Constitution

by Steve

Preface

Freemasonry is a very personal journey, it is not casual or “drive through”,antique_book it is, on the contrary, a sincere journey of in-depth search and discover. If the directions and signs along the road are carefully observed and interpreted, the traveller will eventually be lead to discover the plan for a moral and useful life: “To raise a super-structure perfect in its parts and honourable to the builder.”

To realize the benefit of such a journey, the traveler must invest considerable time and thought. The objective of Ashlar College of Freemasonry (ACF) is to offer the Brethren of this jurisdiction an opportunity to engage in a program of Masonic Enrichment through research curriculum of written papers, suggested readings, and personal submissions of assigned topics. An appropriate allegorical summary for such a study program might be one from G. Hopkins, a researcher of some time ago:-

 In a country rich in gold, observant wayfarers may find nuggets along their path, but only systematic mining will provide the currency of nations.

 Constitutions.

1 The College shall be called the Ashlar College of Freemasonry [ACF]. It shall be under the aegis of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon. Annually the ACF shall apply to the Grand Lodge for a license to work.

  1. The purpose of the ACF is to offer brethren of the jurisdiction the acquisition through directed study an in-depth understanding of Freemasonry and the messages therein. It gives opportunity to explore Masonic subjects to the interested brother and encourages in-depth study which will develop a student to share his knowledge with others.
  1. The Diploma program is a three level course, each level (year) being divided into two semesters, to a maximum of 18 units of study.
  2. The administrator sends course work to the student. An adjudicator is assigned to the course. Assignments are submitted to the Adjudicator for discussion. The adjudicator informs the administrator of a successful completion of the assignment, who then delivers the next coursework to the student.

Board.

  1. The number of members of the Board shall consist of no less than five (5) well-skilled brethren. A quorum of the Board shall consist of at least three (3) – Chairman, and/or vice Chairman plus two others. The Grand Master shall be an ex-officio member of the Board.
  1. The Board will consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and one other. The Dean of the College will not be a member of the Board, but will be answerable to the Board on his work. The Dean shall also be known as the Administrator.
  1. Duties of the Board will be to:
  1. to hold an annual meeting
  2. regularly check the material of the curriculum
  3. receive annual financial statements of the College from the Treasurer
  4. make recommendations for the improvement of the work of the College
  5. advise the administration (Dean and Bursar) of the College
  6. oversee the running of the College
  1. The Board shall meet a minimum of once a year, which will be the day before the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge, and which will be the annual meeting of the College. The Chair, or if unable, the Vice Chair, shall call meetings.
  1. The Grand Master shall appoint all Directors of the Board annually – {R50a}. The election of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer will be conducted by the Board Members. A term shall be from completion of one Grand Lodge to the completion of the next year’s Grand Lodge.All Board members may be elected to a maximum of 5 years [After the first year of appointment by the Grand Master, the five members will decide who will be appointed for one year, two years, three years, four years and five years of tenure. Subsequently all appointed shall be for 5 year tenures.]
  1. Under section R52a of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon Constitution, upon the issuance of a license by the Grand Master, it shall be the responsibility of the Board to display the license at all meetings of the Board. The Chair of the Board shall submit to Grand Lodge in the month of January a list of Board members with the name(s) of proposed members to become a Board member for the following year.
  1. A report of the work of the College will be submitted at Grand Lodge Annual Communication to be submitted to the Office of the Grand Secretary no later than May 15th of each year.
  1. At the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge, all certificates and diplomas recognizing the successful completion of coursework shall be presented.
  1. On the satisfactory completion of the 1st ‘year’ curriculum, a certificate will be presented.
  2. At the end of satisfactory completion of the 1st and 2nd ‘years’ curricula, a diploma shall be presented titled Associate of Ashlar College of Freemasonry.
  3. At the satisfactory completion of the full curricula, a diploma shall be presented titled Fellow of Ashlar College of Freemasonry.

If certificates and diplomas cannot be presented to successful students at Grand Lodge, the DDGM of the district from which the brother comes, shall present certificates and diplomas as soon after Grand Lodge as is possible.

  1. The Letters AACF (associate of Ashlar College of Freemasonry) [completion of two levels] and FACF (Fellow of Ashlar College of Freemasonry)[completion of three levels] may be used after the brother’s name in all Masonic settings in our Grand Jurisdiction.

Administration

  1. The Administrator shall report regularly to the Board on suchantique-books matters as the number of registered students, the progress of each student, and any other matters, which may be deemed of importance and of interest to the Board.
  1. The Administrator shall create a register of students, and record the coursework started and completed by the students.
  1. Any Master Mason in good standing with his lodge, currently on the register of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon, may apply to commence the coursework of the ACF.

16.a Any Masons from outside the jurisdiction, may, after proof of membership to a recognized jurisdiction and lodge, register with the College. Only courses of a general nature for masons not of this jurisdiction will be forwarded to the registrant. (2013).

  1. The Administrator will receive all fees for the coursework, supply all course work to the students and receive assignments. He shall pass assignments to the adjudicator initially. Subsequently the student and adjudicator will communicate directly with each other until the coursework is completed.
  1. The fees shall be assessed each year by the Board
  1. All funds received shall be passed to the Bursar for deposit in a financial institution holding coverage under the umbrella of C.D.I.C.
  1. Evaluation of the papers and responses to coursework by the adjudicator shall be the property of the student. The Administrator shall pass further assignments once he has received information of the completion of the last course taken.
  1. Any TWO courses under Level 3 may be exchanged with “Topics of Interest” by the student after having obtained prior agreement with the Administrator
  1. The total coursework is 18 courses. The Student’s name remains on the roll of the College until he decides otherwise.
  1. Changes to the By-laws may be made at any meeting of the Board. All members of the Board must have at least one month (30 days) notice of any proposed changes to the By-Laws.

Dated this 18th day of June, 2011.

Updated 22nd June, 2013.

Updated June 2014.

Updated June 2015.

Updated June 2016.

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