Bylaws of the Staff Council
of the University of Georgia

SECTION 1 NAME

The name of the body hereby constituted will be the Staff Council.

SECTION 2 RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS

The Staff Council will participate in the process of University governance by advising the President of the University and by recommending to and consulting with the University Council in the establishment of rules and regulations deemed necessary or proper for the promotion of the general welfare of the University.  The Staff Council will elect eight staff members to serve staggered three-year terms on the University Council.  The Staff Council President will serve as an ex officio member of University Council.

The Staff Council will formulate and recommend to the President of the University and the University Council policies and procedures related but not exclusive to classified personnel.

The Staff Council will provide procedural guidelines to the unit level staff representative groups. These groups will strive to address issues of a local nature at the School, College and Vice Presidential levels and forward to the Staff Council those issues which cannot be resolved.

The Staff Council will develop and maintain a university-wide communications network to provide for efficient transmission of information to all staff members concerning the business conducted by the Staff Council.

SECTION 3 MEMBERSHIP OF THE STAFF COUNCIL

I. Members

The voting membership of the Staff Council will be elected by and from the classified personnel, as defined in the Policies of the Board of Regents (Policies, 801.02), and other regular nonfaculty status employees.  If the representatives to University Council who are elected by Staff Council come from classified staff at large instead of the Staff Council itself, those representatives will serve as nonvoting ex officio members of the Staff Council and must attend Staff Council meetings.  University Council representatives who also serve as Staff Council representatives from a School, College, or Vice Presidential area will retain full voting rights.

II. Election of Members

            A. Each Vice Presidential area, College, and School will elect by secret ballot at least one member to the Staff Council.  In areas that have over 250 eligible staff members additional Staff Council members will be elected at the ratio of one  representative for each increment of 250 eligible staff members. See Table 1. The apportionment for membership is appended to these Bylaws as Table 2.

            B. The number of representatives will be computed every five  years, or as deemed necessary by the Staff Council, using the employment statistics effective January 1 of that calendar year. The reapportionment will take place with the next election of the Staff Council members such that the revised numbers will be seated in the June meeting of the Staff Council. Statistics will be kept annually by the Vice President of Staff Council.

            C. Members will be elected by and from the staff members. The election within each Vice Presidential area, College, and School will be in accordance with Section 7 of the Bylaws of the Staff Council of the University of Georgia, “Procedural Guidelines for the Unit Level Staff Representative Groups.”

            D. Election to the Staff Council will be for a term  of two years in length.  Areas with more than one representative will elect representatives to staggered terms and will give term expiration dates to the UGASC Coordinator.  There will be no limitations on reelection; however, areas must provide a list of candidates and election results so that Staff Council may verify that elections have taken place.
            E. New members to the Staff Council will be seated at the June meeting each year and will be introduced by the representatives they are replacing. Outgoing members will be responsible for voting on all business at this last meeting of their term.  New members will be responsible for voting for the three elected members of the Executive Committee whose terms begin on July 1.

            F. Vacancies due to death, resignation, termination, or transfer from the area represented will be filled by election by and from the staff members from the area concerned.

SECTION 4 OFFICERS OF THE STAFF COUNCIL

I. Officers and Duties

            A. President - The President will be responsible for conducting all Staff Council meetings and will serve as the head of the Executive Committee. The President will be elected by and from the Staff Council for a one-year term of office and is eligible for re-election. The nominee must have previously served on the Staff Council for at least one year. Once elected, the President no longer represents the home unit but the entire Staff Council; therefore, the home unit must elect a representative to replace the President.  The President will represent staff as a voting member of University Council and University Council’s Executive Committee.  The President will also serve on the boards of The Arch Foundation, the Alumni Association, and the Advisory Board of the University Employees’ Credit Union.  The President will not serve more than three consecutive years.  A past President who has served three consecutive years may run for that office again after a break in service of at least one year.
            B. Vice President - The Vice President will assist the President and perform the duties of the President in his/her absence. The Vice President will serve as a member of the Executive Committee. The Vice President will be elected by and from the Staff Council to a one-year term of office and is eligible for re-election.  The Vice President will be responsible for an annual census of staff statistics as required in Section 3, II., B.

            C. Coordinator- The Coordinator will be responsible for maintaining records, reserving meeting places, and distributing information within the Staff Council. The Coordinator may be any classified employee, as defined in the Policies of the Board of Regents, or other regular non-faculty status employee, and can be recruited from the campus-wide staff members. The Coordinator will be responsible for the recording and expenditure of such funds as may be allocated for the conduct of council business. The Coordinator will be responsible for any financial reports concerning council expenditures that are required. The Coordinator will be elected by the Staff Council to a one-year term of office. If the Coordinator is elected from outside the membership of the Staff Council, he/she will become a member-at-large of the Council for the duration of his/her term of office. The Coordinator is eligible for re-election to additional terms.

            D. Recording Secretary - The Recording Secretary will record minutes at Staff Council meetings and present them for approval.  Draft minutes will be sent to representatives via e-mail within four  working days of the meeting. The Recording Secretary may be any classified employee, as defined in the Policies of the Board of Regents, or other regular non-faculty status employee, and can be recruited from the campus-wide staff members. The Recording Secretary will be elected by the Staff Council to a one-year term of office. If the Recording Secretary is elected from outside the membership of the Staff Council, he/she will become a member-at-large of the Council for the duration of his/her term of office. The Recording Secretary is eligible for re-election to additional terms.

            E. Parliamentarian - The Parliamentarian will be appointed by the President of the Staff Council for a one-year  term.  The Parliamentarian does not have to be a member of the Staff Council and can be recruited from the staff campus-wide.  The Parliamentarian should have experience with parliamentary procedure and be well versed in the Bylaws of the Staff Council.

            If chosen from the staff campus-wide, the Parliamentarian has no voting rights on the Staff Council.  If chosen from the Staff Council members, the Parliamentarian retains all voting rights.

            Parliamentary authority for the Staff Council shall be the Bylaws of the Staff Council and a published authority to be chosen by the President and Parliamentarian for use during their term of office.

II. Election of Officers

            A. The President, Vice-President, Coordinator, and Recording Secretary of the Staff Council will be elected during the February meeting of each year.  The vote for elected officers of the Executive Committee will be held at the June meeting.

            B. An announcement will be made at the December meeting that nominations for officers will be accepted and elections held at the February meeting. The Nominating Committee will announce a slate of officers. The slate shall include a short biography of each candidate and be distributed to each representative at least ten days before the February meeting.  Each nominee must consent to having his/her name placed in nomination. Each nominee will consent to answer questions placed by the body of the council and elections will immediately follow this questioning. The election will be by secret ballot.

            C. A candidate must receive a majority of the votes to be elected. In the event no candidate receives a majority, a run-off election will be held between the two  nominees receiving the most votes.

            D. New officers will begin their terms at the close of the regularly scheduled June meeting.

III. Election of representatives to University Council.

1. Nomination

Any member of the Staff Council or of the classified staff of the university may be nominated for one of eight positions on University Council.  The Nominating Committee will distribute biographical statements about the candidates to each Staff Council representative at least ten days before the February meeting. 

1. Election

Nominees must attend the February meeting and consent to answer questions placed by the body of the council.  Election by secret ballot will follow this questioning.  Separate ballots shall be distributed based upon individual committee positions, i.e., two for Parking Appeals, three for Benefits, and one each for Facilities, Libraries, Strategic Planning, and Student Affairs.  A candidate must receive a majority of votes to be elected.  In the event no candidate receives a majority, a run-off election will be held between the nominees receiving the most votes.  If a candidate is not elected to the committee position for which he/she initially runs, he/she may run for another position.  No more than two staff from any one unit or school can be elected to serve on the University Council at a given time. (The Staff Council President is excluded from this restriction.)

1. Term

University Council representatives will be elected for a three-year term.  An exception to this will be the initial elections held in February 2007, in which three representatives will be elected for a three-year term, three will be elected for a two-year term, and two will be elected for a one-year term in order to establish and maintain the system of overlapping terms required by University of Georgia Statutes governing the University Council.

1. Cause for replacement

If an elected University Council representative misses two University Council meetings or two Staff Council meetings without sending an alternate in his/her place, he/she will be considered in forfeit of the position and a special election will be held for a replacement.  The Registrar will be informed immediately following the election.

SECTION 5 STANDING COMMITTEES

I. Executive Committee

            A. Membership

            The Executive Committee will consist of the elected officers of the Staff Council and three  additional members elected by and from the Staff Council on an annual basis. No more than one  executive officer will be elected from any Vice Presidential area, College, or School. The Immediate Past President will serve in an advisory capacity for one  year.

            Voting for the three additional elected officers shall be at the June meeting in the following manner:  Each council member will vote for three candidates on three individual ballots. A majority of votes cast is required for election. The three candidates receiving the most votes (if a majority) will be elected, even if tied. If less than three receive a majority of votes cast, those receiving a majority will be elected and their names stricken from the ballot, provided they are from different V.P. units. If not, all but one must withdraw, or there must be a run-off vote among candidates from the same V.P. unit.  If only one such candidate has a majority the others must withdraw. Voting will then proceed for the remaining candidates until the required number are elected. If two candidates are tied for a single remaining position, a run-off vote will be taken.  The three elected officers will begin their duties immediately following the June meeting.

            B. Duties

            1. The Executive Committee will meet monthly throughout the year. The chairperson of each standing and ad hoc committee is invited to attend these regular monthly meetings. Additional meetings may be called by the Staff Council President. The place and time of all regularly scheduled Executive Committee meetings will be announced at each regular Staff Council meeting.

            2. The Executive Committee will be empowered to act as the executive body of the entire Staff Council in cases requiring urgent action. The Executive Committee will inform the full council of all such actions taken at the next full council meeting or by a memorandum to all the individual representatives.

            3. The Executive Committee will consider and refer to the appropriate committee any issue that affects the general welfare of the University or that concerns classified and regular non-faculty status employees.

            4. The Executive Committee will receive and prepare agenda items for the Staff Council in any of the following ways:

            a. Items received from the President of the University will be placed on the agenda.

            b. Items received from any of the standing or ad hoc committees of the Staff Council will be placed on the agenda unless the Executive Committee decides, by a majority vote, to refer the item back to committee.

            c. Items received from the duly constituted staff representative body of any unit within the University will be placed on the agenda or referred to the appropriate committee.

            d. The Executive Committee will also receive agenda items from any person or group not provided for above. If it is decided, by majority vote, that such items merit consideration, the Executive Committee will refer those items to the appropriate committee, unless unusual or urgent circumstances merit prompt presentation to the Staff Council.

            5. The Executive Committee will serve as the official liaison between the Staff Council and the President of the University.
            6. The Executive Committee will meet with the President of the University no fewer than two  times a year.

            7. The Executive Committee will recommend for the council's approval such ad hoc committees as it deems necessary.

II. Standing Committees

            A. Membership

            With the exception of the Executive Committee, standing committees will consist of at least five full members of the Staff Council, appointed by the Staff Council President.  These appointments will take place during the August meeting. The full membership of each committee will choose a Chairperson. The committee Chairperson may appoint associate members from staff at large. Associate members are full participants in the business of the committees to which they have been appointed. They are not full members of the Staff Council, but may participate freely in the presentation of committee reports to the full council.

            B. Basic Charge to Standing Committees

            1. Each committee is empowered to investigate issues in its area of responsibility for report to the Staff Council.

            2. The initial meeting of each committee will be convened  at the August meeting of the Staff Council to elect a chair. Each standing committee will meet at least once every two  months.

            3. Each committee will submit an article highlighting their activities for both the Fall and Spring issues of The Staff Voice and will present a written annual report of its activities to the Executive Committee at the June meeting for inclusion in the Archives of the Staff Council. The report will include a list of all items placed on the committee agenda and note the disposition of each. 
            4. Reports providing information and results of investigations will be submitted to the Executive Committee for inclusion on the agenda. Each committee will specifically report on the disposition of each item referred to it.

            5.  Recommendations to the Staff Council will be submitted to the Executive Committee for inclusion on the agenda.

            C. Committees

            1. Committee on Staff Needs and Concerns

            The Committee on Staff Needs and Concerns will consider all issues that concern the classified personnel and other regular non-faculty status employees and that have not been assigned to other Standing Committees or to an ad hoc committee. The Committee will formulate policies and procedures for recommendation to the Staff Council.

            2. Communications Committee

           
The Communications Committee will develop and implement, subject to approval of the Staff Council, procedures for communicating information to classified personnel concerning those matters which affect the general welfare of the entire University or which concern classified personnel and other non-faculty status employees. The Committee will also establish a mechanism for communicating the business of the Staff Council to the news media and others outside the University community. The Committee will be responsible for biannual online publication of The Staff Voice newsletter, maintaining and updating the Staff Council web site, monitoring the listservs administered by Staff Council, and responding to messages left in the Staff Council voice mail box and e-mails sent to the council web site.

            3. Health and Safety Committee

            The Health and Safety Committee will review and evaluate policies concerning  the safetyand health of University employees, and the safe utilization of University equipment and facilities. The Committee will make recommendations to the Staff Council concerning necessary changes in such policies. 
            4. Pay and Classification Committee

            The Pay and Classification Committee will examine, monitor, and discuss pay and classification issues as they pertain to staff and act as liaison between Human Resources and Staff Council (and report to the latter) on these issues.

            5. Legislative Committee

            The Legislative Committee will monitor legislation that could impact staff and disseminate information accordingly.

            D. Subcommittees

            Subcommittees can be formed by any standing committee to address a specific issue. A subcommittee can become a Standing Committee by amending these Bylaws if the subcommittee has been in working existence for more than two  years and there is evidence that the committee will be needed on an ongoing basis.

            E. Ad Hoc Committees

            Ad Hoc Committees are formed by the Staff Council to address immediate issues and are for a limited time only. As soon as the final report is presented to the Staff Council the committee has finished its charge. An Ad Hoc Committee can become a Standing Committee by amending these Bylaws if there is need for on going study of the issue for which the Ad Hoc Committee was formed.

III. Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee will be appointed and convened twice a year.  In November it will be responsible for drafting a slate of candidates for election to the offices of President, Vice-President, Coordinator, and Recording Secretary and to University Council positions in February. The Nominating Committee will call for nominations beginning in December. The Nominating Committee will complete the slate and distribute biographies of candidates to each representative at least ten  days before the February meeting.   The Nominating Committee will be convened in April for drafting a slate of candidates for the three elected officers of the Executive Committee, who will be elected at the June meeting by the Staff Council representatives for the following fiscal year.
IV. University Council Committees

1.        Membership

Staff members of University Council committees will be elected by the Staff Council with the exception of the Staff Council President’s ex officio position on the University Council Executive Committee.  Membership guidelines contained herein refer only to the staff members of the committees; full membership guidelines may be found in the Bylaws of the University Council.

            B. Committees

            1. Benefits

1. Membership

                        Three staff members elected by the Staff Council will serve three-year terms.  One of these will not be a voting member of University Council until such time as the University Council bylaws can be amended to correct the inequity between the number of staff on committees and on the University Council. 

1. Duties

                        The Benefits Committee will review and recommend policies on matters of faculty and staff concern related to faculty and staff benefits, including but not limited to leave programs, retirement programs, and health and life insurance programs. It will also review and recommend policies on matters of faculty and staff concerns related to gender and equity issues.

            2. Committee on Facilities

1. Membership

                        One staff member, elected by the Staff Council, shall serve a three-year term as a voting member.

                        b.  Duties

                        The Facilities Committee will review and evaluate policies concerning campus planning, the use of University land and facilities, and campus safety and will recommend necessary changes to the Council, the President, and appropriate offices.

            3. Faculty/Staff Parking Appeals Committee

                        a. Membership

                        Two  members will be elected by the Staff Council and shall serve staggered two-year terms that will begin in March until such time as the University Council bylaws can be amended to have the term begin at the same time as faculty members.

                        b. Duties

                        This committee will consider all appeals from faculty and staff concerning parking tickets and fines at the University of Georgia. Tie votes by the committee shall be regarded as a denial of appeal. The President of the University has delegated authority to this committee to make final institutional decisions on faculty and staff parking appeals.

            4.  Strategic Planning Committee

                        a. Membership

                        One staff member, elected by the Staff Council, shall serve a three-year term as a voting member.

                        b.  Duties

                        The Strategic Planning Committee shall advise and consult with the President and the faculty in the establishment, monitoring and revision of the Strategic Plan of the University.    The Committee shall advise and consult with the President and the faculty regarding the degree to which the budget of the University conforms with the aggregate goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan. The Committee shall forward recommendations to the University Council concerning the disposition of any Strategic Plan offered by the President to the Council for its approval.

            5.  Committee on Student Affairs

                        a.  Membership

                        One staff member, elected by the Staff Council, shall serve a three-year term as a voting member.

                        b. Duties

                        Duties of the Committee on Student Affairs are as follows:
·  To recommend to the Council rules and regulations affecting student life and activities, especially as are necessary for the proper conduct of Student Affairs.
·  To investigate and report on any student activity which the Council may wish the Committee to consider, or which the Committee itself believes worthy of consideration.
·  To serve as an appellate body advisory to the Vice President for Student Affairs for non-academic student petitions arising from concerns for which there is no other appellate body.
·  To serve as a long-range planning and advisory committee to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

6.  University Libraries Committee

                        a.  Membership

                        One staff member, elected by the Staff Council, shall serve a three-year term as a voting member.

                        b. Duties

                        The University Libraries Committee will To consider and recommend to the Council, the Director of Libraries, and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost general policies for the development and utilization of the University libraries.

V. Special Standing Committees and Appointments
A. Definition

            Any committee to which the Staff Council appoints members, but over which it has no direct authority, shall be a special standing committee. Appointments will be made by the Executive Committee.

            1. University System of Georgia Staff Council Representative and alternate (one year appointment)

            2. Liaison to the UGA Retirees Association (one year appointment)

SECTION 6 GENERAL PROCEDURES

I. Meetings

            A. Regular meetings of the Staff Council will be held monthly with the exception of July and January. The meetings of the new fiscal year will commence in August and be held at 2:00 PM on the first Wednesday of the month , unless established otherwise at the beginning of the fiscal year and announced to staff using all available communication options.

            B. Special meetings may be called in any of the following ways:

            1. By the President of the University.

            2. By the President of the Staff Council or the Vice President in the absence of the Staff Council President.

3. By majority vote of the Executive Committee.

4. By written petition, signed by ten or more Staff Council members, addressed to the Staff Council President.

            C. The Executive Committee of the Staff Council will prepare the agenda for each meeting. This agenda, together with pertinent information on items to be discussed by the Staff Council, will normally be distributed to Staff Council members at least ten days in advance of regularly scheduled meetings. Items not on the announced agenda may be added by the Executive Committee prior to the meeting, or they may be added at the meeting by a two-thirds vote of members present and voting. The Staff Council agenda will also be published in a forum widely available to the University, such as the Staff Council web page  www.uga.edu/ugasc .

            D. The order of business at regular meetings of the Staff Council will be as follows:

            1. The presentation of the minutes of the last meeting of the Council, their corrections, if any, and their adoption.

            2. Reports of standing committees and discussion thereof.

            3. Reports of special committees and discussion thereof.

            4. Reports of the President.

            5. Old business.

            6. New business.

            7. Adjournment.

            E. A  simple majority of the voting members of the Staff Council will constitute a quorum. Motions may be passed by a majority of those present and voting. The Staff Council may not conduct normal business if a quorum is called and found lacking.

            F. A council member who is unable to attend a meeting should appoint an alternate. An alternate may enter into discussion and vote after registering with the Secretary prior to the meeting. No person can represent more than one member at a meeting.

            G. Nonmembers are welcome to attend all Staff Council meetings. Nonmembers who wish to address the Council will request permission to do so from the Executive Committee prior to the meeting, or from the presiding officer during the meeting. Any Council member may move that a nonmember be allowed to speak.

            H. Approved copies of the minutes of each meeting will be posted to the Staff Council web page and the posting announced on ugasc and ugastaff listservs by the webmaster, the chair of the Communications Committee, or an appropriate appointee.

            I. Parliamentary authority for the staff council shall be the Bylaws of the Staff Council and a published authority to be chosen by the President and Parliamentarian for use during their term of office.

II. Amendments to the Bylaws

The Staff Council will have the power to amend its bylaws providing that such amendments be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at two successive meetings of the Council. Proposed Amendments to the Bylaws will be presented in writing, and should be provided to the voting members of Staff Council ten days before meeting date. Vote
will be taken by paper ballot, results to be announced no later than the following week.

SECTION 7 PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR THE UNIT LEVEL STAFF REPRESENTATIVE GROUPS

I. A unit level Staff Representative Group (SRG) is defined as the group that directly elects a member to the Staff Council. Thus a unit may be at the Vice Presidential, College, or School level.

II. In areas where there are a large number of employees in the unit further subdivision may be necessary. In many cases this can be most easily accomplished along divisional lines, common work area or responsibilities, or by building.

III. All representatives to the unit level Staff Representative Group will be elected by and from the staff members of the unit.  These elections will be according to the SRG bylaws.

IV. The unit level representative to the Staff Council will make the minutes of the Staff Council meetings available to their unit level Staff Representative Groups.

V. Unit level Staff Representative Groups should meet as often as necessary to conduct the business of that unit. These meetings should be scheduled between regularly scheduled Staff Council meetings. This allows items discussed at the unit level to be formalized and submitted to the Executive Committee of the Staff Council for assignment to the appropriate committee or
inclusion on the next agenda.

VI. Election of members to the Staff Council will take place at the meeting preceding the June Staff Council meeting.  The presiding officer or representative of each unit level Staff Representative Group will report the name(s) of newly elected members of the Staff Council as well as the name(s) of members being replaced to the Coordinator of the Staff Council prior to the Council's June meeting.

It is up to the SRG to decide appropriate action when notified by the Secretary of the Staff Council that their representative has missed two Staff Council meetings within the fiscal year (note: having an alternate attend is NOT considered a missed meeting).

VII. Staff members have the right to present issues to a unit level Staff Representative Group to which they are not organizationally assigned but are physically assigned, e.g., building custodians.

VIII. Unit level Staff Representative Groups are encouraged to write formal bylaws. At a minimum, these bylaws should include election procedures. In case of conflict between unit level Staff Representative Group and Staff Council Bylaws, the Staff Council Bylaws shall take precedence.

APPENDIX  

Table 1. Calculation of the number of elected representatives.

Table 2. Apportionment (using 2002 census data) Needs updating