CONSTITUTION
Article I—Name
and Incorporation
Section 1. The
name of this organization shall be the United Faculty of Evergreen, hereafter
referred to as UFE.
Section 2. UFE
shall be incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of
Article
II—Purpose
The
purpose of the UFE shall be: 1) to represent all eligible faculty members in
bargaining, grievances, and in all matters relating to terms and conditions of
employment with The Evergreen State College; 2) to protect and enhance
Evergreen’s unique traditions that have earned it prominence among the nation’s
public
colleges and liberal arts colleges: innovation, interdisciplinary
teaching and learning, collegiality and egalitarianism; and 3) to
encourage mutual understanding and cooperation among the union members; 4)
to engage in legislative, political, civic, welfare
and other actions which further the interests of the membership, of public
education, and the labor movement; and 5) to bring
about a world where justice and equality are a reality, not just empty words..
Article
III—Affiliation
The
UFE shall affiliate with United Faculty of Washington State (hereinafter UFWS):
Washington Education Association; National Education Association; AFT
Washington; and American Federation of Teachers, the
American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations and the
Washington State Labor Council.
Article
IV—Membership
Section 1. All
members of the faculty, with the exception of those who teach summer quarter
only, members in the bargaining unit as defined by the
Washington State Public Employees Relations Commission may, upon
payment of dues as herein provided, become members of the UFE with full rights
and privileges of membership.
Section 2. Active
members of the UFE shall also be members of the UFWS.
Section 3. Except
for nonpayment of dues and assessments, no member shall be fined, censured,
suspended, expelled, or otherwise disciplined.
Section 4. All
members of the UFE shall have equal rights and privileges within the UFE,
including:
a.
nominating
candidates,
b.
petitioning
UFE,
c.
participating
in membership meetings,
d.
voting in
elections, referenda, resolutions and petitions of the UFE.
All member except those acting as deans may also:
e. vote on contract ratification,
f. hold
office, and
g. be
represented by the union, individually and/or collectively.
Section 5.
Members
shall retain their membership rights when on paid or unpaid leave from
teaching.
Section 6.
Non-teaching retirees may continue to retain
membership rights upon payment of retiree dues of $50 per
year.
Article V—Dues, Fees, and Assessments
Section 1. UFE
members shall pay dues or fees as established in the Bylaws. The dues shall be
payable within sixty (60) days of September 1 or date of employment, or through
payroll deductions.
Section 2. The
UFE may levy special assessments on its membership as provided in the Bylaws,
provided that there are specified termination dates for such assessments and
provided that such assessments shall be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the
members who vote on the proposal to levy the special assessment.
Section 3. Increases
in fees by affiliate organizations may automatically increase dues
proportionally.
Article
VI—Officers
Section 1. The
officers of the UFE shall consist of a Chair, Vice-Chair, Communications
Coordinator, Treasurer, and Steward Coordinator.
Section 2. Nominations
of officers shall be closed at the April/May meeting following notice to all
members and an open period for nominations.
Specific requirements concerning this notice and this open period shall
be contained in the Bylaws. The election
shall be held not less than fifteen (15) nor more than thirty
(30) days after nominations have been closed.
Section 3. The
term of office for officers shall be two (2) years, beginning June 1. Terms of officers shall be limited to three
(3) consecutive terms.
Section 4. Terms
of office for at-large representatives to the Coordinating Committee shall be
two (2) years and commence on June 1.
Section 5. In
the event of vacancy in the office of Chair, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair
for the balance of the term.
Section 6. The
duties of officers shall be as provided in the Bylaws.
Section 7. An
elected officer may be removed from office for cause by a recall election which
may be initiated by the general membership.
A
general membership meeting will be scheduled prior to the recall election
within thirty (30) days after receipt of a recall petition that contains the
names and signatures of at least 20% of the members. Following the general membership meeting, the
recall election shall be by secret ballot made available to all members in good
standing.
Prior to this
general membership meeting, the Coordinating Committee shall notify in writing
any officer who is subject to recall.
Article
VII—Stewards’ Council
Section 1. The
Stewards’ Council shall be the legislative and policy making body of the UFE
between meetings of the general membership..
Section 2. The
Stewards’ Council shall consist of the Coordinating Committee and all Stewards.
Section 3. The
term of office for Stewards’ Council members shall be two (2) years, beginning
on June 1.
Section 4. Members
of the Stewards’ Council shall be elected at the general membership meeting in
April. Procedures for creating a slate
of nominees and for entertaining nominations shall be specified in the Bylaws.
Section 5. The
specific duties of the Stewards’ Council shall be provided in the Bylaws.
Section 6. Each
member of the Stewards’ Council shall attend regular meetings of the Stewards’
Council. After two three consecutive
absences of a representative steward,
the Chair may declare the seat unfilled and the Coordinating
Committee may appoint a member call for an election to
fill out the term.
Section 7. A
steward shall be removed and a replacement appointed upon the recept of a petition bearing the signatures of at least
twenty percent of the members in good standing. who are affiliated with the Planning Unit with
which the Steward in question is affiliated.
Section 8. Any
member of the UFE who is not a member of the Stewards Council may request to
attend its meetings and may receive permission to speak, but may not vote.
Article
VIII—Coordinating Committee
Section 1. The
Coordinating Committee shall be comprised of the officers and two (2) at-large
representatives.
Section 2. The
Coordinating Committee shall be the body through which the general
administrative and executive functions of the UFE shall be carried out.
Section 3. Officers
and at-large representatives shall be elected as set forth in the Bylaws.
Section 4. The
specific duties of the Coordinating Committee shall be provided in the Bylaws.
Section 5. An
at-large representative may be recalled in the same manner as officers (as
outlined in Article VI, Section 7).
Section 6. Except
for the office of the Chair, vacancies on the Coordinating Committee shall be
filled as follows: a) if six (6) months
or more remain in the term, then by special election; and b) if less than six
(6) months remains, then by appointment of the Coordinating Committee.
Article
IX—Policy Authority
A
majority vote of the membership present and voting at any duly authorized
meeting or, if not conflicting with a decision by the membership, a majority of
the votes cast by the Stewards’ Council shall determine the policies and
actions of the UFE, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution and
Bylaws.
Article
X—Parliamentary Authority
The
most current print edition of Roberts Rules of Order governs this organization
in all parliamentary situations that are not provided for in the law or in the
organization’s Charter, Constitution, Bylaws or adopted rules.
Article
XI—Amendments
Proposals
to amend this Constitution may be made by the Coordinating Committee or by
petition of ten (10) percent of the members in good standing. Amendments to this Constitution shall require
2/3 of the votes cast by members through a secret ballot. Notice of this election and the proposed
amendment(s) shall have been delivered to each member at least twenty (20) days
in advance. At the discretion of the
Coordinating Committee, voting may be part of an annual or special meeting or
through other established election procedures. Amendments shall become
effective immediately unless otherwise provided.
Article
XII—Non-discrimination
The
UFE shall not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin,
religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, age,
disability, pregnancy, or veteran status.
Article
I—Constitution
These
Bylaws are subordinate to the Constitution of United Faculty of Evergreen
(UFE).
Article
II—Dues, Fees, and Assessments
Section 1. UFE
members shall pay local and affiliate dues.
Local dues shall be determined on a sliding scale based on salary levels
and faculty status (full time, visiting, half time or adjunct). The amount of local dues and any changes to
them shall be approved by the Stewards’ Council.
Section 2. Special
provisions may be made for members of other locals transferring into this local
during the membership year.
Section 3. The UFE may collect fees or dues as
established through bargaining, and may receive services or financial
assistance through its affiliations.
Article
III—Meetings
Section 1. There
shall be at least ten (10) nine
Coordinating Committee meetings per year.
All Coordinating Committee meetings shall be called by the Chair with at
least seven (7) days written notice or by a majority of the Coordinating
Committee with at least seven (7) days written notice. Electronic written
notice is an acceptable form of this communication.
Section 2. There
shall be at least three (3) Stewards’ Council meetings per year.
Section 3. The
Chair shall call at least two (2) meetings of the membership each year. One shall be in October with an agenda that
includes adoption of the budget, and another shall be in April or May
with an agenda that includes the nomination of officers and
representatives. For membership meetings, all items on which a vote will be
taken shall be listed on the agenda. Every effort will be made to make these
meeting as accessible to all members as possible.
Section 4. Special
meetings of the membership may be called by the Chair and/or the Coordinating
Committee or within thirty (30) days of the receipt of a petition to the Chair
signed by ten (10) percent of the members.
Section 5. All
meetings of the membership, except emergency special meetings, shall be
announced by a written notice to each member at least fourteen (14) days in
advance of said meeting.
Section 6. The
Coordinating Committee or Stewards’ Council, by a majority vote, may call an
emergency meeting of any governance body at any time. Such meetings will be limited in their
decisions to dealing with the announced emergency.
Section 7. The
methods of participation in meetings or any particular meeting shall be set by
the Coordinating Committee as long as each meeting is conducted through some
reasonable means of communication, including but not limited to face-to-face
discussion, telephone, email, or video conferencing, so that all committee
members participating in the meeting may simultaneously communicate with one
another during the meeting.
Article IV—Duties
of Officers
Section 1. The
Chair shall:
a. preside at
all official meetings and shall perform such duties as are customarily
associated with the office,
b. appoint and/or discharge all committee
members with the advice and consent of the Coordinating Committee or Stewards’
Council and serve or designate someone to serve as an ex-officio (and voting)
member of all committees except the Nominations and Election Committee,
c. collaboratively
with the Coordinating Committee or Stewards’ Council, charge committees with
their duties,
d. act as an
official representative of UFE or designate another officer of the Coordinating
Committee to do so, and
e.
prepare and submit an
annual report of the UFE activities to the October annual meeting following
his/her term of office.
f.
shall be authorized to sign
checks, along with the treasurer.
Section 2. The
Vice-Chair shall assist the Chair and shall act in the absence of the Chair.
Section 3. The
Communications Coordinator shall:
a. handle all
correspondence for the UFE;
b. notify the
appropriate members as to the time and place of the Coordinating Committee,
membership, and Stewards’ Council meetings within the time limits set forth in
the Constitution and Bylaws;
c. keep accurate minutes of all
Coordinating Committee, membership, and Stewards’ Council meetings, distribute
copies of Coordinating Committee minutes to Coordinating Committee members
following meetings, distribute minutes of general membership meetings to all
members within thirty (30) days following;
d. maintain the
records and files of the UFE; and
e. distribute
copies of all proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 4. The
Treasurer shall:
a. oversee the
collection, transmittal, and disbursement of dues;
b. deposit all
monies in a bank in the name of the UFE;
c. notify the
UFE of the name of the bank in which dues are deposited;
d. hold all
funds and disburse them accordingly upon the submission of vouchers approved by
the Chair;
e. sign all
checks along with either the Chair or Vice-Chair;
f.
prepare an
annual financial report which shall be distributed once each year to all
members;
g. maintain the
membership records;
h. report at
each membership meeting;
i. prepare the
books for an audit; and
j. file the
appropriate federal and state forms.
Section 5. The
Chief Steward shall:
a.
coordinate the
activities of the Stewards
b.
assist the
Chair and other officers
c.
coordinate and assist with membership activities.
Article
V—Duties and Composition of the Stewards’ Council
Section 1. The
duties of the Stewards’ Council shall consist of the following:
a. approve UFE
policies and objectives,
b. establish
guidelines and hear continuing reports on bargaining,
c. approve or
ratify the establishment of paid positions in the UFE,
d. approve or
ratify the establishment of committees not established in the Bylaws,
e. adopt rules
and agenda for its meetings, and
f. enact such
other measures as may be necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the
UFE which are not in conflict with this Constitution and the Bylaws.
Section 2. The
duties of the Stewards shall consist of the following:
a.
maintain
two-way UFE communication with union members and be responsible
for handling grievances or requests for assistance from members and represented
faculty,
b.
organize and
oversee the enrollment of new union members,
c.
attend and
participate in meetings of the Stewards’ Council, the legislative and policy
making body of UFE, and