Professional Staff Council Constitution
Section 1: The Professional Staff Council
The professional staff council shall consist of those employees coded as professionals, below the title of Vice Chancellor in the Indiana University Kokomo budget.
Section 1: Representation
Representation of professional staff council located in Kokomo shall be delegated as those employees coded as professionals.
Section 2: Purpose of Professional Staff Council
The Council shall provide professional staff members with a means of representative participation through recommendations and advice in the formulation of policies and in the solution of problems affecting the general welfare of, the working conditions of, and the services rendered by the professional staff of the University. The Council shall also provide a medium of exchange of information relating to the problems of the employees and those of the Administration. The Council shall also promote the value of the professional staff in helping the University in the attainment of its goals and objectives and shall encourage the opportunity for continuing professional education for the professional staff.
Section 3: Meetings
The Council shall meet a minimum of every other month on the second Tuesday of the month. Council meetings shall be open to non-members as provided in the Bylaws. The Council President may call meetings as needed.
Section 4: Policy Functions
The Council may consider all matters appropriate to the purpose of the Council.
Section 5: Administrative Functions
The Council shall have administrative powers to carry out its functions and to adopt its own bylaws.
Section 6.- Responsibility of Professional Staff
- Any matter may be submitted to the staff for consideration either by mail ballot or at a special meeting.
Section 7: Organization
- Officers: The Council shall elect a President, a Vice President, and a Secretary.
- Term of Office: The term of office shall be two years.
- The election for President shall be in the even numbered years.
- The elections for Vice-president and Secretary shall be in the odd numbered years.
- The term of office for elected officers on the Council shall begin with the first regular council meeting following the certification of the election results as defined in the Bylaws.
Section 1: Matters for Council attention may originate from any of the following:
Any individual or group, by placing on file with the secretary of the Council, a signed written statement of the matter.
Any Council member.
The University administration.
Section 1: Initiated by a meeting of the Professional Staff Council
A. A motion to amend this constitution may be presented to and discussed at a meeting of the Professional Staff Council. If those attending the meeting vote in favor of the amendment by a two-thirds majority, the President shall proceed according to Section 2.
Section 2: Ratification by the Professional Staff Council
A. Amendments shall be circulated by email to the professional staff. The email shall be accompanied by a summary of arguments presented during the meeting at which the amendment was considered. A majority of the professional staff voting, which must be at least 33%
of those eligible, shall be necessary for the adoption of the amendment. The president and officers shall count the ballots and report the results to the entire professional staff. Voting may be done by email, ballot, or other method as approved by the Professional Staff
Council.
By Laws
Method of nominating officers.
The following procedures shall be followed in nominating officers:
Eligibility criteria for elected officers shall be as follows:
- Must be appointed professional staff member for at least six months immediately prior to the date designated as the opening date for nominations.
- Any elected member shall lose his/her membership on the Council upon separation from IU employment or movement into a non-eligible rank.
Nomination of a candidate for the election of officers shall be as follows:
- A nomination shall be provided to the committee two weeks prior to the June meeting,
- Actual election will take place in June.
The Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall notify the nominees in writing that their names will be placed on the election ballot unless withdrawn by a specified date.
In the case of a withdrawal by a nominee and no other nominations for that position, the President shall appoint a replacement.
Method Electing Officers
- All professional staff personnel on active duty status on the campus on the date designated as the opening date for nomination of candidates, and who shall not have terminated employment with IU prior to the date of the election shall be eligible to vote.
- In the event of a Vacancy in the elected
office , the President shall appoint a representative to fill the unexpired term, with approval by a simple majority of the Council at its next scheduled meeting. - Names of nominees shall be printed on the ballots in alphabetical order.
- All voting shall be by secret ballot unless there is only one candidate.
- In the event we cannot find a candidate, nominations will be accepted from the floor.
- The secretary shall notify newly elected officers and other appropriate individuals in writing that they have been elected.
A simple majority of the members present shall be required to pass a motion that has been seconded.
Voting on all matters other than
election of officers or the amendments to the constitution or bylaws shall be done by yea/nay voicevote, unless a show of hands or a secret ballot is requested by a member.
Professional Staff Council members shall be allowed adequate time to attend scheduled meetings, but shall be expected to continue to fulfill the responsibilities of their University position.
President
Shall chair the meetings.
Refers all matters submitted for the Council's attention to the appropriate committee(s) or person(s).
Serves by appointment on University committees.
Maintains and updates a calendar of events relevant to the Council for the coming year.
Prepares a written annual report of the past year's activities and makes it available to all Council members prior to the first meeting of the next fiscal year.
Represents the Council at IU Kokomo Administrative Council meetings.
Accepts names of persons interested in serving on Council committees and makes appointments.
Calls a meeting of any committee that is not fulfilling its responsibilities and establishes organization by dictum.
The President shall be
ex-officio member of all committees.The President shall be responsible for facilitating timely, two-way communications between the Council and the Kokomo campus professional staff on matters perceived as important to the constituents.
Vice-president
Presides in the absence of the President.
. Attends Administrative Council meeting in absence of President
Secretary
Records minutes of each Professional Staff Council meeting and of any special meetings of the entire professional staff council.
Distributes the minutes of the previous Council meetings to members prior to each Council meeting.
Archives approved minutes by having them placed in the IU Kokomo Library and to the Council Oncourse site.
General Guidelines
Committees will be set up as needed.
Committees will be chaired by an appointee of the President if there are no volunteers for the chair position.
Committees will meet as needed. A verbal and written report will be made by the Committee Chairperson. The verbal report will be made at the next general Council meeting following the committee's meeting, with the written report given to the Council Secretary at the same time.
There shall be a minimum of three members to a committee.
The responsibility of the Committee Chairperson
The Chairperson shall delegate responsibility for action on items.
Committee Descriptions
- Executive Committee:
The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, and Secretary.
The President shall chair the committee.
The committee shall be responsible for all media relations for the Council in a manner consistent with the views of the Council as a whole.
The President shall be the primary spokesperson.
The Executive Committee shall assign basic objectives and goals for each working committee, as well as identify the action committee for cases where there may be overlapping responsibilities and tasks.
- Nominations and Elections Committee:
When necessary, the President will convene an Elections Committee.
The committee is responsible for ensuring the official signatures of the Council are updated after each election.
- Professional Concerns Committee:
The Committee shall serve as an advocacy group on matters related to development, education and other issues of concern to the professional staff as they assist in the University to meet its mission of teaching, research, and public service.
The Committee shall identify and evaluate services available to the Professional Staff through the University and elsewhere that could facilitate or improve their performance and chances for promotion.
- Salary and Benefits Committee:
The Committee shall serve as an advocate for the Kokomo Campus Professional Staff on all salary and benefit issues.
The scope of this activity requires the members of this Committee to have
clear understanding of current Indiana University salary andbenefit policies and be able to incorporate this knowledge into the evaluation of Human Resources Office proposals to change these policies.The Committee shall make recommendations to the Council concerning support or opposition for such changes.
The Committee shall identify alternatives to proposed changes.
This Committee shall maintain a close working relationship with Human Resources on matters pertaining to salaries and benefits.
Furthermore, the Committee shall communicate with and solicit input from constituents on matters pertaining to salary benefits.
The President may call a special meeting of the Professional Staff Council.
Professional staff members shall be notified at least one week in advance of the date of a special meeting.
Section 9: Amendment of the Bylaws
A. The Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the members present.
Proposed amendments to the bylaws must be presented one meeting prior to voting on the amendments.
approved 1/19/2010