HISPANIC FACULTY AND STAFF CAUCUS OF NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY BYLAWS
ARTICLE I. NAME, ADDRESS AND CORRESPONDENCE
Section 1. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Hispanic Faculty/Staff Caucus of New Mexico State University, hereinafter referred to as the Caucus.
Section 2. Address and Correspondence
All correspondence shall be addressed to: Chair, Hispanic Faculty/Staff Caucus of New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003. Correspondence from the Caucus will be mailed by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLES II. POLICY, PURPOSE, MENTORING AND PRINCIPLES
Section 1. Policy
Recognizing its obligation to advocate for equal opportunity for all, it is the policy of the Caucus to dispose of all appropriate matters coming before it without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or political affiliation.
Section 2. Purpose
The Caucus provides a forum for NMSU faculty and professional staff with common concerns, among them to serve the University community and to work toward the recruitment and retention of Hispanic students, faculty, and professional staff, as well as the celebration of the diverse Hispanic cultures at NMSU.
Section 3. Mentoring
The Caucus will provide its members with mentoring and support to develop professionally. This support will be for employment, education, counseling and any other professional advancement of its members.
Section 4. Principles
A. The Caucus shall be politically nonpartisan.
B. The NMSU Caucus shall reach out within the community of New Mexico State University and appropriate educational agencies and direct itself toward the goals and objectives herewith stated.
C. All general members Caucus meetings are open to students, staff, faculty, University Administration, and locally interested community members.
ARTICLE III. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Section 1. Individual members of the Caucus shall be encouraged to endorse and support Hispanic applicants for positions of employment.
Section 2. The Caucus shall obtain and file with the Personnel Office, résumés of Hispanic candidates whom the Caucus shall recommend for appointment to positions as they become available at NMSU.
ARTICLE IV. GOALS
Section 1.
Actively participate in the recruitment and retention of Hispanic students.
Section 2.
Actively participate in the recruitment and retention of Hispanic faculty and professional staff.
Section 3.
Seek to be informed about issues in the community related to the education of Hispanics e.g. ti public school system.
Section 4.
Support the established, annual scholarships for Hispanic students.
ARTICLE V. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Qualifications.
The Caucus shall be a broadly based organization open to faculty, staff; and students who subscribe to and will work toward the goals of this Caucus.
Section 2: Rights and Privileges.
The members of the Caucus shall have the right to participate in deliberations and to vote on all matters coming before the body.
A. Members shall be admitted to the Caucus as individuals not as representatives of departments, colleges or organizations.
B. Membership dues in the amount of $30.00 for faculty and staff, $20.00 for DACC faculty and staff, and $5.00 for graduate students annually will be collected at the beginning of the academic year in September, but shall be required regardless of date of membership during the academic year.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
Section 1. General Membership Meetings.
The Caucus shall meet once per month in Corbett Center unless otherwise determined by the chair. These meetings shall be designated general membership meetings. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to send a notice to each.
Section 2. Special Meetings
Special meetings for any purpose whatsoever may be called at any time by the chair or by ten (10) members of the Caucus, upon written request to the chair at least 24 hours prior to the proposed meeting.
Section 3. Quorum
Paid members present plus two members of the executive committee constitute a quorum. Only paid members may vote. The majority of paid membership present will determine the vote.
ARTICLE VII. OFFICERS
Section 1. Executive Committee.
The officers of the Caucus shall be known as the Executive Committee. The officers of the Executive Committee shall consist of seven (7) members elected by the membership for a term of one (1) year to the offices of chair, vice-chair/chair-elect, secretary, treasurer, and three at-large members. The vice-chair/chair-elect shall assume the office of chair after the election of the in-coming vice-chair/chair, secretary, and treasurer.
Section 2. Elections.
Elections shall be held during the last meeting of the spring semester. The officer’s terms of office will begin immediately after the elections.
Section 3. Duties.
The Executive Committee shall be in charge of the administration of the business of the Caucus; The Executive Committee shall both schedule and announce meetings as well as record and distribute minutes of the general meetings via campus mail and e-mail prior to the next general meeting.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Section 1. Bylaws.
These bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of the majority of the paid members present at any general membership meeting. Amendments may be proposed by any member of the Caucus. Amendments shall become effective, if adopted, after the revised bylaws have been rewritten and presented to the membership at the next general membership meeting for final approval. Adoption and approval will be by a show of hands of the majority of the members present.
ARTICLE IX. COMMITTEES
Section 1.
The Executive Committee will appoint such committees and task forces as deemed necessary.
All members shall serve for a term of two years as a committee chair or committee member of two years on a specific standing committee such as: Membership, Outreach and Marketing, Fundraising, Equal Employment and Retention, Scholarship. Once the term of two years has been completed on a specific committee, a member can begin serving on another committee as appointed by the executive committee.
(Updated as of August 2011)
