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Title:     #III-5.  Constitution and By-Laws of WVUP Staff Assembly

 

Date:    April 29, 2009 [to replace version dated April 21, 2005]

 

 

CONSTITUTION

 

We the classified staff of West Virginia University at Parkersburg, in order to enhance communication, facilitate input into decisions, encourage cooperation and coordination among campus organizations, foster improvement of working conditions, clarify a role in campus governance, and convey concerns through the State Advisory Council of Classified Employees to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the West Virginia University at Parkersburg Staff Assembly.

 

 

Article I

 

All classified staff, full-time and part-time, of West Virginia University at Parkersburg, and its branch campus in Jackson County, shall be members of the West Virginia University at Parkersburg Staff Assembly.

 

 

Article II

 

All decision-making powers of Staff Assembly shall be vested in a Staff Council established in accordance with WV Code §18B-6-6, which shall consist of the following:  a Chair and two representatives from each of the five sectors defined in WV Code §18B-6-6, an Advisory Council of Classified Employees representative (ex-officio, voting) elected in accordance with WV Code §18B-6-5, a Board of Governors representative (ex-officio, non-voting) elected in accordance with WV Code §18B-2A-1, a Vice-Chair and Secretary-Treasurer elected in accordance with the By-Laws of Staff Assembly, and the immediate past chair (ex-officio, non-voting).

 

 

Article III

 

Staff Assembly shall meet every year in the spring to generate discussion on staff concerns.  At this meeting in every odd-numbered year, Staff Assembly shall take nominations for Staff Council Chair and Advisory Council of Classified Employees representative.  At the spring meeting of every even-numbered year, Staff Assembly shall take nominations for Board of Governors representative. Staff Assembly shall also meet every year in the fall to receive the previous year’s annual report of activities, receive a mid-year update of Staff Council activities and to generate discussion on staff concerns.

 

BY-LAWS

 

Article I - Staff Council

 

Section 1.  Staff Council is designated as the formal decision-making body of the Staff Assembly.  Staff Council shall (1) serve to discuss issues and concerns of classified staff and provide input into the college decision-making process via communication with the campus president, representation on committees and task forces, and through formal resolution; (2) strive to communicate appropriate staff concerns through the State Advisory Council of Classified Employees to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission; (3) facilitate the communication process internally; (4) coordinate and promote fund-raising activities for the Employee Scholarship Fund and the Children of Classified Staff Scholarship Fund; (5) provide a liaison to the Staff Development Coordinator; and (6) coordinate various campus social and/or community events.

 

Section 2.  Staff Council shall consist of the following:  Elected by the Staff Assembly, a Chair and two representatives from each of the five sectors defined in WV Code §18B-6-6 (administrative/managerial, professional/nonteaching, paraprofessional, secretarial/clerical, and physical plant/maintenance); elected in accordance with WV Code §18B-6-5, an Advisory Council of Classified Employees representative (ex-officio, voting); elected in accordance with WV Code §18B-2A-1, a Board of Governors representative (ex-officio, non-voting); elected in accordance with Section II of the By-Laws of WVUP Staff Assembly, a Vice-Chair and Secretary-Treasurer; and the immediate past chair (ex-officio, non-voting).

 

Section 3.  The ten Staff Council representatives elected from the five sectors will be appointed by the Chair to be directly responsible to an identified group of classified staff and will be expected to communicate their respective constituents' concerns to Staff Council and to carry information from Staff Council back to that same constituency. 

 

Section 4.  The ten elected representatives and the Advisory Council of Classified Employees representative constitute the voting members of Staff Council.

 

Section 5.  Alternate Staff Council area representatives shall be the runners-up in the annual election. Staff Council members may ask the appropriate alternate to attend, as a voting member, any meeting of the Council which the elected representative is unable to attend.

 

Section 6.  Staff Council officers and representatives will serve for a term of two years beginning on July 1 of odd numbered years, and may be re-elected to succeed themselves.

 

Section 7.  Any representative who fails to attend three consecutive meetings without notifying the Chair of Staff Council shall be removed from the Council and replaced by an alternate.

 

Section 8.  Should an area representative accept a position in another sector, then the position on Staff Council becomes vacant.

 

Section 9.  Should vacancies occur, the offices should be filled in the following manner:

 

Vacancy                                                         Replacement

Chair                                                               Elected by Staff Assembly

Vice-Chair                                                       Elected by Staff Council from

Council membership

Secretary-Treasurer                                       Elected by Staff Council from

Council membership

ACCE Representative                                    Elected by Staff Assembly

Board of Governors Rep.                               Elected by Staff Assembly

Area Representative                                       Alternate

             

If a vacancy occurs in both the Chair and the Vice-Chair positions, then a Chair shall be chosen by Staff Assembly.  If a vacancy occurs among area representatives, and if the alternate is unable or unwilling to assume office, then his/her name shall be stricken from the list of alternates and the replacement shall be elected by the Staff Assembly.

 

Section 10.  A member of Staff Council to be elected from within the Council membership will be a liaison to Student Government Association.

 

 

Article II - Officers

 

Section 1.  The officers of the Staff Council shall be a Chair, a Vice-Chair, and a Secretary-Treasurer.

 

Section 2.  The term of office for each officer shall be two years beginning on July 1 of each odd-numbered year.

 

Section 3.  The Chair shall:

 

A.            be elected by Staff Assembly;

 

B.            be the chief officer of the Staff Council, directing activities of the Council within campus policies and procedures;

 

C.           preside at all Staff Assembly and Staff Council meetings;

 

D.           convene all meetings of Staff Assembly and Staff Council;

 

E.            authorize all Staff Assembly and Staff Council purchases;

 

F.            appoint, upon the request of the campus president, and with Staff Council confirmation, staff representatives to campus-wide committees and other groups;

 

G.           represent college staff and attend meetings as requested by the campus president;

 

H.           have no vote in Staff Council except when it affects the results as permitted in Robert's Rules of Order;

 

I.              distribute copies of the Staff Council Constitution, By Laws, and Policies & Procedures to members of Staff Council, and place copies on file in the library;        

                                                                          

J.            become an ex-officio non-voting member of Staff Council for two years following his/her term of office.

 

K.            be an ex-officio, non-voting member of all Staff Council committees;

 

Section 4.  The Vice-Chair shall:

 

A.            be elected by Staff Council from the Council’s elected membership;

 

B.            represent the Chair in his/her absence;

 

C.           assure that committees meet assigned obligations;

 

D.           serve as staff liaison to Faculty Senate;

 

E.            serve as parliamentarian at all meetings;

 

F.            assume other duties at the request of the Chair or the Council;

 

G.           perform the duties of a Staff Council representative.

 

Section 5.    The Secretary-Treasurer shall:

 

A.            be elected by Staff Council from the Council’s elected membership;

 

B.            keep the minutes of the proceedings of the Staff Council and Assembly;

 

C.           distribute copies of minutes to all Staff Council representatives and officers, to the elected heads of other campus governance groups, and to the campus president and his staff (this can be done via electronic mail);

 

D.           notify all Council representatives and officers of meetings and distribute agendas;

 

E.            post all Staff Council minutes, meeting notices, and other pertinent information on the Staff Assembly bulletin board;

 

F.            at the direction of the Staff Council Chair,  keep Staff Council informed of upcoming deadlines and important dates regarding campus policies and/or Council obligations;

 

G.           at the end of the Council year, place on file in the campus library a bound copy of the minutes of that year's Council proceedings;

 

H.           coordinate, along with the WVU at Parkersburg Foundation treasurer, the deposits and expenditures of all moneys for fundraisers and scholarships, and make a monthly report of transactions to Staff Council;

 

I.              perform the duties of a Staff Council representative.

 

 

Article III - Meetings

 

Section 1.  Staff Assembly shall meet each year on the third Monday of the month of April.  The purpose of this meeting will be to receive a mid-year update of Staff Council activities, generate discussion on staff concerns; and, in odd numbered years, to take nominations for Staff Council Chair and Advisory Council of Classified Employees representation; and, in even-numbered years, to take nominations for Board of Governors representative.

 

Section 2.  Staff Assembly shall meet each year during the month of October.  The purpose of this meeting will be to receive an annual report of Staff Council and to generate discussion on staff concerns.

 

Section 3.  Staff Council shall meet monthly and at other times as called by the Chair. 

 

Section 4.  All meetings of Staff Assembly and Staff Council are open to all members of Staff Assembly.

 

Section 5.  In meetings of Staff Assembly, the members present shall constitute a quorum.  In meetings of Staff Council, a majority of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum.

 

 

Article IV - Elections

 

Section 1.  Election of officers and representatives shall take place during college business hours on Monday, Tuesday and until noon Wednesday of the week following the April Staff Assembly meeting.

 

Section 2.  All Staff Assembly members are eligible to vote in the election and make nominations for Chair, Advisory Council of Classified Staff Representative, and Board of Governors Representative, and to vote for all ten sector representatives.

 

Section 3.  Nominations shall be accepted by the election committee during the five working days prior to the April meeting of Staff Assembly.  Signed written nominations may be submitted to the election committee either in person or via electronic mail. Written and e-mail nominations close one hour prior to the scheduled start of the Staff Assembly meeting.

 

Section 4.  Nominations may also be made from the floor during the April meeting of Staff Assembly.  Nominations from the floor will close as moved.

 

Section 5.  Absentee balloting, off-campus balloting and after hours balloting will be provided as outlined in Staff Council Election Procedures.

 

Section 6.  The vote required for election of the office of Chair shall be a majority of the members voting.  If no nominee receives a majority, then a run-off election shall be held involving the two nominees with the highest number of votes.  The vote required for election of the other officers and representatives shall be a plurality of the members voting.

 

 

Article V - Annual Report

 

Staff Council will be responsible for the publication of a brief annual report.  This report will be presented to Staff Assembly at the October Staff Assembly meeting.  Copies of this report will be sent to the campus president, the chairpersons of other campus governance groups, and others as determined by Staff Council.  The report will be bound along with minutes of that year's Staff Assembly and Staff Council meetings and placed on file in the campus library.

 

 

Article VI - Amendments

 

Section 1.  Amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws may be proposed at any meeting of Staff Assembly.  Amendments may be proposed by Staff Council (with signatures of a majority of the council) or by any Staff Assembly member (with signatures of at least fifteen Staff Assembly members).

 

Section 2.  Proposed amendments will be placed on a ballot, and voting will take place during the week following the week of the Staff Assembly meeting.

 

Section 3.  Proposed amendments will become part of the Constitution or By-Laws after having been approved by a two-thirds majority of those voting on the amendment.

 


Article VII - Committees

 

Section 1.  Existing committees and chairs will be appointed by Staff Council Chair with Staff Council confirmation.  Additional committees shall be appointed at the request of Staff Council by Staff Council Chair with Staff Council confirmation.

 

Section 2.  The election committee will consist of three classified or non-classified staff members.  The election committee will be formed by the solicitation of nominations by area representatives.   At the September meeting the nominations will be presented to the Staff Council for vote with the top three being named to the election committee for the year. While serving on the election committee a classified staff member will be ineligible to run for elected Staff Council office or area representative.

 

Article VIII - Parliamentary Authority

 

In all matters not covered by the Constitution or By-Laws, the

West Virginia University at Parkersburg Staff Assembly and Staff Council shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order.