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 ARTICLE I. - NAME

The name of the organization shall be Staff Council.

 ARTICLE II. - PURPOSE

Staff Council serves as the official university liaison between staff and other university constituencies, and is a recognized part of the official university governance process. Staff Council provides a visible and proactive voice on issues having significant staff impact. To that end, the purpose of the council is as follows:

• to represent the concerns of staff and to provide a forum for staff to voice those concerns
• to facilitate shared governance for staff in university planning and decision making
• to preserve the Catholic, Vincentian and urban nature of the university community by being sensitive to and caring for the needs of each other and those we serve.

ARTICLE III. – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The Council shall be comprised of 24 elected members with an ideal composition of 12 exempt and 12 non-exempt staff. The council shall also have up to six alternates. If there are fewer than the number needed to bring the Council to its full complement, then the duly elected members shall constitute the Council.

Section 2. Eligibility for membership on the Council shall be restricted to those persons employed full-time or part-time by the university in a staff position. The term "staff” refers to all employees holding positions below the vice-presidential level, excluding students, members of the faculty and deans.

Section 3. There shall be no ex-officio members on the council.

ARTICLE IV. – OFFICERS

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

Section 2. Officers shall be elected by secret ballot at the June meeting.

Section 3. Each elected officer shall serve for a term of two years and one month until the conclusion of the June meeting at which new officers are elected. Officers elected with one year remaining on their Staff Council term need not run for re-election to Staff Council until the conclusion of their term as officer.

ARTICLE V. - STAFF COUNCIL COMMITTEES

Section 1. The Council is empowered to establish committees of the Staff Council. Only council members and alternates are eligible to serve on Staff Council standing committees.

Section 2. All council members are required to serve on at least one Staff Council standing committee.

Section 3. Ad hoc committees shall be formed when deemed necessary by the Council.

 ARTICLE VI. - MEETINGS

Section 1. The Council shall meet each month, during regular business hours, at a date and time to be determined by the council. Meetings shall alternate between campuses, whenever possible. All meetings shall be open to all staff members, except for special Executive Sessions.

Section 2. Decisions on non-constitutional issues shall be decided by a majority vote of the council members present at a meeting, provided a quorum exists. Proxy voting, with the exception of the election of officers, is not permitted.

Section 3. Special meetings may be called by a positive majority of the entire council membership, or the President, with notice to all council members in advance of the special meeting. If voting is to occur at this meeting, an officer must be present.

Section 1. The Council shall regularly send a summary of its actions to each university staff member.

Section 2. At the request of a two-thirds majority of the council members, any matter will be submitted to the staff-at-large for consideration.

Section 3. Staff Council shall review all new and revised university policies that have significant staff impact, pursuant to the guidelines outlined in Article VII, Sec.4, Part A of the Bylaws.

 Section 4. The Council officers shall meet regularly with the Executive Vice-President for Operations and/or the President of the university, where they will be informed of important upcoming university issues.

Section 5. Recommendations of the Council shall be forwarded to the Executive Vice-President for Operations, when appropriate.

Section 1. The Constitution shall be amended at a regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the council by a vote of two-thirds of the council membership present in favor of the proposed amendment or repeal.

Section 2. The Bylaws shall be amended at a regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the council by a majority vote of the council membership present in favor of the proposed amendment or repeal.

Section 3. Proposed amendments and repeals shall be circulated in writing to the entire council membership at the regularly scheduled monthly council meeting and shall be voted on at the next regularly scheduled monthly council meeting.

Section 4. In order to take effect, all amendments must be approved by the president of the university.

ARTICLE IX. – RATIFICATION

Ratification of this Constitution and Bylaws requires a two-thirds majority vote of the Staff Council and the approval of the President.

The Constitution was revised 18 June 2003, 21 Feb 2005, and 21 Dec 2005. Draft revisions were approved by Council 20 Apr 2005.

STAFF COUNCIL BYLAWS

The Staff Council Bylaws give further specification of the day-to-day operations of Staff Council in line with the provisions set forth in the Staff Council Constitution.

Section 1. Terms

Council members shall be elected to serve a two-year term, except in the case of officers who shall serve terms of two years and one month. Terms shall commence as of the May Staff Council meeting.

Section 2. Roles and Responsibilities

Council members are expected to adhere to the following roles and responsibilities:

• Represent the Council and advocate for all staff.
• Actively preserve and foster the personalism intrinsic to the mission of the university by manifesting an ongoing sensitivity to all staff, faculty, students, and administrators and to assist, in any way possible, in promoting the mission of the university.
• Become informed and demonstrate vigilance on current university issues, especially those relating to staff. Relay appropriate information to associates, solicit input and feedback from colleagues, and share knowledge with the appropriate members of the council.
• Attend and participate in the regular Staff Council meetings, and encourage colleagues to attend. Inform colleagues of significant university issues that are discussed in council meetings.
• Serve on one of Staff Council’s standing committees or task forces. This includes regularly meeting with the other members of the committee in person, through e-mail, and/or conference call/telephone.
• Actively participate in Staff Council promoted or sponsored activities and events. This includes providing input and/or assistance in the planning of the event, attending the event, and, if appropriate, facilitating or coordinating the event.
• Serve on one or more university-wide committees, if appointed by Staff Council, and represent the Council by attending and actively participating in these committees as an advocate for staff, keep the Steering Committee apprised of status, and provide appropriate feedback to the Council when necessary.
• Serve on ad hoc council committees, if appointed.
• Maintain a professional code of personal conduct, behavior, and demeanor when representing the Council. Preserve the confidentiality of council discussions, where appropriate.

Section 3. Status of Membership

A member may have his/her Staff Council membership status questioned after repeated or flagrant violations of the code of conduct outlined in Section 2 of this Article, with the potential result being loss of membership.

Part A. Prior to membership loss:

• The Vice-President, with the consent of the Steering Committee, will serve written notification to the council member and his/her committee chair that the membership status is in jeopardy, outlining the reasons for the notice.
• The member will have one week to respond, in writing, with reasons as to why he/she should be allowed to remain on the Council.
• The Steering Committee will evaluate the request to remain and make a decision regarding termination.

Part B. Should the council member fail to respond within the week, or should the petition to remain be denied, the Vice-President will serve written notification to that person and that person’s supervisor stating that he/she is no longer on Council.

Part C. The alternate next in line to become a voting member would be chosen to serve as a voting council member.

Section 4. Alternates

Alternates shall be designated following the general election and seating of the Council The alternate with the greatest number of votes in the general election shall be designated the “first alternate,” the alternate with the second greatest number of votes shall be designated the “second alternate,” etc. Alternates are expected to maintain the code of conduct outlined in Section 2 of this Article, and to participate actively in the Council, but shall not have voting privileges at council meetings. Alternates from the previous year would receive the ranking of “first alternate”, etc, over newly elected alternates.

Section 5. Resignation of a Member

When resigning from Staff Council, a council member must state his/her intentions in writing to the president. Upon receipt of this notification, the first alternate having the same personnel classification as the departing council member shall immediately, or on the date specified in the resignation notice, become a full member for the remainder of his/her term. In the event there is not an alternate of the same classification, the first alternate of the other classification shall become a full member for the remainder of his/her term.

Should the resigning member be a chair of a standing committee, the Steering committee will solicit volunteers from the remaining members of the committee, and will appoint a new chair from that committee who will assume the duties of the resigning chair for the duration of the former chair’s term, or the duration of the new chair’s term, whichever comes first.

Section 6. Change of Classification during Staff Council Term

If a member's classification (exempt/non-exempt) changes during his/her term on Staff Council, that representative shall serve out his/her term. Any imbalance created in exempt/non-exempt membership will be corrected at the next election.

Section 1. Eligibility

To serve as President, a member must have served on the Council for at least two years or have served at least one full year as a chair of a standing committee. To serve as Vice-President or Secretary, a member must have served at least one full year on the Council. Past council experience is to be considered when determining eligibility for office.

Section 2. Nomination

Candidates for officer positions will be nominated no less than two weeks prior to the June meeting. Council members may nominate themselves or receive a nomination from another full council member. In the event a council member is nominated by someone other than him/herself, this nomination must be accepted by the nominee before being considered a candidate. Due to workload expectations, supervisor approval must be obtained before seeking office.

Section 3. Election of Officers

• Two election judges (council members who do not sit on the Steering Committee), preferably alternates, will volunteer at the May orientation to oversee the election. Their responsibilities will include receiving proxy votes, counting ballots and announcing election results.
• Where there is more than one candidate, a simple majority will be required. In the event of a tie, the candidates will each be given the opportunity to address all council members and a second vote will be taken.
• The Vice-President will not vote for President, but instead will cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie between candidates after the second ballot.
• In the event of a tie in the Vice-President or Secretary elections, the candidates will each be given the opportunity to address all council members and a second vote will be taken. In the event a tie remains, the Steering Committee will go into emergency session to select the officer.
• The results of the election shall be announced at the June meeting.
• Council members who are unable to be present for the vote may send their ballots in a sealed envelope to either election judge. The proxy votes will be opened and counted with the other ballots accordingly. In the event of a second secret ballot, the proxy votes will again be counted.
• At the moment of their election, the newly elected officers may begin acting in that role. However, the former officers should assist in facilitating the balance of the June meeting, if so desired by the new officers.

Section 4. Duties of Officers

The duties of the President shall include but not be limited to:

• Presiding over full meetings of the Council;
• Calling special meetings of the Council when required;
• Serving as liaison and report official actions of the Council to the Executive Vice-President for Operations and the President of the university;
• Serving as the council representative to designated university governance committees;
• Serving as the contact with organizations outside the university;
• Serving as the primary contact and liaison for communicating with the University community;
• Delegating responsibilities to other officers, steering committee members, or other council members as appropriate.

The duties of the Vice-President shall include but not be limited to:

• Presiding over full meetings of the Council in the absence of the President;
• Serving as the council representative to designated university governance committees in the absence of the President;
• Serving as the liaison between Staff Council and Faculty Council;
• Monitoring membership attendance and committee work;
• Approving budget disbursements and maintain budget records;
• Coordinating all council elections;
• Ensuring that the actions of the Council are in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws.

The duties of the Secretary shall include but not be limited to:

• Presiding over full meetings of Council in the absence of the President and Vice-President;
• Maintaining responsibility for recording minutes of the council meetings;
• Coordinating the distribution of minutes to council members;
• Maintaining responsibility for submitting approved minutes to the Library archives;
• Maintaining responsibility for taking attendance at council meetings, and maintaining an updated attendance spreadsheet;
• Distributing necessary election materials;
• Maintaining updated contact and departmental information for council members;
• Maintaining and updating the Constitution and Bylaws as needed.

Section 5. Vacancies

Part A. Vacancy for the Secretary will be filled for the balance of the term by any full Staff Council member chosen by a majority vote of all members of Staff Council at the meeting immediately following the notice of resignation.

Part B. In the event that the Vice-Presidency is vacated, the Secretary will have the option of assuming the Vice-President’s role for the remainder of the Vice-President’s term. Should the Secretary choose to assume the Vice-President’s office, a new Secretary would then be chosen by a majority vote of all council Members. Otherwise, a new special election for Vice-President should be held.

Part C. In the event that the Presidency is vacated, the Vice-President will assume the President’s role for the remainder of the President’s term. The Secretary will have the option of assuming the role of Vice-President. Should the Secretary choose to assume the Vice-President’s office, a new Secretary would then be chosen by a majority vote of all council members. Otherwise, a new special election for Vice-President should be held.

 Section 6. Procedure for Removal of an Officer

An officer may have his/her qualifications for office questioned after repeated or flagrant neglecting of the duties and responsibilities of office as described in Article II, Section 4 of the Bylaws, with the result being possible removal from office.

Part A. Prior to removal:

• The Chair of the Effectiveness Committee, with the consent of the Steering Committee, will serve written notification to the officer that his/her qualifications for office have been challenged, outlining the reasons for the challenge.
• The officer will have one week to respond, in writing, with reasons as to why he/she should be allowed to retain his/her office.
• The Steering Committee minus the officer being challenged will evaluate the request to remain and make a recommendation to the full council regarding removal.
• At the next council meeting, the Chair of the Effectiveness Committee will present to the full council, minus the officer being challenged, the notice of challenge, the officer’s reply, and the recommendation of the Steering Committee.
• Council will then discuss the issue and vote by secret ballot with a two-thirds majority being required to remove an officer. The Chair of the Effectiveness Committee will serve as election judge.

Part B. Should the officer fail to respond within the week, the Chair of the Effectiveness Committee will present to the full council the notice of challenge and the recommendation of the Steering Committee, noting the lack of reply from the officer. The Council will then discuss the issue and vote by secret ballot with a two-thirds majority being required to remove an officer. The Chair of the Effectiveness Committee will serve as election judge.

Part C. An officer removed from office will rejoin the Council, retaining the privileges of a full voting member.

Part D. The resulting vacancy will be filled pursuant to the procedures outlined in Article II, Section 5 of the Bylaws.

ARTICLE III. - STAFF COUNCIL COMMITTEES

Section 1. Steering Committee

1. The Steering Committee is composed of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and the chairs of the standing committees and shall be chaired by the President of the Council.
2. The Steering Committee will meet prior to the monthly Staff Council meeting to set the agenda. The calendar of Steering Committee meetings, agendas and minutes will be communicated to the full council in a timely manner.
3. The Steering Committee shall encourage and recruit qualified staff to run for Staff Council by:
1. Promoting a diverse candidate pool that represents a variety of areas in the university community.
2. Contacting all candidates who have submitted petitions prior to the election, and their supervisors, to reiterate council responsibilities and activities.

Section 2. Standing Committees

These committees will receive and consider proposals in their area of responsibility from the Council. They shall meet regularly and maintain contact with the appropriate established committees, groups and university constituencies.

The Standing Committees shall be as follows:

 Budget Advisory –acts as an advising committee to the President of Staff Council as he/she participates in the University budget planning process. The Committee provides feedback to both the administration of the university and the President of Staff Council during this process. The Committee also communicates regularly with Staff Council members to keep them up to date on the budget process and notifies them of issues of importance effecting the staff and the university.

Communications – manages the Council’s internal and external communication initiatives, oversees the Voice of Staff process, and develops appropriate communication strategies to enable the council to work with its various university constituencies.

Diversity – Advises and collaborates with key university departments, such as, University Mission & Values and the Office of Institutional Diversity on topics related to staff diversity, inclusion, culture and environment..

Effectiveness – evaluates and recommends ways to make the council more effective, both in its internal functioning, as well as in its impact on the university at-large.

Membership and Events - Coordinates the logistics of all council meetings, events and recruitment.

Staff Resources –serves as a liaison between the staff members of the university and all employment-related issues, including but not limited to benefits and compensation, public safety, and recruiting.

Section 3. University-Wide Committees

The Steering Committee shall be responsible for coordinating the appointment of staff representatives to all university committees of concern to staff and/or pertaining to university policies. Appointment to university-wide committees will be done in accordance with the procedure outlined in Article VIII Section 3, University-Wide Committee Appointments. The Effectiveness Committee shall maintain a list of all university and council committees with staff representation.

ARTICLE IV. – ELECTIONS

Section 1. Membership Elections

New council members and alternates shall be selected annually in a general election. The number of exempt and non-exempt members to be elected will be determined by the respective number of vacancies in the Council at the time of the election. A council member may run for re-election at the end of their two-year term in the general election.

Section 2. Election Procedures

The Vice-President and the Secretary shall be responsible for conducting the annual Staff Council elections and communicating the results to the electorate. The Secretary shall send an election petition form to all eligible staff members no later than the beginning of Spring Quarter. A candidate's name shall be placed on the ballot upon the submission of a petition containing the signatures of ten staff members who are below the vice-presidential level, along with an endorsement from one’s supervisor. Completed petitions shall be returned to the designated Staff Council member(s) no later than April 1. If April 1 shall fall on a Saturday or Sunday, completed petitions and biographies shall be due the preceding Friday.

Section 3. Voting Procedures

1. All full-time and part-time staff members below vice-presidential level will be allowed to vote. No more than one vote shall be cast per candidate per ballot.
2. Staff members may vote for any candidate on the ballot regardless of their, or the candidate's personnel classification as exempt, or non-exempt.
3. Ballots shall be distributed April 15. If April 15 shall fall on a Saturday or Sunday, ballots shall be distributed on the preceding Friday.
4. Ballots shall be returned no later than May 1. If May 1 shall fall on a Saturday or Sunday, ballots shall be due the preceding Friday.
5. Written notification of the election results shall be communicated to the electorate by May 15. If May 15 shall fall on a Saturday or Sunday, notification will be sent out by the preceding Friday.

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS

Section 1. In order to conduct an official meeting there must be a quorum, defined as a positive majority of the council membership and the presence of at least one officer.

Section 2. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern council meetings.

Section 3. Regular council members may vote at council meetings. Alternates may not vote. If an officer decides to leave the Council at the end of their term, they may vote at their last month’s meeting.

ARTICLE VI. – FINANCES

Section 1. The Council shall be provided with adequate funds from the university for the effective operation of the council.

Section 2. The Vice-President in cooperation with the Steering Committee shall prepare the council budget.

Section 3. The Council shall submit an annual budget to the Executive Vice-President for Operations.

Section 4. The Council shall stay within its established budget.

ARTICLE VII – COUNCIL PROCEDURES

Section 1. Criteria for Determining Level of Staff Council Support or Sponsorship of

University or External Events

Part A. Staff Council will consider sponsoring or supporting projects or events that directly reflect its primary mission, purpose, and goals.

The goals and purposes of the Council as related to special events or projects are as follows:

• To represent the concerns of the staff and to provide a forum for staff to voice those concerns;
• To maintain communication with, and/or serve as a liaison between, staff, students, faculty and administration;
• To preserve the personalism of the university community by being sensitive to and caring for the needs of each other and those we serve;
• To build a sense of community within the DePaul environment;
• To promote the university mission.

Staff Council’s support or sponsorship of an event means that the Council believes that the event merits the attention of the university community. The Council is willing to attach its name to the event as a sign of its belief in its importance. The Council will assist in promoting the event and will encourage its members to participate.

Part B. Wh en considering sponsorship of an event, Staff Council should determine the event’s level of connectedness to each of the above five goals. To make this determination, the following scale is to be used:

1 point: mild connection to purpose/goal

2 points: moderate connection to purpose/goal

3 points: significant connection to purpose/goal

The five ratings are the summed to create a total score for the event. With the assistance of the ranges below, Staff Council would then be able to offer a recommendation regarding its sponsorship of an event.

This point system is only a guide. The Council can still discuss and vote to make a determination.

Part C. Requests for Staff Council support or sponsorship should be submitted well in advance of the event so that the full Council can make a reasoned decision about possible involvement. Financial assistance may be provided for an event or project the Council wishes to sponsor, if funds are available in the budget.

Part D. If time does not allow for a complete review by the full Council, then the Steering Committee, and if necessary, the President, can make the determination as to whether the Council will be a sponsor, a supporter, or neither. In these cases, the point system should be used as a guide, and a rationale for the decision must be provided to the full Council.

Section 2. Standing Committee Assignments

Part A. As stated in Article IV, Section 2 of the Staff Council Constitution, all council members are required to serve on at least one of Staff Council’s standing committees. To try and best match member interests with committee assignments, as well as to determine committee chairs, Staff Council will use the following steps to determine committee assignments. Election for officers will be conducted in advance of the election for committee chairs so that individuals not elected to an officer role may have an opportunity to serve as a committee chair. Members who are considering a run for an Officer position but would like to serve as a chair should they not be elected should indicate this on the preference form at the May meeting and should submit a brief statement on why they would like to be chair prior to the June meeting.

1. At the May meeting, council members will identify their preferences for committee membership, in writing. Also at this time, members will indicate whether or not they would like to chair any particular committee.
2. The Secretary will collect these preference forms to share with the Steering Committee at their next meeting.
3. Steering will form the committees trying to best match members’ preferences to committee assignments. Steering will also make note of those interested in chairing the committee to which they were assigned.
4. At least one week prior to the June meeting, those council members interested in being committee chairs will be asked to write a brief statement on how they would best serve the council as a committee chair and member of the steering committee.
5. At the June meeting, the President will announce the standing committee assignments to the full Council. In addition, candidates for committee chairs will present their position statements to the full Council.
6. After the presentations, the full Council will vote by secret ballot for the chairs for each committee. The President’s vote will be held to the side until the votes are tallied. Should a tie-breaking vote be required, the President’s ballot will be used. This process will be kept confidential by the election judges and only the final vote will be communicated to the Council.
7. The election judges will tally the votes and announce the new Steering Committee. If for any reason a chair position is not filled during the election process (e.g., lack of expressed interest), the newly formed committee will select a chair during the June meeting.

Part B. Members are assigned to committees for the year spanning June to May. Typically, except under extraordinary circumstances, members will not be allowed to change committees. Should a member seek a change to his/her committee assignment, the two committee chairs involved should discuss the situation, recommend a solution, and bring it to the President, who will in turn inform the Steering Committee. An announcement is then to be made to the full Council regarding the change in committee assignment.

Part C. A member can serve on two or more standing committees, should he/she wish. However, the service on a second committee should not be to the detriment of one’s service on the first. Also, such a situation must be agreeable to the relevant committee chairs.

Section 3. University-Wide Committee Appointments

As one of several elected councils charged with university governance, Staff Council is frequently called upon to appoint and/or recommend Staff Council members and staff-at-large to serve on university-wide committees.

To encourage broader participation by all Staff Council members and staff-at-large in these initiatives, Staff Council will use the following steps to recruit and select candidates.

Part A. On-Going Activities

• Every six months (May/November) Staff Council will send an email message to all full- and part-time staff regarding University-wide committee service. At that time, staff who wished to be considered for University-wide committees will be asked to respond to the email, indicating their interest.
• Responsibility for sending the email will reside with the Effectiveness Committee of Staff Council in coordination with the rest of the Steering Committee.
• The Effectiveness Committee will create and maintain the database of interested individuals, including names, positions, and areas of interest.

Part B. Requests for Participation

When requests for appointments to committees are brought to Staff Council, an email will be sent to all Staff Council members and all staff in the database. The email will:

• Explain the charge of the committee, giving any known criteria on time-commitment, length of service, frequency of meetings, and other critical information.
• Request a written response from anyone wishing to serve on the committee. This response should include a rationale for why the staff member wishes to serve along with any relative expertise or background that would be helpful to the charge of the committee.
• Indicate a time frame for response and selection (i.e. within 24 hours).

Part C. Review and Selection Process

• Responses of interested staff will be coordinated by the Chair of the Effectiveness Committee.
• Responses will be distributed to the Steering Committee of Staff Council for review and vetting. The Steering committee will consider ALL responses.
• First consideration for service will be given to interested Staff Council members. However, the Steering Committee will keep in mind current service of Staff Council members on University-wide committees and/or searches and will make every attempt to evenly distribute appointments among Council members.
• The Steering Committee will make a final recommendation for the appointment. This recommendation, including a rationale, will be sent via email by the Chair of the Effectiveness Committee to the full Council for comment. Council members will be given a time frame in which to comment and/or express objection (ideally one business day). Comments and objections should be sent to the Chair of the Effectiveness Committee only. Note: If the Steering Committee is unable to reach consensus on a recommendation, the procedures entitled “Objections to Recommendations” will be followed.
• If no objections are raised, the recommendation will stand and will be forwarded to the appropriate contacts and will be added to the Staff Council University-wide Committees Listing. Appointees will be asked to refer to the Guidelines for Serving on University-Wide Committees (attached).

Part D. Objections to Recommendations

• If there is an objection to the recommendation, or if the Steering Committee cannot reach consensus on a recommendation, the responses of the final group of interested candidates will be forwarded to all Staff Council members. Members will read and then nominate a candidate. Nominations will be coordinated by the Chair of the Effectiveness Committee. The final nominations (up to three) will then be brought before the full Council for a vote. The candidate receiving the most votes will receive the nomination.
• This process will conducted via email unless time permits for this to be done a monthly Council meeting.
• The process will be kept confidential, and all Council members are asked to respect the privacy of nominees and to act in a professional manner.
• Members are also responsible for their own participation in the nomination and voting process, meaning members must read the supporting materials, submit nominations, vote and participate in a timely manner. Should a Council member be out of the office during this time, the vote will proceed without him/her.

Section 4. Policy/Procedure Review

Part A. Staff Council shall review all new and revised university policies and procedures that have significant staff impact.

• Upon review, Staff Council shall advise, consult with and/or provide feedback to the officer or department responsible for the policy or procedure.
• In the event that there is strong opposition to any new or revised university policies that have significant staff impact, Staff Council shall have the right to present that opposition directly to the authority responsible for said policy or procedure, as long as the policy or procedure is not directly mandated by Federal, State and Local Laws.
• Staff Council's opposition initiates a review by the appropriate Executive Vice-President. The appropriate Executive Vice-President will collaborate with Staff Council to seek a common position regarding said policy or procedure. If the Executive Vice-President for Operations or Academic Affairs cannot resolve the issues posed by Staff Council, the Council will present their views directly to the President of the university. The President, who has delegated authority from the Board of Trustees for setting university policy, will explain the final policy decisions and provide access to the reasoning underlying those decisions.
• Not withstanding the foregoing, Staff Council recognizes that the Board of Trustees has the authority to develop and implement any policy or procedure for the university. The Board of Trustees can at its discretion receive input from Staff Council on any policy and procedure it may develop. This input is forwarded to the Board on Staff Council’s behalf by the President of the University. If the Board declines to consider Staff Council’s comments there is no appeal to this decision.

Section 5. Stipend Review Process

ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENT OF THE BYLAWS

Section 1. The bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the Council.

Section 2. Proposed amendments should be presented by any member of the staff at a Staff Council meeting at least one meeting prior to the vote.

These Bylaws were drafted 21 Feb 2005, and revised 13 Sep 2005, 13 Oct 2005, and 20 Dec 2005.