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SECTION 1
I. Introduction – Goals of the Accreditation Process
1. To assure that applicants understand:
a) the Green Party of the United States, its goals, values and plans,
b) the criteria we expect them to fulfill,
c) the resources available from the Green Party of the United States to assist them in party-building in order to fulfill the criteria
2. To assist applicants in the application process.
3. To speedily deliberate and make recommendation to the NC.
II. Criteria for State Party Membership in the Green Party of the United States.
1. Acceptance of the four pillars of the international Green Party movement [ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, non-violence] or the Ten Key Values as guiding principles.
2. Organized and run in accordance with these values.
3. A statewide organization open to, and reflective of, a statewide membership.
4. Agrees to support national candidates selection by Green convention.
5. Makes good faith effort, where reasonable, to achieve ballot status.
6. Makes good faith effort to run state and local candidates.
7. Has applied to GREEN PARTY for accreditation, and has included written by-laws, platform, and other documentation with that application.
8. Has a history of networking with other environmental and social justice organizations.
9. Evidence of commitment to, and good faith efforts to achieve, gender balance in party leadership and representation.
10. Evidence of good faith efforts to empower individuals and groups from oppressed communities, through, for example, leadership responsibilities, identity caucuses and alliances with community-based
organizations, and endorsements of issues and policies.
III. Role and Duties of Accreditation Committee.
1. To prepare and distribute application materials and instructions.
2. To review applications and make recommendations.
3. To hear appeals and grievances.
4. To review disaffiliation requests.
5. To recommend disaffiliation based on outcome of 3) or 4).
IV. Accreditation Process.
1. Application to the Green Party of the United States
Applications should be delivered to the secretary of the Green Party of the United States, who will notify the NC that the application has been received, then forward the application to all members of the accreditation committee for review. The accreditation committee may request additional paperwork, eg. by-laws, platform, etc. and assurances, in order to determine that the applicant party satisfies the criteria listed above.
2. Accreditation Committee Review
Process should be speedy and non-bureaucratic. If we are to err, it should be on the side of permissiveness. Applicant should experience us as a welcoming committee and their advocate to the NC.
3. An accredited state party which has failed to cast votes for a period of six months, or has not sent delegates to two consecutive meetings of the National Committee, may be assigned to temporary inactive status, upon recommendation of the Accreditation Committee and majority vote of the National Committee. Parties assigned to temporary inactive status will retain GREEN PARTY accreditation and, insofar as possible, will continue to receive NC correspondence; but shall not be counted toward the NC quorum.
4. Should a party with temporary inactive status not regain its active status within one year, the Accreditation Committee may recommend a formal disaffiliation vote by the NC.
5. Report to Coordinating Committee.
The committee shall makes it report to the NC, except in extraordinary situations, within 60 days of receiving the application. The report may be presented either to a meeting of the NC, or via e-mail, whichever can be done most promptly. The report to the NC should explain the committee’s findings for each of the eight affiliation criteria, and recommend for or against approval of the application.
6. Appeals Process
An application which is contested by an individual or group may require the gathering of extensive evidence by the committee. This might include an on-site visit by an authorized representative of the committee. A written report should be mailed or e-mailed to the NC and the matter should be discussed and decided and the next general meeting of the GREEN PARTY National Committee. Should the accreditation committee recommend against approving an application, the committee is obligated to report that negative recommendation to the applicant party, giving the applicant party adequate time to prepare an appeal to the NC.
V. PROCEDURES FOR REVOCATION OF ACCREDITATION
1. A duly executed disaffiliation application may be granted without discussion. The committee should try to determine the reason and report to the NC.
2. A grievance lodged against an accredited state (party) by an individual or group should be investigated by the committee as in the appeals process above. A hearing should be held at the next general meeting.
The NC should formulate rules for conducting such hearings.
VI. ACCREDITATION OF CAUCUSES
1. ABOUT GPUS
2. APPLICATION PACKET
3. THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS
4. ACCREDITATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS
5. PROCEDURES FOR CAUCUS AFFILIATION
6. Addendum: Santa Barbara resolution
1. ABOUT GPUS
1.a: The Green Party of the United States is a federation of independent, State-level Parties. (Around the country, local Green organizations are represented in different ways, depending on by-laws and representational systems; GPUS rules, however, require that its members be State-level organizations serving statewide constituencies.)
1.b: When a caucus exists, and gains accreditation by GPUS, it sends an elected voting delegate and an alternate to the GPUS National Committee, and up to three voting members to each Standing Committee. Additional individuals from your caucus, with the assent of your elected NC delegate, are welcomed to volunteer for GPUS’s various working committees.
1.c: For additional information about the Green Party of the United States:
1.c.1: GPUS’s home page is www.gp.org
1.c.2: Our by-laws are available at: www.gp.org/documents/bylaws.shtml
1.c.3: The Green Party’s operating procedures are: www.gp.org/documents/rules.shtml
1.c.4: The Green parties’ platform can be found at: www.gp.org/platform.shtml
2. APPLICATION PACKET
To apply for GPUS membership, your caucus is invited to submit a completed application packet, which should include the following documentation in the order indicated:
2.a.1: A letter of application addressed to the Co-chairs of the Accreditation Committee which indicates the date and setting of the application decision (i.e., annual meeting 2/15/01, teleconference 3/22/02, on-line decision 6/18/02), including a list of at least 100 members in at least 15 GPUS- affiliated states, containing name, address, and state party membership of each member (see section 6.b.1-5 below).
2.b The name, address and state party membership of up to three delegates to the Diversity Committee.
2.c: The current by-laws of the caucus.
2.d: The current platform of the caucus.
2.e: A list of at least 100 members, in at least 15 GPUS affiliated states, containing name, address, phone number (if available), email address (if available) and state party membership of each member.
2.f: Additional materials that the Accreditation Committee can read and use
to establish your caucus’ credentials. This could include newsletters, news
clippings, incorporation papers or other legal documents, literature, etc.
3. THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS
3.a: Identity Group Formation: When anyone in the Green party becomes aware of an identity group being interested in forming a caucus, that person will notify the Diversity Committee.
3.b: Receipt of Application: Once a caucus is ready to consider accreditation, its official representatives will send two copies of the letter o application and packet (the Application) to the GPUS national office, once addressed to the co-chairs of the Accreditations Committee (AC), the other to the co-chairs of the Diversity Committee (DC). It is strongly suggested to also send as much of the packet as possible via email to the Accreditations and Diversity Committees at their respective email addresses. The AC and the DC will keep each other completely updated in all areas of identity caucus accreditation.
3.c: Committee Assignment, liaisons: As soon as the Application is received, the AC and the DC shall each assign a committee member to the application. The AC shall communicate to the applicant the AC and DC members assigned to the application, indicating the AC shall be the primary contact for official communications regarding the accreditation process and the DC shall assist and facilitate the process, acting as an advocate for the applying caucus. Both the AC and the DC co-chairs shall forward the application to all members of their respective committees for review.
3.d: Evaluation process: The AC shall notify the National Committee that the application has been received. The Accreditation Committee may request additional paperwork, clarifications and assurances, in order to determine that the applicant party satisfies the criteria listed below. The Accreditation Committee review process should be speedy and non-bureaucratic. If we are to err, it should be on the side of permissiveness. Applicant should experience Greens as a welcoming committee. The Diversity Committee will assist the caucus in formation to complete the necessary documentation, working hand in hand with the Accreditation Committee.
3.e: Report to and vote by the Coordinating Committee: Except in extraordinary situations, the AC shall make its report to the NC in the form of a formal proposal, within 60 days of the AC chair receiving a complete application. A complete application is one that includes all of the documentation necessary for the NC to make an informed decision and shall be considered received when the national office issues notices of its receipt to the applying caucus.
The proposal shall be presented according to the customary procedure to submit proposals for discussion and vote by email or at a national meeting of the NC, whichever can be done most promptly. The proposal to the NC should explain the committee1s findings for each of the accreditation criteria, and recommend for or against approval of the application and accreditation of the Identity Caucus1s one delegate and one alternate to the NC. Any request for clarification directed to the AC or the DC shall be addressed without prejudice.
If the AC and the DC cannot reach consensus on the report, the proposal shall include both the AC and the DC1s recommendations. A two-third1s majority vote is required to approve an Identity Caucus.
3.f: Appeals process: Should the AC and the DC recommend against approving an application, the AC is obligated to report that negative recommendation to the applicant caucus, giving the applicant caucus thirty days to prepare an appeal to the NC.
3.g: Additional Documentation: The NC may require the gathering of additional evidence. This might include on-site visits by authorized representatives of the NC to caucus headquarters, gatherings or other meetings. A written report with specific recommendations should be communicated to the NC and the matter should be discussed and decided a the next general meeting of the NC.
4. Goals of the Accreditation Process
4.a: To ensure that applicant Identity Caucuses and State Parties understand:
i. The goals, values, plans and organization of the Green Party of the United States
ii. The criteria Identity Caucuses and state parties are expected to fulfill.
iii. The resources available from the GPUS to assist Identity Caucuses and state parties in party-building in order to fulfill the criteria.
4.b: to verify that Identity Caucuses and state parties are indeed bona-fide organizations meeting the values and criteria set forth in this proposal and related documents.
4.c: To welcome new Identity Caucuses and their representatives, and facilitate their integration into the party.
5: Criteria for Identity Caucus Membership in the GPUS
The Caucus must:
5.a: Accept of the four pillars of the international Green Party movement [ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, non-violence], or the GPUS’s Ten Key Values, as guiding principles.
5.b: Be organized and run in accordance with these values.
5.c: Be open to and reflective of natural members of the Identity Caucus.
5.d: Have held at least one meeting and will continue to hold such meetings not less than annually.
5e: Have elected its leadership and delegates in a democratic and transparent manner.
5.f.: Agree to support national candidates selected at the national Green Nominating Convention.
5.g: Maintain a current list of at least 100 members in 15 state parties with name, address and their state party membership.
5.h. Represent a historically disenfranchised or underrepresented and significant sector of the population.
6. Temporary Inactive Status
An accredited Identity Caucus which has failed to cast votes for a period of six months, or has not sent delegates to two consecutive meetings of the Coordinating Committee, may be assigned to temporary inactive status, upon recommendation of the Accreditation Committee and majority vote of the National Committee.
Caucuses assigned to temporary inactive status will retain GPUS accreditation and, insofar as possible, will continue to receive NC correspondence; but shall not be counted toward the NC quorum.
7. Revocation of accreditation for Inactivity
Should a caucus with temporary inactive status not regain its active status within one year, the Accreditation Committee may recommend a formal revocation vote by the NC.
Addendum: Santa Barbara resolution