CONSTITUTION OF THE FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY CHAPTER OF THE UNITED FACULTY OF FLORIDA
Amended November 15, 2021
ARTICLE I
Name
This organization shall be known as the Florida Atlantic University Chapter of the United Faculty of Florida.
ARTICLE II
Objectives
Section 1. It is our objective to bring faculty and other professional employees of the University into a relationship of mutual assistance and cooperation with each other and with their colleagues at the other state universities and colleges of Florida, in order to obtain for them the rights, privileges, and rewards to which they are entitled by virtue of their employment.
Section 2. It is our objective to promote a democratization of the University that will enable members to better serve the people of the State of Florida.
Section 3. It is our objective to achieve and safeguard academic freedom.
Section 4. It is our objective to combat all forms of discrimination based on age, national origin, political belief, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, or religion in the State University System.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 1. All faculty and other professional employees of the University shall be eligible for membership except as otherwise provided in this Constitution.
Section 2. No one at or above the rank of Department Director or Chairperson shall be eligible for membership as defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Section 3. Associate membership, without the right to vote, shall be open upon the approval of the Executive Committee of the Chapter to retired teachers and others eligible for membership who withdraw from the profession and who wish to maintain affiliation.
Section 4. No discrimination shall ever be shown toward members or applicants for membership, because of age, national origin, political belief, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, class, or religion.
ARTICLE IV
Officers and Executive Committee
Section 1. At the spring semester general membership meeting, members shall elect for a term of one year by secret ballot a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Recorder, and a Treasurer. At the same time, those voting will elect Senators and Alternate Senators representing the Chapter at statewide UFF Senate meetings and Delegates to the Convention of the Florida Education Association.
Section 2. The President of the Chapter shall be a voting member of the SUS Presidents’ Council of the United Faculty of Florida.
Section 3. The Executive Committee of the Chapter shall be composed of the elected officers, the elected Senators, the immediate past President, the Stewards, and Chairpersons of Standing Committees.
ARTICLE V
Referenda and Recall
Section 1. Proposed actions, including amendments to the Constitution and recall of elected officers, shall be submitted to a referendum vote by order of a membership meeting or the Executive Committee, or by request of at least ten percent of the members. The Executive Committee shall ensure that ample opportunity is given for pro and con arguments to be given to the membership and shall ensure that the membership has the opportunity to vote by a fair and secret ballot.
ARTICLE VI
Amendment
Section 1. This constitution may be amended as follows: The proposed amendment shall be sent to the membership within 30 days of discussion at a general membership meeting. A vote of 2/3 of the members voting by ballot distributed to all present membership members shall be sufficient to adopt the amendment.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY CHAPTER OF THE UNITED FACULTY OF FLORIDA BYLAWS
Amended November 15, 2021
ARTICLE I
Rules of Order
Section 1. Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern in all cases not covered by the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE II
Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees shall be:
(1) Contract Enforcement Committee
(2) Membership and Organizing Committee
(3) Communications Committee
(4) Government Relations Committee
(5) Solidarity Committee
(6) Social Events Committee
(7) Bargaining Committee
(8) Nominations and Elections Committee
Section 2. The Chairperson of each Standing Committee shall be appointed by the President with the consent of a majority of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE III
Selection of Senators to the United Faculty of Florida Senate
Section 1. The President is automatically a Senator representing the Chapter at all statewide UFF Senate meetings. Other Senators and FEA Delegates shall be elected by secret ballot on the occasion of the annual election of chapter officers. The number of Senators will be in conformity with the United Faculty of Florida Constitution and Bylaws. Candidates not elected to be Senators will serve as Alternate Senators.
Section 2. The members of the bargaining unit at the FAUS shall elect a representative to the UFF Senate. The Senator will be a participating member of the Chapter Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV
Duties of Officers and Executive Committee
Section 1. The President shall preside at all general membership meetings and all meetings of the Executive Committee. The President shall be ex-officio member of all committees, shall sign all necessary documents and papers, and shall represent the Chapter. The President shall make an annual report at the spring semester general membership meeting. All expenditures in excess of $1,000 shall be countersigned by the President.
Section 2. The First Vice President shall exercise those duties prescribed by the Executive Committee and shall serve as Acting President in the event that the President is unable to perform their duties.
Section 3. The Second Vice President shall supervise Chapter activities and publications.
Section 4. The Recorder shall keep minutes of Executive Committee and general membership meetings and distribute or supervise the distribution of minutes as appropriate.
Section 5. 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, and shall prepare a financial statement each semester. The Treasurer shall make monthly financial reports to the Executive Committee and reports to UFF State and other agencies as required. The Treasurer shall be bonded and have their records audited each year.
Section 6. Senators attend the UFF State Senate meetings as representatives of the Chapter and shall make every effort to attend monthly Executive Committee meetings.
Section 7. The Executive Committee shall 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.
Section 8. The Executive Committee shall have the power to employ persons on a full-or part-time basis. Any member of the United Faculty of Florida who is employed by the Chapter shall be paid a salary equivalent to what they would earn in the State University System.
ARTICLE V
Duties of Standing Committees
Section 1. All committees shall be under the direction of and report to the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Contract Enforcement Committee shall keep records of and supervise all grievances and provide the Communications Committee with material for regular updates to faculty.
Section 3. The Membership and Organizing Committee shall work to increase membership in and support for the United Faculty of Florida including maintenance of the Chapter’s Steward Network and providing the Communications Committee with material for regular bargaining updates to faculty. Stewards shall welcome new members, attend Chapter events as possible, attend Committee meetings, and enable two-way communication between their Departments and the Chapter.
Section 4. The Communications Committee develops and disseminates the Chapter’s message and promotes communication among Chapter members and leaders, the University community, and the broader community. The Committee exercises outreach activities in parallel with Membership and Organizing, Government Relations, and other Committees.
Section 5. The Government Relations Committee shall supervise and coordinate all political activities of the Chapter and provide the Communications Committee with material for regular updates to faculty.
Section 6. The Bargaining Committee shall negotiate the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process between UFF-FAU and the University and provide the Communications Committee with material for regular updates to faculty.
Section 7. The Solidarity Committee shall communicate with and collaborate with community organizations working to end racial, ethnic, class, and gender identity discrimination, as well as to promote labor and other social justice initiatives that are in alignment with the values of UFF-FAU and provide the Communications Committee with material for regular updates to faculty.
Section 8. The Social Events Committee organizes special social events for members on and off of campus.
Section 9. The Nominations and Elections Committee ensures Chapter Executive nominations and elections are conducted in accordance with existing laws and the Landrum-Griffin Act and for submitting the election results to UFF no later than March 30th of each year.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings
Section 1. At least one general membership meeting shall be held in the spring semester. The election of officers shall take place at the spring meeting which should be scheduled to allow new officers to assume their offices by May 15.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall hold regular monthly meetings. Special meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Executive Committee. All meetings are open to the membership.
Section 3. Special membership meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or by petition of ten percent of the members of the Chapter.
Section 4. A quorum for all membership meetings shall be a number equivalent to the elected members of the Executive Committee plus five.
Section 5. There will be a published notification and agenda for each general membership meeting distributed ten days in advance.
ARTICLE VII
Amendment
Section 1. The Bylaws may be amended as follows: The proposed amendment shall be sent to the membership within 30 days of discussion at a general membership meeting. A majority vote of the members voting by ballot distributed to all the membership shall be sufficient to adopt the amendment.