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BY-LAWS OF THE WIU CHAPTER OF THE

UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONALS OF ILLINOIS

LOCAL 4100

July 2002

ARTICLE I - Name

This organization shall be known as the Western Illinois University Chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100.

ARTICLE II - Officers

Section 1. The following officers shall be elected every third year to serve a term of three years: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, UPI Local 4100 Board Representative, three Unit A At-large Members, one Unit B Academic Support Professional At-large Member, and one Unit B Associate Faculty At-large Member of the Executive Committee.

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 the spring (at the same time as the election of Local officers). 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 duties of the officers shall be as follows:

A. President:

1. Chapter duties:

a. The president shall be the presiding officer at all general meetings of the Chapter and the Executive Committee.

b. With advice and consent of the Executive Committee, the President shall appoint the Chairpersons of the standing committees and special committees.

c. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

d. With the advice and consent of the executive committee, the President shall appoint area representative (See Article V).

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, with responsibility for communicating Chapter concerns to the Local Executive Board membership and also for communicating system-wide concerns and the concerns of other Chapters to the Chapter membership. It is the President's responsibility to insure that Chapter members are kept informed of Local business and are consulted on important issues, or to delegate that responsibility to the Local Board Representative.

B. Vice-President:

1. The Vice-President shall perform all duties of the President in the absence of that officer.

2. The Vice-President shall assist the President in carrying out Chapter tasks and achieving Chapter goals.

3. The Vice-President shall assume other duties as assigned by the President and the Executive Committee.

C. Treasurer:

1. The Treasurer shall receive and administer the revenues and expenditures of the Chapter.

2. In cooperation with the Local Treasurer, the Treasurer shall keep the membership roll and facilitate collection of Local dues.

3. In order to accomplish the above, the Treasurer shall serve on the Local Budget Committee.

4. The Treasurer shall present a written report to all members once each year.

5. The Treasurer shall keep adequate records available at all times for the Executive Committee.

6. The Treasurer shall pay all bills authorized by Chapter budget, retain vouchers or invoices for the same, and shall present bills not authorized in the budget to the Executive Committee for authorization.

D. Secretary:

The secretary shall handle all correspondence delegated by the President and the Executive Committee and shall keep minutes of general and Executive Committee meetings.

E. Local Board Representative:

The Local Board Representative shall assist the President in serving as a link between the Local and the Chapter. (See local constitution.)

F. At-Large Members of the Executive Committee:

The At-Large Members shall assist the President in carrying out Chapter tasks and achieving Chapter goals.

Section 3: Vacancies in elected offices shall be filled as follows:

A. President: The Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency and assume the duties of that office. If more than one year remain in the President's term, a special election shall be called for the purpose of electing a new President.

B. All other elected officers: If one year or less remain in the term of the vacant office, the President, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint someone to fill the office until the next regularly scheduled election. If more than six months remain in the vacant office, the President, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a temporary replacement until a successor is elected in a special election.

Section 4. Removal of elected officers shall be accomplished as follows:

A. A petition requesting the removal of a specific officer and signed by 25% of the Chapter members shall be submitted to the Executive Committee.

B. On receipt of the petition, the Executive Committee shall call within two weeks a special chapter meeting at which a hearing shall be held. Following the hearing, there shall be a vote by the members present on whether to proceed with recall.

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

ARTICLE III - Executive Committee

Section 1. Membership:

A. The voting members of the Executive Committee shall be the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, At-Large Members of the Executive Committee, Local Board Representative, and any chapter member elected to Local office.

B. The House of Delegates will elect two delegates to the Executive Committee who will have full voting rights.

Section 2. Duties: The Executive Committee shall be responsible for making Chapter policy decisions within the limits established by the Local Constitution and the Chapter By-Laws, for planning Chapter activities and setting Chapter goals, and for monitoring Chapter activities.

ARTICLE IV - Committees

Section 1. The Chapter shall have the following standing committees: Grievance and Legislative.

A. The Chairperson of each standing committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee and shall serve during the President's three-year term.

B. The Chairperson of each standing committee, in consultation with the President and the Executive Committee, shall choose the remaining members of that committee.

C. The Chairperson and members of any committee may be replaced by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may appoint additional special committees.

Section 3. The duties of the standing committee shall be as follows:

A. Grievance Committee:

1. Chapter duties: The committee is responsible for gathering information about faculty grievances, for assessing possible ways of resolving them, and for filing and processing them.

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

B. Legislative Committee:

1. This committee is responsible for implementing Local legislative priorities at the campus level.

2. This committee is responsible for making and maintaining contacts with labor leaders and local legislators.

3. The Chairperson of this committee shall serve on the Local Legislative and Political Action Committee, contributing information from the Chapter and participating in the development of Local policy in this area.

ARTICLE V - Area Representatives

Section 1. The President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, shall appoint Area Representatives. The Executive Committee shall define the areas in order to promote greater chapter efficiency.

Section 2. The duties of the Area Representative shall be as follows:

A. They shall advise the President and Executive Committee.

B. They shall assist the Chapter committees in carrying out their duties at the area level.

C. In conjunction with the department representatives, they shall insure a two-way communication between the Executive Committee and both the members and non-members of the chapter.

D. Either at their own discretion or upon request, they shall attend Executive Committee meetings and give advice on matters concern their areas and departments.

E. They shall encourage non-members to become members.

F. They shall perform additional duties as may arise and are assigned by the President.

Section 3. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may remove an Area Representative.

ARTICLE VI - Departmental Representatives

Section 1. They shall be appointed by the President after consultation with the Executive Committee unless the union members of the department affected choose to elect their own departmental representative(s).

Section 2. The duties of the Departmental Representatives shall be as follows:

A. They shall advise the President and the Executive Committee on the views of the membership.

B. They shall assist the Chapter committees in carrying out their duties on the departmental level.

C. In conjunction with the Area Representatives, they shall insure two-way communication between the Executive Committee and both the members and non-members of the Chapter.

D. They shall encourage non-members to become members.

E. They shall perform additional duties as may arise and are assigned by the President.

Section 3. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may remove a Department Representative.

ARTICLE VII - Labor Council Delegate

Section 1. The Chapter shall affiliate with the area central labor body.

Section 2. The President shall appoint a Chapter delegate(s) to the area central labor body.

Section 3. The appointed member(s) shall foster a cooperative relationship between the Chapter and the central labor body and shall represent the interests of the Chapter before that body. In discharge of these duties, the delegate(s) shall be advised by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VIII - Meetings

Section 1. General meetings of the full membership:

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

B. A special general meeting shall be called by the President upon the written request of 15% of the membership, the meeting to be held within 14 days after such a request is presented to the President.

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

Section 2. Executive Committee meetings:

A. The Executive Committee shall meet monthly to transact necessary business.

B. The Committee shall also meet on call from the President or on the request of three members of the Executive Committee.

C. Members of the Committee shall receive written notice of all regular meetings.

D. A quorum for doing business shall be four voting Committee members.

Section 3. Sturgis shall be the authority on all parliamentary questions at all meetings of the Chapter and the Committee.

ARTICLE IX - Nominations and Elections

Section 1. Nominations will take place in the following manner:

A. The nominating committee shall solicit nominations for President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Local Board Representative and five At-Large Members of the Executive Committee and present them to the membership at an early Spring meeting. Nominations from the floor may be made at this meeting.

B. Within 14 days following this Spring meeting, petitions for additional candidates, signed by 25 members in good standing, may also be submitted to the Nomination Committee.

C. The Nominations Committee will mail ballots to all members in good standing at least one week before the election and no sooner than two weeks after the Spring nominating meeting.

Section 2. Voting will take place in the following manner:

A. The Election Committee will decide whether to have a mail ballot or a polling place.

B. Voting will be by secret ballot.

C. Ballots will be counted by the Election Committee which shall be composed of at least three members. None of the members of this committee may be nominees for office.

D. The Elections Committee shall report the results to the membership.

ARTICLE X - Amendments

Section 1. These by-laws can be amended at any regular membership meeting of the Chapter by two-thirds of those present and voting, provided that the amendment proposal has been submitted in writing to the Chapter membership at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

Section 2. These by-laws can also be amended by a petition signed by 10% of the members, if the proposed amendment receives a majority vote by mail of those voting.

Section 3. All voting is to be by secret ballot.

Section 4. Amendments approved by the Chapter go into effect upon approval by the Local Executive Board

ARTICLE XI - Ratification

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

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 Executive Board.

ARTICLE XII - Contract Convention

Section 1: In the Spring of each year a contract convention will be held to pass resolutions that will advise the President and Negotiation Team of the issues the delegates feel should be brought to the negotiating table.

Section 2: The Contract Convention shall be attended by the elected House of Delegates (see Local Bylaws) with each delegate having one vote.

Section 3: In order to insure all areas of the university are represented, the President, with approval of the executive committee, may appoint, or have elected, additional delegates to the Contract Convention.

The following areas must have at least the designated ( ) number of delegates. If delegates are not elected through the normal House of Delegate election, the President may appoint (or call for an election in the designated area) additional delegates for the Contract Convention. The following are the areas and minimum number of Delegates for the Contract Convention:

College of Fine Arts & Communication (2)

College of Arts and Sciences:

Humanities (2)

Social Sciences (2)

Natural Sciences (2)

College of Education and Human Services:

Education (2)

Human Services (2)

College of Business and Technology:

Business (2)

Technology (2)

Library (1)

Associate Faculty (3)

Academic Support Professionals (3)

Section 4: All delegates will vote on resolutions pertaining to Contract Joint Articles (presently Articles 1-15). Only Unit A delegates will vote on articles pertaining to Unit A (presently Articles 16-29) and only Unite B delegates will vote on articles pertaining to Unit B (presently Articles 30-44).

Section 5: The Contract Convention will be an open meeting and all union members may attend but only delegates may offer resolutions and vote. Alternates will fill in for any absent delegates (order designated according to Local Bylaws).

Section 6: The Chapter President or her/his designee will chair the Contract Convention. The Chapter Secretary will take minutes and record all votes. If possible, all resolutions should be submitted in writing.

Section 7: Resolutions will be considered passed if they received a majority of those present and eligible to vote.

Section 8: A quorum for the Contract Convention will be considered met when the number of voting Delegates (or their Alternates) in attendance meets or exceeds fifty percent of the number of total delegates.

ARTICLE XIII - Negotiating Team

Section 1: The negotiating team will be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the executive committee.

Section 2: In constituting the negotiating team, priority should be given to elected officers; however, the President may take into consideration other factors when constituting the team.

Section 3: Two representatives from Unit B (one Associate Faculty and one ASP) and at least three representatives from Unit A will be appointed to the negotiating team.

Section 4: The Chapter President or her/his designee will serve as Chief Negotiator.

ARTICLE XIV - When Officers Take Office

Section 1: Those elected for chapter positions in the April election for elected UPI offices (see Local Bylaws) will take office on June 1.

bylaws.upi 7-02