Bylaws of the Faculty and Staff Federation

Adopted by Representative Council, October 26, 1999

Revised January 18, 2002

Revised January 6, 2004

Revised September 2, 2004

Abbreviations: RC=Representative Council meeting; GM=General Membership meeting.

Note: Bylaws which have been superseded by the Contracts, the Constitution, or other bylaws

are not included here.

I. Membership

The Treasurer of the Local shall issue cards of membership to each dues paying member of the Federation and he shall prepare a master list containing the name of each dues paying member. Further, each member shall receive said list and this list shall be the basis for distribution of all Federation related material in future. (GM 4/23/70) Note: Since the mid-1970s, the second sentence above has been interpreted as "each member who requests it shall receive said list."

Any member of the Federation who is no longer employed by the College solely because the administration has discharged him/her, and whose discharge is being contested as unlawful or in violation of the contract, an unfair labor practice, or grievance shall be eligible to continue his/her membership in the Federation as long as the unfair labor practice or grievance has not been finally decided. (RC 12/16/76)

Members of the part-time/visiting lecturer bargaining unit shall be eligible to join the Faculty Federation only by signing a dues deduction card; no other form of payment shall be required or accepted. (GM 11/16/84)

A member of the PT/VL bargaining unit shall be eligible for Federation membership so long as s/he retains a place on the part-time faculty seniority list. (RC10/28/97)

II. Dues and other fees, assessments and voluntary deductions and donations

The Federation shall pay one-half per capita to National AFT for Classified Employees and Employees in Ranks I-IV. (GM 11/6/73)

Members of the Federation who are covered by income protection or disability provisions of our contracts will not be required to pay dues during the period they are covered by these provisions. (RC 1/13/77; GM 1/25/77)

Each Federation member will pay dues of 1.15% of his/her base salary to the Federation’s General Fund. (Ref 4/2/82; Ref 4/01)

Each Federation member will contribute 0.10% of his/her base salary to the Negotiations/ Strike Fund. (Ref 5/11/82; Ref 4/01)

Any of the three units is permitted to use this Negotiations/Strike Fund for negotiations and/or strike after 9/84. (Ref 5/11/82)

Strike Fund monies shall be disbursed as follows:

(A) All Federation negotiation/strike expenses shall be provided for before other

disbursements are made. (Ref 4/86)

(B) In the event of a strike, money remaining in the Fund shall be used to

guarantee continuation of medical fringe benefits for Federation members.

(Ref 4/86)

to members who lose money, in proportion to their losses, provided that

benefits will be paid only to those who honor the picket line for the entire

length of the strike. (Ref 4/86)

III. General Membership Meetings

All bylaws about General Membership meetings were superseded by the Constitution, Articles VI and XIII.

IV. Representative Council

The minutes of the Representative Council meetings in future shall be reviewed by one or more officers of the Local prior to distribution to the Membership. (GM 4/23/70)

Subject to clarification by Representative Council some form of reimbursement for expenses related to negotiations sessions be set by Representative Council to reimburse members of the Negotiations Team for meals, etc. (GM 4/23/70)

To require the minutes of the meetings of the Representative Council in future to include the names of those attending and a tally of the votes by resolution. (GM 4/23/70) Note: No tally is done if an item is passed by voice vote.

If two departments want to combine for purposes of representation on Council they may do so. (RC 10/8/70).

The quorum for meetings of the Representative Council during the school day will be one-third and that the quorum for meetings of the Representative Council called at any other time be a majority. (RC 12/19/72)

Decisions on arbitration are to be taken through Representative Council. (RC 1/25/73)

That there shall be two representatives at large for the PT/VL Unit--the two Co-Chairs of the Bargaining Unit--on Representative Council. (RC 9/18/79)

That conferences be publicized to members of the Representative Council; that the

Executive Committee shall review who would like to go, make a recommendation on who will go, and inform Representative council; that the Executive Committee, at the beginning of the each year, shall review the number of conventions and assess the likely expenditures. (RC 4/18/89)

No department may have more alternates than it has representatives; and those elected as alternates or representatives by write-in vote must certify in writing their willingness to serve prior to the first Council meeting of the new year if they are to be seated as alternates or representatives in the Council. (RC 9/19/95)

V. Election of Officers and Referenda

Each elected official of the union shall be informed of his election and asked if he shall serve. (GM 4/23/70)

In the future no candidate for office in the Federation may serve on the Elections Committee for that election. (RC 4/14/70; GM 4/20/70)

All referenda and all elections for officers shall be held on pay days. (RC 1/20/71)

Referenda and election of officers shall be held by secret ballot, such ballot to contain the text of the proposal in full, or the names of the candidates for election with a provision for write-ins. (RC 1/20/71)

Any eligible individual may run for a general officer position if two people sign a nomination for him, and if he then signs a statement showing willingness to serve in case of election. (GM 3/23/71 "statement")

No one may hold more than one executive office at the same time. (GM 11/26/74).

(GM 11/27/79)

Elections bylaws passed by Representative Council at a series of meetings:

1. [Repealed.]

2. That there be separate ballots for the general officers, unit officers, and department representatives; that in the voting for general officers and in referenda those with a full vote cast two ballots and those with a half vote cast one ballot.

3. That, four weeks before the election, a solicitation for membership shall be sent by U.S. mail to non-union members of all bargaining units.

4. [Repealed.]

5. That the final voter list shall be made available to:

(A) The Elections Committee the Monday of the week before the beginning of the elections;

(B) The Executive Committee and all candidates on the ballot the Monday of the week before the beginning of elections and on all days of the elections.

6. That, if a person's name is not on the voter list on election days and he/she

thinks it should be, that person can cast a challenged ballot.

7. That copies of the most recent bargaining unit lists shall be made available by

November 1 to anyone who requests such lists.

8. That the Chairman of the Elections Committee is directed to secure the ballot

box overnight by whatever means he sees fit--if necessary, use two locks, so

that box cannot be opened and so ballots cannot be added.

9. [Repealed.]

10. [Repealed.]

11. That "campaigning" or distribution of literature within fifteen feet of the ballot

box shall not be permitted.

12. That absentee ballots be opened only by Elections Committee members and

only after the voting is closed.

13. That multi-partisan participation on the Elections Committee is encouraged.

14. That the Elections Committee should count the ballots as soon after the close

of the booths as possible after the end of the elections.

Note: Items #8, #11 and #12 are moot if the Federation conducts a mail ballot, as is now the custom. However, those three items have not been repealed, and, should the Federation ever revert to an on-site election, they would be in force.

Item #14 is moot if the Federation opts to have an outside agency conduct an election; however, if an election is conducted in-house, #14 is in force.

All nominations for the position of Chair and/or Campus Coordinator shall be made at the first Representative Council meeting of the spring semester and, if the number of nominations exceeds the number of positions, the balloting shall be postponed to the second Representative Council meeting of the spring semester. (RC 2/4/86; GM 2/25/86)

The outer envelope shall be stamped with a notice for voters to print and sign their name.

Suggestion adopted without a vote; not a formal bylaw. (See RC 9/27/88 and

RC 2/14/89)

The outer envelope shall be sealed, and the inner envelope shall be folded inside and not sealed. (RC 9/27/88)

That we delete the bylaw #9 [i.e., the #9 of the series of 14 elections bylaws listed above] which reads that the ballot box be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and replace it with:

Ballots will be sent by U.S. mail and must be received (by U.S. mail, intramural mail or in person) in the Federation Office no later than 5 p.m. on the date set each year by Representative Council. (RC 9/17/91)

A nominating form valid for all elective offices of the Federation shall be mailed to all Federation members; if more than one form is needed, those that are mailed out may be photocopied. (RC 9/19/95)

There shall be 15 days’ notice of the time, place and procedure to be used for nominations prior to the close of nominations. There shall be 15 days' notice of election, sent by U.S. mail to the last known home address of each member in good standing.

Not a formal bylaw, but followed since 1988 to conform to the Landrum-Griffin Act.

Election of Department Alternates (various measures passed by RC 10/3/00)

1. No Department may have more alternate positions than it has representative

positions;

2. There will be no separate electoral category for alternates;

3. Candidates for Representative Council who do not receive enough votes to

be elected as a Department representative may serve as alternates, subject

to #1 above;

4. (A) If Department representatives are not present for votes during a

Representative Council meeting, alternates will be permitted to vote in

their place;

(B) As many alternates as necessary may vote to give a Department its full

number of voting representatives;

exceeds the number of absent representatives from a Department, then

voting rights will be granted to alternates in order of the number of votes

they received;

5. Ties shall be broken by mutual agreement between the parties concerned,

and if this is not possible, by lot;

6. After the Department representatives and alternates are designated, a list of

representatives and ranked alternates shall be prepared and brought to every

Representative Council meeting to determine who is eligible to vote.

(Additional measures passed by RC 11/14/00)

7. In order to run for Department Representative from a Department, a

Federation member must be a member of that Department.

8. In order to run for a bargaining unit office, a Federation member must be a

member of that bargaining unit.

VI. Negotiations

Drastic differences in the proposed contract resulting from negotiations must be discussed and approved by the General Membership. (GM 4/23/70)

This was unclearly worded, but it refers to meetings to ratify contracts.

Subject to clarification by Representative Council some form of reimbursement for expenses related to Negotiations sessions be set by Representative Council to reimburse members of the Negotiations Team for meals, etc. (GM 4/23/70)

The following process be adopted for ratification of the negotiated contract. The process of ratification shall consist of (1) a meeting called of the Membership at which time the agreement shall be submitted in writing to the members for their questions and study; (2) a second meeting at which the vote will be taken no sooner than 24 hours after the first meeting; (3) distribution of the printed agreement to the faculty not present at the first meeting shall be attempted. (RC 8/13/70; GM 9/1/70)

VII. Standing Committees

(GM 12/5/72; RC 11/15/77; RC 2/15/79; GM 4/25/79; GM 8/28/79)

Vacancies in Standing Committees:

1. The Secretary shall survey all eligible persons as to their preferences for

assignments to Standing Committees, including the Institution Wide

Committee (IWC). The Secretary shall then prepare and present to the

Representative Council a listing, by Committees, of these persons desiring

appointments, together with a slate proposed by the Executive Committee

from among the volunteers. The list of volunteers will be used only for one

year.

2. Four (4) delegates and four (4) alternates for each committee will be elected

by the Representative Council. The Council will vote for four (4) appointees

to each committee. The four (4) persons with the largest number of votes will

be delegates to the committee and the second four (4) will be the alternates.

If an individual is elected for membership on two (2) committees, he must

choose the one upon which he wishes to serve. He will then be replaced by

the Representative Council from among the remaining applicants in the order

of their plurality.

3. [Repealed].

4. After initial appointments have been made, a delegate vacancy on the

IWC or a Standing Committee will be filled by an alternate elected by the

remaining delegates on the committee. Alternate vacancies will be elected by

the Representative Council from among those individuals indicating a

preference for the committee.

5. A delegate to the IWC or a Standing Committee who misses two meetings in

succession without notifying the Head Delegate of his absence or arranging

for an official alternate to take his place will be considered to have resigned.

The Head Delegate will notify the delegate of his status and fill the vacancy in

the manner prescribed. Any delegate must resign if he can no longer fulfill

his responsibilities on the committee (passed by RC 9/23/71).

6. An appointee's status on a committee may be challenged by any member of

the Federation. The challenger must appear before the Representative

Council with the facts of the challenge. The person being challenged will also

have the right to appear. If the Representative Council votes by a two-thirds

(2/3) majority to unseat the challenged appointee, he shall be removed from

the committee.

7. Federation appointees are ordinarily expected to use their own judgment in

deciding on IWC or Standing Committee issues, but the Federation reserves

the right to instruct them on specific issues (passed by RC 9/23/71).

8. The Representative Council shall appoint one delegate as Head Delegate for

each Standing Committee. His functions will include the following:

(A) To insure full faculty representation at all committee meetings;

(B) To serve as a committee liaison with the Executive Committee and with

the Federation representatives on the IWC;

the Executive Committee and to the committee's liaison on the IWC.

(D) To discuss on a regular basis the business of his committee with the

committee's liaison on the IWC [see item #10, below].

(E) To convene and chair caucuses of the Federation appointees to the

committee (passed by RC 9/23/71).

(F) To conduct elections to fill delegate vacancies on his committee and

report the results to the Representative Council.

(G) To report to the Representative Council any alternate vacancies.

9. The Representative Council shall appoint one delegate to the IWC as Head

Delegate. His functions shall include the following:

(A) To insure full faculty representation at all IWC meetings.

(B) To serve as the IWC liaison with the Federation officers, the

Representative Council and the General Membership.

Executive Committee.

(D) To report, on a regular basis, the activities of the committee to the

Representative Council and to the General Membership.

(E) To convene and chair caucuses of the Federation appointees to the

committee (provisions passed by RC 9/23/71).

(F) To conduct elections to fill delegate vacancies on the IWC and to report

the results to the Representative Council.

(G) To report any alternate vacancies to the Representative Council.

10. Each appointee to the IWC shall be assigned as liaison with a Standing

Committee (passed by RC 9/23/71). As such, his duties shall include:

(A) Keeping informed of the activities of the Standing Committee through

notices, minutes, working papers of the committee sent him by the Head

Delegate of the committee and through regular discussions with that

Head Delegate.

(B) Periodically attending the Standing Committee's meetings and/or

caucuses of the Federation appointees to the Standing Committees.

Delegate and to the caucuses of the IWC.

11. The Federation appointees to the IWC and to each Standing Committee

shall have an operating caucus. All appointed delegates and alternates

shall have the power to vote within the caucus. By majority vote, the caucus

may decide to use the unit rule (passed by RC 9/23/71).

12. Provisions to allow for input to Standing Committees and IWC (passed by

RC 9/30/03).

(A) Who would provide input:

(1) The two faculty bargaining units (e.g., for items being discussed by

Curriculum Committee); or

(2) All three bargaining units (e.g., for items being discussed by

Business Affairs Committee, Technology Coordinating Committee)

(B) Methods bargaining unit members may use to provide input to Standing

Committee and IWC deliberations:

(1) When any two members of a Standing Committee believe that

further discussion of a proposal before that body is warranted, or if

any two members of the IWC believe that further discussion of a

proposal before that body is warranted, the Head Delegate of IWC

shall call a Special Issue meeting so that members of affected

bargaining units may discuss that proposal.

(2) Those attending such a Special Issue meeting

(a) shall act as a sounding board for the Standing Committee/IWC

delegates and alternates;

(b) may place an item on the Agenda of a Rep Council meeting,

asking the Rep Council to vote on whether to direct the

Federation’s delegates/alternates on the issue in question (the

Federation’s Constitution provides, in VI. B. (4), “ . . . any

member in good standing of an organization of the Federation

can, in advance of a meeting of that organization, and in time

for such to be included on the written notice of the meeting,

require that an item be included on the agenda . . . .”); and

meeting to vote on the issue, or the Bargaining Unit Co-Chairs,

as appropriate (the Federation’s Constitution provides, in

XIII.2, “Meetings of a Bargaining Unit of the General

Membership shall be called by the Co-Presidents as required;

or as the Co-Presidents deem necessary; or at the request of

the Executive Committee or the Representative Council or

appropriate Bargaining Unit Council or ten (10%) percent of the

Bargaining Unit or the General Membership”).

In making recommendations to College and Federation committees as described in section V.1.B.(7) of the Federation Constitution, the Federation Co-Presidents shall seek to promote gender parity and racial diversity, as well as taking other criteria into consideration; and that the Federation urges the College administration to adopt similar policies in making its appointments to Standing Committees. (RC 1/20/94)

VIII. Grievances

A faculty member is urged to tell his representative of any intent to file a grievance. With the approval of the grievant, the representative shall inform the executive officers of any grievance as soon as he is informed of such a grievance. It is desirable that when a grievance is reduced to writing, a copy be submitted to both department representative and executive officers of the Federation. In order to prepare for the possibility of going to step four, the department representative shall inform the executive officers when a grievance is going to step three. To consider the merit of sending a grievance to binding arbitration it is the responsibility of the executive committee to make a recommendation in writing to the representative council, to make every effort to have every representative attend a special meeting, and to invite the grievant to be present. At such a meeting the representative council shall constitute itself as a hearing committee, whose decision shall be final. After the grievant has stated his case, with such assistance as he may desire, the representative council shall deliberate among themselves and make their decision by roll call vote. A written report of their decision shall be disseminated to the membership. (RC 1/20/71)

IX. Newsletter and other communications

The Newsletter is an open forum and any Federation Member may have a signed article published in the Newsletter. (RC 4/25/79)

In any personal communication from a member of the Federation to the Federation at large, except when published in the Federation’s Newsletter the Federation will pay duplicating costs, but the office manager is not to be asked to type or distribute the communication. (RC 12/4/79)

The Newsletter shall provide a forum for candidates for office to make statements provided that all candidates are given the same opportunity, space, and issue of the publication to present their positions. No further union funds may be used to promote the candidacy of any individual. (RC 9/19/89)

Endorsements may appear in the election issue of the Newsletter provided the endorsements are signed and all candidates have equal access to submitting endorsements. (RC10/27/98)

(Various measures passed at RC 4/24/01)

1. Each Newsletter edition shall print a disclaimer on page one stating that the views

expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect those of the Faculty Federation or its

officials.

2. Should the Executive Committee wish in the future to delay or to suppress

publication of an article or part of an article, Representative Council will determine at

its next meeting whether or not to uphold the decision.

3. Articles submitted to the Newsletter shall be limited in length to a total of 6 pages, or

3 sheets, both sides.

X. Name of the organization (Ref 11/03)

Change of name from The Faculty Federation of Community College of Philadelphia to The Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia.

XI. Faculty Council on Education (Ref 4/04)

A. The Mission of the Faculty Council on Education shall be to provide a forum

for faculty to discuss and make recommendations on issues related to effective

teaching and learning and educational excellence.

B. The Faculty Council on Education shall:

1. Elect Co-Chairs from its membership who shall not also be General

Officers of the Federation;

2. Establish committees of the Faculty Council on Education, including one

focused on general education, and appoint members to such committees;

3. Meet as needed. All members of the Federation bargaining units, and

Department Heads, shall have the right to attend and speak at Faculty

Council on Education meetings;

4. Review and act on reports from Faculty Council on Education committees;

5. Make recommendations to the Standing Committees;

6. Make recommendations to the General Education Coordinator and

Committee on matters of implementation of General Education policy,

should this Coordinator and this Committee be instituted;

7. Make recommendations to the Representative Council, or to the

bargaining units’ Proposals Committees, or the General Membership;

8. Send copies of its recommendations to the Executive Committee for

review concerning their impact on contractual issues and for possible

referral to the appropriate bargaining unit or General Membership. The

Federation’s General Membership and bargaining units have final

authority on all contractual matters.

C. Faculty Council on Education Representatives

1. Department Representatives to the Faculty Council on Education.

a. Each of the academic Departments shall elect Faculty Council on

Education Representative(s) from among its members (including the

Department Head). Departments are identified in the attached

document.

b. A department with one Federation member shall be entitled to a

representative. For each additional thirty (30) Federation members, the

department is entitled to elect one (1) additional representative.

Notwithstanding the above, no Department shall be entitled to more

than six representatives. Alternate Representatives shall be listed in the

order of votes received.

2. At-Large Representatives to the Faculty Council on Education.

In addition to departmental representatives to the Faculty Council on

Education, there shall be four at-large representatives elected from the FT Bargaining Unit and four at-large representatives elected from the

PT/VL Bargaining Unit. Candidates may run for election both in their

department and at-large.

3. Faculty Council on Education Representatives shall be elected in the Spring

of each academic year for a one-year term, in accordance with the

provisions of Article XII of the Federation’s Constitution, except that all

members of each of the Faculty Bargaining Units and Department Heads

shall be eligible to vote. The terms of all Representatives shall begin on

the following September 1.

4. A Faculty Council on Education Representative shall:

a. Serve as a member of the Faculty Council on Education, helping the

Council to carry out its mission;

b. Convey to the Council concerns and insights of his/her colleagues; and

c. Communicate with his/her Department, and with the faculty in general,

all questions under consideration by the Faculty Council on Education.

D. Co-Chairs of the Faculty Council on Education

1. The Co-Chairs shall:

a. Call meetings of the Faculty Council on Education as required by the

Council; or upon the request of the Co-Presidents or the Executive

Committee; or upon presentation to the Co-Chairs of a petition of twenty

(20%) per cent of the Council’s membership;

b. Preside at meetings of the Faculty Council on Education;

c. Be ex officio members of the Federation’s Executive Committee; and

d. Make a written or oral report at each Representative Council meeting

on proposals being considered by the Faculty Council.

Italicized comments by Richard D. Keiser

FACFEDWEB

XI. Faculty Council on Education (Ref 4/04)