OM 2.12.0 Professional and Supervisory Staff Policies and Procedures

Article I: Name of Group

The name of this organization shall be known as Group III – Professional & Supervisory Staff at Clarkson University. Hereafter referred to as P&S Staff.

Article II: Mission/Purpose/Vision

The group shall empower every P&S Staff member to have a voice not only within the group but also within the Clarkson community.

Article III: Organizational Objectives

Section 1: Serve as a communication conduit for P&S Staff regarding University or campus community issues;

Section 2: Provide members of the Clarkson community with a perspective from the P&S Staff on campus-, community- and administrative-related issues;

Section 3: Identify and maintain an updated membership roster;

Section 4: Work with the campus community to develop, implement and further the mission of the University; and

Section 5: Assist University officials to review and adopt policies that increase the morale and visibility of P&S Staff.

Article IV: Membership

Section 1: The Human Resource Office at Clarkson University designates membership in Group III in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Section 2: Membership and participation in this organization shall be limited to full or part-time regular employees (not temporary employees), and shall adhere to the University’s policy on non-discrimination.

Section 3: The P&S Staff Council will request a current membership list as needed.

Section 4: Membership in P&S Staff will terminate when a P&S Staff person leaves the University or moves to another Clarkson group.

Section 5: There are no dues for admission or participation by those who are identified as members of the P&S Staff.

Article V: Membership Meetings

Meetings are held to discuss and identify the collective stance on an issue or concern.

Section 1: P&S Staff members are invited to attend membership meetings.

Section 2: A P&S Staff meeting will be held as needed throughout the fiscal year to report activity or hold discussion with P&S Staff.

Section 3: P&S Staff members are entitled to attend membership meetings specified in Article V, Section 2, while exercising judgment on staffing needs of their department.

Section 4: Meetings may be called by a P&S Staff member via a request to any Council member, or may be called directly by a Council member.

Section 5: Meetings will be called by a Council or P&S Staff member with a minimum of five calendar days notification and will include date, time and location of the meeting and an agenda or purpose of the meeting.

Section 6: Attendance of P&S Staff will be taken by checking off names from the most recent roster of P&S Staff membership. Section 7: An emergency meeting may be called with less than five day notice, but not with less than 48 hour notice. Ops Manual – release date 7/17 2.12(2)

Article VI: Voting at Membership Meetings

Section 1: Voting by P&S Staff members will occur at a membership or emergency meeting.

Section 2: Each P&S Staff member (except members of the Council) is entitled to one vote.

Section 3: There are no absentee ballots at membership meetings.

Section 4: Voting at membership meetings - not for the purpose of electing officers - may be determined by the Council. The outcome must be announced at the meeting where the voting takes place.

Section 5: Passage of voted issues will be determined by a majority (i.e., 50% +1) of members in attendance.

Section 6: Voting P&S Staff will be established by the most recent membership list.

Section 7: Any P&S Staff member is afforded the right to verify votes.

Section 8: Votes taken at emergency meetings must pass with approval of two-thirds (2/3) of the P&S Staff membership in attendance at the meeting.

Article VII: Spokespersons for the P&S Staff

Composition

Section 1: A Council of five P&S Staff members shall be elected by the membership to act as the voice and spokespersons on behalf of the membership and to represent the group when applicable.

Section 2: The body will be known as the P&S Staff Council.

Section 3: The Council shall be comprised of a chair, vice chair, treasurer, secretary and parliamentarian.

Term of Office

Section 1: Each Council position will have a term of two years that will run from June 1 to May 30.

Section 2: To provide continuity, the Council shall hold an election annually as follows: a Chair and Treasurer will be elected during odd years. The Vice Chair, Secretary and Parliamentarian will be elected during even years.

Section 3: A vacated and/or open Council position will be filled as soon as possible to satisfy the remainder of the term.

Council Member Duties:

(A) Chair

(B) Vice Chair

(C) Secretary

(D) Treasurer

(E) Parliamentarian

The Council Shall

Section 1: Represent P&S Staff in accordance with direction provided by the membership.

Section 2: Act on behalf of and to the benefit of P&S Staff.

Section 3: Report to the P&S Staff membership all Council activity including financial income and expenditures.

Section 4: Increase the knowledge of the membership and campus community related to the mission, vision and accomplishments of P&S Staff.

Section 5: Ensure policies and operating procedures are consistent with the vote of the membership.

Section 6: Act in accordance with the decisions made by the membership;

Section 7: Be responsible for overseeing membership involvement/participation efforts.

Section 8: Develop goals for the term of office that are consistent with the needs of the membership;

Section 9: Make committee reports to the P&S Staff in membership meetings and state the reports as an agenda item for a scheduled meeting.

Section 10: Make available meeting minutes within 10 days of a membership or Council meeting.

Section 11: Initiate a meeting in May of each year with newly elected Council members for the purpose of transition of office.

Section 12: Forward all relevant materials to a newly elected Council member so s/he can participate in a membership meeting before the end of the incumbent’s term;

Section 13: Not vote at membership meetings.

Section 14: Not receive any salary for service.

Section 15: Attend all Council and membership meetings. However, in unusual circumstances, Council members may in lieu of their presence submit written reports.

Council Meetings:

Section 1: Council members may call a Council meeting (meet among themselves) as often as they deem necessary.

Section 2: Council members must call a Council meeting if a P&S Staff person brings an issue to their attention and wishes to discuss it with the Council.

Section 3: Such a meeting must be held within 72 hours of the request unless the non- Council member agrees to a longer delay.

Section 4: The Council shall announce all Council meetings to P&S Staff members so any member can attend in a non-participatory (unless invited to speak) and non-voting capacity.

Appointment of Committees

Section 1: The Council may establish or dissolve at their discretion either standing committees (for the entire year) or special committees (for a specified project).

Section 2: Each Committee shall appoint a chair who will be confirmed by a majority vote of the Council.

Section 3: The chair or committee members may call the committee together.

Section 4: Each committee is expected to maintain a record of activity for reporting purposes.

Section 5: Members of P&S Staff may attend Committee meetings and present their views on topics under discussion.

Termination Initiated by a Council Member

A Council member may terminate his/her association with the Council by submitting a statement of resignation in writing that will be shared with the P&S Staff membership.

Dismissal of a Council Member

In a vote of no confidence, a Council member can be removed from office by the vote of the membership.

Section 1: A P&S Staff member must submit a signed, written explanation and send it to a Council member outlining the egregious or offensive behavior of another Council member.

Section 2: The Council shall review the statement and provide the plaintiff and defendant an opportunity to discuss the complaint in person and in the presence of other Council members.

Section 3: If the complaint is resolved, it is concluded at the meeting and no further action is warranted.

Section 4: If the complaint has merit, the defending Council member has an opportunity to withdraw from office, however, if the Council member chooses not to withdraw, the statement must be read at a membership meeting called for the purpose of discussing the complaint.

Section 5: A decision to remove the Council member from office will be considered vetted at a duly called emergency meeting.

Article VIII: Nominations and Elections of Council Members

Nominations

Section 1: An e-mail or paper announcement from the Parliamentarian (or the designate) may be used to initiate the nomination process and shall be offered to the P&S Staff membership during April of each year.

Section 2: The communication will record the positions open on the Council.

Section 3: Nominees must be a member of the approved P&S Staff membership list at the time of both the nomination and election.

Section 4: A P&S Staff member may nominate him/herself or be nominated by another P&S Staff member.

Section 5: Nominees must be polled by the Parliamentarian to elicit the nominee’s agreement to accept a nomination. This will occur in advance of the balloting and voting process.

Section 6: Nominees will clearly identify the position for which they desire to be a candidate.

Elections

Elections will occur in May of each year with a two week transition period for departing and newly elected Council members.

Section 1: A suitable timeframe in May shall be established by the Parliamentarian (or his/her designate) for the election process.

Section 2: During the election meeting, candidates must make an oral presentation of his/her “platform” and answer questions by the membership.

Section 3: A ballot designated for each open position to be voted upon will be made available to each voter in attendance at the meeting and as an absentee ballot to be collected in advance of the meeting.

Section 4: Voting will be done by secret ballot collected by the Parliamentarian (or a designate) who is not running for any office.

Section 5: Candidates will be elected by a majority vote of those in attendance.

Section 6: Absentee ballots may be requested from the Parliamentarian by any member unable to attend the election meeting. These returned a minimum of 48 hours prior to the election meeting.

Section 7: Absentee ballots will be opened and recorded in the count simultaneous to ballots collected during the election meeting.

Section 8: The results of the election will be announced before the election meeting is adjourned.

Section 9: In the event of an unfilled position after the election, the Council shall continue to identify potential candidate(s) from among P&S Staff and a new election will be held.

Article IX: Funds

Professional & Supervisory Staff shall be self-sustaining to support its events and activities, e.g. luncheons, professional development, community service, student support. Funds may be necessary to complete the organizational objectives. Participation in fundraising is voluntary.

Section 1: A fundraiser or project may be proposed by any P&S Staff member.

Section 2: A proposal form will be made available by the Treasurer for the purpose of submitting a fundraising idea or requesting the expenditure of existing funds.

Section 3: The Council will review the form. Approval shall require a majority vote by Council members with a response returned to the requester in a timely manner.

Section 4: A minimum of 25% of funds raised shall go to the P&S Staff general fund.

Article X: Amendments to These Policies

Section 1: Amendments may be proposed at any duly called membership meeting provided that the session is not the result of a special notice to consider another specific topic.

Section 2: An Amendment shall be considered proposed when submitted in writing to a Council member.

Section 3: The statement must be provided to the membership and entered into the meeting minutes as written but may be modified if the writer agrees.

Section 4: The proposed amendment will be made available to the P&S Staff membership to acquire a vote. Section 5: An Amendment shall be deemed ratified and thus annexed to this document when a final draft of the proposed revision is approved by a majority of the membership, including Council members, in attendance.

History

Adopted February 2003 Revisions

Accepted by Group III Membership May 2013

Revisions Approved by Administrative Council March 2014