Article I - Mission, Vision, Values

1. MISSION:
   Equual Access promotes equality and access for Unitarian Universalists with disabilities. We unite to:
   1. Promote comprehensive accessibility throughout our faith community, including congregations, districts, and the UUA.
   2. Advocate on our behalf within our faith community for full inclusion by identifying, countering, and dismantling ableism.
   3. Advocate for people with disabilities throughout our larger world community.
      
      
2. VISION:
   We live in an ableist society that devalues people based on various physical, sensory, mental health, and intellectual disabilities, and gives privilege to those who are not disabled.
   
   Equual Access is an anti-ableist collective of people with various disabilities and their allies.
   
   While each disability is affected by ableism differently and people with disabilities maintain their own unique identities, challenges, and solutions, ableism has the potential to unite oppressed people in a collective of resistance.
   
   This in no way diminishes the challenges and solutions of each specific disability identity; rather it is an affirmation of the multiple layers of identity of every individual.

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We shall work to accomplish our mission through the following actions:

• By creating an atmosphere of openness and acceptance of those with physical, sensory, mental health, and intellectual disabilities.
• By addressing and eliminating physical, attitudinal, and communication obstacles to full participation in all Unitarian Universalist activities in congregations, in districts, and in the denomination as a whole.
• By educating all Unitarian Universalists about the social justice implications and impact of disabilities on our denomination and in our culture.
• By affirming the spiritual needs of congregation members and friends with disabilities.
• By developing and adopting accessibility policies and practices that endorse and ensure the full inclusion of members, friends, and guests with disabilities in a non-discriminatory manner, and by seeking to have them adopted by the UUA. These policies and practices will carry out this vision throughout our faith community.
• By working with the UUA, the Journey Towards Wholeness Transformation Committee, and districts on disability-related social justice policy issues of non-discrimination and access, and on education of congregations and clergy.
• By encouraging all people with disabilities and their allies within the denomination to join in this effor.

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3. VALUES:
   We covenant together to:

• Work with all people who share our goals in building coalitions to achieve them.
• Take responsibility to create a community of encouragement, compassion, and hospitality.
• Be sensitive to possible conflicts, and be willing to work toward solutions using available resources, accepting that some differences may not be resolvable.
• Make decisions democratically.

Article II - General Provisions

1. Name: The name of this organization shall be Equual Access.
2. Purpose: The purpose of Equual Access shall be to carry out the goals and objectives as stated in Article I, Mission, Vision, and Values.
3. Annual Meeting: The annual meeting of the membership shall be held during the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association each year.
4. Location: The principal office of Equual Access shall be designated by the members of the Board of Directors from time to time and shall be on record at the headquarters of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, 25 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02108.

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Article III - Officers and Directors

1. The Officers of Equual Access shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. In addition to the four Officers, there shall be two Directors with portfolio. These shall be the Chair of the Right Relations Committee and the Chair of the Policy Committee.
2. The six Officers and Directors listed in (A), above, shall comprise the Board of Directors of Equual Access.
3. Each Officer and Director shall be elected to a two-year term by a majority vote of the membership of Equual Access. The President, Secretary and Chair of the Right Relations Committee shall be elected in even-numbered years and the Vice President, Treasurer and Chair of the Policy Committee shall be elected in odd-numbered years.
4. The President and Vice President of Equual Access must self identify as people with disabilities.
5. Elections shall be held in June to coincide with the General Assembly.
   Election procedures shall be established by the Board of Directors to ensure that each member have one vote and that voting will not be contingent on attendance at General Assembly.
6. Four Directors present, either in person or by teleconference, shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.
7. The duties and responsibilities of the Officers and Directors shall be as follows:

   1. The President shall:

   (a) Preside at or appoint a moderator for Board and annual meetings.
   (b) Perform the usual duties of the office of President and such other duties as the Board may designate.
   (c) Serve as the main liaison with the UUA, its President, Moderator, Board, Committees and staff.

   2. The Vice President shall:

   Perform such duties as the Board may designate.  In the event of the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the duties of the office of President as long as the absence continues until the expiration of the President's regularly held term.

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3. The Secretary shall:

(a) Perform the usual duties of the office of Secretary and any special duties prescribed by law and these bylaws.
(b) Post on the Equual Access e-list all relevant material concerning operations of the organization.
(c) Give due notice of meetings of the Board, annual meetings, or proposed amendments to the bylaws, and the slate for nominations for office not less than 30 days before such meetings and/or elections are scheduled to be held.
(d) Oversee the election process in odd-numbered years.

4. The Treasurer shall:

(a) Serve as Chair of the Finance Committee.
(b) Have charge of all funds of the organization.
(c) Receive all moneys due and payable to the organization, make disbursements as directed by the Board, and otherwise transact the fiscal business of the organization.
(d) Present a year-to-date report and a budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year to the membership and the Board at the annual meeting; submit a complete annual report to the membership, including a statement of general expenses, receipts and balances, and invested funds 30 days after the close of the fiscal year; and make other reports as requested by the President.
(e) Perform the usual duties of the office of Treasurer and any special duties prescribed by law and these bylaws.
(f) Oversee the election process in even-numbered years.

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5. The Chair of the Right Relations Committee shall oversee the committee's operations.

6. The Chair of the Policy Committee shall oversee the committee's operations.

Article IV - Committees, Caucuses, and local organizations

1. Committees
   1. The following shall be permanent committees of Equual Access.

   (a) The Right Relations Committee shall assist and support individuals with disabilities who believe they are unable to fully participate within our faith community as a result of their disability.
   (b) The Policy Committee shall review and analyze existing policies and procedures and recommend new policies and procedures to facilitate the full participation of all people with disabilities within our faith community as well as the larger world community.
   (c) The Finance Committee shall raise funds to support Equual Access operations and assist in carrying out the Treasurer's duties.

   2. The Equual Access Board of Directors may designate other committees as necessary to support organizational operations.

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2. Caucuses
   1. The basic organizational unit of Equual Access shall be the caucus. The very nature of our organization, with members with widely disparate issues, dictates that there be a mechanism
   for like-minded people to share ideas and experiences.
   2. Equual Access shall facilitate the formation of caucuses made up of members sharing common bonds.
   3. Members desiring to form a caucus may do so by simply notifying the Equual Access President.
   4. Caucuses may form around disability groups such as blindness, deafness, mental health, etc., or may form around other common bonds such as people of color with disabilities, BGLT people with disabilities, etc. Members may belong to more than one caucus.
   
   
3. Local Organizations
   1. Equual Access shall support and encourage the formation of local organizations sharing our goals and objectives as stated in Article I - Mission, Vision, Values.
   2. These local organizations shall be independent units.
   3. Equual Access shall lend its assistance to organizations within the Unitarian Universalist community including districts, congregations, or local committees on all matters relating to disability issues.

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Article V - Operations

1. Membership
   1. All Unitarian Universalists who believe in our purposes as stated in Article I above are eligible to join Equual Access. There is no cost associated with membership, but all members are encouraged to contribute toward our operating expenses.
   2. The Equual Access Board of Directors shall develop policies and procedures on the establishment and maintenance of membership rolls.
   3. Members must annually update their membership information.
   4. In order to be eligible to vote in any matter of Equual Access, members must be on the rolls for at least 90 days.
2. Quorum
   The quorum for the election of Officers and Directors as well as any other matter put before the entire membership, except for amendments to the bylaws, shall be 10% of the total membership as of the preceding March 15.
3. Committee membership
   1. Each caucus may designate one member for each of the three permanent committees.
   2. The Board of Directors shall appoint additional members to all committees as is necessary for organizational operations.
4. Fiscal year
   The fiscal year shall run from July 1 through June 30.
5. Policies and procedures
   The Equual Access Board of Directors shall develop written policies and procedures to facilitate organizational operations.

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Article VI - Amendment of Equual Access Charter/By-laws

1. Quorum
   The quorum for amending the Equual Access Charter/By-laws shall be 25% of the total membership as of the preceding March 15.
2. Vote required
   At least 66.7% of the votes cast are required in the affirmative to approve
   changes to the Equual Access Charter/Bylaws.
3. Proposed changes
   1. Any member in good standing may propose changes to the Equual Access
   Charter/Bylaws by submitting in writing proposed changes to the Board of Directors.
   2. The Board of Directors shall submit proposed changes to a vote of the
   membership at its next annual meeting, which allows for a 90-day notice period.
   3. The Board of Directors must give 90 days' notice to all members of any
   proposed changes and specific notification of the voting procedures.

ARTICLE VII - Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of Equual Access, and after payment of all its debts and obligations, all money of Equual Access is to be distributed to the Unitarian Universalist Association.

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Article VIII - Transition

1. The Core Working Group, which created this organization, shall appoint interim Officers and Directors to serve until June 2009.
2. Elections shall be held in June 2009 for all Officer and Director positions. The President, Secretary, and Chair of the Right Relations Committee, shall be elected for an initial one-year term and the remaining Officers and Directors shall be elected for two-year terms.
3. The Core Working Group shall dissolve on appointment of Officers and Directors, which shall occur no later than July 1, 2008.
4. The Core Working Group shall be the first members of Equual Access.

Article IX - Adoption

The members of Equual Access adopt these Bylaws effective February 21, 2008.

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