Article I - Title and Purpose
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the National Education Association Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus (NEA-GLBTC).
Section 2: The NEA-GLBTC is established for the purpose:
A. To protect the rights and interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members of the Association and their supporters.
B. To promote recognition of the needs and constitutional rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students, both self-identified or perceived.
C. To advance understanding and acceptance of gay, lesbian bisexual, and transgender people in all areas of society.
Article II - Membership
Section 1: Categories of Membership
A. Active membership shall be open to all persons who are active, educational support staff, employees of NEA and its state and local affiliates, or life members of the NEA. Active membership has full voting rights.
B. Student membership shall be open to all student NEA members. Student membership has full voting rights.
C. Retired membership shall be open to all NEA-retired members. Retired membership has full voting rights.
D. Associate membership shall be open to all persons who support the goals of the NEA-GLBTC. Associate membership does not have voting rights.
Section 2:
A. Membership shall become effective upon payment of dues and membership year runs from July 1 through June 30.
B. In order to vote in the current election, membership must be purchased before voting begins.
Article III - Authority
Section 1: The authority on all issues before the NEA-GLBTC will be the members attending official caucus meetings during the NEA-RA.
Article IV - Officers
Section 1: The officers shall be two co-chairs (one male identified and one female identified), secretary, and treasurer. The officers shall be elected for two-year terms. The secretary and treasurer shall take office September 1st of their election year.
A. The co-chairs shall call and preside at meetings and make committee appointments as necessary.
B. The secretary shall record the minutes of each meeting, keep attendance records, and be responsible for keeping an accurate record of the By-Laws and Standing Rules.
C. The treasurer shall receive and have custody of all funds collected by the caucus, pay bills as authorized by the co-chairs, and provide for an annual financial statement at the NEA-RA.
Article V - Regional Directors
Section 1: There shall be a male identified and female identified regional director from each NEA Region.
Section 2: Regional directors shall operate under the direction of the co-chairs.
Section 3: Term of office for regional directors will be two years.
Section 4: Regional directors shall take office upon their election.
Article VI - Appointed Directors
Section 1: The membership director, dinner, and outreach director shall be appointed annually by the co-chairs by September 1. Specific duties shall be assigned by the co-chairs in accordance with policies set forth by the steering committee.
Section 2: State contacts shall be limited to two per state.
Article VII - Steering Committee
Section 1: The Steering Committee shall be composed of the officers, the regional directors, membership director, dinner director, and the outreach director.
Section 2: Any current caucus member who has voting rights may run for a Steering Committee position. If the person is seeking an officer position, then that person needs to have been a member of the caucus for at least one year
Section 3: The Steering Committee shall serve between conventions and shall act as the governing board of the NEA-GLBTC. In addition, the Steering Committee shall recommend an annual budget and revision of By-Laws, as needed.
Article VIII - Committees
Section 1: (Standing Committees) Committees and their chairs shall be appointed by the co-chairs: Elections, Awards, Microphone Strategy, Candidate Recommendation, Membership, Dinner, Outreach, Bylaw, and Communications.
Section 2: (Ad Hoc Committees) The Steering Committee shall have the authority to appoint other ad hoc committees as needed.
Article IX- Ethnic Minority Representation
Section 1: The NEA-GLBTC shall strive to achieve at least 20% ethnic minority membership.
Article X - Meetings
Section 1: There shall be at least four meetings of the NEA-GLBTC during the NEARA.
Section 2: A quorum shall consist of the active members present.
Article Xl - Nominations and Elections
Section 1: Officers
A. The female co-chair and the secretary shall be elected in even numbered years. The male co-chair and the treasurer shall be elected in odd numbered years.
B. Nominations of Male and Female Co-Chairs, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be submitted to the co-chairs by April 15th 5 PM Pacific Time. Nominations for the above positions shall be closed and election for officers shall take place on the third day of business meetings of the NEA-RA, by secret ballot, under procedures established in the Standing Rules.
1. Nominations for officers shall be limited to candidate’s name, state affiliate, position, and office nominee seeks.
Section 2: Regional Directors
A. The female regional director shall be elected during even numbered years, and the male regional director shall be elected during odd numbered years.
B. Nominations for regional directors shall open on April 15 and close on the end of the second business day of meetings at the NEA-RA. Nominations may be submitted in writing to the co-chairs or taken from the floor. Election for officers shall take place on the third day of business meetings of the NEA-RA, by secret ballot, under procedures established in the Standing Rules.
1. Nominations for regional director shall be limited to candidate’s name, state affiliate, position, and office nominee seeks.
Article XII - Vacancies
Section 1: If a vacancy occurs in any elected position, the Steering Committee shall appoint a replacement to serve until the next regular election.
Article XIII - Finance
Section 1: Dues for membership shall be established at a meeting of the caucus during the NEA-RA.
Section 2: One percent of the total GLBTC budget shall be allotted to a contingency fund or a contingency fund of 1% of the total GLBTC budget shall be allotted.
Article XIV - Standing Rules
Section 1: In addition to these By-Laws, the NEA-GLBTC shall be governed by such Standing Rules as the Steering Committee adopts.
Article XV- Parliamentary Authority
Section 1: “Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised” shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not specifically stated in these By-Laws or in the Standing Rules.
Article XVI . Amendments
Section 1: Amendments to these By-Laws must be submitted in writing to the secretary no later than April 1. Amendments must carry the signature of at least five members from two states or be submitted to the Secretary prior to November 1 by individual members for review by the Steering Committee.
Section 2: Proposed amendments will be printed in the newsletter mailed immediately prior to the NEA-RA and will be freely distributed at the NEA-GLBTC booth and caucus meeting room.
Section 3: Voting on amendments shall be by secret ballot, and requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the active members present and voting.
Section 4: Proposed amendments become effective immediately upon passage.
Section 5: Voting on amendments will take place at the same time as the election of officers.
Rule 1: The right to vote in meetings of the caucus shall be limited to active, student, and retired members. The right to debate shall be open to all members of the caucus. The membership director shall be the final authority in matters of question regarding validity of membership. In the absence of the membership director, the chairs shall appoint a temporary assistant membership director.
Rule 2: The order of business at the annual meetings of the caucus shall be the prerogative of the co-chairs, with the advice of the Steering Committee, and as amended/accepted by the membership in attendance.
Rule 3: Standing Rules may be amended or deleted at any meeting of the Caucus during the NEA Convention
Rule 4: Minutes of each session of the caucus shall be provided to the membership in attendance at the next meeting.
Rule 5: There shall be an official parliamentarian, to whom questions may be directed only through the presiding officer. The presiding officer rules; the parliamentarian may advise.
Rule 6: By-Laws will be provided to each new member and be available at all meetings of the caucus.
Rule 7: At the caucus meeting where voting on regional directors begins, candidates for NEA-GLBTC regional director positions will be allowed a one-minute speech.
Rule 8: At the caucus meeting where voting on officers begins, candidates for NEAGLBTC office will be allowed a three- minute speech.
Rule 9: A meeting not to exceed one hour of debate on proposed amendments to the NEA-GLBTC By-Laws will be scheduled by the Steering Committee and posted at the meeting room at least 12 hours prior to the first caucus meeting during the NEA-RA. Said meeting shall not occur during official NEA-RA business sessions.
Rule 10: The membership list including addresses and phone numbers will be available only to members of the Steering Committee and state contacts. Individual GLBTC members may give permission for their names to be released. Use of this information will be for mailing newsletters and other necessary contacts by the NEA-GLBTC Steering Committee.
Rule 11: Candidate Recommendation Policy
Objective: The purpose of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus (GLBTC) recommendation process shall be to encourage all Caucus members to participate in all National Education Association (NEA) political activities necessary to procure candidates and elect, to NEA office, persons who are interested in the development of a better educational system which includes knowledge of and sensitivity to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues.
Voting Rights: All active members of the GLBTC shall have voting privileges in approving the recommendations of the Screening
Committee
Candidate Recommendation Committee: The Candidate Recommendation Committee shall be appointed by the co-chairs of the
caucus. The co-chairs shall strive to attain a diverse balance on the committee. The Candidate Recommendation Committee chair shall be appointed annually by the co-chairs.
Recommendation Procedure: Recommendations for NEA offices shall be conducted as follows:
1. Only candidates who are interviewed by the Screening Committee shall be considered for recommendation.
2. The committee chair shall schedule all interviews to be conducted during the pre-conference.
3. Each candidate will be sent a set of questions, developed by the committee, to be answered and returned to the chair of the Candidate Recommendation Committee prior to the Representative Assembly.
4. After completion of all scheduled interviews, the committee shall vote to recommend candidates for NEA office. It shall be the policy of the committee to recommend only one candidate per opening. The committee may make no recommendation for an office if no suitable candidate is found.
5. The recommendations of the committee shall be presented to the caucus no later than the third business meeting of the NEA-RA.
6. Endorsements shall be determined by a simple majority of active members voting at the meeting.
7. Endorsements shall be announced to members and candidates immediately following the meeting in which the vote took place.
8. All candidates for NEA office shall be invited to speak to the caucus during scheduled caucus meetings of the Representative Assembly.
Rule 12: The mid-year meeting date and location will be decided upon by the Steering Committee.
Rule 13: The following dinner attendees will be recognized, individually at the NEAGLBTC dinner: NEA Officers, NEA Executive Director, NEA Executive Committee, and GLBTC Steering Committee. The following attendees will be recognized as groups: state affiliate officers and then local officers.
Rule 14: New RA business items seeking NEA-GLBTC consideration or endorsement are to be submitted to the co-chairs.
Rule 15: Secret ballot voting shall begin at the end of the morning caucus session to the end of the same day's lunch break, not to exceed four hours.
Rule 16: Voting on the floor of the Caucus meetings requires the showing of a voting card.
Rule 17: A person speaking at the microphone needs to be a Caucus member, or have the approval of the co-chairs. Development of NEA policies and activities, provides resources and fosters better communication among educators, students, and communities.
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