1. The CATHOLIC EDUCATION COMMISSION – SCOTLAND is a body constituted by the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland to advise and assist the Bishops in all matters pertaining to education and, on its behalf, to promote development in this field.
2. FULL COMMISSION MEMBERS
2.1 Full Commission members may be appointed by the Bishops’ Conference at any time, to serve on the Commission.
2.2 The membership shall comprise a representative from each Diocese and representatives from the Catholic Head Teachers Association, Catholic Primary Head Teachers Association, a Church Representative on a local authority, a representative from the Religious Education Advisers and Faculty of Education of the University of Glasgow, and a parent representative.
2.3 The duration of membership shall normally be three years or longer at the discretion of the Bishops’ Conference.
3. PLENARY MEETINGS OF THE COMMISSION
3.1 Plenary meetings of the Commission shall be held normally THREE times a year, or more often if necessary.
3.2 The Plenary Meeting held in December of every third year shall be the Triennial General Meeting.
4. THE OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSION
These shall be:
4.1 A Bishop-President and a priest Vice-President, both appointed by the Bishops’ Conference.
4.2 The SCES Director and Secretary appointed by the Bishops’ Conference.
4.3 Chair and Vice-Chair shall both be laypersons. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall be elected at the Triennial General Meeting. The Vice-Chair shall normally succeed the Chair. Their terms of office shall normally be three years.
4.4 The Bishop-President shall convene the meeting at the beginning of the Triennial General Meeting until a Chair is elected. Thereafter, and for all other Plenary and Executive Meetings, the Chair will normally convene the meeting.
5. THE EXECUTIVE OF THE COMMISSION
5.1 The President, Vice-President, Chair, Vice-Chair, Director, Secretary and immediate past Chair.
5.2 Any TWO other Commission members elected, to serve annually by rota, by the Commission in Plenary Session.
6. POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
6.1 The Executive shall have authority to act on behalf of the Commission and shall meet as often as necessary.
6.2 The Executive shall be responsible for liaising with the Scottish Executive, Scottish Parliament, Westminster Parliament, Faculty of Education of the University of Glasgow, Church of Scotland, and other groups and organisations, and for this and any other purpose, may invite competent persons to attend.
7. SCOTTISH CATHOLIC EDUCATION SERVICE
7.1 The Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES) is an agency which operates on behalf of the CEC, developing and implementing its policies. The Director of SCES is its Chief Executive and accountable to the Catholic Education Commission in general and its Chairperson in particular, who will be the line manager of the Director.
8. COMMITTEES OF THE COMMISSION
8.1 OFFICERS
8.1.1 A Convenor, normally a member of the Commission, elected by the Commission in Plenary Session.
8.2 OTHERS
8.2.1 Other suitable Commission members elected to the particular Committee at Plenary Session of the Commission.
8.2.2 Other suitable persons, NOT full Commission members but approved by the Executive Committee.
8.2.3 Any experts called in by the Convenor to assist on Committee ad hoc.
8.2.3 All Commission Officers may attend meetings of Committees.
8.3 Each Committee shall be given its primary remit by the Executive Committee after discussion by the Commission in Plenary Session and shall report back to the Commission through the Executive. It shall remain in being as a Committee only for as long as it is working on specific briefs remitted to it, or on worthwhile matters suggested by its own members and agreed to by the Commission. All Committees and their membership shall be reviewed at the Triennial General Meeting.
8.4 Committee Convenors shall report at each Plenary Meeting.
9. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION
The Executive are empowered to take decisions and to implement proposals presented to and approved by the Commission.