By-Laws of the Association of Professors of
Southern Oregon University
ARTICLE I. Members
Section 1.
All faculty of Southern Oregon University who are members of the bargaining unit as certified by the Public Employees Relation Board are eligible to become members of the Association of Professors: Southern Oregon University, hereafter referred to as APSOU, upon commencing payment of the annual dues for the first year. They will remain members of APSOU until such time as annual dues are no longer being paid.
Section 2.
The rate of dues may be changed by the membership at any meeting, provided that the proposed dues schedule is distributed to the membership at least one week prior to the meeting at which the proposal will be voted on.
Section 3.
The right to vote and the right to hold office in APSOU are open only to members.
ARTICLE II. Officers
Section 1.
The officers of APSOU shall be President, President-Elect (who shall serve as president during the next calendar year), Recorder, Treasurer, and four at-large members of the Executive Board. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by APSOU.
Section 2.
The immediate past-president shall also serve as a member of the Executive Board.
Section 3.
The current (or most recent) chair of the negotiating team and the current Association of Oregon Faculties (AOF) representative shall serve as non-voting ex-officio members of the Executive Board.
Section 4.
During the first fall meeting, the Executive Board shall appoint a nominating committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to nominate candidates for the offices of APSOU. The nominating committee shall report at the second meeting, at which time additional nominations from the floor shall be permitted.
Section 5.
The nominating committee shall conduct a secure ballot, and the non-presidential officers elected shall hold office for two years beginning the first of January. The terms of the 4 at-large members as well as Treasurer and Recorder will be staggered so that three will have terms beginning in even-numbered years and three will have terms starting in odd-numbered years.
ARTICLE III. The Executive Board
Section 1.
The officers of APSOU, including the at-large members of the Board shall constitute the Executive Board.
Section 2.
The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of APSOU between its business meetings, fix the hour and place of meetings, make recommendations to APSOU, and shall perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws. The Board shall be subject to the orders of APSOU and none of its acts shall conflict with any action taken by APSOU.
Section 3.
The duties of the President shall include, but not be limited to, drafting and delivering grievances to the administration, taking the lead on all grievances, keeping current on and managing timelines for grievances, representing APSOU members in formal and informal hearings, and working exclusively with APSOU’s attorney. The President shall also schedule and organize board meetings and all APSOU meetings, manage information related to APSOU activities, ensure all confidential APSOU information storage and communications take place outside of SOU-managed infrastructure. The President needs to keep up with making sure that all of the information requests/documents that are included in the CBA are shared/completed and published by the administration at the appropriate time. Finally, the President will coordinate with President-elect and Past President with ongoing issues and preparations for transitions from one office to the next. The President can also delegate some of these responsibilities if needed.
Section 4.
The duties of the President-elect shall include, but not be limited to, become conversant with policies and operations of APSOU and increasingly become directly involved in actions with President as transition approaches.
Section 5.
The duties of the Past President shall include, but not be limited to, guiding the President and President-elect in history and procedure.
Section 6.
The duties of the Treasurer shall include, but not be limited to, maintaining APSOU’s funds and expenses through bookkeeping and writing checks. Additionally, the treasurer keeps a list of faculty wishing to not pay union dues and donate to a charity instead. At the end of the year, the Treasurer prepares a full report of the year’s accounting and presents this to the board.
Section 7.
The duties of the Recorder shall include, but not be limited to, recording motions, recording minutes, and recording votes at APSOU board meetings and APSOU general meetings. The recorder sends the minutes after the meetings for editing and approval.
Section 8.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Board, regular meetings of the Board shall be monthly. Special meetings of the Board can be called by the President and shall be called upon written request of three members of the Board.
ARTICLE IV. Meetings
Section 1.
Meetings can be called by the President or by the Executive Board and shall be called upon written request of ten members of APSOU. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. Except in cases of emergency, at least three school days notice shall be given.
Section 2.
Fifteen members of APSOU shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE V. Committees
Section 1.
Committees of APSOU shall be appointed by the Executive Board as needed. Committees shall select non-voting consultants as considered necessary for the performance of their assigned duties. A member of the Executive Board shall serve ex-officio as a member of each committee, except in the case of the Nominating Committee; otherwise, no committee shall have more than one ex-officio member.
Section 2.
All policy recommendations of committees shall be made to the Executive Board for approval before taking effect.
ARTICLE VI. Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern APSOU in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order APSOU may adopt.
ARTICLE VII. Amendment of the Bylaws
These bylaws can be amended at any meeting of the general membership of APSOU by a two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the membership at least one week prior to that meeting.
Approved as amended by APSOU membership vote: October 24, 2018