For vote by the Student R.A. April 2016
WEAC REGION 9-
STUDENT WISCONSIN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION
AND
BYLAWS
Student WEA Constitution & Bylaws
Amended: 3/27/93; 3/26/94; 4/1/95; 3/30/96; 4/5/97; 4/4/98; 4/10/99; 3/29/00; 5/7/01; 4/18/02; 4/12/03; 4/19/04; 4/15/05; 5/10/06; 4/25/07; 4/12/08; 2/25/10; 4/16/10; 5/21/14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(update once approved)
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I – NAME
ARTICLE II - AFFILIATION
ARTICLE III - PURPOSES
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Qualifications
Section 2 - Membership and Fiscal Year
Section 3 - Application for Membership
ARTICLE V - StWEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Section 1 - Powers
Section 2 - Delegate Allocations and Elections
ARTICLE VI - StWEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE VII - AFFILIATION
Section 1 - Chapters
Section 2 - Affiliation
Section 3 - Procedures for Affiliation
Section 4 - Standards for Affiliation
Section 5 - Election of Chapter Officers
ARTICLE VIII - DELEGATES
Section 1 - StWEA Representative Assembly
Section 2 - WEAC Representative Assembly
Section 3 - NEA Representative Assembly
ARTICLE IX - RULES OF ORDER
ARTICLE X - COMMITTEES
Section 1 – StWEA Standing Committees
Section 2 - Ad Hoc Committees
Section 3 - StWEA Executive Board
ARTICLE XI - CHAPTER DISAFFILIATION
ARTICLE XII - CHAPTER EXPULSION AND REINSTATEMENT
Section 1- Definition
Section 2—Reasons for Censure, Suspension, Expulsion
Section 3 Actions
ARTICLE XII XIII - AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION
Section 1 - Proposal of Amendments
Section 2 - Amendment of the Constitution
Section 3 - Effective Date
BYLAW I - StWEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Section 1 - StWEA RA Notification
Section 2 - Delegate Weighted Vote Allocation
Section 3 - Challenges to Delegate Weighted Vote Allocations
Section 3 4 - Procedures for Additional StWEA Representative Assemblies
Section 4 5 - Parliamentary Procedures for the StWEA Representative Assembly
BYLAW II - StWEA OFFICER ELECTIONS
Section 1 - Balloting
Section 2 - Eligibility
BYLAW III - StWEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1 - Powers and Duties
Section 2 - Monetary Items
Section 2 3 - Meetings
Section 3 4 - Duties of StWEA Officers
a.StWEA President
b.StWEA Vice President
c.Fall Professional Development Seminar Coordinator
d.StWEA President-Elect
e.StWEA Secretary/Outreach to Teach Coordinator
f. StWEA Public Relations Coordinator
g. Membership Coordinator
Section 4 5 - Duties of StWEA Chapter Presidents
Section 5 6 - Succession, Vacancies and Terms
Section 6 7 – Removal of a StWEA Officer
BYLAW IV - COMMITTEES
Section 1 - StWEA Members on WEAC Standing Committees
Section 2 - StWEA Standing Committees
Section 3 - Appointment to Committees
BYLAW V - AMENDMENTS
Section 1 - Proposal of Amendments
WEAC REGION 9-STUDENT WISCONSIN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the WEAC Region 9-Student Wisconsin Education Association, herein referred to as the StWEA.
ARTICLE II - AFFILIATION
The StWEA shall be affiliated with the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) and the National Education Association (NEA). Therefore, StWEA members shall also be WEAC and NEA Student members.
ARTICLE III- PURPOSES
The purposes of the StWEA shall be: (1) to develop in prospective educators and the public an understanding of the total education profession, thus stimulating the highest professional standards, ethics, and attitudes; (2) to establish communication between the StWEA, its affiliates, college students and other education associations; (3) to provide for education students a local, state and national voice in matters affecting their education and the profession; and (4) to encourage active participation from a diverse membership.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Qualifications
a.Any student enrolled in or preparing for any program of study in an institution of higher learning.
b.The StWEA shall not deny membership to individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status,or economic status, or political affiliation.
Section 2 - Membership and Fiscal Year
The fiscal administrative term of office and general membership year for all StWEA members shall be from September 1 through August 31.
Section 3 - Application for Membership
Membership applications and dues must be completed online through the NEA. filed at the local, state and national levels.
ARTICLE V - StWEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
The StWEA Representative Assembly shall be the policy-forming body of the StWEA, and shall herein be referred to as the RA. The StWEA RAshall be held annually in the spring to be set by the StWEAExecutive Board.
Section 1 - Powers
The StWEA RAshall:
a.Elect officers by written secret ballot for individual offices.
b.Recommend to the WEAC Representative Assembly, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates registered and voting, the annual StWEA state dues. Membership dues set by the WEAC Representative Assembly shall become effective the first day of the following fiscal year (September 1-August 31).
b.c.Vote on proposed resolutions and proposed changes to the Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 2 - Delegate Allocations and Elections
The StWEA RAshall be composed of each chapter’spresident or his/her designee members.
ARTICLE VI - StWEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The StWEABoard of Directors shall be comprised of the StWEAPresident, StWEAVice President, StWEAFall Professional Development Seminar Coordinator, orStWEAPresident-Elect, StWEASecretary/Outreach to Teach Coordinator,StWEAPublic Relations Coordinator,Membership Coordinatorand the president of each chapter or his/her alternate. StWEAofficers, with the exception of the President-Elect, shall not concurrently hold the position of chapter president. Each member of the StWEABoard of Directors shall have no more than one vote. If a local chapter has co-presidents, the co-presidents will decide who will have voting privileges for each board of directors’ meeting.
ARTICLE VII - AFFILIATION
Section 1 - Chapters
There shall be chapters of the StWEA at accredited post-secondary institutions.
Section 2 - Affiliation
Affiliation shall mean a relationship based on a reciprocal contractual agreement between the WEACStWEAand the student chapter. The school wishing to be affiliated needs a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Section 3 - Procedures for Affiliation
A student association seeking affiliation shall obtain an affiliation packet from the office of the WEAC Executive DirectorStWEA State Presidentor the StWEA Advisor. Pending affiliation, a finalized copy of the chapter’s constitution and bylaws must be submitted to the office of the WEAC Executive DirectorState Vice Presidentand will be submitted to the WEAC Executive Board for approval.
Section 4 - Standards for Affiliation
The constitution, bylaws, and program of StWEA chapters must be in harmony with the constitution and bylaws of the StWEA and NEA Student Program. Each chapter shall annually file a current copy of its constitution and bylaws with the State Vice President before September 30.
Section 5 - Election of Chapter Officers
All chapters shall elect their officers in accordance with their Constitution and Bylaws and shall report results to the office of the WEAC Executive Director. by March 31. The term of office shall begin at the BOD meeting in May and continue until the next BOD meeting in the following May.
ARTICLE VIII - DELEGATES
Section 1 - StWEA Representative Assembly
The StWEA RA shall be composed of each chapter’s president or his/her designee. Chapter delegates to the StWEA RAshall be selected by a voting process chosen by the respective chapter association.
Section 2 - WEAC Representative Assembly
Delegates to the WEAC Representative Assembly shall be chosenelected in compliance with the WEAC Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 3 - NEA Representative Assembly
Delegates or nominated representative(s) to the NEA Representative Assembly shall be chosenelected in compliance with the WEAC Constitution and Bylawsfor election of delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly.
ARTICLE IX - RULES OF ORDER
The most recentlatest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings except in those cases where they are in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the StWEA.
ARTICLE X – COMMITTEES
Section 1 –StWEAStanding Committees
The StWEAStanding Committees shall be as provided in the Bylaws. Committee member appointments shall be for a term of one (1) year and subject to the StWEABoard of Directors approval.
Section 2 - Ad Hoc Committees
Special committees may be established by the StWEA RAor by the StWEABoard of Directors for the purpose of accomplishing a specific task within a limited period of time.
Section 3 - StWEAExecutive Board
The StWEAExecutive Board shall be a subcommittee of the Board of Directors and be comprised of the StWEAPresident, StWEA President-Elect, StWEAVice President, StWEAFallProfessional Development Seminar Coordinator, StWEASecretary/Outreach to Teach Coordinator,andStWEAPublic Relations Coordinator, and Membership Coordinator.
ARTICLE XI - CHAPTER DISAFFILIATION
a.An organizational member may not disaffiliate with WEAC without notifying the President of WEAC of its intention to disaffiliate ninety (90) days in advance of any action to disaffiliate. Such notice of intention to disaffiliate shall state in detail the reasons why the organizational member desires to disaffiliate and shall be supported by a statement that the desire to disaffiliate has been presented to a duly convened membership meeting of the organizational member and that the membership has approved of the intention to disaffiliate by a vote of two-thirds of the entire membership of the organization by a secret written ballot.
b.An organizational member may disaffiliate only upon fulfillment of all of its legal and financial obligations to the WEAC and WEA, Inc.
StWEA chapters may not disaffiliate from the StWEA or WEAC without notifying the respective state officers and Boards of Directors of its intention to disaffiliate ninety (90) days in advance of any action to disaffiliate. Such notice of intention to disaffiliate shall state in detail the reasons why the StWEA chapter desires to disaffiliate and shall be supported by a statement that the desire to disaffiliate has been presented to a duly convened general membership meeting and thatthe voting membership has approved the intention to disaffiliate by a vote of two-thirds of the entire voting membership of the chapter by a secret written ballot.
ARTICLE XII - CHAPTER EXPULSION AND REINSTATEMENT
Section 1-Definition
The StWEA Board of Directors shall have the power to place a chapter under censure, suspension or expulsion after due notice and hearing by 2/3 vote of the StWEA Board of Directors.
Definitions are:
- Censure is defined as an official rebuke, unfavorable judgment, and condemnation of incorrect action.
- Suspension is defined as temporary deprivation from office of privilege.
- Expulsion is defined as the act to dismiss officially
Section 2—Reasons for Censure, Suspension, Expulsion
Reasons for censure, suspension and expulsion include:
- Violations of the StWEA constitution,
- Nonpayment of affiliate dues and /or per capita tax
- Violations of the affiliate’s Bylaws, Policies, and Rules
- Other reasons as decided upon by the St WEA Board of Directors.
Section 3 Actions
The Board’s decision to censure, suspend, or expel a chapter may be appealed. A chapter that has been expelled can be reinstated by a 2/3 vote of the St WEA Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XIIXIII - AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION
Section 1 - Proposal of Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed to the StWEABoard of Directors Representative Assemblyby one or more of the following methods:
a.By majority vote of either the Governmental Policy Committee or the StWEAExecutiveBoard of Directors.
b.By a petition signed by ten (10) StWEA members and submitted to the StWEAExecutive BoardConstitution and Bylaws Committeeat least thirty (30) days prior to the StWEARA.
- By submitting a written amendment from the floor of the StWEARAthat passes a vote to consider by two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates present and voting.
Section 2 - Amendment of the Constitution
- The text of any proposed amendment from the StWEAExecutive BoardGovernmental Policy Committee shall be made availableprinted and mailed to all chapter presidents at least fifteen (15) days prior to the StWEARA.
b.The text of any proposed amendment shall be read and discussed by the StWEARA immediately prior to its adoption or proposed change.
- To be adopted or amended the proposed change must receive approval from two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates present and voting.
- All grammatical changes may be made at the discretion of the Governmental Policy Committee with the approval from theStWEA Executive Board.
Section 3 - Effective Date
Any adopted amendment (constitution or bylaw) shall take effect at the close of the StWEARA or as directed by the StWEARA. Adopted constitution and bylaw amendments must coincide with WEAC and NEA rules and regulations.
BYLAWS
BYLAW I - StWEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Section 1 - StWEARA Notification
The StWEABoard of Directors shall notify the chapters of the time and place of the StWEARA not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the date set. The agenda and proposed changes to the Constitution and Bylaws will be made available to all chapter presidentsprinted and mailed to all delegatesfifteen (15) days prior to the StWEARA.
Section 2 - Delegate Weighted Vote Allocation
- Each chapter will be allowed one voting delegate. delegate allocations to the StWEA RAshall be determined by the following pattern: one (1) to fifteen (15) members, one (1) delegate; sixteen (16) to thirty (30) members, two (2) delegates; thirty one (31) to forty five (45) members, three delegates; forty-six (45) to sixty (60) members, four (4) delegates; ad infinitum.
b.Student WEA OfficersAll Board of Director membersshall be official delegates at large and shall have the privileges of any other delegate. An alternate delegate is prohibited.The weighted vote for each of the StWEA officers shall be equal to the average weighted vote of the delegates representing chapters in the StWEA.
c.d. Each chapter delegate will be given a weighted voted based on the following: one (1) to fifteen (15) members, one (1) vote; sixteen (16) to thirty (30) members, two (2) votes; thirty-one (31) to forty-five (45) members, three (3) votes; forty-six (46) to sixty (60) members, four (4) votes; ad infinitum. one (1) vote. No one shall have more than one (1) vote.
d.e.Delegate weighted voteallocations to the StWEARAshall be based on the total StWEA chapter membership as of March 15 of that year. forty five (45) days prior to the StWEA RA.
f.Delegates, except delegates at-large, must be members of, and elected by, the organization entitled to such delegate representation. Any alternate delegates must be elected by the organization entitled to such delegate representation and be members of that organization.
g. Chapter Presidents shall submit to the StWEA State President the names of the locally elected delegates and alternates thirty (30) days prior to the StWEA State Representative Assembly.
h. Delegate alternates may be approved at the StWEA RAby majority vote.
Section 3 - Challenges to Delegate Weighted Vote Allocations
a.Challenges to delegate weighted vote allocationsseating of delegates shall be made by the respective chapter president to the office of the WEAC Executive DirectorBoard of Directors fifteen (15) days prior to the StWEA State Representative Assembly. If no challenges have been made by that time, all delegate weighted voteallocations shall be considered official and may not be challenged.
- All delegate weighted vote allocation challenges shall be referred to the Elections and Credentials Committee.
- Delegates or delegations shall be seated until the Elections and Credentials Committee has ruled on the change.
c.The Elections and Credentials Committee shall report its actions and rulings on any challenge to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to immediately hear an appeal to any decision offered by the Elections and Credentials Committee.
d.All decisions regarding seating of delegates shall be made by a majority vote of all delegates seated and voting.
Section 34- Procedures for Additional StWEA Representative Assemblies
A StWEARA may be called to a special meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the StWEABoard of Directors or by a special request of two-thirds (2/3) of the chapters.
Section 4 5 - Parliamentary Procedures for the StWEA Representative Assembly
a.The most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the authority governing all matters of procedure not otherwise provided in the Constitution and Bylaws.
b.The StWEAPresident shall appoint a parliamentarian.
c.A majority of the delegates to the StWEARA certified by the Elections and Credentials Committee shall constitute a quorum to do business.
BYLAW II - StWEA OFFICER ELECTIONS
Section 1 - Balloting
The StWEA President-Elect,StWEAVice President,StWEAFall Professional Development Seminar Coordinator,StWEASecretary/Outreach to Teach Coordinator,and,StWEAPublic Relations Coordinator and Membership Coordinatorshall be elected at the StWEARA by written secret ballot for individual offices.
Section 2 - Eligibility
a.Each candidate for StWEA Officer must be a member in good standing of StWEA.
All persons desiring to be candidates for StWEA officers shall file their intention in the office of the WEAC Executive Director. Such notice shall be postmarked or received electronically no later than the date thirty (30) days prior to the StWEA RA at which their candidacy will be considered.
Names of candidates filing and pertinent information concerning them shall be distributed to all delegates at least 15 days prior to the StWEA RA.
a.Each individual StWEA member wishing to submit nominations for a StWEAoffice is encouraged to submit an official Declaration of Candidacy form to the StWEA Affiliate Coordinator at least twenty (20) days prior to the StWEA RA. These nomination forms must be sent out to all delegates at least fifteen (15) days prior to the StWEA RA. Delegate nominations shall also be accepted from the floor. All StWEA officersshall be active in their local chapter during their term of office.
b.To be elected to office, a candidate must receive the votes of a majority of the delegates present and voting.
c.Any officer may run for more than one term.
d.The person seeking the office of the State President-Elect will serve a two-year term with the first term as the President-Elect and the second term as President.
c.e.The term of office for all StWEApositions will begin September 1at the BOD meeting in May and continue until August 31.the BOD meeting the following May.
d.f.StWEAofficers, with the exception of the President-Elect, shall not concurrently hold the position of chapter president.
g.Procedure for persons wishing to run for state office but unable to attend the Representative Assembly
- In the instance that a candidate cannot be in attendance at the Representative Assembly and would like to run for a state officer position, the candidate must appeal to and be approved by the BOD in order to be placed on the ballot.
- If approved, the candidate must present a videotaped speech of intent to run, answers to proposed questions, and readdress in case of a run-off, to the BOD at least 20 days prior to the Representative Assembly. The video must be taped in the presence of an Executive Board member and a member of the Elections and Credentials Committee.
- Questions asked of candidates will be chosen by the Student WEA Executive Committee and those same questions shall be used for the same position at that year’s Student WEA Representative Assembly with the understanding that they will not run for that state position that year.
BYLAW III - StWEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS