By-Laws
(With Revisions
)
ARTICLE I: AUTHORIZATION AND
PURPOSE
The President’s Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Concerns at Emory University is an advisory body to the
President of the University. On the recommendation of the two
previous committees on lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) concerns that were
formed by the President in 1992, this Commission was established in March
1995. Deriving its authority from the President, the Commission has
the following purposes:
- To serve as a focus for matters of concern to lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons across the University
- To monitor the work begun by the previous LGB committees and to
advise the President on the implementation of their recommendations
concerning the University’s Equal Opportunity Policy, benefits for
employees’ domestic partners, the campus Office of LGBT Life, and LGBT
studies
- To develop and support programs at Emory to reduce homophobia and
heterosexism
- To conduct studies as needed to address these concerns
In these by-laws, the term “Commission” shall refer to
the President’s Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Concerns at Emory University.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
Section
1 The
Commission shall consist of a maximum of 26
members. Of these, up to 21 shall be appointed by the
President upon the recommendation of the Commission.
Non-voting ex officio appointments include: a representative from
the Office of the President, a representative from the Office of Equal
Opportunity Programs, the Director of the Office of LGBT Life (or his/her
designee), the chair of the LGBT Studies Program Committee, and the
Immediate Past Co-Chairs of the Commission. The appointed
members of the Commission shall be selected from the faculty, staff,
students, administrative officers, and alumni of the University with as
broad a representation as possible from the various divisions of the
University.
Four student, four faculty, and two alumni members shall
be appointed by the President for a term of one year. Four members
representing the staff and two representing the administration, shall be
appointed by the President for terms of two years each.
At least
one Commission member must represent Oxford College, preferably a current
faculty, staff, or student. In the interest of ensuring the
representation of racial and ethnic minorities and maintaining gender
parity on the Commission, up to but no more than five
representatives-at-large selected from the faculty, staff, students,
administration, or alumni of the University may be appointed by the
President for terms consistent with those specified above. Members
shall be nominated for appointment as prescribed in ARTICLE II, SECTION 3
of these by-laws.
The term of membership shall begin at the time of the
September meeting of the Commission.
Section
2 Any
Commission member may, at the end of her/his term, choose to renew her/his
term for an additional term. The process of renewing shall include a
written statement of purpose and commitment to be submitted to the
Co-Chairs-elect for review.
Section
3 Any vacancy
resulting from an official leave of absence shall be filled by a person
appointed to serve on the Commission until the member on leave
returns. Any vacancy resulting from the withdrawal of a member
unable to serve his or her full appointment shall be filled by a person
appointed to serve the remainder of such a term. In each case,
nominations and appointments shall be made as follows. Each
committee within the Commission will assist in the recruitment of new
members during the annual recruitment period. Nomination forms will
be completed and submitted to the Co-Chairs-elect who will then distribute
the nominations to each of the three committees. The committees will
then make a recommendation to the Co-Chairs-elect on potential new
members. The Co-Chairs-elect of the Commission shall then present a
slate of nominees to the Commission. A simple majority of the
Commission shall be sufficient to decide the names of person to be
recommended to the President of the University for his/her review.
The President shall then appoint persons to fill such vacancies for the
appropriate length of time.
Section
4 Absence
from two meetings of the Commission during any one academic year shall be
interpreted as the automatic resignation of the member. In the event
that there are extenuating circumstances and the member wishes to continue
on the Commission, the member has 14 days from the date of the meeting on
which the third absence occurs to write a letter to the
Co-Chairs/Co-Chairs-elect of the Commission explaining the circumstances
and to request continuation of membership. At the next scheduled
meeting of the Commission’s Executive Committee, the letter of request
shall be circulated to the Executive Committee and a decision shall be
reached. Exceptions may be made by the Executive Committee.
Section
5 Commission
members are expected to uphold three major responsibilities: Attend
regular Commission meetings; Serve on at least one Committee; Serve as an
active participant in Commission meetings and other events sponsored by
the Commission, in addition to Committee responsibilities.
ARTICLE III: OFFICERS
Section
1 The
Officers of the Commission shall include two Co-Chairs, two Co-Chairs-Elect,
a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Terms will last one academic year, with the
Co-Chairs-Elect assuming the offices of Co-Chairs the fall of the next
academic year. Following their term as Co-Chairs, they will maintain
ex-officio membership for at least one additional year in order to provide
support to Commission leadership with their experience and knowledge.
Therefore, persons agreeing to serve as Co-Chair-elect will be agreeing to
serve the Commission for a total of at least three years. If a student is
elected Co-Chair elect, his or her one-year term will automatically be
renewed to allow for his or her term as Co-Chair the following year.
Nominations shall be made from the floor. In the cases of Co-Chairs elect
and Co-Chairs (should nominations be necessary), nominations shall be made
with regard to gender diversity and equal representation, inclusive of all
forms of gender identity and expression. A simple majority of those
present shall be sufficient to elect.
Section
2 (a) The
Co-Chairs shall perform the duties usually pertaining to that
office. The Co-Chairs shall preside at all meetings of the
Commission and prepare the agenda for meetings of the Commission. The
Co-Chairs will determine which should serve as the main spokesperson for
the Commission and the liaison to the Office of the University President,
the Office of the Secretary of the University, Office of LGBT Life, and
the EEOP Office, and both shall be available to manage impromptu issues
that arise from the community needing the attention of the Commission. In
addition, the Co-Chairs will serve as the people to whom each of the
Commission’s three committee chairs report.
(b) The Co-Chairs-elect, elected positions, shall assume
the responsibilities of the Co-Chairs at the end of the annual term of the
Co-Chairs. The Co-Chairs-elect shall assist the Co-Chairs in the
leadership of the Commission, and in the absence of the Co-Chairs, shall
preside at meetings of the Commission and perform such other functions as
are assigned to the Co-Chairs. The Co-Chairs Elect shall assume the
responsibilities for maintaining Commission membership. This will
include coordinating recruitment and selection of new members in
conjunction with the President’s office and maintaining current member
information and lists. If a Commission member is absent from two
regular meetings within one academic year, the Co-Chairs-elect will
communicate with that member, in writing, confirming the member’s
inability to effectively participate in the work of the Commission.
(c) The Immediate Past Co-Chairs shall remain on the
Commission in an ex-officio capacity and serve as advisers to the current
leadership.
(d) The Secretary, an elected position, shall keep the
minutes of the Commission meetings, distribute the minutes and agenda
prior to the next meeting, keep a record of member attendance at regular
Commission meetings, assist the Co-Chairs-elect in maintaining a complete
and accurate list of all members and their addresses, maintain the
Commission’s website, and perform other such duties as usually pertain to
that office or as are properly required of her/him by the Commission.
(e) The Treasurer, an elected position, shall maintain
financial records of the Commission, annually present a proposed budget to
the Commission with the assistance of the Executive Committee, coordinate
requests for funding as outlined in ARTICLE VI, process any payments made
by the Commission, report as needed on the status of Commission finances,
and perform other such duties as usually pertain to that office or as are
properly required of him/her by the Commission.
ARTICLE IV: COMMITTEES
Section
1 The
Executive Committee. The Co-Chairs, Co-Chairs-elect, Secretary, and
Treasurer will make up the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee will serve as the leadership team for the Commission and will
meet as often as needed throughout the year. Members of the
Executive Committee will not be expected to join one of the three
established committees as their time will be spent focusing on their
specific roles and the work of the Executive Committee. There will
be times that the three Committee Chairs will also need to attend meetings
of the Executive Committee.
Section
2 The
committee structure for the Commission will consist of three
committees: the Student and Alumni Concerns Committee, the Staff
Concerns Committee, and the Faculty Concerns Committee. Each
Committee will meet monthly or as needed, in addition to the regular
Commission meetings. The purpose of each Committee is to determine
the needs in the community that relate to those included in their “area”
and take action to assist in meeting those needs as they relate to the
purpose and mission of the Commission (see ARTICLE 1). Annually, each
Committee will select at least one initiative to complete within the
current year, at least one initiative to coordinate with the other two
Committees within the current year, and at least one long-term initiative
that they hope to see the Committee accomplish over the course of the next
5-10 years.
Committee membership will consist of Commission members
who fit into the categories covered by the Committee titles or any
Commission member who may be interested in working with a particular
committee. In addition, members of the Emory community at large who
are not official members of the Commission may participate in the work of
one of the three Committees. The involvement of the at-large
Committee members will be coordinated by the Co-Chairs-elect.
Section
3 Other
committees, as needed, shall be created by the Commission. Members
of the Emory University community who are not members of the Commission
may be appointed by the Co-Chairs-elect with the approval of the
Commission, to serve on an ad hoc basis as members of these
committees. The period of service for such ad hoc members may be
specified by the Co-Chairs-elect at the time of their appointment.
Committee members shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as
shall be determined by the Commission.
Section
4 The
Commission shall annually review the purpose and membership of each
committee appointed during the year to assure that committee functions are
being realized in a manner that fulfills the objectives of the University
and the purposes of the Commission. This annual review shall provide
an opportunity to redefine committee objectives where necessary, to
appoint new members if needed, and to re-appoint continuing members when
possible.
Section
5 Committee
Chairs. Each Committee will have its own Committee Chair who will
report directly to the Co-Chairs. Committee Chairs will be appointed
by the Executive Committee in the spring semester for the following
fall. Chairs may decide to request a Committee member to serve as
Co-Chair if the need arises. Committee Chairs have the following
responsibilities: Coordinate the Committee’s efforts in determining
annual initiatives and plans for action; Convene and lead monthly
Committee meetings, as needed; Send an electronic monthly Committee report
to all Commission members at least one week prior to monthly Commission
meetings to provide an update on Committee plans and activities;
Ensure that each Committee member has a role to play in the work of the
Committee; Keep track of Committee work and Chair responsibilities
in a Committee Chair Notebook to serve as an historical perspective on the
Committee and the role of the Chair; Provide a written year-end report to
the Commission.
ARTICLE V: MEETINGS
Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held once a
month on a day decided by the Commission, except during the summer when
they will be scheduled only as necessary. Special meetings of the
Commission may be called at any time by the Chair/Chair-elect or a
majority of Commission members. Written notice of the place and time
of meetings shall be sent to all Commission members at least seven days
prior to each meeting.
A simple majority of the membership for the Commission
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
An annual fall retreat will be coordinated by the
Executive Committee to serve as a planning and team-building effort for
the Commission. The retreat will be considered the first regular
Commission meeting of the year.
ARTICLE VI: BUDGET
PROCEDURES
Section
1 Prior to
the first Commission meeting of the academic year, the Commission’s
Executive Committee will develop a budget for the year outlining expected
income and expenditures allocations.
The budget shall include funding to support the projects
and. mission of the Commission.
Section
2 In
addition, the Executive Committee will develop a proposed budget for the
following fiscal year and submit to the Office of Equal Opportunity
Programs.
Section
3 The
treasurer will present the proposed current year budget allocations for
approval by the Commission at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the
academic year.
Section
4 The
Commission will review and approve requests for funding in accordance with
the process outlined below and the annual budget.
Section
5 The
Executive Committee shall recommend adjustments to the budget allocations
as necessary. These adjustments shall be voted on by the Commission.
ARTICLE VII: FUNDING PROCESS
Section
1 Commission
Obligations
(a) Projects to which the Commission is obligated on
an annual basis should conform to the approved budget. The
Commission must approve any deviations in expenditures in advance.
(b) In special circumstances, the Commission Co-Chairs
may propose funding for an expenditure related to the operation of the
Commission. This proposal should be submitted to be voted on by a
quorum of the Commission.
Section
2 Procedures
for Requesting Funds
(a) Each individual or group seeking
monetary sponsorship from the Commission must complete the following
steps:
(1) Complete the
Sponsorship Request Form found on the Commission’s website. The Form
will ask for the name, location and dates of the conference/program;
whether the person seeking funding will be a presenter; a budget detailing
the total cost of attendance; names of other sources from which funding
has been sought and amounts sought (if any); the specific amount requested
from the Commission; and, a paragraph explaining the reason the for the
request and the goals the person or group wish to accomplish.
(2)Submit the completed Sponsorship Request Form to the Treasurer of
the Commission at least 45 days prior to the event, conference,
etc. Amounts to be awarded will not exceed $500, except in special
circumstances and will in general not exceed $350.
(3)The Treasurer will then
review the completed Form and either contact the person or group
requesting funds for further information (if needed) or the Treasurer will
forward the Form to the appropriate committee within the Commission for
consideration.
(4)Once the committee
members review the Request, they will determine whether or not they will
recommend that the Commission fund the Request. If they recommend
that the Commission fund the Request then at the next Commission meeting
the committee chair will present the Request to the Commission for a
vote.
(5) The Treasurer will
then contact the person or group requesting the funds and let them know
the outcome of their request. The Treasurer will have electronic
copies of a letter from the Commission Co-Chairs to use for this
purpose. If the Commission votes to fund the request, then the
letter from the Co-Chairs will include a review of the Commission’s
expectations of the recipient. These expectations will include a.)
the submission of a one-page summary and evaluation of the
conference/event/program reviewing the goals that were included in the
original request for funding. Within 30 days of the funded
conference/event/program, a one-page typed summary should be submitted to
the Treasurer of the Commission who will then share it at the next
Commission meeting. b.) if the funds requested will serve to co-sponsor an
event or program, the Commission expects to be prominently listed on all
publicity as a co-sponsor.
Section
3 Criteria
for Receiving Funding from the Commission
(a) Individuals or
groups will be given priority if they can show a direct relationship
between the work of the Commission and the conference or event for which
they seek funding.
(b) In addition, priority will be given to those
who have not previously received funding from the Commission.
(c) Requests for funds to attend conferences will
receive priority when the person requesting the funds plans to be a
presenter at the conference.
(d)The Commission will not consider requests for funding
of ongoing administrative or operational expenses.
ARTICLE
VII: AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS
Proposed amendments to the by-laws must be presented at
two consecutive meetings of the Commission. To take effect, they
must be approved by two-thirds of the Commission.
(Revised October 11, 2004) | 
