By-LawsGonzaga University

STAFF ASSEMBLY BY-LAWS
Gonzaga University
Revised:
April 9, 2008

Article I
Name: Staff Assembly of Gonzaga University

Statement of Purpose: To Represent, Communicate and Inform

The Staff Assembly shall exist to contribute to the success of Gonzaga University, to the growth and welfare of its staff employees, and to the promotion of a positive and supportive work environment. As a constituent organization, along with the Faculty Assembly and GSBA, the Staff Assembly shall operate as a recognized part of the University system to provide a forum for open communication and ongoing dialogue among staff and between staff and administration. The Assembly shall be a consultative and deliberative body with authority to make recommendations on all matters which have a significant bearing on the working environment of the staff. The Staff Assembly will serve as the official nominating body for staff representation to University committees that deal with topics which have an impact on staff employees and for other task forces and search committees as needed (e.g., Budget Committee).

Article II
Membership
The membership of the Staff Assembly shall consist of all regular part-time and full-time staff, professional, and administrative employees of Gonzaga University herein referred to as Staff.

Article III
Staff Assembly Officers
The Staff Assembly officers are elected by a vote of the Staff Assembly members.

1. Officers of the Staff Assembly shall consist of a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer and a Secretary.

2. Eligibility: Any staff member who is a regular, part-time or full-time employee of Gonzaga University, who has been employed for at least one full year shall be eligible to hold office. The office of Treasurer must be filled by a staff assembly member who, when nominated, has Banner Finance access.

3.Elections for president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary will be held at the same time as for Executive Council representatives. Terms of Office for officers of the Staff Assembly will be one year. The Vice-President automatically succeeds to the Presidency.

4.The officers of the Staff Assembly will also serve as officers of the Executive Council and be voting members.

Duties of the officers shall be as follows:

1.The President shall preside at all regular and special meetings of the Assembly and of the Executive Council.

2.The Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the President when the President is temporarily absent or unable to act.

3.The treasurer shall maintain and process the budget for the staff assembly, preserve all transactions according to established accounting procedures.The treasurer will give a monthly report on the activity within the budget.

4.The secretary shall maintain a written record of all acts of the Assembly and Executive Council; conduct, receive, and dispose of all correspondence as directed; preserve all relevant reports and documents, and pass all records to the next Secretary.

Article IV
Executive Council
The Executive Council shall consist of the four (4) officers of the Staff Assembly and eight (8) elected representatives. The Council represents the needs, interests, and perspectives of the staff and tries to address issues through appropriate referral or by developing proposals for consideration. It acts as a liaison between the administration and the staff and communicates to the staff objectives and policies established by the University.

Representative Eligibility
The eligibility of Staff Assembly members to serve as Executive Council representatives shall be defined as: staff members categorized as regular, part-time or full-time, and who have completed one year of employment prior to the beginning of their elected term.

Terms of Office
Elected representatives shall serve for a term of two years. The terms shall be staggered so that approximately one-half of the membership of the Executive Council shall be elected annually. Newly elected representatives shall take office on the first day of June following the elections. Elected representatives are limited to two consecutive terms of office.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Council:
1. Schedule meetings of the Staff Assembly as needed and at a time and place determined by the Council members (minimum of one meeting per year).

2.Determine the agenda for Staff Assembly meetings and distribute the information to its members.

3.Act for the Staff Assembly in emergency matters arising between meetings. If necessary, the Executive Council may serve as the official nominating body for Staff representation to University committees that deal with topics which have an impact on Staff employees. Such actions shall be reported to the Staff Assembly at its next meeting.

4.Screen all referrals, petitions, resolutions, proposals, and committee reports to determine whether they are within the jurisdiction of the Staff Assembly. Make appropriate recommendations to the Staff Assembly.

5.Handle normal business of the Staff Assembly between meetings.

6.Serve as an advisory body to the Trustees, Regents, President, Administration and students.

7.Establish committees on a standing or ad hoc basis according to need.

Article V
Executive Council Representatives
1.Eight Council representatives shall be elected to serve on the Executive Council.

2.Staff Assembly members will nominate members to run for election to the Executive Council. Members may nominate themselves. Representatives will then be elected from the nominations submitted. The eight representatives with the highest votes will be elected.

3.Eligibility and willingness of nominees shall be verified by the Election Committee and a ballot containing names of verified eligible candidates shall be submitted for vote.

4.Nominations will be submitted during the first ten working days of March of each year.

5.Ballots will be distributed by April 15^th and will be returned within 5 working days.

6.Vacancies will be filled by special election when needed.

Duties and responsibilities of the Representatives:
1.Act as the liaison between Staff Assembly members and the Council, responsible for the flow of information and ideas.

2.Communicate back to members of the Staff Assembly on discussions, decisions, suggestions, and proposals deliberated by the Executive Council.

3.Disseminate information and represent area concerns.

4.Post and/or distribute notifications of meetings, agendas, and minutes to the constituents.

Article VI
Staff Assembly meetings
1.For the purpose of transacting business, it shall be necessary that a quorum be present. A quorum shall consist of 20% of the membership of the Staff Assembly. The executive Council shall be empowered to hold executive sessions, but no final decisions shall be made, or policies declared, or resolutions adopted except at a meeting of the Staff Assembly.

2.All Staff Assembly members shall be excused from their regular work responsibilities in order to attend meetings.

Article VII
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the Modern Edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Staff Assembly in all cases where they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order that the Staff Assembly may adopt.

Article VIII
Amendment
The Amendment process for the by-laws is as follows:

1.A proposal to amend may be initiated by an absolute majority of the Executive Council of the Staff Assembly

2.or by an individual with 20 co-sponsors from the Staff Assembly.

3.Steps 1 through 5 listed below.

Staff Assembly review of a proposal (e.g. Personnel Manual) is by vote using written ballot and includes the following steps:
1.All proposals must be in writing and distributed to all staff members through the campus mail.

2.No sooner than one week after distribution of the proposal(s) there will be a Staff Assembly meeting to discuss the proposal(s). That meeting must be announced by written announcement distributed to all members through campus mail.

3.If a majority of the Staff Assembly members present at the Staff Assembly meeting wish to have further meetings on the proposal(s), these will be scheduled and announced as above.

4.After discussion of the proposal(s) has been completed, a written ballot, including the text of the proposal(s) shall be distributed to all staff members through the campus mail. That ballot shall specify the place to which the ballot must be returned and a deadline for return, which shall be no sooner than one week from the date of the distribution.

5.Ratification will consist of approval by 60% of those voting, with 50% of the Staff Assembly vote constituting a quorum.