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B Y L A W S
ARTICLE I NAME AND LOCATION The name of this organization shall be Alief - TSTA / NEA, and will be hereafter known as the Association. Alief-TSTA is affiliated with the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) and the National Education Association (NEA). ARTICLE II PURPOSE The Association, in consultation with TSTA, shall:
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP AND DUES Section 1. Eligibility Membership in this Association shall be open to any educational employee in Alief ISD, and to any officers of the Association eligible for active or ESP membership under TSTA Bylaws, upon payment of the annual dues. Section 2. Classes of Members
Section 3. Membership / Fiscal Year The membership and fiscal year shall be from September 1 to August 31. Section 4. Dues Annual local dues for all member classes shall be thirty dollars ($30) in 2006-2007, forty dollars ($40) in 2007-2008, and fifty dollars ($50) in 2008-2009. Thereafter, local dues shall be set by majority vote at an Executive Board meeting prior to the approval of the annual Association Budget and Plan for the following year. The Association shall reimburse the full local, TSTA, and NEA dues of the President and the Member Records chairperson at the end of each year fully served. Section 5. Affiliate Membership All members of the Association shall be members of TSTA and NEA, except as provided otherwise in TSTA Bylaws for certain life members. ARTICLE IV MEMBER MEETINGS There shall be at least three (3) meetings each year for all members, scheduled in August or September, January or February, and April or May. The purpose of the January or February meeting shall be to elect delegates to the Regional House of Delegates, the TSTA House of Delegates, and the NEA Representative Assembly. The purpose of the April or May meeting shall be to present and explain the Association’s yearly budget and plan and to elect officers of the Association for the next two year term. The Executive Board shall set and publish the dates for these three required meetings on or before the beginning of the school year, and may call other all-member meetings as it deems necessary and practicable. ARTICLE V OFFICERS The officers of the Association shall be the President; Vice President of Membership & Recruitment, Vice President of Leadership Structure, Secretary, and Treasurer. All officers shall be elected to two-year terms and shall not serve more than four consecutive years in the same office. Officers shall take office on July 15 of each biennium. Section 1. Duties of the President The President shall:
Section 2. Duties of the Vice President of Member Recruitment The Vice President of Membership Recruitment shall:
Section 3. Duties of the Vice President of Leadership Structure The Vice President of Leadership Structure shall:
Section 4. Secretary The Secretary shall:
Section 6. Treasurer The Treasurer shall:
Section 7. Vacancies on Executive Board A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board to decide which Vice President shall assume the office of President for the duration of the term. All other vacancies shall be filled by majority vote of the Executive Board for the duration of the term. Section 8. Suspension of Term Limits The provision of this Article that limits officers to no more than four consecutive years in the same office may be suspended at a meeting of the membership where an election for the office in question is to be held, by four-fifths of those present and voting. Any such suspension shall come only on a motion to suspend that limit for a specific office to allow an additional term for a specific person. ARTICLE VI EXECUTIVE BOARD Section 1. Composition The Executive Board of the Association shall be composed of the elected officers, area directors, and, when indicated, minority at-large members. It shall also include the chairs of the Member Records and the Programs standing committees. Executive Board members shall take office on July 15. Section 2. Terms All terms shall be for two years. Incumbents are eligible to seek re-election for one additional term. No at-large member may serve more than four consecutive years. Section 3. Area Directors There shall be one Area Director from high school or ninth grade center, one from middle or intermediate school, and one from elementary school. In addition, there shall be one Area Director from ESP membership. These Area Directors shall be elected to two year terms and shall not serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office. The duties of Area Directors shall include holding a meeting during the year as needed, and to represent the views and issues of their respective constituencies on the Executive Board. If Supervisory membership reaches or exceeds 25, then an Area Director position shall be established for Supervisors, also elected in the same manner as other Area Directors. Section 4. Duties of Executive Board The Executive Board shall:
Section 5. Quorum A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Executive Board. A quorum for an all-member meeting at which elections are to be held, bylaws amendments approved, or other Association business conducted shall be ten (10) members. Section 6. Meetings The Executive Board shall meet at least six times a year. Special meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Executive Board. The dates of the Executive Board meetings shall be set at the first meeting held after June 1 or as soon as possible thereafter. Section 7. Minutes and Agenda The Agenda shall be set by the President, with board members having the opportunity to add items when the agenda is presented for adoption. The minutes shall be printed and distributed to Executive Board members and other members present. Section 8. Rights of Members Any member of this Association shall have the right to attend meetings of the Executive Board and shall have the right to address the Executive Board. Section 9. Proportional Representation The Executive Board shall guarantee ethnic-minority representation at least proportionate to Association ethnic-minority membership. If, after an election, the Executive Board is out of compliance with the proportional representation requirement, then a special election shall be held as provided under Article VII, Elections, to elect enough appropriate at-large Board members to bring the Board back into compliance. At-Large members shall be elected to two-year terms and shall not serve more than four consecutive years in the same office. Section 10. Vacancies Vacancies in the office of Area Directors and At-Large Board Members shall be filled by majority vote of the Executive Board at the first Executive Board meeting after the vacancy occurs, as provided in Article V Section 7. Replacements shall serve until the next regularly scheduled election at a general membership meeting. Section 11. Removal from Office A member of the Executive Board may be removed from office for malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, or for being a member of a competing organization. No member may be removed without due process. ARTICLE VII ELECTIONS Section 1. Eligible Voters All active members are eligible to vote in Association elections. Section 2. Open Nominations Nomination forms must be sent to all members of the Association, either in print or by email, at least fourteen days before the meeting where the election is to occur. Any qualifications for office and the duties of the office shall be included on the nomination form. The nomination form for each office shall also contain a statement that the person being nominated understands the duties of the office and is willing and able to fulfill those duties. The candidate must sign this statement before he or she is considered officially nominated. No name shall be placed on a ballot or counted unless the person has signed this statement. Nomination forms must also be available at the meeting where the election is to occur. Section 3. Elections at All-Member Meeting All elections shall be held at an all-member meeting. Officers and Area Directors shall be elected at the all-member meeting in April or May. At least fourteen days before the date of the election meeting, notice of the time and place of this meeting shall be sent to all members electronically and posted on bulletin boards in all work sites where there are TSTA members. If the composition of the newly elected Executive Board does not comply with the proportional representation called for in Article VI Section 3, the needed at-large position shall be elected at the first all-member meeting in the fall of the school year following the general election. Elections shall be conducted by the Elections Committee appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board. Section 4. Election Guidelines The Executive Board shall establish any other necessary guidelines for elections, consistent with this by laws. The Election Committee shall tally the votes and present the results to the Executive Committee for canvassing. It will announce the results of all elections to those in attendance before the meeting is adjourned or within two working days following the election. Section 5. Secret Ballot Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot. If there is only one nominee for a position, that person shall be declared elected and no election need be held. Section 6. Majority Vote or Plurality Vote Officers must be elected by majority vote. Any run off election required to meet this section shall be held between the two candidates with the highest vote totals. Other positions shall be elected by plurality vote. Section 7. Results of an Election The Election Committee shall tally the votes and announce the results of all elections before the meeting is adjourned. Section 8. At-Large Elections After the results of the elections are announced at the elections meeting, the Officers shall immediately determine if any at-large elections are required under Section 9 or Article VII. Any such elections shall be held at the first all-member meeting of the next school year and shall follow the same guidelines as for other elections, including open nominations and secret ballot. Section 9. Other Elections Elections for delegates to the Regional House of Delegates, the TSTA House of Delegates, and the NEA Representative Assembly shall be held at the all-member meeting held in January or February. All such elections shall be conducted with open nominations and secret ballots and in accordance with all appropriate TSTA and NEA bylaws and policies. TSTA or NEA will inform the Association of the number of delegates to be elected to the various assemblies, but elections may be held before the exact number of delegates is known. All those receiving votes, including write-ins, but not declared elected as delegates shall be included, in the order of votes received, as alternates to the appropriate House of Delegates or Representative Assembly. Section 10. Challenges Any challenge to an election result shall be filed with the Election Committee within two working days following the election. At the request of any member affected by the decision of the Elections Committee on any challenge, the decision shall be put into writing. Consistent with the TSTA Bylaws regarding local affiliates, any member shall have the right to appeal the decision of the Elections Committee to the TSTA Executive Director within ten days after receiving the written decision of the Elections Committee. ARTICLE VIII ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES Section 1. Duties The Association Representative (AR) shall:
Section 2. Representation at the Work Site The President shall, with the approval of the Executive Board, appoint at least one AR to each work site. To the extent possible, sites with more than fifty members shall have at least one additional AR appointed with equal rights and responsibilities. Section 3. Terms Association Representatives shall serve at the pleasure of the President as approved by the Executive Board. Section 4. Meetings and Training Association Representatives shall meet together at least once in the fall and once in the spring. The purposes of these meetings shall be to prepare the ARs for the proposed activities and programs of the Association for that year and to receive training from TSTA. ARTICLE IX COMMITTEES / TASK FORCES Section 1. General Provisions
Section 2. Responsibilities of Committee / Task Force Chairs The Chair of a committee or task force shall:
Section 3. Standing Committees The following Standing Committees are hereby established with the duties and responsibilities traditionally held by such committees. The Executive Board may add to the charges for any committee.
Section 4. Audit Committee The Audit Committee shall consist of three members appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board who shall submit an audit report covering all receipts and disbursements beginning September 1 and ending August 31 of the current year to TSTA by October 31. No member of the Executive Board may serve on the Audit Committee. Section 5. Hearing Committee The Hearing Committee shall be appointed only if charges are filed requiring the Hearing Committee to act. Within five days after receiving charges, the President shall appoint a Hearing Committee consisting of a chair and four other members. The committee shall hear charges against the officers, Executive Board members, or individual members of the Association. No member of the Executive Board may serve on the Hearing Committee. If the charges are against the President, then the charges shall be filed with the Vice President for Leadership Structures and that Vice President shall appoint the Hearing Committee. The Hearing Committee shall establish and follow appropriate procedures as needed. Section 6. Membership Records Committee The Membership Records Committee shall consist of the Chair who shall be appointed by the President and who shall be a nonvoting member of the Executive Board, and one or two other members chosen by the President and the Chair. The committee shall maintain the member records of the Association and shall serve as liaison between the Association, the school district, and TSTA, in order to ensure that those records are accurate and up-to-date at all times. The Vice President for Membership Recruitment shall oversee this committee. Section 7. Programs Committee The Programs Committee shall consist of the Chair who shall be appointed by the President and who shall be a nonvoting member of the Executive Board, and two or more members chosen by the President and the Chair. The committee shall plan and coordinate at least four professional development workshops for members each school year. The chair shall be responsible for reporting the planned programs by the May Executive Board meeting. Section 8. Member Advocacy Committee The Member Advocacy Committee shall consist of one member from secondary teachers, one from elementary teachers, and one from ESP membership. The President or his/her designee shall serve as Chair of this committee. The function of this committee is to represent and advise members on issues involving employment rights and protection. Section 9. Elections Committee The Elections Committee shall consist of the Chair who shall be appointed by the President and who shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Board, and one or two other members chosen by the President and the Chair. The committee shall plan and coordinate all elections held by the Association. The committee shall also supervise the distribution, collection, and counting of the ballots at each election. In addition, the committee shall declare the results of each election in writing to the President at the completion of the ballot count. Section 10. Task Forces Task Forces and ad hoc committees may be established by the President with the approval of the Executive Board to address issues of concern to the Association. Section 11. Removal Any committee member absent from two or more meetings of the committee shall be removed from the committee by the President with approval of the Executive Board. ARTICLE X DUE PROCESS The Association shall guarantee that no member will be censored, suspended, or expelled without a due process procedure which shall include an appellate process. The Association shall guarantee that no member of the Executive Board shall be impeached and removed from office without a due process procedure which shall include an appellate process. The Executive Board shall approve rules and procedures to implement these due process guarantees; except that any such rules and procedures may be amended by the majority vote of an all-member meeting. ARTICLE XI PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not specified in these Bylaws and Standing Rules. ARTICLE XII AMENDMENTS PROCEDURE Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by any Association member at any meeting of the Executive Board. The proposed amendment shall be drafted by the proponent and submitted in writing to the Executive Board. The Executive Board, or a subcommittee of the Board established for this purpose, shall ensure the proper wording and prepare the amendment(s) for publishing, and shall submit them to all members by email at least two weeks prior to the first all-member meeting after the amendment was proposed. Proposed amendments shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at an all-member meeting. ARTICLE XIII LIMITATION OF AUTHORITY Any act either by the Executive Board or all-member meeting which is in conflict with the Bylaws or policies of TSTA or NEA shall be null and void.
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