CTA BYLAWS - ARTICLE III — MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1 - Categories of Membership.
There shall be five classes of membership in the Association: Active, Staff, Student, Retired, and Associate. (Amended January 1998)
SECTION 2 - General Requisites.
Members in good standing must be current in dues payments, meet requirements specified for their category of membership, and meet the following qualifications: (Amended January 1998; February 2001)
a. Membership in the Association is not transferable.
b. No member shall be permitted to remain in a category of membership for which s/he is no longer qualified. (Amended January 1998)
c. Members who have paid their dues for a membership year in a given category shall not have their rights to membership denied for the balance of that year. (Amended January 1998)
d. Anyone admitted to any category of membership in the Association must also become a member through the payment of dues both in the chapter serving the area or level in which s/he is actively employed and of the National Education Association. (Amended January 1998)
e. Enrollment in all categories of membership is limited to persons who support the principles and goals of the Association and who subscribe to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession. (Amended January 1998)
SECTION 3 - Description of Categories and Authorization for Enrollment.
The State Council of Education shall have the authority to authorize or to terminate authorization for membership enrollment in any given category, except for the Active category. (Amended January 1998).
a. Active. Active membership shall be open to any person engaged in, or who is on a limited leave of absence from, non-administrative, non-supervisory, professional educational work. The definition of administrative or supervisory status in higher education units shall be determined by the governing body of the local Association chapter. Active members shall hold or shall be eligible to hold a baccalaureate or equivalent degree or the regular teaching, vocational or technical certificates required by their employment. (Amended October 1982, January 1998)
b. Staff. Staff membership shall be open to any person employed by the Association or any of its national or state affiliates in a professional staff position.
c. Student. Any person regularly enrolled in an institution of higher education preparing to become a teacher and eligible to become a member of the Student California Teachers Association under the provisions of the governance documents of that association may become a Student member. (Amended January 1998)
d. Retired Membership. Any person who at the time of retirement from active service was a member of the Association and who is a qualified applicant for or recipient of service or disability retirement allowances from a public or private retirement system may become a member of CTA/NEA-Retired. Members who are drawing retirement benefits from the State Teachers’ Retirement System and/or the Public Employees’ Retirement System and are employed as a substitute in a school district on a day-to-day basis shall be considered Retired members, except substitute who are dues-paying members of a recognized bargaining unit. The Board of Directors shall fix the terms and conditions upon which such memberships shall be issued, including the extent to which such memberships shall be free from the payment of assessments and the extent to which such terms and conditions shall not be subject to change or revocation by the Association. (Amended March 1994, October 1997)
e. Associate. Associate membership shall be open to any person who is interested in advancing the cause of public education but who is not eligible for any other class of membership in the Association. The different types of eligibility and services for such memberships shall be prescribed in the Standing Rules. (Adopted May 1975, amended May 1976, June 1980)
SECTION 4 - Membership Cards.
The amount and type of dues for each category of membership shall be as prescribed in Article XIV, Section 3. The Standing Rules shall contain the procedures by which dues are collected and transmitted to the Association, including the establishment of provisions for declaring delinquency and forfeiture of membership. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to waive the prescribed dues on an individual basis for extenuating or honorary circumstances. Each member of the Association shall be issued the appropriate membership card. (Amended January 1998).
SECTION 5 - Rights and Privileges of Members.
a. Active Members. Active members in good standing shall be entitled to the following rights and privileges:
1. The right to vote on all matters submitted to the chapter membership; (Amended January 1998)
2. Eligibility to run for an/or serve in any elective office an/or appointive position in the Association for which qualified, except as specified in Article XIII, Section 4. (Amended January 1978, February 1981, January 1998)
3. Admission to and participation in Association meetings except for executive sessions of the Board of Directors; (Amended January 1978, January 1998)
4. Receipt of the official publication of the Association; (Amended January 1998)
5. The right to due process and choice of representation in any disciplinary proceedings within the Association; and (Adopted January 1978; Amended January 1998)
6. Participate in Association services available to the membership. (Amended January 1998)
b. Other than Active Members. Persons enrolled in categories of membership other than Active shall be granted such privileges as may be prescribed for that class by actions of the State Council of Education, (Adopted May 1975, amended January 1978, June 1980, February 1981, June 1988, January 1998)
SECTION 6 - Obligations of Membership.
Members of the Association shall be subject to the following obligations:
a. Prompt payment of membership dues; (Amended January 1998)
b. Support and promotion of the stated purposes of the Association; (Amended January 1998)
c. Cooperation with Association officers, representatives and committees in furthering the program of the Association; (Amended January 1998)
d. Conformity with the "Code of Ethics of the Education Profession" adopted by the National Education Association; and
e. Support of and conformity to the provisions of these Bylaws. (Adopted May 1975, amended June 1980, October 1992)
SECTION 7 - Termination/Suspension of Membership.
a. Membership in the Association shall terminate upon the death or resignation of the member. Membership may also be terminated for: (Adopted May 1975, Amended January 1978, June 1980, June 1988, January 1998)
(1) Failure to pay dues. (Amended January 1998)
(2) Flagrant or continued violation of recognized professional standards, including the provisions of the adopted code of ethics of the Association; (Amended January 1998)
(3) Service on a negotiating team representing a school board or representing a board of trustees of a higher education institution, if termination for that reason is requested by the governing body of a CTA chapter in the school district or higher education institution in question. Service shall include being a member of or a consultant to such a negotiating team. (Added January 1992; Amended January 1998)
b. After proper investigation, the Board of Directors may expel or restrict rights of any member by a two-thirds vote by secret ballot. The due process rights of the members, including the right to representation and counsel, shall be safeguarded. (Amended January 1978, January 1998)
c. Any appeal of such expulsion may be made to the State Council of Education whose decision may be final. (Amended January 1998)