In order to secure effective, independent, aggressive and adversary representation in establishing their rights, duties and conditions of employment; in order to work together for the benefit of each and all; and in order to establish a firm, democratic foundation for fighting for sound principles of democratic education on campus, in the state, and throughout the nation, the faculty members of Kean University of New Jersey do establish this constitution.
Article 1: Name
This organization shall be known as the Kean Federation of Teachers: An Association of Professors, Professional Staff, and Librarians; Local 2187, American Federation of Teachers, Kean University, Union, NJ 07083-0411.
Article 2: Objectives
The purpose of this Federation shall be:
1. To advance the interests of those it represents by using its entire means in favor of any one of its members whenever that member's interests as a teacher are threatened.
2. To join with other federations for mutual assistance and cooperation.
3. To improve the quality of higher education.
4. To cooperate with organized labor for the purpose of advancing democratic concepts and institutions.
Article 3: Membership
Section 1: All members of the teaching staff, librarians and other professional personnel as specifically designated in the by-laws shall be eligible for membership in this Federation. All members of the above groups who are employed part time with a 100% dues deduction shall also be eligible for membership.
Section 2: Administrators with the rank of dean, director of a division, and others at or above that level, together with their immediate assistants, shall not be eligible for membership.
Section 3: Associate membership without the right to vote shall be open to retired members and others eligible for membership and to others who withdraw from the profession for research or other purposes but who wish to maintain affiliation.
Section 4: No discrimination shall ever be shown toward individual members or applicants
for membership because of race, creed, sex, sexual preference, or political or
social activities or beliefs.
Section 5: Eligible persons shall become active members upon application for membership
and payment of dues. To retain active membership, dues must be paid as specified in the by-laws.
Section 6: A member may be expelled for acts detrimental to the Federation upon presentation of written charges signed by at least 25% of the membership and approval by at least 75% of the Executive Council. The member shall have the
right to appeal the decision to the membership at the following regular meeting of
the Federation and shall be reinstated with full rights if a majority of the members
present vote to reinstate.
Article 4: Officers
Section 1: The following officers shall be elected biennially by Federation: President, Three Vice Presidents, Treasurer and Secretary.
Section 2: Membership in good standing for at least one year is required to hold office.
Section 3: Nominations for office shall be made at a regular meeting of the Federation as provided in the by-laws. Notice shall be provided to each member at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting that nominations will be in order. Petitions containing at least ten (10) signatures of active members shall accompany nominations. The notification, the nominations, as well as the balloting for office shall begin in the Spring semester and shall be completed by the end of the month of March biennially.
Section 4: Ballots without write-ins shall be prepared and mailed to each member including part-time members in good standing within ten (10) days following the nomination meeting, by an outside agency to the residencies of the Federation electorate. Ballots shall be returned to the agency no later than twenty (20) days from the date they were sent to the members. The Election Committee shall make a full-certified report of the votes cast and the results as ascertained by the outside agency known by mail to the general membership within seven (7) days of receiving the election results. Elections will be determined by a plurality.
Section 5: Officers shall be installed at the regular membership meeting or at a special meeting held for this purpose.
Section 6: Vacancies in any elected office shall be filled by vote of the Executive Council
for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Article 5: Committees
Section 1: Standing Committees: The following standing committees shall be active in the
Federation:
1. Membership
2. Contract Negotiations
3. Educational Policies
4. Grievance
5. Publicity
6. Legislation
7. Social
Section 2: Special Committees: The following special committees shall be appointed as provided in the by-laws:
1. Budget
2. Audit
3. Election
4. Such others as may be required
Section 3: Chairpersons of the various committees shall be drawn from the general membership by the chairpersons of each committee subject to approval of the President and the Executive Council.
Article 6: The Executive Council
Section 1: The Executive Council of this Federation shall consist of the following:
1. All elected officers
2. Eight members elected at-large biennially
3. All Standing Committee chairpersons
Delegates to the Council of New Jersey State College/University Locals
The Department Liaisons and Executive Coordinators may be appointed to the Executive Council as non-voting members at the discretion of the Executive Council.
Section 2: The Executive Council shall recommend policy to the membership and shall
administer the policy of this Federation as set by the membership at regular meetings. It shall have the power to act for the good of the Federation in emergency situations where the policy cannot be set by the membership at a
regular meeting.
Section 3: The President of the Federation shall be the chairperson of the Executive Council.
Section 4: The Executive Council shall meet regularly during the academic year as set forth in the by-laws.
Section 5: The Executive Council shall have the power to employ all personnel including an
Office Manager, clerical help, and other persons on a full or part-time basis as may be authorized by the policies of the Federation.
Section 6: In accordance with the policies of the Federation, the Executive Council shall have the power to make contracts, incur liabilities, borrow money, issue notes, bonds and other obligations and to secure its obligations through mortgages, pledges, or deeds of trust.
Section 7: The Executive Council shall report its activities at each regular membership meeting. It shall make full use of the Publicity Committee.
Article 7: Department Liaisons
Section 1: It is the function of the Department Liaisons to assure two- way, face-to-face communications between the membership and its leadership. This will be accomplished in part through cooperation with the Membership and Publicity Committee.
Section 2: The Department Liaisons may be appointed to the Executive Council as non voting members at the discretion of the Executive Council.
Article 8: Affiliations
Section 1: This Federation shall maintain affiliation with, and whenever possible send
delegates to the following organizations: The American Federation of Teachers, The New Jersey Federation of Teachers, The Local AFL-CIO Central Labor Assembly, and The New Jersey AFL-CIO Labor Body.
Section 2: Delegates shall be elected to represent the Federation at the National Convention of the American Federation of Teachers. The credentials of all elected delegates and alternates shall be forwarded to the national office as soon as possible, but not later than fifteen (15) days before the convening of the national convention.
Section 3: All delegates shall make written reports to the Executive Council on meetings
attended.
Section 4: Every reasonable effort shall be made by this Federation to pay the legitimate
expenses of delegates to meetings and conventions of affiliated organizations.
Section 5: The Federation, to the best of its ability, shall be active in the affairs of
affiliated organizations.
Section 6: Delegates to affiliated organizations shall meet the same requirements as officers
of the Federation.
Article 9: Duties of Officers
Section 1: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Federation and of the Executive
Council. The President shall be ex-officio member of all committees, except the Audit Committee and the Elections Committee, shall sign all necessary papers
and documents, and represent the Local when and where necessary. The President shall make a report to the membership at least once each year summarizing the accomplishments of the Federation and outlining plans for the next year.
Section 2: The three Vice-Presidents shall assist the President in carrying out the duties as
specified by the President and further articulated in the by-laws. In the absence
of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents shall become acting President.
In the event of a Presidential vacancy one of the Vice-Presidents shall be chosen by the Executive Council to fill such vacancy at its next meeting.
Section 3: The Secretary shall be the custodian of the seal and charter of the Federation,
record minutes of executive and general meetings, and perform other such duties as directed by the President and Executive Council.
Section 4: The duties of the Treasurer shall be:
a. To receive, record, and deposit in the name of the Federation all monies
from dues and all other sources.
b. To keep the membership roll, issue receipts, and delinquent notices.
c. To forward to the National Office, on or before the 15th of each month, the report of members in good standing, together with mailing addresses, on the first day of that month, together with all taxes and assessments due the American Federation of Teachers.
d. To be chairman of the Budget Committee. To present a written report to all members once a year.
e. To keep adequate records available at all times for the Executive Council and Audit Committee, and to make a report at each regular meeting of the membership.
f. To pay all bills authorized by the adopted budget, retaining voucher or invoice for same. Expenses not authorized in the budget must be presented to the Executive Council for authorization.
g. To submit a financial statement for the Local including a statement of
assets and liabilities and a statement of income and expenses to the AFT Secretary-Treasurer within sixty (60) days of the end of the fiscal year for the Local.
h. To submit a financial report certified by an outside Certified Public Accountant at the end of each fiscal year. Such report shall be mailed to the residencies of the Federation members within thirty (30) days of the end of the fiscal year.
i. To submit to the Elections Committee a list of eligible voters and officeholders as per Article 3:Section 5 and Article 4: Section 2, in the first week of January of the Spring semester.
Article 10: Duties of Standing Committees
All Standing Committees shall report to the Executive Council and shall prepare year-end written reports of their activities.
Section 1: The Membership Committee shall plan and execute a dynamic program to insure the growth and vitality of the Federation. It shall work with and through the Department Liaisons.
Section 2: The Local Contract Negotiation Committee shall prepare contract proposals, shall present them to the general membership for approval, and then shall negotiate these proposals with the employer subject to approval by vote of the membership.
Section 3: The Educational Policies Committee shall study curriculum, instruction, conditions of work, salary, and other policies affecting the membership and shall make
recommendations to the Local Contract Negotiation Committee. It shall gather data to support policies that it recommends.
Section 4: The Grievance Committee shall act on all grievances submitted in writing to the
Executive Council. It shall present to the Executive Council a procedure for handling grievances. The procedure shall be publicized through the Publicity
Committee.
Section 5: The Publicity Committee shall prepare and distribute a monthly bulletin. The Chairman of the committee shall be the editor. The committee shall handle special communications and their distribution. It shall make use of other sources of public relations, i.e., newspapers, radio, television. It shall work with
and through the Department Liaisons.
Section 6: The Legislative Committee shall study proposed legislation which may affect the Federation and Higher Education and shall consider recommendations of the national and state organizations relative to legislation. It may initiate recommendations. It may present the records of elected officials.
Section 7: The Social Committee shall arrange programs and entertainment and perform such duties as the Federation may direct.
Article 11: Meetings
Section 1: The time and place of the regular meetings shall be set by the Executive Council at
the beginning of each year.
Section 2: There shall be at least one regular meeting of the membership each semester.
Section 3: A quorum shall consist of ten percent of the total membership.
Section 4: Special meetings may be called by the officers, the Executive Council, or the
members as provided in the by-laws.
Section 5: Minutes of each Executive Council and General Membership meeting be made available before the following meeting to the respective members.
Article 12: Dues and Finance
Section 1: Changes in the dues shall be made by a majority vote of the members present at a
regular meeting providing that notice of a contemplated dues change has been announced at a previous meeting, and has been duly distributed to all members at least one week prior to the regular meeting.
Section 2: A full accounting of the use of all funds shall be made to the membership each year.
Article 13: Roberts rules of order - Newly Revised
Roberts Rules of Order, Revised shall govern in all cases not covered by this Constitution or the by-laws.
Article 14: Adoption
Upon the adoption of this constitution by a two-thirds vote of the members of the
Federation present and voting at a meeting called for the purpose, this constitution shall be the basic policy of the Federation.
An election of officers shall be held at a meeting to be called not later than two weeks from the meeting at which this constitution is adopted, with nominations being made from the floor. The elected officers shall serve together with the
appointed committee chairmen until the first regular election can be arranged by
the election committee. This first regular election shall in no case be held any
later than twelve months from the date of the adoption of this constitution. The
officers and committee chairmen shall serve as the Executive Council until such
time as the first regular election is held, and they shall enjoy all the rights, duties, and responsibilities of that body.
Article 15: Amendment
The Constitution may be amended in either of two ways:
a. The Executive Council can initiate amendments. A proposed amendment
may be submitted by a member to the Executive Council in writing.
b. A petition signed by one-third of the members shall be publicized and brought
to vote.
All proposed amendments shall be publicized through the monthly bulletin. Amendments which have the approval of a majority of the Executive Council
or which have the signatures of one-third of the members shall be voted by
secret ballot at a regular meeting of the members. An amendment approved
by two-thirds of the members present and voting at a regular meeting shall become part of this constitution.
Article 16: Availability of the Constitution
Section 1: Three copies of this Constitution and by-laws and all future amendments shall be
submitted to the National.
Section 2: The Secretary of this Federation shall have copies of this Constitution available
at all meetings of the Executive Council and of the members.
Approved by Executive Council, April 22, 1998
Approved by the General Membership, November 24, 1998