Staff Senate
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By-laws
 

Bylaws of the Staff Senate
Montana State University-Billings

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ARTICLE I
NAME

This organization shall be named the Staff Senate of Montana State University-Billings.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE

Staff Senate shall: assist in the development of staff training programs and policies; facilitate communication and cooperation between the administration and the staff of Montana State University-Billings; promote improvement of higher education in the State of Montana; promote and provide for improved working conditions and professional welfare of the staff; and carry out such other goals and activities as the Senate shall determine from time to time to be consistent with the overall purpose of the Staff Senate.  The Staff Senate is a recommending body, with final authority resting with the Chancellor.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

Any member of the nonacademic staff, excluding any person holding a Board of Regents contract, shall be entitled to vote for Staff Senate representatives if he/she holds a regular appointment or contract with a .5 or greater FTE.  All nonacademic staff employed by organizations affiliated with Montana State University-Billings may be represented by one liaison member picked by the staff of such organization. Affiliated organizations are defined as those organizations which share the University Insurance Plan.  

ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS OF GENERAL STAFF 

Sec. 1. Regular Meetings. There shall be at least one meeting of the general staff membership each academic semester and such additional meetings as the Staff Senate shall call. New senators will be announced during the Spring General Meeting.  The new senators will become active members at the first Staff Senate meeting following the Spring General Meeting.
        Sec. 2. Special Meetings. Upon written request signed by ten (10) percent of the nonacademic staff and submitted to the Chair of Staff Senate, a special meeting shall be called for the purpose of reviewing any actions of the Staff Senate.  

ARTICLE V
SENATE MEETINGS 

The Staff Senate shall meet at least once each month during the calendar year.  A majority of members (7 or more) will constitute a quorum. Senators shall be released from normal work duties a minimum of two (2) hours each month for the purpose of attending Staff Senate meetings, and this release time shall not be charged against their annual leave.  

ARTICLE VI
STAFF SENATE POWERS AND DUTIES

Sec. 1. The Staff Senate, as the representative body of the staff, shall have the power to act and speak for the staff on all matters concerning the nonacademic staff.
        Sec. 2. The Staff Senate may examine all matters related to the general welfare of the University and nonacademic staff, and it is charged with protecting the general welfare of the non-academic staff.
        Sec. 3. The Staff Senate shall be available to meet with the faculty, administration and others for advice and consultation, and shall disseminate information to the nonacademic staff.
        Sec. 4. The Staff Senate shall have the power to adopt such standing rules as are deemed necessary.
        Sec. 5.  The Staff Senate will send one or more members to attend Board of Regents meetings, as determined by the Staff Senate.  If for some reason an appointed member cannot attend, the Chair may appoint another member.  

ARTICLE VII
STAFF SENATE REPRESENTATION

The Staff Senate shall consist of fourteen (14) elected representatives from each of the following areas:

• One representative from the College of Arts and Sciences

• One representative from the College of Professional Studies

• One representative from the College of Education

• One representative from the College of Business

• One representative from the College of Technology

• One representative from the College of Allied Health Professions

• Three representatives from Student Affairs

• Two members from Facilities Services, one from Crafts, one from Custodial

• Two members from Administration Services

•  One member from Central Administration

• The Administrative Vice Chancellor serving as an ex-officio member

If no representative is nominated and elected from an area, that area will not be represented that term.

The following is a list of the offices that fall into each of the represented areas.  

Administrative Services

Administrative Vice Chancellor
Budget Office
Business Office
Financial Services
Human Resources
Information Technology
Mail Room
Printing Services
 

Central Administration and Academic Support

Academic Vice Chancellor’s Office
Athletics
Chancellor’s Office
Graduate Studies
Library
University Relations
 

Student Affairs

Admission and Records
Advising and Student Support
Book Depot
Business Operations
Campus Ministry
Career Services
Disability Support Services
Financial Aid
Housing
Multicultural Student Services
Student Opportunities Services
Student Union and ASMSUB
Upward Bound
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Office

ARTICLE VIII
QUALIFICATIONS FOR SENATE MEMBERSHIP

As defined in Article III, a nonacademic staff member who has completed at least one year of continuous employment or an academic year appointment at Montana State University-Billings on or before May 1^st in which his/her term shall begin shall be eligible for election to Staff Senate.  

ARTICLE IX
NOMINATIONS TO SENATE 

At least thirty (30) days prior to the election, candidate nominations (nominations may be made by members of the staff or self-nominations) may be filed with the Staff Senate or Elections Committee.  A signed agreement to serve if elected will be obtained from each nominee.  

ARTICLE X
ELECTIONS TO SENATE 

Section 1: Voting Procedures

Regular elections should be held no later than the last Friday in April of each year. Ballots will be distributed by each area’s representatives, by electronic ballot, or by mail directly from the Elections committee. Mailed ballots will be printed on Staff Senate letterhead. The campus will be notified by e-mail of the winning parties once the ballots have been counted.

Section 2: Campaign Rules

Nominees will be allowed to campaign for two (2) weeks prior to Election Day. In order to give everyone a chance to campaign at no cost to nominees or departments, every nominee will have the opportunity to develop a personal web page and post this web page on the Staff Senate website working in conjunction with Information Technology

Although no nominee is required to campaign, it is acceptable to use the following methods of campaigning, noting that any cost associated with campaigning is the responsibility of the nominee:

• MSU-Billings Staff Senate web page

• Posters and banners

• Flyers

Posters and political advertising must be placed as to not endanger occupants or disrupt traffic as determined by the building manager. Campaign materials posted in campus buildings must be approved prior to posting. Approval is granted for posting in the following areas:

٭Student Union & Activities grants approval for Student Union Building, Academic Support Center, Science Building & McMullen Hall
٭College of Education gets approval in COE 106
٭Library / Liberal Arts building gets approval in LA 406
٭College of Business gets approval in COB 300
٭Alterowitz Gymnasium – in PE 116
٭Cisel Hall – CI 119
٭Apsaruke Hall – APS 130
٭Campus Grounds – Facilities Services
٭College of Technology – Check with Information Desk at COT for approval

ARTICLE XI
TERM OF SENATORS

        Sec. 1. Term. Staff Senators shall be elected for a term of two (2) years, with the newly elected Senators assuming official duties immediately.
         Sec. 2. Limitation. A Staff Senator shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

The first two years, the terms will be staggered, 7 of which will be two year terms, 6 of which will be one-year terms.  After the initial two-year cycle, all terms will be two years. 

First Cycle terms will be as follows:  

• College of Arts and Sciences:  Two-year term

• College of Professional Studies:  One-year term

• College of Education:  Two-year term

• College of Business:  Two-year term

• College of Technology:  One  (1) one-year term

• Student Affairs: Two (2) Two-year terms, One (1) one-year term

• Facilities Services:  One (1) Two-year term, One (1) one-year term

• Administrative Services:  One (1) Two-year term, One (1) one-year term

• Central Administration:  One (1) one-year term

ARTICLE XII
SENATE VACANCIES

Sec 1. Declaration of Vacancy. A Senator's seat shall be declared vacant following three (3) unexcused absences at regular monthly Staff Senate meetings. Excused absences include: sick leave, annual leave, and professional obligations.
        Sec. 2. Filling Vacancies. With the consent of the Staff Senate at a regular meeting, the Senate Chair shall fill vacancies. The appointee shall serve until the expiration of the vacated term.
        Sec. 3. Appointment Qualifications. The appointee shall be from the same representation area as the Staff Senator whose seat has been vacated.

ARTICLE XIII
SENATE OFFICERS

Sec. 1. Officers. The Staff Senate shall elect from its membership an Executive Committee, consisting of a Chair, Vice Chair, and a Secretary/Treasurer at its first meeting after the election.
        Sec. 1.A. Duties of Officers
        Chair:  The Chair shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the Staff Senate or general staff meetings call by the Staff Senate unless otherwise specified;

2. Deliver an annual report on the activities of the Staff Senate during one general staff meeting;

3. Act as the spokesperson of the Staff Senate, as the Staff Senate may advise;

4. Attend to all the duties that pertain to this office as set forth in these Bylaws and the official business of the Staff Senate.

Vice-Chair:  The Vice-Chair shall:

1.  Serve as assistant to the Chair and carry out all duties the Chair may deem necessary;

2. Act as liaison for specific subcommittees that may be established by the Staff Senate;

3. Preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair.

Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer shall:

1.  Keep the minutes of the proceedings of the Staff Senate;

2. Post minutes on the Staff Senate website. A copy of the minutes shall be placed on reserve at MSU-B Library and the College of Technology Library.

3.  Prepare the agenda of the Staff Senate meetings under the direction of the Chair;

4. Carry forward the correspondence of the Staff Senate under the direction of the Chair;

5. Have charge of the Bylaws and records;

6.   Make provision for balloting at any and all Staff Senate meetings and general staff meetings called by the Staff Senate.

Sec. 2. Nominations. Nominations for Staff Senate officers shall be called for at the first meeting after the election.
        Sec. 3. Election of Officers. Elections shall be by paper ballot or electronic ballot with all Senators voting.
        Sec. 4. Term. The officers shall serve for one (1) year, to assume official duties immediately.
        Sec. 5. Vacancies. A vacancy in the Office of Chair will be filled by the Vice Chair. Other vacancies will be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee.
        Sec. 6. Office Limitation. No person shall serve simultaneously as Chair of the Staff Senate and representative of a labor union.  

ARTICLE XIV
COMMITTEES

AD HOC COMMITTEE. These committees shall be appointed as needed by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE XV
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Senate and staff meetings in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

ARTICLE XVI
AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

Sec. 1. Proposals. Amendments may be proposed by a majority of the Staff Senate or upon a petition signed by at least ten (10) percent of the nonacademic staff and presented to the Staff Senate Chair at the meeting after the amendment has been proposed.
        Sec. 2. Adoption.  Upon approval of two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast by the Staff Senators the proposed amendment shall become effective as of the date set.