Constitution and Bylaws for the
University of South Florida Chapter of
United Faculty of Florida
Effective December 4, 2009
Constitution
Preamble
In
accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Faculty of Florida,
we, the members of the
United Faculty of Florida (UFF) at the University of South
Florida, organize a chapter in order to achieve the objectives and protect the
rights of the faculty and professional employees.
Article I. Name.
This
organization shall be known as the University of South Florida Chapter of the
United Faculty of Florida (UFF/USF).
Article
II. Objectives.
Section 1. To bring faculty and professional employees of the University of
South Florida into a relationship of mutual assistance and cooperation in order
to obtain and maintain for them the rights and privileges to which they are
entitled. These responsibilities
include, but are not limited to, achieving and safeguarding due process and
academic freedom, and combating all forms of discrimination including those
based on age, disability, military status, veteran status, gender, marital
status, national origin, political belief, race, religion, or sexual
orientation in the University and the State University System.
Section 2. To act as a local extension of the state collective bargaining
agent, i.e., United Faculty of Florida.
UFF/USF negotiates and enforces the collective bargaining agreement.
Article
III. Membership.
Section 1.
All faculty and professional employees holding regular, visiting, provisional,
research, affiliate, or joint appointments in the position classifications
listed in Appendix A of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Board
of Governors, as delegated to the USF Board of Trustees, and the United Faculty
of Florida shall be eligible for membership. Membership shall also be open to
retired faculty and other s that have withdrawn from the profession who wish to
maintain affiliation.
Section 2.
Upon approval of the Chapter council, non-voting membership shall be open to
any person who is interested in advancing the cause of education but is not
eligible for active membership.
Article
IV. Officers, Chapter Council, and Executive Committee.
Section 1.
The membership shall annually elect by secret ballot a President, a Vice
President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, plus the appropriate number of Senators,
and Alternate Senators as determined by the United Faculty Florida state
Bylaws. The membership shall also
annually elect delegates and alternate delegates to the FEA Assembly in
accordance with FEA bylaws.
Section 2.
The officers and Senators shall be elected annually on or before March 21, and
shall take office on the following April 1.
Section 3.
The Chapter Council shall be composed of the elected officers, Senators,
Alternate Senators and the appointed chairs of the standing committees. The
Chairpersons of the standing committees shall be ex-officio nonvoting members
of the Chapter Council. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the
President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Grievance Chair, and Chief
Bargaining Negotiator.
Section 4.
The President with the consent of a majority of the Chapter Council shall fill
vacancies in the office of an elected chapter officer, UFF Senator, or FEA
Delegate within thirty days of the occurrence.
Article V. Referenda, Recall, and Due Process.
A
referendum on any issue or recall of a Chapter officer may be initiated by 1) a
majority vote of the Chapter Council, or 2) an on-line petition of 20% of the Chapter
membership. A referendum or recall election must be held within thirty days of
one of these two actions. During this period of time the Chapter Council shall
guarantee ample opportunity for the pro and con arguments to be communicated to
the membership. The membership shall resolve the issue through a fair and
secret vote.
Article
VI. Amendment.
The Chapter
Council, 10% of the chapter membership (by petition), or a majority of the
attending members at any membership meeting may propose an amendment to the
constitution, whose proposed changes shall then be sent to the membership for
thirty days before a paper-ballot or electronic vote. Ratification requires approval of two-thirds
of those voting.
Bylaws
Article
I. Rules of Order
Roberts
Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern in all cases not governed by the
Constitution or Bylaws.
Article
II. Committees.
Section 1.
Standing Committees shall be:
Section 2.
The President with the consent of the Chapter Council will appoint chairpersons
of each standing committee.
Section 3.
The membership of each standing committee shall be appointed by the committee
chairperson with the consent of the Chapter Council.
Section 4.
The President may appoint special committees when needed.
Article
III. Duties of Officers and Chapter Council.
Section 1.
The president shall preside at all meetings of the chapter and of the Chapter Council.
He or she shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, shall sign all
necessary documents and papers, and represent the organization.
Section 2.
The Vice-President shall represent the President, when the President cannot be
present and shall perform those duties that are prescribed by the President or
the Chapter Council. In the event of any vacancy in the office of the
President, the Vice-President shall serve as President for the period remaining
in the existing term.
Section 3.
The Secretary shall maintain records for the chapter proceedings and perform
other functions as specified by the Chapter Council.
Section 4.
The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the chapter, shall
exercise supervision over the receipt and disbursement of all monies,
properties, securities, and other evidence of financial worth of this
organization. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual budget and make regular
financial reports to the Chapter Council.
Section 5.
The Senators shall represent the Chapter at the statewide UFF meetings. The
President shall assign an Alternate Senator to represent the chapter at one of
these meetings when a Senator is unable to attend. Senators and Alternate
Senators may exercise other duties as prescribed by the Chapter Council. The Delegates shall represent that chapter
at the statewide FEA Assembly meetings.
The President shall assign an Alternate Delegate to represent the
chapter at one of these meetings when a Delegate is unable to attend. Delegates and Alternate Delegates may
exercise other duties as prescribed by the Executive Committee.
Section 6.
The Chapter Council shall adopt an annual budget and administer the policies of
the chapter as set by the membership. It shall have the power to act for the
good of the chapter in emergency situations where policy cannot be set by the
membership. The Chapter Council shall regularly notify the membership of its
actions.
Article
IV. Duties of the Standing Committees.
Section 1.
All committees shall be under the direction of and report to the President and
the Chapter Council. A representative of
each committee shall regularly report to the chapter on its activities.
Section 2.
The Bargaining Committee shall serve as the Bargaining Team under the direction
of the Chief Negotiator, who serves as chair.
Section 3.
The Grievance Committee shall keep records of and supervise all grievances, and
insure that the President and Chapter Council are fully informed on the
progress in maintaining and expanding the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Section 4.
The Services Committee shall carry out organizing drives among the faculty and
professional employees, contact all new bargaining unit employees and, with the
approval of the Chapter Council, cooperate in assisting in the organization of
other colleges and universities. The committee will aid members in utilizing
the full benefits of their union membership.
Section 5.
The Communications Committee shall publish a regular newsletter and such other
publications in consultation with the President and/or the Chapter Council. The
Committee shall establish and maintain a Chapter Website.
Section 6.
The Political Action Committee shall cooperate, upon the approval of the
chapter at a chapter meeting, with the State UFF in lobbying, endorsing
candidates, and raising contributions. The Chairperson of the Political Action
Committee shall be the official nominee to the State UFF Political
Action-Legislative Committee and Central Labor Council unless otherwise
determined by the President and/orChapter Council.
Article V. Meetings.
Section 1.
All meetings and discussion of the chapter, the Chapter Council, and committees
are open to the membership, except when personnel matters and or grievances are
being discussed.
Section 2.
The time and place of regular chapter membership meetings shall be fixed by theChapter Council and announced to the chapter in a timely
fashion.
.
Article VI. Elections
Before
the end of the fall semester of each academic year, the chapter shall elect an Elections Committee (which is
not a standing committee) of union members to design an election process,
subject to the advice and consent of the chapter; solicit nominations for
office and representative positions; conduct the election; and report the
results. Members of the Election
Committee shall be barred from running for executive office, and all candidates
for executive offices in contested races shall be barred from canvassing or
counting ballots.
Article
VII. Amendments.
The
Chapter Council, 10% of the chapter membership (by petition), or a majority of
the attending members at any membership meeting may propose amendments to the
by-laws, whose proposed changes shall then be sent to the membership thirty
days before a paper-ballot or electronic vote.
Ratification of the proposed change(s) requires approval of a majority
of those voting.