Bylaws
COUNCIL OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EMERITI ASSOCIATIONS (CUCEA)

Approved October 30, 2024

Preamble

Since its founding in 1987, the Council of University of California Emeriti Associations (CUCEA) has fostered close and mutually supportive relations among its member campus-based associations as well as with all levels of the University's governance. Acting statewide on behalf of the welfare and status of UC emeriti/ae, it presses for the protection, improvement and extension of a broad spectrum of benefits, such as good and affordable health care options, appropriate cost-of-living adjustments and enhanced academic privileges.

While CUCEA primarily focuses on emeriti/ae interests, its constituents offer a pool of expertise and the most seasoned perspectives on UC's mission, repute, and culture to be found anywhere. In this light, it also serves UC faculty, the Academic Senate, and administrators as a unique resource committed to University affairs and benefits.

  1. COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP 
    1. The Council shall include its officers (see II below); its three immediate past Chairs; one representative from each campus emeriti association; and, as ex officio members, Emeriti Survey Coordinator and the Chair of the Joint Benefits Committee (jointly established by CUCEA and CUCRA - the Council of University of California Retirees' Associations). An alternate representative from each campus may attend and participate in meetings, but not vote unless the representative is absent. 
    2. Officers shall be elected in even years and confirmed to continue in the odd years by the Council in the Spring; representatives shall normally succeed each other on July 1. 
    3. In addition, the Council may elect as a permanent Distinguished Member of the Council, a Council Member who has made exceptional contributions to CUCEA. 
      1. A suggestion for nomination may be sent in writing to the Nominating Committee by any CUCEA member.
      2. The Nominating Committee will present its nomination at a Council meeting for a vote by the Council.

  2. COUNCIL OFFICERS 
    1. CHAIR - Normally the Chair shall serve two years and shall succeed to the position after serving two years as Chair-Elect. Chairs should be chosen alternately from associations in the north and the south. If the Chair-Elect cannot serve as Chair, or if the Chair cannot complete the term, the Council shall select a replacement for the remainder of the term. Following their service as Chair, the three immediate past Chairs shall remain members of the Council. The Chair shall: 
      1. Convene and chair the Council. 
      2. Maintain liaison with the officers of the campus emeriti associations, seek information about local problems that have statewide implication, and advise on appropriate solutions to secure University response as needed.
      3. Serve ex officio as a member of the University Committee on Faculty Welfare. 
      4. Serve ex officio as a member of the University of California Retirement System Advisory Board.
      5. Annually appoint a representative to a two-year term to the JBC (see V. D. 2. below).
      6. Consult with the Treasurer concerning budget needs for the current year so that the Treasurer may prepare a prospective budget for presentation at the Fall meeting. 
      7. Consult with the Information Officer concerning material to be disseminated on behalf of the Council. 
      8. In consultation with the Chair-Elect, appoint committees as needed, including a nominating committee charged to provide a slate of officers for the following year, to be elected or confirmed at the Spring meeting.
    2. CHAIR-ELECT - Normally, the Chair-Elect shall serve for two years, and succeed as Chair the following year. 
      The Chair-Elect shall: 
      1. Assist and advise the Chair in the conduct of the affairs of the Council. 
      2. Chair meetings at the request of the Council Chair. 
      3. Serve ex officio as a member of the University Committee on Faculty Welfare or the University of California Retirement System Board when the Chair is unable to do so. 
    3. SECRETARY - The Secretary shall be elected for a two-year term and may be re-elected. 
      The Secretary shall: 
      1. Record the proceedings of each Council meeting and prepare minutes for approval by the Council at its subsequent meeting. 
      2. Transmit a final version of each set of minutes as approved by the Council to the Web Master  for posting on the CUCEA website, and to the Archivist for inclusion in the CUCEA archives. 
      3. Record the proceedings of Joint CUCRA/CUCEA Fall meetings for approval at its Spring Joint meeting.
      4. Send Draft minutes to CUCRA and CUCEA Information Officers for distribution to their members.
      5. Transmit a final version of the minutes as approved by the Joint Councils to each association’s Information Officer and CUCEA’s Web Master and Archivist.
    4. TREASURER - The Treasurer shall be elected for a two-year term and may be re-elected. 
      The Treasurer shall: 
      1. Keep the books of account, collect all monies due the Council, maintain custody of Council Funds, and pay bills approved by the Chair. 
      2. At the Fall meeting present an annual financial report for the past year and, having consulted with the Chair, a budget for the current year. Additionally, in the course of each year produce any other financial statements as may be requested. 
      3. Pay for the approved travel expenses of CUCEA Officers and others as specified in Section V, B. 2. below.
      4. Transmit to the Archivist for inclusion in the CUCEA archives all financial records more than three years old. 
    5. INFORMATION OFFICER - The Information Officer shall be elected for a two-year term and may be re-elected. 
      The Information Officer shall: 
      1. Seek out and disseminate pertinent information to each campus association after consultation with the Chair. 
      2. In advance of each meeting of the full Council, send to all Council members packets containing the relevant planning information.
      3. Set up, keep current, and distribute a list of the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of all Council members (see I.A. above) to function as the centralized e-mail medium for general communication among them. 
      4. Evaluate information for addition to the CUCEA website, and forward suitable material to the Web Master. 
      5. Whenever appropriate, and with the concurrence of the Chair, furnish data concerning UC emeriti and the Council to the University administration, Academic Senate officers, and media. 
      6. Provide the CUCEA Archivist with all relevant records for inclusion in the CUCEA archives. 
      7. Create documents, which bring together information on aspects of the Council’s history (e.g. meeting dates and locations, Officers, Campus Representatives, etc.)
    6.  ARCHIVIST/HISTORIAN -  The Archivist/Historian shall be elected for a two-year term and may be re-elected. 
      The Archivist/Historian shall: 
      1. Set up and maintain an organized system of files to make accessible the history of the Council and its work. 
      2. In advance of each Fall meeting, update as appropriate the Guide to the CUCEA archives for the information of Council members, and send this to the Web Master for posting on the CUCEA website. 
      3. Respond to requests from Council members for specific information from the archives. 
      4. Serve as the Council’s institutional memory, recalling relevant past actions and decisions, which can usefully inform present deliberations. 
    7. WEB MASTER - The Web Master shall be elected for a two-year term and may be re-elected. 
      The Web Master shall: 
      1. Review and maintain the CUCEA website.
      2. Receive documents for posting created by the Information Officer and received from the CUCEA campus representatives.
      3. Hire and supervise an assistant assigned to keep website current.
      4. Coordinate with Archivist/Historian for access to archival documents.
      5. Post approved minutes transmitted by the Secretary.

  3.  CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVES 
    1. Every Spring each campus emeriti association shall appoint or elect a representative and alternate representative to CUCEA for the following academic year. 
    2. Campus Representatives shall: 
      1. Report their emeriti association's activities to CUCEA, and CUCEA's activities to their associations.
      2. Serve as their association's liaison with CUCEA's Emeriti/ae Survey Committee (see V.C.2) with the aid of their campus Emeriti Association Presidents. 
      3. Prior to Summer, notify CUCEA's Chair and Information Officer of the successors to themselves, their alternate, and their association's president.  

  4. COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS
    1. The Executive Committee:  The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, and Chair-Elect, the three immediate past presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Information Officer and the Web Master.
      1. The Executive Committee shall be a source of advice to the Chair between the semi-annual meetings, particularly when a quick response on the part of CUCEA is necessary.
      2. The Chair shall inform the campus emeriti association presidents and representative of any actions taken by the Executive Committee.
      3. Meetings of the Executive Committee will normally be conducted electronically.  
    2. NOMINATING COMMITTEE
      1. Appointed in even numbered years by the Chair in coordination with the Chair-elect to develop a slate of officers for the next biennium.
      2. Chairs should be chosen alternately from associations in the North and South.
      3. Slate to be confirmed by the Council at the Spring Meeting.
    3. EMERITI/AE SURVEY COMMITTEE
      1. Constituted every three years as a working group by the Emeriti Survey Coordinator to conduct the triennial Survey of emeriti/ae activities and published as  “A Virtual Eleventh Campus”.
      2. The Survey Coordinator works with campus representatives to publicize and distribute the survey questionnaire.
      3. The Survey Coordinator shall compile the data obtained from the campus representatives.
      4. Campuses will be provided with the results from their own campus to allow them to publish a separate report. 
      5. The Survey Coordinator works with CUCEA Chair and campus representatives to widely disseminate results as appropriate within and beyond the University. 
    4. JOINT BENEFITS COMMITTEE 
      1. In cooperation with the Council of UC Retirees’ Associations (CUCRA), CUCEA shall maintain and support the Joint Benefits Committee (JBC) whose ongoing purpose is to consider and make recommendations to CUCEA and CUCRA regarding the University's pension and benefit programs, and policy issues related to health insurance and delivery systems, and other benefit programs.
      2. The JBC shall consist of Eleven members:
        a. Four of whom are chair and chair elect of CUCRA and CUCEA
        b. Two members each, appointed/elected by CUCRA and CUCEA for two-year, staggered terms. Terms begin immediately upon appointment, and appointees may be appointed/elected for up to two additional terms. 
        c. Three at-large members who bring relevant expertise to the Committee's research and deliberations as nominated by the four CUCRA and CUCEA appointees and CUCRA and CUCRA officers. Appointments will be made by the CUCRA and CUCEA executive committees. Terms will be for four years and appointees may be appointed to serve for an additional term.
        d. The JBC Chair shall be selected by the CUCEA and CUCRA executive committees from members of JBC for a two-year term renewable for up to two additional terms.
      3.  The JBC shall meet routinely between each Spring and Fall meeting to identify and discuss issues and prepare a report detailing its findings and recommendations. The report shall address issues and concerns regarding retiree and emeriti benefits in sufficient time (e.g. 4 weeks) prior to the Spring and Fall meetings for the President’s Office to prepare presentations at the meetings in response to the report.
      4. The JBC shall schedule meetings such that it may influence the agenda of the UC Emeriti/Retiree Advisory Committee (ERAC) and respond to the issues considered at ERAC meetings.
      5. The respective CUCRA and CUCEA Councils will consider the JBC Reports at their Spring and Fall Meetings. 
      6. The Council shall transmit to the JBC chair any new and continuing concerns discussed for consideration and research before the next meeting.
  5. GUIDELINES 
    1. MEETINGS 
      1. Meetings of the full Council shall be held twice a year, alternating between a northern campus (normally on the last Wednesday or Thursday in October) and a southern campus (normally on the last Wednesday or Thursday in April). Each meeting shall be restricted to one day, as feasible. 
      2. The host association shall provide the meeting and/or hybrid rooms, luncheon arrangements, and local transportation for delegates as needed. 
      3. The Chair may call additional meetings, or schedule conference calls, or use e-mail or Zoom to expedite action on urgent matters. 
      4. Urgent decisions that in the view of the Chair must be made between normally scheduled meetings can be handled by e-mail ballot. 
    2. EXPENSES 
      1. Each campus association shall be responsible for the travel expenses of its own Council representative and/or alternate representative.
      2. CUCEA shall be responsible for the travel expenses of officers, the immediate past CUCEA chair, and one-half of the Joint Benefits Committee Chair’s expenses. All Council member attendees travelling from a northern to a southern or a southern to a northern campus are entitled to hotel accommodations and meals for the night preceding each meeting. 
      3. The Council shall adopt an annual budget at the Fall meeting. Each association shall be responsible for its share of cost in proportion to the number of surviving Emeriti/ae at that campus. Associations should transmit their annual dues to CUCEA by April 1, based upon the number of campus Emeriti/ae for the current academic year. 
    3. COMMUNICATIONS 
      1. In the spirit of shared governance, the Council shall communicate with the executives of the Office of the President, the Academic Senate, and the UC Retirement System Advisory Board in addressing issues of concern to UC emeriti/ae. 
      2. Through its triennial Emeriti Survey the Council shall distribute a report on emeriti/ae post-retirement activities entitled “A Virtual Eleventh Campus”.
      3. The Council shall take steps to encourage each campus association to establish and maintain communication mechanisms intended to keep emeriti/ae informed about local activities, problems, future plans, and benefits provided by CUCEA. 

  6. AMENDMENT   
    Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by any campus representative or by the Council Chair and will be adopted when endorsed by the vote of at least six of the campus representatives. At least four weeks must expire between the time when the campus representatives are informed of the proposed amendment and the time of the vote. 
 
April, 2022 Version
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