Section 100 – Board of Directors

101 - The Board of Directors shall be the governing and policy making body of the Association between Annual Conferences.

102 - The Board shall be composed of a President, Vice President, Secretary, seven zone directors and a nonvoting Past President. The President, Vice President and Secretary shall be elected to three-year terms by seated delegates at the OSEA Conference. Zone directors shall be elected to staggered two-year terms by seated delegates at the OSEA Conference. (Revised 1998 Conference; Revised 2016 Conference-Board Meeting, December 2016; Revised 2018 Conference-Board Meeting, May 2019)

103 - All candidates for the OSEA Board of Directors shall submit the Board-approved Intent/Nomination Form to the Election Committee, on or before March 1 of any election cycle, to ensure their inclusion in an OSEA Journal issue published prior to Conference. Intent/Notification to seek office, however, remains available to members through the nominating process at Conference. (Revised 2008 Conference; Revised 2011 Conference-Board Meeting, October 2011)

All candidates for the OSEA Board of Directors shall comply with the current Board-approved Campaign Guidelines. (Revised 2011 Conference-Board Meeting, October 2011)

Oregon School Employees Association

Campaign Guidelines

For the purposes of these guidelines, campaigning shall be defined as any activity that may assist a candidate in becoming elected to an OSEA office.

1. All OSEA members involved in the election process will conduct themselves in a positive manner. All activities will promote goodwill, unity and solidarity before, during and after the election.
2. Candidates will become familiar with the OSEA Constitution, OSEA Board Policy and the Campaign Guidelines of OSEA.
3. In accordance with federal law, all campaign costs, including materials and transportation, are an out-of-pocket expense for the candidate and may not be purchased with or reimbursed by OSEA funds. (Revised Board Meeting, September 2014)
4. Candidates may request a copy of the OSEA annual officer directory through the OSEA state president. All candidates for a particular office will be provided exactly the same information. (Revised Board Meeting, September 2014)
5. Chapter presidents are encouraged to afford all candidates equal access to their chapter membership. (Revised Board Meeting, September 2014)
6. Candidates who campaign while attending any OSEA-sponsored meeting or event before Conference must do so at their own expense.
7. Campaign displays must remain in the candidate’s designated area as determined by the Conference Committee. Tables will be allocated as candidate nominations are submitted to the Election Committee or are nominated from the Conference floor. Candidates will keep their table in an orderly fashion. Material will not be attached to the walls. (Revised Board Meeting, April 2018)
8. At Conference, there will be no campaigning at or near the voting location.
9. At Conference, candidates shall campaign only during recess or break periods.
10. All candidates for a specific office will be entered into nomination by the Election Committee chair. There will be no introduction/nomination speeches. (Revised Board Meeting, September 2014; Revised Board Meeting, May 2015)
11. Each candidate shall be limited to a five-minute candidate speech to the delegates. (Revised Board Meeting, September 2014; Revised Board Meeting, May 2015)
12. Once all speeches for a specific office have been given, delegates will be given the opportunity to ask questions on a rotating basis of all candidates for that specific office. (Revised Board Meeting, September 2014)
13. At Conference, there will be no campaigning during Zone caucus meetings. (Revised Board Meeting, September 2014)
14. If there are questions concerning these guidelines, please direct any questions or concerns to the Election Committee chair.

It is expected that all delegates will adhere to these guidelines. (2008 Conference)

104 - Conference Absentee Balloting (2012 Conference-Board Meeting, September 2012)

In accordance with Article XIII, Section 7, of the OSEA Constitution, certified/registered delegates in attendance at any OSEA Annual Conference who are unable to participate in the regular election process for state officers and other positions may cast an absentee ballot similar to the Oregon vote-by-mail process pursuant to the following provisions.

1. No absentee balloting shall occur until all nominations have been closed and ballots printed.
2. A delegate who must leave Conference must notify OSEA staff at the Conference registration desk of their desire to cast an absentee ballot and withdraw their delegate status.
   1. The delegate will be provided with the appropriate ballot and security envelopes and will be directed to a voting location where the ballot will be cast in secret.
   2. Upon completion of the voting process, the delegate shall surrender their delegate credentials/badge to a staff member at the Conference registration desk, who shall immediately notify the Credentials Committee chair and the delegate’s chapter delegation of the delegate’s official withdrawal from delegate status.
   3. The absentee ballot cast shall not be deposited in the ballot box nor be counted until the delegate has officially withdrawn from delegate status.
3. Any delegate who has officially withdrawn and been replaced by an alternate shall not be permitted to again be seated as an official delegate.

105 - Virtual Conferences (2022 Conference – Board Meeting, October 2022)

In the event a state of emergency exists which would preclude the holding of an in-person Annual or Special Conference, the Board of Directors shall be authorized to schedule and hold a virtual Conference.

1. Such virtual Conference shall be conducted through the use of Internet meeting services designated by the Board of Directors that support anonymous voting, visible displays identifying the chair and the delegate recognized to speak and showing the text of pending motions.
2. Virtual Conferences should only be utilized if all eligible delegates have access to the appropriate technology, allowing all delegates to see/hear and actively participate in discussions and debate simultaneously. The Association shall make every effort to ensure all eligible delegates have the appropriate access.
3. Specific rules and procedures relating to the operations of the virtual Conference shall be enumerated in the Conference Rules, adopted by the delegate body at any Annual or Special Conference.

106 - The President shall appoint, on a rotating basis, a member of the Board who shall have the responsibility of beginning each Board meeting with a motivational message. (Revised 1997 Conference; Revised Board Meeting, September 2008)

110 - Meetings shall be held at least once every quarter. The meeting dates will be established by the President and Board of Directors. Six members of the Board must be present to vote. (Revised Board Meeting, March 1995)

110.5 - A transitional meeting of newly installed Board members will be held after the conclusion of the OSEA State Conference. (Revised Board Meeting, April 2001; Revised Board Meeting, April 2024)

111 - Special meetings may be called by the President. These meetings may be either a conference call or at a place designated by the President. 8 members of the Board must be present or on-line to vote.

111.5 - A Board workshop shall be scheduled each year for a weekend during either the last two weeks of July or the first two weeks of August. (Board Meeting, November 1994)

112 - The agenda for each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be sent via electronic mail to each chapter president and secretary and posted in the member-only section on the official OSEA website no later than five (5) days prior to the meeting. (Revised Board Meeting, April 1999; Revised Board Meeting, February 2015)

113 - Unapproved minutes of all regular or special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be sent via electronic mail to each chapter president and secretary and posted in the member-only section on the official OSEA website no later than five (5) days prior to the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. (Revised Board Meeting, April 1999; Revised Board Meeting, February 2015)

Approved minutes of all regular or special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be posted on the official OSEA website no later than five (5) days following the meeting at which the minutes were approved. (Revised Board Meeting, April 1999; Revised Board Meeting, February 2015)

113.5 - A draft copy of the previous meeting minutes shall be forwarded to the sitting Board members no later than 15 days after the previous Board meeting. This will allow Board members to review and make necessary corrections that may need to be made, so that an accurate copy may be sent to chapter presidents and secretaries, and expedite the approval of minutes at the next Board meeting. The receipt of minutes is an important factor for Board members, who also have other duties to accomplish, in addition to their duties to the State Board. Board members will have five days to review and forward any corrections, thus allowing staff to comply with Sections 112 and 113. (Revised Board Meeting, April 1999)

114 - The issues and matters, except for matters pertaining to personnel issues, contract negotiations and member discipline, voted on by the Board of Directors, and how each member of the Board voted on those issues and matters, shall be sent to the chapters of the Association. (1990 Conference; Revised 1998 Conference; Revised 1999 Conference; Revised 2019 Conference – Board Meeting, January 2021)

115 - The issues and matters, except for matters pertaining to personnel issues, contract negotiations and member discipline, voted on by the Board of Directors, and how each member of the Board voted on those issues and matters, shall become part of the annual report to the delegates of the Annual Conference. (1990 Conference; Revised 1998 Conference; Revised 1999 Conference; Revised 2019 Conference – Board Meeting, January 2021)

116 - Prior to a vote on any social or political position by the Board of Directors, the position must be listed as a specific agenda item on the agenda of the regular or special meeting where action will be taken. The agenda shall be sent via electronic mail to each chapter president, secretary and state committee chair and posted in the member-only section on the official OSEA website no later than five (5) days prior to the scheduled Board meeting. (1994 Conference; Revised 1998 Conference; Revised 1999 Conference; Revised Board Meeting, February 2015)

120 - The policy handbook shall be made available to OSEA members upon request. (1986 Conference)

121 - The updated Constitution shall be made available to OSEA members upon request within 60 days after the Annual Conference. The OSEA staff will distribute the revised Constitution to chapter presidents by September 15. (Revised Board Meeting, April 1995; Revised Board Meeting, February 2002; Revised 2011 Conference-Board Meeting, October 2011)

122 - Access to Legal Counsel (Board Meeting, January 2021)
The Board shall have access to legal counsel and may consult directly with legal counsel over any matter. Prior to executing any contract on behalf of the Association that will expend fifty-thousand-dollars ($50,000) or more, the Board shall consult with legal counsel.

123 - Filling a Vacancy in the Office of President (2012 Conference-Board Meeting, September 2012)
In the event the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall assume that position for the remainder of the term.

124 - Filling a Vacancy in the Office of Vice President (2012 Conference-Board Meeting, September 2012)

1. In the event the office of Vice President becomes vacant 60 calendar days or more prior to the next Conference, the Board of Directors shall, by secret ballot majority vote, elect a Vice President from the remaining elected members of the Board to serve until the next succeeding Conference where the position shall be filled by delegate election.
2. A vacancy in the office of Vice President occurring less than 60 calendar days prior to the next Conference shall remain vacant and shall be filled by delegate election, provided that at least fifteen (15) calendars days’ notice is provided to the membership.

If a mid-term vacancy occurs at such time as a fifteen (15) calendar days’ notice cannot be provided to the membership, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Directors after Conference.

125 - Filling Vacancies in the Offices of President and Vice President (2012 Conference-Board Meeting, September 2012)

1. In the event the offices of President and Vice President become vacant simultaneously, the Board of Directors shall, by secret ballot majority vote, elect a President and Vice President from the remaining elected members of the Board within seven (7) calendar days of the vacancy, to serve until the next succeeding Conference where both positions shall be filled by delegate elections.
2. The Secretary shall immediately notify all remaining members of the Board of the date, time, and location of the meeting. No additional authority, except as provided herein, shall be afforded to the Secretary during this seven (7) day period.
3. It shall require at least five (5) Board members present and voting at the special meeting for the vote to be valid.
4. If the vacancies occur at such time as a fifteen (15) calendar days’ notice of Conference elections cannot be provided to the membership, the vacancies shall be filled by the Board of Directors after Conference. Should this occur, the Board of Directors shall designate an elected member of the Board to chair Conference through the close of Conference.

126 - Filling a Vacancy in the Office of Secretary (2012 Conference-Board Meeting, September 2012)

1. In the event the office of Secretary becomes vacant 90 calendar days or more prior to the next Conference, the Board shall fill the position with a qualified active member in good standing, to serve until the next succeeding Conference where the position shall be filled by delegate election.
2. The President or designee will direct a letter be sent to all active members in good standing, notifying them of the vacancy and pending special election. Such notice shall contain the deadline to submit applications, eligibility criteria, and the date, time, and location when the Board of Directors shall conduct interviews and the election.
3. Notice of the vacancy, application information, and interview/election information shall also be posted on the OSEA website.
4. A vacancy in the office of Secretary occurring less than 90 calendar days prior to the next Conference shall remain vacant and shall be filled by delegate election, provided that at least fifteen (15) calendars days’ notice is provided to the membership. Should this occur, the Board of Directors shall designate an elected member of the Board to perform the duties of Secretary through the close of Conference.

If a mid-term vacancy occurs at such time as a fifteen (15) calendar days’ notice cannot be provided to the membership, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Directors after Conference.

127 - Filling a Vacancy in the Office of Zone Director (2012 Conference-Board Meeting, September 2012)

1. In the event the office of any zone director becomes vacant 90 calendar days or more prior to the next Conference, the Board shall fill the position with an active member in good standing from that specific zone, to serve until the next succeeding Conference where the position shall be filled by delegate election.
2. The President or designee will direct a letter be sent to all active members in good standing in the specific zone where the vacancy has occurred, notifying them of the vacancy and pending special election. Such notice shall contain the deadline to submit applications, eligibility criteria, and the date, time, and location when the Board of Directors shall conduct interviews and the election.
3. Notice of the vacancy, application information, and interview/election information shall also be posted on the OSEA website.
4. A vacancy in the office of zone director occurring less than 90 calendar days prior to the next Conference shall remain vacant and shall be filled by delegate election, provided that at least fifteen (15) calendars days’ notice is provided to the membership.

If a mid-term vacancy occurs at such time as a fifteen (15) calendar days’ notice cannot be provided to the membership, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Directors after Conference.

130 - Board of Directors Code of Conduct/Ethics (Revised 2019 Conference – Board Meeting, January 2021)

The Oregon School Employees Association Board of Directors, recognizing its responsibility to ensure adherence to legal standards and ethical norms, has developed the following code of conduct and ethics.

OSEA Board members shall not:

• violate any provision of the OSEA Constitution or Board Policy.
• misappropriate, embezzle, and improperly or illegally use Association funds.
• act in collusion with management to the detriment of the welfare of the Association or its membership.
• participate in any activity, which assists or is intended to assist any competing organization to the detriment of the welfare of the Association or its membership.
• refuse or deliberately fail to carry out legally authorized decisions of the Conference delegates or OSEA Board between Conferences.
• use the name of OSEA in an unauthorized manner or for an unauthorized purpose.
• solicit or accept a bribe or any gift of more than nominal value from any person or firm, which has or is seeking to establish a relationship with OSEA to gain favor or unfair advantage. (This does not include meals with others during authorized or approved Association functions and activities.)
• be convicted of a crime, the nature of which is such as to bring the Association into disrepute.
• engage in any activity that gives the appearance of a conflict of interest that might embarrass the Board or the Association.
• fail to disclose any possible conflicts of interest to the Board immediately.
• breach confidentiality of the Board of Directors. (Board Meeting, October 2005)

Any violation of this code of conduct/ethics may be cause for disciplinary action as prescribed in Article III, Section 7, of the OSEA Constitution and as determined by the Board of Directors, excluding those members whose conduct is in question. Such determination of appropriate disciplinary action shall be in compliance with the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (29 U.S.C. 411), Robert’s Rules of Order and Board Policy 448.

131 - Conflict of Interest Policy

The purpose of this section is to ensure that decisions about OSEA operations and the use or disposition of OSEA assets is made solely in terms of the benefits to OSEA and its general membership and are not influenced by any private profit or other personal benefit to the individuals affiliated with OSEA who take part in the decision. In addition to actual conflicts of interest, Board members and staff are also obliged to avoid actions that could be perceived or interpreted in conflict with OSEA’s interest. Ethics, integrity, fairness, and concern for OSEA’s welfare shall be the guiding standard for actions of the Board and staff.

No Board or staff member shall have any financial or personal interest, directly or indirectly, in any contract, purchase of materials, procurement of goods and services, disposition of property, or any other activity paid for from OSEA funds, except as required by law.

No Board member shall vote, participate in any deliberations, or use personal influence in any matter wherein they are the subject of the action, or that affects them or any member of their family, personally, except as permitted by Robert’s Rules of Order. The Board member’s presence may not be counted in determining the quorum for any vote with respect to OSEA business in which the member has a possible conflict of interest. Board members have an absolute responsibility to advise the Board of Directors of any potential conflict of interest that may exist in advance of discussion or vote on such matter and that disclosure shall be duly recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

Any Board member who makes application for any employment with OSEA shall notify the President, who will notify individual Board members. If the President is applying, notification shall be made to the Vice President, who will notify individual Board members and declare any possible conflict of interest immediately upon filing of such application. The Board member shall resign their Board position effective upon accepting any staff position. Should any Board member not be successful in their application, they will not use their position to retaliate against any staff or Board member. Any Board member who has applied and been denied a staff position shall be excused from any action regarding staff evaluations for one subsequent evaluation, not retroactive. (Revised 2001 Conference)

Any staff member who may be involved in an OSEA business transaction or other activity in which a possible conflict of interest exists shall promptly report the possible conflict of interest to the Executive Director. If the possible conflict of interest involves the Executive Director, it shall be reported promptly to the President. A written record of any report of a possible conflict of interest, and adjustments made to avoid the conflict of interest, shall be kept by the Executive Secretary of OSEA in the OSEA State Office.

132 - Protocols of Contact

Because working together with national unions and their affiliates often serves the mutual interests of our respective membership and in recognition of the need for there to be clear and appropriate communication guidelines for Board members of OSEA, which reflects our status as an independent union, the following protocols of contact shall be adopted:

1. There shall be no attempt by any Board member, staff, or agent of Oregon School Employees Association to communicate directly with members or staff of any national union, or its affiliates, in any manner other than through established chains of communication. Communications shall occur solely through the President and/or the Executive Director. This is not intended to include communications concerning routine, day-to-day business conducted between OSEA and Oregon affiliates of national unions.
2. There shall be no attempt by any officer, staff, or agent of the national union, or any of its affiliates, to communicate directly with members or staff of OSEA in any manner other than through established chains of communication (i.e., the Executive Director and/or the State President through the OSEA State Office). Communications shall occur solely through the President and/or the Executive Director. This is not intended to include communications concerning routine, day-to-day business conducted between OSEA and Oregon affiliates.
3. It is expected that national unions, or their affiliates, shall respect any further guidelines established by the OSEA State Board. If necessary, the OSEA Board shall take appropriate action should it determine there to be a breach of any guidelines established by OSEA.
4. If communications are received by individual OSEA Board members that appear to violate the established chains of communication, the individual OSEA Board member(s) will notify the President, who will then notify individual Board members of such communication(s).

133 - Social Media Policy (Board Meeting, September 2014)

The principles that apply to appropriate behavior of Board members also apply to activities online. Being a member of the OSEA Board of Directors places the individual in a position of greater responsibility and accountability. While social media is largely about connecting with and helping others, it also is a valuable resource. For purposes of this article, social media includes Facebook, Twitter, blogs, texting, online networks and any other Internet-based tools for sharing and discussing information. It is not the intent of this policy to restrict social media activity; it is to provide guidance in social media use.

Generally, it is encouraged that members who use social media share their insights, express opinions and share information as appropriate, especially when it’s helpful to others. When posting, try to add value to what has already been said. Ensure that postings are accurate, knowledgeable and professional. Be willing to admit when wrong and quickly correct mistakes. Be respectful of others’ privacy and topics that could be considered personal, such as religion or politics. Refrain from engaging in unacceptable behavior, use of slurs, insults or obscenities. Never identify others by name without their permission. Always respect copyright and trademark laws and avoid plagiarism. Lastly, it is the responsibility of every member to avoid revealing confidential and/or proprietary information.

Each individual is responsible for what they post online. The expectations are honesty and appropriate transparency. Individuals are legally liable for anything written or presented online. Make it clear that the words and thoughts posted online are your own and not those of the organization. Be aware that your actions captured via images, videos, posts, or comments can be misconstrued as those of the organization. Unless specifically given permission by the State President, members are not authorized to speak on behalf of the organization. Inquiries should be directed to the OSEA State Office as appropriate.

140 - The OSEA Board of Directors, in having the responsibility of maintaining OSEA’s direction and future between Annual Conferences, is at times presented with proposals and/or inquiries from other organizations seeking affiliation or merger. In such cases, the OSEA Board of Directors shall adhere to the following provisions.

1. The OSEA Board of Directors shall have the responsibility of addressing any and all inquiries from other organizations seeking affiliation.
2. It shall be the Board’s responsibility to determine the impact and effect of any inquiry and provide a report and/or recommendation to the delegate body.
3. There shall be a four-step process if OSEA is to consider an affiliation.
   1. The OSEA Board of Directors shall put forward in resolution form the question of “Should OSEA consider the advantage of affiliation?” The delegate body shall determine by two-thirds vote if OSEA should consider affiliation.
   2. If the decision is to consider affiliation, the OSEA State President, with the advice and consent of the Board, shall appoint an ad hoc committee with a majority of members not currently sitting on the Board of Directors, to begin to determine if there is an advantage to affiliate and if so, with which organization. This process will include meeting with potential candidates and determining the best advantage for OSEA. The committee will provide periodic reports at Board meetings that will be included in the OSEA minutes. This process shall take place following the Conference where the action was passed and before the next Conference.
   3. The OSEA Board of Directors at the next Conference following the Conference where Step One was passed shall put forward a recommendation, in resolution form, of the selected organization that provides the best advantage for OSEA. The delegate body shall determine by a two-thirds vote to accept or reject the Board’s recommendation. If the Board’s recommendation is approved, there will be a set period of time for OSEA membership exposure to the selected organization. The OSEA Board of Directors shall determine the timeframe and process for exposure.
   4. Finally, a majority vote of all OSEA members shall determine if OSEA is to affiliate and with whom. During this final step, the OSEA Board of Directors shall provide proper notice of the membership vote along with scheduled meetings to address questions from the general membership prior to the vote.

In the event of an imminent threat to the welfare of OSEA, where OSEA is at risk, the OSEA Board of Directors may call for a Special Conference to address possible options including potential affiliation. If circumstances call for a Special Conference, the process for holding the Special Conference shall be in accordance with the provisions outlined in Article XIII of the OSEA Constitution. If the decision by delegate vote is to affiliate, the OSEA Board of Directors shall be authorized to negotiate a tentative affiliation agreement that will be subject to a ratification vote of OSEA’s membership. The OSEA Board of Directors shall provide proper notice of the Special Conference to all OSEA members; included in the notice shall be an explanation of the issue, proposed action, and process for voting. (2005 Conference)

141 - Should any member(s) or the Board of Directors determine it is in the best interest of OSEA to terminate an affiliation agreement with another organization, it shall adhere to the following process: (2008 Conference)

1. The member(s) or the Board of Directors shall submit a resolution recommending disaffiliation for the next OSEA Annual Conference.
   1. Such resolution shall itemize the reasons for terminating the affiliation agreement.
   2. When the resolution is put up for action on the Conference floor, both the membership and the Board of Directors shall have equal opportunity for discussion, debate, and to make recommendations.
2. The resolution shall require a two-thirds vote of the delegates for passage.
3. Should the resolution be approved, the Board of Directors shall arrange for a mail ballot vote and send notice to the membership no later than 60 days following the close of Conference where it was approved.
   1. The notice shall include the dates for voting, which shall not be later than 90 days after the notice is sent, and a notice of scheduled meetings to provide information and address questions from the membership prior to the vote.
4. It shall require a secret ballot majority vote of ballots cast of all OSEA members to terminate an affiliation agreement.
5. After the ballots are tabulated, and if the results are in the affirmative, the Association shall notify the affected organization within the timeline of the negotiated affiliation agreement of its intent to terminate the affiliation.
6. Finally, the Association shall send notification to all OSEA members of the results of the balloting, showing both votes for and votes against the issue.

142 - Zone Reapportionment (2017 Conference-Board Meeting, October 2017; 2018 Conference-Board Meeting, May 2019)

The purpose of this policy is to outline procedures to assess the distribution and assignment of chapters within existing zones and any reapportionment of such zones when necessary to achieve a practicable balance between zones in accordance with Article VII of the OSEA Constitution.

1. OSEA zones consist of a specific grouping of affiliated chapters within a limited geographical area which represent individual political segments of the Association. The number of zones established and specific chapters assigned to each zone is determined by the Board of Directors with ratification by Annual Conference delegates when necessary.
2. A Zone Reapportionment Committee shall be appointed the fourth (4th) year of any five (5) year period, beginning January 1, 2020, to review the appropriateness of current zone structure and make recommendations for changes, if necessary, if one (1) or more of the following exists in the first three (3) years of any five (5) year period:
   1. 1. A twenty percent (20%) increase of represented employees in any zone;
      2. A twenty percent (20%) decrease of represented employees in any zone;
      3. The number of affiliated chapters in any zone exceeds thirty (30);
      4. The number of affiliated chapters in any zone is less than ten (10).

   Such zone assessments may result in reapportionment of existing zones, establishment of additional zones or the elimination of current zones.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions enumerated in Section 2, the President may also appoint a Reapportionment Committee outside of the normal review period in the event of an emergency situation as determined by the Board of Directors.
4. When assessing possible zone/chapter changes, the Reapportionment Committee shall give consideration to:
   1. Weather conditions and geographical obstacles affecting chapter membership attendance at meetings, workshops or other official zone functions.
   2. Annual Conference chapter delegate entitlement in the event fifty percent (50%) of members in any zone is greater than the total number of members in the zone with the lowest total delegate entitlement. Delegate entitlement per zone shall be based solely on the membership to delegate ratios as set forth in Article XIII, Section 2, of the OSEA Constitution.
5. Upon recommendation of the committee, any proposed changes, such as reassignment of chapters to different existing zones, creation of additional zones or the merger of current zones, must be approved by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the Board of Directors at a regular or special meeting of the Board with at least five (5) days’ notice provided to the membership.
   1. Following Board action, all chapter members affected by such changes shall be notified in writing within ten (10) days of the reassignment and/or changes in zones and the effective date. Included in the notification letter shall be information regarding any zone director elections to be scheduled for the next Annual Conference.
   2. Changes affecting chapter reassignment to any existing zone only shall be effective the January 1st following action by the Board of Directors.
   3. Any changes regarding the number of zones and any required zone director elections shall be put in resolution form for ratification at the ensuing Annual Conference by a ⅔ vote of the Conference delegates.
6. As a result of reapportionment, not more than two (2) existing zones may be merged into one (1) zone.
   1. In the event one (1) existing odd-numbered and one (1) existing even-numbered zone are merged as prescribed herein, the position of zone director normally scheduled for election at the Annual Conference in the odd- or even-numbered year where the merger is ratified shall be eliminated effective at the close of that Annual Conference.
      The zone director with one (1) year remaining in their current term of office shall then become the zone director for all chapters and members in the newly-merged zone until the next Annual Conference.
   2. In the event two (2) existing odd-numbered zones or two (2) existing even-numbered zones are merged as prescribed herein, and if there is one (1) year remaining in both zone director’s current terms of office, the merger shall become effective at the close of the Annual Conference held the year their terms would be completed. Conference delegates from chapters in the merged zones shall nominate and elect the zone director for the merged zone at the Annual Conference where the merger becomes effective.
7. In the event there are no delegates in attendance at an Annual Conference from chapters reassigned to a merged zone or a new additional zone and the election of a zone director is required, a special election, in accordance with Article IX, Section 4, of the OSEA Constitution, shall be conducted by the Board of Directors following such Annual Conference.
8. Upon conclusion of any approved reapportionment, the President shall cause to be published a complete report of final changes made affecting chapters, zones and/or zone director elections, if any, in the issue of the OSEA Journal immediately following final action by the Board of Directors or final action at the Annual Conference, as appropriate. Such notice shall also be published on the official OSEA website.
9. As the result of any zone reapportionment pursuant to Article VII of the OSEA Constitution and provisions of this policy which result in the addition of new zones, merger of zones or deletion of existing zones, Retiree Unit (ROSE) zone coordinators and assistant zone directors shall be appointed or relieved of their duties by the President, pursuant to provisions set forth in Article VI and Article X, respectively, of the OSEA Constitution as is appropriate to the results of reapportionment.