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SAC Charter and Bylaws

Read the charter and bylaws of the Staff Advisory Committee at Saint Louis University.

Staff Advisory Committee Charter

I. Mission Statement

In accordance with the Catholic Jesuit identity of Saint Louis University, the purpose of the Staff Advisory Committee shall be to communicate the interest and concerns of a diverse University staff; to function in an advisory capacity to University administration and the Board of Trustees in the development, review and implementation of University policies which affect staff; to provide a means of communication with the administration and faculty, and support them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the staff; and to create and nurture a spirit of unity among all employees at the University.

II. Purpose

Committee's Status in the University

The Staff Advisory Committee (herein, SAC) shall be a standing committee comprised of elected and appointed staff and the only staff assembly recognized by university administration as officially representing the views of non-unionized staff employees. SAC provides a forum for issues, concerns, interests, enhancements, and information that may apply to all staff members of Saint Louis University.

The committee's responsibilities include:

  1. Being aware of the concerns of the staff relating to the management and administration of the university and to make recommendations to the university administration on matters of concern to the staff.
  2. Requesting official interpretation or clarification of university policies.
  3. Discussing and expressing its views on matters of overall staff welfare.
  4. Recommending modifications of university policy.
  5. Suggesting staff employee representation on any appropriate university committee.
  6. Seeking staff employee representation on any appropriate university committee.
  7. Being a productive voice to further the aims of the university through improved relations among all staff employees and between all staff employees and the university administration.
  8. Fostering internal partnerships and external relations between staff employees, faculty, and students.
  9. Promoting unity, cooperation, and loyalty among all staff.

Committee members will serve as liaisons between university staff and administration by soliciting and conveying staff opinions, as well as providing input and recommendations to senior leadership.

III. Structure

The Chair, Chair-Elect, Past-Chair, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Membership Coordinator will provide the leadership as the Executive Board of SAC.

Annual elections are held each April. Terms of office begin July 1 through June 30. Each current Chair may invite any previous Chair(s) to serve on the Executive Board in an advisory, ex officio capacity during that Chair's term. Each July, all SAC Ad Hoc and standing committee chairs and SAC archivist will be appointed or re-appointed by the Executive Board. 

Staff Advisory Committee Bylaws

In addition to the mission, purpose and structure as outlined above, the Staff Advisory Committee follows these bylaws.

I. Membership on the Staff Advisory Committee

A. Eligibility Requirements
Any staff member of Saint Louis University who does not belong to a collective bargaining unit is eligible to become a member of SAC. 
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B. Procedures for Membership
Any eligible member of the University staff may attend SAC meetings as an observer and may freely contribute to discussions. Anyone desiring to become a formal member of the organization may apply to any officer of the Executive Board. At that time, a membership application will be submitted by the staff member and verified by the Chair and Recording Secretary of SAC. The normal term of commitment to SAC membership is one fiscal year. Upon receiving the application for membership, the Membership Coordinator shall send a welcoming email to the new member with a link to the SAC website which contains a copy of the SAC Bylaws, a list of SAC committees, and a schedule of meeting dates for the present year. Regardless of the initial date of joining SAC, membership will be renewed on an annual basis at the first meeting of the academic year (usually August) The Membership Coordinator, shall maintain all membership records, to include applications for membership.

C. Cooperation with Supervisors
SAC is sanctioned by the University Administration and time spent attending committee and subcommittee meetings are officially considered paid time by the University. Since meetings are held during normal office hours, those interested in becoming members of SAC should inform their supervisors before joining the organization. The SAC Executive Board will provide any supervisor with information about SAC if requested.

D. Responsibilities of SAC Membership
Membership in SAC implies a commitment on behalf of the member to participate in activities of the organization to the greatest extent possible. An active member is encouraged, as time and opportunity allow, to:

  1. Notify her/his supervisor of her/his interest in SAC.
  2. Attend monthly SAC meetings, be informed of the issues and vote regularly.
  3. Participate on a SAC subcommittee or as SAC representative on a University committee.
  4. Solicit input from University staff regarding their concerns and relay these concerns to SAC.
  5. Inform members of the University staff about the accomplishments of SAC that have been achieved on their behalf.
  6. Encourage University staff to attend SAC meetings and events.

E. Maintaining Active SAC Membership
Since SAC members are expected to provide input on various issues, it is important to attend enough meetings to remain sufficiently informed of the issues. Only active SAC members will be considered to represent SAC on the university committees. Only active SAC members are eligible to become SAC officers.

II. Official Positions of the Staff Advisory Committee

A. Executive Board Members

  1. Composition of the Executive Board
    The Chair, Chair-Elect, Past-Chair, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Membership Coordinator will constitute the Executive Board of SAC. Elections will take place every year in March. The Chair-Elect will progress through the three Chair positions over a five-year term, whereas the Secretaries and Membership Coordinator will each serve a one year term. (See Section VI for election information).
  2. Term
    The Chair will serve a term of two years or until his/her successor is elected. 
    The Chair-elect shall be elected only for a one-year term to coincide with the second year of the Chair's term. The Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Membership Coordinator shall serve one-year terms.
  3. Chair
    The Chair will set the agenda and preside over both Executive Board and regular SAC meetings. The Chair serves as the SAC representative on the University Leadership Council (ULC) and President's Advisory Council (PAC). The Chair will serve as the Past-Chair during the fourth and fifth year of service.
  4. Chair-Elect
    The Chair-Elect will assist the Chair as needed and serve as acting Chair in the absence of the Chair. The Chair-Elect will become Chair during the second year of service or in the event of the resignation of the current Chair. The Chair-Elect also serves as a SAC representative on the President's Advisory Council.
  5. Past-Chair
    The Past-Chair continues on the Executive Board during the fourth and fifth year of service, and in that capacity, also serves a two-year term on the Human Resources Committee of the Board of Trustees, commencing each July and represents SAC on the President's Advisory Council.
  6. Recording Secretary
    The Recording Secretary, who is elected annually, will compose minutes of each regular SAC meeting and will maintain a record of current meeting minutes including attendance records of SAC members. The recording secretary will send completed minutes to the corresponding secretary for distribution to membership in a timely manner. The recording secretary assumes a one-year commitment which requires executive board meetings as needed in addition to attendance at the regular SAC meetings.
  7. Corresponding Secretary
    The Corresponding Secretary reserves meeting rooms, arranges Newslink articles, posts the meeting schedule and details on the SAC website maintains the SAC website and the SAC listserv. The corresponding secretary will distribute announcements of upcoming meetings (including agenda and draft minutes) in a timely manner to all SAC members as well as distributes notifications of death (according to University policy) and special announcements (i.e. nomination forms/ballots) to SAC members. The corresponding secretary assumes a one-year commitment which requires executive board meetings as needed in addition to attendance at the regular SAC meetings.
  8. Treasurer
    The Treasurer maintains control of the SAC P-card and completes monthly reconciliations when appropriate; maintains accurate records of income and expenditures; submits all requests for cash, checks, purchase orders and interdepartmental orders; presents monthly budget reports to the SAC Executive Board.
  9. Membership Coordinator
    The Membership Coordinator will maintain and keep an up-to-date record of all members and visitors. The Membership Coordinator will also hold/file new membership forms received and processed during their term. The membership coordinator is responsible for sending welcoming emails to members with a link to the SAC website which contains pertinent information, providing sign-in sheets during monthly meetings, dissemination of the annual membership survey verifying continued membership and maintaining membership records. The membership coordinator assumes a one-year commitment which requires executive board meetings as needed in addition to attendance at the regular SAC meetings.

B. Appointed Positions

  1. Archivist/Historian
    The Archivist/Historian will be appointed or re-appointed, each July by the Executive Board. The Archivist will maintain all records, meeting minutes, lists of current and past members, attendance lists, and files of the committee. Due to the historical nature of this position, the appointee must have been active in SAC for at least two years prior to appointment. There is no limit to the number of terms the Archivist/Historian may serve.
  2. Ad Hoc and University Standing Committee Representatives
    Ad Hoc and standing committee representatives are appointed annually by the Executive Board to serve a one-year term.

III. Committees of the Staff Advisory Committee

A. Standing Committees

  1. Establishment of Committees
    The Charter/Protocol Committee is a standing committee of SAC and consists of the SAC Executive Board and a member at large from each campus. New standing committees may be formed by a majority vote of SAC members after the charge/duties of the proposed committee(s) have been written by the Charter/Protocol Committee and approved by SAC members. Committee membership is open to non-SAC members, although a majority of the members of the committee must belong to SAC.
  2. Changing a Committee's Charge
    In the event of a proposal to change the charge or duties of a standing committee, the full SAC membership must be notified one meeting in advance of a vote. To conduct a valid vote, a simple majority of the full SAC membership must be present. The vote will be conducted at a regularly scheduled meeting, following the meeting in which the charge was introduced and discussed. A change may be approved by a simple majority of those voting. If the change is approved, all members of the affected committee will be formally advised of the change by the Corresponding Secretary of SAC.
  3. Dissolving a Committee
    In the event of a proposal to dissolve a standing committee, the full SAC membership must be notified at least two meetings in advance of a vote. To conduct a valid vote, a simple majority of the full SAC membership must be present. The vote will be conducted at a regularly scheduled meeting, no sooner than two meetings after the proposal was introduced. The dissolution may be approved by a two-thirds majority of those voting.
  4. Active Standing Committees
    Charter/Protocol Committee - The Charter/Protocol Committee was established as a standing committee by SAC to write the initial Charter and Bylaws. Its continuing charge is to update the Charter or Bylaws in accordance with decisions and changes made and approved by SAC. Further, it is charged to recommend additions and changes to the Charter or Bylaws, as appropriate, to be voted on by SAC members.

B. Ad hoc Committees
SAC may establish an ad hoc committee by majority vote as the need arises. The charge of the committee will be entered into the Minutes. When the work of the committee is completed, the committee will be dissolved. An ad hoc committee may become a standing committee by the procedure defined above. Committee membership is open to non-SAC members, although a majority of the members of the committee must belong to SAC.

C. University Committees
When the University administration requests staff representation on a specific committee, the Chair of SAC will notify SAC members and call for volunteers. While SAC volunteers will be solicited first and shall have priority in being nominated to such positions, non-SAC members may be nominated for the University committees as well. In such a case, any non-SAC staff member must agree to become an active member of SAC for the duration of service on the committee.

IV. Elections of the Staff Advisory Committee

A. Schedule of Elections
Regular elections will begin each year in February with the nomination process. Election of the Chair-Elect will be during regular elections coinciding with the second year of the Chair's term. Election of the Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Membership Coordinator will be held each year. Elected officers will assume their positions in conjunction with the University's fiscal year. Special elections to fill unexpected openings will be conducted at other times as specified in Section VII.

B. Nomination Procedures
Nomination forms will be sent to all members of SAC via electronic media with the February meeting notice. Nomination forms will be due back by March 5th. Any member of SAC may nominate any active SAC member to an executive position, including one's self. An active member is defined as having attended 75% of annual meetings. The Executive Board will accept valid nominations, confirm the eligibility of proposed candidates, confirm the acceptance of a nomination by each nominee, and approve the final ballot.

C. Balloting Procedures
The Corresponding Secretary will send out electronic ballots to all members with the March regular meeting notice. Ballots must be returned to the executive board by the end of March. The SAC Executive Board will tabulate votes immediately following the close of balloting. The announcement of the election results will be made at the April meeting. The new Executive Board will begin its term concurrent with the University's fiscal year.

D. Special Elections
In the event of a special election, the result will become effective immediately upon tabulation of the ballots and will be announced at the next regularly scheduled SAC meeting.

V.Vacancies in Elected Positions

In the event that any of the Executive Board positions become vacant, the following procedures will be observed:

A. Chair

  1. If the Chair's position becomes vacant during the course of the term, the Chair-Elect will assume that position. If there is no Chair-Elect, the Past Chair will assume that position until an election is held.
  2. The election of a new Chair-Elect will proceed in March, as described in Section VI above. A Chair-Elect, who assumes the Chair after January 1, will continue in that position through the following term.
  3. In the event of a vacancy in the current Chair, the Past-Chair will be asked to remain in his or her position for an additional year, since the resignation of a current Chair would create a vacancy in the Past-Chair position for the upcoming year. In the event the current Past-Chair is unable to serve for another year, by consensus of the SAC membership, a prior Chair can be appointed Past-Chair.

B. Chair-Elect

  1. If the Chair-Elect position becomes vacant prior to January 1, a special election will be held for a new Chair-Elect. If the vacancy occurs after January 1, the position will remain vacant until the next election.
  2. The election of a new Chair-Elect (See Section VI) will proceed in March as established in the SAC Charter and Bylaws.

C. Past Chair

  1. In the event that the Past-Chair's position becomes vacant during the term, a previous Chair can be appointed to the position by the Executive Board to fill the remainder of the term.
  2. If that is not possible, the position will remain vacant until the next election.
  3. During any period in which the position is vacant, the current Chair will serve in the Past-Chair's place on the Human Resources Committee of the Board of Trustees.

D. Recording Secretary
If the Recording Secretary's Position becomes vacant during the course of the term, the Executive Board shall appoint an acting Recording Secretary until the next regularly scheduled election.

E. Corresponding Secretary
If the Corresponding Secretary's position becomes vacant during the course of the term, the Executive Board shall appoint an acting Corresponding Secretary until the next regularly scheduled election.

F. Membership Coordinator
If the Membership Coordinator's position becomes vacant during the course of the term, the Executive Board shall appoint an acting Membership Coordinator until the next regularly scheduled election.

G. Archivist/Historian
If the Archivist/Historian's position is vacated during the course of a term, the Executive Board shall appoint an acting Archivist/Historian to complete the term. When a new Executive Board is established at the next election, they may choose to renew the Archivist/Historian's appointment or to appoint a new Archivist/Historian.

VI. Removal from Office

In the event that an officer of SAC is not performing her or his duties in accordance with the accepted practices described in the SAC Bylaws, it may be appropriate to remove the officer from office. Any active SAC member who believes that there is substantial evidence of neglect of duty by any officer may initiate removal proceedings in the following manner: First, the complainant should attempt to resolve the issue through private contact with the one(s) involved. If this does not resolve the issue, then the complainant may discuss the grievance with the Executive Board, providing them with a written statement of complaint. The accused officer shall have the opportunity to review and reply to all charges in writing prior to any public hearing of the issue. If the issue is not resolved in this context, the Executive Board shall schedule a period for discussion of the matter at the next regular membership meeting of SAC, notifying all SAC members of the special nature of the meeting, and that their attendance is urgently requested.

A removal proceeding must be the first order of business at any meeting at which the use is to be considered. If a quorum (which is here defined as two-thirds of attendees present are SAC members) is not in attendance, discussion of the removal will cease and all further decisions of the Executive Board will be held in abeyance until the removal proceeding is resolved. If necessary, a special meeting may be held to resolve the removal issue.

When a quorum is present, copies of the written statements of both parties shall be distributed as references for all assembled. Members of SAC shall have the opportunity to question both the complainant(s) and the officer(s) under consideration. After a reasonable time has been allowed for discussion, a secret ballot will be held, with votes counted by three SAC members chosen by the Executive Board, but who are not members of the board.

An officer shall be removed from office if two-thirds of the votes are cast against the officer. In the event that an officer is removed from the office, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with Section VII of the Bylaws, "Vacancies in Elected Positions."

VII. Meetings

The Staff Advisory Committee will meet monthly, normally for one to one and a half hours. Additional meetings may be scheduled by consensus of SAC members. Meetings are typically held on the 3rd Thursday of the month and alternate between campuses. However, meeting dates may change based on necessity.

VIII. Amendments to the Charter and By-Laws

A. Introduction
Since the Charter serves to define the aims and principles governing SAC, it should not be changed, added to, or amended without serious deliberation and strong organizational approval. On the other hand, the Bylaws serve as the working rules, or procedures, needed for the sound functioning of the organization. Therefore, changing the Bylaws is an easier process than amending the Charter. If a conflict develops between the Charter and the Bylaws, the Charter shall take precedence. Amendments to either the Charter or the Bylaws shall be clearly indicated in the Bylaws and minutes of the meeting.

B. Justification for Amendments
Because the Charter and Bylaws embody the essential philosophy and the practical activity of this organization, it is crucial that any changes in their contents be fully supported by a majority of SAC's general membership before being incorporated into the present documents.

C. Initial Preparation of Amendments
Once it is clear that a majority of SAC members desire to amend a rule or rules governing SAC, the Protocol Committee shall convene to draft a proposed amendment.

D. Verification of Legality
Once an initial draft of the amendment is completed, but before it is submitted to the membership for discussion, copies will be sent to the Vice President for Human Resources and to the University General Counsel to ensure that there is no violation of either University policy or law.

E. Full Committee Discussion of Amendments
Once the draft has passed legal review, a copy will be sent to each SAC member and placed on the Agenda of the next regularly scheduled SAC meeting for discussion. At this meeting, members will both seek a consensus on the wording of the proposed change and will discuss its relevant implications. A vote on the amendment will then be scheduled for the following meeting unless the majority agrees to defer the vote for the purpose of further discussion. In the event of a deferral, a new voting date will be set.

F. Voting on Amendments
Once the discussion is complete, ballots with the proposed change will be emailed to all voting members. Ballots shall be returned by email to a designated member of the Executive Board, by the end of the next regular meeting. Ballots will be checked off as they are returned to verify their validity. The Executive Board will tabulate votes immediately following the meeting.

G. Verification of Voting Results
The current Executive Board members will tabulate votes immediately following the meeting. A vote of approval by two-thirds of the total SAC membership is required to effect a change in the Charter. A simple majority (51%) of the total SAC membership is required to effect a change in the Bylaws.

H. Procedures in Case of a Failed Vote

  1. In the event that the number of ballots returned does not total the necessary majority, the Executive Board will contact each member (by phone, fax, email or in person) notifying the membership that those who have not voted have three days to submit their ballots. If the necessary number is still not achieved, the vote fails. The results will be announced at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
  2. If a change under consideration fails, it may be proposed again after a 3-month waiting period. If it fails again, a 6-month waiting period is imposed. After a third failure, the proposed change cannot be submitted again without being rewritten and resubmitted, as defined above, as a new amendment.