Campbellsville University Staff Council

Article I -  MISSION 

Staff Council represents all staff employees by actively participating in shared governance and providing advice to the university administration and other university organizations regarding issues that concern all staff.  

Article II – PURPOSE 

• Facilitate communication between staff and boost morale. 
• Foster a sense of community. 
• Service opportunities/projects.  
• Collect and disseminate information pertinent to staff issues and to increase awareness of university policies. 
• Participate, assist, and advise in decision-making processes that affect the staff's relationship with the larger university community. 
• Present ideas that originate from the staff to the University President. 
• Develop recommendations for new policies or changes in policies pertaining to staff. 
• Promote and advocate for staff professionalism and support opportunities for leadership development. 
• Contribute to making CU’s community an efficient, fulfilling, and attractive work environment. 

Article III – COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP 

To be eligible, the employee must be in an active, benefits-eligible staff position. Additionally, the employee is required to actively participate in monthly council meetings, which include sharing information from the council with the units they represent and bringing any concerns from their constituents to the council. 

Article IV – OFFICERS & TERMS 

The CUSC executive officers shall include the chair, vice chair, secretary, assistant secretary, and past chair. These officers shall constitute the Executive Committee. Terms of office for all positions shall be one year. Each officer may serve more than one term, but must be nominated and elected each year by members of the CUSC. A council member may not hold more than one of the aforementioned executive offices at one time. Annual elections shall be held by May 1st, and newly elected officers shall begin training with outgoing officers and participate in the transition to their respective new council assignments until assuming office on August 1st.  

Members whose terms are expiring in July are not eligible for the next year’s executive committee unless that member has already been re-elected to serve another term on the council. 

Within the Council, leadership will be comprised of a Steering Committee of 10 members, consisting of the Executive Committee and 5 elected representatives from divisions within the university. Officers and Representatives collectively form the Steering Committee and work together to bring identified employee concerns to the attention of the university administrators. 

If there are not enough members willing to constitute a 10-member Steering Committee, the Chair and Immediate-Past Chair may appoint officers or division representatives whom they see fit to provide the best understanding, cooperation, and communication among all constituent groups and will endorse the mission and goals of Campbellsville University. 

1. Chair. The chair shall: (1) provide leadership and vision for the CUSC; (2) facilitate meetings and open forums; (3) serve as chair of the executive committee; (4) serve as official spokesperson for the CUSC and approve official communications; (5) represent the CUSC in the larger university and higher education community. 

1. Vice Chair. The vice chair shall: (1) perform chair duties as needed in their absence; (2) coordinate meeting and forum logistics; (3) serve as response lead for inquiries, questions, and concerns submitted to the CUSC. 

1. Secretary. The secretary shall: (1) compile and maintain records of CUSC membership, activities, and programs; (2) ensure minutes of meetings and forums are recorded and facilitate their distribution and approval promptly; (3) distribute the agenda before meetings, and serve as chair of the Communications & Outreach Committee.  

1. Assistant Secretary. The assistant secretary shall: (1) per secretary's duties as needed in the absence of the secretary; (2) maintain communication, social media, and website updates.  

1. Former Chair. Appointed position to be filled by the most recent chair of the staff council. Should the chair be elected to a second term, the role will be vacant until the chair is replaced, at which time the former chair will fill it. 

1. Division Representatives. Appointed position to be filled by a staff member serving in designated divisions of the university (Academic Support, Athletics, Regional Sites, Facilities/Operations, and Student Affairs/Enrollment).   

In the event an Executive Officer position has not been filled after following established election procedures, the Executive Committee may create shared (or co-chair) positions to divide the responsibilities of the vacant position between two representatives from the general council. The two elected, co-chairing members would share responsibility for the duties, as defined, until a replacement officer is elected. If two general council representatives are unable to assume the co-chair duties, two current, elected Executive Committee members may co-chair the vacant Executive Officer position, in addition to their elected position, until the vacancy can be filled by election.  

Should an executive officer transfer employment to another unit or division within Campbellsville University that is eligible for voting membership on the council, regardless of a vacancy, they may continue their role on the council and the executive committee throughout the remainder of the fiscal year. The original unit or division the executive officer represented will fill the vacancy created by the transfer of employment of their representative per Article III D of the bylaws. If the executive officer transfers employment to an agency not eligible for representation as a voting member on the council, his or her membership on the council and the executive committee will cease upon the transfer of his or her employment. 

Article V – RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNCIL OFFICERS & REPRESENTATIVES 

Council members are to communicate information on Council activities to members of their respective units (constituents), attend meetings regularly, provide a substitute when unable to attend; present concerns of respective units to the Council; and, if invited, Council members should be available to participate if special problems or situations that occur which need special study, as stated in the Charge. Substitutes shall be identified at the sign-in of regular Council meetings. Council Representatives are responsible for communicating with their constituents regularly and providing any information via email to their constituents that the Steering Committee deems necessary.    

Article VI – COMMITTEES 

1. Committees.  Committees are established by the executive committee for a specified purpose, with size and composition to be determined under the guidance of the executive committee. The chair of said committees shall be chosen by the members and report to the executive committee. If the members are unable or unwilling to select a committee chair, the chair of the staff council may appoint one. With the exception of the executive committee, an executive officer cannot serve as the chair or co-chair of a committee. The term of service shall be one year, but may serve consecutive terms. 
    
   Committees shall meet at the discretion of the committee chairperson and submit minutes from each meeting to the secretary of the staff council at least one week before the monthly council meeting. Final drafts of committee proposals require council approval. Each committee will, upon request, act as a resource to the other committees or the council. 
    
   For voting purposes, a simple majority of the committee membership shall constitute a quorum, with a majority consisting of one-half of the voting membership plus one. Committees will submit a final report including recommendations regarding the issue(s) at the time of the established deadline. 
    
   Committees will meet at the beginning of the year to set goals and related metrics to fulfill their charters. Committees will monitor and report monthly to the executive committee and to the general membership. 

1. The Executive Steering Committee shall ensure overall CUSC group cohesiveness and the validity and attainment of collective group goals. The membership shall consist of the elected officers and division representatives. This committee shall ensure active member participation. The committee shall provide information and recommendations to the president of the university. Executive steering committee meetings shall be held at least once a month and/or as necessary to conduct council business. 

1. The Communications & Outreach Committee shall oversee and coordinate all internal and external CUSC communication protocols, including but not limited to listserv, CUSC website, press release, marketing materials, and other materials, both electronic and print, in collaboration with the executive steering committee. It shall also seek to increase the visibility and accessibility of the CUSC to, and by, all staff. The committee shall assess general awareness of the CUSC by staff and provide CUSC representatives with, and encourage them to use, tools to improve this awareness across campuses. In addition, the committee shall seek to impart the value of our membership. 

1. The Elections Committee will review eligibility and ensure representation across campus and regional sites. They shall announce the call for officer nominations and conduct the election of officers. The committee will create and recommend election procedures to the representative units, as well as assist in election processes if needed. The elections committee shall present proposed representation changes to the CUSC body as a whole preceding each election cycle in order to reflect a council that is representative of the university. 

1. The Community Engagement and Respect in the Workplace Committee was established to engage staff to foster a culture of respect for all people who work and visit Campbellsville University. We want everyone who comes to campus to feel a sense of welcome and belonging. This committee shall fulfill the need for a united campus-wide staff effort to promote a culture of respect to ensure alignment with Campbellsville’s mission and core values. This committee shall promote University initiatives on inclusion, community-building, and respect for all peoples and collaborate with appropriate committees on campus to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. 

1. The Professional Development Committee shall review and promote professional development opportunities for the Campbellsville University Staff Council representatives for each year of representation. The committee shall work with the general membership and the executive officers to create and schedule learning opportunities throughout the year that enhance the mission of the council. 

1. The Work-Life and Benefits Committee shall work to enhance the quality of work-life for university staff. The committee shall address work-life issues, including but not limited to: safety and wellness, benefits, and employee incentive programs. The committee shall collaborate with units across campus to identify and to share information about exemplary work-life improvement efforts. 

1. Task Force.  Task forces are established and charged by the executive committee or the chair of the staff council, and are conceived as having temporary, finite, or exploratory functions. Charges include the purpose, composition, size, and terms of the appointments to the committee, as well as an indication of the date of the completed task that determines the dissolution of the committee. Task forces are open to any interested staff, not just CUSC members.  

Article VII – MEETINGS 

The CUSC shall meet monthly on the third Tuesday of each month. Special meetings may be called by the chair as deemed necessary. Meetings shall be open, and only those items on the agenda shall be considered. Agenda items may be submitted to the executive committee for consideration by any Campbellsville University staff member at least one week before a scheduled monthly council meeting. New business may be discussed, but no action may be taken without appropriate deliberation.   

Article VIII - Parliamentary Authority 

The parliamentary authority of the Council shall be Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. This authority shall govern all procedures in the Council except where it conflicts with any special rules of order adopted in these bylaws. If needed, the chair may appoint a parliamentarian to advise the chair on parliamentary procedures. A quorum of 2/3 of voting by the CUSC Steering Committee members is required for a vote to take place. The passage of Business items requires the majority approval of voting members present. 

Article IX - PROCEDURES ON ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION 

In the furtherance of its mission, the University Staff Council supports open communications and encourages employees to communicate issues and/or suggestions to any council member. Communications with the University Staff Council, either to the council as a whole or to any individual representative, can be done by electronic mail, written communications, or verbally, as indicated on the council website. 

All issues submitted will be evaluated using the adopted method for processing issues as described in the CUSC general procedures. All issues that are submitted by any Campbellsville University employee for consideration by the CUSC shall receive an acknowledgment that the issue has been received. The CUSC website will guide how matters may be tracked. 

Article X – AMENDMENTS 

An amendment to the bylaws can be proposed in writing by any CUSC representative to the executive committee. Proposed amendments to the bylaws shall be delivered to each CUSC member at least three (3) business days before a regular CUSC meeting. The proposed amendment will be discussed, and edits incorporated. The proposed amendment will then be presented for a vote at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The amendment shall be adopted if it receives a 2/3 vote of those eligible to vote. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.