social and economic issues and events leading to the War, and the patriotic motives and heroism of our ancestor, the Confederate Soldier, Sailor and Marine, in the field and on the water, in the State House and the Confederate Government.  Section 3 - To perpetuate the memory of the unparalleled bravery, constancy, and fortitude of the Confederate Soldier by the erection, when feasible, of monuments and memorial tablets, and by properly caring for and marking the graves in Confederate cemeteries and other grounds where they may be found.  Section 4 - To co-operate with the National Confederation and the Army of Tennessee Department of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  Section 5 - We, the compatriots of the Tennessee Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, with the blessing of Almighty God, have as our mission the promotion of pride and honor in Southern heritage through supporting our Camps by supplying information, leadership and resources.  ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP & DUES Section 1 - All male descendants, lineal or collateral, of those who served honorably in the Confederate military or governmental service shall be eligible for membership in the Camps of the Confederation. No one shall be admitted under twelve years of age.  Section 2 - No one shall be admitted to membership in any Camp until satisfactory proof of the foregoing qualifications is submitted in duplicate on official applications. The original shall be preserved by the Camp and the duplicate shall be forwarded to General Headquarters for record and preservation. Section 3 - Each Camp will have an annual assessment per member per year for Division expenses. The Division dues will be set annually at the Division Convention. Each Camp Commander will be notified at least forty-five days prior to the Convention of any proposed change in dues.  Section 4 - Dues shall be payable to the Adjutant, Tennessee Division, on August 1 of each year, with a 1 month grace period from August 1st through September 1st . Camps dues that are in arrears 60 days prior to the Division Convention will not have voting privileges at the Division Convention. A roster of all paid members will accompany the payment of dues. Section 5 - Suspension or expulsion of membership of members or Camps will be in accordance with the National Constitution of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  ARTICLE IV - STATE ORGANIZATION Section 1 - All members of each Camp in the State, in good standing, are members of the State organization and constitute the Tennessee Division.  Section 2 - The Tennessee Division shall be divided into Brigades. The Brigade Commanders shall be elected at the Division Convention by a majority vote of the delegates of the Camps within their respective Brigades.  Section 3 - All legislative power shall be vested in a Division Convention, which shall be held each April or a called meeting when two-thirds of the Camps in good standing request such a meeting in writing to the Division Adjutant.  Section 4 - This organization shall have the power to make and adopt such Articles of Organization, Rules and Regulations, or Bylaws, as it may deem proper, and to alter or amend the same, as may be provided in said Articles or Rules and Regulations, provided such Articles, Rules and Regulations, or Bylaws are not contrary to the Laws of the sovereign State of Tennessee, the Constitution of the United States, the Sons of Confederate Veterans or the Constitution of the Tennessee Division.  Section 5 - The annual date for the Tennessee Division Convention shall be in April in conjunction with the annual Reunion. Each Camp shall be notified forty-five (45) days in advance of any Division Convention. The rules of procedure at Conventions shall be those set forth in "Robert's Rules of Order, Revised" except wherein they may be altered by the Convention.  A quorum shall be established when one-third of the current Camps in the Tennessee Division are present. A current Camp is defined as a Camp that has a membership of at least seven members that have paid their National and Division dues.  Section 6 - The Division Convention shall be composed of the delegates of the Camps presided over by the Commander, or in his absence, one of the Lt. Commanders, who shall be the presiding officer of the organization. Each Camp in good standing shall have one vote for every ten members in good standing and one additional vote for a major fraction of five or more. No Camp shall have less than two votes. In the event that all delegates for a Camp are not in attendance, the total votes for the Camp may be cast by the delegates that are present and are in good standing with the Camp. No Camp vote may be cast by proxies or without a member in good standing present.  Section 7 – Any member in good standing with the Division shall have the right to directly petition the Division Commander or Judge Advocate with regard to any subject within this Division Constitution, Division Financial Guidelines, or any Division Standing Rules. Any such petition shall be made in writing, and may be offered in writing by standard letter or email. Upon receiving the request, the Division Commander, Judge Advocate, or their representative shall respond in kind within sixty (60) days.  ARTICLE V - OFFICERS Section 1 - This organization shall elect, by ballot, every two years at its annual Division convention in April, a Division Commander, 1st Lieutenant Commander, 2nd Lieutenant Commander, and Brigade Commanders, who shall take office at the conclusion of the Convention and serve in their respective capacities for the term of two years, or until their successors are duly elected and qualified.  Section 2 - The Division Commander, or in his absence, the 1st Lt. Commander, shall preside at all meetings of the Division, and shall be the proper officer on whom citations, notices, or other legal process shall be served.  Section 3 - The Division Adjutant and any and all other persons involved in the handling of Division funds and accounts shall be required to post a fidelity bond. The amount of said bond shall be fixed at each Annual Convention, the cost of which shall be borne by the Division treasury.  Section 4 - Vacancies occurring among appointed officers shall be filled by the Division Commander and serve at his pleasure. The Division Commander may appoint all special committees necessary to the performance of the executive function. Upon the resignation of a duly elected Brigade Commander, the Division Commander shall appoint a substitute to fill the office until the next Division Reunion, at which time a new Brigade Commander shall be elected by the procedures as set forth in the Constitution, to fill the remainder of the original term.  Section 5. Subordinate officers. The Division Commander may appoint other Officers as he deems necessary to be members of his Staff who shall serve at his will and pleasure, such as: Division Chaplain, Division Quartermaster, Parliamentarian, Sergeant-at-Arms, Color Sergeant, Director of Government Relations, H. L. Hunley awards coordinator, Division Genealogist. He may appoint such additional assistants and aides, as he deems necessary, provided that in his order he shall describe the purpose and duties of the office. ARTICLE VI - DUTIES OF OFFICERS Section 1 - The Commander shall be the executive head of the Division with full power to enforce provisions of the Constitution. He shall be Chairman of the Division Convention and shall be empowered to act for the Confederation as circumstances, in his judgment require, in cases not provided in the Constitution subject to appeal by the Convention.  Section 2 - The 1st Lieutenant Commander shall perform the duties of the Commander in his absence, and in case of his death or resignation, shall become Commander for the unexpired term. The Lieutenant Commander shall assist the Commander in the performance of his duties as directed by the Commander.  Section 3 - The Adjutant shall keep correct records of proceedings of the Convention, a roster of the Camps, conduct the correspondence of the Confederation, and issue the general orders of the Commander, under his signature. He shall collect and be the custodian of the funds of the Division, and he shall make reports of the condition of the treasury when called for by the Commander and as otherwise required by the provisions of this constitution. He shall perform his duties as required by the Financial Guidelines, Policies and Procedures.  Section 4 - The Chief of Staff shall be charged with the administration of the policies of the Division Convention and the Commander.  Section 5 - The Judge Advocate shall advise the Commander on all legal matters and instruction and interpretation of the Division and General Constitutions. He shall also act as Parliamentarian at all Division meetings.  Section 6 - The Brigade Commanders shall aid the Camps assigned by the Division Commander to their Brigade and fulfill all duties as required by the Commander. Each Brigade Commander may appoint an adjutant to assist him in his duties.  A Brigade Commander shall command his respective Brigade. He shall assist the Division Commander by making recommendations and providing counsel as his experience or knowledge dictates.  A Brigade Commander shall act as a representative of the Division Commander on all matters referred by him and shall, upon his request, in the absence of one of the Division Lieutenant Commanders, preside over Officer Call meetings of the Division, and perform such other duties as are usually incidental to the office of Lt. Commander.  A Brigade Commander shall serve as the point of contact for all camps within his Brigade for support and assistance, and promote local participation in Division projects.  A Brigade Commander shall be supported by and report directly to a Division Lieutenant Commander assigned to his Brigade by the Division Commander.  A Brigade Commander will provide a quarterly report on all Brigade activities to the Division Commander.  A Brigade Commander shall regularly conduct Camp visits to the Camps within his Brigade. (Regularly means at least 1 time per quarter)  A Brigade Commander shall provide information concerning Division policies and projects to the Camps within his Brigade.  A Brigade Commander shall offer coordination and assistance with his Camp’s programs. He shall assist Camp Commanders in promoting Brigade level events and activities.  The Division Commander may assign additional duties and responsibilities to a Brigade Commander as business need dictate.  ARTICLE VII – EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Section 1 - Between Annual Conventions of the Tennessee Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, the administrative power shall be vested in the Executive Council of said Division.  Section 2 - The Executive Council shall have all necessary power in the administration and regulation of the affairs of the Tennessee Division not especially delegated to or made a part of the duties of some other official committee.  Section 3 - The Executive Council shall be composed of the Division Commander, who shall be the presiding officer, the Division Chief of Staff, the Division Judge Advocate, the Division Adjutant, all Brigade Commanders, and the chairmen of all constitutionally mandated standing committees, and the 1st Lieutenant Commander and 2nd Lieutenant Commander. One of the duties of the Division Executive Council shall be the formulation, approval and implementation of a strategic plan for the Division, subject to a majority vote approval by the Annual Tennessee Division Convention.  Section 4 - The Executive Council shall meet at the place of the Annual Division Convention within twenty-four (24) hours after the adjournment thereof.  Section 5 - A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Council.  Section 6 - The Executive Council may hold special meetings and vote by email , conference call or other electronic means so long as the opportunity to hear and participate is available to all eligible members of the Tennessee Division Executive Council using the following procedure: A. All members of the Tennessee Division Executive Council upon being elected, reelected or appointed to an Office on the DEC shall participate in and cast an email or conference call vote when a special meeting is called and a vote is necessary . B. The vote must be called for at least forty eight (48) hours in advance of the actual voting. The time at which votes shall be cast must be stated in the call for the vote. C. The vote must be announced and all members of the DEC shall be notified by email. D. All email votes must be cast within twenty four (24) hours of the beginning of the voting period announced in (B) above. Votes by conference call must be cast and will be counted at the end of the conference call. No Proxy votes, regardless of method of voting are allowed . Votes cast after this time shall not be counted. E. A record of the outcome of the vote will be spread on the minutes of the Executive Council and shall be signed by each member of the Council at its next meeting. F. A majority of the members currently serving on the Executive Council is necessary for an item of business to pass no matter how the vote is taken. A roll call of DEC members will be taken regardless of how the vote is taken. Section 7 - Vacancies occurring among members of the Division Executive Committee will be filled by the Division Commander within thirty (30) days of his being notified that a vacancy has occurred.  ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES Section 1 - All Committees shall meet when called by their respective chairman.  Standing Committees shall make annual written reports and recommendations to the Annual Convention.  Special Committees shall submit written reports to the Division Commander as soon as the assigned purpose is concluded.  Section 2 - Unless otherwise set forth herein, the Chairman of each Standing Committee of the Division shall be appointed by the Division Commander, and the body of each committee shall be the Brigade Commanders or their appointed representative.  Section 3 - There shall be seven (7) standing committees as follows:  A. Historical Committee, which shall have charge of all matters relating to the literary and historical purposes of the Division. The Chairman shall be the Division Historian appointed by the Division Commander, and the body of the committee shall be composed of one (1) representative from each Brigade of the Tennessee Division, appointed by the various Brigade Commanders.  B. Membership Committee, which shall have charge of (a) encouraging, coordinating, and assisting Camps in the recruitment and retention of Division members and (b) developing new Camps for the Division. The Chairman shall be either the 1st Lt. Commander, or the 2nd Lt. Commander of the Division as designated by the Division Commander. The body of the committee shall be composed of one (1) at large member, and one (1) member from each Brigade, all appointed by the Chairman.  C. Monument Committee, which shall have charge of all matters relating to monuments, graves, and the Division's objects and purposes in these respects. The Chairman shall be either the 1st Lt. Commander, or the 2nd Lt. Commander of the Division as designated by the Division Commander. The body of the committee shall be composed of the various Brigade Commanders of the Division. The Division Commander shall be an ex officio member and shall have the responsibility to cast the tie breaking vote when necessary; the Division Adjutant shall also be a non-voting member.  D. Communications Committee, which shall have charge of all internal communications within the Division including, (a) the Division newsletter (b) the development and implementation of a communication system or systems to assure timely dissemination and reception of information to and from the Division and each of its Camps and (c) encouraging, assisting and supporting each Camp in developing and maintaining a newsletter, website, and other communications within each Camp.  E. Finance Committee, which shall be appointed by the Division Commander in the year officer elections are held. It shall consist of at least five members. The Immediate Past Division Commander shall be the Chairman. The members of the committee should be familiar with budget procedures and sound financial management practices. The Division Commander and Adjutant shall serve as ex officio members. The Division Commander shall make these appointments within thirty (30) days of the close of the Annual Division Convention, and shall fill any vacancies on this committee within thirty (30) days of the vacancy occurring. Should a new Division Commander take office between regular officer elections, the Finance Committee appointments of the original Commander shall stand until the next regular Division elections are held. The responsibilities of the Finance Committee include, but are not limited to, (a) budget development, (b) review of financial records and reports, (c) advising the Division officers and Executive Council, (d) resolving any questions or disputes concerning the management of Division assets, and (e) administering the provisions of the Financial Guidelines, Policies, and Procedures. The Finance Committee shall assist other committees as needed and shall provide information and reports to the Division membership. As a measure of stability, the departing Finance Committee Chairman shall serve as liaison and ex officio member of the incoming committee, advising them as needed to ensure a smooth transition or responsibilities. All meetings to this committee shall be announced in advance to the members of the Tennessee Division by either the Tennessee Echo or the Division Newsletter.  A quorum shall be required to conduct official business; said quorum shall be composed of at least one (1) more than fifty per cent (50%) of the members of this committee.  F. Education Committee, which shall have charge of the educational services of the Division including, (a) development and promoting educational materials about the Confederacy and Southern history for use by and dissemination to the Camps, (b) creating, employing, and maintaining a "Speaker's Bureau" for the Camps and (c) facilitating and developing opportunities for Camps and the Division to educate the public about the South, its history and its heritage.  G. Heritage and Public Relations Committee, which shall be in charge of, for the Division, (a) public relations and (with the assistance of the Communications Committee) all public announcements and external communications to the public and others outside the Division and (b) determining, publishing (with the assistance of the Communications Committee) and coordinating efforts of Camps in (i) denouncing and correcting heritage violations of, and attacks on, Southern and/or Confederate heritage and (ii) promoting Southern and Confederate heritage.  Section 4 - The Committees may subdivide themselves for the purposes of facilitating their labors, and shall keep a record of their meetings, make annual reports, or oftener, if required by the Division Commander, and shall turn over their records no later than thirty days prior to the Annual Convention.  ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS Section 1 - This Constitution may be amended at any Division Convention by the vote of two-thirds of the total authorized representation thereat, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been sent to each Camp in good standing at least sixty (60) days in advance of the Convention.  ********************************* This document last revised and brought current on this site: August 24, 2019.