MSEA Constitution

Adopted 1984
Last Amended April 2005

We, the teachers of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, in order to promote the assured and continuing growth of a program for better education in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, dedicate ourselves to:

Section 1 – work for the welfare of school children, the advancement of education and the improvement of instructional opportunities for all.

Section 2 – develop and promote the adoption of such ethical practices, personnel policies and standards of preparation and participation as mark a profession.

Section 3 – unify and strengthen the teaching profession and secure and maintain the salaries, retirement, professional and sick leave and other working condition necessary to support teaching as a profession.

Section 4 – enable members to speak with a common voice on matters pertaining to the teaching profession and present their individual and common interests before the Board of Education and other legal authorities.

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I – NAME

 

The name of the organization shall be MATANUSKA-SUSITNA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

 

SECTION 1 – ACTIVE MEMBERS
Any certificated personnel employed as a full or part-time teacher or other professional person in the public schools of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough is eligible for membership.

SECTION 2 – ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
All persons not eligible for membership under Section 1 of this Article, but interested in the promotion of education shall be eligible for Associate Membership. Associate members shall not be eligible to hold office or vote.

SECTION 3 – REVOCATION OF MEMBERSHIP
As prescribed in the Bylaws, the Representative Council shall adopt procedures by which the Executive Board may suspend from membership or expel any member who shall have violated the ethics of the education profession; may cancel the membership of any member convicted in a court of law of a crime involving moral turpitude. No member may be censured, suspended or expelled without a due process hearing. The Representative Council may reinstate a member who has previously been suspended or expelled from the Association.

SECTION 4 – AFFILIATION
The Association shall affiliate with the National Education Association under its rules and NEA-Alaska, Inc. under its rules.

ARTICLE III – EXECUTIVE BOARD

 

SECTION 1 – OFFICERS
The officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice-President, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Area Representatives (this number will vary as per the Bylaws).

SECTION 2 – EXECUTIVE BOARD AND EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the Association, NEA-Alaska Region VII Directors, and NEA-Alaska Region VII PACE Representatives, provided they are MSEA members. It shall be the executive authority of the association.

The ethnic-minority representation shall be at least proportionate to the ethnic-minority membership of the Association. To comply with this requirement, an ethnic-minority representative may be elected as an Area Representative.

All elected officers shall be voting members of the Matanuska-Susitna Education Association.

SECTION 3 – RECALL OF OFFICERS
Whenever a majority of the Representative Council shall agree that an officer should be replaced for the good of the Association, the office may be declared vacant by a majority vote of the General Membership after due process. If this occurs, the General Membership shall immediately elect a replacement to fill the unexpired term.

ARTICLE IV – REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY

 

SECTION 1 – GENERAL
The legislative and policy forming body of the Association shall be the Representative Council.

SECTION 2 – MEMBERS OF THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
The Representative Council shall consist of the Executive Board, MSEA member(s) on the NEA-Alaska Board of Directors and one or more representatives from each school faculty elected pursuant to Article V of the Bylaws. The ethnic-minority representation shall be at least proportionate to the ethnic-minority membership of the Association. Committee chairpersons as designated by Sections VI and VII of the Bylaws are non-voting members.

SECTION 3 – MEETINGS OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS
Any member of the Association who is not a member of the Representative Council may attend the meetings and may speak to the issues under consideration.

ARTICLE V – AMENDMENT

 

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION
An Amendment to this Constitution may be introduced at a Representative Council meeting by any member of the Council, by the Executive Board or by a petition bearing signatures of not less than 10% of the current membership of the Association.

SECTION 2 – ADOPTION
Proposed Amendments shall be presented at the next Representative Council meeting for discussion and ballot approval. Within 10 days of the meeting, ballots containing suggested revisions shall be sent to each member of the Association. A 2/3 majority of those votes returned shall constitute the election results.

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See also, Bylaws or Policy Handbook.