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PREAMBLE 

The University of Missouri-St. Louis Staff Association is a body formed to consider, to recommend, and to take such other actions as are properly related to the common concerns and best interest of those personnel at the University of Missouri-St. Louis identified under the classification of membership in these bylaws.

ARTICLE I - NAME 

The organization herein defined shall be known officially as the University of Missouri-St. Louis Staff Association, hereafter referred to as the Staff Association. 

 ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP 

All benefits eligible administrative, service and support staff of the University of Missouri-St. Louis who have a full time equivalence of 75% or more will be considered members of the Staff Association. All members shall have full voting rights in the Staff Association.

ARTICLE III - PURPOSES 

The purposes of the Staff Association shall be to foster a spirit of unity and cooperation among all employees of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, to consider methods and means by which employment conditions may be improved and the operating efficiency of the University of Missouri-St. Louis increased; to receive and consider matters concerning working conditions of membership; to make such recommendations that it deems appropriate, and to provide a means of communicating problems of mutual concern between the Staff Association and the University of Missouri-St. Louis administration.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS OF THE STAFF ASSOCIATION 

I. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Staff Association shall consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary/Treasurer.

II. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The nominations shall be solicited and elections conducted according to Article VIII of these bylaws. 

III. QUALIFICATIONS

The Chair shall have experience of at least one full and completed term as an elected representative before being eligible to serve as Chair. 

IV. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

  1. The Chair of the Staff Association shall preside at all meetings of the Staff Association and the Staff Council, and shall enforce all regulations and policies of the Staff Association.
  2. The Vice Chair shall preside in the absence of the Chair and represent the Chair at other functions as requested by the Chair. The Vice Chair shall chair the Employee Advocacy Committee.
  3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall take minutes of the meeting, make arrangements for subsequent meetings, and distribute meeting notices and any other necessary information. The Secretary/Treasurer shall also be responsible for all financial records of the Staff Association and shall chair the Communications Committee.
  4. The immediate Past Chair shall chair the Membership and Elections Committee. 

V. VACANCIES

  1. In the event the office of Chair becomes vacant, the Vice Chair shall assume the office for the remainder of the term.
  2. In the event the office of Vice Chair or Secretary/Treasurer should become vacant, the Staff Council shall appoint the successor for the remainder of the term.

ARTICLE V - STAFF ASSOCIATION MEETINGS 

The Staff Association shall meet during both the fall and spring semester of each academic year. The Chair of the Staff Association may call special meetings at any time. Members of the Staff Association shall be notified prior to all meetings.

ARTICLE VI - STAFF COUNCIL 

I. MEMBERSHIP

The voting members of the Staff Council shall consist of the elected representatives These members shall be elected in May as described in Article VIII and shall take office in July. Any member of the Staff Association who has a minimum of six (6) months full time employment may run for Staff Council. There shall be up to twenty-five (25) representatives, enough to fill the roles of officers, representatives to the University Assembly and its Committees, and fill the minimum requirement of Standing Committees membership.

A. Terms of Membership

1. Beginning July 1, 201x, the term of membership shall be two (2) years for all elected representatives, ending the last day of June. Staff Council members may be eligible for re-election to a second term, but no person shall serve longer than two (2) consecutive terms unless a third consecutive term is as Past Chair. However, after one year off, an individual can stand for re-election. If any council member elected is unable to complete his/her term, see Article VI, (Vacancies). 

B. Officers The officers of the Staff Council shall be the same as the officers of the Staff Association with the same duties and responsibilities.

C. Representatives to University Assembly and its Committees Any elected representative may serve as a representative to any one (1) of the University Assembly Committees listed below. The number of staff on each committee is determined by the Faculty Senate and University Assembly. The number in parentheses after each committee name indicates the number of staff that can be elected to each committee. Qualifications, if any, to serve on the committee are indicated after the number in parentheses. 

1. University Assembly (2)

2. Physical Facilities, Space and General Services Committee (1)

3. Information Technology Committee (2); must be a user of campus technology; when possible, should not be from the ITS unit

4. Administrator Evaluation Committee (1)

5. Budget and Planning Committee (1); must have minimum of one full and completed term as an elected representative; must have an understanding of university fiscal operations and/or budgeting process

6. Student Affairs Committee (1); when possible, should not be from the Student Affairs division

7. Any Ad Hoc Assembly Committee for which there is staff representation

The Chair of the Staff Association shall be a third (3rd) voting representative to the University Assembly and a second (2nd) voting representative to the University Assembly Budget and Planning Committee. 

II. DUTIES OF THE STAFF COUNCIL

The Staff Council shall act on behalf of the Staff Association and shall make reports to the Staff Association at the regular meeting. 

III. MEETINGS OF THE STAFF COUNCIL

1. The Staff Council shall meet at least once each month.

2. The Chair may call special meetings of the Staff Council.

3. Staff Council meetings will be open unless otherwise specified. 

IV. VACANCIES

In the event of a vacancy of a representative, the Chair shall be authorized to recommend a replacement to fill the un-expired term, subject to the approval of the Staff Council. 

ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES 

I. STANDING COMMITTEES

The standing committees shall be called Membership and Elections, Employee Advocacy, and Communications. These committees shall be chaired by Staff Association Officers, per the duties of their office. The chairperson of each standing committee shall take office July 1st. Committee chairpersons shall give a report at each Staff Council meeting. The chairperson of each standing committee shall attempt to obtain a balanced representation of committee members and to select from those who have shown an interest in serving on committees.

  1. Membership and Elections Committee The Membership and Elections Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members. Duties of the Membership and Elections Committee shall be to determine the eligibility for Staff Association membership, to welcome new members in an appropriate fashion, to maintain a list of members, to annually review membership numbers, and to solicit nominations for Staff Council and conduct elections.
  2. Employee Advocacy Committee The Employee Advocacy Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members. The duties of the Employee Advocacy Committee are to bring to the Staff Council concerns that have been initiated by the membership concerning working conditions, benefits and other issues relating to the welfare of the staff. The duties shall include, but not be limited to, 1) assisting any staff member who wishes to discuss a welfare issue, 2) consulting with various administrative offices and/or services concerning welfare issues, and 3) bringing welfare concerns to the attention of the Staff Council for appropriate consideration.
  3. Communications Committee The Communications Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members. Duties of the Communications Committee shall be to coordinate and provide information to Staff Association members, and to promote and encourage ideas for the Staff Association newsletter, which shall be published on a regular basis. The Staff Association newsletter shall have an editor appointed by the chair of the committee, subject to the approval of the Staff Council. The appointment of the editor is to be ongoing, with periodic reviews. The editor of the Staff Association newsletter shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Staff Council if not an elected member of the Staff Council and shall attend all Staff Council meetings. The chair of the committee may serve as the editor. The chair of the committee shall recommend a webmaster each year, subject to the approval of the Staff Council. The web master shall be responsible for revising and updating the Staff Association web pages. This appointment shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Staff Council if not an elected member of the Staff Council. The chair of the committee may serve as web master. 

II. SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Special Committees shall be established as needed by the Staff Council. The Chair shall recommend the chairperson of each special committee subject to the approval of the Staff Council. If the chairperson is not a member of the Staff Council, he/she shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Staff Council for the duration of the committee assignment. The chairperson shall give a report at each meeting. The chairperson of each special committee shall attempt to obtain a balanced representation of committee members and to select from those who have shown an interest in serving on committees. 

III. NON-STAFF ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES

The Chair of the Staff Association shall be authorized to recommend appointments to non-Staff Association committees and meetings when such recommendations must be made before the next scheduled meeting of the Staff Council. In such cases where the Staff Council shall meet before appointments must be made, the Staff Council shall approve any such recommendations. 

IV. REPRESENTATIVES TO UNIVERSITY ASSEMBLY

Each year the Staff Association shall have voting representatives to the University Assembly as outlined in Article VI. Solicitation of nominations and election of each of these representatives shall be conducted according to Article VIII of these bylaws. 

V. REPRESENTATIVES TO UNIVERSITY ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES

Each year the Staff Association shall have voting representative(s) on each of the following University Assembly committees: 

  1. Physical Facilities, Space and General Services
  2. Information Technology
  3. Administrator Evaluation
  4. Budget and Planning
  5. Student Affairs
  6. Any Ad Hoc Assembly Committee for which there is staff representation 

Solicitation of nominations and election of each of these representatives shall be conducted according to Article VIII of these bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII - ELECTIONS 

I. METHOD OF SELECTION OF MEMBERSHIP AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
The chairperson of the Membership and Elections Committee shall be the immediate past chair and shall select at least three (3) members of the membership to serve on the committee upon the approval of the Staff Council.

II. TIME AND METHOD OF NOMINATIONS
Nominations shall be solicited in April from the membership of the Staff Association. The committee must obtain permission from each nominee before that person's name can appear on the ballot. Any member of the Staff Association who has a minimum of six (6) months full-time employment can be considered for nomination.

III. TIME AND METHODS OF ELECTIONS FOR REPRESENTATIVES
The Membership and Elections Committee shall conduct elections by ballot in May. The Membership and Elections Committee shall keep the roster of all candidates and numbers of votes cast for each. 

IV. TIME AND METHODS OF ELECTIONS FOR OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO THE UNIVERSITY ASSEMBLY AND ITS COMMITTEES

  1. The Membership and Elections Committee shall conduct elections by ballot at a meeting with newly elected representatives between the close of elections in May and June 15.
  2. Officers and Representatives to the University Assembly and its committees shall be selected from and elected by the newly elected representatives of the Staff Association. In a contested election, the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for that office shall be declared the winner. Officers and Representatives to the University Assembly and its committees shall hold that position for their entire two year term.
  3. Elections shall be conducted in the following order:
    1. Chair
    2. Vice Chair
    3. Secretary/Treasurer
    4. Budget & Planning Committee Representative
    5. Physical Facilities, Space, and General Services Committee Representative
    6. Student Affairs Committee Representative
    7. Information Technology Committee Representative (2)
    8. Administrator Evaluation Committee Representative
    9. University Assembly Representative (2) 
  1. The Membership and Elections Committee shall keep the roster of all candidates and numbers of votes cast for each. 

ARTICLE IX - QUORUM 

I. STAFF ASSOCIATION MEETING
In a general meeting of the Staff Association, the quorum shall be the number of members present at that time.

II. STAFF COUNCIL MEETING
In a meeting of the Staff Council, the quorum shall be a majority of elected members.

ARTICLE X - DISCIPLINE AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS 

Members of the Staff Council are expected to attend all meetings of the Staff Council. Members may be excused by notifying an officer prior to each meeting. A member who has two unexcused absences may be expelled from the Staff Council and, if so, that office shall be considered vacant. Absence records for representatives serving a second consecutive term shall be reset at the beginning of the second term. 

The procedure for expulsion for unexcused absences shall be:

I. The Chair and/or Vice-Chair shall meet with the Council member in question and then make a recommendation at the next Staff Council Meeting to permanently expel or retain the individual.

II. Council shall make a preliminary recommendation to retain or expel Staff Council member.

III. If the individual is retained, no additional unexcused absences are permitted or they will be automatically expelled from the Council. 

ARTICLE XI - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Staff Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Staff Association may adopt.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS 

Amendments or changes to these bylaws shall be made by a two-thirds majority of those votes cast either electronically, at a Staff Association general meeting, or by a special meeting called by the Chair provided written notice of the proposed amendment(s) is (are) given to all Staff Association members at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the due date or by meeting vote.