BYLAWS
OF THE
DALLAS COLLEGE FACULTY ASSOCIATION
(Herein called DCFA)
Proposed Revisions
10/16/2026
ARTICLE I – PURPOSES AND AFFILIATION
The purposes of the DCFA shall include, but are not limited
to, improving its members’ professional abilities and to maximize faculty
earning potential and working
conditions, sponsoring seminars and courses for its members, participating in
teacher conventions, and process grievances, ensuring academic freedom, and
keeping its members informed of its activities through regular meetings and
newsletters. DCFA serves as a professional
organization that supports Dallas College faculty, promotes communication and
collaboration, provides a forum for faculty perspectives and professional
interests, and advances the success of the students and communities served by
Dallas College. As such, the DCFA may
affiliate with other organizations by a majority vote of the members of the
DCFA.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Active members shall be full-time professional employees of
the Dallas College on faculty schedule contracts who have paid dues to the
DCFA. Current full-time Dallas
College faculty (regardless of
contractual status as “permanent” or “temporary,”) are to join DCFA as Active
Members. Annual dues for Active Members
shall be $100.
Part-time faculty of Dallas College or persons not holding a
non-faculty schedule contract with Dallas College are eligible to join DCFA as
Associate Members. Annual dues shall be $35.
Any person who has been an active member in DCFA may, upon
request, continue their affiliation as a reserve member during any period of
time in which their employment status does not qualify them for active
membership. A reserve member shall have
the privilege of requesting automatic transfer to active membership at the time
he resumes active status. Annual dues
for reserve members shall be $25.
Faculty hired for the Spring semester shall be eligible to
join DCFA for $75 for their first academic year.
Members shall pay annual dues to their designated local
DCFA chapter. Members assigned to multiple campuses may select the campus
chapter with which they wish to affiliate.
All dues must be paid by the first week of November, unless
extended by the vote of the Convention, or within thirty days after the
beginning of the fall or spring semester for new employees.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES
Section 1.
Active members shall be entitled to the following
privileges
- Be eligible to run for and hold DCFA office unless the member, as
part of their assigned duties for the district, is participating in the
evaluation of other full-time faculty, including
performing classroom evaluations, filling out and/or signing evaluation
documents, or commenting on or recommending faculty to Deans, VPI’s, or
Presidents for continuation of or changes in employment status.
- Be able to vote in DCFA matters.
- Be able
to vote for officers in the local chapters.
Section 2.
Associate members shall be entitled to all privileges
as active members except holding office, assistance from the Legal Assistance
Fund, and voting.
Section 3.
A vested (10 years employment with the Dallas College)
faculty member who retires from Dallas College, and who has for the 10 years
immediately preceding such retirement been an active member of the DCFA, shall
be automatically named Member Emeritus.
Members Emeritus shall be entitled to all privileges of active
membership except the holding of office and voting on usual faculty matters
(they may, however, vote on matters concerning retired faculty). Said MEMBERS EMERITUS shall be deemed
lifetime members and be assessed no dues or other fees for membership.
ARTICLES IV – LEGAL ASSISTANCE FUND
Section 1.
A permanent legal assistance fund shall be established and
maintained by the DCFA.
- The fund will be supported by a percentage of yearly membership
dues. The percentage will be
established by the Council and approved by the general convention.
- This
fund shall be maintained by the treasurer of the DCFA in an account
separate from the DCFA treasury funds.
Section 2.
The legal assistance fund will be used to provide legal
assistance and other necessary help for DCFA members involved in contractual
and/or academic freedom disputes within Dallas College. The Council will
supervise the expenditure of these funds and the selection of an attorney. Legal assistance funds are available to:
- Faculty who have been active members of the DCFA for two consecutive
years immediately prior to the year in which they request assistance; and
- Faculty who have become active members in the first year that they
are eligible to become active members.
- Faculty who lapsed in membership or failed to join the Dallas College
Faculty Association due to a pandemic or catastrophic event, shall be
exempt from limitations on eligibility for legal assistance outlined in
Article IV, Section 2 of the Bylaws.
ARTICLE V – FINANCE
Section 1.
The DCFA shall defray all necessary expenses of operating
and maintaining an office.
Section 2.
The Council may hire a bursar to keep financial records for
the DCFA and to disperse funds at the direction of the Council in accordance
with the approved DCFA budget. The
bursar may not be a member of the Council.
Section 3.
The Council shall publish the proposed DCFA budget on the
DCFA website at least 30 days in advance of the annual convention, and publish
through the Advance blog, a notification that the proposed budget has been
published.
Section 4.
DCFA chapter funds shall be kept under the master DCFA
account to facilitate accounting and annual filing to support tax-exempt
status, to maintain 501(c)(5) nonprofit status of the DCFA. Chapter funds may
only be expended upon approval of the chapter, according to the provisions of
the chapter constitution and bylaws, and with the signature of the chapter
officers as stipulated by the chapter bylaws.
Article VI - OFFICERS
Section 1.
The term of office for all officers and members shall begin
June 1. The slate of officers will be known by the last day of the Spring
semester.
Section 2.
The president shall be the official representative of the
DCFA in its contact with the government, civic, professional, business, and
other organizations, institutes, and groups for the purpose of advancing the objectives
of the DCFA. The president shall have the power to appoint an official
representative from the Council if unable to be the official representative.
- The president
shall:
(1.) preside over all Council meetings
and general conventions.
(2.) serve as ex-officio member of all
committees.
(3.) call special meetings of the Council
and, with the approval of two or more Council members, call for a general
convention.
(4.) appoint a parliamentarian subject to
the approval of the Council
(5.) attend monthly meetings of the
Dallas College Board of Trustees and report significant outcomes to the Faculty
Council.
(6.) perform
all other appropriate duties as may be assigned by the Council and/or the
general convention.
- The vice-president
shall:
(1.) preside in the absence of the
president.
(2.) serve as chairman of standing and
special committees as directed by the council and/or general convention.
(3.) perform the duties of the
president when the president is absentia
(4.) assume
such responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or
the general convention.
- The recording
secretary shall:
(1.) keep an accurate record of the
regular and special meetings of the general convention and Council and convey
such records to the DCFA office for publishing,
(2.) serve as chairperson of standing and
special committees as directed by the Council and/or general convention
(3.) assume
such responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or
the general convention.
- The treasurer
shall:
(1.) maintain an account for
all DCFA funds.
(2.) give a monthly account of
DCFA funds to the Council.
(3.) give an annual account of
the DCFA funds to the general convention.
(4.) be responsible for the
disbursement of all funds.
(5.) disburse money above what
is allocated in the budget only after approval by the Council or
general convention.
(6.) be responsible for the
preparation of a budget for consideration by the Council.
(7.) serve as chairperson of standing and special committees.
(8.) assume such
responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or the
general convention.
(9.) submit records for an
annual audit or review, with procedures for such an audit or review being
authorized by the DCFA Council.
(10.) supervise the bursar for
the DCFA.
(11.) working in conjunction
with the bursar, inform their successor of
membership, tax, and filing responsibilities and such matters, to facilitate an
orderly transition of the financial affairs of the association.
- The standing
committee chairperson
shall:
(1.) serve as chairperson of a standing
committee as assigned by the Council or general convention.
(2.) assume
such responsibilities as may be assigned by the president, the Council, and/or
the general convention.
ARTICLE VII – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director shall assume such responsibilities as
may be assigned by the Council and/or general convention.
ARTICLE VIII – THE COUNCIL
Section 1.
The Council shall by majority vote:
- serve as the coordinating body of the DCFA and shall act in areas not
specifically designated to some other authority.
- be responsible to the members whom they represent.
- act in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the DCFA.
- act on recommendations and resolutions of standing and/or special
committees.
- consider and act on the budget as submitted by the treasurer.
- order payments of monies
- approve
the employment of the Executive Director.
Section 2.
The Council will meet once each month for regular business
meetings. The local chapters will meet two times each semester.
Section 3.
Special meetings of the Council, beyond regular monthly
business meetings, may be called by any two members of the Council. Notice of all special meetings shall be sent
to all Council members at (3) days prior to the meeting outlining the business
to be transacted.
Section 4.
Emergency meetings of the Council may be called by a
majority of the members of the Council.
Notice of emergency meetings shall be sent to all Council members prior
to the meeting. All emergency meetings
do not require three days advance notice.
Section 5.
A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for any
regular, special, or emergency meeting.
Section 6.
The Council will conduct a biennial survey of the Dallas
College faculty in the spring semester, beginning in 2008. The survey will assess faculty morale,
attitudes and relations with campus and district administration. The results of the survey will be reported to
the membership no later than the end of the spring term in which the survey is
conducted.
Section 7
Non-members may attend meetings upon invitation by the DCFA
Council. Non-members shall not have discussion or voting privileges.
Section 8
Special meetings of the DCFA Council may be called by the
DCFA Council President or by a majority of the DCFA Council and must be
announced to the membership.
ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES
Section 1.
There shall be the following standing committees;
Instructional Goals;
Welfare and Academic Freedom;
Communication;
Political Information;
Membership;
Convention;
Budget and Finance;
and Professional
Development
Section 2.
Standing committees shall be composed of an ex officio
non-voting chairperson chosen by the Council, and one member elected by each
DCFA chapter.
Section 3.
All Chairperson of standing committees shall be elected or
selected by the Council. The committee members shall be elected or selected by
their local chapters.
Section 4.
Standing committee chairperson will be chosen from the
members of the Council and all committee members must be active members of the
DCFA.
Section 5.
All standing and special committees will report to the
Council. Committees will have the power
to investigate and to recommend action to the Council.
Section 6.
Duties of standing and special committees. All committees
will be empowered by the Council to investigate problems and proposals in the
area of their jurisdiction and to make recommendations for appropriate action
to the Council. Committees will
undertake specific action only at the direction of the Council.
Section 7.
The jurisdiction of the standing committees shall be:
- Instructional
Goals committee:
(1.) Curriculum
and Curriculum revision
(2.)
Faculty-student ratio
(3.) Faculty
evaluation process
(4.)
Instructional support services
(5.) Open hearing
procedures
(6.) Procedures
for appeal of unfair evaluation
(7.) Others as assigned by the
Council
- Welfare
and Academic Freedom committee:
(1.) Salary and
benefits
(2.) Faculty
schedule and workload
(3.) Faculty
contract
(4.) Freedom of choice in instructional
mode
(5.) Definition of academic freedom
(6.) Current legal status of
academic freedom(7.) Others as assigned by the Council
- Communication
committee:
(1.) Publish the
DCFA Newsletter
(2.) Press
relations
(3.) Procedures
for public announcements
(4.) Faculty
communication
(5.) Others as assigned by the
Council
- Political
Information
(1.) Establish a political database of
all DCFA members to include precinct numbers, state representative and
senatorial districts, and U.S. congressional districts
(2.) Establish a similar database of all
faculty retirees
(3.) Generate interest in local elections
affecting the Dallas College
(4.) Disseminate relevant political
information regarding candidates and issues affecting and Dallas College
(5.) Serve as a political liaison to
other professional organizations
(6.) Others as assigned by the Council
- Membership
(1.) Conduct the
annual membership campaign
(2.) Recruit new
members
(3.) Maintain
current and historical memberships databases
(4.) Others as assigned by the
Council
- Convention Planning
(1.) Plan all
details of annual convention
(2.) Plan all
details of post-convention reception
(3.) Others as assigned by the
Council
- Budget and Finance
(1.) Plan the
annual DCFA budget
(2.) Conduct an
annual financial review of all expenses from the previous three fiscal years.
(3.) Others as
assigned by the Council
h. a. Professional Development
(1.) Create and develop professional
development opportunities
(2.) Identify and publish professional
development opportunities
(3.) Others as assigned by the Council
ARTICLE X – HEADQUARTERS
The DCFA shall maintain a legal address at such a location
as determined by the council.
ARTICLE XI – OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
Section 1.
The official publication of the DCFA shall be named by the
Council.
Section 2.
The purpose of the DCFA publication shall be to:
- promote the objectives of the DCFA
- inform the membership of the progress of the work of the Council and
committees.
- publish
such information as pertains to the activities of the DCFA in achieving
its objectives and such news as is of interest to the membership of the
DCFA as a whole
Section 3.
The DCFA publication shall be published under the guidance
of the Communications Committee Chairperson and with the assistance of the
Communication Committee.
Section 4.
The DCFA publication shall be operated within the budget
unless otherwise directed by the Council.
ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENT
These Bylaws shall be amended by the majority vote of the
members present at a general convention.
Proposed amendments to the Bylaws may be offered by the Council or any
standing committee at least one month before a general convention, and must be
published for all members to review at least two weeks before a general
convention.
ARTICLE XIII – GENERAL CONVENTION
Section 1.
A general convention must be held no later than November 15,
of each year. The Council shall
establish the date of the general convention, and the standing committee
meeting dates, no later than Sept. 1 of each year.
Section 2.
A special convention may be held at any time when called by
the Council or petitioned by the membership, with ten (10) days notice sent to
all members.
Section 3.
A member who expects to be absent from a general or special
convention may authorize someone else to act in their place at the meeting
through a proxy executed in writing and supplied to the secretary no less than
one hour prior to the opening of a general or special convention. No individual
may act on behalf of more than five (5) members at a time, counting the
individual holding the proxies. If the member decides to attend the meeting,
their proxy becomes void upon casting of the first vote for which the member is
present.
ARTICLE XIV – VIRTUAL CONVENTIONS, ONLINE
VOTING, AND PROXY REPRESENTATION
Section 1.
The definition of “members present” includes anyone
attending any face-to-face, hybrid, or 100% online convention. The Council,
Parliamentarian, or any other acting authority may not preclude members from
attending, participating, and voting via electronic technology during any
general or special convention based on references to “members present” in the
Constitution (Article XVI, Section 3) and Bylaws (Article XII).
Section 2.
The Council shall provide online/electronic means for
members to attend, participate, and vote at any general or special convention.
Section 3.
In accordance with Article XVI, Section 5 of the
Constitution, which provides for absentee voting at a convention, any voting
member may select another voting member by signed proxy to participate and vote
on their behalf. The signed proxy shall be sent to the secretary of the
association no less than one hour prior to the opening of a general or special
convention.
Bylaws of Dallas Community College Faculty
Association as amended:
9/30/77, 10/30/78,
3/23/79, 11/89/79,
4/25/80, 11/5/82,
11/85, 11/14/86, 11/4/21, 11/10/89,
11/15/91, 11/7/97,
11/12/98,
11/3/2000, 11/2/2001,
11/8/02, 11/2005, 11/9/07,
11/11/16, 11/10/17,
11/8/2019, 8/20/2021,
11/12/2021, 11/12/2022
Updated: 10/16
