Community Education Center Association

Constitution and By-Laws of the Association

Revised May 2002 from October 1987

ARTICLE C.1 NAME

C.1.1 The name of this organization is the Community Education Center Association, herein after referred to as the CEC Association.

ARTICLE C.2 PURPOSES

C.2.1 The CEC Association shall promote student centered Adult Education at the local level and shall foster the welfare of its members. Specifically the CEC Association shall

C.2.1.1 Raise the standards of the Adult Education profession.

C.2.1.2 Provide a channel of communication between its membership and the administration of the Community Education Center as well as with other organizations working in behalf of Adult Education.

C.2.1.3 Promote adherence to the National Education Association
Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.

C.2.1.4 Develop opinion and determine courses of action on student educational and faculty profession issues.

C.2.1.5 Ensure academic freedom and preservation of rights of every CEC Association member.

C.2.1.6 Provide a vehicle by which faculty and staff may improve curriculum and personnel policies.

C.2.1.7 Keep members abreast of their professional, political, and individual rights and responsibilities and to encourage each member to exercise theses rights and responsibilities to the full extent of established California state laws. *This statement does not preclude the pursuit of precedents.

C.2.1.8 Assist members in solving challenges to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of their respective employment and professional roles within the Pasadena City College Community Education Center.

ARTICLE C.3 MEMBERSHIP

C.3.1 There shall be three classes of membership in the CEC Association.

C.3.2 General Membership

C.3.2.1 Any person employed in a classified or certificated position within the Pasadena Area Community College District.

C.3.3 Active Membership

C.3.3.1 Any full-time person who donates $50.00 per academic school year to the CEC Association treasury or commits ten hours of volunteer fund raising activities for CEC Association activities within the Pasadena City College ten-month academic calendar.

C.3.3.2 Any part-time or classified person who donates $25.00 per academic school year to the CEC Association treasury or commits 5 hours of volunteer fund raising activities for CEC Association activities within the Pasadena City College ten-month academic calendar.

C.3.3.3 Active membership in the CEC Association will carry the right to
vote and/or hold office in the CEC Association.

C.3.4 Honorary Membership

C.3.4.1 At the discretion of the active membership, honorary membership may be conferred upon any person who has donated to the CEC Association treasury a sum equal to or greater than an active membership donation or has significantly contributed to the welfare of the CEC Association.

C.3.5 Obligations of Active Membership includes

C.3.5.1 Support and promotion of the purposes and objectives of the CEC Association.

C.3.5.2 Cooperation with and support of CEC Association officers toward furthering the goals and objectives of the CEC Association.

C.3.5.3 Adherence to the National Education Association Code of Ethics of the Education Profession as interpreted by official ad hoc committees appointed by the officers of the CEC Association and ratified by a majority of members present at any officer chaired CEC Association meeting.

C.3.5.4 Participation at all meetings by attendance or proxy.

C.3.6. Membership Termination

C.3.6.1 Membership shall be terminated upon failure to comply with item
C.3.3.1.

C.3.6.2 Membership shall terminate within one school calendar year after
an individual is no longer employed by the Pasadena Area
Community College District or be converted to "honorary" when
the parameters of item C.3.4.1 have been met.

ARTICLE C.4 DUES

C.4.1 In lieu of monthly dues, the CEC Association will accept donations in accordance with item C.3.3. A $50 .00 donation must be conferred into the CEC Association treasury within sixty days of the start of the school calendar year; otherwise, a commitment to ten hours of fundraising activity is required for active membership status.

ARTICLE C.5 OFFICERS

C.5.1 The officers of the CEC Association shall be President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer.

C.5.2 Powers and Duties of Officers

C.5.2.1 The President shall

C.5.2.1.1 Preside over and direct the planning of meeting Agenda.

C.5.2.1.2 Appoint or remove committee chairpersons except for those committees authorized to select their own chairpersons.

C.5.2.1.3 Appoint ad hoc committees as necessary to carry out the work of the CEC Association.

C.5.2.1.4 Represent the CEC Association at public and/or professional functions including the signing of active membership sanctioned CEC Association checks.

C.5.2.1.5 Write an annual report and make presentation of said report to the membership of the CEC Association’s accomplishments, works-in-progress, and aspirations at the April meeting.

C.5.2.1.6 In a brief ceremony at the April or May meeting, the president shall "pass the gavel" to the President Elect.

C.5.2.2 The President-Elect shall

C.5.2.2.1 Serve as the principal assistant to the President which will include making appearances at official meetings, gatherings, and other public functions as representative of the CEC Association.

C.5.2.2.2 Carry out the duties of the President in the absence of the President at officially sanctioned meetings and functions to include the signing of CEC Association checks as directed by the President or by active membership quorum.

C.5.2.2.3 Assume the duties and authority of the President if the office is vacated for any permanent reason.

C.5.2.2.4 Assist in the coordination of committees.

C.5.2.3 The Secretary shall

C.5.2.3.1 Keep an adequate record of all proceedings of the CEC Association meetings.

C.5.2.3.2 Prepare communications as directed by the President.

C.5.2.4 The Treasurer shall

C.5.2.4.1 Maintain official record and custody of all CEC Association funds.

C.5.2.4.2 Prepare and present a Treasurer’s Report at each regularly scheduled meeting of the CEC Association.

C.5.2.4.3 Exercise general supervision and accountability over the receipt and disbursement of all CEC Association funds.

C.5.2.4.4 Be one of two signers of all CEC Association checks. The second signature must be that of the President, or by direction of the President or a quorum of active membership, the signature of the President-Elect.

C.5.2.4.5 Serve as a member of the Staff Services committee.

C.5.3 QUALIFICATIONS for OFFICE

C.5.3.1 Officers must have been active members for at least one year prior to taking office and must remain in office during the entire term of office which shall be one school calendar year.

C.5.3.2 Officers may be re-elected for no more than two successive years.

C.5.3.3 The President-Elect shall assume the presidency when the President has fulfilled the dully-elected terms of the office for up to three successive years. *Completion of a predecessor’s term of office may account for one year over the two-year maximum term of office.

C.5.3.4 If for any reason both the President and the President-Elect are unable to fulfill the terms of their respective offices, special elections will be convened by the Treasurer or by the Secretary to fill the vacated seats for the remainder of that school calendar year.

C.5.3.5 If for any reason either the Secretary or the Treasurer are unable to fulfill the terms of their respective offices, the President, or by direction of the President, the President-Elect shall appoint any active member to fill the vacated seats for the remainder of the school calendar year.

C.5.5 ELECTIONS

C.5.5.1 Candidates for elective office shall be nominated by open nomination on the floor of the March CEC Association meeting.

C.5.5.2 Officers shall be elected by secret ballot during the April CEC Association meeting. Newly elected or re-elected officers shall take office commencing the first day of classes of the succeeding fall semester.

ARTICLE C.6 COMMITTEES

C.6.1 The President shall establish Standing and Special Committees as necessary with input from the active membership to carry out the initiatives, goals, and objectives of the CEC Association. All committees shall function and abide by CEC Association policies and this Constitution and By-Laws of the CEC Association.

C.6.2 Types of Committees

C.6.2.1 Standing Committees are designed to function on a continuing basis and shall report directly to the CEC Association.

C.6.2.2 The Chairpersons of Standing Committees shall be appointed by the CEC Association President.

C.6.2.3 Ad Hoc Committees are created to meet the challenges of special situations not already addressed by Standing Committees. Ad Hoc Committees may select their own chairpersons, but Ad Hoc Committees must be sanctioned by a quorum of active members present at a regularly scheduled meeting.


C.6.3 CHAIRPERSONS TERMS OF OFFICE

C.6.3.1 The Term of Office for members of Standing Committees shall be one school calendar year.

C.6.3.2 Term of Office for Ad Hoc Committee members shall be as long as the time it takes to satisfy the challenge for which the committee was established.

C.6.4 S ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

C.6.4.1 Committee members shall be selected by the chairperson from among active membership.

C.6.5 STANDING COMMITTEES

The following Standing Committees are hereby established:

· Staff Services
· Public Information
· Faculty Senate
· Membership
· Professional Standards
· Legislation
· Curriculum and Development

C.6.6 DUTIES OF STANDING COMMITTEES

C.6.6.1 Staff Services

C.6.6.1.1 Plans and holds social activities as may be desired by the membership for promoting friendship, collegiality, and professionalism among members of the CEC Association.

C.6.6.1.2 Performs courtesy functions to welcome and provide orientation for new CEC faculty and staff.

C.6.6.1.3 Promotes "Sunshine Fund" activities for faculty and staff in need in the spirit of "Quality of Life" assistance….

C.6.6.2 Public Information

C.6.6.2.1 Prepares and distributes a CEC Association Newsletter which may include editorial commentary, messages from the President, and other material highlighting the activities of the membership and or student accomplishments and recognition.

C.6.6.2.2 Develops and recommends policies and/or changes in policy of the CEC Association in matters of public relations.

C.6.6.3 Faculty Senate Representative (Committee of one and one alternate)

C.6.6.3.1 Represents the certificated members of the Association at the Pasadena City College Faculty Senate meetings.

C.6.6.4 Membership

C.6.6.4.1 Plans and executes appropriate campaigns for new CEC Association members.

C.6.6.4.2 Assists new members with the benefits of CEC professionalism and camaraderie in CEC Association membership.

C.6.6.5 Professional Standards

C.6.6.5.1 Studies the personnel policies and practices of the Community Education Center administration as well as the Pasadena Area Community College District and suggests changes and/or modifications conducive toward the student success and the professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness of CEC faculty and staff.

C.6.6.6 Legislation

C.6.6.6.1 Monitors and reports proposed legislation (to the CEC Association) through the California Teachers’ and California Community College Association (CTA/CCA) for legislation that could enhance or alter the way educators do the business of educating our communities at large.

C.6.6.7 Curriculum Development

C.6.6.7.1 Monitors and reports developments on matters related to Adult Education to maintain current and effective syllabi and instruction at the CEC. This committee shall make recommendations on course offerings, requirements, and standards for certificates.

ARTICLE C.7 PROCEDURES AND CONDUCTING OF BUSINESS

C.7.1 The CEC Association shall meet the first Tuesday of each school calendar month at noon in the CEC Faculty Lounge, Room 202 unless otherwise directed by the CEC Association President.
C.7.2 Meetings shall be open to all CEC faculty, counselors, and classified employees.

C.7.3 All official CEC Association meetings shall be presided over by the President or President-Elect.

C.7.4 All official CEC Association meetings shall begin with the presiding officer calling the meeting to order and the Secretary’s reading of the minutes from the preceding CEC Association meeting.

C.7.5 All official CEC Association meetings shall be preceded by a written meeting agenda disseminated whenever possible with at least one week advance notice among all CEC faculty, counselors, and staff.

C.7.6 All matters put to vote shall be decided by a simple majority (a quorum) of those active members present and/or by written proxy at the time of an official regularly scheduled meeting.

C.7.7 Regularly scheduled meetings of the CEC Association shall conduct business with the following guideline in mind:

1. President calls the meeting to order and requests reading of the minutes. (1-2 minutes)
2. Secretary reads the minutes. (2-4 minutes)
3. Treasurer reports. (1-2 minutes)
4. President calls for reports of Committees. (2-3 minutes each)
5. Old Business (5-6 minutes)
6. New Business (1-5 minutes)
7. President-Elect Summary and Comments (5 minutes)

Total: Approximately 45 minutes with some discretion….

C.7.8 Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the CEC Association procedure governing authority….


ARTICLE C.8 AMENDMENTS

C.8.1 An amendment of this Constitution may be proposed by a majority vote of the members present or by petition of fifteen percent of the membership. Such Constitutional amendment shall require approval of a majority of the Association membership.

ARTICLE C.9. INITIATIVE

C.9.1 A majority vote at a regular meeting shall be required to request that a
proposal affecting the Association or its activities be submitted to a vote of
the membership. The President shall publicize such proposal and submit it
to a vote within twenty school days after the presentation of the proposal.
*A regular meeting shall be held on the first Tuesday of every school
calendar month and membership includes full-time faculty, part-time
faculty, counselors, and classified staff.

ARTICLE 10 REFERENDUMS

C.10.1 A majority vote at a regular meeting shall be required to request that any action or proposed action of the Association be referred to a vote of the membership. The President shall publicize such proposal and submit it to a vote within twenty school days after the presentation of the proposal.

ARTICLE C.11 RECALL

C.11.1 The recall of any officer of the Association may be initiated by a petition of one-third of the membership. The recall election shall be conducted according to the usual election procedure established in this Constitution.

C.11.1.1 Formal notice of the recall election shall be given to each member within two weeks after completion of the initiative.

C.11.1.1.2 Ballots prepared for the recall election shall also carry nominations for a possible successor.

Code of Ethics

National Education Association