Black Faculty & Staff Association
of The University of Alabama
Revised By-Laws
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization shall be: Black Faculty and Staff Association here-in-after referred to as BFSA of The University of Alabama.
ARTICLE II
Mission
The purpose of this organization shall be as an advocate for educational equity, with emphasis on African American/Black students, and the professional needs of its members. In the accomplishment of this general purpose, the organization shall promote and provide opportunities for networking among individuals and groups to articulate mutual concerns and advance educational opportunity.
Goals
1. Address issues related to the recruitment, promotion, equity in compensation and retention of full-time African American/Black faculty and staff;
2. Serve as mentors and role models for African American/Black students;
3. Promote unity and communication among members;
4. Seek ways to provide input into the planning and implementation of both curricula and extra-curricula offerings on campus, especially as these impact African Americans/Blacks on campus;
5. Address issues of recruitment, retention and graduation of African American /Blacks on campus;
6. Affiliate with other campus and community organizations that support the mission of the BFSA
7. Encourage research and scholarship of faculty, staff and students.
ARTICLE III
Section 1
Membership
1. Full Member (Voting Privilege) - A full member who is an employee of The University of Alabama and has paid his or her annual dues as set by the Executive Board and attends meetings on a regular basis.
2. Associate Member (Voting Privilege) - An associate member is one who is an employee of The University of Alabama and has paid his or her annual dues as set by the Executive Board, but due to other responsibilities cannot attend meetings on a regular basis.
3. Member at Large (Non-voting) - A member-at-large is one who is a faculty or staff member of The University of Alabama and shares the mission and goals of the organization but has not paid his or her annual dues as set by the Executive Board.
Section 2
Regular Meetings
The BFSA shall hold monthly meetings of its members during the fall and spring semesters. The meetings will be held on the fourth (4th) Tuesday of each month unless notified to the contrary. The meetings will convene to consider the committee reports and transact such other business as may properly come before the organization.
Section 3
Special Meetings
Special meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the President or by the Executive Board upon the request of one-half of Executive Board members.
Section 4
Quorum
At any meeting of BFSA, twenty-five percent of the full membership shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5
Voting
On matters where voting is required, only full and associate member(s) shall be entitled to one vote. Electronic voting shall be permitted. And must have established membership one month prior to election.
ARTICLE IV
Section 1
Elections
All full and associate members shall be eligible to vote in BFSA elections. Officers shall be elected by majority of the full membership. Elections shall be held at the last regularly scheduled meeting in April at the end of the two-year term of elected officers.
Section 2
Term of Office
Each elected officer shall serve for two years, with the exception of the Immediate Past President whose term shall be for one semester immediately following the election of the President.
ARTICLE V
Section 1
Officers
The officers of the BFSA shall be the President, Vice President, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian. Only persons who have been full members of the organization for at least one academic year shall be eligible to serve as officers.
Section 2
Duties of Officers
President shall:
1. Serve as chief executive office of BFSA and the Executive Board;
2. Preside at meetings and at sessions of the Executive Board;
3. Call special meetings, subject to the approval of majority of the members of the Executive Board;
4. Represent or delegate representation for the BFSA at functions when it is in the best interest of the organization;
5. Serve as an ex-officio member of all committees, except the nominating committee;
6. Prepare an annual report for distribution to the membership at the first meeting of the academic year.
7. Vote only if there is a tie;
8. Perform other duties as appropriate for the President.
Vice President shall:
1. Assume the responsibilities of the President in the absence of the President or inability of the President to perform;
2. Assist the President in executing the duties and responsibilities of that office as needed;
3. Serve as Ex-officio member of all committees, except the nominating committee.
Immediate Past President shall:
1. Serve as Ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
Secretary shall:
1. Provide for the taking and keeping of minutes of all meetings of the membership and the Executive Board;
2. Notify the membership of the time and place of meetings;
3. Maintain the files of the organization;
4. Distribute important announcements to members;
5. Perform other duties as the President may assign.
Treasurer shall:
1. Collect any and record all dues from current members by the date established by the Executive Board; dues are due each academic year and cover the period of August 16 of the first year to August 15 of the second year;
2. Be responsible for the finances of the BFSA under the guidance of the Executive Board;
3. Endorse, on behalf of BFSA, checks and other obligations and promptly deposit the same and any other receipts in such banks or other depositories as shall be designated by the Executive Board;
4. Keep full and accurate accounts of all monies and property received and all monies and obligations paid or incurred for the account of the BFSA; and
5. Maintain the books and records, and report on the financial status of BFSA at regular meetings;
6. Maintain a roster of all categories of membership.
Parliamentarian shall:
1. Be responsible for insuring that the meeting is conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised; and
2. Be the final authority in the interpretation of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 3
Vacancies
1. In the event of the death or resignation of an officer prior to the
expiration of the term for which the officer was elected, the president shall appoint a full member to fill such vacancy until the next general election from the full membership.
2. In the event of the death or resignation of the president, the vice-president shall assume the position of the president until the next general election from the full membership.
The following is removed from Article VIII, Sections 1 and 2
Dereliction of duties will be described as:
1. Negligence: Failure to attend at least 4 regularly scheduled meetings without a valid excuse for absences. NOTE: Excuses will be deemed valid at the discretion of the vice-president; however, if a problem persists, it will be brought before the entire executive body. Failure to complete assigned duties without a valid excuse.
2. Failure to comply with and uphold values, duties and interest of BFSA. Including but not limited to any official justly found to have developed a dependence on narcotics, alcohol, or illegal drugs or other substances that seriously impair performance will be subject to impeachment procedures.
3. Failure to carry out the explained responsibilities, duties, and tasks of one’s office, as set forth by the BFSA bylaws.
4. An officer who voluntarily or involuntarily end his or her employment at The University of Alabama or The University of Alabama System, shall not remain in office for the duration of the term.
5. An officer suspended from The University of Alabama or The University of Alabama System, shall not remain in office or be allowed to resume office for the duration of the term.
6. An officer who is no longer a full member in good standing with BFSA, shall be subject to impeachment procedures.
7. Corruption in office. Any official who is “justly” found to have participated in, collaborated, or in any way been involved in acts of embezzlement of funds, misuse or theft of office supplies or equipment shall be subject to impeachment procedures.
8. An officer, who exhibits extreme, harmful, life-threatening behavior toward other members of BFSA and/or the University community, will be subject to impeachment procedures.
9. No member may represent BFSA to the media, community, designated University of Alabama representative or any other organization without approval from the executive board.
Section 2
Impeachment procedures will be as follows: charges can only be brought to the executive board by a full member. The executive board, upon unanimous vote to proceed, will be charged with appointing an ad hoc judiciary board for a hearing. The ad hoc judiciary board shall be a five (5) member board consisting of persons holding no elected or appointed office in BFSA. The board will be chosen based on merit and must come from the full and associate membership of BFSA. If the charged party is a member of the executive board, that person must recuse himself or herself from voting on the composition of the ad hoc judiciary board. The party or parties initiating the charges must be present at the ad hoc judiciary board hearing. The burden of proof rests with the initiating party or parties. The officer or committee member(s) being charged shall have an opportunity to refute charge(s). The ad hoc judiciary board’s recommendation to the executive board is binding.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1
Executive Board
The Executive Board shall be composed of elected officers and the Immediate Past President.
Section 2
Regular Meetings
Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at least once each during the fall and spring semesters.
Section 3
Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President at any convenient time.
Section 4
Quorum
One-half of the membership on the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may convene a meeting for discussion purposes.
Section 5
Formation of Committees
The following rules shall govern the formation of committees:
Types of Committees:
The BFSA will have five (6) standing committees. They are as follows:
Voting
Except as otherwise specifically prescribed in these By-Laws, all decisions at any meeting of the Executive Board or other committees shall be by the majority vote of those present and voting. Each member shall have one vote only.
Section 7
Termination of Board Members
If members of the Executive Board shall be absent for two consecutive regular meetings of the Executive Board, without reasonable cause, their membership on the Board may be terminated by the Board.
ARTICLE VII
Section 1
Finances
The President shall recommend to the Executive Board, for its approval, the amount of dues requested from each member. The amount of the dues shall be sufficient to provide for the activities of the organization as established by the Executive Board.
Section 2
BFSA Funds
All funds received by the BFSA are to be expended for the purposes authorized and in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Executive Board. The financial affairs shall be conducted in accordance with recognized accounting principles, and records shall be kept to show the financial condition and to facilitate the preparation of periodic reports. No BFSA official is authorized to commit the funds of BFSA or otherwise to obligate the BFSA, except to the extent that funds are available for discharging such commitment.
Section 3
Depositions and Withdrawals
All funds received for the account of the BFSA shall be acknowledged by issuance of official receipts and deposited in banks and depositories in the name of BFSA. All withdrawals from such accounts shall be made only by checks or similar orders signed by the Treasurer. Only banks or other depositories that are members of federal deposit insurance corporations may be used to deposit BFSA funds.
Note: Article VIII, Sections 1 and 2 moved to Article V
ARTICLE VIII
Governance
Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, shall ordinarily govern all meetings. These rules may be suspended, and consensus governance applied upon majority vote of the members present at the beginning of any BFSA meeting.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
Amendments of these by-laws may be adopted, altered, or repealed by a simple majority vote of the membership.
of The University of Alabama
Revised By-Laws
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization shall be: Black Faculty and Staff Association here-in-after referred to as BFSA of The University of Alabama.
ARTICLE II
Mission
The purpose of this organization shall be as an advocate for educational equity, with emphasis on African American/Black students, and the professional needs of its members. In the accomplishment of this general purpose, the organization shall promote and provide opportunities for networking among individuals and groups to articulate mutual concerns and advance educational opportunity.
Goals
1. Address issues related to the recruitment, promotion, equity in compensation and retention of full-time African American/Black faculty and staff;
2. Serve as mentors and role models for African American/Black students;
3. Promote unity and communication among members;
4. Seek ways to provide input into the planning and implementation of both curricula and extra-curricula offerings on campus, especially as these impact African Americans/Blacks on campus;
5. Address issues of recruitment, retention and graduation of African American /Blacks on campus;
6. Affiliate with other campus and community organizations that support the mission of the BFSA
7. Encourage research and scholarship of faculty, staff and students.
ARTICLE III
Section 1
Membership
1. Full Member (Voting Privilege) - A full member who is an employee of The University of Alabama and has paid his or her annual dues as set by the Executive Board and attends meetings on a regular basis.
2. Associate Member (Voting Privilege) - An associate member is one who is an employee of The University of Alabama and has paid his or her annual dues as set by the Executive Board, but due to other responsibilities cannot attend meetings on a regular basis.
3. Member at Large (Non-voting) - A member-at-large is one who is a faculty or staff member of The University of Alabama and shares the mission and goals of the organization but has not paid his or her annual dues as set by the Executive Board.
Section 2
Regular Meetings
The BFSA shall hold monthly meetings of its members during the fall and spring semesters. The meetings will be held on the fourth (4th) Tuesday of each month unless notified to the contrary. The meetings will convene to consider the committee reports and transact such other business as may properly come before the organization.
Section 3
Special Meetings
Special meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the President or by the Executive Board upon the request of one-half of Executive Board members.
Section 4
Quorum
At any meeting of BFSA, twenty-five percent of the full membership shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5
Voting
On matters where voting is required, only full and associate member(s) shall be entitled to one vote. Electronic voting shall be permitted. And must have established membership one month prior to election.
ARTICLE IV
Section 1
Elections
All full and associate members shall be eligible to vote in BFSA elections. Officers shall be elected by majority of the full membership. Elections shall be held at the last regularly scheduled meeting in April at the end of the two-year term of elected officers.
Section 2
Term of Office
Each elected officer shall serve for two years, with the exception of the Immediate Past President whose term shall be for one semester immediately following the election of the President.
ARTICLE V
Section 1
Officers
The officers of the BFSA shall be the President, Vice President, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian. Only persons who have been full members of the organization for at least one academic year shall be eligible to serve as officers.
Section 2
Duties of Officers
President shall:
1. Serve as chief executive office of BFSA and the Executive Board;
2. Preside at meetings and at sessions of the Executive Board;
3. Call special meetings, subject to the approval of majority of the members of the Executive Board;
4. Represent or delegate representation for the BFSA at functions when it is in the best interest of the organization;
5. Serve as an ex-officio member of all committees, except the nominating committee;
6. Prepare an annual report for distribution to the membership at the first meeting of the academic year.
7. Vote only if there is a tie;
8. Perform other duties as appropriate for the President.
Vice President shall:
1. Assume the responsibilities of the President in the absence of the President or inability of the President to perform;
2. Assist the President in executing the duties and responsibilities of that office as needed;
3. Serve as Ex-officio member of all committees, except the nominating committee.
Immediate Past President shall:
1. Serve as Ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
Secretary shall:
1. Provide for the taking and keeping of minutes of all meetings of the membership and the Executive Board;
2. Notify the membership of the time and place of meetings;
3. Maintain the files of the organization;
4. Distribute important announcements to members;
5. Perform other duties as the President may assign.
Treasurer shall:
1. Collect any and record all dues from current members by the date established by the Executive Board; dues are due each academic year and cover the period of August 16 of the first year to August 15 of the second year;
2. Be responsible for the finances of the BFSA under the guidance of the Executive Board;
3. Endorse, on behalf of BFSA, checks and other obligations and promptly deposit the same and any other receipts in such banks or other depositories as shall be designated by the Executive Board;
4. Keep full and accurate accounts of all monies and property received and all monies and obligations paid or incurred for the account of the BFSA; and
5. Maintain the books and records, and report on the financial status of BFSA at regular meetings;
6. Maintain a roster of all categories of membership.
Parliamentarian shall:
1. Be responsible for insuring that the meeting is conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised; and
2. Be the final authority in the interpretation of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 3
Vacancies
1. In the event of the death or resignation of an officer prior to the
expiration of the term for which the officer was elected, the president shall appoint a full member to fill such vacancy until the next general election from the full membership.
2. In the event of the death or resignation of the president, the vice-president shall assume the position of the president until the next general election from the full membership.
The following is removed from Article VIII, Sections 1 and 2
Dereliction of duties will be described as:
1. Negligence: Failure to attend at least 4 regularly scheduled meetings without a valid excuse for absences. NOTE: Excuses will be deemed valid at the discretion of the vice-president; however, if a problem persists, it will be brought before the entire executive body. Failure to complete assigned duties without a valid excuse.
2. Failure to comply with and uphold values, duties and interest of BFSA. Including but not limited to any official justly found to have developed a dependence on narcotics, alcohol, or illegal drugs or other substances that seriously impair performance will be subject to impeachment procedures.
3. Failure to carry out the explained responsibilities, duties, and tasks of one’s office, as set forth by the BFSA bylaws.
4. An officer who voluntarily or involuntarily end his or her employment at The University of Alabama or The University of Alabama System, shall not remain in office for the duration of the term.
5. An officer suspended from The University of Alabama or The University of Alabama System, shall not remain in office or be allowed to resume office for the duration of the term.
6. An officer who is no longer a full member in good standing with BFSA, shall be subject to impeachment procedures.
7. Corruption in office. Any official who is “justly” found to have participated in, collaborated, or in any way been involved in acts of embezzlement of funds, misuse or theft of office supplies or equipment shall be subject to impeachment procedures.
8. An officer, who exhibits extreme, harmful, life-threatening behavior toward other members of BFSA and/or the University community, will be subject to impeachment procedures.
9. No member may represent BFSA to the media, community, designated University of Alabama representative or any other organization without approval from the executive board.
Section 2
Impeachment procedures will be as follows: charges can only be brought to the executive board by a full member. The executive board, upon unanimous vote to proceed, will be charged with appointing an ad hoc judiciary board for a hearing. The ad hoc judiciary board shall be a five (5) member board consisting of persons holding no elected or appointed office in BFSA. The board will be chosen based on merit and must come from the full and associate membership of BFSA. If the charged party is a member of the executive board, that person must recuse himself or herself from voting on the composition of the ad hoc judiciary board. The party or parties initiating the charges must be present at the ad hoc judiciary board hearing. The burden of proof rests with the initiating party or parties. The officer or committee member(s) being charged shall have an opportunity to refute charge(s). The ad hoc judiciary board’s recommendation to the executive board is binding.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1
Executive Board
The Executive Board shall be composed of elected officers and the Immediate Past President.
Section 2
Regular Meetings
Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at least once each during the fall and spring semesters.
Section 3
Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President at any convenient time.
Section 4
Quorum
One-half of the membership on the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may convene a meeting for discussion purposes.
Section 5
Formation of Committees
The following rules shall govern the formation of committees:
- Committee members will serve on a voluntary basis.
- Each committee will elect its own chairperson.
- Committee chairperson will make recommendations to the Executive Board before presenting to the full body.
- The President shall appoint ad-hoc committees for specific events. However, if committee’s description clearly falls outside of the jurisdiction of duties for an existing committee, the President can elect to have said committee report in a direct line to the Executive Board.
Types of Committees:
The BFSA will have five (6) standing committees. They are as follows:
- Program Committee – will be responsible for educational, cultural and social programming for the university community.
- Finance Committee – will be responsible for scholarship, fundraising and financing support of all committees.
- Faculty/Staff Development Committee – will be responsible for policy issues of recruitment, retention and promotion of faculty and staff, including addressing membership issues.
- Campus & Community Outreach Committee – will be responsible for facilitating student development through mentoring, advising and expanding inclusiveness in university programs, e.g. Honors, and reach out across campus and into larger community to promote education equity.
- Communications Committee – will be responsible for BFSA publicity and communication updates via website and social media abiding by all UA policy and procedures regarding approval and use of UA logo/brand within communication forums.
- Agency, Advocacy, and Equity Committee - will be responsible for working with the university and its constituents to identify, examine, provide follow-up, and resolutions regarding past, present and potential future issues regarding equity and inclusion for Black Americans in all aspects of campus life.
Voting
Except as otherwise specifically prescribed in these By-Laws, all decisions at any meeting of the Executive Board or other committees shall be by the majority vote of those present and voting. Each member shall have one vote only.
Section 7
Termination of Board Members
If members of the Executive Board shall be absent for two consecutive regular meetings of the Executive Board, without reasonable cause, their membership on the Board may be terminated by the Board.
ARTICLE VII
Section 1
Finances
The President shall recommend to the Executive Board, for its approval, the amount of dues requested from each member. The amount of the dues shall be sufficient to provide for the activities of the organization as established by the Executive Board.
Section 2
BFSA Funds
All funds received by the BFSA are to be expended for the purposes authorized and in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Executive Board. The financial affairs shall be conducted in accordance with recognized accounting principles, and records shall be kept to show the financial condition and to facilitate the preparation of periodic reports. No BFSA official is authorized to commit the funds of BFSA or otherwise to obligate the BFSA, except to the extent that funds are available for discharging such commitment.
Section 3
Depositions and Withdrawals
All funds received for the account of the BFSA shall be acknowledged by issuance of official receipts and deposited in banks and depositories in the name of BFSA. All withdrawals from such accounts shall be made only by checks or similar orders signed by the Treasurer. Only banks or other depositories that are members of federal deposit insurance corporations may be used to deposit BFSA funds.
Note: Article VIII, Sections 1 and 2 moved to Article V
ARTICLE VIII
Governance
Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, shall ordinarily govern all meetings. These rules may be suspended, and consensus governance applied upon majority vote of the members present at the beginning of any BFSA meeting.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
Amendments of these by-laws may be adopted, altered, or repealed by a simple majority vote of the membership.