HAVE YOUR SAY IN CUASA GOVERNANCE – Constitution and Bylaw Review 2022 – Carleton University Academic Staff Association

HAVE YOUR SAY IN CUASA GOVERNANCE – Constitution and Bylaw Review 2022

February 24, 2022

HAVE YOUR SAY IN CUASA GOVERNANCE – Constitution and Bylaw Review 2022

One of the most important ways that CUASA members may participate in the administration of the Association, aside from attending general CUASA meetings and activities, is to propose changes to the Constitution and Bylaws. In order to do this, they first have to bring a motion to the Council of CUASA. Council will consider and approve Bylaw amendments, and consider and endorse Constitution amendments to be brought forward to the membership for referendum.

Before you start, we recommend that you:

Familiarize yourself with the current Constitution and Bylaws first.

Discuss any areas you feel may need to be addressed with your department’s CUASA Council representative or fellow CUASA members. If you are not sure of your unit’s Council representative, please contact [email protected].

Plan to attend the CUASA Zoom Café information session on how to prepare governance motions. David Robinson, CAUT Executive Director, will be in attendance to share best practices and pro-tips on how to prepare motions related to governance. The information session will be held on Friday, March4, from 12:00 to 1:30pm. Zoom details to follow.

Plan to attend as an observer to the CUASA Council meeting on Thursday, March 24, 2022, at 1:00pm to stay informed about governance issues.

How to propose a CUASA Bylaw change – Deadline March 9:

Step 1: Prepare a motion sheet and identify the bylaw you are proposing for alteration to CUASA Council.

Step 2: Collect ten (10) signatures from CUASA Council members drawn from at least two (2) faculties. For an updated Council member list, please click here.

Step 3: Email your completed and signed motion sheet to [email protected] no later than 10:00am on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.

Key points to remember for a bylaw alteration:

Only CUASA members, meaning those who have signed their union cards, may participate in the internal administration of the union. Please make sure that you have completed your union card. To verify your membership status, please email [email protected].

All properly received motions will be placed on the CUASA Council March 24, 2022, agenda. CUASA members may attend as observers. If your motion is properly submitted to the CUASA office by the above deadline, you will be provided with the meeting zoom link automatically. Observers will be required to RSVP in advance and will be asked to change their profile names to reflect their observer status since they are prohibited from voting on motions during a Council meeting.

How to propose a CUASA Constitutional change – Deadline March 9:

Step 1: Prepare a motion sheet and identify the Constitution article you are proposing to CUASA Council be placed before the CUASA membership for a referendum vote.

Step 2: Collect fifteen (15) signatures from CUASA members drawn from at least two (2) faculties.

Step 3: Email your completed and signed motion sheet to [email protected] no later than 10:00am on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.

Key points to remember for a constitutional amendment:

Only CUASA members, meaning those who have signed their union cards, may participate in the internal administration of the union. Please make sure that you have completed your union card. To verify your membership status, please email [email protected].

All properly received motions will be placed on the CUASA Council March 24, 2022, agenda. CUASA members may attend as observers. If your motion is properly submitted to the CUASA office by the above deadline, you will be provided with the meeting zoom link automatically. Observers will be required to RSVP in advance and will be asked to change their profile names to reflect their observer status since they are prohibited from voting on motions during a Council meeting.

A majority of Council members must first pass the motion before the matter is put to a membership referendum.

Please note that after submitted motion documentation is received by the CUASA office, all materials will be provided to the CUASA Chair of the Internal Affairs Committee to help ensure that the materials are kept organized to assist the Chair of Council as well as to help identify if any proposed changes require additional information to be prepared for Council.