Constitution of the UF

Posted by on 8/26/09 • Categorized as Constitution of the UF

CONSTITUTION

of the

                 UNITED FACULTY OF THE CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

PREAMBLE

We, the United Faculty of the Contra Costa Community College District, do establish this constitution on the following principles:

While this organization will strive to work in harmony with the existing organizations, it will be created as a local organization without affiliation with any organization at any level.

It will be a district-wide voluntary organization.

It will offer itself for adoption under the new law as the exclusive representative of the Faculty in matters covered by collective bargaining.

It will be neither in competition with nor sub- servient to local or district senates, but will strive to work in harmony with them.

ARTICLE I Name

The name of the organization shall be The United Faculty of the Contra Costa Community College District, hereinafter referred to as “the organization.”

ARTICLE II Purpose

The purpose of the organization shall be to negotiate and enforce contracts with the Governing Board of the Contra Costa Community College District on behalf of and as representative for the negotiating unit that includes classroom teachers in the District.

The organization may undertake such activities, including but not limited to political activities, as directly or indirectly support the purposes of the organization.

ARTICLE III Membership

    1. Any person eligible by law for inclusion in the negotiation unit that includes classroom teachers in the District shall be eligible for membership in the organization.
    2. Dues shall be established by a majority vote of members, voting by mailbox ballot.
    3. As unit representative, this organization may also receive and disburse membership dues to organizations other than the United Faculty, as requested by each member individually.

ARTICLE IV Officers

    1. There shall be a President, elected by majority vote of members voting in a mailbox ballot election.
    2. The President shall
      1. be the chief administrative officer, spokesperson and representative of the organization,
      2. preside over meetings of the organization and of the Executive Board,
      3. appoint committees, including the negotiating team, and their chairpersons, with the advice and consent of the Executive Board.
    3. The First Vice President shall be elected by the Executive Board and shall be a member of that Board. The First Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in his/her absence and shall succeed to the presidency should a vacancy occur.
    4. The Secretary shall be elected by the Executive Board and shall be a member of that Board. The Secretary shall be responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the membership lists and records of proceedings of the organization and the Executive Board.
    5. The Treasurer shall be elected by the Executive Board and shall be a member of that Board. The Treasurer shall be responsible for management of the funds of the organization, for maintaining appropriate records, and for making appropriate reports. All disbursal of funds must be approved by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE V Executive Board

      1. The President shall be a member of the Executive Board.
      2. The immediate past President shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of the Executive Board.
      3. In addition to the President and the immediate past President, the Executive Board shall consist of 19 members, 16 full- time faculty and one part-time faculty member from each college.Of the full-time faculty, 13 are to be elected as follows:From CCC – three members
        From DVC – seven members
        From LMC – three membersEach member shall be elected by the membership at his or her college. Each member of the Executive Board shall have one vote.
      4. Additionally, there shall be one vice-president from each campus, appointed by the President with the consent of the members of the respective campuses.
      5. The Executive Board must review the provisions of Article V, Section 1 (c) least once every two years. The proportion of representation on the Executive Board, other than the President, from each college must approximate the proportion of membership in each college. The Executive Board must recommend to the membership that the provisions of Article V, Section 1 (c) be changed if any college’s representation on the Executive Board no longer adequately reflects the college’s proportion of membership in the organization.
    2. The Executive Board shall have the authority to conduct the business of the organization, except in the amendment of this constitution, the establishment of dues or initiation fees, the approval of the annual budget, and the ratification of agreements with the Governing Board. The authority in these cases is reserved to the organization, and the Executive Board shall be subject to the orders of the organization. None of the acts of the Executive Board shall conflict with actions taken by the organization.


ARTICLE VI Meetings

    1. The Executive Board shall have the authority to call general meetings of the organization.
    2. When ten percent (10%) of the membership shall have presented a petition for a general meeting to the President, she/he shall schedule a general meeting within three weeks and so inform the membership.
    3. All general meetings must be announced by mail at least one week prior to the meeting. A quorum shall consist of the members present.

ARTICLE VII Elections

    1. Elections shall be conducted by the President and the Executive Board or their designees.
    2. a. Regular elections shall be conducted in September.b. Nominations shall require the signatures of at least ten members in support of a candidacy.c. Election of the President of the organization shall be by majority of those voting with provision for runoff between the two candidates with the largest plurality in the event that no candidate receives a majority.d. Election for representatives to the Executive Board shall be by plurality, with provision for a runoff in the event of a tie for last position.e. Members shall be considered members of, and shall vote with, the College Faculty of their major assignment.f. There shall be no write-in voting or voting by proxy.

      g. Absentee voting in elections shall be permitted for all members. It shall be the responsibility of the member to acquire and cast the ballot.

      h.Every member will have one vote

      1. Regular terms shall commence at the beginning of the semester following the election and run for two years.
      2. Executive Board terms shall be staggered for purposes of continuity. The Executive Board shall make provision for this.
      1. Vacancies, except for the Presidency, shall be filled by a special election for the duration of the unexpired term. When the Vice President succeeds to the Presidency his/her seat on the Executive Board shall be considered vacant.In order to insure full representation, the Executive Board may declare a temporary vacancy if a Board representative will be unable to attend meetings for more than a month. The President may then appoint a member from the appropriate campus as a temporary replacement with the consent of the Board. The representative so appointed must be confirmed by a vote of the members of the appropriate campus at the next regular UF election. If no election occurs within three months, the President shall seek confirmation from the members of the appropriate campus.
      2. When twenty percent (20%) of any officer’s constituency shall have signed a petition requesting the recall of an officer of the organization, the President, upon receipt of a valid recall petition (or the Vice President, if the President be named in the recall petition), shall notify the officer named in the recall petition and his/her constituency within one week and shall conduct an election for the office in question within the fourth week thereafter. Recall petitions will be received only between the first duty day of, and the fifth week before the end of, the academic year. If a majority of those voting within the appropriate constituency vote to recall the incumbent, the seat shall be vacant and shall be filled by special election.
      3. The Executive Board may submit any matter to the membership for decision by majority of those voting.

ARTICLE VIII Amendment

This Constitution may be amended by a majority of the members voting, provided that a petition requesting the amendment, signed by twenty percent (20%) of the members shall have been presented to the President or that the Executive Board shall have proposed the amendment. Voting shall be by mailbox ballot after a general meeting of the organization has been held to provide for discussion of the amendment.

ARTICLE IX Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution or any special rules of order the organization may adopt.

(This Constitution was adopted January 14, 1976 and amended November 9, 1976, February 23, 1978, November 15, 1978, February 8, 1979, November 28, 1979, November 26, 1980, February 25, 1981, October 6, 1982, February 13, 1990, December 14, 1991, October 21, 1994, November 23, 1994 and April 12, 2001.)

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