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Bylaws of Chi Upsilon Iota Chapter, Tri-Ess
Initial draft created
Feb 06, 2006-02-06
By Rae Louise Wall
Revised Mar 10, 2006
web version Feb 16, 2007
Article I. NAME:
Section
1.01 The name of this organization
shall be: Chi Upsilon Iota Chapter, an affiliated chapter of The Society for
the Second Self, Inc., hereafter referred to as CUI and Tri-Ess, respectively.
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Article II. DEFINITION:
Section
2.01 CUI is a non-profit, volunteer,
educational, social and outreach organization.
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Article III. AFFILIATION:
Section
3.01 CUI is an affiliated chapter of
Tri-Ess, but reserves the right to co-affiliate with other organizations
provided those organizations are in compliance with Tri-Ess by-laws and
policies.
Section
3.02 CUI may, with the consent of a
majority of the members voting, participate in communications with, and the
mutual support systems of, other groups or organizations, which support, or
promote the free expression of gender, but may not become bound by the by-laws
or policies of any group other than Tri-Ess.
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Article IV. PURPOSE:
Section
4.01 The purpose of CUI is to act as a
non-sexual support group for heterosexual crossdressers, and if it pertains,
spouses and life partners of crossdressers, and their families. Toward this end, CUI will:
(a) Provide programs, speakers,
services and social activities for the support of its members and to promote
the acceptance and understanding of crossdressing and gender presentation.
(b) Provide opportunities for
crossdressing, for the purpose of developing self-understanding and
self-acceptance as well as social interaction with other crossdressers and
supporters.
(c) Pass on knowledge and understanding
of crossdressers and their families to related organizations and to the public.
(d) Assist members and others who ask
with problems related to crossdressing, whenever possible.
(e) Promote the Bylaws, Policies and
goals of Tri-Ess as stated in the Tri-Ess By-Laws and Policies.
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Article V. MEMBERSHIP
Section
5.01 General Provisions
(a) Individuals seeking full voting
membership in CUI must be heterosexual crossdressers or spouses, partners,
adult children or parents of heterosexual crossdressers, must be at least
eighteen (18) years of age, and not actively seeking, nor having had, sexual
reassignment. All prospective members
must be approved by two or more authorized representatives of CUI Chapter.
(b) Membership will not be denied on
the basis of race, religious preference, physical appearance or disability,
genetic sex, marital status, inability to pay, or the amount of time spent
crossdressed. This includes how well a member \93passes\94 or not.
Section
5.02 Full voting members
(a) Heterosexual crossdressers and the
spouses, life-partners, adult children or parents of heterosexual crossdressers
are eligible to become full voting members of CUI Chapter provided they are
members in good standing of Tri-Ess nationally.
(b) Full
voting members are entitled to all benefits of CUI Chapter membership stated
herein. In addition, they shall be
entitled to hold office in CUI Chapter, to cast one vote in chapter elections
and/or referenda, and to attend all meetings, use the library and all other privileges as they become available unless
otherwise stated in these by-laws and policies.
Section
5.03 Non-voting Memberships
(a) Persons having a legitimate
constructive interest in CUI Chapter but otherwise ineligible for membership
under Article V, Section 5.01 (a), are eligible for non-voting membership. This
includes members who feel they are TS, vendors, partners of non member
crossdressers and others. Non-voting
members are required to obtain membership in Tri-Ess as members or as Friends
of Tri-Ess, as appropriate.
(b) Non-voting members may attend
chapter meetings. They are entitled to use the library and to receive the
monthly newsletter, but may not vote or hold office in CUI Chapter.
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Article VI. SPOUSES, PARTNERS, AND FAMILY
MEMBERS:
Section
6.01 Participation in CUI Chapter
(a) All members of CUI are allowed and
encouraged to participate in all chapter activities that are open to the
membership within the guidelines of article V as appropriate.
Section
6.02 Spouses or partners who have lost
a partner may maintain their full voting membership status if desired. This will be handled on a case by case basis.
Section
6.03 Participation in the Spouses' and
Partners' Support Group and/or Couples\92 Group
(a) All participants in any CUI
maintained support group (for example a partners group or a couples group) must
be qualified for membership under the general All participants provision of
Article V, A, of the by-laws.
(b) In any CUI maintained support
group must be members of Tri-Ess and of CUI Chapter unless they are a visitor.
Section
6.04 Participation in CUI chapter as a
visitor or guest
(a) A visitor is defined as someone
who is not eligible for full membership in the chapter, and who is not seeking
membership. Visitors may include program presenters, representatives of
other Tri-Ess chapters or transgender support groups, vendors, helping
professionals, or friends of members. A visitor must obtain the approval
of two members of the chapter's board of directors. A host sponsoring a
visitor is responsible for the behavior of her visitor, who is subject to the
bylaws and policies of the chapter.
(b) A guest is a person who is
eligible for full membership in the chapter. Guests can attend up to 2 meetings
before they are required to join Tri-Ess and CUI. Failure to do so will result in the guest
being unable to attend future meetings until membership dues for both CUI and
Tri-Ess have been paid for.
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Article VII. MINOR
CHILDREN:
Section
7.01 Minor children shall be considered
special visitors of CUI Chapter.
(a) Their rights to attend all chapter
meetings shall not be abridged or denied.
(b) Attendance by minor children at
CUI Chapter functions is a family issue and will be decided as such, although
it is strongly recommended that children attend only with the approval of both
parents and/or legal guardians.
(c) All minors attending meetings must
be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
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Article VIII. DUTIES OF MEMBERS:
Section
8.01 All members of CUI shall support
and abide by the By-laws and policies of CUI and Tri-Ess.
Section
8.02 Members shall conduct themselves
in an appropriate manner and strive to make others feel welcome.
(a) Members shall honor the security
and confidentiality of their fellow members.
(b) Members will refrain from any
inappropriate sexual behavior.
(c) Members will refrain from speech,
behavior or dress that would be expected to offend spouses and partners. This specifically includes promotion of
transsexualism and other sensitive topics. The rule is when in doubt, ask.
(d) Members will abide by the \93no
drugs\94, \93no weapons\94, and \93no alcohol\94 policy of CUI Chapter during meetings.
(e) Members will come dressed in
ladylike or gentlemanly attire.
(f) Members will abide by the policies
of businesses the chapter patronizes.
(g) Members will not bash any
gender-gifted persons or organizations.
(h) Members shall also vote, if
eligible, in CUI elections and referenda.
(i) All members shall promote CUI and
Tri-Ess whenever possible.
(j) It is expected that every CUI
member will do his/her share of work on chapter committees and projects.
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Article IX. DUES
AND ASSESSMENTS:
Section
9.01 Annual Dues
(a) CUI may levy annual dues against
members payable on the date membership commences and in the month of January
and every year thereafter. Dues
collected shall include both Chapter dues and Tri-Ess dues when
appropriate. The Chapter Treasurer shall
remit Tri-Ess dues to the office of the Membership Director of Tri-Ess.
(b) Initial chapter dues shall be
prorated from the time the member joins the chapter to the next January.
(c) New members must pay one year\92s
Tri-Ess dues at the time they join CUI unless they are already members of
Tri-Ess. Prorating of Tri-Ess dues will be done the second year of membership.
(d) Annual CUI dues may be modified
with the consent of a two-thirds majority of the voting members in attendance.
(e) Those failing to renew their
memberships in CUI or Tri-Ess within sixty (60) days of the date due shall
immediately lose all membership privileges. The chapter shall keep accurate records of membership in CUI Chapter and
Tri-Ess.
Section
9.02 Meeting Fees
(a) Members may be assessed a nominal
fee to defray meeting expenses. This fee, if any, will be announced prior to
any meeting or event CUI sponsors.
(b) Visitors (defined in Article VI ,
Section 6.04) will not be assessed a
meeting fee.
(c) Persons living more than 1.5 hours
outside the location of the chapter shall be assessed one-half the established
meeting fee.
(d) Meeting fee assessments may be
adjusted by a two-thirds majority of the voting members in attendance.
(e) Any member who attends a CUI
Chapter Meeting must pay meeting fees, if any, regardless of his/her time of
arrival.
(f) Members failing to pay the
assessed meeting fees may not attend subsequent meetings and shall forfeit
voting rights until said fees are paid in full.
(g) Meeting
fees shall be waived for the December meeting and one other meeting per year.
Section
9.03 Special Assessments
(a) Members may be assessed fees for
special purposes, with the consent of a majority of the voting members in
attendance.
(b) Special
assessments may not be levied on a recurring or on a continuing basis.
Section
9.04 Hardships
(a) A member may petition the Board in
writing for the granting of a hardship status. This petition shall be reviewed in closed session of the Board and
hardship status shall be reviewed annually. It is the member's responsibility to keep the Board apprised of his/her
financial status.
(b) In the case of severe financial
hardship only the Board of Directors, at its discretion, may invoke one of the
following hardship plans:
(i) Payment of full dues
in quarterly installments
(ii) Payment of dues
discounted by one-third, in quarterly installments
(iii) Waiver of dues for one year, after which time a member is
expected to move to one of the other hardship plans or pay dues in full.
(c) The CUI Chapter Board of Directors
will send to the Membership Director of Tri-Ess a recommendation for hardship
status and the type of hardship recommended.
(d) In cases of permanent and total
disability the chapter may request permanent waiver of dues from Tri-Ess.
(e) Cash flow problems other than
indigence will not be considered valid grounds for granting a hardship
status. Unwillingness to pay dues is not
grounds for hardship status and will result in loss of all membership
privileges.
(f) Members granted hardship status
will enjoy full membership privileges provided they meet all other criteria for
membership.
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Article X. MEETINGS:
Section
10.01 Chapter Meetings
(a) Chapter meetings shall be held on
the second Saturday of each month unless rescheduled or canceled at a previous
Chapter meeting with the consent of a majority of the voting members in
attendance.
(b) CUI reserves the right to restrict
the number of guests (non members) at chapter meetings and the right to deny
attendance to hostile, intoxicated or otherwise undesirable individuals.
Section
10.02 Board Meetings
(a) The CUI Board of Directors shall
meet each month prior to the Chapter Meeting. The CUI Board of Directors Meetings shall be open, except for discussion
of items related to hardship or discipline.
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Article XI. BOARD
OF DIRECTORS:
Section
11.01 General Provisions
(a) The voting members of CUI shall
annually elect a Facilitator and a Board of Directors of at least three
persons, (hereinafter referred to as the Board), to serve from January 1st
through December 31st of the calendar year.
(b) The Board shall consist of the
Facilitator and Board Members to do the following jobs:
(i) Event/Outreach
Coordinator
(ii) Liaison to Tri-Ess
(iii) Membership-Treasurer Coordinator
(iv) Newsletter Editor
(v) Screening/Orientation
Coordinator
(c) Eligibility to serve on the Board
shall be restricted to voting members who:
(i) Have been members for
1 calendar year
(ii) Who have not
previously been removed from the Board
(iii) CUI officers can be officers in other transgender
organizations as long as the other organization is beyond 100 miles of the CUI
chapter.
(iv) CUI officers can hold
office in any other group or organization that is not directly serving the
transgender community as the primary focus of the group.
(d) No one person or family shall hold
more than one of the following positions:
(i) Facilitator
(ii) Treasurer - Membership
Coordinator
(iii) Newsletter Editor
Section
11.02 Duties of the Board
(a) The Board shall be responsible for
the effective administration of CUI, its By-laws, Policies and Board Directives
and toward this end shall:
(i) Hold monthly meetings
scheduled at the discretion of the Facilitator to discuss and pass on
administrative matters.
(ii) Appoint committees
and/or delegates to perform tasks for the fulfillment of Board
responsibilities.
(iii) Make recommendations for action to the members of the
chapter to be voted upon by the members of the chapter.
(b) The Board shall be responsible to
the voting members of CUI and to the governing body of Tri-Ess.
(c) The Facilitator shall:
(i) Preside at all Chapter
and Board Meetings.
(ii) Represent CUI to the
public, to Tri-Ess and to other transgender organizations.
(iii) Appoint a secretary from those members present to serve for
the duration of a given meeting.
(d) The Event/Outreach Coordinator
shall:
(i) Secure a meeting place
suitable for CUI'S monthly meetings.
(ii) Make arrangements for
special events when they are scheduled.
(iii) Contact area colleges/universities and other appropriate
organizations for outreach programs.
(iv) Recruit other chapter
members to assist with research or arrangements as needed.
(v) Manage and maintain the chapter Internet
presence.
(e) The Liaison to Tri-Ess shall:
(i) Maintain required
communication with Tri-Ess as needed. This involves the following (as needed):
\B7 Postal
communication
\B7 Email
communication
\B7 Phone
communication
(f) The Membership-Treasurer Coordinator shall:
(i) Attend
all Chapter meetings for the purpose of collecting dues and activity fees from
members and for paying for immediate meeting expenses at the time of the
meeting. In the event that the Treasurer
cannot attend the meeting, they may delegate these responsibilities to another
trusted chapter member; however, the Treasurer is still responsible for the
collected funds and the associated reporting.
(ii) Reimburse
authorized expenses related to chapter business incurred by members, such as
postage, telephone charges, food & beverage items, etc.
(iii) Maintain the membership database.
(iv) Submit
membership information and dues for new members and renewals to Tri-Ess in a
timely manner. The actual submission
will be coordinated between the Treasurer and the Liaison to Tri-Ess.
(v) Provide
a monthly financial report to the Board.
(g) The Newsletter Editor shall:
(i) Review all articles
submitted by chapter members and forward any controversial articles to the
Facilitator to review and approve.
(ii) Assemble, print and
mail or electronically mail the chapter newsletter. The chapter newsletter shall be published in
a timely manner.
(h) The Screening/Orientation Coordinator shall:
(i) Answer and screen all
inquiries from the chapter's Internet site, Tri-Ess or any other source of
inquiry.
(ii) Send chapter
"inquiry packages" to all persons who inquire and pass the initial
screening.
(iii) Provide all new members with a copy of the bylaws and all
policies.
(iv) Coordinate a
"Newcomers" meeting which will be provided for potential members who
attend meetings.
Section
11.03 Conduct of Business
(a) The Board shall conduct business
in accordance with ARTICLE XII, unless otherwise started in these bylaws and
policies.
(b) A quorum shall consist of 2/3 of
the Board Members.
(c) Board decisions on matters
specifically requiring a membership vote shall not be binding unless ratified
by the voting members at a subsequent chapter meeting.
Section
11.04 Vacancies on the Board
(a) Should the Facilitator's seat
become vacant for any reason prior to the end of the current term the Board of
Directors shall elect an interim Facilitator to serve until the end of the term
or until the originally elected Facilitator returns to office, whichever comes
first.
(b) Should the seat of a Director
become vacant, for any reason, prior to the end of the current term, the
Facilitator shall appoint an interim Director, with the advice and consent of
the Board to serve until the end
of the term or until the elected Director returns to office, whichever comes
first.
Section
11.05 Tenure and Removal of Board
Members
(a) Tenure of Board Members shall be
for one (1) year.
(b) At its discretion the Board may
appoint an assistant(s) to any board member.
(c) If a board member is unable to
fulfill the duties and responsibilities of his/her board position, she/she will
be expected to resign his/her office.
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Article XII. CONDUCT
OF BUSINESS:
Section
12.01 Calendar
(a) The social year of CUI shall be
from January 1 through December 31 of the calendar year.
(b) The business or fiscal year of CUI
shall be from January 1 through December 31 of the calendar year.
Section
12.02 CUI business shall be conducted
during chapter meetings unless stated otherwise in these bylaws and policies as
follows:
(a) Elections and referenda shall be
decided by a simple majority vote of the members voting.
(b) The eligible voting members shall
decide membership admission codes, conduct, security, financial assessments and
other matters having an impact on the membership provided such matters are
consistent with these bylaws.
(c) The conduct of all business
meetings shall follow Robert's Rules of Order, unless otherwise stated in these
bylaws and policies.
Section
12.03 Inspection of Votes:
(a) On any question at which votes are taken, it
shall be the right of all sides to provide a representative to confirm vote
tallies.
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Article XIII. AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS:
Section
13.01 The bylaws of CUI may be amended
as set forth herein, with the exception of ARTICLE XIII and ARTICLE XIV.
(a) All voting members must be advised
in writing of any proposed amendments a minimum of twenty days prior to the
meeting at which the matter is to be voted on.
(b) Each amendment to be made must be
voted on independently.
(c) Members may vote in person or by
mail, but voting shall be conducted during the business portion of a chapter
meeting by secret ballot and tabulated by the Facilitator and another person as
determined by members present.
(d) A two-thirds majority of those
voting shall be required for any amendment to pass.
(e) Typographical or grammatical
corrections are not considered as amendments.
Section
13.02 Amendments to ARTICLE XIV
(a) Require a two-thirds majority of
all the members eligible to vote.
(b) Shall constitute a withdrawal from
membership in Tri-Ess and require immediate notification be given to that
organization.
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Article XIV. CONFORMITY WITH TRI-ESS BYLAWS AND
POLICIES:
Section
14.01 CUI Chapter being an affiliated
chapter of Tri-Ess, any bylaw, policy or provision thereof which conflicts with
any Tri-Ess bylaw or policy is hereby declared null and void.
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