Standing Rules & Policies

Standing Rules

  • Rule 1. The right to vote in meetings of the NEA-GLBTC shall be limited to active, student, and retired members.

  • Rule 2.  The right to debate shall be open to all members of the Caucus.

  • Rule 3.  The right to speak at the microphone shall be open to all Caucus members or those speakers who have the approval of the Co-Chairs.

  • Rule 4.  The Treasurer shall be the final authority regarding validity of membership. In the event the Treasurer is not in attendance at RA, the chairs shall appoint a temporary designee.

  • Rule 5.  The order of business at the annual meetings of the NEA-GLBTC shall be the prerogative of the Co-Chairs, with the advice of the Steering Committee, and as amended/accepted by the membership in attendance.

  • Rule 6.  Standing Rules may be amended or deleted at any meeting of the NEA-GLBTC during the NEA RA.

  • Rule 7.  Minutes of each session of the NEA-GLBTC shall be provided to the membership in attendance at the next meeting.

  • Rule 8.  There shall be an official Parliamentarian, appointed by the Caucus Co-Chairs, to whom questions may be directed only through the presiding officer. The presiding officer rules; the Parliamentarian may advise.

  • Rule 9.  Candidates for NEA-GLBTC Officer positions will be allowed a three- minute speech during the Caucus meeting on the day of that election.

  • Rule 10.  Candidates for NEA-GLBTC Regional Director positions will be allowed a one-minute speech during the Caucus meeting on the day of that election.

  • Rule 11.  Debate on proposed amendments to the NEA-GLBTC Bylaws will be scheduled by the Steering Committee for the first NEA-GLBTC meeting during the NEA RA. Printed copies of proposed bylaws amendments will be available at the first Caucus meeting.

  • Rule 12.  The membership list including addresses and phone numbers will be available only to members of the Steering Committee. Individual members may give permission for their names to be released. Use of this information will be for mailing newsletters and other necessary contacts by the NEA-GLBTC Steering Committee.

  • Rule 13. New RA business items seeking NEA-GLBTC consideration or endorsement must be submitted to the RA Logistics Director.

  • Rule 14. Secret ballot voting shall be held for four hours immediately following the end of the morning Caucus session on the designated election day(s).

  • Rule 15. Voting on the floor of the Caucus meetings requires the showing of a valid voting card.

  • Rule 16. NEA-GLBTC Regions shall be:
    • Northeast – CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
    • Southeast- AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, PR, SC, TN
    • MidAtlantic- FEA, KY, MD, NC, OH, VA, WV
    • Midwest – IL, IN, IA, MN, MO, MI, ND, SD, WI
    • Western-  AZ, CO, KS, NE, NM, OK, TX, UT, WY
    • Pacific – AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA

Policies

1. The mid-year meeting date and location will be decided upon by the Steering Committee.

2. The following dinner attendees will be recognized, individually at the NEA-GLBTC dinner:

      • NEA Officers;
      • NEA Executive Director;
      • NEA Executive Committee; and
      • NEA-GLBTC Steering Committee.
    • The following attendees will be recognized as groups:
      • state affiliate officers;
      • local officers; and
      • SOGI committee members.

3. Recommendations for NEA offices shall be conducted as follows

    • The purpose of the NEA-GLBTC recommendation process is to procure candidates and elect to NEA office persons who are interested in the development of a better educational system which includes knowledge of and sensitivity to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues.

    • Only candidates who are interviewed by the Candidate Recommendation Committee shall be considered for recommendation.

    • The committee chair(s) shall schedule all interviews to be conducted during the NEA RA pre-conference.

    • Each candidate will be sent a set of questions, developed by the committee, to be answered and returned to the chair of the Candidate Recommendation Committee prior to the Representative Assembly.

    • After completion of all scheduled interviews, the committee shall vote to recommend candidates for NEA office. It shall be the policy of the committee to recommend only one candidate per opening. The committee may make no recommendation for an office if no suitable candidate is found.

    • The recommendations of the committee shall be presented to the NEA-GLBTC no later than the third business meeting of the NEA RA.

    • Endorsements shall be determined by a simple majority of active members voting at the meeting.

    • Endorsements shall be announced to members and candidates immediately following the meeting in which the vote took place.

    • All candidates for NEA office shall be invited to speak to the NEA-GLBTC during scheduled Caucus meetings of the Representative Assembly.

    • The Co-Chair of Elections may bring forward endorsements of previously endorsed incumbent candidates.

    • The Candidate Recommendation Committee may propose early endorsement of incumbent candidates to the Steering Committee under these circumstances:
      • The candidate has been previously endorsed by the NEA-GLBTC.
      • The candidate demonstrated support and advocacy for the NEA-GLBTC and its activities.
      • Such endorsement is approved by a super majority vote of the Steering Committee.

  • 4. Guy DeRosa Book Fund Policies

    1. A. The purpose of the NEA-GLBTC Guy DeRosa Book Fund is to assist LGBT youth
      in the host RA city. 

    2. B. The chairperson of the Guy DeRosa Book Fund committee will create a list of groups who work with gay, lesbian, transgendered, and bisexual youth in the area of the upcoming NEA RA.  Caucus members in that area may be able to assist in locating groups who are in need of contributions. 

    3. C. The chairperson of the Guy DeRosa Book Fund committee will create list of potential recipients with background information (e.g. purpose of the group, activities of the group, number of youth served) for each group and share it at the mid-year meeting and make a recommendation to the Steering Committee. 

    4. D. The Steering Committee will determine the recipient of the Guy DeRosa Book Fund. 

    5. E. The chairperson of the Guy DeRosa Book Fund committee will schedule a RA date and time to award the donation. 

    6. F. The NEA-GLBTC Guy DeRosa Book Fund is a restricted donation.  Recipients will purchase LGBT inclusive materials.  The NEA-GLBTC may request a summary of the recipient’s implementation of the funds.