CONSTITUTION, BYLAWS and Policies
OF THE
LYON COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Lyon County Education Association. (LCEA)
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization shall be:
SECTION 1:
To promote a better educational environment for the pupils.
SECTION 2:
To encourage advancement of educators professionally, economically, and socially.
SECTION 3:
To cooperate actively with the public and with other professional groups on educational matters.
SECTION 4:
To provide the educators with an organization through which communication with the school board and the general public may be affected.
ARTICLE III
SECTION 1:
Membership shall be classified as:
a. Active membership: Any licensed educator or school nurse who has elected to pay unified dues has full voting powers.
b. Retired members: Retired educators who can qualify for National Education Association (NEA) or Nevada State Education Association (NSEA) retired membership may be accepted as honorary members on paying state and national dues and thereby receive all rights and benefits of regular members.
SECTION 2:
Membership in this organization will include licensed school personnel excluding administrators.
SECTION 3:
The Association guarantees a due process hearing to any member facing disciplinary action and that such members shall have the right to appeal initial decisions to second, independent body.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
SECTION 1:
The officers of this association shall be: a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. All officers shall be elected for two years, but may succeed themselves. The Term of office shall begin June 1. Elections for President and Treasurer shall be held in even-numbered years. Elections for Vice-President and Secretary shall be held in odd-numbered years.
SECTION 2:
The Executive Board shall have the power to make all necessary rules for carrying out the election. The Nomination Committee shall submit nominations and the Elections Committee shall conduct the elections. Elections will be held in accordance with LCEA election policies.
SECTION 3:
Both the President and the Vice-President shall have served on the Executive Board for a period of at least one year before they may be nominated for these positions.
SECTION 4:
Should the President vacate the office, the Vice-President will fill the office of President until a new election is held. Vacancies in any other office shall be filled for the unexpired term through an appointment by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE V EXECUTIVE BOARD
SECTION 1:
The Executive Board shall be composed of:
(1) Officers of the Association
(2) Building Representatives
(3) Chairpersons of the standing committees serving as ex-officio members.
SECTION 2:
A building representative may be elected for any school with a ratio of one (1) representative per ten (10) teachers. Each school shall be entitled to have one representative.
SECTION 3:
The members of each school shall be responsible for the election of their representative(s).
SECTION 4:
Ethnic minorities will be represented on the Executive Board in at least the same proportion as they are in the membership.
SECTION 5:
Building Representative vacancies will be filled for the unexpired term as they occur, by a member in the specified school.
ARTICLE VI AFFILIATION
The Lyon County Education Association is affiliated with the following educational associations:
1. NEA National Education Association
2. NSEA Nevada State Education Association
3. UCN Uniserv Council of Nevada
ARTICLE VII MEETINGS
SECTION 1:
Regular and special meeting of LCEA shall be determined by the President or a majority of the Executive Board. A Negotiations Committee report will be given when negotiations are finalized.
SECTION 2:
All meetings of the Association and its Executive Board shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order unless specific variance is authorized by the Constitution and Bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII - QUORUM
SECTION 1:
A quorum for the Executive Board shall consist of a majority of the members of the Board.
ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
An amendment to this Constitution may be introduced at any Executive Board meeting of the Association. The Executive Board may, by majority vote, have an item put before the membership for consideration. Members may have an amendment proposal put before the membership by presenting a petition to the Executive Board. The petition must contain signatures from at least ten percent (10%) of the total membership of the Association.
ARTICLE X ADOPTION
Adoption shall be affected by mailing the proposed changes with a ballot at least one week prior to the date the ballots are due to be returned to the Secretary. Adoption will require a 2/3 affirmative vote of the voting members.
First adoption was so accomplished at Yerington on August 31, 1973.
ARTICLE I EXECUTIVE BOARD, DUTIES AND POWERS
SECTION 1:
Upon the Executive shall rest the duties, responsibilities, and final authority for conduct of the Association in all matters except as stated otherwise in these Constitution and Bylaws. The Executive Board may at any time refer any mater to the entire membership for general consideration.
SECTION 2:
Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held in accordance with Article VII, Section 1 of the LCEA Constitution.
SECTION 3:
The Executive Board shall adopt a budget by the November meeting. The budget may be revised by the Board at any time.
SECTION 4:
The Executive Board shall, at anytime deemed necessary, establish the Association Membership dues by the following procedure:
a. establish need and amount of dues increase
b. majority vote at an Executive Board meeting
c. dues will not be increased more than once during a 12 month membership year
SECTION 5
The Executive Board or Negotiations Team shall approve by 2/3 majority vote any Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) prior to any Executive Board member signing such document. An exception may be made for MOUs agreed to during confidential grievance proceedings.
ARTICLE II DUTIES OF BUILDING REPRESENTATIVE
SECTION 1:
It shall be the duty of each duly elected building representative to:
a. Attend all meetings of this association or be responsible for the attendance of another member in his stead.
b. Represent and be responsible for the reporting of all of the activities of the Association to the members of the school sites within one week after each Board meeting.
c. Any other appropriate duty as may be assigned by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE III COMMITTEES
SECTION 1:
Standing and Special Committees will be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Executive Board. The size and term of office as well as the duties of the committees will be determined by the Executive Board.
SECTION 2:
The following
committees shall be represented:
Standing Committees:
(1) Negotiations
a.
The
negotiations team committee shall provide progress reports to the general
membership after each negotiations session. Negotiations proposals shall be kept
confidential and not released to any other third party or uninvolved party.
Details may be revealed only after tentative agreements have been reached,
approved, and released by the negotiations team committee.
(2) Membership
(3) Newsletter/Communications
(4) Grievance
Special Committees will be formed as needed.
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIVES TO MEETINGS OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
SECTION 1:
Representatives to the NSEA Delegate Assembly shall be chosen, in accordance with NSEA election policies by the membership at large by a secret ballot prior to the Delegate Assembly.
SECTION 2:
The President of the Association is a delegate to Delegate Assembly and shall be the chairperson of the delegation of the Association. The past-President shall be considered an automatic nominee as a delegate. Delegates shall be elected to two year terms.
The President of the Association is a delegate to Representative Assembly during his/her term of office. If the President of the Association is unable to attend Representative Assembly the first available alternate from the Representative Assembly election will attend in his/her place.
SECTION 3:
The number of delegates shall be determined by the NSEA Credentials Committee.
SECTION 4:
Delegates to Regional and/or National professional meetings shall be elected by members of the Executive Board.
SECTION 5:
Official delegates and representatives are responsible for the distribution of information gained in their attendance to any and all groups assigned by the delegation chairman.
SECTION 6:
Officers and members of this Association are encouraged to become contributors to Together in Politics (TIP).
ARTICLE V AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
SECTION 1:
Amendments to these Bylaws may be introduced, in writing, at any Executive Board meeting. The Executive Board may, by majority vote, have an item put before the membership for consideration. Members may have an amendment proposal put before the membership by presenting a petition to the Executive Board. The petition must contain signatures from at least ten percent (10%) of the total membership of the Association.
Nominations Committee
The function of the Nominations Committee is to collect, organize and present to the Executive Board and the members of LCEA, the names of those people running for office.
The Nominations Committee shall be formed at the November Executive Board meeting, and at the January Executive Board meeting shall accept nominations from the floor and present a list of nominations.
The committee shall consist of at least 3 but not more than 5 members and should be representative of the different attendance areas.
Responsibilities shall include collection and organization of names of members who are running for offices with the Assoc., Delegate Assembly and Representative Assembly.
Nominations Committee shall establish a form that includes job description, positions open, who is eligible and deadline for nominations.
Elections Committee
The function of the Elections Committee is to conduct the elections of LCEA. The Elections Committee shall produce a ballot that will include all the names of members who:
a) are nominated by the Nominations Committee
b) are nominated from the floor
c) and provide a space for a Write In candidate for each office
d) The ballot shall include instructions an date for ballot return
e) In the event the number of nominees for an elected position matches the open elected position seats (no opposition) the election will be declared in favor of the existent nominee without conducting a formal ballot.
The Vice-President shall chair the Elections Committee.
The Elections Committee shall establish:
a) when ballots are to be mailed to members. This shall be at least 10 days prior to the return postmark date.
b) a return postmark deadline date.
c) when ballots are to be counted. This is to be no sooner than one week from the postmark date.
d) that ballots shall be mailed with a return, stamped envelope enclosed
e) ballots shall be numbered
The committee shall consist of at least three members.
At least 3 members of the Elections Committee, who are not on the ballot, shall meet to count the ballots and certify the election.
The Chair shall be responsible to report the results to the President and notify all candidates of the results within 48 hours of the count.
Other Policies Discussed
The membership shall be notified of all LCEA policies during September of each year. The Secretary shall give a copy of the updated policies to the President, who shall distribute them to the Exec. Bd. The Building Reps shall distribute the policies to the general membership.
Recommendations, by members for policy changes, will be addressed by the Executive Board.
Duties of the Executive Board
All members of the Executive Board shall uphold the Constitution and Bylaws of the NEA, NSEA and LCEA.
President
a)
Preside over
the meetings of the Executive Board
b)
Publish the
agenda
c)
Be the
representative to the UCN Board or appoint a designee
d)
Chair LCEA
delegates at Delegate Assembly
e)
Chair LCEA
delegates at Representative Assembly
f)
Chair LCEA
attendees at NEAs Pacific Regional Leadership Conference
g)
Be LCEA
communication liaison with NSEA, Superintendent and School Board
h)
Assure LCEA
representation at all School Board meetings
i)
Appoint
committee members for all standing and special committees
j)
be a liaison
for the Building Representatives, Area Grievance Representatives, the LCEA
President, and the NSEA Staff
k)
process
(review) all grievances
l)
consult with
Area Grievance persons on Level 1 grievances
m)
represent the
Association/members in Level 2 grievances
n)
maintain a
central grievance file for Association records
Vice-President
a) Shall preside in the absence of the President
b) Shall chair Nominations, Elections and Membership Committees
Secretary
a) Keep a record of the minutes of the Executive Board meetings
b) Shall distribute the minutes to the Executive Board prior to the next meeting
c) Keep a record of the minutes and agendas
d) Assist in organizing the records of the Association
Treasurer
a) Keep the financial records of the Association
b) Chair the Budget Committee
c) Keep records of expenditures by budget category
d) Develop proposed budget in consultation with the President to present to the Executive Board for approval
e) Chair the Scholarship Committee and notify High Schools of scholarships recommendations and issue checks by January 31 to High School Scholarship Committees
f) issue checks for:
1) general documented expenses of the Association
2) delegates to Delegate Assembly and Representative Assembly when members are elected
3) retirees
4) honorariums
Building Representatives
a) Attend LCEA meetings on a regular basis
b) Communicate, distribute and collect information
c) Hold informal meeting within one week of the Executive Board meeting
d) Represent or obtain representation for members at the first step of the grievance process with Building Administrators
e) Inform Grievance Chairperson of infractions of the contract
f) Make every effort to take grievance training
Scholarship
Recommendations
Recipients must attend and graduate from Lyon County High Schools.
a)
Need to be
related to LCEA members and
b)
It is
desirable that he/she seek degrees in an education related field
*LCEA will write the check directly to the Institution of Higher Education
NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference
Whenever possible the LCEA President should attend the NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference. If the LCEA President is unable to attend NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference, the LCEA Vice-President will attend in his/her place. If the LCEA Vice-President is unable to attend the NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference, the first available alternate from the NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference drawing will attend in his/her place. The drawings for the NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference should take place at the November LCEA Executive Board meeting. One drawing should be for members who have never attended the NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference. Another drawing should be for members who have attended the NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference in the past. The total number of attendees will be determined by the cost of attending the NEA Pacific Regional Leadership Conference and designated amount available in the LCEA budget.
Honarariums
President $3000
Vice-President $ 500
Secretary $ 500
Treasurer $ 500