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Alief - TSTA / NEA


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:
1. develop programs and a program delivery system;
2. elect officers;
3. promote membership;
4. elect delegates to the regional house of delegates, the TSTA House of Delegates, and the Representative Assembly of the NEA;
5. conduct elections for TSTA when requested;
6. promote communication, cooperation, and leadership development within its membership;
7. promote instructional improvement and professional development;
8. work for due process and the welfare of members;
9. promote consultation with local school boards;
10. encourage the local chapter of the Texas Future Teachers Association (TFTA);
11. make recommendations to the TSTA President; and
12. take any action that is consistent with the purposes and philosophies of TSTA/NEA.


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

1. Membership shall be open to any person meeting the eligibility requirements for Active membership in TSTA. All professional and support personnel who are employees of Alief ISD are eligible for this class of membership. Active members shall enjoy all rights and privileges of the Association.
2. Associate membership shall be open to any non-supervisory employee on approved leave.
3. Life members of TSTA and/or NEA shall be eligible to join the Association by payment of local dues.

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 June 1 of each biennium.

Section 1. Duties of the President

The President shall:
1. be the chief executive of the Association;
2. represent the Association as spokesperson on matters of policy or assign responsibility for such representation;
3. prepare an agenda and preside at all meetings of the Association;
4. serve as an ex-officio member of all committees except the Hearing Committee;
5. appoint all committees and task forces by September 1 with the approval of the Executive Board;
6. approve all communications sent out in the name of the Association;
7. ensure annual compliance with TSTA compliance standards;
8. be able to sign Association checks;
9. enter into contracts on behalf of the Association as approved by the Executive Board;
10. sign all legal instruments concerned with the business and professional activities of the Association;
11. serve as automatic delegate to the Regional, TSTA, and NEA conventions each year. When the incumbent President leaves office at the end of his or her term, the newly elected President shall become the automatic delegate (and this shall be noted on the ballot for officer elections);
12. serve as the Association representative on the TSTA Regional Board of Directors.

Section 2. Duties of the Vice President of Member Recruitment

The Vice President of Membership Recruitment shall:
1. perform the duties of president in the absence of the President;
2. plan and coordinate the member recruitment activities of the Association;
3. maintain a current list serve of new members recruited throughout the year;
4. plan and coordinate all-member meetings;
5. assist the Membership Records committee chair with maintenance of the Association membership records;
6. perform other duties as delegated by the President or Executive Board.

Section 3. Duties of the Vice President of Leadership Structure

The Vice President of Leadership Structure shall:
1. plan and coordinate training for Association Representatives;
2. maintain a current list serve of Association Representatives by campus;
3. oversee committee chairs when needed;
4. assist the Vice President of Member Recruitment with member recruitment activities of the Association;
5. appoint the Hearing Committee when charges have been filed against the President;
6. perform other duties as delegated by the President or Executive Board.

Section 4. Secretary

The Secretary shall:
1. prepare, submit for approval, and maintain copies of the Minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and the Association membership;
2. keep complete and permanent records of all meetings and other matters of the Executive Board and the Association membership, and ensure these records are delivered to his/her successor when leaving office;
3. serve as chair of the Bylaws Committee when needed; and
4. assist the Vice President of Leadership Structure by maintaining a current list serve of Association Representatives.

Section 6. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall:
1. be chairperson of the Budget Committee;
2. keep an accurate and current account of all receipts and disbursements;
3. disburse funds authorized by the budget plan and the President;
4. sign checks as needed;
5. present at each Executive Board meeting a listing of all checks written since the last meeting, including the payee, amount of the check, and purpose of the expenditure;
6. present a financial spreadsheet reflecting current and projected expenditure balances at each Executive Board and Association membership meetings;
7. cooperate fully with the Audit Committee;
8. ensure that the President has necessary information and records to meet TSTA compliance standards; and
9. submit all Association financial records to the new Treasurer at the conclusion of term of office.

Section 7. Vacancies

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 appointed chairs of the Member Records and the Programs  committees.   Each member shall have the right to vote.   Executive Board members shall take office on June 1.

Section 2. Terms

All terms shall be for two years.   Incumbents are eligible to seek re-election for one additional term.

 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 two Area Directors from the ESP  membership.   These area directors shall be elected to two year terms and shall not serve more than four consecutive years in the same office.  

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

The Executive Board shall:
1. be responsible to the membership in all matters;
2. approve and carry out the Policies of the Association;
3. attend to the business of the Association between meetings of the members;
4. serve as liaison to committees as assigned by the President;
5. have care of any real property owned by the Association;
6. approve all members of committees/task forces;
7. receive all reports submitted by or requested from committees;
8. set election dates and member meeting dates;
9. approve or reject contracts presented by the President;
10. prepare and adopt an annual budget and plan, and present that budget and plan to the April or May membership meeting;
11. annually review the Association Bylaws and present any proposed amendments to an all-member meeting for approval;
12. annually establish and review Association Policy regarding fiscal responsibilities of the Association.

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,   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 Board Members 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. 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

All nominees shall be permitted to address the all-member meeting for at least two minutes before balloting. The Executive Board shall establish any other necessary guidelines for elections, consistent with this bylaws.
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 3 of 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 before the adjournment of the all-member meeting where the election was held. 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:
1. serve as the representative of the Association at the work site;
2. listen to members in the work site and articulate their concerns to the Executive Board;
3. promote membership in the Association and carry out the membership recruitment drives of the Association, and ensure that every potential member is invited to join and is given an application form;
4. be knowledgeable about the Association and its activities and keep members informed about Association actions and concerns;
5. maintain an accurate list of the members at the work site, and notify the Executive Board of any changes in addresses or membership status of members;
6. inform members about the TSTA Help Center and the process for solving problems, including grievances;
7. transmit records and new member applications to the Executive Board as soon as received;
8. attend training for Association Representatives at least once yearly.

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
1. Standing committees and task forces shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board, unless otherwise provided, and shall be composed of the number of members determined by the President.
2. Terms for standing committees shall be two years; terms for task forces and ad hoc committees shall be designated by the President at their formation.
3. All committee / task force reports shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Board, and may be submitted to the membership of the Association at the discretion of the Executive Board.
4. A quorum of a standing committee shall be a majority of its members.

Section 2. Responsibilities of Committee / Task Force Chairs

The Chair of a committee or task force shall:
1. schedule and plan meetings commensurate with its charge;
2. notify all committee members of meetings;
3. advise the President and Executive Board of all committee activities;
4. attend all meetings of the Executive Board and serve as a voting member on that board;
5. recommend programs and policies based on its charge;
6. make regular verbal or written progress reports to the Executive Board;
7. ensure that the committee operates within its budget;
8. makes a final written report of its findings to the Executive Board.

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.
1. Membership Records
2. Budget (which shall be chaired by the Treasurer)
3. Programs & Workshops
4. Legislative
5. Audit
6. Elections
7. Member Advocacy
8. Hearing

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 and at least one member who shall be appointed by the President. 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 and Workshops Committee

 The Programs & Workshops Committee shall consist of the Chair who shall be appointed by the President and who shall be a voting 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, and shall be responsible for planning, arranging, and coordinating these programs or workshops. The chair shall be responsible for reporting the planned programs by May of the year preceding the planned programs.

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

Section 9. 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 10. 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.

                                                          ADOPTED MAY 8, 2006

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