Bylaws of the University of Florida Chapter of the United Faculty of Florida
Article 1. Membership Meeting
Section 1. Membership meetings will be held at least once during the Fall Semester and once during the Spring Semester or whenever summoned by 10% of the membership by petition. Members will be given no less than two weeks’ notice of regular meetings and as much notice as possible of any emergency meeting. Chapter officers for the coming year will be elected at the Spring meeting, which will be held in time for new officers to assume their duties by April 1.
Article 2. Election and Recall of Officers, Standing Committee Chairs and Senators
Section 1. All officers, standing committee chairs, and senators shall begin their terms of office on April 1, or as soon thereafter as practicable.
Section 2. Failure to carry out prescribed duties and actions or to adhere to Chapter policies shall constitute grounds for recall. Recall of a Chapter officer, standing committee chair or UFF senator may be initiated by either of the following, each of which shall be treated as a motion to recall: (1) a majority vote of the Chapter Council; or (2) a petition signed by 20% of the Chapter membership. An emergency membership meeting shall be called within fourteen days to discuss the motion before further action. This meeting shall be called, and presided over, by the Senior Eligible Officer, as herein defined solely for this Section. (i) The President is the Senior Eligible Officer unless s/he is the subject of the recall motion. (ii) When the President is the subject of the recall motion, the Senior Eligible Officer is the member of the Executive Committee, other than the President, whose date of joining UFF-UF is the earliest. In case (ii), if the earliest date of joining is shared by one or more Chapter officers, then the duties of Senior Eligible Officer shall be shared by these Chapter officers. A recall election by the membership shall be held within 30 days of the emergency membership meeting by secret ballot. The Senior Eligible Officer shall be responsible for conducting and overseeing this election.
Article 3. Duties of Officers, and Appointments and Duties of Standing Committee Chairs
Section 1. Duties of President. The President shall call and preside at all meetings of the Chapter Council, Executive Committee and Membership, except those meetings called to implement the provisions of Article 2 of these Bylaws for recalling the President. S/He shall appoint the Standing Committee Chairs, subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee. S/He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, sign all necessary documents and papers and represent the Chapter internally and externally. S/He is a member of the UFF Presidents’ Council. The President shall report to the membership annually on the activities of the Chapter Council. The President supervises the work of any persons hired by the Chapter. Significant correspondence and documents shall be deposited in the Chapter records at the end of the President’s term of office.
Section 2. Duties of First Vice President. The First Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President when the President is absent or incapacitated. In the event of the recall, resignation or incapacitation of the President, the First Vice-President shall assume this office for the remainder of the term of office.
Section 3. Duties of Secretary. The Secretary or designee shall maintain the records of the Chapter, shall record the minutes or notes of all membership meetings, Council meetings, Executive Committee meetings, or consultations with the University President or Provost. Copies of these minutes or notes shall be distributed to all Council members.
Section 4. Duties of Treasurer. As chief financial officer of UFF-UF, the Treasurer shall exercise supervision over the receipt and disbursement of all monies, properties, securities and other evidences of financial worth of the organization. Each year s/he shall prepare a financial statement for the past fiscal year, and a proposed budget for the next fiscal year, to present to the Chapter Council by August 1. S/He shall submit the financial statement and an approved budget to the UFF Executive Director by September 30, or by a date set by the Executive Director, whichever is earlier. The Treasurer shall have the authority to disburse funds for the activities, services, and other needs of the Chapter. S/He shall confer with the president if a charge is to exceed $500.00. Any materials purchased with Chapter funds shall be the property of the Chapter. The Treasurer shall report regularly to the Chapter Council on the financial status of the Chapter.
Section 5. Appointments and Terms of Standing Committee Chairs. Standing Committee Chairs are appointed for two-year terms by the President, subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee in accordance with Article V of the Chapter Constitution. Except as provided elsewhere in the Chapter Constitution and these Bylaws, each Standing Committee Chair retains her/his position until s/he decides to step down, or a new Chair is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall conduct its confirmation vote on each newly appointed Standing Committee Chair no later than June 1. Standing Committee Chairs who wish to step down shall give the President at least two months’ notice, when practicable.
Section 6. Chair of the Collective Bargaining Committee. The Chair of the Collective Bargaining Committee, also called the Chief Negotiator, shall coordinate the activities of the Collective Bargaining Committee as described in Article 6 Section 4 of these Bylaws and report regularly to the Chapter Council on the progress of bargaining.
Section 7. Chair of the Grievance Committee. The Chair of the Grievance Committee shall direct the administration of grievances at UF, coordinate the activities of the Grievance Committee as described in Article 6 Section 5 of the UFF Constitution these Bylaws and report regularly to the Chapter Council. S/He shall serve as the Chapter representative to the State UFF Contract Enforcement Committee unless otherwise determined by the Chapter Council.
Section 8. Chair of the Membership Committee. The Chair of the Membership Committee shall coordinate the activities of the Membership Committee as described in Article 6 Section 6 of these Bylaws and report regularly to the chapter Council. S/He shall serve as chapter representative to the state UFF Membership Committee unless otherwise determined by the Chapter Council.
Section 9. Chair of the Government Relations Committee. The Chair of the Government Relations Committee will coordinate the efforts of the Committee as described in Article 6 Section 7 of these Bylaws and report regularly to the Chapter Council. S/He shall serve as the Chapter representative to the State UFF Political Action Committee unless otherwise determined by the Chapter Council.
Section 10. Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Chair of the Nominating Committee shall be elected by the Committee members. The Chair shall make every effort to ensure that a full slate of candidates is provided to the membership at least one month prior to the Spring Membership Meeting. S/He shall report to the Chapter Council when requested and shall carry out the elections in accordance with Article 6 Section 8 of these Bylaws.
Article 4. Executive Committee
Section 1. Upon the request of any member of the Executive Committee, the President shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall monitor the operations of the Chapter and shall make recommendations to the Chapter Council.
Article 5. Chapter Council
Section 1. The Chapter Council shall adopt a budget for funding projects and activities for the coming year. The budget shall be submitted to the UFF Executive Director by September 30, or by a date set by the Executive Director, whichever is earlier.
Section 2. The Council shall report regularly on its activities to the membership and shall solicit opinions from the membership.
Section 3. The Chapter Council shall meet once a month throughout the year at a regularly scheduled time and place which is announced at the beginning of each semester. The agenda shall be sent to Council members at least one week in advance.
Section 4. The Chapter Council shall have the power to hire persons to assist with Chapter activities. The budget and approved activities for such persons shall be determined in advance by the Chapter Council. Social Security , Medicare, and income taxes shall be withheld and paid by the Chapter as required by law. The activities of hired persons will be supervised by the Chapter President with the approval of the Chapter Council.
Section 5. Failure by Chairs of ad hoc committees to carry out prescribed duties and actions or to adhere to Chapter policies shall constitute grounds for removal. Chairs of committees may be removed at a Chapter Council meeting by majority vote of the Council members present and voting on the removal.
Section 6. Ad hoc committees shall report regularly on their activities to the Chapter Council.
Article 6. Standing Committees
Section 1. Standing committee members shall be appointed by the Chair of the committee in consultation with the President except as provided otherwise in the Chapter Constitution or Bylaws.
Section 2. All standing committees shall report regularly to the Chapter Council on their activities.
Section 3. Standing committees shall submit a report on current activities at the Spring membership meeting. By May 31 a proposed budget for the coming year shall be submitted.
Section 4. The Collective Bargaining Committee consists of the Chapter’s appointed bargaining team. The Collective Bargaining Committee shall plan and conduct bargaining sessions with the University of Florida Board of Trustees as required by the Collective Bargaining Agreement currently in force. The Committee shall analyze bargaining strategies and develop position papers as needed.
Section 5. The Grievance Committee consists of the Chapter’s appointed grievance representatives. The Grievance Committee shall keep records of and supervise all grievances and make sure that the bargaining unit is fully represented in informal resolutions and in formal grievance procedures. It shall also ensure that the Chapter Council is fully informed on progress in enforcing and expanding the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Committee shall meet at least once per semester during the academic year, to discuss issues of concern to contract enforcement at UF. Grievance training sessions shall be held at least once per year.
Section 6. The Membership Committee shall carry out organizing drives among faculty and professional employees, contact new bargaining-unit employees and prepare materials that can be used in recruiting. The committee shall maintain a file of non-members who have been contacted and those who might be interested in joining. The Committee shall meet at least once per semester during the academic year to discuss the progress of recruiting efforts at UF.
Section 7. The Government Relations Committee shall cooperate with the State UFF in lobbying, endorsing candidates, raising contributions, conducting letter-writing campaigns, attending political functions, sponsoring events where UFF members can meet elected officials, and working with the state UFF Political Action Committee (UFF-PAC) and Florida Education Association PAC. The Committee shall meet at least once per semester during the academic year to discuss ways of carrying out political action on behalf of UFF-UF.
Section 8. The Nominating Committee shall seek candidates for, and conduct the annual election to fill, the positions of Chapter officers, UFF Senators, and delegates to the Florida Education Association Representative Assembly. The slates of candidates shall be announced to the entire membership by the Nominating Committee no later than one month prior to the Spring membership meeting. The election shall be held by secret ballot. There shall be an early Voting Period, of duration at least two weeks. The election shall be concluded at the Spring membership meeting with a secret-ballot vote conducted by the Chair of the Nominating Committee. Nominations from the floor shall be encouraged. The Committee shall prepare the ballots for the Chapter members’ votes, count the ballots immediately after the election has concluded, and transmit the results directly to at least two Chapter Council members no later than one day after the count is concluded.
The members of Nominating Committee shall be selected by the Membership Committee, subject to approval by the Chapter Council. The Nominating Committee shall have at least three members.
Article 7. Newsletter
Section 1. The chapter shall publish a quarterly newsletter or similar report, herein referred to as the Newsletter, and shall distribute it to all members of the bargaining unit. The Executive Committee holds ultimate authority over the approval of the contents of the Newsletter, although the President, with the approval of the Chapter Council, may appoint a Newsletter Editor for a one-year term.
Article 8. Amendments
Section 1. Proposed amendments to the Bylaws must be submitted to the Chapter Council at least 30 days prior to the date scheduled for a vote on the amendments.
Section 2. Adoption of an amendment requires a vote of a simple majority of the Council members present and voting on the amendment.