UFF-USF

At the August 28 Chapter meeting, the Amendments were adjusted to the following:

UFF-USF Constitution Proposed Amendment

Article VI. Amendment.

This constitution may be amended as follows: A proposed amendment shall be distributed to all members at least thirty days prior to a vote. A constitutional amendment shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of all those present at the time of the vote. The Chapter Executive Committee, Chapter Council, 10% of the chapter membership (by petition), or a majority of the attending members at any membership meeting may propose an amendment to the constitution, whose proposed changes shall then be sent to the membership thirty days before a paper-ballot or an electronic vote. Ratification requires approval A vote of two-thirds of those present and voting.

UFF-USF Bylaws Proposed Amendment

Article VI. Amendments.

The Chapter Executive Committee, Chapter Council, 10% of the chapter membership (by petition), or a majority of the attending members at any membership meeting may propose an amendment to the by-laws, whose proposed changes shall then be sent to the membership thirty days before a paper-ballot or an electronic vote. Ratification of the proposed change(s) requires approval vote of two-thirds of a majority of those present and voting. at a membership meeting if the members have been notified at least two weeks in advance may amend the Bylaws.

Attendance.
There were fourteen people in attendance.

Agenda.
The agenda was approved.

Attendance.
There were fourteen people in attendance.

Special rule for the debate of amendments and new business items.

• Special rule proposed: For the purposes of debate on governance amendments and new business items at the August 28, 2009, chapter membership meeting, debate shall be limited to 20 minutes for each governance amendment and 10 minutes for each new business item. If time for debate has elapsed without a vote on the main motion, the body shall vote on any motion currently before the body and the main motion. Each speech shall be restricted to one tenth of the time alloted for the debate on the main motion (i.e., 2 minutes for speeches on the governance amendments and 1 minute for new business items). The wording of resolutions and amendments shall be presented in writing to the chair at the time the motion is made. Special rule defeated.

Debate and vote on proposed amendment to Chapter Constitution.

• Amendment proposed:Proposal to change Article VI of the constitution to read: “The Chapter Executive Committee, Chapter Council, 20 % of the chapter membership (by petition), or the attending members at any membership meeting may propose an amendment to the constitution, whose proposed changes shall then be sent to the membership thirty days before a paper-ballot or an electronic vote. Ratification requires approval of two-thirds of those voting.” (Tracked changes displayed at http://faculty.ourusf.org/2009/07/26/text-of-constitution-and-by-laws-amendment-proposals-to-be-voted-on-august-28/ ). Amendment defeated.
• Motion made and seconded:To proposed the above amendment, for approval on October 9, with the following two modifications: that “20 % of the chapter” be changed to “10 % of the chapter” and that “the attending members” be changed to “a majority of the attending members”.
  • Motion to amend the above motion made and seconded: To strike the modification from 20 % to 10 %. Motion to amend the amendment defeated.
  • Motion to amend approved.
• Main motion approved. The amendment as amended shall be presented to the Chapter for approval for presentation to the Membership for approval.

Debate and vote on proposed amendment to Chapter Bylaws.

• Amendment proposed:Proposal to change Article VI of the bylaws to read: “The Chapter Executive Committee, Chapter Council, 20% of the chapter membership (by petition), or the attending members at any membership meeting may propose an amendment to the by-laws, whose proposed changes shall then be sent to the membership two weeks before a paper-ballot or an electronic vote. Ratification of the proposed change(s) requires approval of two-thirds of those voting.” (Tracked changes displayed at http://faculty.ourusf.org/2009/07/26/text-of-constitution-and-by-laws-amendment-proposals-to-be-voted-on-august-28/ ). Amendment defeated.
• Motion made and seconded:To proposed the above amendment, for approval on October 9, with the following two modifications: that “20 % of the chapter” be changed to “10 % of the chapter” and that “the attending members” be changed to “a majority of the attending members”.
• Motion made and seconded:To proposed the above amendment, for approval by October 9, with the following two modifications: that “20 % of the chapter” be changed to “10 % of the chapter” and that “the attending members” be changed to “a majority of the attending members”.
  • Motion to amend the above motion made and seconded: To add to the changes the replacement of “two weeks” by “thirty days” and the replacement of “two-thirds” by “a majority”. Motion to amend the amendment approved.
  • Motion to amend approved.
• Main motion approved. The amendment as amended shall be presented to the Chapter for approval for presentation to the Membership for approval


Dues rebate for new members.

• Motion made by the Executive Committee: RESOLVED, that the UFF-USF chapter shall provide $ 250 new-member rebates for all first-time UFF members who join through payroll deductions between August 1 and September 30 of each year, beginning with 2009. The rebates shall be paid at the end of the fall semester by checks from the chapter’s account(s) and distributed by campus mail, or by U.S. mail if a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided by the new member.
  • Motion made and seconded to amend above motion: That the amount be raised to $ 300. Motion to amend approved.
  • Motion made and seconded to amend above motion: That this policy be announced in a Biweekly Extra and in fliers. Motion to amend approved.
  • Motion made and seconded to amend above motion: That “a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided” be replaced by “requested”. Motion to amend approved.
• Main motion approved as amended.


Stipends policy.

• Motion made by the Executive Committee: Whereas the UFF is a volunteer member organization that is run by volunteers, RESOLVED that the chapter may from time to time pay a stipend to a member who is neither the chapter president nor chapter vice president, where the member has specific responsibilities associated with a specific event or events. The chapter’s president and vice president shall authorize all stipends not received by themselves for purposes approved by the chapter, which shall include the following: attendance or presentations at trainings for grievances, bargaining, and other union duties of responsibility approved by the statewide local or the state affiliate; organizing the political activities of the chapter for a single semester as chair of the Political Action Committee; being responsible for the logistics of informal meetings for a single semester of tenure-track faculty through the Junior Faculty Group or a similar organization. Without prior chapter approval for a specific stipend to be received by a named member, such stipends shall not exceed $299.50 per semester nor $559 per year, and they shall be reported at the general membership meeting following their authorization and recorded in the meeting minutes.
  • Motion to amend the above motion made and seconded: To replace “chapter’s president and vice president shall authorize all stipends not received by themselves” by “chapter’s president and vice president shall authorize all stipends not received by members of the Executive Committee”. Motion approved.
• Main motion approved as amended.


Ad hoc committee on chapter governance documents.
The committee outlined proposed changes to the constitution and bylaws.

• Motion made and seconded: That the proposals be broadcast via the Biweekly. Motion to amend approved.


These minutes respectfully submitted by G. McColm on August 30, 2009.