Constitution of the Minnesota State University Moorhead
Chapter of the Minnesota State University Association
of the Administrative and Service Faculty
ARTICLE ONE: Name and Purpose
1.01 Name: The name of this organization shall be the Association
of Administrative and Service Faculty of Minnesota State University Moorhead,
hereinafter referred to as the Association. It is considered a
chapter of the Minnesota State University Association of
Administrative and Service Faculty, hereinafter called MSUAASF.
1.02 Purpose: The purpose of this organization shall be:
a. To promote the welfare of administrative and service faculty
at Minnesota State University Moorhead;
b. To encourage membership and active participation in association as well as MSUAASF activities;
c. To conduct appropriate Association meetings and elections;
d. To set Association policy and procedures;
e. To provide participation in Association task force and
committee activities
ARTICLE TWO: Membership
2.01 Membership: Membership in this Association shall be open to any
person in a position designated in the bargaining unit as established by the Bureau of Mediation Services.
2.02 Good Standing: Persons shall be considered in good standing
when they have paid membership dues as set by state and local
chapters. A signed authorization to withhold dues via payroll
deductions shall be considered a paid membership. The Association Vice President shall settle all disputes over good standing
ARTICLE THREE: Organizational Structure
3.01 Executive Committee: Officers of this Association shall be:
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the officers
from the Grievance, Negotiations, Membership, and Legislative committees.
Amended January 2009 Executive Committee: Officers of this association shall be: President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and the officers from the Grievance, Negotiations, Membership, and Legislative Committees.
3.02 Election of Officers: All officers shall be elected by receiving
the largest number of ballots cast by members in good standing.
Elections will be held every odd numbered year. Eligible voters and
candidates for offices will be full-share members in good standing.
Nominations will be completed by March 1, and elections held by
March 30. (See Article Eight.)
Amended January 2009 Elections of Officers: All officers shall be elected by receiving the largest number of ballots cast by members in good standing. Elections will be held every even numbered year.
3.03 Terms of Office: The President, Vice President, Secretary and
Treasurer shall be elected odd numbered years for two-year terms.
The Grievance, Legislative, Negotiations, and Membership Concern's
Officers will be elected even number years for two year terms.
Amended January 2009 Terms of Office: The President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Legislative, Grievance, Negotiations, and Membership concerns, will be elected for two-year terms. The President and President-Elect will serve for one two-year term. All other officer positions will have no term limits.
3.04 Inability of Elected Officer to Complete Term: In the event any
elected officer, except the President, resigns or is unable to serve,
the Executive Committee may appoint a member in good standing to
serve out the unexpired term.
3.05 Removal of Officers: Officers of the association may be
submitted to a recall ballot upon the petition of the members which
contains the signatures of one-third of all members in good standing
as of the date of the petition.
ARTICLE FOUR: Duties of Officers
4.01 Duties of the President: The President shall preside at all
meetings, may call special meetings and shall be responsible for
conducting affairs of this Association. The President also serves as
Association representative for meetings or task forces unless
otherwise designating a representative. The President may also
appoint committees as necessary to complete Association business.
4.02 Duties of the Vice President: The Vice President shall assume duties
of the President in the event of absence of the President or in cases
wherein the President is unable to fulfill the term of office. The
Vice President, or his/her designee, will be responsible for coordinating
the Association's representation on all MSUAASF searches and to meet with
finalists during the interview process.
Amended January 2009 Duties of the President-Elect: The President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President in the event of absence of the President, or in cases wherein the President is unable to fulfill the term of office. The President-Elect will assume the Presidency once the two-year term of the President is completed.
4.03 Duties of the Secretary: The Secretary shall keep an official
and permanent record of all membership meetings and of business
transacted at each; shall distribute to all members in good standing
a copy of minutes of each meeting; and shall provide notification to
all members of Association meetings. The Secretary shall also
distribute any information designated by the Executive Committee to
all interested parties, as defined by the Executive Committee.
4.04 Duties of the Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the
collection, keeping and disbursement of all money of the Association
and shall provide reports at each regular meeting of the Association.
The treasurer shall present the current bank statement for review to
the executive board once each fiscal year.
4.05 Duties of the Grievance, Legislative, Membership Concerns, and
Negotiations Officers shall be as follows:
Grievance Officer
1. Represent members (full and fair share) in grievance matters
and other contractual related membership problems/matters.
2. Assist/advise members regarding their rights and
responsibilities under the collective bargaining agreement.
3. Inform the State Grievance Officer of bargaining unit
member grievances or concerns and request assistance as needed.
4. Develop and administer Association policies and procedures
regarding grievance matters.
5. Serve on the State Grievance Committee.
Legislative Affairs Officer
Duties of the Legislative Affairs Officer will include:
participate on the State Legislative Affairs Committee; disseminate
information about legislative issues of concern to the association
and its members, encourage members to be responsible citizens who are
informed about and involved in the political process; and lobby and
coordinate association lobbying at the direction of the Board.
Membership Concerns Officer
The duties of the Membership Concerns Officer are: encourage
communication across campuses and provide a forum for exchange of
ideas on how to increase full membership; provide services to
members; and optimize professional development opportunities for
members. The Membership Concerns Officer should use all practical means for encouraging persons to become members in good standing of this Association.
Negotiations Officer
The Negotiations Officer serves as the campus representative for the duration of contract negotiations with MnSCU. Responsibilities include a minimum of 6-8 trips to St. Paul, depending on the length of the negotiations process. The person reports back to campus MSUAASF progress of negotiations, administers surveys for member input, and carries issues forward to the negotiations team.
ARTICLE FIVE: Dues
5.01 Dues shall be set in accordance with the union affiliate, but
the MSUAASF BOARD and the Association may levy additional
assessments. These special assessments may be levied upon
Association members in good standing by a majority vote of those
members present at any regular or special meeting where a motion to
that effect is presented.
ARTICLE SIX: Transaction of Business
6.01 Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of this Association shall be
held once each month during the first eight months of the academic
year. A specific schedule of regular meetings shall be determined by
the Executive Committee and shall be established for the entire
academic year at the beginning of each academic year.
6.02 Special Meetings: The President may call a special meeting at
any time for any appropriate matter of business. A special meeting
must be called by the President if at least 10 percent of members in
good standing submit a written request to the President for such a
meeting specifying in the written request the agenda for that
meeting. The President may add other items to the agenda of such a
specially requested meeting.
6.03 Quorum: A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting
shall consist of at least 25 percent of members in good
standing.
6.04 Notification of Meeting: The Secretary shall distribute to all
Association members in good standing a written notice and probable
agenda of any meeting, regular or special, at least one week prior to
the date of meeting.
6.05 Extraordinary Circumstances: In the event of extraordinary
circumstances (as determined by the Executive Committee), business of
this Association may be conducted by mail or phone. Quorum
requirements shall not be waived in these circumstances.
6.06 Mode of Voting at Meetings: Normally, motions presented at meetings shall be voted upon by acclamation unless a motion for a secret ballot is made and passed by a majority of members in good standing present at the meeting.
6.07 Authority: The Association shall be governed by this
constitution, by by-laws adopted by the Executive Committee which do
not conflict with this constitution and by pertinent state and
federal laws. Robert's Rules of Order (latest edition) shall govern
the procedure at all meetings for all matters not covered by the
constitution and bylaws.
ARTICLE SEVEN: Mergers or Affiliations
7.01 This Association may not become a party to merger or affiliation
with any professional employee union or group except by majority vote
of members in good standing. The status of this Association as a
chapter of MSUAASF shall not be construed to mean that this
Association shall automatically become a party to any merger or
affiliation which may be entered into by MSUAASF.
ARTICLE EIGHT: Elections and Balloting
8.01 Nomination and Election Committee: This committee shall be
responsible for conducting all balloting. The committee shall be
comprised of three members in good standing. The duties of the committee shall be to serve as a Nominations Committee, to follow the schedule specified in the constitution for elections, to certify ballots returned, to tally ballots, and to report election results to the Executive Committee. The Nomination and Election Committee shall meet in January
of every odd numbered year to prepare a slate of nominees containing, if possible, two nominees for each office. This slate should be presented to the Executive Committee on or before March 1. Ballots shall be addressed to individual members and sent to all members in good standing.
Ballots must be returned to the Nominations and Election Committee by
March 30. The Committee shall report election results during an
April meeting. Individuals who receive the largest number of votes cast
by members in good standing are elected officers. In the event of a tie vote between two or more candidates, a run-off election of nominees shall be completed by May 15. Previously stated election procedure shall be
followed.
Amended January 2009 The Nomination and Election Committee shall meet in January of every even numbered year to prepare a slate of nominees containing, if possible, two nominations for each office.
ARTICLE NINE: Indemnification
9.01 Ìndemnification: The Association shall indemnify Association
officers and committee members for the defense of civil or criminal
actions or proceedings as hereinafter provided and notwithstanding
any provisions of this constitution in a manner and to the extent
permitted by applicable laws.
9.02 Scope: The Association shall indemnify each of its officers and
committee members as stated above from and against any and all
judgements, fines, amounts paid in settlement, and reasonable
expenses, including attorney's fees actually and necessarily incurred
or imposed as a result of such action or proceeding, or any appeal
therein, imposed upon or asserted against her or him by reason of
being or having been such an officer, committee member, and acting
within the scope of his or her official duties, but only when the
determination shall have been made judicially or in a manner
hereinafter provided that she or he acted in good faith for a purpose
which she or he reasonably believed to be in the best interest of the
Association and in case of criminal action or proceedings, in
addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that her or his conduct
was unlawful. This indemnification shall be made only if the
Association shall be advised by its Executive Committee acting by a
quorum that the officer or committee member has met the foregoing
applicable standard of conduct. If the foregoing determination is to
be made by the Executive Committee, it may rely as to all questions
of law on the advice of independent legal counsel.
9.03 Coverage: Every reference to an officer or committee member of
the Association shall include every officer and committee member
thereof or former officer or committee member thereof. This
indemnification shall apply to all the judgments, fines, amounts in
settlement, and reasonable expenses described above whenever
allowable as stated above. The right of indemnification provided
within this document shall be in addition to any and all rights in
which any officer, committee member or the Association might
otherwise be entitled, and the provisions hereof shall neither impair
or adversely affect such rights.
ARTICLE TEN: Amending this Constitution
10.0 This constitution may be amended by a majority of members in good standing
cast in a mail-ballot election conducted by the Nominations and Elections Committee. Such amendment shall be presented to members of the Association at a regular or special meeting and shall have been presented in writing to the Association members in good standing at least one week prior to voting.
Revised 2/6/09