Friends of Florida Bible College. I , Florida Bible College graduate Dr. Michael "MIKEY" Schmidt will add my comments about Florida Bible College, the Florida Bible College Alumni Association (www.floridabiblecollege.com), and the official Constitution of the Florida Bible College Alumni Association (www.floridabiblecollege.com).

Please join in with me in my discussion about the Florida Bible College Alumni Association, and its written constituted requirements that the Florida Bible College Alumni Association's constituted duty is to support Florida Bible College(the school itself).




"CONSTITUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF
FLORIDA BIBLE COLLEGE
March, 1988
PREAMBLE
To aid in achieving the purposes for which the college was established
***
WOW!
There we have it friends. The Florida Bible College Alumni Associations (WWW.FLORIDABIBLECOLLEGE.COM)constituted duty is to SUPPORT FLORIDA BIBLE COLLEGE, WHICH IN MY HUMBLE OPINION THE FBCAA IS NOT DOING. This is why some FBCAA people have proposed to CHANGE the Florida Bible College Alumni Associations (www.floridabiblecollege.com) current constitution. IMHO they are getting ready to officially make changes to the FBCAA constitution because they want to STOP the Florida Bible College Alumni Associations DUTY to support Florida Bible college itself(The school, bible College, etc.).
***

and to promote a
pleasant and mutually satisfactory relationship between the college,
its graduates and
former students, the Florida Bible College Alumni Association was
organized.
***
The only way for the FBCAA to do this is if they support the actual bible college, Florida bible college, the school itself(teach Bible classes, award degrees, etc.)
***
This
constitution is hereby established to govern the Association
***
Later I will mention areas where in my opinion the FBCAA since its www.floridabiblecollege.com rebirth has NOT followed the FBCAA constitution.
***


and to
ensure its perpetuation
and its adherence to the principles set forth in the Statement of Faith

which is originally
attached.
ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE
1. The name of the Association shall be the Florida Bible College
International Alumni
Association. Its purpose is:
2. To unite all alumni, both graduates and former students, so they may


support the
college in prayer, recruitment of students, and financial gifts.
***
Clearly the Florida Bible College Alumni Association by its current constitution is required to support the college in prayer, recruitment of STUDENTS (to study the Bible, awarded degrees, etc.), and to FINANCIALLY GIVE TO THE ACTUAL BIBLE COLLEGE ITSELF, THE SCHOOL - ORGANISM - FLORIDA BIBLE COLLEGE.
***



3. To inform alumni about Florida Bible College's progress
spiritually, financially, and
academically.
***
Since the www.floridabiblecollege.com era in my opinion the Florida bible College Alumni Association, its members and "selected" (not constitutionally elected according to the FBCAA constitution) has not been involved with or informed the FBCAA alumni about the progress of Florida Bible College as the FBC Alumni Association has failed to become reactive in the official re-start of Florida Bible College.
NOTE:
In my opinion the current and past leadership of the Florida Bible College Alumni Association in the www.floridabiblecollege.com era has REFUSED to support my and Officer Chris Carriers efforts to attempt to officially re-start Florida Bible College. They have , in my and Officer carriers opinion refused to post announcements about our efforts to re-start FBC on the floridabiblecollege.com website, and they have erased every post that I made in the FBCAA message board, including all of the posts that i made about our attempts to official re-start Florida bible college.

The past and current FBCAA leadership have also banned me from going to and or posting on the FBCAA www.floridabiblecollege.com message board. They banned public acsess to the message board when a FBC former student protested the nomination of a person to the FBCAA's FBC re-start feasibility committe who allegedly had an affair while he was a teacher at FBC in the 1970's.

Another thought. The www.floridabiblecollege.com re-start feasibility committee did nothing proactive to bring us any closer to officially re-starting Florida Bible College. In my opinion it does not look like the Florida Bible college Alumni Association is doing ANYTHING at all to bring us closer to officially re-starting Florida Bible college.
***



4. To promote communication between alumni and their Alma Mater.
***
In my opinion the Florida Bible College Alumni Association in the www.floridabiblecollege.com era has done nothing at all to support their alma mater, frankly they have in my opinion abandoned it and as Chris Carrier put it "they (The FBCAA and its members) are holding the DEAD BABY".
***


5. To support and encourage mutual support among alumni by prayer,
encouragement,
and communication.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
The members of the Association shall be graduates, former students who
have attended at
least one semester as full-time students, recipients of honorary
degrees from Florida
Bible College, all of whom are in good standing. By recommendation and
vote of the
Executive Committee, individuals may be designated as honorary members
of the
Association and have all the privileges of alumni except voting and
holding office.
ARTICLE III - OFFICERS
Section 1
The elected
***
Note the constitution says ELECTED. 2 time former Florida Bible College student www.mttu.com President Steve Wetzel called the last Florida Bible college Alumni Association elections "Communistic".

He did so because Steve Bils refused to make public the names of the members of the FBCAA officers nominatuion committee(Who he on his own selected), and because the so called FBCAAA officere nominating Committee only offered ONE NAME on the ballot for each of the three positions.

They also failed to put many peoples names on the ballot who were nominated.(Including mine). I believe almost 25 (23?)names were submitted, yet only 3 names were on the ballot , one name for each office.

***

officers of the Association shall consist of the President,


President- Elect,
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the Committee on Elections.
***
Yet only three of these positions were voted on in the last "selection / election", clearly in violation of the FBCAA constitution.
***


The President-
Elect will be elected on the alternate years from other officers.
***
This guideline was not followed in the last FBCAA officers selection.
***
In
the event that the
President is elected for another term) there will be no
President-Elect for that period.
There must be a new President-Elect elected the year before a
President's second term
is completed. The President, President-Elect, and the
Vice-President must be
graduates of Florida Bible College.
Newly elected officers shall take office at the beginning of the annual


business meeting.
The term of office shall be two years. Officers may serve two terms.
Section 2
1. The duties of the President shall be:
2. To preside at all official meetings of the Association.
3. To serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee.
4. To perform such other duties as are hereinafter designated to be
performed by the
President.
The President will be a member of the Florida Bible College Board of
Trustees
***
Joe alessi is currenly NOT a member of the Florida Bible College Board of Trustees (as it currenly is inacctive)
***


after and
upon his election as President-Elect and approval by the Board of
Trustees. If he is not
approved, the Association must be given an opportunity to elect
another.
***
This did not take place.
***
Section 3
The duties of the President-Elect. shall be:
1. To serve on the Executive Committee.
***
Joe Alessi is not currenly doing this, yet the FBCAA constitution requires him to do so.
***

2. To accede to the Presidency at the end of one term of office.
Section 4
The duty of the Vice-President shall be to preside at all official
meetings of the
Association in the absence of the President. The Vice-President shall
automatically
accede to the Presidency in the event of the death, resignation or
removal from office of
the President.
Section 5
The duty of the Secretary shall be to keep accurate minutes of the
business meetings of
the Association. Minutes shall be kept in the official record book and
when the Secretary
retires from office, he shall turn all records over to his successor.
The Secretary will be responsible, for sending minutes of the annual
meetings to
all members of the Association in a timely manner.
Section 6
The duties of the Treasurer shall be:
1. To oversee the handling of funds through the business office of the
college and make
reports to the Executive Committee as necessary.
***
This is not currenly being done.
***
2. To make an annual report and accounting to the Association at its
annual meeting.
Section 7
The Alumni Director shall be considered a member of the Association and


will be
employed by the college and will act as liaison between the Association


and the college
administration.
***
This office is currenly vacant / abandoned, etc.
***
The Alumni Director shall be an ex-officio member of
all committees.
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES
Section 1
The Executive Committee of seven members shall comprise the following:
Past
President, President) President-Elect) Vice-President) Secretary,
Treasurer and the
Alumni Director.
A quorum for any meeting of the Executive Committee shall consist of
four members.
The Executive Committee shall be empowered to transact business for the


Association
between annual meetings.
The Executive Committee shall submit to the entire membership, projects


or plans for
alumni participation in the work of the college.
***
The FBCAA is not currently doing anything for Florida Bible College.
Note / Exception:Florida Bible College Radio.
***

shall communicate with the Association at large through
a regular
publication.
Section 2
The chairmen of committees for special alumni functions, shall be
appointed by
the President at least ninety (90) days prior to the date of the
activity.
Each chairman shall be empowered to form committees by appointing other


members of
the Alumni Association to assist him in the duties for which he is
responsible.
Section 3
The Committee on Elections shall consist of three members elected by
the membership,
one year prior to the general election of officers.
***
Yet Steve Bils did not follow these guidelines , and he allegedly hand picked a, FBCAA officers elections/ selections (nominating) committee , and he allegedly refuses to make public just who was on that committee.

***



The Committee on Elections shall be responsible for consulting with the


Alumni Director
in preparing a slate of the candidates for the elected officers named
in Article Ill, Section
1, and securing the consent of the candidate to serve if elected.
Membership may suggest
candidates to the Committee on Elections prior to the slate being
finalized. The
Committee shall be responsible for submitting this slate to the
membership for balloting
by mail at least sixty (60) days before the annual business meeting,
using an appropriate
mail-balloting form. This Committee shall provide at least two
candidates for every
elective office, if possible.

***
Wow!
Get that friends,

The Florida Bible college Alumni Association officers election ballot
"SHALL provide at least
TWO Canndidates for every elective office..."

This was something that Steve Bils hand selected FBCAA ONC did NOT do.

***




The ballot should also provide space for
writ-in candidates
by the members if they so desire.
***
Yet the internet ballot did NOT have a place for write in officers, and the FBCAAONC allegedly made it very INCONVIENIENT to write in candidates.
***

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS
The Executive Committee will meet as called by the President and the
location of each
meeting will be determined by the President. He must call at least one
meeting per year in
addition to the annual meeting.
The Executive Committee shall set the date each year for the Homecoming


(Alumni
Weekend) and annual business meeting at a time advantageous both for
the Association
and the college.
Those present shall constitute a quorum to conduct business
ARTICLE VI - LOCAL CHAPTERS
To organize a local chapter, there must be a duly called organizational


meeting to which
all alumni members in the designated territory represented have been
invited.
The chapter must make application to the Executive Committee for
recognition as a local
chapter.
The Executive Committee may designate a territory and appoint the first


President of a
new local chapter, but regular elections for that chapter must take
place one year from the
first meeting of that chapter.
The purposes of the local chapters shall be:
1. To provide opportunities for fellowship among alumni.
2. To serve as an informational outpost of Florida Bible College, as
the college's
presence and influence in the community.
3. To sponsor activities for graduates, former students and prospective


students in
concentrated areas of the country.
4. To aid in the recruitment of students.
Chapters may be organized with officers and committees as they are
needed. There
should be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and, if needed, a
Treasurer.
ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the Constitution may be enacted only by a majority of the


votes cast
in an election conducted by mail in which ballots are sent to all
voting members of
the Association for whom the Association has current addresses.
Suggested amendments may be initiated by the Executive Committee or
through the
Executive Committee upon a proposal signed by at least five members of
the Alumni
Association.
ARTICLE VIII - ADHERENCE TO STATEMENT OF FAITH
Each officer, each member of the Executive Committee, and each one who
serves as
chairman of a standing committee, must adhere to and sign the Statement


of Faith
(originally attached) before assuming office.
FLORIDA BIBLE COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
REGIONAL ALUMNI CHAPTERS
1. Regional Chapter Name
The name of the regional-chapter should reflect the location or
regional distinction in
the title. (e.g. FBC Southwest Alumni Chapter; FBC Carolinas Alumni
Chapter)
2. Purpose
The purpose of an Alumni Chapter is to promote Florida Bible College.
The alumni
are to be encouraged to understand it is the work of God through FBC
that is really
being promoted. We are not merely trying to promote an institution, but


the work of
God through that institution.
3. Goals
In achieving our purpose there are several goals that should be met.
These would
include:
A. Fellowship and encouragement
B. Spiritual refreshment
C. Discussion of ministry - problems and opportunities
D. Provide a forum for discussion of current theolàgical and ethical
issues.
E. Sharing concerns and praying for one another.
F. Renewing friendships and making new ones.
4. Regional Alumni Director
4. Duties and Responsibilities:
A. Attempt to communicate with the FBC alumni in your area.
1. Direct communication - telephone or personal visit.
2. Indirect communication - letters., newsletter
B. Attempt to keep an updated list of names, addresses, and phone
numbers of
former' FBC students and,graduates in your region. Provide this
information
to Dave Leyva who will keep the database current.
C. Act as a liaison between the alumni in your area and the Alumni
Association
President. The president of the Alumni Association serves on the Board
of
Directors of FBC. This gives the alumni a representative on the Board
of
Directors.
D. Serve as the point of contact for prospective students. Contact
newly accepted
students to FBC to encourage them.
E. Schedule regional Alumni Rallies in conjunction with the Alumni
Association
President and the College. The, director will need to send out material


in
forming the alumni of the dates, time, and location of the meeting.
5. Florida Bible Support of the Regional Alumni Chapters.
A. Coordinate scheduling of regional meetings.
B. Supply the main speaker from FBC for the regional meeting,
C. Supply mailing addresses on labels and postage for' meetings.
D. Provide an updated list of alumni in your area.
E. Announce regional activities in the SIGNAL when possible.
GOAL: LOCAL CHAPTERS OF THE FBC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
1. Local alumni chapters could be established in several different
areas to promote
the work God is doing at Florida Bible College.
2. Local alumni chapters would met at least once a year to be presented


with news
about the college, to share concerns, discuss problems, and pray for
one another
and the college.
3. Local alumni chapters would provide opportunities for fellowship,
encouragement, discussion of ministry problems, spiritual refreshment,
and
developing relationships with other FBC alumni.
4. Local alumni chapters would first be state-wide. Some chapters may
include
several states, if that would be more practical. If it is more
convenient, larger state
chapters may partition themselves into several chapters.
5. Local alumni chapters would be helpful in recruitment. People in
local chapters
could contact prospective students ana answer questions about the
college. Also,
people could contact newly accepted students to FBC to encourage them.
During
a student's time at FBC these people from the local alumni chapter
would be their
prayer partner.
GOAL: FBC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND
This is an annual scholarship funded by gifts from the alumni of FBC.
The amount is
limited to the actual amount of money contributed and ..not to exceed
$2500.00. This
scholarship is given to a student active in Student Government. The
selection of the
recipient is determined by the administration of the college, subject
to the criteria of
the Alumni Association.
TEN WAYS YOU CAN HELP FLORIDA BIBLE COLLEGE
1. Send names and addresses of prospective students.
2. Send updated names and addresses of alumni.
3. Ask for literature you might use to inform prospective students
about FB
4. Send names and addresses of friends who might like to receive the
SIGNAL
5. Send observations about how the college's effectiveness is
perceived, with
suggestions for improvement.
6. Pray daily for the administration, faculty, staff, and students.
7. Get in touch with an alumnus who has been out of touch with the
college
Encourage them and update them about the school.
8. Send brief news items about yourself and your ministry to be used in


the
SIGNAL.
9. Make regular personal contributions to the college.
10. Ask your church about placing FBC in the missions budget."
 

Interesting that Florida Bible College Alumni Association selected President Joe Alessi tells me that a new Florida Bible College Alumni Association Constitution was voted in at the last Florida Bible College Alumni Association buisiness meeting. I will assume that this must have been during the FBCAA reunion as I was not able to attend , I was as the funeral of my friend and trumpet player Tom Wheeler. I guess the FBCAA figured out it would be easier to reincorporate rather than explain to all of our alumni why there were proposing to change their constitution.

I wonder if the new Florida Bible College Alumni Association Constitution mentions that the FBCAA is required to support Florida Bible College itself? Joe tells me of the FBCAA's desires to see Florida Bible College re-started, and that they wish to become a 501(c)3 alumni association(remember the I.R.S. requires all alumni associations to support the college or university that they are affiliated with, and if they do not they MUST call themselves a social club, not an alumni association, see my I.R.S. requirements for alumni associations blog). Time will tell if that is just talk.

The Floridabiblecollege.com website still has a link up to the old FBCAA Constitution even to this day. If a link exists to the new FBCAA Constitution I do not know where it is.
 

If anyone has a copy of the new Florida Bible College Alumni Association Constitution would they please email it to usatrumpet@yahoo.com