THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL BYLAWS

Transcription

1 THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL BYLAWS Article I Purpose The Office of Human Resources University Staff Advisory Council acts in an advisory capacity to e Central Administration rough e Vice President for Human Resources. The Council explores issues, policies, and practices at impact or are impacted by staff employees; suggests revisions or new initiatives to improve same; and serves as an advocate for staff welfare and development. Article II Membership and Affiliates Section 1 Definitions Member: voting position wiin e Council. Full members are eligible Staff employees appointed as outlined in Section 2 below and are eligible to hold elected positions. Each member will participate on at least one committee wiin e University Staff Advisory Council. Ineligible Staff Employees: Office of Human Resources employees serving as a Representative, Hershey Medical Center employees (except e College of Medicine) and Technical Service employees. Members wi absences totaling one-ird or more of e regular meetings during an academic year may be declared inactive and asked to resign, subject to review by e Executive Committee. The USAC Chair will monitor member attendance. Ex-officio member: non-voting position wiin e Council. Ex-officio members are not eligible to hold elected positions. Types of ex-officio appointments include: Commission Liaisons Vice President for Human Resources or designee Affiliate: Staff person who is recruited on an as needed basis for Council endeavors which require expertise outside of USAC membership. The affiliate is not a member and does not vote. Affiliates are chosen as needed by each Committee Chair and approved by e Executive Committee. The leng of affiliation is determined by e Committee Chair for e purpose of a specific need. Section 2 Appointments The University Staff Advisory Council shall be composed of a minimum of twenty (20) and a maximum of irty (30) employees in exempt and nonexempt positions. The Membership Committee will ensure at appointments shall be made wi an effort to include a diverse representation of staff employees from a variety of University units and locations. Each member is appointed by e Vice President for Human Resources to serve a ree- year term commencing on August 1. There is no limit to e number of ree-year terms a member can serve; however, a member cannot serve consecutive ree-year terms. A member who is elected chair may serve up to a six-year term, including ree years as a voting member, one year

2 as chair-elect, one year as chair, and one year as past-chair. A member who is elected secretary may serve up to a six-year term, including ree years as a voting member, one year as secretaryelect, one year as secretary, and one year as past-secretary. In addition, one staff member from each of e following organizations shall be an ex-officio member and serve as a liaison. Term leng is at e discretion of e respective commission: Commission for W omen Commission on Racial/Enic Diversity Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equity Section 3 Orientation and Retreat An orientation for new members and a retreat for all members shall be held in August. Prior to e retreat, e Executive Committee will review all ad hoc committees and make recommendations regarding e retention and total number of ad hoc committees it inks feasible for e upcoming year. The membership will vote on and establish ad hoc committees at e retreat. W hen possible, ad hoc committee chairs will also be established at is time. Section 4 Leave(s) of Absence Requests for a temporary leave of absence from e Council will be submitted to e chair. Such requests shall be granted whenever possible. Since such leaves are temporary, e resulting vacancy shall not typically be filled by a new member. Section 5 Resignations Resignations from e Council will be submitted to e chair. The Executive Committee shall en make a recommendation to e Vice President for Human Resources regarding appointments of new members for e remainder of e designated term. Article III Committees Section 1 Executive Committee The Executive Committee shall consist of e chair, e chair-elect, e past-chair, secretary, Vice President for Human Resources or designee, and all chairs of active standing and ad hoc committees. The Executive Committee shall coordinate e activities of e University Staff Advisory Council. No individual member, ex-officio member, or affiliate shall take any action on behalf of e University Staff Advisory Council unless specifically designated to do so by e Executive Committee acting on behalf of e full membership. The Executive Committee may consider individual exceptions to ese bylaws as appropriate. Chair The chair shall be e presiding officer of e University Staff Advisory Council. The chair shall be elected for a ree-year term commencing on August 1, serving e first year as chair-elect, e second year as chair, and e ird year as past-chair. The duties of e chair are to preside over all meetings, to actively manage e business of e Council, to see at all orders and resolutions of e membership are carried into effect, to respond to and initiate communications wi e Office of e Vice President for Human Resources and wi any external constituencies on behalf of e Council, to report to e membership at least twice a year e status of all new and pending

3 Council recommendations submitted to e Vice President for Human Resources, and to perform all duties and exercise all auority usually associated wi e office of e chair or prescribed by e membership. In e event at e chair resigns or is unable to serve at a time when ere is no designated chairelect, e Executive Committee shall initiate a nomination/election process to fill e chair position until e next regular election. Chair-Elect Election of e chair-elect shall be held by secret ballot and shall be conducted by e Election Committee. The election process and casting of ballots will be carried out regardless of e number of nominees. The chair-elect shall, in e absence of e chair, assume e role and duties appropriate to at office. The chair-elect will serve on e Membership Committee and USAC Parliamentarian. (A Parliamentarian is an expert in rules of order and e proper procedures for e conduct of meetings of deliberative assemblies. Parliamentarians assist organizations in e drafting and interpretation of bylaws and rules of order, and e planning and conduct of meetings.) In e event e chair resigns or is unable to serve, e chair-elect shall move into at position immediately. The chair-elect position will be refilled during e next scheduled election for e position, or sooner at e request of e Executive Committee. In e event at e chair-elect resigns or is unable to serve, e Executive Committee shall initiate a nomination/election process to fill e chair-elect position until e next regular election. Past-Chair The chair shall automatically succeed to e position of past-chair during his/her ird year in office. The individual shall chair e Election Committee. In e event at at past-chair resigns or is unable to serve, e Executive Committee shall initiate a nomination/election process to fill e past-chair position until e next regular election. Secretary The secretary is a voting member of e Council. The secretary shall be elected for a ree-year term commencing on August 1, serving e first year as secretary-elect, e second year as secretary, and e ird year as past-secretary. The duties of e secretary are to take notes at e Council and Executive Committee meetings, present agendas, set-up audio video needs for meetings, and perform all duties associated wi e office of e secretary or prescribed by e membership. In e event at e secretary resigns or is unable to serve at a time when ere is no designated secretary-elect, e Executive Committee shall initiate a nomination/election process to fill e secretary position until e next regular election. Secretary-Elect Election of e secretary-elect shall be held by secret ballot and shall be conducted by e Election Committee. The election process and casting of ballots will be carried out regardless of e number of nominees. The secretary-elect shall, in e absence of e secretary, assume e role and duties appropriate to at office. In e event at e secretary resigns or is unable to serve, e secretary-elect shall move into at position immediately. The secretary-elect position will be refilled during e next scheduled election for e position, or sooner at e request of e Executive Committee. In e event at e secretary-elect resigns or is unable to serve, e Executive Committee shall initiate a nomination/election process to fill e secretary-elect position until e next regular election.

4 Past-Secretary The past-secretary shall serve as a backup to secretary and secretary-elect. Section 2 Standing Committees The Chair and Co-Chair of e committees are selected annually by its members for recommendation to e Executive Committee. Standing committees may be reviewed at any time at e discretion of e Executive Committee. Election/Membership Committee The Committee annually solicits and reviews membership applications and nominations and en recommends a diverse slate of new appointments to e Vice President for Human Resources. The Committee oversees e election process for e chair-elect and all oer elections. The Committee is chaired by e past-chair and is composed of members at least two of whom will have a minimum of two years USAC experience and affiliates as needed. Awards/Recognition Committee Through e Staff Recognition and Appreciation program, e Council honors e many staff members who regularly see potential in oers, go e extra mile in a specific situation, and simply make life better for ose around em. Specific award criteria shall be made public prior to e nomination period. The chair is a confirmed or appointed member selected each year by e Executive Committee wi input from e respective Committee and serves a one-year term commencing on August 1. The Staff Relations Committee- (formerly Outreach and Publicity) The Committee provides opportunities to connect wi staff as well as oer staff advisory committees and administrators. Communication, education, and e exchange of ideas are priorities of is Committee. The Committee also serves to publicize e Council s mission and accomplishments and works to increase its visibility wiin e Penn State community. The chair is a confirmed or appointed member selected each year by e Executive Committee wi input from e respective Committee and serves a one-year term commencing on August 1. The Section 3 Ad Hoc Committees At e August retreat, e membership will vote on establishing ad hoc committees to research and review specific topics and report findings and recommendations to e Council. The chair of each committee is a confirmed or appointed member selected at e August retreat or soon ereafter by e Executive Committee wi input from e respective ad hoc committee. The Article IV Meetings Regular meetings of e University Staff Advisory Council shall be held on e ird Monday of each mon. The August retreat will replace e August USAC meeting. Council meetings and activities usually take place during normal University hours and are considered University business. Special

5 meetings of membership, for any purpose or purposes, may be called at any time by e chair or by a majority of Council voting membership. A majority of e voting membership must be present at all meetings in which votes are taken in e name of e Council. Each committee shall decide on meeting frequency and provide a progress report to e Executive Committee on a monly basis. The current edition of Robert s Rules of Order governs e University Staff Advisory Council in all procedural matters for which its bylaws do not oerwise provide. Article V Amendments These bylaws may be altered or amended at any time. Amendments must be presented to all members of e Council in writing or via 48 hours prior to a scheduled meeting. Amendments to ese bylaws will be adopted by two-irds vote of e voting members, provided at a quorum exists. Any individual who will not be present for e meeting is invited to mail or comments and his/her vote to e chair prior to e meeting. The bylaws are to be reviewed by e Executive Committee or an ad hoc committee at least every two years. Bylaws initially adopted: September 20, 1999 st 1 2 nd Revision: February 7, 2007 Revision: November 24, 2008 rd 3 Revision: July 25, Revision: January 16, Revision: April 16, Revision: September 17, Revision: October 15, 2013 Various Articles: All references to Associate VP Human Resources replaced wi Vice President Human Resources; Article 3: Chair Elect duties- Parliamentarian responsibility clarified and defined. Revision #8: December 11, 2013 Article 3, section 2 (Committee Consolidation) Election and Membership combined, Recognition added to Awards, Outreach and Publicity combined and renamed Staff Relations.