EIU Chapter, University Professionals of Illinois: Chapter Bylaws

This organization will be known as the Eastern Illinois Chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100.

Section 1. The following officers shall be elected every other year to serve a term of three years: president, vice-president, executive assistant, and treasurer.

a. Any person who is a member in good standing of the Chapter is eligible to run for Chapter office.

b. Officers shall be elected by secret ballot in April of every third year. A majority of all votes cast shall be necessary for election. In case no one candidate receives a majority, there will be a run-off election between the two highest vote getters.

c. Officers shall hold no other elected office in the Chapter during their tenure.

Section 2. The president shall appoint a secretary to serve a term of three years.

(a) The President shall be the presiding officer at all meetings of the Chapter and at all meetings of the executive board.

(b) The President shall appoint the chairpersons of the standing committees with the advice and consent of the other elected officers and, as needed, shall appoint special committees with the advice and consent of the executive board.

(e) The President shall sign all necessary papers and documents, and represent the Chapter when and where necessary.

(2) Local duties: The President shall serve as the link between the Local and the Chapter. The responsibilities include communicating Chapter concerns to the Local through membership on the Local's Executive Board, and also communicating the Local's concerns and concerns of other Chapters to the Chapter membership. It is the President's responsibility to keep Chapter members informed of the Local's business, and to consult membership regarding issues of importance to the Chapter. These responsibilities may be delegated to the Chapter Vice-President, in his/her capacity as the Chapter's 2nd representative on the Local's Executive Board.

(1) Chapter duties: The Vice-President shall perform all duties of the President in the absence of that officer and shall assume other duties as assigned by the President.

(2) Local duties: The Vice-President shall serve as the second representative of the Chapter on the Executive Board of the Local.

c. Executive Assistant: The Executive Assistant shall perform those duties assigned by the President in consultation with the Vice-President.

(1) The Treasurer shall receive the Chapter's share of membership dues from the Local and shall administer the expenditure of these funds.

(2) The Treasurer shall keep, in cooperation with the Local's Treasurer, the membership roll and facilitate collection of local dues.

(4) The Treasurer shall keep adequate records available at all times for the Executive Board and the Audit Committee.

(5) The Treasurer shall pay all bills authorized by the Chapter budget, retaining vouchers or invoices for the same, and shall present bills not authorized in the budget to the Executive Board for authorization.

e. Secretary: The Secretary shall handle all correspondence delegated by the President and the Executive Board and shall keep minutes of general and Executive Board meetings of the Chapter.

a. President: The Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency and assume the duties of that office for the duration of the term unless the Vice-President is unwilling to do so, in which case the Vice-President shall serve as Acting President until such time as a new President is elected by special election.

b. Vice-President: The Executive Assistant shall succeed to the Vice-President and assume the duties of that office for the duration of the term unless the Executive Assistant is unwilling to do so, in which case the Executive Assistant shall serve as Acting Vice-President until such time as a new Vice-President is elected by special election.

c. Executive Assistant and Treasurer: The President, in consultation with the Executive Board, shall decide whether a vacancy shall be filled for the duration of the term by appointment, by special election, or by appointment followed by special election.

a. A petition requesting the removal of a specific officer and signed by 25 percent of the chapter members shall be submitted to the Executive Board.

b. The Executive Board shall call a special chapter meeting to conduct a hearing within two weeks of their receipt of petition for a recall. Following the hearing, there shall be a vote by the members present on whether to proceed with the recall.

c. If the vote favors proceeding with the recall, the Executive Board shall arrange for a secret ballot by the entire membership within two weeks. The issue shall be decided by a majority of those voting.

c. The Chairpersons of the standing committees (Grievance, Legislative, Membership, Balloting)

f. One of the members shall be appointed by the President to serve as Parliamentarian.

g. The Executive Board shall have at least one representative from each unit within the bargaining unit. In the event that a representative is not elected from a unit, the chapter President will appoint a UPI member from that unit to serve as an Executive Board member.

Section 2. Duties: The Executive Board shall be responsible for making Chapter policy decisions within the limits established by the Local's Executive Board constitution and the Chapter By-Laws, for monitoring how the Chapter has been functioning, and for ensuring healthy communication and good cooperation between the Local and the Chapter.

Section 1. The Chapter shall have the following standing committees: Grievance, Legislative, Membership, Balloting.

a. The chairperson of each standing committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the other elected officers and shall serve during the President's three-year term. [See Article II, Section 3, a, (1b)]

b. The chairperson of each standing committee in consultation with the President shall choose the remaining members of that committee.

(1) Chapter duties: This committee is responsible for gathering information about faculty grievances, for assessing possible ways of resolving them, and for taking action to that end.

(2) Local duties: This committee is responsible for providing information about grievances and relevant related conditions to the Local's Grievance Committee. The chairperson of the Chapter Committee shall serve on the Local committee in order to help develop an effective system-wide grievance mechanism.

(1) This committee is responsible for implementing the Local's legislative and political priorities at the campus level.

(2) This committee is responsible for making and maintaining contacts with area labor leaders and legislators.

(3) The chairperson of this committee shall serve on the Local's Legislative Committee, contributing information from the Chapter and participating in the development of the Local's policy in this area.

c. Membership Committee: This committee shall plan and execute a program to insure the growth and vitality of the Chapter. Its membership shall be the area representatives.

(1) Except for strike-related votes, this committee shall conduct all elections and referenda in which the voters are the members of the Chapter or of the bargaining unit.

(a) The Balloting Committee shall decide whether to have a mail ballot or a polling place.

(c) Ballots shall be counted by the Elections Committee, which shall be composed of at least three people. Members of this committee shall be neither nominees nor members of The Nominations Committee.

(d) The Balloting Committee shall report the results to the membership and send a written statement of the results, signed by all members of the Election Committee, to the President of the Chapter and the President of the Local.

(e) The chairperson of the Balloting Committee shall keep the ballots in a sealed envelope for one year.

(3) In Local elections the Balloting Committee may serve both as a nominating committee and an election committee.

Section 1. Special committees shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Executive Board. [See Article II, Section 3,a, (1b)]

Section 1. The President shall appoint representatives in the following areas: Arts and Humanities, Business and Applied Science, Sciences, and Education and Professional Studies.

a. In consultation with the Membership chairperson and the President they shall appoint department representatives and associate department representatives.

b. They shall assist the standing committees in carrying out their duties on the area and departmental levels.

c. They shall serve as a two-way communication conduit between the Executive Board, the membership, and bargaining unit.

d. Upon request, they shall attend Executive Board meetings and give advice on matters concerning their areas and departments.

Section 2. The President shall appoint delegates to this area central labor body.

Section 3. The appointed members shall foster a cooperative relationship between the Chapter and the central labor body and shall represent the interest of the Chapter before that body. In discharge of these duties, the delegates shall be advised by the Executive Board.

a. A meeting shall be scheduled once a semester. Additional meetings, if needed, shall be called by the President. The time and place of each meeting shall be determined by the Executive Board. Notice of the agenda of such meetings shall be given the membership at least five days in advance.

b. A special general meeting shall be called by the president upon the written consent of 15 percent of the membership, the meeting to be held within ten days after such a request is presented to the President.

c. A quorum for doing business at a general meeting shall be 10 percent of the membership in good standing.

a. The Executive Board shall meet prior to each <![endif]> regular general meeting to prepare an agenda and transact other necessary business.

b. The Board shall also meet on call from the President or on the request of four members of the Board.

d. The times and places of the Executive Board meetings shall be announced to the general membership at least five days in advance except when time considerations make such an announcement impractical or impossible.

Section 3. Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised (1970) shall be the authority on all parliamentary questions at all meetings of the Chapter and the Board.

Section 1. The proposed by-laws shall be discussed in a general meeting of the Chapter membership, in the month of April.

Section 2. Within two weeks following this meeting, a mail ballot shall be sent to the Chapter members in good standing. The outcome shall be determined by a majority of those voting.

Section 3. If these by-laws are approved by the Chapter members, they shall go into effect when approved by the Local's Executive Board.

Section 1. Non-substantive changes in wording may be made at the discretion of the Executive Board.

Section 2. Substantive changes shall be put to the vote of the membership with a majority of votes cast necessary for approval. They shall go into effect when approved by the Local's Executive Board.

b. Substantive changes may be initiated by a petition signed by 10 percent of the Chapter membership in good standing.

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