Bylaws and Meeting Minutes - University of Southern Indiana

Bylaws

Download a PDF copy

University of Southern Indiana Staff Council logo

Bylaws

Article I. NAME

Article II. PURPOSE 

Article III. MEMBERSHIP   

Section 1. Voting and Non-Voting Status

Article IV. OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers

Section 2. Term of Office

Section 3. Filling of Vacancies

Section 4. Duties

Article V. ORGANIZATION, REPRESENTATIVES and ELECTIONS

Section 1. Representatives and Alternate Members

Section 2. General Elections

Section 3. Executive Committee Elections

Section 4. Committee and Sub-committee Elections

Section 5. Term of Office

Section 6. Filling Vacancies

Section 7. Duties

Article VI. MEETINGS and EVENTS 

Section 1. Regular Meetings

Section 2. Special Meetings

Section 3. Quorum

Section 4. Attendance and Participation

Article VII. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE  

Section 1. Members

Section 2. Duties

Article VIII. STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. Description of Committees

Section 2. Standing Committees and Sub-Committees

Section 3. Duties and Ad-Hoc/Special Committees

Section 4. Authority

Article IX. PROCEDURES 

Article X. AMENDMENTS 

Article I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the University of Southern Indiana Staff Council.

Article II. PURPOSE

Staff Council represents the non-exempt staff members of the University of Southern Indiana. Its purpose is to contribute to the progress of the University by promoting a positive work environment and healthy work/life balance, encouraging staff engagement in university matters, and furthering the mission of USI.

Article III. MEMBERSHIP

Eligibility for membership in this organization shall be limited to all regular full-time, non-exempt staff employees with at least 90 days of service.

Section I: Voting and Non-Voting Status

Voting privileges are reserved exclusively for the currently seated Staff Council representatives. Each representative shall hold one vote on all matters brought before the Council.

The following roles serve in an advisory and/or non-voting capacity:

Immediate Past Chair: Provides continuity and institutional knowledge.

Alternate Representatives: Serves as a replacement representative until such time as a permanent vacancy occurs within the Council or their term ends. Alternates do not possess voting proxies for absent representatives.

Ex-Officio: The University president or a designee serves as an ex officio member of the council.

An Alternate Representative shall only gain voting rights upon formal appointment to fill a permanent vacancy of a Staff Council Representative seat.

Article IV. OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers

The officers shall consist of the chair, vice chair, secretary, and past chair.

Section 2. Term of Office

The term of office shall be for one fiscal year (July through June). No elected Executive Committee member shall serve in any office for more than two consecutive terms. However, in the event no candidate other than the incumbent, who has served the maximum terms in an office, is willing to stand for election, the Council may vote to suspend the term of office limit and accept a nomination for said incumbent to run for the same office for another term.

Section 3. Filling of Vacancies

In the event that any of the executive officers are unable to fulfill their role or take on the duties of another vacant position, the Staff Council will hold an emergency election, in accordance with the rules, for the remaining representatives to nominate and appoint a current representative to hold the vacant position until June 30 of that fiscal year.

Section 4. Duties

The chair shall preside at Council and Executive Committee meetings, act as the official Staff Council representative and, also serves as a liaison with all standing committees. The chair works with other committee chairs to schedule rooms for all meetings and events, coordinates the training of new members and committee chairs and prepares binders for members with a calendar of meetings, bylaws, responsibilities, contact information, login credentials and events for the Staff Council.

The vice chair shall assume the duties of the chair in their absence and in the event of a vacancy. In the event the vice chair is unable to assume the duties, a new election will be held in accordance with the existing Staff Council rules. The vice chair shall be responsible for maintaining the budget report and sharing the budget at each council meeting. The vice chair and secretary prepare the annual report to the Council. The report shall be presented by the vice chair at the last meeting of the term.

The secretary shall assume the duties of the vice chair in their absence and in the event of a vacancy. In the event the secretary is unable to assume the duties, a new election will be held in accordance with the existing Staff Council rules. The secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings. Approved copies of the minutes will be posted on the Staff Council web page. The secretary and vice chair shall prepare an annual report for the Council.

Article V. ORGANIZATION, REPRESENTATIVES and ELECTIONS

Section 1. Representatives and Alternate Members

Staff Council membership shall be comprised of 20 voting representatives elected from the eligible population and up to 20 alternate members

Section 2. General Elections

There shall be an annual election of representatives to be held no later than May. Nominations for representatives may be submitted to the Nominating Committee by any current USI staff or faculty member.

All nonsupervisory employees with at least 30 days of service are eligible to vote in representative elections to fill open seats on the Council. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected as Council representatives. The newly elected representatives shall assume their duties on July 1.

Election shall be by secret ballot. At least one candidate for each vacancy shall be submitted by the Nominating Committee. The results of the election shall be retained for two years. Candidates not elected to a voting seat shall be designated as alternate members, ranked in order by the number of votes received.

If the current Staff Council consists of fewer than 20 voting representatives, or if an insufficient number of nominations are received to fill all open seats, an internal election shall be held in place of the external election. In such cases, voting eligibility and procedures shall be determined by the Staff Council in accordance with its established rules and procedures.

Section 3. Executive Committee Elections

An annual election of officers shall be held no later than April. Two-thirds of current Staff Council Representatives are needed to submit a vote for an election to be valid. All elections shall be by secret ballot, and results of elections are to be kept on file for two years. The elected chair, vice chair, and secretary will assume their duties on July 1.

Section 4. Committee and Sub-committee Elections

Each committee and sub-committee shall consist of no less than four members including one chair and one co-chair. The chair and co-chair will be nominated and voted into office during the Staff Council Retreat, and they will assume duties immediately. The other members will be sorted during the Retreat.

Section 5. Term of Office

The term of office for a representative shall be two fiscal years (July 1 through June 30). A representative may not serve more than two consecutive terms. If at any point the representative can no longer fulfill their duties as a voting member, the longest standing alternate representative will replace and assume the responsibilities of that representative.  

The term of office for an alternate representative shall be two fiscal years (July 1 through June 30) and no more than two consecutive terms. If an alternate replaces a current representative, the alternate will assume and complete the duties of that representative until June 30 of that fiscal year. The alternate will start their first term (two fiscal years) on July 1 of the new fiscal year.

Section 6. Filling Vacancies

At any point, if there is an insufficient number of alternates on the Council, the Nominating Committee, with the guidance of the Executive Committee, will recruit and nominate candidates for the Council to elect to serve as an alternate representative.

Section 7. Duties

The Council shall serve in an advisory capacity to the administration. All matters appropriate for action shall be submitted in writing to the Staff Council. Any current university employee may submit a proposal to the Council for consideration.

The Staff Council shall prepare revisions of the bylaws; serve as a channel of communication between represented areas and the Council; make recommendations on matters of concern to the Council; fill vacancies and create ad-hoc special committees by vote; supervise Council/committee elections and communicate with new employees.

Article VI. MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Section 1. Regular Meetings

The representatives of the Staff Council shall meet at least once a month during the fiscal year at such time and place as the Council approves. All meetings of the Staff Council are open to current university employees. All alternates are highly encouraged to attend meetings to remain knowledgeable on all matters related to the Council.

Section 2. Special Meetings

The Staff Council may be called into a special session by its Chair. All representatives must be notified in writing, by email, or by telephone at least 24 hours prior to a special meeting.

Section 3. Quorum

A majority of voting representatives, defined as fifty percent plus one, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of official business at any regular or special meetings of the Staff Council.

Section 4. Attendance and Participation

Council members are expected to attend all mandatory Staff Council meetings and hosted/partnered events. 

Council members, except the executive officers, are required to serve on at least one standing committee and one university committee that the Staff Council has representation. Any representative may serve on multiple subcommittees and ad-hoc for special committees throughout their term.

Attendance will be reviewed by the Executive Committee.  Any representative who is absent from more than two mandatory meetings without sufficient cause and/or notification during any six-month period may be asked to step down as a representative and become an alternate representative or resign from their position. altogether. All decisions for removal of any representative must be by a two-third vote of the full Council.  Written or email notification of the decision to remove will be given by the Chair to the representative.

All Staff Council members are expected to participate in Council sponsored events and activities, i.e.: Archie’s Pantry Drive, Giving Tree, Support Staff Recognition Award and any other event hosted by the Staff Council.

Article VII. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. Members

The Executive Committee consists of the chair, vice chair, secretary, immediate past chair, and standing committee chairs.

Section 2. Duties

The Executive Committee shall arrange all Council meetings, establish committees for research, study and any other legitimate purpose consistent with expressed or perceived interest of the eligible employees at the University, prepare recommendations on behalf of the Council to the administration, and collaborate with other representative bodies of the University.

Article VIII. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Description of Committees

Standing committees and subcommittees will be chaired and co-chaired by elected representatives. The number of subcommittee members should consist of a minimum of four representatives and the number of standing committees shall consist of no less than half of the elected representatives, excluding the executive committee All representatives, except for the executive officers, are required to serve on at least one standing committee and expected to serve on no less than one subcommittee or ad-hoc/special committee.

Section 2. Standing Committees and Sub-Committees

The standing committees are as follows:

Employee Benefits and Communications

Employee Relations

The Subcommittees are as follows:

Bylaws

Nominating

Giving Tree

The members of each standing committee and sub-committee shall consist of a chair and co-chair and two other representatives. If the committee chair position becomes vacant, the committee’s co-chair will assume the duties of committee chair and the committee will elect a new co-chair and committee member; if no volunteers the Staff council Chair shall appoint the vacant role to another representative. Each Standing Committee should meet at least once a month. Each Subcommittee and ad-hoc/special committee will meet as needed.

Section 3. Duties and Ad-Hoc/Special Committees

Standing

The Employee Benefits and Communications Committee shall, in consultation with the administrative staff, review and study benefits-related matters and make recommendations to the Council. The committee shall facilitate Staff Council communications and provide University support staff with a clear communication pathway to express concerns or questions.

The Employee Relations Committee shall address appropriate matters and other concerns of Staff Council and plan several annual events, including but not limited to, The Giving Tree, Archie’s Pantry Drive, Student Worker Appreciation Week, and the Support Staff Employee Recognition Award

Subcommittees

The Bylaws Committee shall review amendments to these Bylaws to ensure language, grammar, and conformity. The Committee shall also recommend to the Council whether the amendment be approved or denied and give a reason for the recommendation. A recommendation to deny an amendment by the Committee does not prevent the amendment from being considered by the Council. The Committee shall also interpret these Bylaws when questions arise and make recommendations on clarifying amendments. This committee forms on an as-needed basis.

The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of eligible candidates who have consented to serve if elected and shall prepare ballots for the annual election and any other special elections. This committee forms on an as-needed basis.

The Web Committee is a subcommittee of the Employee Benefits and Communications standing committee. It shall maintain the Council’s website and any social media accounts.

The Giving Tree Committee will consist of at least 3 council members that are chosen during the June retreat. This subcommittee will be responsible for marketing and communications, reviewing and editing the Qualtrics form, coordinating with campus partners, as well as collections and distribution. There is a Giving Tree guide inside of the Staff Council O: Drive.

Ad-Hoc and Special Committees

The Executive Committee can create any ad-hoc or special committees as deemed necessary.

Section 4. Authority

No standing committee, subcommittee, or ad-hoc/special committee of Staff Council, except the Executive Committee, has the authority to act independently of the Council.

Committees must receive approval from the Council before finalizing any actionable projects or plans. The Council may grant pre-authorization to act, if needed. If Council approval or pre-authorization is not possible, the Executive Committee must approve the action.

Article IX. PROCEDURES

The Staff Council shall abide by the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. These rules shall govern the Council in all cases to which they are applicable.

Article X. AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the total Council, subject to approval by the authorizing body at any regularly scheduled meeting, provided that a written proposal for the amendment was submitted to the members of the Council at least one week prior to the meeting.