CONSTITUTION

2.2 To promote the welfare of University of New Mexico staff employees. The term “University of New Mexico” includes both the university proper, located in Albuquerque, as well as all branch campuses and offices or departments located away from the main campus.

2.3 To obtain and maintain for all staff the salary, benefits, and working conditions commensurate with the duties, dedication, and professionalism expected of us.

3.1 Membership shall be open to all staff employees in the job titles and grades covered by the collective bargaining agreement or agreements between the US-UNM Education al Support Unit, or the US-UNM Research, Technical, and Medical Services Unit, and the University of New Mexico. The collective bargaining agreement may also be known as the “contract.” Any employee who fulfills the above requirements shall not be denied membership.

3.2 Associate membership shall be open to retired members and to members whose employment at the University of New Mexico has ended. Associate members shall have all the rights and privileges of membership except that they shall not have the right to vote on any contract between US-UNM and the University of New Mexico. US-UNM may establish a special dues structure for such associate members.

3.3 Membership shall be acquired by signing a form authorizing payroll deduction of US-UNM dues. Any member can resign by signing a revocation card.

3.4 All members, including members on leave, are members in good standing as long as their current dues are paid. Any member whose dues are more than sixty days past due shall have his or her membership privileges suspended until such time as his or her dues are brought current. The membership of any member whose dues are more than one hundred eighty days past due shall be withdrawn.

3.5 Only members whose dues are current shall have the right to vote on the contract and on other matters brought before the membership, including the election of officers. Where separate contract provisions may occur between the university and the Educational Support Unit and the Research and Technical Services Unit, only members in the appropriate unit shall vote on those provisions. Where any matter shall pertain only to a given university unit or branch, only the members whose primary work location falls within that unit or branch shall vote on that matter.

3.6 From time to time the Executive Council, with the approval of the membership, or the membership itself may grant honorary membership to an individual. Honorary members hall have no right to vote, hold office, or sign petitions, nor shall they have the right to other membership benefits.

The officers of US-UNM shall each be elected from the entire membership for one year terms. The officers shall include a:

a. The President shall provide leadership in executing the policies and objectives of the membership of US-UNM.

b. The President shall preside at all meetings of the executive board and of the general membership.

c. The President, with the approval of the Executive Council and the membership, shall appoint the chairpersons of all standing and ad hoc committees, the Chief Negotiator, and the members of the bargaining team.

a. The First Vice President shall, in the absence of the President, perform the duties of the President.

b. The First Vice President shall facilitate communications between US-UNM and each of its constituent bodies, including the branch colleges and other off-campus departments and offices.

c. The First Vice President shall be responsible for planning and executing ongoing membership recruitment.

a. The Secretary shall prepare and keep minutes of the meetings of the Executive Council and of the general membership meetings.

b. The Secretary shall help in the preparation of all written communications, including newsletters and electronic publications, of US-UNM.

c. The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining all non-financial records of US-UNM.

a. The Treasurer shall keep records of all receipts and expenditures of US-UNM funds.

b. The Treasurer shall maintain and provide accurate membership and non-membership lists for US-UNM and its affiliated organizations.

c. The Treasurer shall provide written financial reports to the general membership meetings in the Fall and Spring of each academic year.

6.1 In additional to the elected officers enumerated in Article IV of this constitution, the Executive Council shall consist of:

b. One Vice President elected from the Research, Technical, and Medical Services Unit.

c. One representative from the Gallup Branch Campus, including employees of graduate and upper division programs.

d. One representative from the Los Alamos Branch Campus, including the Los Alamos Graduate and Upper Division Programs unit, and employees of the Santa Fe Graduate and Upper Division Programs Unit.

e. One representative from the Taos Education Center, including the Taos Graduate and Upper Division Unit, and from the Harwood Foundation.

6.2 The Executive Council shall meet at least once each calendar quarter to establish strategies and procedures for implementing the policy and goals of US-UNM as voted on by the General Membership. More frequent meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the Executive Council.

6.3 In the absence of both the President and the First Vice President, the Executive Council shall name either the Vice President of the Educational Support Unit or the Vice President of the Research, Technical, and Medical Services Unit to act in the place of the President.

7.1 A meeting of the membership shall be held at least quarterly to establish the policies and goals of US-UNM. Notice of the time and place of the meeting shall be provided to the membership not less than fifteen days prior to the meeting.

7.2 Special meetings of the membership may be called by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Council; such a meeting to be held within ten days. The business of a special meeting called by the Executive Council shall be limited to those items approved by the Executive Council in the call for such meeting.

7.3 Special meetings of the membership may be called by petitions signed by not less than ten percent of the membership. A meeting of the membership shall be called by the President within ten days of receipt of such petitions. The business of a special meeting called by petition shall be limited to specified on the petitions.

7.4 A meeting called by the President to vote on the ratification of a contract shall be held in a timely manner.

8.1 Recall of the officers enumerated in Article IV may be initiated by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Executive Council, or by a petition signed by twenty-five percent of the membership and submitted to the Executive Council.

a. The Executive Council shall call within two weeks a special meeting of the membership at which a hearing will be held. At the end of the meeting, the members present shall vote on whether to proceed with recall. The issue will be decided by a majority of those voting.

b. If the vote favors proceeding with recall, the Executive Board shall arrange within two weeks for a secret ballot of the membership. The issue will be decided by a majority of those voting.

8.2 Recall of the members of the Executive Council enumerated in Article VI may be initiated by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Council, or by a petition signed by twenty-five percent of the membership of the branch or unit represented by the Executive Council member.

a. The Executive Council shall call within two weeks a special meeting of the membership of the branch or unit at which a hearing will be held. At the end of the meeting, the members of the branch or unit present shall vote on whether to proceed with recall. The issue will be decided by a majority of those voting.

10.1 Amendments to this constitution may be initiated by a majority vote of the Executive Council or by the petitions signed by ten percent of the membership.

10.2 Amendments shall be submitted in writing to the general membership not less than thirty days of the quarterly meeting on which they will be voted on.

10.3 Amendments shall go into effect immediately upon approval by a majority of those voting.

This constitution shall be put forward to the membership for ratification in May 2001. If approved by a majority of the members present it shall become effective immediately. At the same membership meeting the members may adopt temporary bylaws. If the constitution is approved, the officers enumerated in Article IV and the Executive Council members enumerated in Article VI shall be elected by the membership by not later than August 17, 2001; all officers and Executive Council members elected during the first election shall serve one-year terms. The Executive Council shall be responsible for preparing the bylaws of US-UNM, and said bylaws shall be presented to the membership for adoption by not later than December 31, 2001.

United Staff-UNM is an elected, representative body that is charged with the protection and promotion of the general welfare of the membership, and with promoting and encouraging full staff involvement in the administration of the University of New Mexico. The purposes of US-UNM are enumerated in Article II of the Constitution.

A. The Educational Support Unit which was created by vote of the membership in March 2001, and

B. The Research, Technical Services, and Medical Support Unit, which has not yet been brought into existence by vote of the membership.

The membership shall be drawn from all of the university campuses and off-campus centers including the main campus in Albuquerque (which includes the Health Sciences (sometimes called the North Campus) and Athletic Department (sometimes called the South Campus) units); each of the branch campuses, graduate centers, and educational centers; the University Research Park; and other offices physically located away from their parent campus.

Generally, the membership is drawn from employees in Grades 7, 8, 9, and 10, but it is recognized that some job titles may fall outside those grades.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Research, Technical, and Medical Services unit is still to conduct an enabling election, any member of that unit who is paying dues to US-UNM and who is current in the payment of those dues shall be a member in full standing of US-UNM.

Until the officers enumerated in Article IV of the Constitution have been elected and qualified, the Spokespersons Committee enumerated in Article VIIA, below, shall serve in their stead.

Once the officers enumerated in Article IV of the Constitution have been elected the Spokespersons Committee shall cease to exist.

The duties and responsibilities of the officers shall be those enumerated in Article V of the Constitution. In addition to those duties, the Executive Council is also charged with the hiring of office staff, setting the terms and conditions of employment for said staff, and with removing said staff when necessary.

The minimum meetings of the general membership shall be those enumerated in Article VII of the Constitution.

All meetings of the general membership, of the Executive Council, and of committees of US-UNM shall be open to all members.

1. The Executive Council shall be composed of the officers enumerated in Article IV of the Constitution and those unit representatives enumerated in Article VI of the Constitution.

2. The duties of the Executive Council shall be to adopt policies and guidelines that govern and direct US-UNM between the meetings of the general membership.

A. Spokespersons Committee. This committee shall be comprised of not less than three nor more than five members elected from among the general membership. This committee shall serve in place of the officers enumerated in Article IV of the Constitution until such time as those officers shall have been elected and qualified.

Except as otherwise provided in the Constitution or the bylaws, all meetings of the general membership, the Executive Council, and of all US-UNM committees shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Article IX: Dues

The Executive Council is charged with developing a dues structure for US-UNM. Before becoming effective, the dues structure must be presented to the membership for adoption. A majority of those voting in the election shall determine the issue.
US-UNM membership dues shall be $9.00 biweekly for those employees earning $25,999.99 or less annually, and $16.00 biweekly for those earning $26,000.00 or more annually.

Article X: Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the Executive Council.

Proposed changes: