UC SAN DIEGO FACULTY ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization, referred to as “Association” in these by-laws, is the San
Diego Faculty Association, properly abbreviated SDFA.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS
Section 1. The Association shall have as its general purposes:
(a) To preserve and heighten the professional and scholarly values held by the faculty.
(b) To protect and strengthen the privileges and responsibilities traditionally reserved
to the faculty for maintaining and improving academic quality on campus.
(c) To support and effect faculty participation in the governance of the University.
(d) To maintain and improve the economic status and general welfare of the faculty.
(e) To communicate with members regularly on how the Association is pursuing these goals.
Section 2. The Association shall have as its principal functions:
(a) To inform, consult with, and represent faculty interests to agencies whose decisions
affect the faculty, and to gather and disseminate to the faculty information on relevant
issues before such agencies. These agencies include the legislative and executive branches
and administrative agencies of the State of California, the Board of Regents, and the
University-wide campus administrations.
(b) To encourage the development of, maintain contact with, coordinate its activities
with, and form liaisons with parallel or similar organizations on other campuses
of the University of California.
(c) To prepare for the possibility of collective bargaining by continually informing
itself and the faulty on all relevant issues. It will monitor and attempt to influence
any legislation that might be regarded as affecting collective bargaining by university
faculty, so as to protect and further faculty interests such as the right to
self-determination. It may upon approval of the membership, seek to become the
collective bargaining agent for the faculty.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the SDFA is open to all faculty members of the Academic
Senate, San Diego Division. Members who hold Administrative positions above the
rank of College Provost or above the rank of Department Chair may not serve on the
Executive Board.
Section 2. The criteria for membership may be altered only on approval, in a ballot of the
membership, by a majority of those voting. The Executive Board shall make its views
on the proposed alteration of membership criteria known to the membership at the time
ballots are sent.
ARTICLE IV. RELATIONSHIP TO THE SAN DIEGO DIVISION
Section 1. While recognizing and supporting the Senate as the governing body of
the faculty, the Association shall carry out its functions independent of the activities of the
San Diego division and its committees and shall not utilize the resources or facilities of the
Division.
ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OFFICERS
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Board ranging from three to five persons,
who shall be elected by the members of the Association. Two at-large members
shall be selected by the members of the Executive Board. The officers of the
Associates shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair, and Secretary/Treasurer, who will be
selected by the elected Executive Board members from within their own ranks.
Selection of officers shall take place following each election of Board members
and officers shall serve until successors are selected. Once selected, officers
may be removed by a majority vote of the elected Board at a meeting of the
Board called for that purpose.
Section 2. The Board members will serve staggered two-year terms, beginning July 1 and
ending June 30. Nothing shall preclude Board members from serving more than one term
if elected. The term of Appointed Executive Board members shall also be two years.
Section 3. Vacancies on the Executive Board or among its officers shall be filled by action of
the elected Executive Board. Appointed positions may remain vacant at the discretion of
the Executive Board.
Section 4. Elections for the Board shall be by email vote of the members in good
standing as of April 1st. Ballots shall be mailed no later than May 15th.
Section 5. There shall be a Nominating Committee for Board elections, whose
purpose it shall be to nominate candidates of elections to the Board. The
committee shall consist of three Association members in good standing as of
the date of the appointment (no later than April 15th). The Executive Board
shall make the appointments; no member of the Board may be appointed to
the Nominating Committee.
Section 6. On or before April 15, the Nominating Committee shall propose a candidate for
each Board position to be filled at that election. The Board will inform the membership of the
nominees; such notice will also indicate that further nominations may be made on petition of
seven members in good standing as of April 1. Such petitions shall be delivered to the
Secretary of the Association on or before May 1. The names of all candidates nominated by
the Nominating Committee and by petition shall be placed on the ballot. In the event that
there are no contested positions on the ballot, the slate shall be considered elected by
acclamation and the membership duly informed.
Section 7. Only Association members in good standing as of April 1st shall be eligible to be
candidates for the Board.
Section 8. Each member may vote for as many candidates as there are posts to be elected, and the winning candidates shall be determined by plurality vote.
Section 9. The Board shall appoint a committee to be responsible for the conduct of the
election and the counting of the vote. The Board shall announce the result of the election
within seven days of the close of the ballot period.
ARTICLE VI. DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OFFICERS
Section 1. The Executive Board shall act as the governing body of the Association between
Association meetings. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for binding votes.
Section 2. The Chairperson shall preside over meetings of the Association and of the
Executive Board, shall issue the call for such meetings, and shall supervise the administration
of the Association’s programs.
Section 3. The Vice Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson in the supervision of the general
program of the Association and shall act in the Chairperson’s stead at all Association and
Board meetings which the Chairperson is unable to attend.
Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping the records of the
Association including membership list, and for issuing notice of the call to regular and special
meetings of the Association when instructed to do so by the Chairperson. The Secretary-
Treasurer shall also serve as the custodian of Association funds and shall be responsible for
keeping these funds in a suitable depository and for keeping the Association’s financial
statement up to date. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for the disbursing of
funds of the Association as authorized by the Executive Board.
Section 5. Members of the Board shall perform other functions as the Board may determine.
The Executive Board may establish such committees as circumstances require.
Section 6. The Board shall employ such staff as is necessary for the effective functioning of the Association.
ARTICLE VI. DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OFFICERS
Section 1. The Executive Board shall act as the governing body of the Association between
Association meetings. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for binding votes.
Section 2. The Chairperson shall preside over meetings of the Association and of the
Executive Board, shall issue the call for such meetings, and shall supervise the
administration of the Association’s programs.
Section 3. The Vice Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson in the supervision
of the general program of the Association and shall act in the Chairperson’s
stead at all Association and Board meetings which the Chairperson is unable
to attend.
Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping the records of the
Association including membership list, and for issuing notice of the call to regular and
special meetings of the Association when instructed to do so by the Chairperson.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall also serve as the custodian of Association funds and
shall be responsible for keeping these funds in a suitable depository and for keeping
the Association’s financial statement up to date. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be
responsible for the disbursing of funds of the Association as authorized by the Executive Board.
Section 5. Members of the Board shall perform other functions as the Board
may determine. The Executive Board may establish such committees as
circumstances require.
Section 6. The Board shall employ such staff as is necessary for the effective functioning
of the Association.
ARTICLE VII. DUES AND ASSESSMENTS
Section 1. The Board will develop an equitable dues structure. Assessments shall
be at the discretion of the Board.
Section 2. Special assessments may be levied but only on recommendation
of the Executive Board and by a subsequent majority vote at a meeting of
the Association, provided that the provisions of Article VIII, Section 3, are
met and that the proposal is specifically announced in the call for the meeting
at which ratification is proposed.
Section 3. Paid-up membership shall be a prerequisite for Association
membership in good standing.
ARTICLE VIII. MEETINGS
Section 1. The Executive Board will report to the membership each academic
year in a general meeting or in writing or both.
Section 2. The Chair shall call a special meeting of the Association within
two weeks when requested to do so by a majority of the Executive Board or
on petition signed by ten percent of the Association members in good standing.
Section 3. The quorum for any Association meeting shall be 15 Association
members in good standing or five percent of the membership, whichever is
higher. Any action taken at a membership meeting shall be submitted for
approval by the membership by email ballot upon request of one-third of
the members in attendance at that meeting, or of a majority of the Executive
Board.
Section 4. The Secretary shall issue a notice of any regular or special
meetings of the Association at least seven days prior to the meeting
date, unless the Executive Board shall determine that circumstances
require shorter notice.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENT
These by-laws may be amended, except as provided in Article III, Section 2,
by a majority of the membership responding to a ballot.
ARTICLE X. BALLOTS
Section 1. Ballots, other than those scheduled for regular election to the
Board, may be initiated for any purpose by the Executive Board or by
direction of a regular or special meeting of the Association.
Section 2. Except as otherwise specified in these by-laws, those eligible
to vote in any mail ballot shall be members in good standing as of one
month before the date on which these ballots are sent. Unless the Executive
Board declares that an emergency exists requiring a shorter period,
all ballots returned within two weeks from the date of sending shall be counted.
Section 3. Except as otherwise specified in these by-laws, matters submitted to the
membership by ballot shall require only a simple majority of those casting ballots.
Section 4. Communications with members, including election notices, election
ballots, and polls, may be conducted by regular mail or e-mail, using
appropriate controls for security to be determined by the Executive Board
using the technology of the moment.
ARTICLE XI. RELATIONSHIP TO COUNCIL OF UC FACULTY ASSOCIATIONS (CUCFA)
Section 1. CUCFA serves as the coordinating and service agency for the
several individual Faculty Associations on separate campuses of the University,
including the San Diego Faculty Association. CUCFA has as one of its primary
functions and purposes the responsibility to encourage and assist the
development of Faculty Associations on the campuses, and, on request,
provide organization assistance to existing Faculty Associations.
Section 2. Should an insufficient number of SDFA members volunteer to serve
on the SDFA Board, the association agrees that CUCFA will provide aid
in SDFA administrative matters until such a time when volunteers become
available to continue with the purposes and functions, as stated in Article I
of these bylaws.
ARTICLE XII. EFFECTIVE DATE: October 2003.These amended by-laws became effective January 18, 2024. (Article I, amended 1-19-24; Article II, Sections 1-3, amended 1-19-24; Article III, Sections 1-2, amended 1-19-24; Article IV, Section 1, amended 1-19-24; Article V, Sections 1-11, amended 1-19-24; Article VI, Sections 1-4 and 7, amended 1-19-24; Article VII, Sections 1-3, amended 1-19-24; Article VIII, Articles 1-4 amended 1-19-24; Article IX, Articles 1-5 amended 1-19-24; Article X, Article X became Article IX, amended 1-19-24; Article X11, amended 1-19-24; Article XIII, amended 1-19-24;)