UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA USPS STAFF COUNCIL CHARTER

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA USPS STAFF COUNCIL CHARTER ARTICLE I NAME, MISSION, AND COUNCIL SPONSORSHIP Section 1. NAME The name of the organization will be the Staff Council of the University of Central Florida (also known as USPS Staff Council). The Staff Council will be referred to as the Staff Council. Section 2. MISSION The Staff Council promotes a regular, open forum to facilitate communication among University Support Personnel System (USPS) employees and university administration. The primary focus of the Staff Council is to identify, discuss, and make recommendations regarding the interests that affect USPS employees. Section 3. COUNCIL SPONSORSHIP The university Vice President and Chief Financial Officer or designee, is the council sponsor. The Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer is the council advisor. ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES Section 1. ELIGIBILITY Representatives will be a permanent full-time USPS employee of the University of Central Florida who has completed at least seven months of continuous employment. Section 2. COUNCIL COMPOSITION A. Membership will be determined by application of the formula: One elected member for each fifty USPS employees. The number of eligible members will be determined by an official count to be provided by Human Resources to the council president periodically throughout the council year. B. Staff Council will make every effort to have representation from each division of the university including all UCF campuses. Staff Council will maintain a tracking mechanism to ensure that all divisions are assigned a representative. If a division does not have a representative, the election committee will seek to recruit one. Section 3. TERMS OF OFFICE A. A newly elected Staff Council representative will serve a term of two years beginning July 1 st of each term. B. The terms will be staggered so that approximately half of the seats will be up for election each year. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 1

Section 4. DUTIES All council representatives have the following responsibilities: A. Attend council meetings and inform the secretary or the council president if they are unable to attend a meeting. Notification of an excused absence will not be accepted through a third party. Four un-excused absences from the required monthly council meetings annually, will result in removal from Staff Council. More than four excused absences will require a replacement representative. B. Serve on at least one committee, which requires meeting attendance and active participation to further the goals of that committee. C. Assist in all fundraising projects facilitated by the fundraising committee. ARTICLE III OPERATING PROCEDURES Section 1. STAFF COUNCIL YEAR The Staff Council year will be concurrent with the university s fiscal year; July 1 June 30. Section 2. APPEAL PROCESS In the event that an issue arises in which a council member is dissatisfied with a decision that has been made, he or she may appeal the decision in writing to the officers for their review. Section 3. VOTING AND QUORUM REQUIREMENTS A. The presence of a quorum is required to pass any Staff Council business. A quorum is defined as one half plus one of the total number of council representatives currently on the council roster at the time of the vote. Quorum status is determined by the Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian will suspend the voting process when a quorum is not present. B. Voting by e-mail by the entire council is permitted if needed to resolve issues when calling a special meeting is not conducive to the representatives needs. The officers will ratify the need for a vote, and will be approved by the council president. The parliamentarian will send an e-mail message to all council representatives outlining the issue, calling for a vote, and setting a voting deadline. The e-mail vote will be sent directly to the parliamentarian, who will tally the votes and forward the results to the council. Section 4. REMOVAL OF A COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FROM OFFICE A. The Staff Council officers may vote to request the resignation of one of its members for just cause. Example of just cause includes, but not limited to: four unexcused absences from the monthly council meetings, or not participating in a least one committee. B. The representative will be notified in writing of the purpose of removal prior to the next Staff Council meeting. The member may appeal in writing to the full council for reinstatement prior to the next meeting. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 2

Section 5. RESIGNATION OF COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES Any representative who feels unable to fulfill the responsibilities of the position and needs to resign will immediately inform the council president, and any appropriate committee chair, in writing. Section 6. USPS STAFF ASSEMBLY An annual assembly of all USPS Staff will take place in April during normal working hours; 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Staff will meet the nominated council members and conduct other council business, as needed. This meeting replaces the monthly Staff Council meeting. ARTICLE IV ELECTIONS & APPOINTMENTS OF STAFF COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES Section 1. ELECTION PROCEDURES A. Formation of the Election Committee. The council president will appoint an election committee charged with developing a slate of candidates from each division of the university, including all UCF campuses, by actively soliciting open nominations. The committee will consist of a minimum of one chair and two committee members. The committee chair and/or members may not be up for reelection during their service on the committee. B. Nomination Process. By March 31 st of each year, the election committee will finalize a ballot of Staff Council nominees for membership. Nomination forms must be signed by the nominee and their supervisor, and submitted by the published deadline. This ballot of nominees will be forwarded to the UCF Human Resources Department to verify employment status. The committee will coordinate the distribution of nominations, facilitate voting, coordinate the counting of ballots, and notify the newly elected members. If a council member wishes to serve for a second term, he or she must submit a new nomination form and participate in the established election process. C. Voting Process. Full-time USPS employees are eligible to vote if they have completed at least seven months of employment. A ballot will be mailed to each active USPS employee. The ballots are then returned to the UCF Human Resources department and tallied by the Staff Council election committee. D. Run-off Elections. In the event of a tie in the general election, a run-off election will be declared by the chair of the election committee. E. New Membership Announcement. The election committee will present the nominees to the Staff at the annual Staff Assembly, which is held each April. Section 2. APPOINTMENTS A. Election Appointments. If there are not enough candidates to fill the vacant council seats during the annual election, the nominees will then be appointed to the council with no election process. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 3

B. Appointments to Staff Council during the Year. To fill vacant council seats during the year, the election committee chair will contact previously unelected nominees to determine interest. If the seat is accepted by the nominee, they will be announced at the next council meeting. A vote will be taken by Staff Council to confirm membership. C. Process to Replace Staff Members during the Year. Other USPS employees with interest in joining council during the year after the annual election will be considered for membership by submitting a complete nomination form to the council president. The council president will then submit the nominee s name to the UCF Human Resources department for verification of eligibility for membership. Eligible candidates will then be presented to the council at the next meeting where a vote is taken to determine membership. ARTICLE V OFFICERS Section 1. ELECTION OF OFFICERS, OFFICER DESIGNATION, OFFICER DUTIES AND ORDER OF SUCCESSION A. Election of Officers. Officer candidates are required to notify the chair of the elections committee of their intent to run at least one week before voting. Officers are limited to two consecutive terms of the same office. The election committee will produce a final ballot (which cannot be changed) for the election of officers. Candidates may also be nominated from the floor, with their permission, before voting begins for each office. Candidates who are listed on the official ballot will be required to provide a summary of their intended goals for the upcoming council year. The ballots will be tallied immediately by the election committee, and the new officers will be announced at the meeting. B. Officer Designation. At the June council meeting, Staff Council officers are elected. They assume office on July 1 st and serve a two year term ending June 30 th of the second year. This will automatically extend their council term to the end of their elected office (if needed.) C. Officer Duties. President. Will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Staff Council and will chair all council meetings. Is the liaison between Staff Council and the Human Resources department, as well as chief spokesperson for the Staff Council. Will only vote in the event of a tie during the voting process. Will serve as a back-up (or delegate to other council members) for other council officers in the event of their short term absence. Will set up the annual schedule of meeting locations and arrange for guest speakers. Vice President. In the council president s absence, will serve as the chief executive officer of the Staff Council and assume other duties as necessary. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 4

Will work with the council president in an advisory capacity with all committees as needed. Will monitor and pre-approve content on the Staff Council website on a regular basis. Secretary. Will be responsible for the monthly meeting agenda and minutes (including tracking attendance) to be distributed after final approval from the HR department as well as the council president within two weeks of said meeting Will be responsible for maintaining and distributing all correspondence. Will monitor the e-mail account. Treasurer. Serves as the Chief Financial Officer of the Staff Council. Is responsible for the receipt and disbursement of all council funds as well as maintaining accurate fiscal reports. Will ensure all expenditures are within approved budget and have been properly approved under the policies of the Staff Council. Will serve as the chair of the budget committee. Will publish a monthly fiscal report for review by council representatives at the monthly Staff Council meetings. Parliamentarian. Ensures proper parliamentary procedures (using Roberts Rules of Order) are followed and meetings are run in an orderly and timely manner. Ensures that a quorum is present for any voting process. Will ensure votes taken by e-mail in accordance with voting procedures are verified. Historian. Is responsible for maintaining all Staff Council historical records, including but not limited to, charter, records of all election results and event photos. Will maintain the Staff Council digital camera. D. Order of Succession. If an officer resigns from office, he or she will inform the council president of the resignation in writing. The position will be succeeded as described below, effective immediately: The vice president will succeed the president The secretary will succeed the vice president All successions/appointments are subject to ratification by the entire council at the next Staff Council meeting. A special election will be held to fill positions in accordance with established procedures for electing council officers. If an officer does not wish to succeed the vacated position, the remaining officers will fulfill the duties of the position until the next council meeting. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 5

ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES Section 1. COUNCIL AND UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES The Staff Council will have representation on both council and university committees to further council goals and represent USPS Staff. A. Staff Council: The standing council committees will include: Budget Marketing/Sponsorship Research/Historian Scholarship Special Events Fundraising Goodwill Charter / Elections The committees may be formed or dissolved throughout the council year as needed and ratified by council approval. B.University Committees: Each year, the council president will receive a list of the standing university committees with appointed Staff Council representation. In the first council meeting of the new fiscal year, council members will be given the opportunity to volunteer for the committee vacancies. Section 2. GUIDELINES A. The term of service for all members serving on a Staff Council committee will be for one council year. University committees are up to the discretion of the university council chair. B. Three members per committee is the minimum requirement. C. Will meet immediately after forming to present goals and budget report (if needed) to the council president and treasurer by August 31 st. The proposed itemized budget for the new fiscal year will be voted on in the following council meeting. D. Any monies within each committee s budget can be spent for committee expenses without further council approval. Any funds needed over the projected budget will require prior council approval. Expenditures not related to committee expenses will require prior council approval, with exception of the $25.00 purchasing limit authorized by the treasurer. E. All committee chairs and co-chairs will be elected by majority vote of the official committee members present. F. The committee chair will inform the council president of any committee vacancies. The council president will inform any newly accepted council representatives of all committee openings and the representative will have their choice of where to serve. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 6

Section 3. REPORTS A. At each monthly council meeting, each chair will give a verbal report. In the chair s absence, this responsibility falls upon the co-chair. B. Minutes of the committee meetings will be kept by the chair (or delegated member) and archived for future reference. C. Retain formal written records of their activities for the purpose of continuity of information. These reports should include accomplishments, budget information, and contact information of pertinent parties, vendor information, procedural instructions, helpful tips and the status of ongoing projects. Section 4. COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE DEFINITIONS A. Budget Committee. This committee consists of all committee chairs and will be presided over by the treasurer. The meetings will be held as needed. The committee will review the expenditures for the current fiscal year vs. the proposed budget that was submitted at the beginning of the fiscal year to make appropriate recommendations for the following fiscal year. B. Fundraising Committee. This committee is responsible for investigating fundraising options. This includes, but is not limited to, negotiating vendor contacts for items purchased to be sold in support of council scholarships, as well as soliciting fundraising items. This committee is responsible for ensuring all university fundraising policies are being followed by communicating all fundraising efforts to the university compliance office. The committee will give all funds collected to the council treasurer for deposit in the council s bank account. Fundraising will be continuous as the council makes a transition from one year to the next in order to expedite the following year s activity. C. Marketing. This committee is responsible for maintaining and improving Staff Council public relation efforts. This includes, but is not limited to, producing Staff Council publications, submitting mass email communications for campus-wide distribution, as well as communicating with local businesses and vendors as needed to further the council s goals. All communication submissions are required to be approved by the council president. D. Research Committee. This committee is responsible for researching business practices, policies, and procedures at other universities and colleges. The research should be used for the purpose of suggesting new and more efficient business philosophies at the university that will benefit USPS Staff. E. Scholarship Committee. This committee is responsible for the solicitation and disbursement of scholarship opportunities for USPS Staff and/or their dependents. After scholarship funds have been secured, this committee is responsible for creating, publicizing, collecting, processing and approving the applications in a timely manner. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 7

F. Special Events Committee. This committee is responsible for planning and implementing all council events including, but not limited to, council participation in the annual Benefits Fair, the Staff Assembly, and other campus activities. G. Welcome Committee. This committee is responsible for the creation and distribution of welcome packets, special occasion cards, gifts when deemed appropriate for USPS employees (with a $20.00 limit), and providing refreshments at council meetings. H. Election Committee. This committee is responsible for coordinating the distribution of nominations, facilitating voting, securing representatives from divisions not represented, coordinating the counting of ballots and notifying the newly elected council members. I. Charter Committee. This committee will be appointed by the council president as needed. The responsibilities of this committee include reviewing the current charter and proposing revisions, if necessary. Any charter revisions proposed by the committee are required to have council approval before the end of the council year, and the revised charter will be made available on the council website. ARTICLE VII FINANCES All Staff Council funds are required to be used to finance the goals of the council. The council finances are derived from fundraising efforts, private donations, and the annual budget allotted by the council sponsor maintained by Human Resources. The annual fundraising goal will be determined at the beginning of each year by the council. The council president may authorize funds for items purchased by the secretary as requested with a limit of $25.00 or less without council approval. Any non-committee expenditure greater than $25.00 will require prior council approval. The treasurer may authorize any expenditure by the council president for up to $50.00 without prior council approval. ARTICLE VIII CHARTER REVISION PROCEDURES All revisions to this charter will be considered by the Staff Council upon presentation by the Charter Committee. Approval Process: A. The first draft of a charter revision will be presented to the Staff Council for a vote no later than the May council meeting. Provided there are no revision objections that require an additional meeting, the vote will be considered final. B. Any revision objections discussed at the May meeting that require additional consideration by the charter committee will be reviewed. A final vote on the charter revisions will be taken at the next council meeting. Revised 06/24/2016 Page 8

C. All revisions to the charter will be approved by a two-thirds majority vote. D. Upon adoption by the USPS Staff Council, the revised charter will be presented to the Staff Council sponsor for approval no later than the June council Meeting. E. The updated charter will become effective following the council sponsor s approval, inclusive of any sponsor edits, upon the upcoming new council year. Revision proposed by the Charter Committee for 2017-5/10/2016 Approved By: USPS STAFF COUNCIL Staff Council Advisor Staff Council Sponsor Revised 06/24/2016 Page 9