Chapter Bylaws

Chapter Bylaws Last revision: March 2013

The name of the organization shall be the Oakland University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors, hereafter called Association.
The purpose of this Association shall be to promote the interests of higher education and to advance the standards, ideals, and welfare of the profession. The Association serves as the collective bargaining agent for the faculty of the university.
  1. Any person included in the bargaining unit as defined by the Agreement shall be eligible to be a member.
  2. Membership is contingent upon payment of appropriate national, conference and chapter dues and special assessments.
  3. The dues (a combination of national, conference and chapter dues) and special assessments shall be proposed by the Executive Committee and approved by a majority of those members voting by mail ballot following discussion at a meeting of the membership. The voting shall be conducted by the Elections Committee.
  4. The fiscal year shall be from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
  1. The Executive Officers of the Association shall be a President, Vice-President, Executive Director, Treasurer, Grievance Officer, and Contract Officer. These officers, along with seven at-large executive officers shall comprise the Association Executive Committee. In addition, the immediate past president, if not reelected, is designated a member of the Association Executive Committee for a term of one year. All executive officers, excluding the Executive Director, shall have voting privileges in Executive Committee proceedings.
  2. The President shall have the duties usually associated with this office. The President shall preside over all meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee. The President shall be the official representative of the Association. The President shall be elected in odd-numbered years for a two-year term and may be reelected in succession no more than once.
  3. The Vice-President shall act in the absence of the President and shall assist the President as required. The Vice-President shall also serve as the Information Officer. The Information Officer shall periodically survey the membership for their ideas and opinions relevant to the interests and activities of the Association. The Information Officer shall also convey to the membership information from the Executive Committee. The Vice-President shall be elected in even-numbered years for a two-year term and may be reelected in succession no more than once.
  4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of all Association monies and for the discharge of all financial obligations of the Association. The Treasurer shall present an annual financial report and shall make available the financial records to any member of the Association at any time. The Treasurer shall be elected in odd-numbered years for a two-year term and may be reelected in succession no more than once.
  5. The Executive Director shall keep the minutes of the Association and the Executive Committee meetings, maintain the official records of the Association, prepare the agenda for Association meetings, circulate notices to the Association and conduct the correspondence appropriate to the office. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Association Executive Committee.
  6. Seven at-large officers shall be elected for two-year terms: at-large officers number one, three and five in odd-numbered years and at-large officers number two, four, six and seven in even years. Of the seven at-large officers, one must be untenured at the time of election, and one must be a special lecturer at the time of the election. The Elections Committee shall organize the elections to satisfy these requirements.
  7. The Grievance Officer shall be nominated by the Association Executive Committee for a two-year term and approved by the membership. The Grievance Officer shall be responsible for overseeing the overall operation of the grievance procedure, advising the Executive Committee on matters pertaining to the grievance procedure, keeping records of all grievances filed, and developing a file of grievance summaries.
  8. An Assistant Grievance Officer shall be appointed by the Association Executive Committee for a two-year term. The Assistant Grievance Officer shall assist the Grievance Officer and shall assume the duties of the Grievance Officer in the Grievance Officer’s absence.
  9. The Contract Officer shall be nominated by the Association Executive Committee for a two-year term and approved by the membership. The Contract Officer shall maintain a sound working knowledge of the Agreement and shall advise the Executive Committee and the Grievance Officer on matters pertaining to the Agreement. The Contract Officer shall review records regarding Agreement provisions and maintain a file of faculty concerns regarding the Agreement for use in collective bargaining.
  1. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the execution of the letter and spirit of the provisions of the contract and bylaws currently in force, including the authority to make minor exceptions.
  2. The Executive Committee may propose amendments to a contract; these must be ratified by the membership as indicated in Article VIII.
  3. The Executive Committee shall decide for the Association which grievances will be taken to arbitration.
  4. The Executive Committee shall decide for the Association which cases require action under the current provisions of the tenure and promotions sections of the contract.
  5. The Executive Committee shall propose the schedule of dues and special assessments, as well as regulations governing their payment; any increase must be ratified by the membership as indicated in Article VIII.
  6. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to determine budgets and disperse funds for the Association.
  7. The Executive Committee, after assessing membership needs and priorities and considering the recommendations of the Advisory Forum (see Article IX.1), shall determine the issues for negotiation as well as their order of importance.
  8. In the year preceding contract negotiations, the Executive Committee shall appoint a three-person Nominating Committee. The chair of the Nominating Committee shall be a member of the Executive Committee. Two additional members not currently on the Executive Committee shall be chosen from the membership at large. The Nominating Committee, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall identify a Chief Negotiator. Following selection of, and consultations with, the proposed Chief Negotiator, the Nominating Committee shall present a slate of no fewer than five Negotiating Team members (including a chief negotiator and the Executive Director) to the membership at a general meeting called for this pupose. See also Article X.1.
  9. The Executive Committee shall also:
    • appoint certain officers as indicated elsewhere in these Bylaws.
    • make appointments to standing and ad hoc committees.
    • establish ad hoc committees as necessary.
      • convene meetings and determine agenda.
  10. The Executive Committee shall appoint delegates who shall be the official representatives of the Association at meetings of the Michigan Conference of the AAUP, the AAUP Collective Bargaining Congress, and the national AAUP Annual Meeting, and who shall report the activities of those bodies to the Chapter. Only members of the Executive Committee elected or ratified by secret ballot of the membership may serve as such voting delegates of the Association.
  11. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Board of Trustees Observer who shall attend Board meetings and report on its activities to the Executive Committee.
  12. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to make decisions not specifically given to other persons or groups by these bylaws.
  13. The Executive Committee shall have the right to exercise its deliberative and decision-making functions by means of electronic communication, when timely action on an issue does not permit convening a meeting.
  14. Decisions of the Executive Committee may be modified by a two-thirds vote of Association members present at a membership meeting.
  1. The Executive Committee shall appoint an Elections Committee to conduct all elections, recall elections, referenda and contract ratification. The Elections Committee shall determine all voting procedures.
  2. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three members to submit names of candidates for elective Association offices. They shall submit the names of candidates for each office, with at least one more candidate than there are vacancies to be filled for each office. Additional nominations for any elected office may be submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee. The preliminary list of nominees shall be presented at a meeting preceding the election at which time further nominations may be made from the floor. All nominees must consent to their nominations.
  3. Voting shall be by mail ballot and the minimum time for mail ballot return shall be not less than seven calendar days. In the case of each office, the nominee receiving a majority of votes cast shall be declared elected. In case no nominee receives a majority of votes cast, there shall be a run-off election between the two candidates with the highest number of votes.
  4. Only members of the Association are eligible for election to Association Offices, or to vote in Association elections or referenda.
  5. Any elective Association office that becomes vacant shall be filled as soon as possible by means of a special election. If the unexpired term is under one year, the newly elected member will serve out the vacancy and, in addition, serve a new two-year term. If the unexpired term is one year or more, the newly elected member will only serve out the term of the vacancy.
  6. Recall procedures: Any of the officers of the Association, except the Executive Director, may be removed from office by a recall vote. At least one-fifth of the members of the Association must petition for a recall in order to institute these proceedings. For the recall to be approved, a majority of the total Association membership must vote in favor of the recall.
  7. Election to Association offices shall take place in the winter semester and new officers shall take office the following September 1. In the event that contract negotiations are proceeding at this time, the incumbents shall remain in office until a contract is ratified. Officers-elect shall be non-voting members of the Executive Committee from their election until they formally assume office.
  8. All references to “mail ballot” in these Bylaws shall be construed to include electronic balloting if the Elections Committee chooses to use that option.
  1. The Executive Committee shall schedule at least one meeting per month, September through April.
  2. The Executive Committee shall schedule at least one meeting of the membership during each of the fall and winter semesters.
  3. The Executive Committee shall call additional meetings of the membership upon petition by at least one tenth of the membership. The meeting must be called within two weeks after the Executive Committee receives this petition.
  4. A quorum shall be the number of members present.
  5. Parliamentary procedure at all meetings shall be in accord with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised except when these Rules conflict with the Chapter bylaws.
  6. By majority vote of those present, the membership may modify the agenda of a meeting.
  7. A meeting may not be held until at least three calendar days (not including weekends) after the call for a meeting.
  8. Non-members may be permitted to attend and/or speak at meetings at the discretion of the presiding officer.
  1. The Executive Committee may submit questions (referenda), including contract amendments, to the membership by mail ballot.
  2. Upon petition of ten percent of the membership, the Executive Committee shall submit each question specified in the petition to the membership by mail ballot.
  3. If directed by a majority of the members present at an Association meeting, the Executive Committee shall submit questions to the membership by mail ballot.
  4. The results of the referenda initiated under the provisions of paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 above shall be binding upon the Association.
  5. A majority of those voting shall be necessary for the approval of a referendum.
  6. The Executive Committee may poll the membership on any matter as an advisory, non-binding expression of member sentiment.
  1. The Advisory Forum shall bring to the attention of the Exercutive Commitee issues and concerns that arise within particular units and/or the membership at large. In bargaining years, the Advisory Forum shall make recommendations to the Executive Committee regarding the issues for negotiation and their order of importance, and shall assist in gathering any supporting data.
  2. Advisory Forum Composition
    1. Each contractually recognized academic unit shall select one full-time faculty member for each twenty full-time faculty members or fraction thereof. In addition, the group of Special Lecturers shall select one Special Lecturer for each twenty Special Lecturers or fraction thereof. At-large members shall be selected by and from each of the following constituencies if not selected by the academic units:
      1. department chairpersons
      2. untenured faculty
      All members of the Advisory Forum shall serve for a term of one year except during bargaining years, in which members’ terms end on November 15 or when the new contract is ratified, whichever is later.
    2. Selections for the Advisory Forum shall be completed no later than November 15. All academic units shall select representatives to the Advisory Forum and notify the Association of their selections.
    3. The Executive Director of the chapter shall serve as an ex officio member of the Advisory Forum.
  3. Advisory Forum Officers and Functions
    1. The Vice President of the Association shall serve as the Chair of the Advisory Forum. The Chair shall preside over Advisory Forum meetings. If the Vice President of the Association has been elected as a member of the Negotiating Team, then the President, with the advice of the Executive Committee, shall appoint another member of the Executive Committee to be the Chair of the Advisory Forum.
    2. The Advisory Forum shall elect a Vice Chair and a Secretary. These officers shall hold office until a new contract is ratified. The Vice Chair shall preside over Advisory Forum meetings in the absence of the Chair. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all actions taken by the Advisory Forum.
    3. The Advisory Forum minutes and proposals shall be available to the membership in the AAUP Archives.
    4. The Advisory Forum shall meet at least once a month from October through April.
    5. Except as provided in these bylaws, each Advisory Forum shall decide upon its own operating procedures.
    6. The Advisory Forum shall provide a communication link throughout negotiations between the Negotiating Team/Executive Committee and the membership for verbal discussions of issues requiring broader consultation.
    7. Advisory Forum members shall serve as marshals to organize their constituents for any actions needed to support the Negotiating Team.
  1. Elections
    1. At a meeting of the membership, a slate of candidates shall be presented by the Nominating Committee (see Article V.8). Additional slates of candidates (each of which must include a chief negotiator, the Executive Director, and at least three others) may be presented from the floor; each slate shall require ten seconders, none of whom may be a member of the slate, and the consent of all nominees.
    2. Election of a slate shall be by a majority of those voting in a mail ballot.
  2. Functions and Operation
    1. The Negotiating Team shall negotiate an agreement with representatives of the Board of Trustees of Oakland University.
    2. The Negotiating Team shall be responsible to the Executive Committee and shall report regularly to the Executive Committee on the progress of the negotiations. The Negotiating Team shall consult with the Executive Committee and the Advisory Forum on issues involved in the negotiations.
    3. The Negotiating Team shall present the final terms of the proposed contract to the Executive Committee prior to tentatively agreeing to a complete contract.
    4. The Negotiating Team shall automatically disband when a contract has been ratified by both the Association and Oakland.
    5. If a contract is not ratified, the Executive Committee shall have the option of retaining or reconstituting the Negotiating Team. If the Negotiating Team is reconstituted, the provisions of Article V.8 will be followed.
  1. Any agreement negotiated by the Negotiating Team shall be deemed ratified by the Association upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the members voting.
  2. Prior to the ratification balloting, the provisions of the proposed agreement shall be explained and discussed in a meeting (or meetings) of the membership called for this purpose.
  3. Notification of such meetings shall be distributed at least five calendar days prior to the meeting(s). At least seven calendar days shall be allowed for the membership to study the proposed agreement (or essentially complete equivalents) before the ratification vote.
  1. Amendments or changes to the Bylaws may be proposed for consideration at any meeting, provided the proposed Amendment shall have been included in the written notice of the meeting. Amendments may be presented by petition signed by ten percent of the membership, or by resolution of the Executive Committee.
  2. Passage of any amendments or changes to the Bylaws shall require an affirmative vote of two thirds of the membership voting.

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