Constitution
of the
Columbus State Education
Association

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section 1 – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Columbus State Education Association (CSEA)

Section 2 – Affiliations

This Association shall maintain affiliation with the Central Ohio Teachers Association, the Ohio Education Association, and the National Education Association.

Article II – Purpose

The purpose of the Association shall be to:

  1. Help set and promote the educational objectives of Columbus State Community College (CSCC), the State of Ohio, and the nation.
  2. Protect the welfare and advance the professional interests of its members;
  3. Foster professionnel attitudes;
  4. Negotiate on behalf of the bargaining unit(s) with the administration of CSCC in regards to the wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment of its bargaining unit members

Article III – Membership

Section 1 – Eligibility

All full-time and part-time teaching personnel employed by CSCC shall be eligible for active membership.

Section 2 – Organizations

Active members shall be members of the Columbus State Education Association, Central Ohio Education Association, the Ohio Education Association, and the National Education Association.

Section 3 – Ethics

All members shall abide by the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.

Article IV – Officers

Section 1 – Officers

The officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian.

Section 2 – Representatives

2.1 – Association Representatives

There shall be one (1) Association Representative elected in the Arts and Sciences Division for every ten (10) members or fraction thereof, and one (1) Association Representative elected in the Career and Technical Division/Community Education and Workforce Development Division for every ten (10) members or fraction thereof, to serve the needs of the members in the specific areas.

2.2– Senior Association Representatives

There shall be two (2) Senior Association Representatives, elected from and by the Association Representatives, one (1) from the Arts and Sciences Division and one (1) from the Career and Technical Division/Community Education and Workforce Development Division.

Section 3 –Term Of Office

3.1– Length of Term

Officers shall be elected to serve a term of two (2) years, and shall be eligible for re-election for a maximum of four (4) consecutive terms.   A person elected or appointed to fill the un-expired term of an officer shall not have such service counted toward the maximum number of consecutive terms.

3.2– Re-Election

3.2.1: An officer setting out for one (1) term, or serving in another office for one (1) term, and subsequently elected again to the office previously held shall be eligible for re-election for the remaining terms available when s/he left office.

3.2.2: An officer setting out for two (2) consecutive terms, or serving in another office for two consecutive terms, shall be eligible for election to the office previously held, or any other office, with the full number of consecutive terms of office

3.2.3: An officer having exhausted his/her maximum terms of office for a specific office shall be eligible for election to any other office with the length of term described in 3.1.

3.3 – Filling Vacancy During Term of Office

3.3.1:Whenever the office of President becomes vacant due to death, incapacity, termination, resignation, retirement, or recall, the Vice-President shall automatically assume the presidency for the remaining part of the term.

3.3.2:A vacancy in the office of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, or Senior Association Representative shall be filled by an appointment of the President with the approval of a majority vote of the Executive Committee in a secret ballot.

Article V – Executive Committee

Section 1 – Composition

The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the officers of the Association and the Senior Association Representatives.

Section 2 – Responsibilities of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall:

  1. Act as advisors to the officers, assign duties, be responsible for all committees of the Association, and have such policy-making authority as provided in this Constitution and By-Laws.
  2. Act as the authoritative voice of the Association on positions affecting the Association during the interim period between regular meetings.
  3. Prepare recommendations for the consideration and action of the association.
  4. Review grievances under consideration for arbitration.
  5. Carry out policies established at general membership meetings.
  6. Report its transactions and those of the general membership to all members.
  7. Direct an annual independent audit of the Association’s financial records in October of each year for the period ending September 30 of that year.
  8. Direct an independent audit of the Association’s financial records in the event of a change of Treasurer during the fiscal year.

Section 3 – Equal Opportunity

  1. The Association is an equal opportunity organization and provides representation and opportunities for membership and participation in governance of the Association without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, or sexual orientation.  
  2. It is the policy of this Association, and it shall take all legally permissible steps, to achieve governance and delegate representation of ethnic minority at least proportionate to the ethnic minority membership in the Association.

Article VI – Elections

Section 1 – Nomination for Office

  1. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee whose duty it shall be to present a slate of officers for each office and Association Representatives.
  2. Candidates for office may also be submitted by a petition signed by at least five (5) active members or by nomination from the floor.
  3. No member shall be nominated for office or Association Representative without the knowledge and consent of the member.
  4. The President shall appoint an Elections Committee whose duty it shall be to conduct all elections and ratifications of collective bargaining agreements in accordance with guidelines set forth in the OEA Elections Manual and to resolve all challenges or protests to an election.   No nominee for office shall serve concurrently on the Elections Committee.

Section 2 – The Election

  1. Election of officers and Association Representatives shall be conducted by secret ballot during one school day in the month of October at a place designated by the Nominating Committee.
  2. The first election under this Constitution shall be October 2002
  3. The President, Secretary, Treasurer, five (5) of the Association Representatives, and one (1) of the Senior Association Representatives, shall be elected to serve a term of two (2) years as provided in Article IV, Section 3.1 of this Constitution.
  4. The Vice President, Parliamentarian, four (4) of the Association Representatives, and one (1) of the Senior Association Representatives, shall be elected to serve a term of one (1) year, and thereafter shall be elected to serve terms of two years.
  5. The first term of office for those elected to serve one (1) year terms during this first election shall be considered as one (1) of the maximum consecutive terms as described in Article IV, Section 3.1 of this Constitution.
  6. The Nominating Committee shall make provisions for members of the Association to vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballots will be issued to those members of the Association who are unable to attend a meeting during which elections of officers and Association Representatives will be conducted, and who request such absentee ballot in accordance with timelines established by the Nominating Committee. All absentee ballots shall remain unopened and uncounted until after the regularly-scheduled meeting at which elections of officers and Association Representatives occurs.

Section 3 – Election Results

The Nominating Committee shall report the results of the election, in the method determined by the Committee, to the total membership within five (5) calendar days following the election.

Section 4 – Installation of Officers

Newly elected officers and Association Representatives shall be installed and assume their office at the first regular meeting after the election.

Section 5 – Ballots

All ballots, marked, unmarked, and voided, and all other records pertaining to the election of the officers and Association Representatives of this Association and OEA and NEA delegates and alternates, shall be preserved by the Parliamentarian for one year from the date the election was held and such ballots and other records shall be made available to OEA officers upon request for inspection and examination.

Section 6 – Voting Rights

Only dues paying members of the Association shall have the right to vote, hold office, or otherwise have privilege of Association membership.

Article VII – Impeachment of Officers

Section 1 – Basis for Impeachment

Officers of the Association or Association Representatives may be impeached for violation of the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession, or misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office.

Section 2 – Proceedings

Impeachment proceedings against an officer may be initiated by written petition submitted to the Executive Committee by at last twenty-five (25) percent of the members.

Section 3 – Sustaining the Charge

If, after a due process hearing, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Committee shall sustain the charge, the office shall become vacant.

Section 4 – Appeal

The officer may appeal the decision to a special meeting of the general membership, within fifteen (15) calendar days of the decision of the Executive Committee, by submitting a written request for appeal to the Executive Committee.   The Executive Committee will convene the special meeting of the membership within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the notice to appeal.   The final decision shall be made by a simple majority of the membership present and voting at the meeting.

Article VIII – Committees

Section 1 – Standing Committees

The Association shall have such standing committees as are necessary to carry out the responsibilities and programs of the Association, including those designated in Article IV of the By-Laws.

Section 2 – Ad Hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees may be formed, as necessary, to achieve the Association’s goals or programs.

Section 3 – Establishment of Committees

  1. All committees shall be appointed by the president with the approval of the Executive Committee.
  2. The President shall ask for volunteers to serve on the committees and shall have the authority to appoint chairs and members of committees, with the approval of the Executive Committee.
  3. A member of the Executive Committee, if none is assigned as a regular member of a committee, shall serve as an advisor to every committee.

Article IX – Dues

The local Association shall have a dues structure adequate to fund an active program.   The dues rate shall be established according to By-Laws Article VI.

Article X – Amendments

Section 1 – Vote

Amendments, alterations, additions, or deletions of these By-Laws shall be made by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those voting at any regular meeting.

Section 2 – Proposed Changes

Changes shall be proposed upon the initiative of the Constitution Committee or upon presentation to the Executive Committee of a petition signed by twenty (20) percent of the current active membership.   All proposed changes shall have been introduced at the preceding regular meeting and copies of proposed changes shall be distributed in writing to all active members at least ten (10) days prior to action.