Spring R.A. delegates focus on budget, bylaws,
elections
The Missouri NEA Representative Assembly will hold its spring
meeting April 23–24 at the Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage
Beach. Business items on the agenda include the election of
an NEA director, adoption of the MNEA budget and the perfection
and adoption of resolutions and bylaws.
| Schulte
runs for NEA director
 Delegates
to the Missouri NEA Representative Assembly will elect
an NEA director. Delegates elected Don Schulte, Pattonville
NEA, last year to finish the final year of Jack Williamson’s
three-year term when Williamson resigned to take a staff
position in Kansas.
Schulte
is the only official candidate running for the position;
however, any member interested in running for this open
NEA director position may do so by submitting his or
her candidacy in writing to the executive director or
through a nomination on the R.A. floor. Following is
Schulte’s statement.
“Last
November, I was elected to help represent Missouri on
the NEA Board of Directors...finishing Jack Williamson’s
term. Since then, I’ve been busy working for you
at two NEA Board meetings in Washington and many, many
meetings and events at the state level. I’m asking
for your support to continue this work for the next
three years. The current term will expire in September.
I’m asking you to ‘Vote Don’ so I
can continue working for Missouri NEA as a Director.”
|
Delegates will also elect MNEA Board of Directors members,
recognize winners of the Horace Mann Friend of Education awards
and the MNEA Soar with the Eagles award, and recognize locals
that have worked to ensure minority involvement and have significantly
increased membership.
Following are the proposed amendments to the MNEA Bylaws
to be presented to the delegates. Deletions are indicated
by a strikethrough, and additions are indicated by underlining.
#1 Article I, Section 1, A. Categories of Membership
There shall be nine (9) [(8)] categories of membership in
the Association: Active, Staff, Education Support Professional,
Reserve, Student, Retired, Substitute, Associate, and Life.
Rationale: The amendment clarifies that Education
Support Professionals are active members and aligns the wording
of the MNEA and NEA Bylaws.
#2 Article I, Section 1, B. Categories of Membership
Active membership shall be open to any person engaged in or
on a limited leave of absence from professional work in a
public school district or in a higher education institution,
or who is serving as an executive officer of the state or
local affiliates. Active members shall hold a baccalaureate
or higher degree; or the regular teacher, vocational or technical
certificate required by their employment or be employed as
Educational Support Professionals.
Rationale: The amendment clarifies that Education
Support Professionals are active members and aligns the wording
of the MNEA and NEA Bylaws.
#3 Article I, Section 1, D. Categories of Membership
Delete entire paragraph.
#4 Article I, Section 1, E and G. Categories of Membership
E. Reserve membership shall be open to any person (i) who
is on a leave of absence of at least six months from the employment
that qualifies him or her for Active membership or (ii) who
has held Active or Educational Support membership in the Association
but whose employment status no longer qualifies that individual
for such membership.
G. Retired membership shall be open to any person that was
eligible for Active or Education Support Professional membership
prior to retirement.
Rationale: The amendment clarifies that Education
Support Professionals are active members and aligns the wording
of the MNEA and NEA Bylaws.
#5 Article I, Section 2, F Rights and Limitations
The right to be elected to the Board of Directors, to serve
as a delegate in the Representative Assembly, to vote and
to hold appointive positions shall be limited to Active, Education
Support Professional, Student, and Retired members.
Rationale: The amendment clarifies that Education
Support Professionals are active members and aligns the wording
of the MNEA and NEA Bylaws.
#6 Article 1, Section 4, A and B Dues
A. Membership dues for Active members, except Education Support
Professionals will be based on the average salary of certified
staff in each district as derived from the Core Data collected
by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The
dues for each district will be calculated by multiplying the
average certified salary in the district by .0067, except
that the dues in a district shall not exceed .0071 of the
average certified salary for Missouri nor be less than .0043
of the average certified salary for Missouri. The following
stipulations shall apply to these calculations: No dues for
a district shall increase by more than $10 over the previous
year and no dues for a district shall be reduced from the
previous year. The average certified salaries will be certified
by the Board of Directors prior to the development of the
Program Budget using the Core Data from the most recently
completed school year.
B. The membership dues for persons eligible for Active membership,
except Education Support Professionals, who are regularly
employed for fifty (50) percent or less of the normal daily
schedule of a full time faculty member, verified by the Local
Association, shall be one-half (1/2) of the Active membership
dues [as defined in Article 1, Section 4, A].
Rationale: The amendment clarifies that Education
Support Professionals are active members and aligns the wording
of the MNEA and NEA Bylaws.
#7 Article III, Section 3,A Qualifications
A district director shall be an Active or Education Support
Professional member in the Association.
Rationale: The amendment clarifies that Education
Support Professionals are active members and aligns the wording
of the MNEA and NEA Bylaws.
#8 Article III, Section 5, A and B Election and Representation
A. Each district shall have a minimum of one voting district
director for each one thousand (1,000), Active, Education
Support Professional and Life members or major fraction thereof
based on the January 15 Membership Status Report. Each district
shall elect up to two (2) additional voting district directors
on the same membership ratio when membership so entitles them.
B. Any Active or Education Support Professional member of
each district shall be eligible to be a candidate for district
director. Nominations shall be received from the floor at
the second session of the Representative Assembly. Election
shall be by secret ballot except as specified in Article II,
Section 3, C.
Rationale: The amendment clarifies that Education
Support Professionals are active members and aligns the wording
of the MNEA and NEA Bylaws.
#9 Article II, Section 6, G
Delete Section 6 and re-letter the remaining paragraphs.
Rationale: There is currently a conflict in the
Bylaws that gives the duty of establishing and revising governance
districts to both the Board of Directors and the Representative
Assembly. This change would clarify that this is a duty of
the Board of Directors.
#10 Article III, Section 5, (New Section) L
In the event of an open position that is not filled or a vacancy
that is not filled by the procedure in Article III, Section
5 J, the president shall appoint a member from that governance
district to the board of directors until an election can be
held.
Rationale: This bylaw amendment would help to ensure
that members in all governance districts are represented on
the MNEA Board of Directors.
#11 Article V, Section 2, L Standing Committees
The Member Benefits Committee shall review and recommend for
approval by the Board of Directors new special services member
benefits products; shall review existing special services
member benefits products, and shall have a grievance procedure
for the purpose of processing complaints of products or services.
Rationale: The change will clarify the duties of
the Member Benefits Committee.
|
