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Coalition Bylaws

Bylaws of the Salt Lake Community College’s Employees of Color Coalition

(est. March 25, 2016)

 

ARTICLE I – COALITION

The Coalition shall be named Salt Lake Community College’s Employees of Color Coalition (ECC).

 

ARTICLE II – MISSION

The Employees of Color Coalition (ECC) was established to address the challenges unique to ethnic minority employees at Salt Lake Community College concerning the promotion of inclusivity; to function as an informative organization in support of recruitment, career development, and retention of ethnic minority employees; and to work closely with administration to ensure accountability in maintaining its commitment to diversity, equity and justice.

 

ARTICLE III – PURPOSE

The purpose of the Employees of Color Coalition is strategic advocacy on behalf of Salt Lake Community College’s ethnic minority community.  The Coalition exists to provide a forum for dialogue and subsequent action on issues and concerns that impact the College’s ethnic minority community.  In support of the Salt Lake Community College Strategic Plan, the Coalition exists to provide College Administrators with information and advice regarding issues that impact ethnic minority faculty, staff and student employees.

The Objectives of the Coalition

  • To act as an informative and proactive organization to address, develop and influence policy recommendations, resolutions and practices that affect the ethnic minority community at Salt Lake Community College.
    • Create effective ways to communicate information to the minority community.
    • Promote the general prosperity of ethnic minorities at Salt Lake Community College.
    • Work with the Development Office on funding for diversity scholarships for ethnic minority students.
  • To provide advice and consultation to College Administrators on ways to improve the recruitment and retention of and the climate for ethnic minority employees.
    • Identify ways to ensure that work performed by ethnic minority employees is valued by the College.
    • Urge for job postings to be communicated to the Coalition and advertised on multiple diversity job posting boards.
    • Coordinate efforts with other campus organizations in the pursuit of common goals.
    • Serve as a resource to the campus on issues unique to the ethnic minority community.
  • Create imbedded networks of support and communication on a local, regional, state and national level to serve the College’s ethnic minority community.
    • Identify ways to support the professional development and promotion opportunities for ethnic minority employees.
    • Provide a platform for informal interaction in a social environment for ethnic minority employees.
    • Identify ways to mentor and support ethnic minority employees.

 

ARTICLE IV – REPRESENTATION

Administrators, Faculty, Staff, Student Employees of target ethnic identities shall be allowed to fully participate in ECC, as well as those that belong to ethnic agent identities that support and explicitly advocate for the principles outlined in the Mission of the Coalition.

 

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP

Qualifications for Membership 

  • An individual is considered a member of the Coalition if they are employed by Salt Lake Community College and have completed the annual membership intake form.

Member Expectations 

  • All members should be active and willing to invest volunteer time into the Coalition.
    • All members should serve on at least one subcommittee;
  • Members commit to engaging with one another respectfully.
  • All members should understand that confidentiality is key to a respectful and honest Coalition.
  • To be eligible to vote, members must attend eight (8) of the twelve (12) general meetings prior to the election meeting (May to April).

Membership Meetings 

General meetings of the Coalition are held once a month at a location chosen by the presiding officer(s).  Meeting times may vary.

Subcommittee meetings will be called and led by the chair of the subcommittee.  Subcommittee work must be brought to the Coalition body for review and voting.

No quorum is necessary to conduct business. 

Quorum, by way of members present and participating electronically, is required to pass a vote. 

Quorum shall be defined as 20% of the general membership of the Coalition at the time of the vote.

Special Meetings

Special meetings of the Coalition may be called by the Co-Chairs.  A notice of such meetings shall be emailed to all members.  Such notices shall state the date, time and purpose of the meeting.

Order of Business for Meetings

Meetings shall proceed in accordance with Martha’s Rules of Order for Meetings as follows:

Welcome

Taking of Attendance

Presenting of Proposals and Discussion

Reports from Subcommittees

Announcements

Adjournment

 

ARTICLE VI – STRUCTURE

The Coalition shall have two (2) Co-Chairs, one (1) Treasurer, and one (1) Historian/Convener who will serve as officers of the Coalition.  The officers will be elected by majority vote when quorum is achieved by the Coalition via in-person and/or electronic vote.  Members may nominate members of the Steering Committee for Co-Chair positions and may nominate any member or themself for Treasurer and Historian/Convener.  The nominating period is February through March of every even year.  The slate of the officers will be presented to the Coalition by the end of March.

Eligible members will vote for officers at the Coalition General Meeting in April or by electronic ballot during the week of said meeting.

Incoming officers will be mentored by outgoing officers May-July following an election.

Installation of officers will take place at the Coalition General Meeting in July.

 

ARTICLE VII – OFFICERS & DUTIES

Co-Chairs

Co-Chairs are responsible for guiding the work of the Coalition to ensure full support.  They are responsible for identifying members to serve on Coalition committees.  They are responsible for ensuring committee work is reported back to the Coalition.  They are responsible for arranging meeting times, dates and places.  They are responsible for taking notes at Coalition meetings in the absence of a Convener.  They are responsible for producing a full report of the Coalition’s work at the end of the year with the support of the Historian.

The Co-Chairs have executive authority to make decisions and take action.  Both Co-Chairs must agree with such action and communicate the rationale and action taken regarding executive decision-making to the Coalition as soon as practicable.  The Co-Chairs must inform the Coalition of the issues and their decision by email to provide an opportunity for review and consultation.  One week shall be sufficient for the Coalition to review, comment and vote on issues.

As agreed upon and approved by the Coalition, it is the function of the Co-Chairs to communicate the decisions, reports, advice and information to the Administration, and report the outcomes of such communications to the Coalition.  The Co-Chairs will serve as the representatives for the Coalition when approving the budget, signing documents and meeting with College Officials.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for keeping account of all financial transactions (i.e. expenditures, donations, awards and the like) using standard accounting principles, and will provide the Co-Chairs with quarterly financial updates.  The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all the funds of the Coalition and shall deposit said funds in the name of the Coalition in such bank or trust company as the Coalition may elect.  They shall, when duly authorized by the Co-Chairs, sign and execute all contracts in the name of the Coalition.  They shall also sign checks, drafts, notes and orders for the payment of money, which shall be duly authorized by the Co-Chairs and countersigned by the Convener.  At the end of each academic year, they shall have an audit of the Coalition account(s) conducted by a committee appointed by the Co-Chairs, and shall present such audit findings in writing at the first general meeting of the oncoming academic year.

Historian/Convener

The Historian/Convener shall keep the minutes of the general and steering committee meetings.  They shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices of the Coalition and shall have charge of such books and papers as the Coalition may direct including an alphabetical membership roll containing the name and email address of all persons who are members of the Coalition. 

The Historian/Convener shall keep a record of the history of ECC at Salt Lake Community College, including such information as student body and workforce data, attendance at meetings, collective service hours, employment trends of ethnic minorities at Salt Lake Community College.  This record will be shared with ethnic minorities at Salt Lake Community College.

The Historian/Convener may request members to assist with the order of the meeting, including keeping the minutes, and should be knowledgeable of Martha’s Rules of Order for Meetings.

Terms of Office

The term of office shall be from August 1 to July 31. 

            Two (2) Co-Chairs                                                      2 years

            Treasurer                                                                     2 years

            Historian/Convener                                                    2 years

 Each officer may be elected no more than two (2) consecutive terms for the same office.

 

ARTICLE VIII – COMMITTEES

Steering Committee 

  • The Steering Committee is responsible for the general supervision of affairs between its regular meetings and is comprised of at least one of the immediate past Co-Chairs, the elected officers and four (4) members at large who serve as subcommittee chairs. 
  • Members are responsible for directing the recommendation of the Steering Committee, which are subject to the approval of the organization, and none of its acts shall conflict with that of the general body. 
  • The Steering Committee is responsible for the duties of membership management. 
  • The Steering Committee shall be responsible for determining the dollar amount of the ECC scholarship each year. 
    • Selected scholarship recipients and rationale will be presented by the Student Support & Scholarship Committee and approved by the Steering Committee before final awards are given. 
  • Potential service projects shall be presented by the Event & Community Involvement Committee and approved by the Steering Committee before being presented to the Coalition. 
  • The Steering Committee shall be responsible for the management of the officer nomination and election process, which includes the following: 
    • Implementation and supervision of ECC’s nominations for officers and establishment of appropriate election procedures; 
    • It shall be the duty of this committee to collect all nominations for offices to be filled in February and March of each election year. An opportunity will be given at each of these meetings for the acceptance of nominations;
    • Ballots must include the names of all persons nominated for office, and it is the only ballot that can be used at the election;
    • At least two weeks prior to the April election, a notice that includes the time and place for the election of officers shall be emailed to each member of the Coalition in good standing. A statement outlining the responsibilities of each elected position shall be included in said email.

Faculty Support Committee

This committee will research qualitative and quantitative information concerning ethnic minority faculty, identify issues and concerns, and develop best practices to ensure ethnic minority faculty are hired, supported, retained and valued equitably at Salt Lake Community College.

Staff Support Committee

This committee will identify issues and concerns regarding ethnic minority staff members and develop best practices to ensure ethnic minority staff is hired, supported and retained equitably at Salt Lake Community College.

Student Support & Scholarship Committee

This committee will identify issues and concerns regarding ethnic minority students and develop best practices to ensure ethnic minority students are being recruited, admitted, nurtured and graduated from Salt Lake Community College equitably. 

  • Members shall coordinate annual fundraising activities for the scholarship fund; 
  • Members shall determine the type of award, the scholarship criteria, and the application and selection processes. 
  • Selected scholarship recipients and rationale will be approved by the Steering Committee before final awards are given.

Event & Community Involvement Committee 

  • Plan and organize two (2) ECC social events each year. 
  • Members shall determine how often and in what ways the Coalition will engage in community service. 
  • Potential service projects shall first be approved by the Steering Committee before being presented to the Coalition.

 

ARTICLE IX – CRITERIA FOR ELECTION OF OFFICERS 

  • Member must be in good standing and must have attended eight (8) of the twelve (12) general meetings prior to the election meeting (May to April). 
  • No person’s name shall be added to the election ballot without first obtaining their consent. 
  • All officers shall be elected by ballot and shall hold office for the term length specified in Article VII of ECC bylaws. 
  • No members shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible to serve more than two (2) consecutive terms as an officer or member of the Steering Committee. 
  • Members do not have to be present to cast a ballot. 
  • Voting shall not be exercised by proxy.

 

ARTICLE X – REMOVAL OF TERMINATION OF OFFICERS

Any officer of the Coalition may be removed from office for probable cause (i.e. unexcused absence from three (3) consecutive steering committee or general meetings, failure to perform designated duties, misuse of funds, and conviction of a felony) by a two-thirds vote of the membership.  In case of death or resignation from the College, retirement, or removal of an officer from office, the Executive Committee (Co-Chairs, Treasurer and Historian/Convener) shall appoint a successor to fill the remainder of the term.

 

ARTICLE XI – ECC MAILING ROSTER

The ECC mailing roster is a confidential list of ethnic minority employees at Salt Lake Community College.  This list is to be used only by the Coalition’s Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

The ECC bylaws may be amended or repealed with approval from two-thirds of the membership, provided that amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous general meeting and reviewed by the Steering Committee.

The original bylaws were approved and adopted by the charter members of ECC on March 25, 2016.

The amended bylaws were approved and adopted by the members of ECC 07/2019