CMAE Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS

VISION

"A great public school for all students"

MISSION

"To be a strong, powerful, and guiding force in making a difference in public education; improving and strengthening our professional status through collective actions and in developing students as global citizens"

PREAMBLE

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators endorses and supports the concept of mutual integration, respect, and dignity of all ethnic groups in the organizational, economic, social, political, and educational activities of all of its Members.

ARTICLE I – NAME AND OBJECTIVES.

Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators, an affiliate of the North Carolina Association of Educators, Inc., and the National Education Association.

Section 2: The objectives of the Association shall be:

a. To promote within the Association the highest professional practices and to encourage active participation of the Members in the solution of school problems.

b. To develop solidarity and loyalty in the profession.

c. To provide a local action body in support of the local, state, and national programs for the advancement of public education.

d. To provide opportunities for self-improvement and the exercise of initiative and leadership.

e. To provide opportunities for Members to discuss and to help formulate Association policies at the local, state, and national levels.

f. To promote and protect the welfare of its Members.

g. To encourage Members to exercise their rights and privileges as citizens and to accept their responsibilities of leadership in the community.

h. To advance the cause of education in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators.

Section 3: Governance.

The Association shall be governed by this Constitution and by such other actions as may be taken by its Membership consistent therewith.

ARTICLE II – ORGANIZATION.

Section 1: The Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators shall be organized as follows:

a. Officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the President as a non-voting officer. The Treasurer shall be bonded and a fiscal review will be done annually, both at Association expense.

b. Those committees which the Executive Committee shall deem necessary.

Section 2: This Constitution shall contain no provision contrary to the provisions of the Constitutions of the state and national Associations. The activities of the Association shall not conflict with the purpose and policies of the state and national Associations. The Association shall meet the following minimum standards:

a. The one-person-one-vote principle for representation on governing bodies except that the Association shall guarantee ethnic minorities representation at least proportional to the ethnic minority, certified/non-certified, and administrator Members.

b. All elections shall be conducted with open nominations.

c. All candidates seeking elected positions (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Board Members, Conventions: NCAE/NEA) must submit a statement of professional and organization involvement.

d. Membership shall be required in NCAE and NEA.

e. The membership and dues processing schedule for the NCAE must be met.

f. No Member may be censured, suspended, or expelled without a due process hearing which shall include an appropriate appellate procedure.

Section 3: The Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators shall publish an every-member newsletter.

ARTICLE III – MINORITY REPRESENTATION.

Section 1: Racial composition of any committee or task group should reflect the racial make-up of the local membership.

Section 2: Any member in good standing shall be allowed to run for any office. Each year there shall be representation by and ethnic minority individual in at least one of the following offices: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES.

Section 1: The qualifications for membership in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators shall be as follows:

a. Any professional personnel who is actively employed in, or who is on a limited leave of absence from educational work from, the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System. Members should hold or be eligible to hold a baccalaureate or higher degree, or the regular teaching, vocational, or technical certificate required by their employer.

b. Any educational support professional who is actively employed by the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System.

Section 2: Monies:

a. The annual dues shall be determined by multiplying .0025 times the beginning teacher salary including the annual supplement amount. Any future dues increase will have to be ratified by the CMAE Representative Assembly.

b. Dues are not refundable except in a case of clerical error. Membership may be cancelled for the following year only during the months of July-September. Membership may not be cancelled after September 15 unless Charlotte Mecklenburg School System no longer employs the person. Between the dates of September 15 and December 1 of any year, any request for cancellation of payroll deductions shall be submitted for approval or denial to the Membership committee. The member may appeal the Membership Committee decision to the Board of Directors. The decision of the Board is final. No cancellations are allowed after December 1.

Section 3: Members shall be entitled to the following privileges:

a. The right to vote on all matters submitted to the membership.

b. Eligibility for elective and appointive office.

c. Admission to, and participation in, Association meetings.

d. Eligibility for appointment on committees.

e. Receipt of local, state, and national publications.

f. Receipt of all local, state, and national Association services available to members.

Section 4: Continuation of Membership.

a. Membership shall be continuous until the member leaves the school system, resigns from the Association, fails to pay membership dues, or is otherwise terminated.

b. Only active members are eligible to vote or hold elective or appointive positions.

Section 5: Due Process.

Members who fail to adhere to any of the conditions of membership shall be subject to censure, suspension, or expulsion. Members shall have the rights of due process and appeal.

ARTICLE V – TERMS OF OFFICE AND DUTIES.

Section 1: Officers shall assume their duties at the close of the NEA convention in July, and shall serve for a two-year term. Any officer shall be eligible for only one additional term in a given office. Elected officers – President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, should not be anyone who is currently probationary or who has not received career status. A member shall not be able to run for more than one office at any given time.

Section 2: Duties of Officers:

a. President: The President shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To preside at all meetings of the Association.

2. To appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, members to any committee.

3. To be an ex officio member of all committees.

4. To serve as the official representative of the Association at meetings of educational bodies and other groups with the authority to appoint another officer when the need arises.

5. To perform other such duties as may properly pertain to the office.

6. To appoint up to four members to the Executive Board for a one-year term when deemed necessary to add diversity.

b. Past President: The immediate Past President shall serve as an ex officio member of the Executive Board for one year.

c. Vice President: The Vice President shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To assume the office of the President if the President is unwilling or unable to fulfill the term.

2. To assume any duties assigned by the Board or the Executive Board.

3. To preside over Association meetings in the absence of the President.

4. To serve as chair of the Membership Committee for the term of office.

d. Secretary: The Secretary shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To keep accurate minutes of all official meetings of the Association.

2. To maintain official files of the Association.

3. To maintain the security of official documents of the Association.

e. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To oversee the transmittal of all dues sent to the NEA, NCAE, and the local unit.

2. To have charge of all funds of the Association and disperse them as necessary and in accordance with Association policies.

3. To give a printed financial report at all meetings of the Executive Board and the Representative Assembly.

4. To chair the Budget Committee.

5. To maintain and secure records and receipts, disbursements, and all financial documents.

6. To receive Treasurer's training each fiscal year.

f. Parliamentarian: The Parliamentarian shall be responsible for seeing that meetings are conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Section 3: Full Release Time of the President will be contingent upon CMAE local budget and approval by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Educators.

Section 4: In case of Vacancies occurring in any offices of Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer, nominations for that office shall be open for no less than 30 calendar days, after which an election by secret ballot shall be held at the next Representative Assembly to fill the position for the remainder of that term of office.

ARTICLE VI – EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

Section 1: The Executive Board of Directors shall be composed of the elected officers of the Association and the members of the Board of Directors.

a. Composition of the Executive Board of Directors is as follows:

1. Three elementary school representatives.

2. Two middle school representatives.

3. Two high school representatives.

4. Two educational support professionals.

5. Presidents or local divisions/commissions.

b. The Executive Board of Directors shall consist of thirteen members, nine at-large Directors and officers of The Association. The term of office for Directors shall be three years. Directors shall be elected when possible on a staggered basis. At least two new Directors shall be elected every year. Nominations for these positions shall come from the general membership and election shall be held in May, before the end of the school year.

Section 2: The Executive Board of Directors shall meet at least once a month. Actions taken by the members of the Executive Board of Directors shall be reported to the Representative Assembly.

a. The Executive Board of Directors shall be empowered to act for the membership between meetings of the Representative Assembly.

b. There shall be one regular meeting monthly of the Executive Board of Directors. Such meetings shall be scheduled by the local Association President, who shall notify the members in writing of the meeting calendar annually. Special meetings of the Executive Board of Directors may be called by the local President or by majority vote of the Executive Board of Directors.

c. The Board of Directors are required to attend training/planning sessions as scheduled by the President.

Section 3: The Executive Board of Directors shall approve a budget recommended by the Budget Committee for each fiscal year.

Section 4: A quorum for the Board of Directors shall consist of a simple majority. A quorum for all other meetings of the Association shall consist of the members present.

Section 5: Each member of the Board of Directors shall attend meetings of the Board. Members absent for any cause shall notify the President of the absence as soon as possible prior to the meeting. The Representative Assembly upon recommendation of the Board of Directors may replace Board Members absent for more than two consecutive regular meetings.

ARTICLE VII – REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY.

Section 1: The Representative Assembly shall be composed of the Executive Board of Directors and Association Representatives.

Section 2: The authority to establish Association policies and objectives, to adopt an annual budget and establish dues, and to exercise final authority on all matters of the Association, shall be vested in the Representative Assembly of the Association.

Section 3: Association Representatives shall be allotted to each school and the administrative office based on the ratio of one representative per twenty-five members. Association Representative shall elected or appointed by their constituency. Each site shall be entitled to at least one Association Representative.

Section 4: Association Representatives' Responsibilities:

a. The Association Representative shall serve as official representative for the members in the individual educational setting or worksites.

b. Attend all Representative Assemblies.

c. Communicate Association issues to their worksites.

d. Communicate member concerns to the Representative Assembly.

e. Conduct Association elections within their worksite.

f. Provide aid to members within their worksites or contact a UniServ Director for assistance.

g. Conduct Association meetings within their worksite during the week following the RA meeting.

h. Conduct a membership campaign and assist new members to fill out membership forms.

i. Provide an opportunity for members to contribute to the NCAE political action committee (PAC) and/or the NCAE Foundation for Public School Students.

Section 5: There shall be one regular meeting monthly of the Representative Assembly. Such meetings shall be scheduled by the local Association President who shall notify the members in writing of the meeting calendar annually. Special meetings of the Representative Assembly may be called by the local President, by majority vote of the Executive Board of Directors, by majority vote of the Representative Assembly, or by petition of at least fifty Association Members.

Section 6: The Representative Assembly shall be the legislative and policy-making body of the Association.

Section 7: Any Member may attend meetings of the Representative Assembly, but only constitutionally provided members may vote.

Section 8: The Representative Assembly shall declare an officer to be incapacitated and that the office has been vacated. The RA shall fill such vacancies until the next regular election.

Section 9: The Representative Assembly shall declare an elective or appointed office vacant if the individual holding the office has not performed the required duties. The RA shall, by majority, fill such vacancies until the next regular election.

Section 10: Any officer removed from office shall have the right to appeal.

a. A member of the Representative Assembly, Executive Board of Directors, or a committee chair can be removed from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance.

b. A Judiciary Board shall review and deliberate all charges and defense presented. They shall make a decision at the close of the hearing based on the merits of the information reviewed. The District Director shall report the findings of the Judiciary Board to the Representative Assembly at the next regularly scheduled meeting. A two-thirds concurrence vote of the Representative Assembly present shall be required to remove the person from office. Removal from office shall be immediate and the District Director shall be responsible for notification of all parties of the Representative Assembly's action.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES.

Section 1: The local President shall appoint, with consent of the Executive Board of Directors, committees as may be deemed necessary to achieve the Association's programs. All committees shall receive specific charges from the President and shall be discharged on completion of those charges.

Section 2: Standing committees shall include Grievances, Elections, Communications and Public Relations, Legislative, Membership, Instructional and Professional Development, and Budget.

a. The Grievance Committee shall monitor the procedure for redress of grievances. The committee shall advise the Executive Board of Directors in situations of censure, suspension, or expulsion of members. This committee shall also make recommendations in times of emergency need for members.

b. The Committee on Communications and Public Relations shall seek to develop public understanding of the purposes and programs of the Association. This committee shall be responsible for facilitating communication within the Association, and the publishing of a newsletter.

c. The Committee on Instruction and Professional Development shall explore and develop action programs to raise and maintain standards for certification, employment, and assignment; to improve opportunities for pre-service, continuing, and in-service professional education; and to create and maintain rapport between the Association and neighboring or closely-related institutions of higher education.

d. The Legislative Committee shall have broad concern for local, state, and national legislation affecting the interests of the Association and for the exercise of civic responsibility by the members. The committee shall coordinate all lobbying efforts and be diligent to inform members concerning all pertinent legislation – pending, proposed, or enacted. It shall also seek to educate members and the public on the civic responsibilities of teachers and to develop programs that will encourage wide exercise of them.

e. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for the promotion of membership, training the Association Representatives in membership promotion, and organizing and maintaining the spring and fall membership drives. It shall also be responsible for yearly maintenance of membership records.

f. The Elections and Nominations Committee shall be responsible for all elections. The committee shall be responsible for informing each school of the allotted number of representatives to the Representative Assembly, and for ensuring that all guarantees of this Constitution as to representation shall be met.

g. All questions regarding the elections shall be decided by the Elections Committee. An appeal of any decision of the Elections Committee may be submitted for review by the CMAE Executive Board and the Representative Assembly. The Representative Assembly may call a new election in local races by two-thirds vote of the Representative Assembly present.

h. The Budget Committee shall be responsible for developing a program budget for presentation to the Representative Assembly each year. The committee shall consist of five members, one of whom shall be the local Association Treasurer.

i. Ad Hoc Committees shall be formed as needed to help with the Association's programs.

ARTICLE IX - NCAE AND NEA CONVENTION DELEGATES.

Section 1: Delegates to the NCAE and NEA conventions shall be elected according to the rules and regulations established by NCAE and NEA. The local President shall be an automatic delegate to the NCAE and NEA conventions. All other delegates shall be elected by the general membership.

Section 2: All Association delegates to the NCAE and NEA governance bodies shall be elected in accordance with the following requirements:

a. Open nomination.

b. Secret ballot.

c. All other requirements of the NCAE and NEA.

Section 3: No nominee shall be involved in the counting of any ballots in any election.

Section 4: The results of the election shall be certified and made known within two weeks of the canvassing in writing.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENT.

Section 1: Each proposed amendment to this Constitution shall be submitted in writing and mailed to the local President at least 30 days prior to a regular meeting of the Representative Assembly. The postmark shall be evidence of compliance with this guideline.

Section 2: The President shall report, in writing, the proposed amendment at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Representative Assemblies.

Section 3: Each Association Representative shall make the proposed amendment known to his/her constituency.

Section 4: The Representative Assembly shall vote on the proposed amendment at the meeting following the meeting at which it was introduced. A two/thirds majority of the voting members of the Representative Assembly shall be required to adopt an amendment.

ARTICLE XI – RULES OF ORDER.

Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not specifically stated in this Constitution.

ARTICLE XII – AUDIT.

The President and Executive Board of Directors shall call for an annual audit. The audit shall be presented upon completion to the Representative Assembly.

This Constitution of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators was adopted and ratified on May 18, 2006.