Commission on the Status of Women

BYLAWS

The Commission on the Status of Women exists to promote gender equity at the University of Louisville.

Responsibilities and Powers:

It shall be the responsibility of the Commission on the Status of Women to advise the President on issues related to women.  The Commission will report directly to the President.  Its functions will be as follows:

§         To serve as the President’s chief policy advisor on the status of women at U of L.

§         To monitor and assess unit action plans to implement the University’s responses to the Task Force on the Status of Women.

§         To report to the President periodically on the progress of the units in implementing their action plans.

§         To recommend to the President:

                  - additional initiatives that should be undertaken to  

                  make the  University more welcoming to and supportive

                  of women.

                  - new initiatives to support the status of women at Uof L

§         To recommend specific and annual funding strategies to achieve the objectives of the President’s Plan and the goals of the Task Force on the Status of Women.

§         To serve as consultant to members of the President’s Executive Cabinet, and individual units that seek assistance with implementing the Task Force recommendations, particularly environmental changes.

Appointment Process

Membership:

Individuals who are appointed to the Commission should both be available for meetings and have an interest in the work of the Commission.  Each member shall actively serve on at least one committee.

The commission Chair will appoint a nominating committee to recommend individuals from the University community for membership on the Commission who fulfill the above stated objectives.  Names of the nominees for membership on the Commission will be forwarded to the President for selection.  The Nominating Committee will secure a slate of nominees for the office of Chair.  Vice-Chair and Executive Committee as described in other sections.

Length of Appointment:

Appointment to the Commission is normally for a three-year period, with the term to begin on July 1.

Vacated Appointments:

Appointments to vacated slots shall be for the length of time remaining for the normal-term appointment associated with that membership slot.

Reappointment:

An individual may normally serve two consecutive terms.  An exception shall be made in the case of an individual who is appointed to serve one year of a vacated slot: such an individual shall be eligible to serve two consecutive normal terms, following the one-year appointment.  An exception shall also be made in the case of a member who is elected to the Commission’s Executive Committee or who is appointed as Commission Chair, with the first year of that elected term coincident with the last year of that person’s final term of membership on the Commission.  In such cases, an exceptional appointment of an additional year shall be made.  The rules governing vacated normal-term appointments shall be followed in the subsequent filling of that slot.

Voting Membership

Each member shall have one vote.  Under exceptional circumstances, voting will take place by ballot submission or show of hands when at a commission meeting.  Voting may take place electronically in lieu of a commission meeting when notice is given to the membership at least one week prior to the vote.  Voting exceptions will be determined by the Executive Committee.

Quorum:

Fifty-one percent of the membership shall constitute a quorum.

Non-Rotational Membership

Student Member(s):

A student member will be appointed annually by the President after consultation with the President of the Student Government Association.  Additional student members may be nominated annually by the Commission for appointment by the President; these nominations should be accompanied by a brief supporting statement.

Staff Senate Members:

There shall be two Staff Senate representatives serving on the Commission for a two-year term as mandated by the Staff Senate Bylaws.  Staff Senate members will be appointed by the President after reviewing recommendations from the Staff Senate.

 Ex-Officio Members:

The Vice Provost for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, the Associate Vice President for Human Resources, the Chair of the Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality, and a representative of each of the following:  the Women’s Center, Women’s and Gender Studies, the Faculty and Staff for Human Rights, the Office of the Provost and the Athletics Department shall serve in an ex-officio capacity.  The immediate past Chair will serve in an ex-officio capacity in the event that the individual would not be continuing as a voting member of the Commission.

Officers

Names:

The Officers of the Commission on the Status of Women shall be a Chair and a Vice-Chair.

Chair:

The Nominating Committee shall nominate three candidates for Chair of the Commission from those members who have served at least one year on the Commission.  The slate will be forwarded to the President for appointment of the Chair.  The Chair of the Commission will serve as an ex-officio member of the President’s Executive Cabinet as shown in the outline of the Administrative Structure of the University and will attend its regular meetings.  The Chair shall preside over meetings of the Commission.  The Chair shall appoint any ad hoc committees necessary for the functioning of the Commission.  A budget to support the Commission’s functions, including appropriate operational support and appropriate compensation, which may include release time for the Chair, shall be provided.  The Chair of the Commission shall serve a two-year term.  Elections will be held in May and the term of office will begin on July 1.

Vice-Chair:

The Vice-Chair of the Commission shall serve in the absence of the Chair, assuming all duties as directed by the Chair.

The Nominating Committee of the Commission shall nominate a slate of candidates for Vice-Chair from those members who have served at least one year on the Commission.  The Commission shall elect a Vice-Chair from this slate of nominees.  The results of the election will be forwarded to the President for review.  The Vice-Chair of the Commission shall serve a two-year term.

Committees

Executive Committee:

The voting members of the Executive Committee shall be composed of the Chair, Vice-Chair and three members elected at-large from a slate of candidates developed by the Nominating Committee.

The elected members of the Executive Committee shall serve a term of two years.  The immediate past Chair and the conveners of the Commission Standing Committees shall serve as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

Nominating Committee:

The Nominating Committee shall be composed of three members appointed by the Chair.  Individuals appointed to the nominating committee shall not be a candidate for the office of Chair or Vice-Chair.

Standing Committees:

The standing committees of the commission will be Communications and Women and Global Issues.

The Communications committee will be responsible for the dissemination and publication of COSW information to membership and the university community.  Items the committee will develop and maintain can include but are not limited to the following:

o       website, newsletter and calendar,

o       annual goals and report of accomplishments,

o       nomination and new membership information,

o       meeting, election, and regular business, and

o       Commission sponsorships and events.

The mission of the Women and Global Issues Committee is to heighten the awareness of women and global issues with faculty, staff, and students.  It accomplishes this through a number of programs such as

o       Inviting speakers of international renown who can address issues relating to the global economy, global social issues, and education of women and girls

o       Funding and sponsorship for groups or individuals who are planning forums on these issues

o       Supporting scholarship on a variety of issues concerning women in a global perspective

o       Facilitating and promoting research opportunities for students related to women and global issues

All other membership committees will be created and disbanded at the discretion of the Executive Committee, will support commission goals, and will be aligned with the areas of priority identified in the 1994 Report of the Task Force on the Status of Women.

Meetings

The Commission will hold regular meetings at a time and place arranged by the Chair, usually monthly.

Attendance:

Individuals serving on the Commission should attend at least 8 of 11 regular meeting.  Individuals who fail to meet this requirement may be replaced.

Staff Support

Staff support will be provided by the Office of the President.

Amendment of the Bylaws

These Bylaws can be amended only by a vote of the Commission membership, provided the membership has been appraised of the proposed changes in writing at least one week prior to the vote.  Approval of Bylaw amendments requires an affirmative vote of the majority of the voting membership.  Electronic voting will not be permitted for bylaw revisions.

Effective Date:

These Bylaws and any amendments shall be effective upon approval of the President.

6/26/96                                         Approved as amended by the President

9/24/99                                         Further amended by the Commission

                                                     As approved by the President 06/07/01

                                                     Further amended by the Commission

11/21/03                                      As approved by the President 01/09/04

4/28/06                                        Further amended by the Commission