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Black Caucus of Green Party of the U.S.
By-Laws approved June 20, 2004

Mission Statement:
The mission of the Black Caucus of the Green Party of the United States (BC-GPUS) is to maximize the participation of men and women of African and African American descent in the political and policy-making process of the Green Party of the United States. It is further to introduce the Ten Key Green Values and the Green Party Platform to the African American community. The mission of BC-GPUS is to increase the participation and election victories in United States electoral politics of African and African Americans who support the GPUS Platform, and to ensure that the GPUS conducts and implements programs that concretize its platform in the interests of communities of African-American and African descent addressing community needs and disparities.

Membership:
The BC-GPUS has two classes of membership or participation in its organization.

1. Full Membership: is reserved for African Americans and persons of African descent who (a) are registered voters having designated the Green Party as their party affiliation or are members of the GPUS or Campus Greens, (b) are registered Independent in states with laws that preclude recognition of or registration in the Green Party; and (c) whose contact information is forwarded to the BC-GPUS. Voting rights are granted after a member has participated in a BC-GPUS national conference call or national meeting. Other membership requirements, such as dues, will be decided by the membership.

2. Affiliate Membership: Other persons ineligible for full membership who are interested in the mission of the BC-GPUS, above, may participate in BC-GPUS activities. Affiliate members may participate in discussions with no voting or office holding privileges in the BC-GPUS.

Membership Meetings:
Members are encouraged to participate in a once monthly membership conference call in addition to the annual GPUS convention, BC-GPUS annual planning meetings, BC-GPUS committees/work groups and national, state or local BC-GPUS events and activities. Members are especially encouraged to participation at the grassroots level.

Guiding Priorities:
The BC-GPUS Membership will annually develop guiding priorities via on-line and mail surveys/suggestions, membership teleconference discussions and BC-GPUS annual planning meetings.

Decision-Making:
The BC-GPUS will use consensus decision-making. If consensus is not possible, a two-thirds majority two-thirds majority will decide.

Gender and Generational Equity:
The BC-GPUS will ensure gender and generational equity in all areas of its leadership, organization, programs and activities meaning that half of all leadership will be male and half female across generations.

Officers:
The BC-GPUS Steering Committee shall elect the following national BC-GPUS officers: 2 Co-Chairs; a Recording Secretary; a Corresponding Secretary; a Treasurer; a Parliamentarian, and 2 Youth Ambassadors. (Young Ambassadors will be BC-GPUS members age 30 and under.) Terms shall be for one year without limit.

Steering Committee:
The BC-GPUS Steering Committee shall be the decision making body of the BC-GPUS and shall operate in accordance with its approved by-laws, policies and procedures. All official actions of the BC-GPUS must be sanctioned by this body including endorsements, proposals for grants and financing, financial management, approval of new programs, campaigns and activities, hiring decisions and supervision of staff, official statements, media releases, public statements, appointment of BC-GPUS representatives to GPUS standing and ad hoc committees.

The BC-Steering Committee shall be composed of representatives from any affilliate international, state, local or Campus Green organization who hold a Full Membership in the BC-GPUS and has been duly elected, appointed or endorsed in accordance with a verifiable local process. A quorum for decision-making must include at least one Co-chair and 10% of the total Steering Committee membership from 3 different states.

Steering Committee Meetings:
The BC-GPUS Steering Committee shall meet in-person at the annual GPUS convention and the BC-GPUS annual planning meeting along with at least monthly steering committee and monthly BC-GPUS general membership conference calls. Members and affiliate members may sit in, be asked for comments or reports, but are not included in decision-making of the Steering Committee. The caucus shall be responsible for assisting where necessary and as possible, participation of any member whose personal circumstances would otherwise preclude such participation.

Other Committees:
The BC-GPUS Steering Committee may also establish other committees, working groups and other entities as are necessary to do its work. A committees membership, purpose and length of service will be established by the BC-GPUS Steering Committee. These committees will report to the BC-GPUS Steering Committee on a monthly basis or as determined.

Committee Meetings:
These meetings shall be held at the convenience of the members of each committee. Members and affiliate members are encouraged to participate. Voting is limited to official committee members. Dates and times of such meetings shall be made public.

Elections of Officers:
The terms of office shall be for one year, except in the case of Co-Chairs. After its initial full election, elections shall be held annually during the BC-GPUS meetings at the annual GPUS Convention. Elections shall be conducted through instant runoff voting with the option of voting None of the Above. Absentee voting may be allowed and accepted from an eligible voting member by a method(s) decided upon in sufficient time prior to the national convention of established members. Nominations will open 75 days before the Convention and remain open for 45 days. The ballots will then be sent out 10 days later, twenty days prior to the election. Voting may be conducted via mail, on-line, email, by telephone or at the BC-GPUS Annual Convention or Planning meetings. Ballots must be sent via mail or email to BC-GPUS Members at least twenty days prior to the election. Votes received after midnight of the Election Day shall not be counted. This may be amended by the BC-GPUS members as deemed necessary. No proxy voting is allowed but a member may vote in absentia.

Other Officers:
The BC-GPUS may elect such other officers as needed and define their duties. Representatives to all GPUS committees (especially media, fundraising and finance) should be considered. Their term of office will expire when the term of current officers expires.

Co-Chairs:
The male and female co-chairs shall be responsible for coordinating the affairs of the BC-GPUS and its staff, facilitating its meetings and representing the BC-GPUS as national spokespersons. staggered to ensure continuity of leadership. They shall be responsible for representing the interests, ideas and needs of the BC-GPUS as established by the BC-GPUS. Terms of the co-chairs shall be staggered in the interest of continuity, with co-chairs being elected for one year and two years in the 2004 election respectively, and each successive Co-chair serving two years each thereafter.

Recording Secretary:
He or she shall be responsible for keeping and maintaining the minutes of the meetings, posting same in a timely fashion. Depending upon BC-GPUS membership demands, a stipend and/or reimbursements may be awarded to the recording secretary.

Corresponding Secretary:
He or she shall be responsible for disseminating and maintaining official correspondence regarding meetings, agreements and other communications as needed. Depending upon BC-GPUS demands, a stipend and/or reimbursements may be awarded to the corresponding secretary.

Treasurer:
He or she shall be responsible for the fiscal management of the BC-GPUS and provide a monthly financial report to BC-GPUS Steering Committee and an annual financial report to BC-GPUS Membership. The Treasurer shall be responsible for BC-GPUS funds personally or through monitoring bank accounts or GPUS Black Caucus Accounts, deposits and expenditures authorized by BC-GPUS Co-Chairs. If possible, the Treasurer should represent BC-GPUS on the GPUS Finance Committee.

Diversity Committee Delegate and Alternate:
They shall be responsible for representing the interests, ideas and needs of the BC-GPUS on the Diversity Committee of the GPUS. In representing BC-GPUS, the Delegate and Alternate shall be guided by the priorities of the membership and the directions of the BC-GPUS Steering Committee. The Alternate Delegate shall serve in the Delegates place when the Delegate is not able to perform.

Parliamentarian:
A Parliamentarian shall ensure compliance with rules and procedures of the BC-GPUS, and such procedures as established by the BC-GPUS Steering Committee;and may mediate any formal issue discussions as required to reach a consensus.

Removal of Officers:
Officers may be removed for Cause - for 3 or more absences without notice, or for dereliction of duty - by a two-thirds vote of all designated members of the BC-GPUS Steering Committee at a specially called meeting to give each member of the Steering Committee an opportunity to participate and the officer charged the opportunity to respond. Upon the vacancy of any office, the BC-GPUS Steering Committee shall elect an officer to serve the remainder of the term.

Amendments to By-Laws:
Amendments to these by-laws may be proposed by the BC-GPUS Steering Committee or by petition of twenty BC-GPUS Members representing five states.

Voting may be conducted via mail, on-line, email or at the BC-GPUS Annual Convention or Planning meetings. Ballots must be sent via mail, email, or phone to BC-GPUS Members at least twenty days prior to the election. Votes received after midnight of the Election Day shall not be counted. A voting quorum of 15% of the BC-GPUS Members representing 10 states must vote a two-thirds majority to amend a BC-GPUS By-Law.