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Support Staff Council Constitution Policy : 7:00:00:02

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Responsible Officers: Support Staff Council Officers

I. Preamble

To represent the interests of Motlow State Community College (Motlow State) support staff to leadership, to provide a forum for support staff to openly discuss matters of general interest, to improve communication and mutual understanding between faculty, administrative staff, and support staff members, and ultimately to improve the effectiveness of student support services, the Support Staff Council of Motlow State establishes this constitution.

II. Constitution

  1. Functions
    1. To encourage support staff input and discussion regarding matters of general policy and interest;
    2. To act on behalf of support staff in cases requiring consideration of individual grievances or concerns; and
    3. To make recommendations to the institutional leadership concerning improvement of services to all customers: students, parents, faculty, and staff.

      In exercising these functions, the Council shall have the power to make for itself such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary for the fulfillment of its functions.
  2. Structure and Membership
    1. The Council shall consist of:
      1. Full or part-time support staff members from each organizational unit;
      2. At least one staff member from each campus; and
      3. Ex-Officio members as the Council shall specify.
    2. Council members shall be selected according to the following criteria:
      1. Representatives shall be elected from the full and part-time support staff members in their organizational unit.  Representatives are elected for two-year terms on a rolling basis; however, they may be re-elected by their peers.
        1. If a Council member cannot attend a meeting, they may appoint an alternate with full privileges to act in their absence.
        2. Any unit with fewer than four (4) full-time support staff may combine with the unit having the least members.  One (1) representative shall be recruited to serve the combined unit at large;
    3. Officers of the Council shall be as follows:
      1. A chairperson, vice chair, and secretary elected by Council members in May.  The chairperson must have served on the Council the preceding year.
      2. A parliamentarian may be elected at the request of the newly elected chairperson, or the vice chair may serve in that capacity.
      3. Officers are limited to one (1) two-year term in any given office but shall be eligible for re-election to the Council.
      4. Officers may serve as the steering committee.
    4. Members shall perform the following functions:
      1. Council Members
        1. Serve as liaisons between support staff in their organizational unit and the Council in disseminating information and soliciting responses;
        2. Present discussion items and suggestions from support staff within their organizational unit;
        3. Elect the Council officers; and
        4. Serve on Council Committees as appointed.
      2. Chairperson
        1. Presides over meetings of the Council;
        2. Establishes the agenda and provides an electronic copy to each member in advance of all regularly scheduled meetings;
        3. Calls special meetings;
        4. Appoints Council committees; and
        5. Attends and speaks for the Council at institutional leadership meetings but cannot commit to a specific course of action without Council approval.
      3. Vice Chair
        1. Acts for the Chairperson in their absence or at their request;
        2. Assists the Chairperson in the performance of their duties; and
        3. Serves as a parliamentarian if so designated.
      4. Parliamentarian
        1. Informs Council members concerning points of order, rules and regulations set forth by the Council; and
        2. Follows, in other situations, Robert’s Rules of Order.
      5. Secretary
        1. Records, prepares, and distributes the minutes of the meetings, with amendments or corrections, to all support staff, the Administrative Council Chairperson, the Faculty Council Chairperson, and to the Webmaster for posting to the college web page; and
        2. Prepares and maintains an official membership list of the Council from which roll call votes may be made.
  3. Procedures
    1. Regular Meetings
      1. The Council shall meet at least once each semester.
      2. Meetings shall be open to all support staff and visitors, who may exercise floor privileges at the discretion of the chairperson or with the approval of a majority of the Council members.
      3. The Chairperson shall provide an electronic copy of the agenda to all support staff at least two (2) working days prior to each regularly scheduled meeting.
    2. Called Meetings
      1. Special meetings may be called by the Council chairperson or by a majority request of the Council members.  At least two (2) working days’ notice shall be given.
      2. The President of Motlow State or their designee and the Support Staff Council Chair may call emergency meetings on short notice.  Council members shall be notified via email at the earliest opportunity.
    3. Voting
      1. All business shall be decided by a simple majority of the total Council members present, except the approval of constitutional amendments and bylaws, which shall require a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Council.  If a quorum of Council members is not present at the called meeting, the vote shall be held asynchronously.
      2. Voting privileges shall be limited to Council members or an alternate acting in a member’s absence.
      3. Voting shall be by open voting except for the election of officers which shall be by ballot.
      4. Nominations for new officers will be accepted at the April meeting.  The names of the nominees will be sent via email to each Council member.  The chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary will meet to review and count the votes, and notify the new officers and all support staff in writing.  A Council member may, at their discretion, call for a roll call vote.
    4. General Procedures
      1. In all matters of procedure not specified herein, Robert’s Rules of Order (revised) shall be applied.
      2. All recommendations receiving a majority vote shall be presented to the institutional leadership for consideration.
  4. Amendments
    1. Amendments to the constitution may be proposed:
      1. By a Council member;
      2. By petition of ten (10) percent of the support staff; or
      3. By request of the institutional leadership.
    2. Procedure
      1. Proposed amendments may be submitted to the Council chairperson via email.
      2. The chairperson will forward the proposal to Council members for consideration and add the item to the agenda of the next meeting.
      3. The proposed amendment shall be discussed and voted on by Council members at the next meeting.  A two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Council shall be required for approval.  If a quorum of Council members is not present at the called meeting, the vote shall be held asynchronously.
      4. Approved changes will then go through the institution’s policy approval process.

III. SUPPORT STAFF COUNCIL CONSTITUTION BYLAWS

  1.  Bylaws may be changed or amended by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the Council.  If a quorum of Council members is not present at the called meeting, the vote shall be held asynchronously.
  2. At the discretion of the Chairperson or a majority vote of the Council, an invitation to attend Council meetings may be extended to non-Support Staff Council members when their areas of responsibility are under discussion by the Council.  Likewise, a request by these individuals to attend meetings may be granted at the discretion of the Chairperson or a majority vote of the Council.
  3. Whenever a matter ends in a tie vote, the Council will vote on it again at the next regularly scheduled meeting.  If the tie vote is not broken at the second meeting, the matter is defeated.
  4. If a Council member is absent from two (2) successive meetings without asking an alternate to attend, the head of the organizational unit will be notified and the Council officers shall recruit an alternate.
  5. Alternates may not vote on the election of officers, nor may they serve as an officer.

Sources

History

  • Revised: August 16, 2024
  • Approved by Leadership Council: July 24, 2020
  • Approved by Support Staff Council: September 2, 2024
  • Approved by Institutional Oversight Committee: October 18, 2024
  • Approved by President’s Cabinet: December 3, 2024
  • Effective Date: April 5, 2017; December 3, 2019; July 24, 2020; December 3, 2024

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