A&S Staff Association Bylaws

ULASSA By-laws

The College of Arts & Sciences

A&S Staff Association Bylaws

Revised December 12, 2023

 

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ARTICLE I. Purpose and Functions

Section 1. Purpose

The University of Louisville A&S Staff Association (hereafter referred to as ULASSA) shall serve as the representative body for all permanent full-time and part-time staff of the College of Arts & Sciences.

ULASSA shall promote and support all endeavors of staff interest and shall contribute to the overall efficiency, quality of education and communication between the faculty, the administration, and other appropriate bodies.

Section 2. Functions

ULASSA will perform the following functions:

A. Provide representation on College committees, as necessary,

B. Receive reports from the Administration and from staff officers and representatives,

C. Communicate and discuss mutual concerns and suggest solutions to the A&S Dean’s Office, Central Administration, and/or the University Staff Senate, and

D. Develop projects to promote A&S staff enrichment.

ARTICLE II. Membership and Authority

ULASSA shall be composed of permanent full-time and part-time staff of the College of Arts & Sciences.

ULASSA shall operate under written By-laws, which shall be adopted by ULASSA and shall be available for online viewing. By-laws will conform with the REDBOOK and with the goals, policies, and regulations of the College of Arts & Sciences.

ARTICLE III. Meetings

Section 1. Time

ULASSA shall meet regularly and consistently. The time and location of the regular monthly meeting may be changed by the President of the staff association upon the giving of proper notice pursuant to Section 2.

Special meetings may be scheduled by the ULASSA President upon proper notice pursuant to Section 2.

Section 2. Notice of Meetings

Other than the regularly scheduled meetings as set out in Section 1 above, an electronic notice stating the place, date, and time for each meeting shall be distributed to members of ULASSA no less than five (5) working days before a regular meeting and no less than one (1) working day before a special meeting.

Section 3. Agenda

The Officers of ULASSA shall determine the agenda for each meeting.

All committees of ULASSA and individual members may submit agenda items to the Secretary no less than five (5) working days before a regular meeting and no less than one (1) working day before a special meeting.

Section 4. Special Meetings

A special meeting of ULASSA may be called at the discretion of the President, Vice President or Secretary of ULASSA. The President shall consider requests for a special meeting from any ULASSA member.

ARTICLE IV. Officers

Section 1. Designations and Term of Office

ULASSA shall biennially elect three (3) officers from its membership to serve for two (2) years or until their respective successors have been elected and seated. The officers of ULASSA shall be President, Vice President, and Secretary. A Parliamentarian will be appointed by the President and is considered an Officer.

Section 2. Eligibility for Office

All members of ULASSA are eligible for election to the offices stated in Section 1 of this Article. All members of ULASSA may nominate or cast ballots in the election of any officer. Each member will be given one vote.

Section 3. Election of Officers

A. Election to the offices stated in Section 1 of this Article shall be conducted by ballot, either via a paper system or through use of an anonymous online voting or survey system. The voting process shall take place two weeks prior to the April monthly meeting of ULASSA, at the end of the officers’ terms, or when a vacancy occurs. Any member of ULASSA may nominate another member for an officer position,

B. Officers of ULASSA shall be elected to serve for a term of two (2) years. Officers shall remain in office until an election to select their successors has been conducted and the successors have been announced.

C. An officer may be removed from office by a vote of no less than three fourths of the members present at a meeting of ULASSA, so long as there is a quorum.

D. An election to fill a vacancy in the office of either Vice President or Secretary of ULASSA shall be conducted as soon as possible after the vacancy occurs, using the same procedure as set out in Subsection A, above.

Section 4. Duties of the President

The duties and functions of the President of ULASSA shall be:

A. To preside at all meetings of ULASSA,

B. To determine, in consultation with the Vice President and Secretary of ULASSA, the agenda for all meetings of ULASSA,

C. To issue calls for both regular and special meetings of ULASSA through the Secretary in accordance with Sections 2 thru 4 of Article III of these By-laws,

D. To receive all matters directed to ULASSA and to refer these to ULASSA or to one of its committees as appropriate,

E. To represent ULASSA, or appoint representatives to serve, on standing A&S committees, the College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Assembly, and the A&S Student Council and provide reports at such meetings,

F. To communicate to the members of ULASSA all matters of concern and to elicit their response,

G. To appoint all ad hoc committees of ULASSA as set forth in Article VII of these By-laws,

H. To appoint ULASSA representatives to A&S Committees as necessary,

I. To serve as an ex-officio member of all standing and ad-hoc committees of ULASSA,

J. To enforce the By-laws of ULASSA, and

K. To exercise other duties and functions of a presiding officer as may be additionally specified by ULASSA.

Section 5. Duties of the Vice President

The duties of the Vice President of ULASSA shall be:

A. To preside at meetings of ULASSA or in the absence of the President,

B. To become President in the event a vacancy occurs in that office and to notify members of ULASSA that he/she has become President,

C. To serve as an ex-officio member of all standing and ad-hoc committees of ULASSA,

D. To represent ULASSA when appointed to do so, either by the President of ULASSA or by the members of ULASSA.

Section 6. Duties of the Secretary

The duties and functions of the Secretary of ULASSA shall be:

A. To keep accurate minutes of regular and special meetings of ULASSA and to distribute copies of same to the membership within five (5) days after each meeting,

B. To assist the President and Vice President in determining the agenda for meetings of ULASSA as set forth in Section 3 of Article III of these By-laws,

C. To issue notices of all meetings of ULASSA as set forth in Section 2 of Article III of these By-laws,

D. To send email ballots for election of officers to each member of ULASSA, and

E. To keep, maintain, and post online an accurate and up-to-date copy of the By-laws and all amendments made thereto and to transmit the same to his/her successor.

Section 7. Duties of the Parliamentarian

A. Ensures that Roberts Rules of Order are followed,

B. Advises when a Motion is on the floor,

C. Ensures By-laws are followed by ULASSA.

Section 8. Ex-Officio Member

Add United Business Manager, Sr., HR (Staff Relations) – Mary Pat Chiavaroli

ARTICLE V. Voting

Section 1. Method

Except for election of officers and other exclusions noted below, voting during ULASSA meetings shall be done by the method prescribed by the President at the time of the vote. The total vote shall be determined by the President who may appoint two (2) members to assist him/her in totaling the number of votes. No vote of ULASSA shall be valid unless there is a quorum present, as defined in Section 2 below.

Section 2. Quorum

A minimum of ten (10) members of ULASSA shall constitute a quorum.

Section 3. Debate

Debate or discussion shall be limited to ten (10) minutes per motion, unless an extension of time is voted by one-half of the members present. The time shall be kept by the Vice President or Parliamentarian or a person appointed by him/her.

Section 4. Tie Votes

The President or presiding officer shall vote only in case of a tie vote.

Section 5. Eligibility

All members of ULASSA will be eligible to vote except in cases where voting restrictions are imposed by other official documents of the University or the College of Arts & Sciences.

ARTICLE VI. Standing committees

Section 1. Purpose

Standing committees will provide ULASSA with working bodies that entail specific areas of responsibility to enable a planned and coordinated direction for the business of ULASSA. At the discretion of ULASSA, standing committees may be added at any time.

Section 2. Composition and Function

Standing committees shall be constituted from the membership of ULASSA. Each committee shall comprise five to seven (5–7) members, each of whom shall commit to serving for at least one (1) year. Committee membership shall be determined by the committee chairs and appointed by the President.

Section 3. Appointment Procedures

A. Upon the creation of a new standing committee, the members of that committee will be appointed by the President, in consultation with the other ULASSA officers.

B. Committee members will be responsible for electing committee chairs or co-chairs, each of whom shall serve for one (1) year. The election of chairs or co-chairs will follow the same schedule as the election of ULASSA officers in Article IV.3.A above.

C. When a member is preparing to leave a committee, that member will be responsible for recruiting a replacement member, pending the approval of the other committee members. If that member is unable to identify a replacement, the other committee members will identify and appoint a replacement.

D. ULASSA members will have opportunities to request to serve on specific committees that align with their interests. A good faith effort will always be made to accommodate specific requests.

ARTICLE VII. Ad-Hoc committees

Section 1. Authority

The President of ULASSA, in consultation with the other officers, may appoint such ad-hoc committees as may be necessary for the accomplishment of certain specific projects and for special purposes and should be done during the election cycle.

A. Chair of committee can be appointed or elected.

B. Committee members forfeit the opportunity to serve as an officer.

C. President will designate the number of members on each committee.

Section 2. Limitation

An ad-hoc committee that has responded and completed its assigned task or projects is automatically discharged.

ARTICLE VIII. Election Committee

A. Established during the election cycle,

B. Oversee the election process,

C. Certify the results and verify the integrity of election.

ARTICLE IX. Executive Committee

Section 1. Membership

The Executive Committee will be made up of ULASSA officers as well as the chairs of the standing and ad-hoc committees.

Section 2. Meetings

The Executive Committee shall meet monthly, at least 10 times per year. Special meetings may be called by the President.

ARTICLE X. Amendments to the By-laws

Section 1. Petition

Any proposal to amend these By-laws shall be submitted by a written and signed petition by any member of ULASSA at any regular meeting.

Section 2. Process

A. The Petition submitted pursuant to Section 1 shall be presented at the next ULASSA regular meeting. The members present, assuming there is a quorum, shall vote on the adoption of the amendment to the By-laws,

B. If most of the members present at the meeting as specified in Section 2 above vote in favor of the amendment, the proposal to amend the by-laws shall be submitted by email to all members of ULASSA. Within seven days of such email being sent, each member shall have the opportunity to vote in favor of or against the proposed amendment by reply email. Seven (7) days after the proposed amendment is emailed to ULASSA membership, the votes of all of those responding shall be counted. The proposed amendment to the By-laws shall be considered adopted if a majority of ULASSA members replying vote in favor of the amendment.

ARTICLE XI. Adoption of the By-laws