AIANEC Bylaws
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE EMPLOYEE COUNCIL
of the NATIONAL INSTITUTES of HEALTH
As Enacted June 2002
and Amended October 4, 2004
ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE
1. The name of this organization shall be the American Indian and Alaska Native Employee Council of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hereafter called the Council.
2. The purpose of this organization shall be to provide the opportunity for employees of the NIH to explore the culture and heritage of American Indian and Alaska Native employees. The Council shall work toward the goal of promoting NIH diversity by fostering the best quality of work life. The Council shall advocate and contribute to the objectives of the NIH and the Council.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
1. Regular membership in the Council is open to all NIH employees in any category of employment, who are interested in contributing towards accomplishing the Council's goals and objectives and who have met the membership requirements described in Article II, Paragraph (2). All membership categories are described in Paragraph (2).
2. The Council has four membership categories:
Charter: Membership that is reserved for individuals who joined the Council during the period from September 15, 2001 through September 15, 2002. Individuals in this category have full voting privileges and can hold an elected Council office.
Regular: Membership that is reserved for NIH employees in any category of employment who joined the Council after September 15, 2002. Individuals in this category earn full voting privileges after achieving voting status by attending at least one council meeting and can then hold an elected Council office position.
Alumni: Membership that is reserved for retired individuals from the National Institutes of Health, who at the time of their retirement were already a member of the American Indian Alaska Native Employee Council (AIANEC). Alumni members may vote and are encouraged to participate in the council's work groups and other council business. Members in this category cannot hold an elected Council office.
Associate: Membership that is reserved for active or retired individuals of other DHHS agencies. Associate members are encouraged to participate in the council's work groups and other council business. Members in this category cannot vote and cannot hold an elected Council office.
3. On all matters calling for action by the membership of the Council, each member who has achieved voting status in the Council (by attending one Council meeting) shall have one vote, and no proxy votes shall be permitted. Voting may be in-person, by mail or by email.
4. Any person may be dropped from membership in the Council for cause by a two-thirds vote, taken by secret ballot, of the membership present and voting at a quarterly business meeting as provided in Section 3, above. Such vote shall be taken only upon the recommendation of a select committee of no fewer than three persons appointed by the President of the Council to investigate the specific case; the committee's recommendation will be submitted only after (a) the committee has accumulated the relevant facts and has given the person in question an opportunity to present an argument for why he/she should be retained in the Council both in writing and by appearing in person before the committee, and (b) the committee's proposed recommendations have been reviewed and approved by a majority vote, taken by secret ballot, of the Executive Committee of the Council.
ARTICLE III - ACTIVITIES AND FUNCTIONS
Activities and functions of the membership include: (a) providing insight and advice to NIH offices that address Native American issues; (b) participating in the recruitment and retention of employees of Native American descent at NIH; (c) providing a network for personal and professional growth for Native American employees at NIH; (d) improving communication and increasing awareness among the Council and the NIH community; (e) sharing the proud cultural heritage and diversity of Native Americans with all employees of NIH; (f) brown bag luncheons featuring guest speakers; (g) participation in the NIH Internship Program to recruit Native students; (h) organizing National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month celebration activities; and (i) promoting and sponsoring Native American activities in the NIH and local community.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
1. The Officers of the Council shall be the (a) President, (b) Vice President, (c) Treasurer, and (d) Secretary.
2. The terms of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be one year, and they may not serve more than two terms without at least one year intervening.
3. Sixty days prior to the last quarterly meeting of the calendar year, the Nominations and Election Committee Chairperson shall send a nominations ballot to the Council membership via e-mail. The ballot shall provide at least two places for each office to be filled. The nominations ballots shall be returned to the Chairperson of the Election Committee within 14 days of the sent date. That Committee shall tally the votes and, for each office to be filled, shall select at least two nominees willing to serve if elected. The persons thus nominated must be the two willing nominees standing highest in the balloting for the office. If two willing nominees cannot be found on the basis of the nominating ballot, then one nominee may be selected by the Election Committee on the basis of standing in balloting or other exceptional qualification for office. The nominated persons shall be named in alphabetical order on the election ballot and the ballot shall be sent to Council Members with voting status no later than 7 days after the deadline for receipt of the nominations. All votes must be cast via e-mail, mail or in person within 14 days of the final ballot's being sent. Election results will be sent to the Council Membership via e-mail within 3 days of the deadline. The person receiving a majority of the votes wins the office or, if a majority is not obtained, a plurality shall be sufficient.
4. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Council, to act as Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Council, to exercise supervision over the affairs of the Council with the approval of the Executive Committee, and to perform such other duties as are incident to his/her Office or as may properly be required of him/her by vote of the Executive Committee. In the case of absence, death, incapacity, or resignation of the President, his/her duties shall be assumed by the Vice President.
5. It shall be the duty of the Council Treasurer to have custody of all funds and properties of the Council, to collect any special dues or assessments that may be voted in accordance with Article IX of these Bylaws, and to make disbursements as authorized by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee, and to serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
6. It shall be the duty of the Council Secretary to keep the records of all meetings of the Council and to issue calls and notices of the meetings and of nominations of Officers, to correspond with individuals who request information about the Council and its functions, and to serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. The Council shall have an Executive Committee consisting of all Officers of the Council (as listed in Article IV, Section 1) as voting members. In addition, the chairpersons of all committees of the Council shall attend meetings of the Executive Committee of the Council with the right to make and second motions, to participate in the discussions and debate, and to report regarding the progress of the work within the areas of their responsibilities as well as advise the Executive Committee with regard to the likely impact of matters under consideration.
2. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Council. All actions of the Executive Committee that are of a continuing or policy nature are subject to the approval, by majority vote, of the membership present and voting at quarterly business meetings, or by email or mail ballot as provided in Article II, Section 3, of these Bylaws.
3. The President of the Council shall be Chairperson of the Executive Committee, and the Secretary of the Council shall be Secretary of the Executive Committee.
4. The President of the Council, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint such members and chairpersons of standing and select committees as provided for in Article VIII of these Bylaws. A standing committee is a permanent or continuing committee chartered by these Bylaws, whereas a select, special, or ad hoc committee is a non-permanent committee that may be initiated by the President of the Council.
ARTICLE VI - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
1. The Officers of the Council shall be elected by the voting members of the Council (see Article II, Section 3), voting by email or mail ballot, described in Section 3, below.
2. A standing Council Nominations and Election Committee shall consist of the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. In the event that a member of this standing committee is nominated for a Council office and accepts the nomination, the President of the Council shall appoint a temporary member (who is not on the ballot) to this committee until the election has concluded. The nominated Election Committee member shall temporarily recuse him- or herself from his or her duties on this committee during the election.
3. Fourteen days prior to the last quarterly meeting of the calendar year, the Election Committee Chairperson shall send a nominations ballot to the Council membership. The ballot shall provide at least two places for each office to be filled. The nominations ballots shall be returned to the Chairperson of the Election Committee at least seven days prior to the last quarterly meeting of the calendar year. That Committee shall tally the votes and for each office to be filled shall select at least two nominees willing to serve if elected. The persons thus nominated must be the two willing nominees standing highest in the balloting for the office. If two willing nominees can not be found on the basis of the nominating ballot, then one nominee may be selected by the Election Committee on the basis of standing in balloting or other exceptional qualification for office. The nominated persons shall be named in alphabetical order and voted on at either the last quarterly business meeting of the calendar year, by email ballot, or by mail ballot. The person receiving a majority of the votes wins the office or if a majority is not obtained, then a plurality shall be sufficient.
4. Officers shall assume office on the first day of the calendar year; they shall hold office until their successors are elected and installed, normal terms of office notwithstanding.
ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS
1. There shall be at least four (quarterly) business meetings of the Council each year.
2. A quorum at the quarterly business meetings shall consist of no fewer than the lesser of five voting members or five percent (5%) of the voting membership.
3. At least two Executive Committee meetings shall be held each year. Additional meetings may be called by the Council President.
4. Meetings of other committees will be called by the Chairperson of the committee.
ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES
1. The Executive Committee shall be a standing committee of the Council, with membership and duties as provided in Articles II, IV, and V of these Bylaws. It shall have its incoming and outgoing meetings at the time of the appropriate quarterly business meeting and shall meet additionally, if necessary, upon call by the Council President.
2. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall be a standing committee of the Council, with membership and duties as provided in Article VI, Sections 2 and 3, of these Bylaws.
3. The Heritage Program Activities Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Program Committee, shall be a standing committee of the Council. The Program Committee shall consist of at least three Council members, one of whom shall serve as chair. It shall be the duty of this committee to make arrangements for programs throughout the year as appropriate, but particularly programs for National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. The Program Committee shall also arrange for programs at any other meetings in which the Council officially participates.
4. In addition to the standing committees of the Council provided for by these Bylaws, the President with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Council or of the membership voting at the quarterly business meeting may establish such select, special, or ad hoc committees as are deemed desirable. Unless otherwise authorized by the membership or by the Executive Committee at the time of approval for the establishment of such committee(s), the committee(s) shall serve for a term no longer than that of the President who appoints the members to such committee(s).
5. The Council President shall appoint persons to fill other positions, such as (a) Representative to the NIH Diversity Council whose function is to represent the Council and report Diversity Council actions to the Council; (b) Representative to the NIH Quality of Work Life Committee whose function is to represent the Council and report Qualify of Work Life Committee actions to the Council ; (c) Internship Coordinator whose objective is to work with other organizations to provide Native students and postgraduates with NIH opportunities for paid and unpaid internships.
ARTICLE IX - DUES AND ASSESSMENTS
1. Funds for the activities of the Council are anticipated to be provided by NIH member Institutes and Centers.
2. If additional funds are necessary, the membership may vote to conduct fund raising activities and/or to establish basic membership dues. These activities must first be established by the Executive Committee of the Council, subject to the approval of the membership present and voting at a quarterly business meeting of the calendar year, or by ballot, as provided in Article II, Sections 3 and 4, of these Bylaws.
3. Membership additional dues, and special assessments, may be recommended by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Council, and shall be established by majority vote of the membership present and voting at the last quarterly business meeting of the calendar year, or by email or mail ballot, as provided in Article II, Sections 3 and 4, of these Bylaws.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS
The Council, by a majority vote of the membership present as provided in Article II, Sections 2, 3, and 4 of these Bylaws, and voting (1) at any quarterly business meeting, or (2) by email, mail ballot, or at a specially-held council meeting, may adopt such amendments to these Bylaws as have been (a) presented and read at the preceding quarterly business meeting or specially-held council meeting, or (b) circulated to the Council membership at least 14 days prior to the final vote on the proposed amendment. Circulation may be carried out either by (a) email, or (b) separate mailing to the last known addresses of the voting membership. Final votes must be cast within 5 days of the presentation/ circulation date. Amendments will be effective on the date of the vote unless otherwise specified in the motion.
