WSC Chapter of the MSCA

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of the organization shall be “The Westfield Chapter – Massachusetts State College Association MTA/NEA” (hereafter referred to as The Chapter) and it shall be a local affiliate of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and the National Education Association.

ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of The Chapter shall be: to administer the existing contract between the M.S.C.A. and the Board of Regents, to develop and advocate policies for improving the welfare of its members, and to organize and consolidate the efforts of its members to maintain and improve public higher education at Westfield State College and the state.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any person at Westfield State College officially designated a member of the day faculty bargaining unit and who is a member in good standing of the M.S.C.A., M.T.A., and N.E.A. shall be eligible for regular membership in The Chapter.

Section 2. Any person who is eligible for Chapter membership and who shall authorize, in writing, the collection of his dues and is certified as being in good standing by The Chapter Treasurer shall be a member of The Chapter.

Section 3. The dues for membership in The Chapter shall be determined by the members at the stated meetings of the organization.

Section 4. The Chapter shall not discriminate against any member on the basis of length of service, academic rank, or tenure status, where not in conflict with the Contract.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS’ NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. The officers of the Executive Council of The Chapter shall be a President, a Vice-President, a General Secretary, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, a Moderator, and The Chapter’s delegate to the M.S.C.A. Board of Directors. The aforesaid officers shall constitute the Executive Council of The Chapter.

Section 2. The President shall be the chief executive officer of The Chapter and a member of the Board of Directors of the M.S.C.A. It shall be his or her duty to preside at the meetings of the Executive Council, to administer generally all of the affairs of The Chapter, and to execute the policies of The Chapter as determined by this constitution, by the M.S.C.A. constitution, and by the meetings of The Chapter.

Section 3. The vice-President shall perform such duties concerning the administration of the affairs of The Chapter as may be assigned by the President. In case of the vacancy of the office of President, the Vice-President shall be the President for the remainder of the unexpired term for the office of President.

Section 4. The General Secretary shall perform research on those aspects of the collective bargaining and of higher education which may be of concern or interest to The Chapter and shall report his or her findings and advice to the President, The Executive Council, or The Chapter.

Section 5. The Recording Secretary shall record the proceedings of the meetings of The Chapter and of the Executive Council and shall be the custodian of the seal of the charter of The Chapter. The Recording Secretary shall issue calls of meetings of The Chapter and of the Executive Council and shall, at the direction of the President, respond to communications to The Chapter of the Executive Council.

Section 6. The Treasurer shall receive, record and deposit in the name of The Chapter all monies received, pay all bills authorized by the Executive Council of The Chapter, and keep the roll of members of The Chapter. The records of the Treasurer shall be audited at least once each year by auditors appointed by the Executive Council, and the report of the auditors shall be submitted to The Chapter for its consideration, in accordance with provisions of Chapter 150E of the General Laws of Massachusetts, as amended, and in consideration of any other relevant legislation. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to forward all per capita dues and current membership lists to the appropriate officers of the parent organization as required.

Section 7. The Moderator shall preside at the meetings of The Chapter, and he shall, in conjunction with the Executive Council, prepare proposed agendas for such meetings. The Moderator shall conduct all elections held under auspices of The Chapter.

Section 8. The Grievance Officer shall be appointed by the President for a term to expire on July 1 following the appointment, subject to approval by majority vote of the Executive Council. The Grievance Officer shall be responsible for processing grievances according to the terms and conditions of the Agreement.

Section 9. Beginning in Spring 2008, no member shall serve as an officer for more than six consecutive years. However, an officer elected to a two-year term which begins in her or his sixth year of service, may serve out that two-year term. No member may serve in more than one elected Chapter office simultaneously.

Section 10. The officers of The Chapter shall be elected from its membership annually by secret written ballot simultaneously with governance committee elections as provided in Article VI, Sections 1 and 2. For this election, the Moderator shall prepare a ballot on which shall appear the names of the persons nominated for the offices of Vice-President, General Secretary, Recording Secretary, Moderator, and when appropriate, President, Treasurer, and MSCA Delegate. No person shall be a nominee for office who has not at least by 3 p.m. on the third working day prior to the election submitted to the Moderator a petition of nomination signed by at least ten members of The Chapter who have not in the same year signed a petition of nomination for any other person for the same office. In voting, the members of The Chapter shall vote for one nominee for each office. Beginning with the annual elections in Spring 2008, the Chapter shall conduct its elections for officers using either paper, mailed, or electronic ballots. Terms of office for newly elected officers shall begin on June 1, or the day after any special election held to fill a vacant Chapter office in accord with Section 11.

Section 11. Within two weeks of the occurrence of a vacancy in any office, except for the President, a special election shall be held for the purpose of designating a replacement to fill the unexpired term. The same provisions as described in Section 10 shall apply to this special election.

Section 12. Recall of a member of the Executive Council may be initiated by a written petition signed by 20 members of The Chapter. This petition shall be presented to the Moderator who must, within two weeks, call a special meeting of The Chapter to discuss the recall petition. Approval of the recall of an Executive Council member shall be by a 2/3 majority of votes cast by secret ballot by the general membership to be held within two weeks of this special meeting.

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

Section 1. The official year of The Chapter shall be from the first of July in any given calendar year through the last day of June in the succeeding calendar year.

Section 2. The Chapter shall schedule at least one meeting per semester.

Section 3. Special meetings of The Chapter may be called by the Executive Council or by the Moderator and shall be called upon presentation to the Moderator of the written petition of nine members of The Chapter. At a special meeting, no business other than that stated in the call shall be transacted, except as hereinafter provided. The special meeting shall be convened within seventy-two hours of receipt of the written petition. Calls for special meetings shall be by expeditious means by the Recording Secretary or his delegate.

Section 4. Calls for scheduled meetings of The Chapter shall be sent by mail or email to each member of The Chapter by the Recording Secretary at least one week before such meeting.

Section 5. Twenty members of The Chapter shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Section 1. The Executive Council shall, in Council meetings open to all members of The Chapter, under the leadership of the President, administer all of the affairs of The Chapter and execute the policies of The Chapter as determined by this constitution and by the meetings of The Chapter. To this end, it shall have the power to employ clerical personnel and to incur such liabilities as may be deemed necessary from time to time and as may be determined by the finances of The Chapter. It shall have the power to appoint such ad hoc committees of The Chapter from the members of the organization as may, from time to time, be required. The Treasurer or President on behalf of the Executive Council shall regularly report on Chapter account balances and any other expenditure or revenue & dues information useful to the membership, with annual Auditors Reports available to members in accord with Article Three, Section 5.

Section 2. Stated meetings of the Executive Council shall be held at least once a month. Special meetings of the Executive Council may be called by the President or written petition of three members of the Executive Council.

Section 3. Calls for the meetings of the Executive Council shall be delivered in person or by telephone to the members of the Executive Council by the Recording Secretary at least twenty-four hours before such meetings.

Section 4. Five members of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum.

Section 5. Final authority in all matters, unless otherwise designated by this constitution, rests with The Chapter rather than with the Executive Council.

ARTICLE VII. ELECTION STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. All bargaining unit seats on governance committees and the promotions committee shall be filled through an election to be held at a time consistent with provisions of the Agreement. Any member of the day bargaining unit who holds a full-time appointment may run for election to these committees.

Section 2. Voting may be by secret ballot and, if so, will take place on two consecutive work days (not separated by a weekend) in the office of the local MSCA chapter. Beginning with the annual elections in Spring 2008, the Chapter shall conduct its elections for governance committees using either paper, mailed, or electronic ballots.

Section 3. Candidates shall self-nominate in writing. The nomination period shall be the first four days of the week immediately preceding the election period. A list of candidates shall be posted and distributed prior to the election period.

Section 4. If there are unfilled seats on standing committees following the annual campus wide election, the seats shall be filled through election by the Executive Council.

Section 5. Notice shall be given to all members of the bargaining unit that elections will be held or that appointments will be made to vacant seats on governance committees. Such notice shall be given at least two weeks prior to the date of election or appointment.

ARTICLE VIII. AFFILIATIONS

Section 1. The Chapter shall maintain affiliation with the local, state and national organizations having been designated as parent or affiliate groups through the election of a bargaining agent, pursuant to Massachusetts statute. Whenever possible, The Chapter shall send delegates to local, state and national organization meetings; and, in the event it is decided to send delegates, proper steps shall be taken to elect, certify, and forward credentials of delegates and alternates to the proper offices.

Section 2. All Chapter representatives to the M.S.C.A. Board of Directors shall be elected by The Chapter.

Section 3. Every reasonable effort shall be made by The Chapter to pay the legitimate expenses of delegates and alternate delegates incurred by attendance at the meetings and conventions of affiliated organizations.

Section 4. The Chapter, shall, to the best of its ability, be active in the affairs of affiliated organizations.

ARTICLE IX. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern The Chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this constitution or with any special rules order which The Chapter may adopt.

ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Proposed amendments of this constitution may be submitted to the membership on the basis of a majority vote of the seven members of the Executive Council, or by petition from at least nine members submitted to the Executive Council at least three days before any meeting of The Chapter. Member-submitted amendments shall be sent by the Executive Council to all members no later than one week after such submission at a Chapter meeting. Discussion of any amendment shall be provided for at the next Chapter meeting, or at a special meeting, as long as at least two weeks have
elapsed since the distribution of proposed amendments.

Section 2. This constitution shall be amended by a two-thirds vote of those present either at a Chapter meeting at which only those amendments previously submitted are discussed, such meeting to require a quorum of 40 members for any approval vote, or by paper, mailed, or electronic ballots after such a Chapter meeting, to be returned within
a reasonable period, with at least 60 members participating for the two-thirds needed for approval to be recorded.