UMPSA By-Laws

Maine Education Association

Revised April 2002

UNIVERSITIES OF MAINE PROFESSIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATION

UMPSA/MEA/NEA

BYLAWS

ARTICLE I. RULES OF ORDER

Section 1.

Robert's rules of Order (Newly Revised) shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not specifically covered by this Constitution and Bylaws. A Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the chairperson of each meeting.

ARTICLE II. MEETINGS

Section 1.

Delegate Assembly

A. The Delegate Assembly shall meet annually in April. The president shall call the meeting, prepare the agenda, and shall circulate it to all members of the Delegate Assembly at least ten (10) days in advance of the Delegate Assembly meeting. Meetings of the Delegate Assembly shall be open to all members of UMPSA.

B. Special meetings of the Delegate Assembly may be held at the call of the president, upon written request from a majority of dues-paying members from two (2) or more chapters. Business to come before special meetings must be stated in the call which shall be sent in writing to each delegate at least ten (10) days in advance of the meeting.

Section 2.

Executive Board

A. The Executive Board may meet at least once each month from September through May, at the call of the president. Additional meetings may be called by the president or by request of five (5) members of the Executive Board. The May meeting of the Executive Board will include outgoing members, continuing members, and newly elected members.

ARTICLE III. QUORUM

Section 1.

Delegate Assembly

A. Each member of the Delegate Assembly shall have one (1) vote. A majority of the authorized members of the Delegate Assembly shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2.

Executive Board

A. Each Executive Board member shall have one (1) vote. The Executive Board has the option to request a Board member to resign after three (3) absences from scheduled meetings. A majority of the Executive Board constitutes a quorum.

ARTICLE IV. COMMITTEES

Section 1.

Standing Committees shall:

A. be appointed by the president from the active membership of UMPSA. As far as practicable, each standing Committee shall include state-wide representation;

B. elect a chairperson;

C. have the right to place matters on the agenda of meetings of the Executive Board;

D. submit an annual written report to show each of the committee's objectives, successes, and failures to the UMPSA president no later than one month prior to the Delegate Assembly. The UMPSA secretary shall distribute each committee report to the members of the Executive Board and members of the Delegate Assembly. Each report shall become part of the continuing committee record in the files.

E. The president and vice president shall serve on all standing committees ex-officio, without voting privileges.

F. In the absence of any formal standing committee listed in Article IV Section 4, the Executive Board is empowered to perform the duties listed in this section.

Section 2.

The Standing Committees are:

A. Elections Committee.
The Elections Committee shall:

1. consist of three (3) UMPSA Executive Board members;

2. be responsible for surveying Chapter Executive Committees and/or members at

large, no later than February 15 of each year;

3. receive nominations for at least one (1) candidate for each of the four (4) officers no later than one month prior to the Delegate Assembly;

4. submit the names for nomination to the Delegate Assembly and count the ballots cast at the Delegate Assembly;

5. be responsible for the seating of delegates at the Delegate Assembly;

6. be responsible for conducting any regular, special, or major office elections.

B.Membership Committee.
The Membership Committee shall:

1. consist of one (1) Executive Board member as the chairperson and the Chapters' Membership Committee chairperson:

2. furnish support information:

a. special services/discounts

b. explain benefits of membership and services provided;

3. organize and conduct unified membership drives;

4. inform each Chapter of their entitled representation to the Delegate Assembly no later than February 15;

5. the chairperson shall brief committee members on:

a. goals and objectives;

b. duties and responsibilities;

c. trouble areas;

d. dues--part time, full, or prorated.

C. Constitution and Bylaws Committee.
The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall:

1. consist of three (3) members of the Executive Board and/or delegates, one of whom may be the Parliamentarian;

2. provide continuous review of the Constitution and Bylaws;

3. be responsible for accepting Constitution and Bylaws proposed amendments;

4. circulate the Constitution and Bylaws proposed amendments, in writing, to Chapter Executive Committee president(s) and Executive Board members no later than one month prior to the Delegate Assembly;

5. present the Constitution and Bylaws proposed amendments to the Delegate Assembly;

6. be responsible for collecting and reviewing Chapters' ratified and amended constitutions and bylaws which shall not be in conflict with this document.

D. Communications Committee.
The Communications Committee shall:

1. consist of the UMPSA vice president as Coordinator plus a Chapter communications contract person;

2. be responsible for overseeing a state-wide communications network;

3. maintain a communications network that will facilitate the dissemination of information to UMPSA members;

4. submit articles to be published in UMPSA newsletter through the Coordinator.

E.Grievance Committee.
The Grievance Committee shall:

1. consist of seven (7) UMPSA members appointed by the president;

2. hear all request for UMPSA assistance which will require financial support;

3. determine whether a grievance merits the expenditures of UMPSA funds, to be brought to the Executive Board for approval.

4. A negative decision of the Grievance Committee may be appealed by the grievant to the full Executive Board. A majority vote of the Executive Board shall be required to overturn the negative decision.

5. A positive decision of the Grievance Committee concerning the expenditures of UMPSA funds will require a majority vote of the Executive Board.

6. No part of this section shall imply that UMPSA is not obligated to support professional staff grievances up to the point where the expenditure of funds are required (customarily the last step of a grievance procedure, i.e., arbitration costs).

F.Legislative Committee.
The Legislative Committee shall:

1. consist of eight (7) chapter delegates;

2. study and propose improvements in higher education legislation to the MEA Political Action Committee;

3. screen candidates for public office;

4. transmit information on education issues to the membership.

Section 3.

Chapter Bargaining Councils.
The Chapter Bargaining Councils shall:

A. be chosen by chapters on the basis of one (1) representative per chapter plus one (1) representative for each ten (10) members with interests to be represented as determined by each chapter;

B. be responsible for submitting proposals, distributing and collecting the UMS professional staff (priority survey) for the Statewide Bargaining Council;

C. serve as a reactionary panel for the Negotiating Team and be responsible for explaining any contract negotiated to chapter unit members prior to ratification and be responsible for keeping the Chapter Executive Board fully informed of the progress of negotiations.

D. each Chapter president shall appoint one (1) Bargaining Council member to act as liaison to the negotiating Team and to serve on the Statewide Bargaining Council.

Section 4.

Statewide Bargaining Council.
The Statewide Bargaining Council shall:

E. submit proposed articles to the Negotiating Team, and meet periodically with the Negotiating Team to discuss the status of negotiations. In the absence of any formal standing committee list in Article IV, Section 4, the Executive Board is empowered to perform the duties listed in this section;

F. be responsible for surveying the UMS professional staff (priority survey), evaluating other contracts, sponsoring debates/discussions on controversial issues, etc.;

G. serve as a reactionary panel for the Negotiating Team and be responsible for explaining any contract negotiated to chapter bargaining council and chapter unit members prior to ratification, and be responsible for keeping the Executive Board fully informed of the progress of negotiations.

Section 5.

Negotiating Team.
The Negotiating Team shall:

H. include up to nine (9) members appointed by the president and approved by the Executive Board;

I. serve until six (6) months prior to the expiration of a negotiated contract, by which time a new Negotiating Team shall have been appointed;

J. receive proposed articles from the Bargaining Council;

K. operate independently, that is, be responsible for drafting and negotiating the contract, plus presenting the contract to the Bargaining Council and the membership for ratification;

L. be responsible for keeping the Bargaining Council and the Executive Board fully informed of the progress of negotiations and meet periodically to discuss status of negotiations;

M. be authorized to seek such assistance as it deems necessary and expend funds in negotiating a contract.

Section 6.

Ad hoc Committees.

N. Ad hoc committees and chairpersons may be appointed by the president from the active membership with the approval of the Executive Board.

O. Ad hoc committees shall report to the Executive Board and the Delegate Assembly.

P. Chairpersons of ad hoc committees shall have the right to place matters on the agenda of the meetings of the Executive Board.

Q. The president and vice president shall serve on all ad hoc committees ex-officio, without voting privileges.

ARTICLE V. CHAPTERS

Section 1.

Each chapter of UMPSA shall:

R. maintain its own Constitution and Bylaws which shall be compatible with the Constitution and Bylaws of UMPSA/MEA/NEA.

S. submit its amended Constitution and Bylaws to the UMPSA’s Constitution and Bylaws Committee chairperson prior to March 1.

ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS

Section 1.

Amendments to the Bylaws shall be initiated in the following manner;

T. majority vote of a chapter Executive committee; or,

U. majority vote of the Executive Board; or,

V. on the recommendation of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.

Section 2.

Each amendment shall be ratified by a majority vote of the members of the Delegate Assembly.

Section 3.

The Executive Board is authorized to make nonsubstantive housekeeping changes in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII. RATIFICATION OF NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS

Section 1.

Ratification of a negotiated contract shall be by a majority vote of those members of UMPSA casting ballots.

Last changed on Monday, May 8, 2006