Constitution and Bylaws for the
University of South Florida Chapter of
United Faculty of Florida
Effective June 7, 2019
Constitution
Preamble
In
accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Faculty of Florida,
we, the members of theUnited 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retired faculty and other s that have withdrawn from the profession who wish to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. Nominations
shall be closed and all nomination materials shall be
due by February 28. The elected officers and representatives shall be elected
annually on or before March 31, 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. Vacancies.
Section 1. UFF Senate alternates and FEA Delegate Assembly alternates shall be ranked by (a) number of votes cast and (b) alphabetically by last name.
Subsection 1.1 Should a senate seat become vacant prior to the Spring meeting of the Senate, the highest ranked alternate shall become senator. Should there be no alternate to promote, the Chapter president shall nominate a replacement to serve the remainder of the term; upon confirmation by the Chapter Council, the nominee shall be the senator.
Subsection 1.2 Should a delegate seat become vacant prior to the Fall meeting of the Delegate Assembly, the highest ranked alternate shall become senator. Should there be no alternate to promote, the Chapter president shall nominate a replacement to serve the remainder of the term; upon confirmation by the Chapter Council, the nominee shall be the delegate.
Section 2. Should the office of the President become vacant, the Vice President shall assume the office of president for the remainder of the presidential term; upon this assumption, the office of Vice President shall become vacant. Should the offices of President and Vice President become vacant, the Secretary shall assume the office of President for the remainder of the presidential term. Should the offices of President, Vice President, and Secretary become vacant, the Treasurer shall assume the office of President for the remainder of the presidential term.
Section 3. Should the office of the Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer become vacant, the president shall nominate a replacement to serve the remainder of the term; upon confirmation by the Chapter Council, the nominee shall hold that office.
Article
VI. 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
VII. 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 Government Relations 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 Government
Relations Committee shall be an official nominee to the West Central Florida Central Labor Council unless otherwise determined by the
President and/or Chapter 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 a
Nominations and Election 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 Nominations and 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.