| Home Page
What's New Page
Contact Page
Favorite Links
|
|
Draft CUAFF-Upstate Constitution
Constitution
for the
Cornell University Adjunct Faculty Federation - Upstate
I. NAME
This organization shall be know as the Cornell University Adjunct Faculty Federation-Upstate (CUAFF).
II. PURPOSES
The purposes of this organization shall be:
1. To advance the standards of our professions;
2. To secure the conditions necessary to provide the greatest rewards for its members in their work environment;
3. To promote the best interests of its members in the operational decisions affecting their employment;
4. To promote the welfare and well-being of its members;
5. To promote mutual assistance and cooperation with other organizations with which it is associated.;
6. To promote the aims and objectives of the New York State United Teaches and its national affiliates;
7. To expose and fight all forms of racism and discrimination;
8. To promote unity and strength of our professions.
III. AFFILIATIONS
This organization is an affiliate of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and its national affiliates.
IV. MEMBERSHIP
Membership will be open to all adjunct faculty that instruct credit bearing courses for Cornell ILR.
1. Membership shall be obtained only through the payment of all required dues.
V. DUES
1. The dues shall be .00 per school year.
2. These dues may be changed by a majority vote of the Executive Council after reasonable notice of the intention to vote on such questions, or by majority vote of members in a membership referendum held at a membership meeting.
VI. OFFICERS
1. The officers of CUAFF shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The officers shall comprise the Executive Council. Initial officers shall be the statewide Organizing Committee members. They shall elect the offices among the four Organizing Committee members. Officers will be elected by the membership at the first contract ratification meeting following the procedures in Article VI (6).
2. Duties of the President
a. Be chief executive officer of CUAFF.
b. Administer all affairs and execute all policies of the organization.
c. Preside at all meetings of the Executive Council and general membership
d. Represent the organization with all external groups.
e. Appoint and establish the function of all committees with the approval of the Executive Council.
f. Call regular and special meetings of the Executive Council and general membership.
g. Fulfill such other duties as the office requires and as are consistent with these bylaws.
3. Duties of the Vice President: The vice president shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the president in his absence and shall perform such other duties as the president may designate.
4. Duties of the Secretary and Treasurer: The secretary and treasurer shall perform those duties usual to those offices and such other duties as may be required by the president or Executive Committee
5. Nominations
a. Each member shall be offered a reasonable opportunity to nominate candidates for office.
b. Notice of the offices to be filled, the right to make nominations, and the time, place, and proper form for submission of nominations will be published in “The Upstate Adjunct” newsletter and be mailed or e-mailed to each member at their last known address.
c. The results of the election shall be published in “The Upstate Adjunct.”
d. The Secretary shall preserve all election records, including ballots, for a period of one (1) year.
6. Elections
a. Written notice announcing the time and place of elections shall be mailed or e-mailed to each member’s, in good standing, last known address at least fifteen (15) days prior to the election.
b. Election shall be by secret ballot.
c. The results of the election shall be published in “The Upstate Adjunct”.
d. The Secretary shall preserve all election records, including ballots, for a period of one (1) year.
7. Terms of office. Duly elected officers shall serve a 3-year term commencing immediately following the election results.
8. Vacancies
a. If the office or president becomes vacant the vice president shall assume the office of president.
b. If any other office becomes vacant, it shall be filled by election by the Executive Council until the next election is held by the general membership.
VII. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
1. The Executive Council shall be composed of the duly elected officers and the chairpersons of the standing committees.
2. Duties: The Executive Council shall:
a. approve an annual budget
b. act upon expenditures as may be required.
c. interpret the bylaws.
d. act on policy matters for the organization between the meetings of the general membership.
e. make policy recommendations to the membership for their consideration.
3. The Executive Council shall meet at least quarterly. Special meetings may be called by the president or by petition of a majority of the Executive Council.
VIII. STANDING COMMITTEE
Subject to nomination by the President and the approval of a majority of the other elected officers, there shall be chairpersons of the following standing committees (see VI.2.e).
1. Negotiations
2. Grievance
3. Legislation/Political Action
IX. DELEGATES TO NYSUT AND OTHER AFFILIATES
Delegates to the NYSUT Representative Assembly, the American Federation of Teachers and other affiliates shall be elected by secret ballot in a manner consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the appropriate state and national organizations and with the Landrum-Griffin Act.
X. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
1. Meetings of the general membership may be called by the president, by a majority of the Executive Committee or by petition of twenty five (25) percent of the membership. Membership meetings shall be held no less than one time per year. All members shall receive notice of the time and place of the meeting.
2. A quorum at a general membership meeting shall consist of at least ten (10) members of the total membership of record at that time.
XI. PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
1. Every member of this organization shall have equal rights and privileges to nominate candidates to hold office, to vote in elections or referendum, to attend membership meetings and to participate in deliberations and voting upon the business of the organization.
2. No member may be fined, suspended, expelled, or otherwise disciplined (except for nonpayment of dues) by this organization unless such member has been served with written specific charges and give a reasonable time to prepare a defense and afforded a full and fair hearing.
3. The organization shall show no discrimination toward any individual or group of individuals on the basis of sex, creed, color, race, national origin, sexual orientation or political activities and beliefs.
XII. RATIFICATION OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS
1. Approval or disapproval of any Collective Bargaining Agreement with the employer shall be determined by a majority vote of the voting members of this organization, from the unit to which the Collective Bargaining Agreement applies, at a membership meeting called specifically for that purpose. Balloting may be performed by mail or e-mail.
XIII. AMENDMENTS
1. An amendment to this constitution to this constitution may be proposed by:
a. A majority to the Executive Committee
b. No fewer than twenty (20) percent of the membership
2. A proposed amendment must be distributed in writing to each member at least five days before the ratification vote.
3. An amendment may be ratified by a majority vote at a general membership meeting.
XIV. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Meetings of all duly constituted bodies of this organization shall be governed by Roberts’ Rules of Order, Newly Revised, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws.
ADDENDUM TO CUAFF CONSTITUTION
A. NYSUT Requirements
1. In order for a local to affiliate with NYSUT, the local’s constitution must contain provision for:
_____The election of local officers.
_____The composition and election of an executive council.
_____The election of delegates to the NYSUT Representative Assembly, the AFT Convention and other national affiliates.
_____The process of selection and function of local committees.
_____The amount of dues for local programs.
_____The protection of member rights.
_____Procedures for amending the Local’s Constitution or Bylaws.
_____No discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, creed, color, race, national origin or political activities and beliefs.
2. Policy of the NYSUT Board of Directors provide that the guidelines for determining whether or not a local is in compliance with Article IV, 2(b) of the NYSUT Constitution shall be the Rules and Regulations promulgated by the US Department of Labor, pursuant to the Landrum-Griffin Act. A quick checklist of these requirements, as they pertain to local union elections, follows:
CHECKLIST FOR ELECTIONS UNDER
LANDRUM-GRIFFIN
____1. Are elections held within the three-year prescribed by the Landrum-Griffin Act?
____2. Do members receive reasonable opportunity for nominating, including notice of the :
____offices to be filled;
____time for submitting nominations;
____place for submitting nominations; and
____proper form for submitting nominations?
____3. Do members have reasonable time to choose and nominate candidates?
____4. Do all members in good standing have an opportunity to be nominated, subject only to reasonable qualifications uniformly imposed?
____5. Are rules governing eligibility for nomination fair, reasonable, and uniformly imposed?
____6. Do all candidates have equal opportunity to use membership lists, distribute literature, and campaign for office?
____7. Are candidates for office prohibited from using union funds to promote their candidacy?
____8. Are all officers and all delegates to conventions at which they vote for officers elected by secret ballot?
____9. Do all members in good standing have an opportunity to vote, limited only by reasonable rules uniformly imposed?
____10.Are election notices mailed to members at their last known home address at least fifteen days prior to election?
____11.Are candidates given the opportunity to have observes at each polling place at the counting of the ballots?
____12.Do members freely support candidates of their choice, without fear of reprisal?
____13.Do election procedures conform to the constitution and bylaws, and are they consistent with the provisions of the Act?
____14.Are the ballots of each local counted and a report showing the vote published?
____15.Are ballots and other election records preserved for at least one year?
|
|
|
|
