METROPOLITANCOMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATIONASSOCIATION BYLAWS
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this association shall be Metropolitan Community College Education Association.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSES
Section 1. To work for the welfare of students, the advancement of education, and the improvement of instructional opportunities for all.
Section 2. To promote an environment where educational employees are highly valued, professionally compensated and guaranteed their human, economic and civil rights.
Section 3. To enable members to speak with a common voice on matters pertaining to the education profession and to present their individual and common professional interests before the Area Board, other legal authorities, and the public.
ARTICLE III - AFFILIATION
This association shall be affiliated with the Nebraska State Education Association and the National Education Association. Nothing in its constitution shall conflict with the constitution and bylaws of the Nebraska State Education Association.
ARTICLE IV - LOCAL MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES
Section 1.
Any person actively engaged in the education profession or any person interested in advancing the cause of education at Metropolitan Community College shall be eligible for membership.
Section 2.
a) Active Professional: Any person engaged in or on a leave of absence from the profession (teaching, substitute teaching under contract, supervision or administration, etc.) and wishing to join the Association shall be an active member. Active professional members shall hold or be eligible to hold a baccalaureate or higher degree or the regular teaching, vocational or technical certificate, or work experience required by their employment.
b) Active Educational Support Professional: Any person who is employed or who is on a leave of absence from an educational support position (teacher aides, clerical, custodial, transportation, food service, etc.) in a school district, college or university, or other institution devoted primarily to educational work and wishing to join the Association shall be an active member.
c) Active members regularly employed fifty percent (50%) or less of the normal schedule for full‑time employees are eligible to join the Association as half-time active members.
d) All active members of this Association shall be members of the NebraskaState Education Association and the National Education Association.
Section 3. Reserve Membership: Persons who are on leave of absence for a period of at least six (6) months and who were active members at the time the leave was taken, shall be eligible for reserve membership. Local dues shall be one-half the dues for active members. [This membership category does not offer legal services or liability coverage].
Section 4. Retired Membership: Retired membership shall be open to any member who has retired and reached the age of fifty (50) years or more, is eligible to receive benefits under a school employee retirement system, and has held active membership in the Nebraska State Education Association, and National Education Association or in another state affiliate of National Education Association in the year in which employment ended, and who is not eligible for Active membership. Retired members shall also be members of the Nebraska State Education Association-Retired (NSEA-R)and the National Education Association-Retired (NEA-R). Retired members,through their membership in NSEA-R and NEA-R, are eligible to be voting delegates to the NSEA Delegate Assembly and the NEA Representative Assembly and may hold appointive positions at all levels of the association.
Section 5. Substitute Membership. Substitute membership shall be open to any educational employee employed on a day-to-day basis (not under contract to an educational employer) who is otherwise eligible for active membership unless said employee is drawing retirement benefits and is eligible for retired membership. Substitute members shall receive Educator’s Liability Insurance. Substitute members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office, nor shall they be entitled to legal services.
ARTICLE V – CONTINUOUS MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Metropolitan Community College, the Nebraska State Education Association and the National Education Association shall be continuous. Initial enrollment in the Association after the effective date of this bylaw provision shall constitute authorization for continuous membership. Such authorization shall be continuing unless or except that during the period May 1 through June 1 of any year, a member may revoke the authorization by providing written notice during said period to the association president. The revocation shall become effective September 1. If on payroll deduction of dues, the association treasurer shall inform the business office of the employer of the member's desire to terminate payroll deduction of dues effective September 1 of the year in question. Members who retire, resign or otherwise cease employment with the employer will automatically be removed from the membership list at the start of the next membership year and any continuing dues obligation will cease at that time.
ARTICLE VI - RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
Section 1. Active members shall have the right to vote and hold elective office or appointive positions. In addition, active members shall receive, or be eligible to receive, all special services, obtain assistance in the protection of their professional and civil rights, and receive all publications of the association.
Section 2. Reserve, Retired and Substitute members shall have only those rights afforded to that class of membership and shall, except as otherwise provided, be ineligible to vote and hold elective office.
Section 3. Members shall be guaranteed due process and the right of appeal in reference to disputes regarding membership.
ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the association shall be a president, president-elect, secretary and treasurer.
Section 2. The president shall serve a term of two (2) association years. The president shall preside over meetings; appoint chairpersons and members of standing and special committees; be an ex-officio member of all standing committees; shall be the executive officer of the association. The president shall represent the association before the public, either personally or through his/her representative, and shall perform all other functions normally attributed to this office.
Section 3. The president-elect shall be elected in even-numbered years. The president-elect shall serve a term of two (2) association years. The president-elect shall perform the functions of the president in the absence of the president,and shall work closely with all committees as the president may suggest. The president-elect shall assume the office of president when the president’s term is completed or when the presidency becomes vacant. If the president leaves office during the first year of his/her term, the president-elect will complete only the remaining time of the term. The president-elect shall serve as president no more than a maximum of 3 years. A new president-elect shall be selected at the next regular meeting following at least two (2) weeks notification to the members of the vacancy and pending election.
Section 4. The secretary shall be elected in even-numbered years. The secretary shall serve a term of two (2) association years. The secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the association, shall maintain official files and shall assist the president with association correspondence.
Section 5. The treasurer shall be elected in odd-numbered years. The treasurer shall serve a term of two (2) association years. The treasurer shall hold the funds of the association and disperse them as authorized by the executive committee. All association checks shall be signed by the treasurer. The treasurer shall keep a roll of the members and receive membership dues for the local, state, and national associations. He/she shall report the financial condition of the association to the executive committee, and the membership, at their regular meeting. The treasurer shall be bonded by the association. A bank audit shall be made and presented to the executive committee at the end of each fiscal year.
ARTICLE VIII- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the association, the immediate past president, six (6) board members and the chief negotiator.
Section 2. The executive committee shall be responsible for the management of the association,approve all expenditures, carry out policies adopted by the association, and approve all appointments made by the association, and approve all appointments made by the president. The executive committee will inform the general membership of all meetings. Under normal circumstances, this notification will be one (1) week in advance.
Section 3. Board members shall be elected for a term of two (2) association years and shall have the right to vote at all executive committee meetings. The board members shall be elected as follows:
Election of Offices by Campus: Even number years: Elkhorn, Sarpy, South Omaha Odd number years: Fort Omaha, Applied Technology, Fremont.
Section 4. The immediate past president and the chief negotiators shall have the right to vote at all executive committee meetings.
Section 5. Whenever majority of the executive committee shall agree that an officer or board member has been grossly negligent of the duties defined in the bylaws, o ris incapacitated, they shall recommend to the membership that the office be declared vacant. If the membership concurs by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, it shall immediately elect a replacement to fill the unexpired term.
ARTICLE IX- ELECTIONS
Section 1. Any active member may nominate any other active member for elective office in the association.
Section 2. Nominations: Beginning the month of June, the President Elect will chair a nomination committee that will prepare a slate of candidates who are active members in good standing. This committee shall report all nominations to the membership at the fall meeting. Members may nominate other candidates from the floor. This committee or any individual running for a position may distribute to the members brief information on each candidate.
Section 3. Balloting: At the fall meeting, the members shall vote for officers and board members by ballot, in accordance with procedures developed by a committee approved by the executive committee. This committee shall report results to the president who shall cause them to be published.
Section 4. Electronic balloting by email or other electronic means shall be allowed when approved by the executive committee, including ratification or negotiated agreements proposed by the negotiating team.
ARTICLE X – MEETINGS AND ASSOCIATION YEAR
Section 1. There shall be at least one (1) regular meetings of the association each year and such special meetings as may be called by the president or executive committee.
Section 2. The association year shall begin on September 1 each year and end on August 31 of the next year.
ARTICLE XI - COMMITTEES
Section 1. Each year the president shall appoint, with consent of the executive committee,standing and special committees as may be necessary and shall discharge them upon completion of their duties.
Section 2. The function of each committee shall be determined by the executive committee.
Section 3. Each committee shall report periodically to the executive committee and shall be responsible to the executive committee.
ARTICLE XII - QUORUM
Section 1. A majority of those active members present and voting at any association meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2. A majority of the committee members shall be a quorum for committee meetings.
Section 3. Five (5) members of the executive committee shall be a quorum for executive committee meetings.
ARTICLE XIII- AUTHORITY
Roberts Rules shall be the parliamentary authority for the association on all questions not covered by the bylaws and such standing rules as the executive committee may adopt. The Executive Committee may, at their discretion,set up standing rules or otherwise authorize voting of Association governance bodies and/or balloting of the general membership by electronic means.
ARTICLE XIV - AMENDMENT
The general membership may adopt amendments to these bylaws by a majority of those voting at any regular meeting of the association, providing prior written notice has been given the membership two (2) weeks in advance of the meeting.
ARTICLE XV – BUDGET AND DUES
Section 1. Budget. The executive committee shall prepare, or shall name a budget committee to prepare, a proposed budget for the following association year. This proposed budget shall be acted upon at the fall meeting of the association.
Section 2. Dues. Dues for the following year will be set at the fall meeting following adoption of the budget. The dues are to be based on the estimated cost of the association's program as outlined in the budget. Adopted September 20, 2012
