COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND HUMAN SCIENCES
STAFF ASSOCIATION BY-LAWS
(CLAHSSA)

 

June 5 2003

Voted on and approved August 8, 2006

Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Staff Association.

Article II. Mission Statement
The Association's purpose is to represent the views, opinions, queries, and concerns of the staff to the College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences administration, the Staff Senate, and the Commission on Staff Policy and Affairs (CSPA) and to facilitate two-way communication.

The Association shall provide the opportunity for professional and personal development, fellowship, individual expression, and mutual understanding among all college employees.

Article III. Membership
Association membership shall consist of all staff (full and part-time, wage and salary) in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

Wherever the word “staff” is mentioned in the bylaws this is defined to mean all non-faculty salaried employees and non-student wage employees of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Elections shall be held by March 31, and officers shall begin their term on July 1.

Members shall be released from normal work duties to attend association and/or committee meetings.

Article IV. Elected Officers and Representatives
The officers/representatives of the organization shall be: President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Staff Senator(s), and Alternates.

President: (1-year term) The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Committee and call special meetings when necessary. This officer shall serve as ex-officio member of all committees and perform such other duties as are usually associated with this office. This officer shall oversee the association’s website and shall appoint a Webmaster.

President-Elect: (1-year term) The President-Elect shall assist the President in the work of the organization and shall, in the absence of the President, assume the duties pertaining to that office. This officer shall be Program Committee Chair and Nominations Committee Chair, shall call meetings of the Program and Nominations Committee, and be responsible for seeing that programs for the meetings are carried out. After the one-year term, this officer shall assume the office of President.

Secretary: (1-year term) The Secretary shall send out notices of the meetings and handle all correspondence as designated by the Executive Committee. This officer shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the organization and of the Executive Committee and shall ensure that staff is notified electronically of meetings. This officer shall submit to the Webmaster the minutes of the meetings and association updates.

Treasurer: (1-year term) The Treasurer shall have the responsibility of accurately recording the finances of the organization and be responsible for collecting and depositing all money associated with the organization. This officer shall provide a financial update when requested and provide a financial statement at the general meetings. This officer shall be Chair of the Scholarship Committee and shall be charged with administration of the scholarship fund. This officer shall have the books audited prior to June 30 by an auditor outside the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.

Parliamentarian: (1-year term) The Parliamentarian shall advise the President on parliamentary procedures in accordance with ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, NEWLY REVISED.

Staff Senator(s): (3-year term) The Staff Senator(s) shall represent the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences staff at monthly meetings of the University Staff Senate and disseminate electronically information discussed/proposed/decided upon to the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences staff. The Staff Senator(s) shall communicate concerns to Staff Senate. Two Senators and two Alternates shall represent the Association.

Article V. Assessment for Funds
The Executive Committee must approve any requests made to the members for voluntary contributions on such occasions when funds are needed.

Article VI. Governing Body
The Governing Body shall be known and referred to as the Executive Committee. It shall be composed of the elected officers (the President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer), Standing Committee Chairs, and Liberal Arts & Human Sciences Staff Senators.

Article VII. Meetings
General meetings shall be held twice yearly, in the fall and spring. The Executive Committee may call special meetings. Meetings may be postponed or suspended by the Executive Committee when necessary because of exceptional circumstances, but notification of such postponement or suspension shall be given to the membership, whenever possible, at least one week in advance of the date on which the regular meeting would be held.

Article VIII. Standing Committees
Standing committees of the organization shall be: Executive Committee, Program Committee, Special Projects Committee, Scholarship Committee, Staff Development Committee, and Nominations Committee, and they shall be made up as follows:

• Executive Committee (EC): The President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Staff Senators, and Standing Committee Chairs shall constitute this committee.
  
  
• Program Committee (PC): The President-Elect shall serve as chair of the Program Committee and shall request volunteers to serve on this committee. The PC shall be charged with developing and carrying out the program for the fall and spring CLAHS Staff Association meetings.
  
  
• Special Projects Committee (SPC): The President shall request volunteers to serve on this committee and the committee shall elect its own chair. The SPC shall be charged with developing and carrying out special projects identified by the CLAHS Staff Association body such as a holiday or community project.
  
  
• Scholarship Committee (SC): The Treasurer shall serve as chair of the Scholarship Committee and shall request volunteers to serve on this committee. The SC shall be charged with requesting and receiving applications, raising funds, and selecting recipients.
  
  
• Staff Development Committee (SDC): The President shall request volunteers to serve on this committee and the committee shall elect its own chair. The SDC shall be charged with providing opportunities for educational and professional development for all staff in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
  
  
• Nominations Committee (NC): The President-Elect shall serve as chair of the Nominations Committee and shall request volunteers to serve on this committee. The NC shall be charged with requesting volunteers to run for office and for overseeing elections at the spring meeting. Nominees may not be members of this committee.
  
  

Article IX. Elections

Election of CLAHSSA Officers:
A slate of officers shall be nominated from the College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences staff at-large by the Nominations Committee.

Nominations for officers shall be presented at the general meeting held in March. Nominations shall be accepted from the floor at the spring general meeting.

Elections shall be held by secret ballot.

Officers shall assume their responsibilities on July 1 of the current year and continue through June 30 of the following year.

In case of a vacancy of office, the Executive Committee shall appoint a replacement to fulfill the term.

Election and Terms of Office for Staff Senators:
The CLAHSSA Nominations Committee shall call for nominations and volunteers from all staff of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences for vacant Senator positions.

Ballots shall be prepared for voting at the spring general meeting. Nominations shall be accepted from the floor. Elections shall be held by secret ballot with results reported to Staff Senate.

Two Staff Senators and two Alternates shall represent the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Staff Senators shall be elected for three-year terms commencing July 1 and ending June 30 three years later.

In the case of a vacancy, the Alternate shall assume the duties of the vacant position. When that is not possible, an election of a replacement shall be held. The elected representative shall serve out the remainder of that term.

Article X. Quorum
A majority of the membership present shall constitute a quorum for the election of officers and for amendments to the by-laws. Votes may be by absentee ballot.

Conducting Business:
A majority vote of members present shall carry a motion.

Votes may be made by acclamation or show of hands, unless a member requests a secret ballot vote.

The President or President-Elect may appoint committees or subcommittees as necessary to carry out the work of the association.

Article XI. Amendments
These by-laws may be amended at any meeting where a quorum is present, provided the amendment has been submitted at the previous meeting, or in writing to every member at least one week before the meeting at which a vote will be taken on the amendment.

Amendments shall become effective upon the adjournment of the meeting in which they are adopted unless a different effective date is included in the revision.

Article XII. Parliamentary Procedure
Except as herein provided, the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the organization during the regular meetings.