Constitution of the
The
name of this organization shall be the
Article II. Purpose
The
purpose of this Chapter shall be to defend and promote academic freedom,
tenure, due process, and shared governance; to protect and advance the
professional and economic interests of academic professionals; to promote the
standards, ideals, usefulness, and welfare of the profession; and to facilitate
the purpose, objectives, and programs of the California Faculty Association at
the local level.
Article III. Membership
The membership in this Chapter shall be all
persons at this University who are currently dues paying members of the
California Faculty Association.
Section 1. Active
Membership. Any academic employee of a
Members
in good standing who are participating in early retirement programs shall be
classified as Active members for the purpose of governance.
Lecturers shall remain
Active members upon direct payment of dues as long as they are employed in the
CSU for at least one semester/two quarters during the year, or are in the
process of grieving non-reappointment.
Active
members who are not members of CSU bargaining unit 3 shall not have rights with
respect to decisions affecting the CFA-CSU collective bargaining agreement.
Section 2. Associate
Membership. CFA Active members on full leave without pay, on temporary layoff,
or on layoff for reasons of financial exigency, shall be reclassified to
Associate members. Upon payment of full dues, Associate members shall have the
same membership rights as Active members for governance purposes, but shall
have no rights with respect to decisions affecting the CFA-CSU collective
bargaining agreement.
Section 3. Retired
Membership. Any person who is a Retired member of CSU Unit 3, not participating
in an early retirement program, can qualify for CFA Retired membership. Retired
members may not vote at the state or chapter level except as representatives to
chapter executive committees, as representatives to the Assembly or as Retired
members of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Membership in
Good Standing. A member shall be in good standing upon the receipt of the first
month's dues at the CFA Headquarters.
Section 5. Staff. CFA
staff shall be considered CFA members for purposes of affiliate benefit rights
but shall have no other rights of membership.
Article IV. Relationship with the State-wide CFA
The
constitution and other policy documents of the Chapter and any actions taken by
the Chapter or its officers shall be in conformity with the bylaws, Articles of
Incorporation, and other policy documents of the CFA.
Article V. Officers
The
officers of this Chapter shall be a President, Vice-president, Secretary, and
Treasurer.
Section 1. Terms of Office.
Each
full term of office shall be for two years,[ beginning not earlier than the
start of Spring Quarter or one week after the completion of elections,
whichever occurs later, during even-numbered years].
Section 2. Duties of Officers.
A.
President. The president shall carry out the policies of the Chapter, exercise
a general supervision over the activities of the Chapter, preside at meetings
of the Chapter and Executive Committee, serve as spokesperson for the Chapter,
and certify elected Chapter representatives to the CFA Delegate Assembly.
B.
Vice-president. The duties of the vice-president shall include assuming the
duties of President at the request of or in the absence of the president, and
assisting the President in performing executive duties.
C.
Secretary. The secretary is responsible for minutes
of all meetings and for the newsletter.
D.
Treasurer. The treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all monies received
and of all disbursements, prepare an annual report of finance, prepare and
submit for approval an annual budget, and present a Monthly
statement that is distributed to members of the Executive Committee.
Article VI. Governance
Section 1. Authority. Authority for the governance of the
Chapter is ultimately vested in the membership. Officers, committee members and
staff are responsible to the membership. The Chapter shall be governed by the
General Meetings of the statewide CFA.
Section 2. Actions. Any action taken by the Chapter, or its
officers, shall be in conformity with the Bylaws, Articles of Incorporations,
and other policy documents of the statewide CFA.
Article VII. Voting and Quorum
All
active members of the Chapter shall have the right to vote. A quorum at a
Chapter meeting shall consist of at least 5% of the total membership of the
Chapter, but not fewer than 10 members. The Executive Committee is empowered to
conduct a mail ballot when deemed necessary.
Article VIII. Committees
Section 1. Executive Committee.
A.
Membership. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President,
Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer, representatives to the CFA Delegate
Assembly, the immediate past president, all chairpersons of standing
committees, one member representing retired faculty to be appointed by the
Executive Committee.
B.
Quorum. One-third of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
C.
Duties. The committee shall meet at least once per quarter. The Executive
Committee shall be vested with the authority to conduct the business of the
Chapter, establish policy for the Chapter subject to the policies of the CFA
and the local Chapter, and the instructions of the membership. In addition, the
Executive Committee shall:
1. be responsible for the Chapter's continuing and effective presence on campus
and for implementing efforts to promote CFA goals and
2.
schedule and prepare agenda for Chapter meetings.
Section 2. Elections Committee.
A.
Membership and Selection. An Election Committee, comprised of three members,
shall be elected every two years. Members of the Elections Committee will not be
eligible for nomination for other elective office. Vacancies on the Committee
due to resignation or disqualification shall be filled by appointment of the
Executive Committee.
B.
Duties. The elections Committee shall supervise the election of Chapter officers
and representatives to the CFA Delegate Assembly, and supervise voting on
constitutional amendments and other Chapter referenda.
Section 3. Membership Committee.
A.
Membership and Selection. The chair shall be elected at a regular election. The
Committee, in addition to the chair, shall consist of one representative from
each of the university's colleges, schools, and library.
In
addition, there shall be a lecturer and a retired faculty member on the
Committee. Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Executive
Committee. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee.
B.
Duties. The duty of the Committee is the
recruitment of new members. The committee shall meet at least once per quarter.
Section 4. Faculty
Rights Committee.
A.
Membership. The chair shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the
Executive Committee. The Committee shall consist of a minimum of five members
appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Executive Committee. The Executive Board may choose to act as the faculty
rights committee.
B.
Duties. This Committee shall counsel faculty on grievance matters, receive
notices of intent to grieve, develop and apply screening procedures for
assessing the merits of proposed grievances, and participate with the grievants
throughout the grievance process.
In
addition, the Committee shall monitor and maintain records on the campus
policies concerning the employment, retention, tenure, and promotion of
faculty, since these matters are frequently the subject of grievance. The
committee shall endeavor to train additional members as advocates in the
grievance process. The Committee shall meet at least once per quarter.
Section 5. Political Action Committee.
A.
Membership. The chair shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the
Executive Committee. The Committee shall consist of a minimum of five members
appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Executive Committee.
B.
Duties. The Committee shall promote the goals of the Chapter and CFA by
establishing contacts with local legislators, affiliate organizations, and
supportive labor organizations. The goal shall be to aid the understanding of
CFA goals among these potentially supportive groups and to enlist their
assistance in achieving those goals. The Committee shall meet at least once per
quarter.
Section 6. Affirmative
Action Committee.
A. Membership
and Selection. The chair shall be elected at a regular election. The Committee,
in addition to the chair, shall consist of one representative from each of the
university's colleges, schools, and library.
Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Executive
Committee. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee.
B. Duties. The Affirmative Action Committee shall monitor campus practices regarding
equal employment opportunities, discrimination in the workplace, PTR and other
related matters. The Committee will also
advocate for members of historically underrepresented groups including racial,
ethnic and religious minorities, women, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender, and the disabled on the campus.
Section 7. Other Standing and ad hoc
Committees.
The
Executive Committee may create additional standing
and ad hoc Committees as are necessary to promote the
welfare of the Chapter's programs.
Article IX. CFA Delegates
The
Chapter is obligated to send delegates to the CFA legislative assembly.
Section 1. Legislative Assembly Delegates.
The
number of delegates is determined by the statewide CFA constitution. The
President of the Chapter shall be one of these delegates. Delegates shall
consist of one tenure-track member and one lecturer member. The delegates other
than the President shall be elected at in the Spring of even-numbered years.
Article X. Elections
Section 1. Offices.
The
positions to be elected are President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer,
CFA Delegates, and Chairs of the Affirmative Action,
Elections, and Membership Committees. All terms shall be for two years.
Section 2. Timing.
Elections shall be conducted in the Spring of even-numbered years. Special elections shall be held
as soon as practical after an office has been vacated, if the position is
vacated in the second year of the term.
Section 3. Call for Nomination.
Nomination
suggestions shall be solicited from all members of the chapter.
Section 4. Slate of Nominees.
A
slate of nominees shall be developed by the Election Committee, preferably
containing two persons for each position. There
will be no election if there are less than two candidates. The slate
developed by the Election Committee shall be designated as the official slate
on the ballot. Additional nominations may be submitted by petition. A valid
petition must be received by the Elections Committee within the deadline
established, and be signed by at least 5
members of the Chapter. No person shall be a
candidate simultaneously for more than one elective office. The exception is if one of the two offices is that of
assembly delegate.
Section 5. Notification.
The
Elections Committee shall notify all members of the Chapter of the Committee's
nominees at least two weeks prior to balloting.
Section 6. Balloting.
The
Elections Committee shall prepare and distribute ballots, receive and count
ballots, and announce and certify the results. A ballot for each office shall
contain entries for all nominees and space for a write-in candidate. Provisions
may be made for including brief biographical sketches and statements by the
candidates with the ballots. The length of each
brief biographical sketch should be no longer than a half page. Each
election shall be conducted by a secret ballot distributed to all members. A
majority of the votes cast will be required to win. If no candidate receives a
majority, a run-off election between the two candidates receiving the most
votes shall be held as soon as possible.
Section 7. Vacancy for President.
The
vice-president shall automatically succeed to president and complete the terms
of office as president, when the position of president is vacated. A new
vice-president shall be elected at the earliest opportunity. If less than a year remains, a new vice-president will be
appointed by the Executive Committee.
Section 8. Recall.
All
members of the Executive Committee are subject to recall.
A.
A two-thirds vote by the members at a regularly-scheduled meeting, or a
petition signed by 20% of the members of the Chapter, shall cause a recall
election to be conducted within one month.
B.
Upon a 60% vote of the Chapter members casting ballots, the person shall be
recalled and shall vacate his or her position on the Executive Committees.
Article XI. Meetings
Regular Chapter meetings shall be held
not less than once each quarter, as determined by the Executive Committee.
Special meetings may be called by the President. The President shall call a
special meeting when so directed by petition of more than 10% of the members in
the chapter. A meeting shall be held within three weeks of receiving such a
petition.
Section 1. Notice.
Written notice of each Chapter meeting shall be sent to
each member of the Chapter no less than one week in advance of the date
selected for the meeting. Notice shall include time, place, and purpose of the
meeting.
Article XII. Amendment of this
Constitution
Section 1. Initiation.
Constitutional
amendments can be initiated either by petition from any ten members of the
Chapter or by recommendation of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Approval.
Notice
setting forth each proposed amendment, with reasons thereof, shall be sent to
each member at least 14 days prior to distribution of the ballots. At least 7
days shall be allowed for the return of ballots. Approval of two-thirds of the
membership responding to the secret ballot shall constitute approval by the
Chapter.
After
approval by the Chapter, amendments to the Constitution shall be submitted to
the CFA Board of Directors. Approval by the Board is required before a
constitutional amendment becomes operative.
Article XIII. Parliamentary Authority
The
rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised
shall govern the Chapter in all cases to which they are applicable, and in
which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution or with any special
rules of order adopted by the Chapter.
April 2006