Identity Caucus Accreditation Process

PROPOSAL SUBJECT: 
Identity Caucus Process – as proposed jointly by the Diversity Committee and the Steering Committee

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
As a result of the Boston Agreement with the GPUSA, the Green Party of the United States agreed to establish identity caucuses with voting rights on the national committee, with the purpose of augmenting the voice of underrepresented groups of people.
In 1999, the GPUS Coordinated Committee (CC) adopted a resolution in Santa Barbara establishing the basic framework for accrediting caucuses, tasking the Accreditations Committee to develop Identity Caucus accreditation procedures (ICAP). The ICAP presented in 2001 in Philadelphia were generally approved by the CC, but the CC tasked the AC to resolve minor inconsistencies in the ICAP proposal as presented.

PRESENTERS: 
Diversity Committee and Steering Committee

CONTACT:
Accreditation Committee: David Pollard (817-467-0570) or Ginny-Marie Case (310-820-5526)
Diversity Committee: Anita Rios (419-243-8772) or Joe Mosley (732-249-5650)

FLOOR MANAGER:
Nathalie Paravicini (713-880-9929) nathalie@greens.org

TIMELINE:
Indefinite

REFERENCES:
Identity Caucus Accreditation Process (original from Accreditation)
Identity Caucus Accreditation Process (Diversity counterproposal)
Identity Caucus Accreditation Process (joint) This version has the changes to the original text version colored/italicized.
Identity Caucus Accreditation Process Proposal (original from Accreditation)This is the original proposal, not the process, from the Accreditation Committee which the proposal you are reading amends.

FULL PROPOSAL:

Draft Procedures for Identity Caucuses

Sample Letter:

Month, Day, Year

Dear (Name),

Thank you for your inquiry of (Month, Day), which has been forwarded to us. As requested, you’ll find attached the Green Party accreditation process for Identity Caucuses, explained in some detail. With accreditation, the (Identity Caucus Name) would be joining (Amount Of Caucuses) which share decision making with state Green parties and would receive the right to one voting delegate and one alternate delegate to the GPUS Coordinating Committee.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to receiving a Letter of Application and complete application packet from the (Identity Caucus Name).

With best wishes,

(Name)
(Name)
Current Co- Chairs of the GPUS
Diversity Committee and Accreditations Committee

CAUCUS ACCREDITATION INFORMATION
THE GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
Date

CONTENTS
1 ABOUT GPUS
2 APPLICATION PACKET
3 THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS
4 GOALS OF THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS
5 CRITERIA FOR IDENTITY CAUCUS AFFILIATION
6 TEMPORARY INACTIVE STATUS
7 REVOCATION OF ACCREDITATION
ADDENDUM: SANTA BARBARA RESOLUTION

1.a: ABOUT THE GPUS

1.b:
1.c: The United States Green Party is a federation of independent, State-level Parties. Depending on by-laws and representational systems, local Green organizations are represented in different ways; GPUS rules, however, require that its members be State-level organizations serving statewide constituencies.
1.d: When a caucus gains accreditation, it sends an elected voting delegate and an alternate to the GPUS Coordinating Committee and up to three voting members to each Standing Committee. Additional individuals from the caucus, are welcome to volunteer for GPUS’s various working committees.
1.e: For additional information about the United States Green Party , see (the urls shall be updated as necessary)

        1.e.i: USGP’s home page is

www.gpus.org

        1.e.ii: Our by-laws are available at:

www.greenpartyus.org/documents/bylaws.html 

        1.e.iii: The Green Party’s operating procedures are:

www.greenpartyus.org/documents/rules.html

        1.e.iv: The Green parties’ platform can be found at:

www.gpus.org/platform.html
2 List of affiliated state parties and identity caucuses at: http://www.gpus.org/states.html
3
4 APPLICATION PACKET
To apply for GPUS membership, a caucus must submit a completed application packet, which should include the following documentation in the order indicated:

      4.a: A Letter of Application addressed to the Co-chairs of the Accreditations Committee which indicates the date and setting of the application decision, i.e., statewide meeting 2/15/02, teleconference 3/22/02, or on-line decision 6/18/02.

 

      4.b: The name, address and state party membership of up to three delegates to the Diversity Committee.

 

      4.c: The current bylaws of the caucus.

 

      4.d: The current platform of the caucus

 

      4.e: A list of at least 100 members in at least 15 GPUS affiliated states, containing name, address, and state party membership of each member.

 

      4.f: Additional materials that the Accreditation and Diversity Committees can read and use to establish your caucus’ credentials. This could include newsletters, news clippings, incorporation papers or other legal documents, literature, etc

 

      4.g:

 

      4.h: THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS

 

      4.i:

 

      4.j: Receipt of Application: Once a caucus is ready to consider accreditation, its official representatives will send two copies of the Letter of Application and packet (the Application) to The Green Party of the United States national office, one addressed to the Cochairs of the Accreditations Committee (AC), the other to the Cochairs 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).

 

      4.k: Committee Assignement, 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 Cochairs shall forward the Application to all members of their respective committees for review.

 

      4.l: Evaluation process: The AC shall notify the Coordinating 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.

 

      4.m: Report to and vote by the Coordinating Committee: Except in extraordinary situations, the Accreditation Committee shall makes it report to the CC 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 the documentation necessary for the CC to take an informed decision and shall be considered received when the national office issues notice of its receipt to the applying caucus.

 

      The proposal shall be presented according to customary procedure to submit proposals for discussion and vote by e-mail or at a national meeting of the CC, whichever can be done most promptly.

 

      The proposal to the CC should explain the committee’s findings for each of the accreditation criteria, and recommend for or against approval of the application and accreditation of the Identify Caucus’ one delegate and one alternate to the CC. Any request for clarification directed to the AC or the DC shall be without prejudice of further clarification by a representative of the caucus.

 

      If the AC and the DC cannot reach consensus on the report, the proposal shall include the DC’s recommendations. A two-third’s (majority?) vote is required to approve an Identity Caucus

 

      4.n: 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 CC.

 

      4.o: The CC may require the gathering of additional evidence. This might include on-site visits by authorized representatives of the CC to caucus headquarters, gatherings or other meetings. A written report with specific recommendations should be communicated to the CC and the matter should be discussed and decided a the next general meeting of the CC.

 

      4.p:

 

      4.q: GOALS OF THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS

 

      4.r:

 

      4.s: To insure 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 Green Party of the United States to assist identity caucuses and state parties in party-building in order to fulfill the criteria.

 

      4.t: 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. To welcome new Identity Caucuses and their representatives, and facilitate their integration within the party.

 

CRITERIA FOR IDENTITY CAUCUS AFFILIATION 

      The Caucus must:

 

      4.u: Accept the four pillars of the international Green Party movement: ecological wisdom; social justice; grassroots democracy; non-violence; and the GPUS’s Ten Key Values as guiding principles.

 

      4.v: Be organized and run in accordance with these values.

 

      4.w: Be open to and reflective of natural members of the Identity Caucus.

 

      4.x: Have held at least one meeting and will continue to hold such meetings not less than annually.

 

      4.y: Have elected its leadership and delegates in a democratic and transparent manner.

 

      4.z: Agree to support national candidates selected at the national Green Nominating Convention.

 

      4.aa: Maintain a current list of at least 100 members from 15 affiliated state parties with name, address, and their state party membership. Represent a historically disenfranchised or underrepresented and significant sector of the population.

 

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 a majority vote of the Coordinating Committee.
A caucus assigned to temporary inactive status will retain GPUS accreditation and, insofar as possible, will continue to receive CC correspondence; but shall not be counted toward the quorum.

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 CC.

ADDENDUM: SANTA BARBARA RESOLUTION

Here is the specific wording of the resolution approved in Santa Barbara, establishing the basic framework for accrediting caucuses:

ACCREDITATION OF CAUCUSES 
When a caucus for an underrepresented group has formed, that caucus will submit its application for accreditation according to the same procedures used for state party accreditation. A caucus application will include documentation of caucus membership, showing that 100 individuals, from at least 15 states, who are both members of the underrepresented group itself, and of their respective state Green parties, have joined the caucus; and that the caucus uses democratic procedures for its internal leadership selection and general decision-making. As with state parties, the caucus application will include documentation for the caucus’s by-laws, principles, history and activities.

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