BYLAWS of the DALLAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY ASSOCIATION
(Herein called DCCFA)
REVISED 11/13/98
ARTICLE I - AFFILIATION
The DCCFA may affiliate with other organizations by a majority vote of the members of the DCCFA.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP DUES
- Annual dues for active members shall be $75.
- Annual dues for associate members shall be $25.
- Annual dues for reserve members shall be $10.
- Annual dues must be paid by a member to the local chapter of the DCCFA at a college where the member performs a portion of his or her full time duties and/or has his or her pay station.
- All dues must be paid in full by the time of the convening of the annual fall convention, unless extended by vote of the convention, or within thirty days after the beginning of the fall or spring semester for new employees.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES
Section 1. Active members shall be entitled to the following privileges:
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a. Receive a membership certificate denoting membership in DCCFA.
b. Receive a subscription to the DCCFA newsletter.
c. Be eligible to run for and hold office.
d. Be able to vote in DCCFA matters.
e. Be able to vote for officers in the local chapters.
f. Be given a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws of the DCCFA.
Section 2. Associate members shall be entitled to all privileges as active members except holding office and voting.
Section 3. Reserve members shall be entitled to such privileges as may be approved by the Council except holding office and voting.
ARTICLE IV - LEGAL ASSISTANCE FUND
Section 1. A permanent legal assistance fund shall be established and maintained by the DCCFA.
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a. The fund will be supported by a percentage of yearly membership dues. The percentage will be established by the Council and approved by the general convention.
b. This fund shall be maintained by the treasurer of the DCCFA in account separate from the DCCFA treasury funds.
Section 2. The legal assistance fund will be used to provide legal assistance and other necessary help for DCCFA members involved in contractual and/or academic freedom disputes within the Dallas County Community College District. Only faculty who have been active members of the DCCFA for two consecutive years in which they have been eligible for membership, immediately prior to the year in which they request assistance, except first year faculty, shall be eligible for legal assistance funds. The Council will supervise the expenditure of these funds and the selection of an attorney.
ARTICLE V - FINANCE
Section 1. The DCCFA shall defray all necessary expenses of operating and maintaining an office.
Section 2. The fiscal year shall be June 1 to May 31.
Section 3. The District Faculty Council may hire a bursar to keep financial records for the DCCFA and to disperse funds of less than $1OOO at the direction of the Council. The bursar will be under the supervision of the treasurer of the DCCFA.
ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS
Section 1.The term of office for all officers and Council members shall begin June 1.
Section 2.All checks of $1000 or more shall require the signatures of two of the three of the following: president, treasurer, and bursar.
Section 3.The president shall be the official representative of the DCCFA in its contact with the government, civic, professional, business and other organizations, institutes, and groups for the purpose of advancing the objectives of the DCCFA. The president shall have the power to appoint an official representative from the Council if unable to be the official representative.
a. The president shall:
(1) preside over all Council meetings and general conventions.
(2) serve as ex-officio member of all committees.
(3) call special meetings of the Council and, with the approval of two or more Council members, call for a general convention.
(4) appoint a parliamentarian subject to the approval of the Council.
(5) attend monthly meetings of the Dallas County Community College Board of Trustees and report significant outcomes to the Faculty Council.
(6) perform all other appropriate duties as may be assigned by the Council and/or the general convention.
b. The vice-president shall:
(1) preside in the absence of the president.
(2) serve as chairman of standing and special committees as directed by the Council and/or general convention.
(3) perform the duties of the president when the president is in absentia
(4) assume such responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or the general convention.
(5) appoint a committee of three members of the Council to review expenditures and verify their application to the approved budget prior to the filing of the tax data with the IRS. The president of the Council and the treasurer of the association will be excluded from membership on the committee.
c. The recording secretary shall:
(1) keep an accurate record of the regular and special meetings of the general convention and Council and convey such records to the DCCFA office for printing.
(2) serve as chairman of standing and special committees as directed by the Council and/or general convention.
(3) assume such responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or the general convention.
d. The treasurer shall:
(1) maintain an account for all DCCFA funds.
(2) give a monthly account of DCCFA funds to the Council.
(3) give an annual account of the DCCFA funds to the general convention.
(4) be responsible for the disbursement of all funds.
(5) disburse money above what is allocated in the budget only after approval by the Council or general convention.
(6) be responsible for the preparation of a budget for consideration by the Council.
(7) serve as chairman of standing and special committees.
(8) assume such responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or the general convention.
(9) submit records for an annual audit or review, with procedures for such an audit or review being authorized by the District Faculty Council.
(1O) supervise the bursar for the DCCFA.
(11) working in conjunction with the bursar, inform his or her successor of membership, tax, and filing responsibilities and such matters, to facilitate an orderly transition of the financial affairs of the association.
e. The standing committee chairman shall:
(1) serve as chairman of a standing committee as assigned by the Council or general convention.
(2) assume such responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or the general convention.
ARTICLE VII - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director shall assume such responsibilities as may be assigned by the Council and/or general convention.
ARTICLE VIII - THE COUNCIL
Section 1. The Council shall by majority vote:
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a. serve as the coordinating body of the DCCFA and shall act in areas not specifically designated to some other authority.
b. be responsible to the members whom they represent.
c. act in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the DCCFA.
d. act on recommendations and resolutions of standing and/or special committees.
e. consider and act on the budget as submitted by the treasurer.
f. order payment of monies.
g. approve the employment of the Executive Director.
Section 2. The Council will meet once each month for regular meetings.
Section 3. Special meeting of the Council may be called by any two (2) members of the Council. Notice of all special meetings shall be sent to all Council members at least three (3) days prior to the meeting outlining the business to be transacted.
Section 4. Emergency meetings of the Council may be called by a majority of the members of the Council. Notice of emergency meetings shall be sent to all Council members prior to the meeting.
Section 5. A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for any regular, special, or emergency meeting.
ARTICLE IX - COMMITTEES
Section 1. There shall be the following standing committees: instructional goals/academic freedom; economic and faculty welfare; communication; political information; membership; financial information.
Section 2. Standing committees shall be composed of a chairman chosen by the Council, and one member from each chapter of the DCCFA.
Section 3. All chairmen of standing committees shall be chosen by the Council. The committee members shall be chosen by their local chapters.
Section 4. Standing committee chairmen will be chosen from the members of the Council and all committee members must be active members of the DCCFA.
Section 5. All standing and special committees will report to the Council. Committees will have the power to investigate and to recommend action to the Council.
Section 6. Duties of standing and special committees. All committees will be empowered by the Council to investigate problems and proposals in the area of their jurisdiction and to make recommendations for appropriate action to the Council. Committees will undertake specific action only at the direction of the Council.
Section 7. The jurisdiction of the standing committees shall be:
a. Instructional Goals and Academic Freedom committee:
(1) Curriculum and curriculum revision
(2) Faculty-student ratio
(3) Freedom of choice in instructional mode
(4) Faculty evaluation procedures
(5) Professional growth
(6) Instructional support services
(7) Definition of academic freedom
(8) Open hearing procedures
(9) Current legal status of academic freedom
(10) Procedures for appeal of unfair evaluation
(11) Others as assigned by the Council.
b. Economic and Faculty Welfare committee:
(1) Salary and benefits
(2) Faculty schedule and work load
(3) Faculty contract
(4) Others as assigned by the Council.
c. Communication committee:
(2) Press relations
(3) Procedures for public announcements
(4) Faculty-student communication
(5) Others as assigned by the Council.
d. Political Information committee:
(2) Others as assigned by the Council.
e. Membership committee:
(2) Recruitment of new members
(3) Membership rolls and cards
(4) Others as assigned by the Council.
f. Financial Information committee:
(2) Texas Optional Retirement Program (ORP)
(3) Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA)
(4) Outside evaluation
(5) Other issues related to retirement planning
(6) Dallas Teachers Credit Union
(7) Income tax consequences of professional activities
(8) Others as assigned by the Council.
ARTICLE X - HEADQUARTERS
The DCCFA shall maintain a legal address at such location as determined by the Council.
ARTICLE XI - OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
Section 1. The official publication of the DCCFA shall be named by the Council.
Section 2. The purpose of the DCCFA publication shall be to:
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a. promote the objectives of the DCCFA.
b. inform the membership of the progress of the work of the Council and committees.
c. publish such information as pertains to the activities of the DCCFA in achieving its objectives and such news as is of interest to the membership of the DCCFA as a whole.
Section 3. The DCCFA publication shall be published under the guidance of the Communications Committee Chairperson and with the assistance of the Communications Committee. There will be three issues per regular semester.
Section 4. The DCCFA publication shall be operated within the budget unless otherwise directed by the Council.
ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENT
These Bylaws shall be amended by the majority vote of the members present at a general convention.
ARTICLE XIII - GENERAL CONVENTION
A general convention must be held no later than November 15, of each year.
ARTICLE XIV - PURPOSE
The purposes of the DCCFA shall be to improve its members professional abilities and to secure for them better salaries and working conditions, sponsor seminars and courses for its members, participate in teacher conventions, bargain collectively and process grievances, ensure academic freedom, and keep its members informed of its activities through regular meetings and newsletters.
ARTICLE XV – ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES
The DallasCommunity College Faculty Association:
…should promote the welfare of the members and should, at all times, be an advocate for faculty rights, privileges and benefits and be vigilant about any abridgement of those rights.
…values and encourages diversity for our faculty and students and realizes that differences in gender, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, cultures, life choices, religion or any unique life experiences brings a richness to our colleges and our classrooms. Every employee and student has the right to expect fairness, equity and equal opportunity.
…is committed to supporting the right for academic freedom and academic responsibility. Each faculty member has the right to speak his/her own truth as they fulfill their professional responsibility.
…believes that the collegial system is a very unique but fragile system that must be protected... It is one that values open debate and discourse, differences in opinion and intellectual pursuits. It does not gladly suffer autocracy or those who profess to have a monopoly on truth.
…believes that the Association should operate in a professional, thoughtful manner within institutional parameters while maintaining a proactive and activist orientation. It is our right and responsibility to foster intellectual inquiry and encourage debate about policy and the allocation of financial resources in the District.
…is committed to encouraging, protecting, and practicing the democratic ideals that provide the foundation for our organization.
…is committed to our students and their learning.
…believes that the foundation of the DCCCD is its faculty which provides continuity, communicates the culture, and delivers the instructional message.
…believes that the leadership of the Association should have an ongoing commitment to improving communication and encouraging participation and discourse.
…is committed to assisting and supporting new faculty.
Bylaws of the Dallas Community College Faculty Association as amended 9/30/77, 10/30/78, 3/23/79, 11/9/79, 4/25/80, 11/5/82, 11/85, 11/14/86, 11/4/88, 11/10/89, 11/15/91, 11/7/97, 11/13/98 and 11/05.
Page Last Updated: February 2, 2006
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