CONSTITUTION
of the
CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION
Article I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the California State University, Stanislaus Chapter of the California Faculty Association (CFA).
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 the California State University, Stanislaus faculty; to promote the standards, ideals, usefulness, and welfare of the profession; and to support the goals and implement the policies of the California Faculty Association at the local level.
Article III. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
STATE-WIDE
STATEWIDE
CFA AND AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
This chapter shall serve as the local academic professional chapter/subchapter of the
State-wide California Faculty Association, the American Association of University Professors,
the California State Employees Association, the California Teachers Association,
and the National Education Association within the California State University,
Stanislaus.
This chapter shall serve within the California State University, Stanislaus as the local chapter of the statewide California Faculty Association, and as a local liaison to the American Association of University Professors, the California Teachers Association, and the National Education Association.
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
State-wide
statewide
CFA.
Article IV. MEMBERSHIP
The membership in this Chapter shall be all persons at this University who are members of the California Faculty Association, and who have satisfied dues requirements.
Active Membership. Any person who is employed by California State University, Stanislaus for the purpose of instruction as defined by the policies of CFA (including, but not limited to department chairpersons, librarians, counselors, coaches and other instructional faculty) shall be eligible for Active Membership in CFA. Active members shall have all the customary rights of membership, including the right to vote, to hold office, and otherwise to exercise the privileges of membership. Persons participating in faculty early retirement programs shall be classified as Active Members for the purpose of governance.
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 Membership. Associate Members shall have the same membership rights as Active Members.
Retired Membership. Any person who is retired (except a member in a faculty early retirement program) can qualify for CFA Retired Membership if he or she was a member of CFA at the time of retirement. Retired Members may not vote or hold office at the State or Chapter level except within Councils of Retired Members, as Chapter retired member council representatives to the Chapter Executive Committee, as State Retired Council Representatives to the CFA Assembly, or as members of the Board of Directors. Retired members may exercise all other rights of membership.
Exercising Rights of Membership. Only members of CFA may exercise the
customary rights of CFA membership at the Chapter and
State-wide
statewide
level,
including the right to vote in CFA elections and referenda and the right to
hold office within CFA.
Article V. OFFICERS
The Officers of this Chapter shall be a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer,
tenure-track faculty delegate to the CFA Assembly, lecturer faculty
delegate to the CFA Assembly, . and affirmative action delegate
to the CFA Assembly and, if one has been elected, the alternate lecturer delegate
to the CFA Assembly
The Officers of this Chapter shall be a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, delegate at large to the CFA Assembly, lecturer faculty delegate to the CFA Assembly, and affirmative action delegate to the CFA Assembly.
Terms of Office. Each full term of office shall be two years, beginning on the last day of the Spring semester of even-numbered years.
Duties of Officers.
Article VI. GOVERNANCE
This Chapter shall be governed by general meetings of the membership. An action of the membership in regular or special meetings shall take precedence over actions of the Executive Committee. In order to facilitate the transaction of Chapter business, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to take action on behalf of, but remain subject to the instruction of the membership. Similarly, the President shall be empowered to act on behalf of, but remain subject to the instruction of the Executive Committee and membership.
Article VII. MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Regular membership meetings of the Chapter 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 at least fifteen percent of the Chapter membership. A meeting shall be held within three weeks of receiving such a petition.
Notice: Written notice of each Chapter meeting shall be sent to each Chapter member no less than one week in advance of the date selected for the meeting. Notice shall include time, place, and purposes of the meeting.
Quorum: Ten percent of the total Chapter membership, but not fewer than ten members, shall constitute a quorum.
Mail Ballot: The Executive Committee is empowered to conduct a mail ballot when it is deemed necessary.
Article VIII. COMMITTEES
Executive Committee
Elections Committee
Membership Committee
Publications Committee
Professional Rights Committee
Political Action Committee
Special Services Committee
Other Standing and Ad Hoc Committees. Other standing and ad hoc committees shall be established as necessary to promote the goals and welfare of the Chapter. Such committees shall consist of at least three members appointed by the Executive Committee. The terms of office of standing committee members shall be two years, unless designated otherwise by the Executive Committee. Members of ad hoc committees shall serve such terms as are deemed appropriate in each case.
Committee Membership Vacancies. Replacements for vacated committee positions shall be chosen by the same process as for initial selection.
Committee Chairs. All standing and ad hoc committees shall elect their own chairperson, except for those standing committees specified in this Constitution.
Confirmation of Committee Members. All appointed members of standing and ad hoc committees shall be confirmed by the Chapter membership at a general membership meeting.
Article IX. CHAPTER DELEGATES TO THE
CFA ASSEMBLY AND ALTERNATES
In addition to the Chapter President, the Chapter shall be represented
at the CFA Assembly by an elected campus delegate
of the tenure-track faculty at large,
an elected campus delegate of the lecturer faculty,
and an elected affirmative action delegate.
Delegates and alternates shall be elected according to the procedures described in Article X.
Term of Office. The term of office of the elected campus delegates and alternates shall be two years.
Duties of Delegates. The elected campus delegates shall attend all meetings of the CFA Assembly, report to the Chapter membership about the Assembly's actions and proceedings, and serve as members of the Publications Committee.
Duties of Alternates. Each respective alternate shall attend meetings of the CFA Assembly whenever the elected representative is unable to attend and report outcomes to the Executive Committee. Additionally,
Article X. ELECTIONS
Voting Rights.
All members of the Chapter shall have the right to
vote in general Chapter elections. In elections for tenure-track faculty
delegate and lecturer faculty delegate to the General Assembly, only those
members who belong to the appropriate faculty group within the bargaining unit
have the right to vote.
Timing. Annual elections shall be conducted during the months of March and April. Special elections shall be held as soon as practicable after an office has become vacant.
Nominations and Notification. After soliciting nomination suggestions from the Executive Committee and the Chapter membership, the Elections Committee shall develop a slate of nominees for all chapter officer and alternate delegate positions, containing preferably two names for each position. No person shall be a candidate simultaneously for more than one elective office or position. Additional nominations may be submitted by petition, signed by at least ten members of the Chapter. Such petitions must be received by the Elections Committee by the deadline established by the Committee. The Elections Committee shall notify all members of the Chapter of its nominees at least seven working days prior to balloting.
Balloting. All elections shall be conducted by secret ballot.
The Elections Committee shall prepare, distribute, receive, and count ballots
and announce and certify the results. For each office officer and alternate delegate position, a ballot shall contain entries
for the nominees and space for a write-in candidate. Provisions may be
made for attaching brief biographical sketches and statements by the candidates
to the ballots. Ballots shall be distributed at least seven days
before the ballot return deadline. A majority of the votes cast shall
be required to win.
Vacancy of the Office of President. When the position of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall automatically succeed to that position and complete the term of office of President. A new Vice President shall be elected at the earliest opportunity.
Recall. All members of the Executive Committee are subject to recall.
Election of Delegates and Alternates to the CFA Assembly.
Delegates and alternates to the CFA Assembly shall be elected
by the same procedures as apply to elections of Chapter officers.
CFA Delegates and Alternates shall serve for a two-year term.
Article XI. AMENDMENT OF THIS CONSTITUTION
Initiation. Constitutional amendments shall be initiated either by petition from any ten members of the Chapter or by the Executive Committee.
Approval.
Notice setting forth each proposed amendment, with reasons thereof,
shall be sent to each member at least fourteen days prior to distribution
of the ballots. At least seven days shall be allowed for the return of ballots.
Approval by 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 State-wide
CFA Board of Directors. Approval by the Board is required before a constitutional
amendment becomes effective.
Amendment by the Assembly. Substantive amendments to the Constitution may be made by the CFA Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws of the CFA, to bring this constitution into harmony with the provisions of the bylaws of the CFA.
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 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.
Article XIII. RATIFICATION
This Constitution shall be ratified by a majority vote of the campus CFA members responding to a secret ballot. All members shall be sent a notice of the election at least fourteen days in advance of ballot distribution. At least seven days shall be allowed for the return of ballots. The election shall be supervised by the Chapter Executive Committee and conducted by the Elections Committee.
Article XIV. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Chapter Constitution shall become effective on December 31, 1988.
LIST OF AMENDMENTS
Amendments to this Constitution have been approved, in accordance with Article XI, on the following dates:
March 11, 2006: "Amendment by Assembly"