IFO

 

MANUAL

OF

OPERATING

PROCEDURES

 

 

 

 

The recodification of the IFO Operating Procedures

was adopted by the IFO Board on January 10, 1997.

 

Last revised on April 25, 2008.

 

Bold typeface connotes text from the Constitution.

 

Chapters 17, 18, and 19 pertain to matters beyond the Constitution.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Chapter    Title                                                                                                                                  Page

 

I.          NAME

                  A.  Name............................................................................................................................... 5

 

II.              PURPOSE

                  A.  Purpose........................................................................................................................... 5

 

III.       STRUCTURE

                  A.  Structure......................................................................................................................... 5

                  B.   Delegate Assembly.......................................................................................................... 5

                  C.  Board of Directors.......................................................................................................... 5

                  D.  Local Faculty Associations............................................................................................. 5

                  E.   IFO Operating Procedures (OP).................................................................................... 6

 

IV.       MEMBERSHIP

                  A.  Membership.................................................................................................................... 6

                  B.   Membership in Affiliate Organizations.......................................................................... 7

                  C.  Suspension of Membership............................................................................................. 7

                  D.  Dues and Financial Obligations...................................................................................... 8

                  E.   Membership Records...................................................................................................... 9

 

V.              OFFICERS AND STAFF

                  A.  Officers and Staff............................................................................................................ 9

                  B.   Elective Officers............................................................................................................. 9

                  C.  The Executive Committee (EC)..................................................................................... 9

                  D.  Appointed Personnel....................................................................................................... 9

 

VI.       ELECTIONS AND TERMS OF OFFICE

                  A.  Elections and Terms of Office...................................................................................... 11

                  B.   President....................................................................................................................... 11

                  C.  Treasurer...................................................................................................................... 12

                  D.  Vice-President and Secretary....................................................................................... 12

                  E.   Election of Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer................................................. 13

 

VII.     DUTIES OF IFO OFFICERS

                  A.  Duties of IFO Officers.................................................................................................. 13

                  B.   President....................................................................................................................... 13

                  C.  Vice-President............................................................................................................... 14

                  D.  Secretary....................................................................................................................... 14

                  E.   Treasurer...................................................................................................................... 14

 


VIII.    IFO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                  A.  Board of Directors........................................................................................................ 15

                  B.   Membership.................................................................................................................. 15

                  C.  Directors’ Terms of Office........................................................................................... 15

                  D.  Meetings........................................................................................................................ 15

                  E.   Powers and Duties of the Board................................................................................... 16

 

IX.       COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

                  A.  Committees of the Board............................................................................................. 18

                  B.   Executive Committee (EC)........................................................................................... 18

                  C.  Standing Committees.................................................................................................... 19

                  D.  Other Committees........................................................................................................ 23

                  E.   Ad Hoc Committees, MnSCU Task Forces, etc........................................................... 24

 

X.              LOCAL FACULTY ASSOCIATIONS

                  A.  Local Faculty Associations........................................................................................... 24

                  B.   Constitution................................................................................................................... 25

                  C.  Officers......................................................................................................................... 25

                  D.  Powers and Duties........................................................................................................ 25

                  E.   Financial Support for Local Associations.................................................................... 26

                  F.   Committees................................................................................................................... 27

                  G.  Appointments to Task Forces...................................................................................... 28

 

XI.       THE GENERAL DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

                  A.  The General Delegate Assembly (GDA)...................................................................... 28

                  B.   Composition.................................................................................................................. 28

                  C.  Meetings........................................................................................................................ 29

                  D.  Officers......................................................................................................................... 29

                  E.   Order of Business......................................................................................................... 30

                  F.   Certification of Delegates and Alternates.................................................................... 30

                  G.  Committees of the General Delegate Assembly.......................................................... 30

                  H.  Powers of the General Delegate Assembly.................................................................. 31

                  I.    Quorum......................................................................................................................... 32

 

XII.     RULES OF ORDER

                  A.  Rules of Order.............................................................................................................. 32

 

XIII.    NEGOTIATION AND RATIFICATION OF CONTRACT

                  A.  Negotiation and Ratification of Contract.................................................................... 32

                  B.   Composition of the Negotiating Team......................................................................... 33

                  C.  Selection of Negotiating Team Members from the Local Faculty Associations......... 33

                  D.  Powers and Duties of the Negotiating Team................................................................ 33

                  E.   IFO Board Review of Contract.................................................................................... 33

                  F.   Ratification of Contract............................................................................................... 33

                  G.  Letters of Understanding (LOU).................................................................................. 35

                  H.  Memoranda of Agreement (MOA).............................................................................. 35

                  I.    Authorization of Strike................................................................................................. 36

 

   

XIV.    RECALL OF THE PRESIDENT

                  A.  Recall of the President.................................................................................................. 37

 

XV.     REFERENDUM

                  A.  Referendum.................................................................................................................. 38

 

XVI.    AMENDMENTS

                  A.  Amendments................................................................................................................. 38

 

XVII.  GOVERNANCE

                  A.  Governance................................................................................................................... 39

                  B.   Relationship with MnSCU............................................................................................ 39

                  C.  Statewide Meet and Confer (M&C)............................................................................. 39

                  D.  Joint MnSCU/Faculty Task Forces and Committees.................................................. 40

 

XVIII. FISCAL POLICIES

                  A.  Fiscal Policies................................................................................................................ 40

                  B.   Financial Assets............................................................................................................ 41

                  C.  Annual Budget.............................................................................................................. 42

                  D.  Financial Procedures.................................................................................................... 47

                  E.   Staff Expenses............................................................................................................... 48

                  F.   Economic Services........................................................................................................ 48

                  G.  Legal Assistance Plan................................................................................................... 48

 

XIX.    IFO OFFICE POLICIES

                  A.  Records Retention Policies........................................................................................... 50

                  B.   Office Hours................................................................................................................. 50

                  C.  Membership Records.................................................................................................... 51

                  D.  Dues and Fair Share Fees............................................................................................. 51

                  E.   Information................................................................................................................... 51

                  F.   Vendor Selection........................................................................................................... 52

 

XX.     GRIEVANCES

                  A.  Privacy of Grievances in Process................................................................................. 52

                  B.   Public Disclosure........................................................................................................... 53

 

            APPENDIX [STAFF JOB DESCRIPTIONS, INVESTMENT POLICY]

 


CHAPTER I:  NAME

 

A.        Name

 

            1.   The name of this organization shall be the Inter Faculty Organization of the Minnesota State Universities (IFO).

 

            2.   The organization shall be composed of faculty members of the Minnesota State Universities of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU).

 

CHAPTER II:  PURPOSE

 

A.        Purpose

 

            1.   The purpose of this organization shall be to promote the welfare of the faculties of the Minnesota State Universities and to improve public higher education through such activities as faculty participation in the governance of the Minnesota State Universities and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU).

 

CHAPTER III:  STRUCTURE

 

A.        Structure

 

B.        Delegate Assembly

 

            1.   There shall be two forms of the Delegate Assembly, General and Interim.

 

                  a.   The General Delegate Assembly (GDA) shall have the authority to establish policies, approve budgets, and review actions of the IFO Board of Directors.

 

                  b.   Interim Delegate Assemblies are called, as needed, at the discretion of the Board by a simple majority vote.

 

                  c.   Chapter XI C.2.a. also provides for calling a special session of the GDA on petition of at least 20 percent of the membership. 

 

C.        Board of Directors

 

            1.   Subject to Section 1 of this article, the managing Board of this organization shall be the IFO Board of Directors. The IFO Board of Directors shall have full power to act for the IFO when the Delegate Assembly is not in session.

 

D.        Local Faculty Associations

 

            1.   Members of the IFO shall also be members of the local component university association established by the IFO and referred to as a State University Faculty Association.

 

E.        IFO Operating Procedures (OP)

 

            1.   The IFO Operating Procedures shall be established by the Delegate Assembly or the IFO Board of Directors when the Delegate Assembly is not in session. Such procedures may be augmented, revoked or amended in a similar manner.

 

                  a.   Unless otherwise provided, such action shall require a majority vote of a quorum. 

 

                  b.   When an Operating Procedure requires a two-thirds majority of the Board or GDA for adoption, it shall also require a two-thirds majority for modification or deletion.

 

            2.   The IFO Operating Procedures shall be kept current and maintained at the IFO office, with copies available upon request.

 

3.      The Executive Committee shall review the Operating Procedures annually and report to the Board of Directors.

 

[Chapter III revised per Board Motion 9/15/06].

 

CHAPTER IV:   MEMBERSHIP

 

A.        Membership

 

            1.   The membership of the Inter Faculty Organization shall consist of the faculty of the Minnesota State Universities who are eligible under the appropriate legislation and the Bureau of Mediation Services unit determinations, and who pay assessed dues.

 

                        a.         All State University faculty who are included in the IFO bargaining unit and are subject to any Collective Bargaining Agreement entered into between the IFO and MnSCU are eligible for membership.

 

b.      Faculty may choose to be members of the IFO by applying for membership and agreeing to pay dues (sometimes referred to as full dues).  Only faculty who pay IFO dues are members.  Faculty who pay the fair share fee are not members of the IFO.

 

c.       Faculty who are not members shall be assessed fair share fees and shall not have all the rights of IFO members. 

 

                  d.   Economic services provided through the IFO shall be available to members only.

 

            2.   Application for Membership

 

                  a.   Local Associations shall be provided with membership applications by the IFO office.

                  b.   Non-members may apply for membership at any time.    If the completed application is received by the Faculty Association on or before the day of a scheduled vote, the new member shall be permitted to vote.

 

            3.   Continuing Membership

 

                  a.   Membership is continuing in nature until termination of employment or resignation of membership. Upon re-employment, membership shall be automatically reactivated.

 

            4.   Resignation of Membership

 

                  a.   A resignation of membership must be received prior to September 1, to be effective for the fiscal year. A resignation received after September 1 of any membership year shall not become effective until the following July 1.

 

            5.   Recruitment

 

                  a.   A membership drive shall be conducted in March and April, and among new and returning faculty during fall semester. [Board motion 9/19/03]

 

B.        Membership in Affiliate Organizations

 

            1.   The Board may propose affiliation or termination of affiliation with other organizations.

 

            2.   Approval of such proposals shall require a majority of all IFO members voting by secret ballot.  Approval also requires majority affirmative votes at a majority of all campuses voting.  [Membership 4/8/08]  

 

C.        Suspension of Membership

 

            1.   Membership in this organization may be suspended by a majority vote of the IFO Board for actions contrary to the best interests of the organization after a procedure that provides due process.

 

                  a.   Procedure

 

                        a1.       A proposal to suspend membership must be filed in writing with the IFO President. The proposal must include the basis for suspension.

 

                        a2.       The member about whom the suspension proposal has been filed shall be given a copy of the proposal and given the opportunity to provide a response.

 

                        a3.       The President shall review the proposal and response with the Executive Committee.

 

                        a4.       With the agreement of at least three members of the EC, the proposal shall be placed upon the agenda of the next Board meeting.

                        a5.       The written proposal and the member’s written response shall be provided to the members of the Board in advance of the Board meeting.

 

                        a6.       The maker of the proposal for suspension and the member whose suspension is under consideration shall be invited to appear at the Board meeting.

 

                        a7.       By majority vote, the Board may then act to suspend the member.  The Board’s determination of what constitutes actions contrary to the best interests of the organization shall be final. 

 

D.        Dues and Financial Procedures

 

            1.   Dues and other financial procedures shall be established by the IFO Board or IFO Delegate Assembly in accordance with the IFO Operating Procedures.  [Membership 4/8/08]

 

            2.   Dues and fair share fees shall be set annually in conjunction with the adoption of the IFO budget.

           

            3.   Membership dues for full-time faculty members shall ordinarily be collected by payroll deduction in 16 equal portions beginning in September and continuing through 16 pay periods. [Board Motion 4/21/06]

 

            4.   Fair share fee

 

                  a.   The fair share fee shall be set at eighty-five (85) percent of th