University System of Georgia Staff Council Bylaws

 

Revised:  March 3, 2000

Revised:  June 15, 2001

Revised:  October 4, 2001

 

Section I:  Name

 

The name of the body hereby constituted is the University System of Georgia Staff Council (USGSC).

 

Section II:  Intent

 

The intent of the University System of Georgia Staff Council is to advance the mission of the system as a whole and to promote and foster the welfare of system staff, in non-collective bargaining issues, through the combined creativity of staff representatives from system institutions.

 

Section III:  Responsibilities and Functions

 

The USGSC will participate in the process of University System of Georgia governance by advising, recommending, and consulting with the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee(s) concerning the establishment of rules and regulations deemed necessary or proper for the promotion of the general welfare of the University System of Georgia.

 

The USGSC will formulate and recommend to the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee(s) University System of Georgia policies and procedures related to but not exclusive to system staff.

 

The USGSC will develop procedural guidelines to system institutions relevant to the formulation of staff representative bodies.  These bodies will strive to address issues of a local nature and forward to the USGSC issues of system-wide concern.

 

The USGSC will develop and maintain a system-wide communications network to provide for efficient transmission of relevant information to system staff.

 

All USGSC business will be decided by a simple majority vote of staff representatives from system staff institution bodies participating in USGSC.

 

Section IV:  Membership

 

Membership of the USGSC will be comprised of two non-faculty status representatives (one voting member, one alternate) from each system institution participating plus the USGSC elected officers.  Each representative who serves on USGSC will be selected by the individual system institution, preferably from the system institution’s staff body.  USGSC elected officers are not required to be the representatives of their institution but will have voting privileges.

 

An institutional membership contribution of $25 has been established and will be payable by August 1 each fiscal year.  For those institutions who are not members, the registration fee for the annual conference would be increased by $5.00 per attendee with the additional $5 going to state membership.  The monies will be collected by the host institution for the annual conference and a separate check will be issued and made payable to the institution of the treasurer.  The dues will be housed in an agency account at the institution of the treasurer and will be used for the purchase of conference expenses, stationery, postage, and miscellaneous items.

 

 

Section V:  Structure

 

  1. Officers will be Chair, Chair-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past Chair.  A position of Parliamentarian will be appointed by the chair from a list of volunteers.

 

  1. The fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) will be the business year of the USGSC.  Meetings will be held three times annually.  In those years when a statewide system staff conference is held, one of the meetings will be held before, during, or immediately after such a conference.

 

  1. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the Executive Committee or by vote of a simple majority of members.

 

Section VI:  Elections and Vacancies

 

  1. Candidates for various offices will be chosen by the Nominating Committee, consisting of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Immediate Past –Chair, and one other member from a list of volunteers.  A representative must be in good standing and have served at least one term before being eligible for office.  However, nominations of members in their first year can be made so they will have completed one year by the time they take office.

 

The chair elect will automatically become chair at the start of the next business year and does not need to be on the ballot or be nominated.

 

Elections will be held at the final regularly scheduled meeting of the business year with new officers seated immediately upon the start of the next business year.  Nominations will be allowed from the floor immediately before balloting occurs.  Two volunteers from the USGSC Nominating Committee will immediately count votes and announce the outcome.

 

  1. The candidate receiving the most votes will be considered the elected officer.

 

  1. When vacancies occur in the Executive Committee, the Chair, with majority approval of the Executive Committee, will have authority to fill such vacancies.  The Chair-Elect will succeed the Chair if the Chair must vacate the office before the regularly scheduled election.  Vacancies can be filled by any member regardless of service time.

 

Section VII:  Duties

 

  1. Chair.  The Chair will preside at all meetings and will chair the Executive Committee.  The Chair will vote on USGSC business only in the event of a tie.  The Chair is responsible for upholding Bylaws.

 

  1. Chair-Elect.  The Chair-Elect will succeed the Chair at the beginning of the next USGSC business year.  The Chair-Elect will assist the Chair and perform the duties of Chair in the Chair’s absence.  The Chair-Elect also will serve as a voting member of the Executive Committee.

 

  1. Secretary.  The Secretary will be responsible for taking minutes, maintaining records, and distributing information within the USGSC.  The Secretary will be a voting member of the Executive Committee and will chair the Publicity Committee.

 

  1. Treasurer.  The Treasurer’s position is a two-year appointment beginning July 1 of each fiscal year.  The Treasurer’s position will be part of the Executive Committee with responsibilities including:  1) reporting the status of the account at each meeting, 2) collecting voluntary institutional membership contributions, 3) housing the account at the Treasurer’s institution, 4) disbursing funds as approved by the Chair or his/her designee, and 5) providing end-of-year account status to council members at its June meeting.

 

  1. Immediate Past-Chair.  The Immediate Past-Chair will be a voting member of the USGSC Executive Committee and will be assigned pertinent duties by the Chair.

 

  1. Parliamentarian.  The Parliamentarian shall assure that proper meeting procedures are maintained and shall be on any Bylaws committee.

 

Section VIII:  Committee and Committee Structure

 

A.                 Executive Committee

a.       Membership.  The Executive Committee will consist of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Immediate Past-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and one additional member elected by and from the USGSC.  Each member will serve a one-year term of office.

b.      Duties.  The Executive Committee will be the executive body of the entire USGSC in cases requiring urgent action.  The Executive Committee will inform the full council of all such actions taken at the next quarterly meeting or by memoranda to all individual representatives.  The Executive Committee will prepare the agenda for each meeting, including any items received from the Chancellor or any system institution staff body.  The Executive Committee will also consider agenda items from any person or group not provided for above and, if decided by majority vote, will include such on a meeting agenda.

 

B.                 Public Relations Committee

a.       Membership.  The Public Relations Committee will consist of the USGSC Secretary, Treasurer and three other members elected by and from the USGSC.  The committee will be chaired by the USGSC Secretary.

b.      Duties.  The Public Relations Committee will be the communicating body of the USGSC.  It will be the charge of the committee to distribute agendas and minutes of meetings to all system institution staff bodies and to solicit newsworthy items and publish a semi-annual newsletter for distribution to system staff via the system institution staff bodies.

 

C.                 Nominating Committee

a.       Membership.  The Nominating Committee will consist of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Immediate Past-Chair, and one other member from a list of volunteer at the initial meeting each year.

b.      Duties.  The Nominating committee will be responsible each year for preparing a slate of officer candidates from members in good standing of the USGSC

 

D.                 Bylaws Committee

a.       Membership.  The Bylaws Committee will consist of the parliamentarian and two members appointed by the Executive Committee each year and will convene as deemed necessary by the USGSC.

b.      Duties.  The Bylaws Committee will be responsible for studying the suitability of drafting amendments to the USGSC Bylaws as deemed necessary by full membership of the USGSC.

 

E.                  Special Committee

Special Committees may be appointed by the Chair to accomplish business deemed necessary and appropriate to the USGSC.

 

Section IX:  Parliamentary Authority and Amendments to Bylaws

 

            The Parliamentary authority shall be Point of Order by Marjorie M. Cann

 

            Amendments to the Bylaws may be adopted by simple majority vote of voting members present at one meeting or one vote over the Listserv.