UEA Standing Committees

The UEA Bargaining, Professional Rights and Responsibilities Committee established in the Bylaws of the Association serves as the initial review/appeal board for actions taken by the UEA General Counsel and Legal Services Director denying, approving, or otherwise acting on requests for legal services.  

The Committee may also: 

• (a) train its members to protect and promote the employment rights of UEA members through bargaining and professional negotiations;
• (b) promote and encourage Association members to engage in conduct consistent with the ethical principles outlined in the NEA-UEA Code of Ethics of the Education Profession;
• (c) direct case studies involving professional conduct and ethical behavior; (d) foster professional attitudes and encourage professional performance on the part of each member; and
• (e) promote sound personnel policies that clearly define the civil and human rights of members. 

The UEA Legal Services and Bargaining departments provide staff liaisons, technical assistance and training to the Committee.  Committee members are informed about the Unified Legal Services Program (ULSP) provided by the UEA to members, as a member benefit, as well as the Committee's duties concerning that program.  Any UEA member whose request for legal services is denied or whose funding for legal services being received is discontinued, in whole or in part, can appeal the decision to the Committee.  During its regular meetings, the Committee is informed about the kinds of cases handled by the UEA Legal Services department; reviews the Operating Guidelines for the legal services program to determine areas of update, improvement, amendment and clarification; receives legislative updates related to bargaining and due process; and conducts other business as necessary and appropriate.  

Members of the Committee also bring information back to their UniServs and advise their UniServ and members about bargaining and educators’ rights and responsibilities.  Each Committee member advocates for educators’ bargaining and legal rights both within their local associations and school districts.  Committee members work closely with local bargaining teams to support and encourage bargaining for educators’ rights into local school board policies and local professional agreements. 

Staff Support: Tracey M. Watson & Jay Blain 

The Elections Committee issues and validates petitions for elective office, notifies candidates of petition status and campaign procedures, prepares ballots, determines the validity of all ballots, verifies election results and notifies candidates, and hears all election challenges and makes recommendations to the UEA Board of Directors.  

The committee meets periodically throughout the year. It must also meet on the Friday after the declaration of candidacy deadline and on the Friday following the end of each election.

Additionally, the Election Committee:

• Conducts a Primary Election and a General Election when needed
• Prepares and validates ballots
• Confirms election results and notifies candidates
• Reviews election challenges and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors 

Staff Support: Paul Chadwick

Established by the UEA House of Delegates in 2016, EMAC works to increase ethnic minority representation in the Association, to educate school districts in the hiring of a diverse workforce, to promote inclusive civil rights programs for students and members, and to advocate ethnic minority viewpoints, concerns, and issues to the UEA Board of Directors. 

Committee Goals

• Encourage the creation of and continuing the support of active UniServ and local EMAC committees;
• Create a plan to help the association meet the NEA Bylaw 3-1(g), by using the UEA Minority Involvement Plan (MIP) to establish goals, outline strategies, implement and build leadership capacity for American Native or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Latin(o/a/x/e), Hispanic and Chican(o/a/x/e), Middle Eastern and North African, and Multiracial people;
• Gather data statewide on a regular basis to inform the work of the UEA;
• Establish a culture of using an equity lens in all association activities;
• Communicate and collaborate membership best practices for the recruitment, retention, reclamation, motivation and engagement of Native People and People of Color;
• Actively advocate for social and education strategies on equity, justice and inclusion. 

Staff Support: Bianca Mittendorf

Established by the House of Delegates in 2025, the Health and School Safety Committee will be responsible for helping locals and/or UniServs: 

• (a) establish a Health and School Safety Committee and serve as a liaison with them;
• (b) curate health and safety-related resources for members, continuously updated to reflect the latest data and strategies;
• c) regularly assess best practices, new developments, and emerging challenges in health and school safety; In addition, the committee will
• (d) provide biannual updates to the Board, with additional reports as needed, on current projects, resources identified, and recommendations; and
• (e) Identify opportunities for educators to advocate for health and school safety at the local, state, or national level. 

Staff Support: Lillian Tsosie-Jensen

The Organizing and Membership Capacity Building Committee is tasked with overseeing various membership development programs, implementing new and innovative ideas to support local affiliates’ efforts to recruit new members, maintain current members, recapture former members, and engage educators in the work of the association. 

Chair: Jody Lawhorn, High Desert UniServ

Staff Support: William Spiegel

Somewhat different from UEA Standing Committees, under the direction of the House of Delegates, the Rules and Resolutions Committee has the following responsibilities:

1. Review proposed actions before they are considered by the House.
2. Prepare and present proposed resolutions for adoption by the House.
3. Hold hearings on all bills, resolutions, new business items, amendments to the legislative program, and budget amendments before they are presented to the House.
4. Annually review governance documents and Board policy statements to ensure they are up-to-date and free of conflicting statements.
5. Report any recommendations to the House.

Documents that the Rules & Resolutions Committee considers for inclusion in the House of Delegates are:

• UEA Articles of Incorporation, Constitution and Bylaws 
• UEA Resolutions
• UEA House of Delegates Standing Rules 
• UEA Legislative Program 

UEA Governing Documents

Staff Support: Heather Shepherd 

Subject to guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors, the Political Action Committee recommends candidates for public office for UEA support and develops political education programs for members. Members of UEA-PAC represent the UEA Board of Directors and UniServ units and are from both major political parties.  

Staff Support: Bonnie Billings