OUR LADY OF LOURDES PARISH EDUCATION COMMISSION
BY-LAWS MAY 2006
ARTICLE I GENERAL
The business of the Education Commission shall be conducted at the regular and special meetings of the Commission as described in Article V MEETINGS of the Constitution. The Commission shall act as a committee-of-the-whole at regular meetings and at standing and special committee meetings of the Commission.
ARTICLE II REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE COMMISSION
1. The Secretary shall keep a copy of all the reports of each standing and special committee. All reports from standing or special committees involving action by the committee-of-the-whole shall be in writing and signed by the members of the committee concurring therein, unless the necessity of a written report is dispensed with by a simple majority of those members of the Commission present and voting.
2. All votes by the Commission shall be recorded by the Secretary. The record shall include the number of affirmative, negative, and abstaining votes. All voting will be by acclamation unless the consensus of a simple majority of those present determine otherwise.
ARTICLE III STANDING COMMITTEES
1. Each year the standing committees shall be formulated by the Commission.
2. Each such standing committee shall consist of a Commission member, who is then responsible and accountable for completing that task.
3. Appointments or vacancies to the standing committees shall be made by the President, subject to the acceptance of such appointment by each appointee and also subject to the ratification of each such appointment by a simple majority of those members of the Commission present and voting. Such appointment shall be made for a term of one year. Members of any standing committee shall be eligible for re-appointment to said committee. The President may appoint himself or herself as a Chairperson or member of any standing committees.
4. Any matter of new business coming before the Commission may be referred to a standing committee, or, an ad-hoc committee may be created.
5. Any matter of old business may be withdrawn from the consideration of any standing committee and reassigned to another standing or ad-hoc committee by a simple majority of those members of the Commission present and voting.
6. Each standing committee shall meet upon the call of its Chairperson for the accomplishment of those purposes assigned to it by the President of the Commission. This committee shall render to the Commission a report or reports at a date designated by the Commissions President. This report shall contain all detail required by the motion referring the matter to the standing committee.
7. The conduct of the meetings of standing committees shall be arranged as needed by its members.
ARTICLE IV SPECIAL OR AD-HOC COMMITTEES
1. The Education Commission President may appoint one or more special or ad-hoc committees for any purpose consistent with the Constitution and these By-Laws.
2. The appointment, membership, and functioning of each of these special or ad-hoc committees and the referral of matters to these committees shall follow the By-Laws stated in Article III Standing Committees hereof.
3. Any special or ad-hoc committee may be disbanded by a simple majority of those members of the Commission present and voting.
ARTICLE V NON MEMBERS ADDRESSING COMMISSION
The right of nonmembers to address the Commission shall be limited to those whose written request has been approved by one of the agenda committee consisting of the President, Pastor, or Principal for the agenda in advance of the meetings.
1. Requests to address the Commission shall be made to the President at least seven calendar days or at the discretion of the agenda committee before the meeting. A response will be made at least five calendar days before the meeting indicating whether or not the topic is on the agenda.
2. Only topics appropriate to the Education Commission may be presented, as described under Article II Purpose and Function as stated in the Constitution.
3. The non member may address the Commission for no more than five minutes or at the discretion of the President. Further participation by the non member may take place only at the initiative of the Commission. Any motion and voting must be conducted by the Commission members only.
4. The non member may provide a handout, not to exceed two 8 ½ x 11 pages to the Commission members. The non member may not distribute handouts to other non members present. The Secretary will determine if the handout is appropriate for attachment to the minutes.
5. The Education Commission meeting is not a public forum for the non member. While the non member may present personal items of concern to the Commission, the non member may not call upon other non members for support or participation or make any attempt to rally support from other non members in the audience. The President may rule the non member out of order and terminate the discussion.
6. The agenda committee may determine that the topic is appropriate for an executive session, and the non member may be limited to addressing the executive session only.
ARTICLE VI MEMBERSHIP
1. Ex-officio members may not exceed the number of elected members.
2. Members may serve no more than two consecutive terms without a break in service. This break must consist of one term which is the equivalent of three consecutive years.
3. At the option of the school faculty, the faculty may send one or two teacher representatives of their choice to each Education Commission meeting. In order to address the Commission, the teachers will follow the guidelines as described in Article V Non Members Addressing Commission of the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII PARISH NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS FOR COMMISSION MEMBERS
1. The Election Commission shall be appointed by the Commission President no later than the February meeting. The Chairperson of this committee must not be eligible for re-election to the Commission.
2. Notice of Nomination Sunday for Parish Elections shall be properly advertised in the Sunday bulletin according to the Parish Management Team guidelines. Qualifications necessary for nomination for Education Commission shall be included in the bulletin at this time. (Qualifications are listed in Article III Membership, Section B Qualifications of Elected Members in the Education Commission Constitution.
3. Election Sunday shall be in May and shall be held simultaneously with the Parish Management Team elections.
4. The nomination process shall be as follows:
a. On a weekend designated by the Parish Management Team, qualified parishioners shall be asked for self-nomination for Education Commission. Nomination ballots shall be distributed and collected at all Masses during a time designated by the Pastor.
b. If a parishioner 21 years or older is not present at a Mass during Nomination Sunday, the eligible parishioner may contact either the Parish Office or a member of the Election Committee to nominate either himself or herself for Education Commission.
c. These nominations shall be compiled by the Election Committee of the Education Commission and all candidates nominated, shall be acknowledged.
5. The election process shall be as follows:
a. Notice of elections and appointments and requests for nominations shall be properly advertised in the Sunday bulletin two months prior to elections. The slate of election candidates shall be accompanied by brief biographical sketches and shall be published at least two weeks before the election. Nominees must be at least 21 years of age and must be an active member of Our Lady of Lourdes.
b. Election of all elected members will take place during the month of May in conjunction with the Parish Management Team. Ballots are to be distributed to all parishioners 18 years or older.
c. The Election Committee shall state on the ballot that at least one man and one woman must be elected in order to maintain continuity on the Commission.
d. Vote count is to take place on the day of election by the Election Committee. The results of the election are to be given on the day of the election or on the following day and published for the entire parish in the next weekly bulletin. These vote counts are to be recorded by the Secretary in the event that a vacancy occurs on the Commission and therefore the vacancy can be filled by the candidate with the next highest votes.
6. The newly elected members shall become Commission members at the June meeting following the close of Unfinished Business.
7. The orientation for new members shall be held after the June meeting before the August meeting.
8. The Election Committee shall recommend to the Education Commission for their approval any modifications in the election process that may be necessary to maintain continuity.
ARTICLE VIII ELECTION OF OFFICERS WITHIN THE EDUCATION COMMISSION
1. The Education Commission shall elect from among its parish elected members a President, Vice President, a Secretary, and a representative to the Finance Committee. The duties of these officers can be found in the Constitution, Article IV Officers, Section B Duties.
a. The President and Vice President must have served on the Commission the previous year. The term of office shall be one year.
b. The Secretary shall be elected from the three new Commission members. The term of office shall be one year.
c. The Finance Representative is a member of the Commission. The term of office shall be one year.
2. Officers of the Education Commission shall be elected yearly. An officer may not serve more than two consecutive years in the same capacity on the Commission.
3. Elections shall take place at the June Education Commission meeting after the close of Unfinished Business. As previously stated, the newly parish elected members assume the duties of those leaving the Commission at this time.
4. The present President will conduct the business of nomination and elections. The President shall only be part of the voting members if his or her term is continuing.
5. All nominations and voting will be by acclamation unless the consensus of a simple majority of those present and voting determine otherwise.
6. The newly elected officers assume their roles as reports of New Business begin.
ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS
By simple majority of those members present and voting, the Commission may temporarily suspend these By-Laws during the course of any regular or special meeting of the Commission in any manner consistent with the Constitution.
Enacted this ______ day of __________________, 20____, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Education Commission President
Enacted this ______ day of __________________, 20____, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Fr. Dave Sunberg, Pastor
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Parish Management Team Representative