Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs

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Department Of Military Affairs State Equity & Inclusion Committee By-laws

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section 1.

The name of this organization shall be the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) State Equity & Inclusion Committee (SEIC) 1 and shall serve as the Department of Military Affairs’ State Equity and Inclusion (DMA SEIC) advisory committee.

1 Formally DEOC

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

Section 1.

The purpose of the DMA SEIC shall be:

  1. To advise and recommend equity and inclusion policy and rules to TAG (The Adjutant General), through the State EI (Equity and Inclusion) Officer at DMA.
  2. Provide training and educational resources to fellow employees on equity and inclusion as well as accessibility and diversity topics.
  3. To investigate activities for discriminatory practices as necessary.
  4. Serve as a Liaison to employees and supervisors regarding potential violations of the Respectful Workplace policy and offer support.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.

Representation. The DMA SEIC will be composed of a cross section of employees representing various levels and units, protected groups (sex, ethnic, handicapped, etc.) within the Department. Membership to the committee will consist of a minimum of 7 members who will serve two-year terms. DMA SEIC members may stay on longe1· than the two-year term. The Department’s EI Officer is an ex-officio member of the committee.

Section 2.

Appointment. The Department’s El Office or designee will initiate an application process seeking committee members from the Department of Military Affairs in Madison, from the Milwaukee area, the Camp Douglas area, or any other a1·ea and will nominate based on applications/recommendations. TAG confirms appointment to the committee.

Section 3.

Voting. All appointed members shall be voting members. Ex-officio members shall not be voting members.

Section 4.

Resignation/forfeiture.

  1. Resignation. If an individual’s status changes whereby, he or she can no longer serve on the DMA SEIC, a notice of resignation should be provided to the DMA SEIC Chair, who will notify the El Officer, who will then notify TAG of the resignation. An appointment will be made of a new representative to complete the term of the resigning representative if the resignation results in less than seven individuals on the committee.
  2. Absence. An individual must contact the Chair, Vice Chair or Secretary prior to meeting to be excused. More than three unexcused absences will result in removal from this committee.

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS

Section 1.

Meetings will be held every other month at a minimum. An attempt will be made to hold one committee meeting at the Milwaukee area and one at the Camp Douglas area each year. The date and time of the meetings will be set by the committee. Members may attend via teleconferencing.

Section 2.

The DMA SEIC must have a quorum to conduct official business. A quorum consists of the majority of voting DMA SEIC members.

Section 3.

Special meetings may be called by the Chair or by a two-thirds majority of the general membership.

Section 4.

A majority of voting members present decides any issue. Adequate discussion of the issue should precede any vote. In the event of a tie vote the Chair will cast the deciding vote.

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS

Section 1.

The elected officers will be a Chair, a Vice Chair and a Committee Secretary/treasurer. If a budget is developed and funded for the DMA SEIC in the future, the Secretary/Treasurer officer position will be separated into two officer positions and the DMA SEIC will have a Committee Secretary and a Committee Treasurer.

Section 2.

The Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Secretary/treasurer will serve for two-year terms beginning the next regular meeting after the election.

  1. Elections for the Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary/Treasurer will be held every two years, with the Chait·and Vice Chairs’ elections generally being held on staggered years. New members will be nominated at the last meeting of elected term and begin the following regular meeting.
  2. If elected officer positions are vacated prior to the end of their term, immediate elections will be held the next meeting following the position vacancy.

Section 3.

Duties of the Officers:

  1. The Chair shall:
    1. Be a member of the DMA SEIC.
    2. Report directly to TAG and /or the El Officer.
    3. Be responsible for conducting DMA SEIC meetings.
    4. Submit all reports, recommendations, and DMA SEIC minutes to the Department EI Officer and to the Office of the Adjutant General of DMA.
    5. Act as, or appoints, the DMA SEIC’s spokesperson.
    6. Appoints members to fill in for absent officers during meetings.
  2. The Vice Chair shall:
    1. Report directly to the DMA SEIC Chair.
    2. Be responsible for the same duties above in the Chair’s absence.
    3. Be responsible for other duties as assigned by the Chair.
    4. Be a member of the DMA SEIC.
    5. Become the next Chairperson of the committee upon the Chair’s registration or at the end of their term.
  3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
    1. Be a member of the DMA SEIC
    2. Prepare agendas for the DMA SEIC meetings and distribute to committee members.
    3. Reserve meeting room for each meeting I or send out virtual connection information
    4. Send Open Records Law notices out prior to each meeting and post to Public Meetings Website
    5. Take minutes at each meeting and distribute to committee members
    6. Be responsible for keeping any records, etc., that might arise from DMA SEIC proceedings
    7. Update DMA SEIC website as necessary
    8. Track all expenditures associated with DMA SEIC activities

Section 4.

Duties of All Members

  1. Attend and participate in scheduled meetings
  2. Disseminate information to represented areas
  3. Serve as a liaison to employees regarding concerns of potential violations of the Respectful Workplace policy and offer support with assisting in exploring those claims.
  4. Participate in accomplishing action steps as identified in the Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan
  5. Attend required diversity training as indicated in the Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

ARTICLE VI – SUBCOMMITTEES

Section 1.

Subcommittees shall be created and disbanded by resolution of the DMA SEIC as the need for them arises.

Section 2.

Subcommittees will consist of three members appointed by the DMA SEIC Chair.

Section 3.

Each subcommittee shall have a Chair who is appointed by the DMA SEIC Chair.

Section 4.

The subcommittee Chair shall:

  1. Report directly to the DMA SEIC.
  2. Be a member of the DMA SEIC.
  3. Be responsible for conducting subcommittee meetings.
  4. Appoint a secretary and assign individual responsibilities to members when necessary.
  5. Submit written and/or oral reports to the DMA SEIC on the activities of the subcommittee.

Section 5.

The Subcommittee Secretary shall:

  1. Report directly to the subcommittee Chair.
  2. Keep subcommittee minutes.
  3. Coordinate posting of agendas and minutes with the DMA SEIC Secretary/Treasurer per Open Meeting requirements.
  4. Perform other duties as assigned by the subcommittee Chair.

Section 6.

Subcommittee Membership

  1. Membership may contain Individuals that arc not members of the OMA SEIC

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS

Section 1.

Any DMA SEIC members or TAG may introduce proposed amendments to these By­-Laws.

Section 2.

Proposed amendments shall be discussed by the DMA SEIC.

Section 3.

Proposed amendments shall not be voted upon during the same meeting at which they are introduced but shall be voted on at the next regular scheduled meeting at which a quorum is present.

Section 4.

Proposed amendments require a two-thirds vote of those present for adoption.

Section 5.

TAG will approve amendments to the By-Laws.

APPROVED BY:

Paul E. Knapp
Maj Gen, WI Department of Military Affairs
The Adjutant General

Shawn D. Sallee
DMA SEIC Chair
Department of Military Affairs