Bylaws

1. Objectives and Purposes. Minot State University's Staff Senate shall be the representative body of the University's staff employees to serve the following objectives and purposes:
   1. To gain a spirit of unity, pride, and cooperation by being recognized equally with Faculty Senate and Student Senate as participants in advising University administration.
   2. To be an active communication link for meaningful information exchange between staff and administration relative to issues of mutual concern.
   3. To provide open meetings to express, propose, represent, investigate, debate, and recommend action on issues, which upon majority approval bear the authority of a responsible voice in University affairs.
   4. To provide an opportunity to be advisory in the administration of working and employment conditions and practices, including recognition, compensation, and other pertinent issues.
   5. To involve democratically chosen staff representatives in the operation of the University and to increase awareness of interrelating problems and opportunities.
2. Advisory Status of the Senate, in fulfilling its stated objectives and purposes, the Senate shall be advisory to the President of the University.
3. Composition of the Senate.
   1. The Senate will be comprised of elected members representing six functional areas of the University as follows: Academic Support, Institution Support, Instruction Support, Student Services, Auxiliaries, and Physical Plant. Membership is based on approximately 10% of each functional area, to be reviewed annually prior to general elections.
   2. Executive officers shall be elected from the membership of the Senate.
   3. The University's Director of Personnel (Controller), or the director's designated representative, shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Senate.
4. Terms of Office and Election of Senate Members.
   a. Senate membership shall be for a two (2) year term with approximately one-half of the members elected each October. b. Regular elections to fill vacant positions shall be held annually during the month of October. Elected senate members' term begin in November. c. Ex-officio members appointed to the Staff Senate are not eligible to vote.
5. Election of Officers.
   1. The Senate will nominate and vote for the following officers:
      1. President
      2. Vice President
      3. Secretary - Treasurer
      This group of officers will be known as the Executive Committee of the Staff Senate.
      
   2. Each elected office of the Executive Committee is to be filled by an elected member of the Senate. The terms of the officers will be one year.
   3. At the regular November meeting, nominations of Senate Executive Officers shall be accepted through motions from the Senate.
   4. Voting will take place at the regular November meeting. A Senate Election Committee as appointed by the president, shall tally the votes.
   5. Winners will be decided by a majority vote. The President shall cast the deciding vote in the case of a tie.
   6. The Executive Committee declares an office vacant when an officer is unable or improperly performs the duties of the office. All offices of the Senate Executive Committee vacated shall be filled by a special election at the first regular Senate meeting following the vacancy.
6. Duties of Officers.
   1. The President:
      1. presides over all meetings of the Staff Senate and Executive Committee,
      2. insures that all Staff Senate activities are conducted in a professional manner,
      3. has the authority to appoint such committees as are deemed necessary for the business of the Staff Senate,
      4. insures that all actions conform to the Senate Constitution and Bylaws,
      5. serves as ex-officio on all committees of the Staff Senate,
      6. is the spokesperson for the Staff Senate at meetings and functions, and
      7. serves as the direct communication liaison between the President of the University and the Staff Senate.
   2. The Vice President:
      1. presides in the absence of the President,
      2. assumes the duties of the President for the unexpired term in the event the President is unable to complete the term of office,
      3. serves on the Program Committee which confirms speakers for monthly Staff Senate meetings, and
      4. carries out additional duties as assigned by the President.
   3. The Secretary-Treasurer:
      1. takes and maintains minutes of each Staff Senate and Executive Committee,
      2. publishes and distributes the minutes of each Staff Senate meeting to all Senate members prior to the next meeting,
      3. distributes the agenda to all Senate members prior to each Staff Senate meeting,
      4. maintains an accurate record of all resolutions duly adopted by the staff Senate and the vote on such resolutions,
      5. receives and keeps all communications and reports to and from the Staff Senate,
      6. files copies of the Staff Senate minutes and special reports with the President's Office of the University and shall pass on a duplicate file to the succeeding secretary,
      7. maintains permanent records of Senators and terms served,
      8. maintains a roll of current members and their attendance at meetings, and
      9. is primarily responsible for the Staff Senate's fiscal affairs.
7. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee of the Staff Senate shall consist of its officers,
   1. serve as the governing board or steering committee of the Staff Senate,
   2. set the yearly calendar of Senate meetings and activities,
   3. prepare the agenda for each meeting of the Senate,
   4. insure that the Constitution and Bylaws are followed,
   5. receive proposals from Senators, classified staff members, or the President of the University for consideration at Senate meetings,
   6. maintain records of Senate activities and decisions, and
   7. provide information regarding Senate activities to the President of the University, Director of Personnel, and classified staff.
8. Committees and Task Forces. The Senate shall establish such committees as are necessary to conduct Senate business. Such committees shall be responsible to the Senate and shall perform duties determined by the Senate and/or the Executive Committee. All Senators are eligible to serve on any Staff Senate Committee(s). The following is a list of committees and a brief description of duties:
   a. Staff Senate Committees
   1. Bylaws Committee; review, suggests and makes amendments to the bylaws.
   2. Election Committee; rules on questions relating to qualifications of electors and members, nominates and receives nominations, presents a slate of nominees, and conducts the elections.
   3. Legislative Committee; provides Staff Senate with information regarding legislative activity placing emphasis on issues affecting higher education and MSU staff. The committee depends on feedback from the Staff Senate to propose and initiate a coordinated effort as a result of the given information.
   4. Program Committee; investigates topics and speakers for Senate meetings and forwards their recommendations to the executive Committee for consideration. The Vice President for the Senate is a member of this committee.
9. Transfer between Functional Areas. Senate members who transfer from one functional area to another within the University will continue to represent their original area for the balance of the year in which the transfer occurs. The remaining year of the unexpired term, if any, shall be filled by election at the next regular election.
10. Attendance/Absenteeism. Senators are expected to attend all Senate meetings and shall contact a member of the Executive Committee if unable to attend. A Senator who has three (3) absences in any twelve (12) month period or fraction thereof and has not notified a member of the Executive Committee will be contacted by a member of the Executive Committee. A Senator's position may be vacated by a vote of the Staff Senate. Attendance will be taken at each Senate meeting.
     
    For extended approved absences (e.g. military leave), the position will be temporarily filled following the procedures under Interim Vacancies.
11. Interim Vacancies. Interim vacancies will be filled using the following procedures:
    1. Vacancies of Staff Senate positions will be filled by the person receiving the next highest number of votes form the previous full election.
    2. In the case where more than one candidate has the next highest number of votes, the candidates shall be invited to attend a Staff Senate meeting to present themselves to Senate members. Immediately following this, the election will take place. Ratification will be by a majority of those members present and voting at the regular Senate meeting.
    3. If there are no candidates from the previous full election, the vacancy will be advertised in the campus newsletter and in the Senate minutes prior to the meeting when election take place. The Senate shall accept nominations of interested and eligible staff employees to fill the vacancies. Ratification will be by a majority of those members present and voting at the regular Senate meeting.
        
       The vacancy will be filled until the completion of the unexpired term or the return of the person on extended leave.
12. Meeting and Actions. The Senate shall normally meet in regular sessions monthly or on call of the President. A majority of the Senate members eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum for a meeting. In the conduct of the meetings, Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail, unless superseded by the Bylaws of the Minot State University Staff Senate.
    1. Meetings of the Senate shall be open. The Senate, at its option, may move into a closed executive session by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting.
    2. A record of proceedings at meetings shall be kept which, upon request and under reasonable conditions, shall be made available by the secretary of the Senate.
    3. The Senate shall establish and maintain reasonable procedures whereby any individual may propose items to be included on the agenda for the next Senate meeting.
    4. The Senate shall invite the President of Minot State University to attend a Senate meeting at least once a year. The Senate shall consider any recommendations made at any time by the President of MSU.
13. Amendments to the Bylaws. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by motion at any regular meeting of the Senate. If approved by a majority vote of the Senate, a proposed amendment shall be submitted to the President of the University for final approval.
14. Dissolution. Upon dissolution of the organization, all assets remaining, after payment of all costs and expenses of such dissolution, shall be turned over to the President of the University.

Addendum to the Bylaws
Minot State University

The following are temporary amendments to the Bylaws for the first year of operation:

4.a. One-half of the Senators will be elected for one year, and one-half will be elected for two years. This will allow the alternating system to be put in place.
8.a.2. The President of the University and his appointee(s) shall coordinate the election process during the first year.

The following is a temporary amendment to the Bylaws for the second year of operation:

4.a. 1992-93 and 1993-94 terms would be only 1 year and 7 months due to Bylaws changes; thereafter, terms will be two years.

The following are amendments to the Bylaws:

4.a. Senate membership shall be for a two (2) year term with approximately one-half of the members elected each May.
4.b. Regular elections to fill vacant positions shall be held annually during the month of May. Elected Senate members' terms begin in June.
5.b. Each elected office of the Executive Committee is to be filled by an elected member of the Senate. The terms of the officers will be one year, with the exception of the 1993-94 year whereby the term will be seven (7) months, due to an amendment to the Bylaws.
5.c. The Nomination Committee will call for nominations form the Staff Senate.
5.d. Voting will take place at the regular May meeting. The Nomination Committee shall tally the votes.