The Constitution Committee meets biweekly from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays in Building 2, Room 214. Any LCCEF member is welcome to attend to provide input on potential revisions to the constitution and by-laws. Our next meeting is Feb. 5.
At our recent Jan. 22 meeting, the committee supported the following changes. The committee’s decisions are not binding and are recommendations for revisions to the Constitution. The current ballot measure due by Feb. 20 is not a vote for any specific changes to the Constitution, but enables a revision process. If the membership approves the current ballot measure, any changes to the Constitution will be presented in a separate vote.
Recommendations supported by committee:
- Eliminate one of the two officer-at-large positions
- Rationale: There are currently two officer-at-large positions for part-time employees. Both positions are unfilled. Some members have questioned why two positions are explicitly designated for part-time employees and suggested making only one for part-time employees. The at-large position is the only position with a status requirement. For example, any member, whether part- or full-time is eligible to run for the other officer positions.
- Add a second vice president position
- Rationale: Two vice president positions could help better support the work of labor relations and membership relations.
- Reduce eligibility requirement to be an officer to 90 days
- Rationale: The current eligibility requirement is for a candidate to be a member for a least year. This limits opportunities for involvement from new members.
- Changing titles of officers
- Rationale: To eliminate “secretary” and provide titles that more accurately describe role and make “officer” roles, and Executive Council roles more clear. For instance: grievance officer and COPE officer instead of grievance chair, COPE chair; records officer instead of recording secretary; communications officer instead of corresponding secretary
Discussed but not yet approved by committee:
- Staggering election year cycles
- Rationale: Replacing all officers in the same election could present incontinuity for the organization. The suggestion was made to stagger officer elections to ensure that there is some institutional/organizational knowledge to provide continuity. This change would not impact the terms of the current officers.
What happens next?
The general membership will vote by Feb. 20 on an amendment that would allow substantial revisions to the Constitution as a whole instead of in bits and pieces. The membership will then vote later to accept or deny the full changes to the Constitution and ByLaws. Here is the proposed amendment.