California Faculty Association at CSU San Marcos

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Bylaws
of the
California State University San Marcos Chapter
of the
California Faculty Association

Adopted September 5, 2006

Article I. Name 

The name of this organization shall be the California State University San Marcos Chapter of the California Faculty Association.

Article II. Purposes

The purposes 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 faculty; to promote the standards, ideals, usefulness, and welfare of the profession; and to facilitate the purposes, objectives, and programs of the statewide California Faculty Association at the local level.

Article III. Membership and Member Rights

The membership in this Chapter shall be all California State University San Marcos Faculty, Librarians, and Student Services Professionals, Academic Related Personnel (SSP, ARs) in good standing as specified in Article XI.

Under state law all employees in the faculty bargaining unit are entitled to fair representation in the administration of the CFA-CSU Collective Bargaining Agreement. While CFA provides strong, effective and professional representation to all bargaining unit members, CFA members enjoy special rights and privileges within the organization. These include, but are not limited to, the right to:

  1. elect local officers,
  2. participate in regular CFA business meetings,
  3. petition local chapters and the state organization regarding policy and governance,
  4. recall local officers and petition for recall of state officers,
  5. serve on various committees and appointed bodies within CFA, run for election to local and state offices, and run for election to bodies or organizations with which CFA is affiliated,
  6. receive regular and timely information about the activities of CFA, and
  7. be consulted in the development of CFA bargaining proposals and strategies.

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 statewide CFA.

Article V. Officers

The Officers of this Chapter shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and lecturer representative, and affirmative action representative.

Section 1. Terms of Office. Each full term of office shall be for two years, beginning on June 1st  of odd-numbered years.

Section 2. Duties of Officers.

A. President. The President shall serve as a delegate to the CFA Assembly and a member of the Council of Presidents. 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, and serve as the spokesperson for the Chapter.

B. Vice President. The Vice President shall serve as a delegate to the CFA Assembly, chair the Membership Committee, assume the duties of the President at the request of or in the absence of the President, and undertake additional duties as assigned by the President.

C. Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the roll of Chapter members, keep a record of all proceedings and correspondence of the Chapter and Executive Committee, supervise the distribution of information to the members and the community at large, and serve as a liaison to the state Publications committee.

D. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all monies received and of all disbursements, prepare an annual report of finances, prepare and submit for approval an annual budget, and present a statement of Chapter finances at each Chapter meeting and whenever requested to do so at Executive Committee meetings. A yearly audit of the Chapter’s financial records will be supervised by the Executive Committee.

E. Lecturer Representative. The Lecturer Representative shall serve as delegate to the CFA assembly, a liaison to the state-wide Lecturers Council and to Chapter lecturer members, and assume additional duties as assigned by the president.

F. Affirmative Action Representative. The Affirmative Action Representative shall serve as a delegate to the CFA assembly, a liaison to the state-wide Council for Affirmative Action, and shall monitor campus practices regarding equal employment opportunities, discrimination in the workplace, and retention, tenure, and promotion review, as well as other related matters.

Article VI. Governance

This Chapter shall be governed by general meetings of the membership. In order to facilitate the transaction of Chapter business, the Executive Committee is empowered to take action on behalf of, but remains subject to the instruction of, the membership. Similarly, the President may take action on behalf of, but remains subject to the instruction of, the Executive Committee and membership.

Article VII. Voting and Quorum

All members of the Chapter shall have the right to vote. A quorum at Chapter meetings shall consist of at least 5% of the total membership of the Chapter.

Article VIII. Committees

Section 1. Executive Committee

  1. Membership. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers of the Chapter. The Faculty Rights officer and other appointees may serve on the Executive Committee to ensure, if possible, that each college, library, and SSP, AR classification is represented.
  1. Quorum. A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
  1. Duties. The Executive Committee shall be vested with the authority to conduct the business of the Chapter, subject to the policies of the CFA 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;
    2. schedule and prepare agendas for Chapter meetings; and
    3. make temporary appointments to fill vacant Executive Committee positions (except President and immediate past President) until new elections have been held to fill the positions for the unexpired terms of office, and appoint alternate delegates to the CFA Assembly when officers are unable to attend an Assembly.

Section 2. Elections Committee

  1. Membership and Selection. At an early spring meeting, the President shall convene an Elections Committee comprised of three members. Members of the Elections Committee will not be eligible for nomination for elective office. Vacancies on the Committee due to resignation or disqualification shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee. Members of the Elections Committee shall serve until a new Committee is selected for the next annual election cycle.
  1. Duties. The Elections Committee shall supervise the election of Chapter officers and representatives. It will also supervise voting on constitutional amendments and other Chapter referenda.

Section 3. Faculty Rights Committee. The Committee shall counsel faculty on grievance matters and assist grievants throughout the grievance process. In addition, the committee shall monitor and maintain records on the campus of policies concerning the employment, terms and conditions of employment, retention, tenure, and promotion of faculty because these matters are frequently the subject of grievances.

Section 4. Political Action Committee. The committee shall coordinate the political activities of the Chapter with those of the statewide Political Action Committee, oversee the Chapter’s political action and legislative program, and make recommendations to the Executive Committee for Chapter political endorsements.

Section 5. Other Standing and Ad Hoc Committees. The Chapter may create such committees as are necessary to promote the welfare of the Chapter’s programs. Members of standing committees shall serve for two-year staggered terms. The chair and other members of standing and ad hoc committees shall be selected by the Executive Committee. Replacements for vacated positions shall be chosen by the same process as for initial selection.

Article IX. Elections

Section 1. Timing. Elections shall be conducted during April and May of odd-numbered years. Special elections shall be held as soon as practicable after an office has been vacated.

Section 2. Nominations. The Executive Committee shall solicit nominations from the full membership of the Chapter of candidates for all open offices. Any member of the Chapter in good standing is eligible to be nominated, and members may self-nominate. No person shall be a candidate simultaneously for more than one elective office.

Section 3. Notification. At least two weeks prior to balloting, the Elections Committee shall notify all members of the Chapter of the complete list of nominees for office.

Section 4. 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. Each election shall be conducted by a secret ballot distributed to all members. A majority of the votes cast will be required to win.

Section 5. Vacancy for President. If the position for President is vacated, the Vice President shall automatically succeed to President and complete the term of office as President. A new Vice President shall be elected at the earliest opportunity.

Section 6. Recall. All members of the Executive Committee are subject to recall.

  1. 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.
  1. 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 Committee.

Section 7. Election of Representatives and One Alternate to the CFA Delegate Assembly. The Chapter President, the Vice President, the Lecturer Representative, and the Affirmative Action Representative shall serve as representatives to the CFA Assembly. If alternates are needed, they shall be selected by the Executive Committee from the membership.

Article X. Meetings

Regular Chapter meetings shall be held not less than twice each year, 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 of 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 purposes of the meeting. 

Article XI. Dues

Chapter dues, if any, shall be determined annually by the Executive Committee and approved by a majority vote in a chapter referendum, held in the preceding year to which they apply. This payment requirement may be satisfied either through payroll deduction or by direct payment. If no action is taken, the current dues level will continue in force. Upon payment of current Chapter dues, members shall be considered to be in good standing.

Article XII. Amendment of these By-Laws 

Section 1. Initiation. By-Law 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 By-Laws shall be submitted to the CFA Board of Directors. Approval by the Board is required before a By-laws amendment becomes operative.

Section 3. Amendment by the CFA Delegate Assembly. Substantive amendments to these By-laws may be made by the CFA Delegate Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the By-Laws of the CFA, to bring these By-Laws into harmony with the provisions of the By-Laws of the CFA.

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 these By-Laws or with any special rules of order adopted by the Chapter.