aaupconstitution.html

Constitution of the Oregon Conference of the American Association of University Professors

Article I: Name

The name of this organization is the Oregon Conference of the American Association of University Professors, hereafter called the conference.

Article II: Purpose

The purposes of the conference include:

Section 1. To facilitate the cooperation among the Oregon Chapters of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in carrying out the objectives of the AAUP
Section 2. To promote the aims and interests of the AAUP and the Conference within the State of Oregon.
Section 3. To defend, preserve, and promote the educational mission of public and private higher education in Oregon and the integrity of its procedures of faculty governance.
Section 4. To preserve academic freedom.
Section 5. To protect and advance the professional status and interests of the members of the Conference.
Section 6. To negotiate with the administrators of higher education on matters of faculty governance, the role and status of academic and professional persons employed by the universities and colleges, and the terms and conditions of their employment
Section 7. To perform public relations activities in support of these purpose.
Section 8. To establish and maintain contact with AAUP colleagues and students at various public and private colleges and universities and with government bodies on matters pertaining to higher education.
Section 9. To promote collective bargaining
Section 10. To do anything necessary and proper for the accomplishment of the aforementioned purposes.

Article III: Powers

In furtherance of the purposes described in Article II, but not in limitation thereof, the Conference shall have the power to collect and disseminate statistics and other information, to conduct investigations, to engage in various fund raising activities, to conduct promotional activities (including advertising and publicity in or by any suitable manner or media), to hold such property as is necessary to accomplish its purposes, and to employ individuals to represent the Conference in lawsuits, negotiations, and for other purposes. The Conference is organized and operated for the above stated purposes; no part of any net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any member.

Article IV: Membership

Membership in the Oregon Conference is open to all AAUP members in Oregon; representation shall be through chapter affiliation as specified in this Article.

Section 1. Membership is open to any recognized chapter of the AAUP in the State of Oregon. The rules of the national AAUP shall be followed by local chapters seeking membership.
Section 2. Any eligible chapter may become a member of the Conference by requesting membership in writing and by abiding by the Conference constitution and other requirements.
Section 3. A chapter may withdraw from the Conference by action of its membership unless otherwise stipulated in its own constitution by-laws.
Section 4. A chapter may be expelled from membership by action of the Conference by failure to pay dues or for violating the constitution.
Section 5. For purposes of representation, AAUP members at institutions of higher education in Oregon at which there are no chartered AAUP chapters are entitled to membership in the Conference. The Conference Board shall serve as a chapter for these members. If State AAUP members not affiliated with an institution with a chapter attend a Conference meeting, the Board shall designate one or more of these individuals as delegates, with the number of designated delegates being based on one delegate for each 50 unaffiliated members.

Article V: Officers

Section 1. The elective officers of the Oregon Conference shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The term of office of the elective officers shall be two years, commencing in June of odd numbered years.
Section 2. President. The duties of the President shall include carrying out the mandates of the conference, appointing all committees of the Conference, and presiding at meetings of the Conference and Executive Committee. The president shall be an ex-officio member of each committee, but the President shall not be counted in determining a quorum in these committees. In the absence of the President, the Vice President may serve in the President's stead.
Section 3. Vice President. The duties of the Vice President shall include those duties delegated by the President, serving in the absence of the President when so appointed, and all other duties usually appertaining to the office of Vice President.
Section 4. Secretary. The duties of the secretary shall include keeping a record of all proceedings, correspondence of the Conference, membership rolls, and other duties usually appertaining to the office.
Section 5. Treasurer. The duties of the Treasurer shall include collecting and distributing funds with the approval of the President, maintaining appropriate financial records, preparing a tentative budget for Executive Committee approval, making a financial report at each Conference meeting, and other such duties usually appertaining to the office.
Section 6. Any officer may be removed, for cause, by the Board at any regular or special meeting. Any officer who shall become a disqualified person, as set forth in these articles, shall immediately, on the effective date of this disqualification, cease to be an officer.
Section 7. Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the President or the Secretary. Any such resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of this notice or at any later specified time, and unless otherwise specified, the acceptance of this resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 8. When an officer has resigned or become disqualified, the office shall be filled by a special election of the Conference. The Executive Committee is empowered to fill vacancies in elective offices until an expeditious election is held. The person so elected shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Article VI: Election of Officers

Section 1. Elections for officers of the Conference shall be held in the Spring of odd numbered calendar years at an annual meeting.
Section 2. The President, with the approval of the Conference Board, shall appoint a Nominating Committee at least three months before each biennial election; the President shall provide the Conference Board with the names of the appointed members. Committee members shall be members of AAUP. The Nominating Committee shall solicit suggestions for candidates and nominate one or more persons to fill each position. At least six weeks before the biennial election, the Board members shall be notified by mail of the nominees proposed by the Nominating Committee and may submit additional names.
Section 3. At least two weeks before each biennial election, a ballot showing the candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee and those nominated by petition shall be mailed to each board member.
Section 4. Members may voted by mailing their ballots to the address designated thereon. No ballot shall be counted unless received at such place before the date of the annual election. Ballots need not be signed, but the signature and address of each member voting must be placed on the envelope containing the ballot. Such ballots shall be opened and counted at the time and place specified by the board.
Section 5. The board shall be notified as to the results of the election. Furthermore, the newly elected officers shall be provided with names, institutional affiliations, addresses, and telephone numbers of both the new and outgoing officers and outgoing members of the standing committees

Article VII: Governance

Section 1. The governance of the Oregon Conference shall be vested in the Conference Board. The Board shall consist of the Conference officers and representatives from member chapters. Each member chapter is entitled to one representative from the chapter, plus one additional representative for each 50 members of the chapter. One of the representatives of a chapter shall be the president of the chapter or the president's appointee. Other than the chapter president, the names of the chapter delegates shall be certified by the president of the local chapter. Maximum chapter representation is limited to five representatives.
Section 2. At meetings of the Conference, a quorum shall consist of 1/3 of the Board.
Section 3. The four elected officers of the Conference and the chairs of the statewide committees, or designated representatives of those committees, as appointed by the President, shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Board. The duties of the Executive Committee shall include the carrying out of the business and goals of the Conference and preparing matters to be considered by the Conference. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of a majority of the four officers. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called by the President. Business of the Executive Committee may be conducted by telephone, fax, email, and mail.

Article VIII: Conference Committees

The Conference shall have a Nominating Committee and standing committees as described in this article, with each chapter having at least one member on each of these committees. Ad hoc committees to address special needs may be appointed by the President.

Section 1. Nominating Committee. There shall be a Nominating Committee as specified in Article VI.
Section 2. Committee A. There shall be constituted Committee A: Academic Freedom, with primary responsibility to address issues of academic freedom and faculty rights in colleges and universities in Oregon.
Section 3. Committee R. There shall be constituted Committee R: Government and Public Relations, with primary responsibility to monitor the activities of various governmental bodies, develop position statements concerning the activities of these agencies, reporting their recommendations to the President. Additional responsibilities include developing and/or participating in approved public relations campaigns as needed to meet the objectives of the Conference.
Section 4. Committee M. There shall be constituted Committee M: Membership Committee, with primary responsibility to develop and execute activities and programs designed to strengthen the Conference by helping current chapters recruit new members and retain present members and by encouraging the formation of new chapters in Oregon.
Section 5. Committee P. There shall be constituted Committee P: Committee on Private Institutions. The chair of the committee shall be from a private institution. The committee shall advise the Conference and Executive Committee on matters of concern to private institutions.
Section 6. Committee C. There shall be constituted Committee C: Committee on Community Colleges. The chair of the committee shall be from a community college. The committee shall advise the Conference and Executive Committee on matters of concern to community colleges.
Section 7. Committee W. There shall be constituted Committee W: Women in Higher Education. The committee shall monitor issues related to the status of women in higher education in Oregon and advise the Conference and Executive Committee on present and emerging issues.
Section 8. Publications Committee. There shall be constituted a Publications Committee. The committee shall advise the Executive Committee as to the need for, format of, and content of Conference publications, and provide supervision of the production and distribution of such publications. Specifically, the chair shall serve as the publisher of the Conference newsletter and other publications as authorized by the Executive Committee. The Oregon conference shall periodically publish a newsletter.
Section 9. Committee T: Governance Committee. There shall be constituted a Governance Committee. The committee shall advise the Executive Committee on matters related to the governance of colleges and universities, including faculty participation and rights pertaining to governance.

Article IX: Conference Meetings

Section 1. The Oregon Conference shall hold an annual meeting for its membership in May or June of each year, at such time and place as may be decided on by the President, in consultation with the Executive Committee. The agenda, with date, hour, and place of the meeting, shall normally be distributed to the Board at least seven days and no more than thirty days before the meeting.
Section 2. In addition to the annual meeting, the Conference Board shall meet two additional times each academic year, with the time and place scheduled by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee. The agenda, with date, hour, and place of the meeting, shall normally be distributed to the Board at least seven days and no more than thirty days before the meeting.
Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the President. At the request of two Conference chapters, the President or Executive Committee shall call a special meeting. Written or printed notices stating the day, hour, and place of the meeting and the purpose(s) for which the meeting is called shall be delivered not less than seven days, nor more than thirty days before the date of the meeting.

Article X: Dues and Finances

Section 1. Oregon Conference dues shall be recommended by the Executive Committee to the Board for action at the annual meeting of the Conference.
Section 2. The Oregon Conference's fiscal year shall run from January 1 to December 31. The Executive Committee shall prepare an annual budget and submit it to the Board for approval at the fall meeting.

Article XI: By-laws

By-Laws may be adopted at Conference meetings

Article XII: Amendments

This constitution may be amended by a 3/4 affirmative vote of a quorum of the Board at a regular or special meeting of the Conference, provided that a notice setting forth the proposed amendment or amendments with reasons therefore and setting forth any known objections thereto shall have been sent to each chapter of the Conference at least 30 days prior to the meeting.

Approved: March 5 1994
Effective: March 5 1994

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