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BY-LAWS
of the
CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be: CALIFORNIA FACULTY
ASSOCIATION, California State University, Chico, Chapter.
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 academic professionals, to promote academic excellence by fostering high standards, ideals, usefulness, and welfare of the profession, and to
facilitate the purposes, objectives, and programs of the statewide CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION (CFA) at this University.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
The membership in this Chapter shall be composed of those persons at this University who pay dues in accordance with the schedule as set forth by the CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION. Chapter members will have policy authority, member rights and membership status as provided in the state CFA Bylaws.
ARTICLE IV. CHAPTER RELATIONSHIP WITH CFA
The By-laws and other policy documents of the Chapter, and any actions taken by the Chapter or its officers, shall be in conformity with the policy documents of the statewide CFA.
ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Section 1. Officers:
The officers of this Chapter shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer and shall serve on the Executive Committee.
- Terms of Office:
Each full term of office shall be for two years, beginning on June 1 of even numbered years.
- Eligibility:
Any Chapter member in the bargaining unit shall be eligible to serve with the following exceptions:
- Any chapter president, who has served two consecutive terms in the same office, shall not be eligible for reelection to a third consecutive term as president.
- No person shall hold more than one elected position on the Executive Committee of the Chapter during the same term.
- Duties of Officers:
- President:
The President shall carry out the policies of the Chapter, exercise general supervision over the activities of the Chapter, preside at meetings of the Chapter and of the Executive Committee, speak for the Chapter, and certify the separately elected Chapter Representatives to the CFA Delegate Assembly. The President shall serve as one of the Chapter Representatives to the CFA Delegate Assembly as a delegate and as a member of the Council of Presidents.
As spokesperson for the Chapter, only the Chapter President shall request meetings with the University Campus President. The purpose of such meetings shall be the discussion of topics of mutual interest to the University community.
At the end of each fiscal year the President with the
concurrence of the Executive Committee shall appoint two members of the Chapter to verify the fiscal records of the Chapter.
- Vice President:
The Vice President shall serve as a member of the Membership Committee, assume the duties of president at the request of or in the absence of the President, and be responsible for additional duties assigned by the President.
- Secretary:
The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Chapter, send notices when required, and keep all minutes as a record of all proceedings of the Chapter and of the Executive Committee.
- Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all moneys received and of all disbursements, prepare an annual report of finances, prepare and submit for approval by the Executive Committee an annual budget, and present a statement of Chapter finances at each Chapter meeting. The Treasurer will propose a budget for the next fiscal year to the Executive Committee each spring. The Treasurer
will submit a year-end financial report to the Executive Committee by the end of each fiscal year.
Section 2. Other Executive Committee members elected by
the Chapter membership:
- Representatives to the CFA Delegate Assembly: Besides the Chapter President, a Lecturer Representative, an Affirmative Action Representative, and a number of at-large representatives determined by total Chapter membership, shall represent this Chapter at the state level in accordance with state level governance.
- Term of office: They shall serve for two- year terms. Term of office and method of election shall be specified in rules adopted by the State Board of Directors. Terms should be staggered wherever possible. With the exception of the President and the Lecturer Representative, Failure to attend two consecutive meetings of the Delegate Assembly shall result in the automatic vacancy of that office.
- Eligibility: Any Chapter member in the bargaining unit shall be eligible to serve as an at-large delegate to the Assembly. The Lecturer Representative must be a member of the Chapter and must have status as a lecturer. The Affirmative Action Representative must be a member of the Chapter and the Chair of the local Affirmative Action Committee.
- Three Members-at-Large:
- Term of Office: They shall serve for two-year staggered terms. and may only serve two consecutive terms. One at-large member shall be elected in even numbered years and two in odd numbered years.
- Eligibility: Any Chapter member in the bargaining unit shall be eligible to serve.
- Department Chair Representative:
- Term of office: two years Department Chair Representative shall serve for two-year terms.
- Eligibility: Any Chapter member who is a department head/chair and who regularly attends the Instructional Department Heads' Council shall be eligible to serve; the Department Chair Representative is elected by Chapter members.
- Duties: The Department Chair Representative serves as liaison to the CFA Executive Committee and is required to attend the Instructional Department Heads' Council.
- Junior Faculty Representative:
- Term of office: The Junior Faculty Representative shall serve for two-year terms.
- Eligibility: Any Chapter member who is an assistant or associate professor shall be eligible to serve; the Junior Faculty Representative is elected by Chapter members.
- Duties: The Junior Faculty Representative shall chair the Junior Faculty Committee.
Section 3. Faculty Rights Committee Chair:
The Faculty Rights Committee Chair is appointed by the Chapter President and serves on the Executive Committee. Any Chapter member in the bargaining unit shall be eligible to serve the two year term.
Section 4. Retired Faculty member:
The Retired Faculty member of the Board is appointed by the Chapter President as a non-voting member, and is the liaison between the board and the retired members of the Chapter. Any retired member of the Chapter shall be eligible to serve the two year term.
ARTICLE VI. GOVERNANCE AND LIAISON WITH MEMBERS
Section 1. 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 the membership. In addition, those who chair a committee may take action on behalf of their committee, but committee function remains subject to the instruction of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Departmental Representative Liaison: Liaison between the membership within individual departments and the Executive Committee and other committee structure shall be provided by appointed Departmental Representatives.
- Appointment: Each Departmental Representative shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee for an indefinite term and will serve at the pleasure of the President. Executive Committee.
- Duties: Departmental Representatives shall be responsible for membership information within their own department, keep appropriate committees informed of any departmental conditions in need of attention, serve as the primary liaison between their department and the Executive Committee, and attend appropriate meetings.
ARTICLE VII. VOTING AND QUORUM
Section 1. Voting: All members of the Chapter in the bargaining unit shall have the right to vote at Chapter meetings. Voting at committee meetings shall be by committee members only. Proxy votes are not permitted. Voting by secret ballots distributed to all members shall provide for the return of ballots in double blind
envelopes.
Section 2. Quorum: A quorum at any Chapter meeting shall consist of at least ten percent of the total membership of the Chapter. In the absence of a quorum at a Chapter meeting, the Executive Committee is empowered to resolve published agenda items and may submit items to a vote by secret ballots distributed to all members.
ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES
Section I. Executive Committee
- Membership: This Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Representative(s) to the CFA Delegate Assembly, the immediate Past President, Lecturer Representative, Affirmative Action Representative, Faculty Rights Committee Chair, Department Chair Representative, Junior Faculty Representative, three Members-at-large and retired member.
- Quorum: A simple majority of voting members of this Committee shall constitute a quorum.
- Duties: This Committee shall be vested with the authority to conduct the business of the Chapter, subject to policies of the CFA and instructions of the membership. In addition, the Executive Committee shall:
- Be responsible for the Chapter's continuing and effective presence on campus;
- Schedule elections, schedule meetings, prepare and
publish agenda for Chapter meetings;
- Make temporary appointments to fill vacant Executive Committee positions (except President and immediate Past President) until new elections have been held to fill the vacant positions (for the unexpired terms of office), appoint alternate Representatives to the CFA Delegate Assembly when elected Representatives are unable to attend a meeting, appoint committee members, and fill vacated positions on committees;
- Review and approve procedures of committees;
- Poll the membership when deemed necessary.
Section 2. Elections Committee
- Membership and Selection:
The three Elections Committee members will be selected by the Executive Committee or elected in a general election if petitioned by 10% of the Chapter members and will serve two year terms. Members of the Elections Committee will not be eligible for nomination to elective office. Vacancies on this Committee due to resignation or disqualification shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee. No two members of the Elections Committee shall be from the same school or from the library.
- Duties:
The Elections Committee shall verify candidates' eligibility; give timely notification; make nomination petition forms available to the membership; supervise the nomination and election of Chapter officers, Representative(s) to the CFA Delegate Assembly, Lecturer Representative, Department Chair Representative, Junior Faculty Representative, Affirmative Action Representative, Members-at-large on the Executive Committee, supervise voting on by-laws revisions and other Chapter referenda; and supervise balloting whenever a secret ballot is distributed to members.
Section 3. Membership Committee
- Membership: The President shall appoint the chair of this Committee. The Vice President shall be a member of this Committee. Other members of this Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee in consultation with constituencies that they represent (e.g., departments, school minorities, women faculty, lecturers.) Members shall serve two-year terms. Whenever possible this Committee shall be composed of not less than five nor more than
eight members with no more than one member from each school or the library until each school is represented on the Committee.
- Duties: This Committee shall recruit new members; serve as a liaison between the Chapter leadership and the membership by monitoring the concerns, problems, or needs of individuals or specific groups within the membership; coordinate the CFA membership benefits program on the campus; and appoint one member in each department as the Departmental Representative.
Section 4. Communications Committee
- Membership: Members of this Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and serve two-year terms.
- Duties: This Committee shall keep the campus informed of statewide and local CFA activities and issues through the publication of regularly scheduled Chapter newsletters and information bulletins.
Section 5. Faculty Rights Committee
- Membership: The chair of this Committee shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.
- Duties: The committee shall meet regularly.
- This Committee will receive and investigate complaints about possible violations, misapplications, and/or misinterpretations of specific terms of the current contract. This Committee shall counsel any faculty member who requests counsel on a grievance matter or on an infringement of his/her academic freedom; develop and apply screening procedures for assessing merits of a proposed grievance; receive notices of intent to grieve; participate with grievants throughout any grievance actions; maintain accurate records of each action; monitor and record campus personnel policies concerning appointment, retention, reassignment, tenure and promotion of faculty, and other concerns that may be cause for grievance. Grievances concerning contract enforcement shall be referred by this Committee to the Chapter Executive Committee.
- The Committee shall review the status of all new, pending, active, and concluded grievances associated with the campus. The Committee shall also review all arbitration decisions arising out of CFA/CSU grievances that have impact upon future grievance processing.
Section 6. Political Action/Legislative Committee
- Membership: The chair of this Committee shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee. Other members of this Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee. Members shall serve two-year terms.
- Duties: Under the rules and regulations established by the CFA Board of Directors and the policies of the Chapter Executive Committee, this Committee is charged with implementing the political activities of CFA.
Section 7. Affirmative Action Committee
- Membership: The Chair of the Committee shall be the Affirmative Action Representative or his/her designee. Other members of this Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee. Members shall serve two-year terms.
- Duties: This Committee shall monitor campus practices regarding equal employment opportunities, discrimination in the workplace, RPT and other related matters. The Committee shall 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 8. Lecturers Committee
- Membership: The Chair of the Committee shall be the Chapter Lecturers’ Representative or his/her designee. Other members of this committee shall be members of lecturer faculty and appointed by the Executive Committee. Members shall serve two year terms.
- Duties: This Committee shall monitor campus practices regarding employment opportunities for and working conditions of lecturer faculty, appointment and reappointment, range elevation and other related matters.
Section 9. Junior Faculty Committee
- Membership: The chair of the committee shall be the Chapter Junior Faculty Representative or his/her designee. Other members of this committee shall be members of junior faculty ranks and appointed by the Executive Committee. Members shall serve two year terms.
- Duties: This Committee shall monitor campus practices regarding working conditions of junior faculty, RPT processes and other related matters.
Section 10. Other Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
The Chapter may create additional standing and ad hoc committees as are necessary to promote the welfare of the Chapter's programs.
- Membership: The Chair and other members of other standing and of ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee and may be challenged or confirmed by the membership at a Chapter meeting. Replacements for vacated committee positions shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IX. ELECTIONS
Section 1. Scheduling:
Elections shall be conducted Spring Quarter. Special elections shall be held as soon as practicable after an office has been vacated.
Section 2. Nominations:
- Nominations shall be solicited by the Elections Committee from all members of the Chapter.
- A valid nomination is one which is received by the Elections Committee in a timely manner and which contains the following:
- The office for which the nomination is made.
- The signature of the Chapter member making the nomination.
- The signature of the nominee under a statement of consent to serve - no person shall be a candidate for more than one office in any given election.
Section 3. Balloting: The Elections Committee shall prepare and distribute ballots, receive and count ballots, announce, and certify the results. Only those members of the bargaining unit who belong to the Chapter at the beginning of the nomination period shall be eligible to cast ballots for election to any office. Ballots for election to any office shall contain entries for all nominees and spaces for write-in candidates. Provision may be made for including, with the ballots, brief biographical sketches and statements by the candidates. Each election shall be conducted by secret ballots distributed to all members in the bargaining unit. For election to office, a majority of more than fifty percent of the votes cast will be required to win. In the event no candidate for a position receives a majority, there shall be a run-off election of the two candidates receiving the highest votes. Balloting for a run-off election shall be conducted in the same manner as for a regular election.
Section 4. Vacancy for President: The Vice President shall
automatically succeed to President and complete the term of office as President when the position of president is vacated. A new Vice President shall be elected at the earliest opportunity.
Section 5. Recall: Any member holding an elected office on any committee is subject to recall.
- Recall may proceed only by the following steps:
- If twenty percent of the membership so petition, a special Chapter meeting shall be called by the President for the sole purpose of initiating recall procedures; or
if two thirds of the members present at any Chapter meeting so vote, a special Chapter meeting shall be called by the President for the sole purpose of initiating recall procedures.
- Subsequently, at a special Chapter meeting called for the sole purpose of initiating recall procedures, if two thirds of those present vote for a recall election, such an election shall be held by secret ballot distributed to all members in the bargaining unit.
- After a simple majority affirmative vote of the Chapter members casting ballots in a recall election, the person shall be recalled.
ARTICLE X. MEETINGS
Section 1. Biannual Chapter Meetings: Two meetings shall be held annually. The exact dates shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Special Chapter Meetings: Special meetings may be called by the President. The President shall call a special meeting for any purpose other than recall when so directed by petition of ten members in the Chapter that belong to the bargaining unit. Any meeting requested by petition shall be held within three weeks of receiving
the petition.
Section 3. Committee Meetings: Committee meetings shall be held in a regular and timely manner whenever there is committee business to conduct. Any member may attend and speak at any committee meeting except Closed Sessions.
Section 4. Meeting Notices: Written notice of each Chapter meeting shall be sent to each chapter member. (Notice of Executive Committee meetings shall be posted on all University designated employee relations bulletin boards no less than five calendar days in advance of the date of the meeting.) All meetings are open to members except when the notice calls for a Closed Session.
Section 5. Closed Sessions: Closed Sessions are not open to the general membership. If the business to be conducted by the Executive Committee is of a confidential nature, the Committee shall meet in Closed Session with only committee members, and those persons specifically invited, attending. The first item of business in any Closed Session shall be a determination by vote of the Executive Committee that the business to be conducted is, in fact, confidential in nature. If the vote is negative, then the Executive Committee will end the Closed Session.
Faculty Rights Committee meetings which deal with the grievant shall be Closed Sessions and shall not include non committee members or those with a conflict of interest, unless the presence of such persons is agreeable to the grievant.
ARTICLE XI. BY-LAWS REVISION
Section 1. Initiation: Revision of these By-laws may be initiated either by petition from ten percent of the membership, or by recommendation of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Approval: Voting shall be by secret ballot distributed to all members in the bargaining unit. Notice of the proposed revision shall be sent to each member at least ten days prior to distribution of the ballots. Approval of two-thirds of the membership responding to the secret ballot shall constitute approval of the Chapter. After approval by the Chapter, revision of the By-laws shall be submitted to the CFA Board of Directors. Approval by the Board is required before a by-laws revision becomes operative.
ARTICLE XII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Chapter in all applicable cases, except when such Rules are contrary to this By-laws or to any special rules of order adopted by vote of this Chapter.
Revised March 2006
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