Constitution

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS: TTU CHAPTER

 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

 [Revisions by Mr. Andrew William Smith, Dr. Patrick Reagan, and Ms. Chandra Griffth Elkins, Ad Hoc Constitution Committee, October 2008-March 29, 2010 and presented to the members for a vote on April 16, 2010]

 

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this association shall be the Tennessee Tech Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).  This chapter shall be affiliated with the national organization and the Tennessee Conference of the American Association of University Professors.

 ARTICLE II.  PURPOSE

The mission of the Tennessee Tech Chapter of the AAUP shall be the same as that of the national organization.

The mission of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is to advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education’s contribution to the common good.  As a non-profit organization, we serve the profession, rather than individual members, and our services are available to all members of the profession, regardless of membership status.

The principal functions of this chapter shall be: (1) to consider questions of general interest to the professoriate; (2) to consider current local questions of academic method or policy, or of professional obligation and privilege; (3) to serve as a nucleus in initiating faculty action; (4) to take action upon specific matters of association business submitted to the chapter by the Council or the officers of the national or state organizations; (5) to cooperate with the officers of the national and state organizations in dealing with professional problems, in order that the AAUP may be as representative of the profession as possible.

ARTICLE III.  MEMBERSHIP

To be eligible for active membership in the Tennessee Tech Chapter of AAUP, one must be a member of the national organization.  The types of memberships and the process for joining are as follows:

  1. There shall be four classes of members:

a. Active Members. Any person who holds a professional position of teacher or researcher or related professional appointment, including any member of an AAUP-represented bargaining unit in a college, university, or professional school of similar grade accredited in the United States or Canada, may be admitted to active membership in the Association.

b. Graduate Student Members. Any person who is, or within the past five years has been a graduate student may be admitted to graduate student membership. Graduate student members shall have all rights and privileges accorded to active members under this Constitution, including the right to hold office and to vote in national elections.  Graduate student members shall be transferred to active membership as soon as they become eligible.

c. Retired Members.  An active member who retires may choose to be transferred to retired membership.  Retired members retain all rights and privileges accorded to active members under this Constitution, including the right to hold office and to vote in national elections.

d. Associate Members. Any active member of this chapter whose work is or becomes primarily administrative shall be eligible for associate membership. Any person not eligible for one of the other three classes of membership may be admitted as an associate member, including members of the general public.

2. The admission of members shall require two steps:

  1. Application
  2. Acceptance and Notification

 Chapter membership shall be for the academic year.

ARTICLE IV.  OFFICERS

 The officers of this organization shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.  These officers shall be elected annually at the last regular meeting in the spring and shall take office at the close of the meeting at which elected.  All officers serve one-year terms, with no term limit.

ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the president as presiding officer, the vice-president, the secretary, and the treasurer.

ARTICLE VI.  COMMITTEES

 This chapter shall maintain a standing committee on membership recruitment and retention.  Other standing committees may be created by the positive action of the chapter at a regular meeting, provided the establishment of such a committee has been discussed at least one previous meeting in the same academic year.

Ad hoc committees may be established by the chapter or the president at a regular meeting, of by the Executive Committee in session.

ARTICLE VII.  MEETINGS

Regular chapter meetings shall be held three times per semester during the academic year.  Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee, provided written notice has been extended to the membership at least four days prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE VIII.  RULES OF ORDER

The rules of order contained in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the parliamentary procedure of this organization whenever applicable, except that the constitution and by-laws of this chapter and the constitution of the national AAUP shall take precedence in the event of any inconsistency.

ARTICLE IX.  BY-LAWS

 By-laws to this constitution may be adopted as needed for the effective implementation of the provisions of this document.

 ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the chapter by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided that a copy of the proposed amendment has been sent to all members at least two weeks prior to the meeting at which the vote will take place, and further provided that the proposed amendment has been discussed at the previous regular meeting.

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