QAA BYLAWS

Article I – Name

The name of this association shall be the Queer Advocacy Alliance, hereafter referred to as QAA.

Article II – Purpose

The QAA at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) brings together members of the CSUCI community to advocate for:

  1. Promoting a campus climate that is sensitive, inclusive, and equitable for all individuals and groups on the spectrums of gender and sexuality across all intersectional identities through a variety of efforts.
  2. Building a community and support network amongst faculty, staff, and students who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Non-binary, Intersex, Asexual, and other marginalized genders and sexual orientations (LGBTQIA+ ).
  3. Promoting social and cultural awareness and inclusion of the full range of LGBTQIA+ identities, cultures, histories, and issues through the development of related curriculum and coordination and support of activities on campus and throughout our broader communities.
  4. Improving access, retention and graduation rates of LGBTQIA+ students.
  5. Recruiting, retaining, promoting and granting tenure for greater numbers of LGBTQIA+ faculty, staff, and administrators.
  6. Offering professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators that promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
  7. Responding proactively to the needs of LGBTQIA+ students and community by serving as a resource and advocate.
  8. Fostering interaction and partnership between the university and our service region to improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ peoples.
  9. Coordinating and supporting activities that enhance the awareness and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ peoples in all of their intersectional identities.

Article III – Membership

  1. QAA shall be open to all CSUCI faculty, staff, administrators, and student representatives from related student organizations who have an interest in LGBTQIA+ issues in education, who support the principles and purpose of the Association, and who are committed to promoting the goals and objectives of QAA.
  2. QAA retains the right to set annual dues upon approval by the University. Only those who have paid annual dues to QAA shall be considered “members in good standing” and have specific membership privileges.
  3. Only members in good standing shall participate in decisions affecting the goals of the organization, be elected to office, vote, or represent the organization.
  4. Participation, privileges, voting rights, and interests for all members in good standing are equal.
  5. Membership discontinuance shall occur upon a written request from the member; membership shall also be terminated upon non-payment of annual dues.
  6. Membership dues shall be $30 per membership period (academic year). Student membership is free.
  7. Dues paid after June 1st will count for the next membership period.

Article IV – Membership Meeting

  1. General membership meetings shall be held at least twice per semester at a time, place, and modality(s) designated by the Executive Committee.
  2. Notice of time and place of general membership meetings shall be sent to individual members with at least one week’s notice.
  3. Emergency meetings may be called by the Executive Committee. Written notice of special meetings shall be sent to the general membership at least two working days prior to such meetings.
  4. All meetings shall be offered in person with hybrid options when and where feasible.

Article V – Officers and Duties

Officers:

  1. The elected officers of QAA shall be: Faculty Co-Chair, Staff Co-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Senate representative, Membership/Public Relations, and Liaison/Activity Coordinator.
  2. The officers shall be elected by QAA members who are in good standing (see III.02; III.03).

Duties:

The Co-Chairs shall:

  1. Preside at all QAA and Planning Committee meetings.
  2. Oversee the work of the other officers and ensure that they function together as an effective team.
  3. Provide the overall vision and sense of direction for the association;
  4. Delegate appropriate responsibilities to committee chairs and oversee chair people and the work of all committees.
  5. Be the primary spokesperson for QAA as directed by the Officers and/or the membership.
  6. Serve as a role model for other officers and members.
  7. Schedule QAA officer and associational meeting dates, times, and facilities and disseminate notices of such meetings regularly and routinely.
  8. Provide the Associations’ Annual Report to members and to the University.
  9. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Officers.

The Secretary shall:

  1. Record, produce, and distribute true and accurate summary notes of all pertinent QAA business to good standing members (including meeting notes, upcoming events, and opportunities).
  2. Record, produce, and distribute true and accurate summary notes of the officer and associational meetings of QAA.
  3. Maintain cumulative records of all meeting agendas and minutes.
  4. Keep a current list of QAA membership lists with names, titles, addresses, and phone numbers.
  5. Create QAA email distribution lists (listserv).
  6. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Officers.

The Treasurer shall:

  1. Receive and deposit all moneys or funds of QAA in such depositories as may be selected by the membership, and shall disburse the funds of QAA in the manner directed by the membership.
  2. Record and pay bills, and manage day-to-day financial transactions of QAA including the maintenance of adequate and correct accounts of the assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, and losses. The books of account(s) shall be open to inspection by any good standing member.
  3. Establish an annual QAA budget in consultation with membership and ensure it is followed.
  4. Report regularly QAA’s financial status to officers and good standing members.
  5. Work closely with CSUCI or local bank to ensure accuracy of the QAA account transactions and smooth financial services.
  6. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Officers.

The Senate Representative shall:

  1. Report out to the membership notes from senate meetings, especially as they pertain to the business of this alliance.
  2. Bring QAA causes to senate for action.
  3. Represent the QAA membership in senate discussions and serve as a voting member.

The Membership/Public Relations shall:

  1. Obtain updated lists and contact information of new CSUCI faculty and staff members.
  2. Manage QAA email distribution lists (listserv), Canvas, and/or social media.
  3. Develop and disseminate flyers and other public relations materials announcing Association meetings to members as well as to the University and community as needed.
  4. Provide some technical assistance for the Associations’ Annual Report.
  5. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Officers.

The Liaison Officer/Activity Coordinator shall;

  1. Oversee, coordinate, and delegate responsibilities related to the Association’s annual activities.
  2. Oversee and coordinate activities and functions that involve students on campus in conjunction with the Association’s activities and programs.
  3. Work closely with Public Relations to maintain an up-to-date photo and video archive of any QAA events.
  4. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Officers.

Article VI – Terms of Office and Elections

Terms of Office

  1. Officers shall serve a term of two years from the date of their election (unless otherwise specified). Officers shall serve staggered terms to balance continuity with new perspectives. Each term will commence on June 1 and end on May 31 of the 2nd year of appointment.
  2. An officer may be re-elected for no more than one (1) additional successive term in the same office.

Election of Officers

  1. The Officers shall appoint an election committee every April 1 to run elections for all exiting officers. The election committee shall consist of no less than three (3) members in good standing (see III.2; III.3). No candidate of the Officers shall serve on the election committee.
  2. When possible, the election committee shall identify one or more candidates for each office and obtain their consent to run for office. Self-nominations will be accepted.
  3. All nominated candidates shall be regular members in good standing at the time of nomination (see III.2; III.3);
  4. Members in good standing shall be eligible to vote in the election of the Officers (see III.2; III.3);
  5. The election committee shall conduct an electronic election by sending ballots to all members in good standing (see III.2; III.3);
  6. Officers are elected by a majority vote of the members in good standing (see III.2; III.3);
  7. Election results shall be announced by the election committee by the end of the membership year (May 31).

Article VII – Bylaws Amendments

  1. Amendments to these bylaws may be made by a two-thirds vote of members present and voting at the general meetings, provided that membership has been notified one week prior to the meeting.
  2. The aforementioned bylaws of the Queer Advocacy Association of California State University Channel Islands were unanimously ratified by Association members in good standing in: Fall 2022.
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