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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	576
Proposal	Approval of Revised Rules, Policies and Procedures of the GPUS International Committee, Pt 5-7
Presenter	GPUS international Committee, GP of Connecticut, DC Statehood Greens, GP of Rhode Island
Floor Manager	Farheen Hakeem
Phase	Closed - Adopted
Discussion	12-14-2010 - 12-22-2010
Voting	12-23-2010 - 12-29-2010
Presens Quorum	Two Thirds of Active Accredited States/Caucuses
Consens Quorum	A Majority of Yes and No Votes

Background

Background
The RP&P’s of the International Committee (IC) is an evolving document, authored by the members of the IC. It exists to facilitate the IC’s mission and to comply with the Official Bylaws of the Green Party of the United States. http://www.gp.org/documents/bylaws.shtml#article3

The current RPP’s of the IC originated in 1999 and has been revised several times.

In August 2010, the NC approved the IC’s Revised mission statement http://gp.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=502

In keeping with that National Committee (NC)-approved mission statement proposal which stated, “We will seek National Committee approval of the other articles of these updated RP&P’s in a separate proposal, ” we are now seeking approval of those revised RP&P.

The revisions proposed herein reflect the experience of the Committee in the past few years. In particular, and in keeping with the Green Party’s Ten Key Values, this draft aims to provide a structure that will allow for maximum expression of opinion among individual members while maintaining a working atmosphere of safety, trust and respect, essential for enlivening the IC and for encouraging diversity of opinion. The ethos underlining this draft is best expressed in the preamble to Article V:

“In our internal work, we are committed to modeling the sort of ethical public discourse that differentiates Green politics from politics as usual, and that will facilitate the realization of peace from within our committee to international peace. Our process is as important as the content of our political positions.”

Proposal

This proposal seeks approval by the National Committee of the Green Party of the US, of a comprehensive revision of our RP&P’s, which can be accessed at: http://www.gp.org/committees/intl/members/draft.html

This draft document was approved by more than a two-thirds vote of the International Committee (30 out of 43 members) in November 2009.

FINAL DRAFT, APPROVED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE

REVISED (6.0)

Rules, Policies and Procedures

International Committee, Green Party of the United States

Co-Chairs

Justine McCabe, Connecticut Green Party
Steve Herrick, Wisconsin Green Party

JUNE 8, 2009

ARTICLE V : PROTOCOL FOR COMMITTEE BEHAVIOR

Section 5-1 Email List Participation
Section 5-2 Email List Violations
Section 5-3 Offlist/Other violations related to committee business or function.
Section 5-4 Addressing Email List Violations
Section 5-5 Addressing Offlist Violations

ARTICLE VI : NON-RETROACTIVITY AND APPLICABILITY

Section 6-1 Non-Retroactivity
Section 6-2 Applicability

ARTICLE VII : AMENDMENTS

Section 7-1 Amendments

ARTICLE V : PROTOCOL FOR COMMITTEE BEHAVIOR

The International Committee has a well-earned reputation for conducting its business in a respectful manner, in keeping with the Ten Key Values. This atmosphere is crucial to the work of the committee, in part because it fosters the practice of diplomatic and respectful discourse crucial for both domestic and international relations among Green activists and Green parties. Members are encouraged to state their views, inform one another, and discuss issues in depth in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, thus enabling the energies of the committee to be focused on its work. In our internal work, we are committed to modeling the sort of ethical public discourse that differentiates Green politics from politics as usual, and that will facilitate the realization of peace, from within our committee, to international peace. Our process is as important as the content of our political positions.

Section 5-1 Email List Participation

5-1.1 The Committee email list shall include all Committee Members, advisers and observers. When a new Member joins the Committee and/or a new adviser or observer is selected, s/he shall be added to the Committee email list. When the term ends of a Member, adviser or observer, s/he shall be removed from the committee email list.

5-1.2 The Committee email list exists for the purpose of furthering the mission and the duties and responsibilities of the Committee and postings shall be specific to that purpose.

5-1.3 Committee Members are encouraged to conduct Committee business on the email list in a respectful manner in keeping with the Ten Key Values and to foster the practice of diplomatic discourse. Members are encouraged to state their views, inform one another and discuss issues in depth in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.

Section 5-2 Email List Violations

5.2.1 Committee Members, Observers, and Advisors shall refrain from:

5-2.1(a) Ad hominem attacks and repeated off topic postings.

5-2.1(b) Misrepresentation of the work of the Committee or its Member(s), or of the GPUS Platform and other positions.

5-2.1(c) Personal attacks, harassment, or verbal threats.

5-2.1(d) Prejudicial, biased, or offensive language with respect to race, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, spirituality, sexuality, or age.

5-2.1(e) Redistribution or publication of listserve messages or message content, except with explicit permission from message authors, and except for articles, reports, and the like which were not written by Members or which have been published by Members elsewhere.

Section 5-3 Offlist Violations Related to Committee Business or Function

5-3.1 Committee Members, Observers, and Advisors shall refrain from:

5-3.1(a) Ad hominem attacks off-list to or about other Members, especially with regard to the Committee's work, in communications with Green or other organizations, e-mail lists, blogs, and the like.

5-3.1(b) Prejudicial, biased, or offensive language with respect to race, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, spirituality, sexuality, or age off-list by a Member to or about another Member(s), particularly with regard to the Committee's work.

5-3.1(c) Personal verbal attacks, threats, or harassment off-list by a Committee Member to another Member, particularly with regard to the Committee's work.

5-3.1(d) Public misrepresentation of the work of the Committee or its Member(s), or of the GPUS Platform, including on other email lists.

5-3.1(e) Misappropriation of the roles and responsibilities of the Committee's co-chairs or sub-committee coordinators.

5-3.1(f) Deliberate public misrepresentation of the work of the Committee or its Members, or of the GPUS Platform, including on other email lists.

5-3.1(g) Deliberate misappropriation of the roles and responsibilities of the Committee's co-chairs or sub-committee coordinators.

5-3.1(h) Physically threatening behavior by a Committee Member to another Member, particularly with regard to the Committee's work.

5-3.1(i) Participation in criminal activities proscribed by law, including for example, solicitation, narcotics offenses, theft, fraud, and the like.

5-3.1(j) Misappropriation of funds entrusted to the Member by the Committee or any other Party body, deliberate misrepresentation of financial statements related to Committee activities, submission of fraudulent reimbursement applications, or any other commonly-proscribed fiscal malfeasance.

5-3.1(k) Vote-tampering or vote fraud, during any election being conducted by the Committee.

Section 5-4 Addressing Email List Violations

5-4.1 Any Committee Member, Advisor, or Observer who violates any provision of5-2.1 or in other ways disrupts the Committee's work on the email list, or otherwise violates list standards, shall receive a private warning from the Listserve Moderator, or from one or both Co-Chairs. All warnings shall list specifically what list standard under 5-2.1 was violated and how it was violated. Disagreement between Members is an expected part of Committee discourse, and is not to be considered a disruption or impediment.

5-4.2 If the initial, private warning is not heeded, and the individual continues to violate list standards, actions shall be taken in this order:

5-4.2(a) The Member shall receive a public (onlist) warning from a Co-Chair or the Listserve Moderator. If the Member continues to post messages which violate listserve guidelines

5-4.2(b) A second public (onlist) warning shall be posted, by the Listserve Moderator or a Co-Chair, indicating that should there be a third infraction, the Member shall face immediate suspension

5-4.2(c) Upon a third infraction, the Listserve Moderator shall suspend the offending Member by unsubscribing that Member from the listserve, notifying the Co-Chairs immediately of the suspension.

5-4.3 A Co-Chair shall within 24 hours report the suspension to the Committee, giving the membership an opportunity to reverse the suspension, approve conditions of reinstatement, or make the suspension permanent.

5-4.4 Prior to conclusion of the Committee's discussion and decision the suspended Member shall be given an opportunity to submit a response to the suspension report, via a Co-Chair or the Listserve Moderator, but during the period of suspension shall not be entitled to post any messages to the list. Other Members shall also not circumvent the suspension by submitting messages from a Member under suspension.

5-4.5 The Committee's subsequent discussion and consensus-seeking shall proceed as with other committee actions. If the Committee reaches consensus on a course of action, then the Committee proceeds to 5-4.6. If the Committee fails to reach consensus, a vote shall be taken. A two-thirds vote (of all those voting, with at least 50% of the Committee Members casting votes) in favor of a course of action shall initiate 5-4.6. Voting shall occur on the Committee voting page.

5-4.6 The Member shall be notified within 24 hours of the Committee's action. Should the suspension be overturned, the Member shall immediately be reinstated; should the suspension be made permanent, the suspended Member's state party shall be notified of this suspension, and the reasons for it, with a copy of these RP&Ps. Should the committee decide to reinstate the Member's listserve privileges, but with conditions, these shall ordinarily include the Member's acknowledgment that he/she has been impeding the listserve work, and agrees to curtail the disruptive behavior, as prerequisites for reinstatement.

5-4.7 If the offending behavior is resumed, or a different disrupting behavior is initiated by the same Member, the Member shall be suspended from the email list for six months, and can apply for reinstatement after six months. The Member's state shall again be notified. The re-application shall include all verification requirements.

Section 5-5 Addressing Offlist Violations

5-5.1 For violations 5-3.1(a) through 5-3.1(e), the process described in Section 5-4 (“Addressing Email List Violations”) shall apply with the exception that the reference to 5-2.1 shall be replaced by 5-3.1.

5-5.2 For violations 5-3.1(f) and 5-3.1(g), the following process shall apply:

5-5.2.1 Individuals who violate 5-3.1(f) or 5-3.1(g) shall receive a private warning from the Co-Chairs, specifying how these violations were made.

5-5.2.2 If the initial, private warning is not heeded, and the individual continues the violation, actions shall be taken in this order:

5-5.2.2(a) The Member shall receive a public (onlist) warning from the Co-Chairs, indicating that if the Member continues the violation, the Member shall face immediate suspension from the listserv and face possible further action including suspension or expulsion from the Committee.

5-5.2.2(b) If the offending Member continues the violation, the Listserve Moderator shall suspend that Member, notifying the Co-Chairs immediately of the suspension.

5-5.2.2(c) A Co-Chair shall within 24 hours report the suspension to the Committee, giving the membership an opportunity to reverse the suspension, approve conditions of reinstatement, or make the suspension permanent.

5-5.2.2(d) Prior to conclusion of the Committee's discussion, the suspended Member shall be given an opportunity to submit a response to the suspension report via a Co-Chair or the Listserve Moderator, but during the period of suspension shall not be entitled to post any messages to the list or to represent the Committee or GPUS. Other Members shall also not circumvent the suspension by submitting messages from a Member under suspension.

5-5.2.2(e) The suspension report shall clearly state the reasons for suspension and recommend appropriate options; the committee's subsequent discussion and consensus-seeking shall proceed as with other Committee actions. If the Committee reaches consensus on a course of action, then the Committee proceeds to 5-2.2(f). If the Committee fails to reach consensus, a vote shall be taken. A two-thirds vote (of all those voting, with at least 50% of the Committee Members casting votes) in favor of a course of action shall initiate 5-5.2.2(f). Voting shall occur on the Committee voting page.

5-5.2.2(f) The Member shall be notified within 24 hours of the Committee's action. Should the suspension be overturned, the Member shall immediately be reinstated; should the suspension be made permanent, the suspended Member's state party shall be notified of this suspension, and the reasons for it, with a copy of these RP&Ps. Should the Committee decide to reinstate the Member's listserve privileges, but with conditions, these will ordinarily include the Member's acknowledgment that he/she has been violating the Committee's/GPUS work, and agrees to desist from the offending behavior as prerequisite for reinstatement.

5-5.2.2(g) If the offending behavior is resumed, the Member shall be immediately suspended from the email list for six months, and the process described inSection 3-3.5 (“Procedures for Removal by the International Committee”) shall be initiated by the Co-Chairs. The Member's state shall be notified.

5-5.3 For violations of 5-3.1(h), 5-3.1(i), 5-3.1(j), or 5-3.1(k) the process described under Section 3-3.3 (“Removal for Cause”), specifically, Section 3-3.5(“Procedures for Removal by the International Committee”) shall be initiated, except that rather than removal from a representational role as in Section 3.3,violations of these provisons shall result in the permanent suspension of the Member, who shall be barred from any future role in the Committee, as Member, Advisor, or Observer.

ARTICLE VI : NON-RETROACTIVITY AND APPLICABILITY

Section 6-1 Non-Retroactivity

6-1.1 No part of these Rules, Policies, and Procedures shall be understood as having any effect prior to the date of their acceptance by National Committee of the GPUS. The acceptance of these Rules, Policies and Procedures does not invalidate, alter, or disrupt the ongoing work of the committee. All foregoing structures, documents, elections, decisions and activities of the International Committee not specifically altered by this document are affirmed and accepted as active and fully effective, consistent with existing practice, and may only be altered through the processes described herein.

Section 6-2 Applicability

6-2.1 These Rules, Policies, and Procedures shall take effect immediately upon their affirmation by the National Committee, and shall apply to all Committee activities, decisions, and practices which occur subsequent to that date.

ARTICLE VII : AMENDMENTS

Section 7-1 Amendments

7-1.1 Amendments to these Rules, Policies, and Procedures by the International Committee shall be proposed, amended, and approved following procedures enumerated in Article IV. Any such amendments shall be submitted to the National Committee for ratification, whenever such ratification is required by provisions of the Bylaws of the Green Party of the United States.

Resources

Time, energy and commitment of National Committee members

References

CONTACT: Justine McCabe, justinemccabe@earthlink.net; 860-354-9773

Rules, Policies, and Procedures (1999-2009)

HISTORY OF The INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OPERATING PROCEDURES

1. PROCEDURES MANUAL, Submitted to BRPP 5/03 (Reflects practices adopted by International Committee, June 1999-December 2002)
2. JUNE 2003 REVISIONS, IC Approved 6/14/03, Reported to the CC 6/17/03
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE POLICY REGARDING ADVICE AND COUNSEL
3. JULY 2004, "How the IC Develops and Approves Proposals"
4. MAY 2005 REVISIONS, IC Approved 5/18/05, Reported to the CC 5/19/05
PROTOCOL FOR THE LISTSERVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
Appendix - Report to the CC 6/17/03
Appendix - Report to the CC 5/19/05

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