Staff Council By Laws
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 Staff Council By-Laws - Article VI

Article VI. MEETINGS
 
Section 1. Types of Meetings
 
There will be four types of meetings:
           
  1. Staff Council General Meetings: This meeting shall be inclusive of all Staff Council Members and will be open to all Texas Southern University staff persons.
  2. Staff Council Committee Meetings: Committee meetings shall be open to committee members only, and shall be called by the Committee Chair. 
  3. Executive Board Meetings: The Executive Board shall hold closed sessions and shall be called by the Staff Council Chair.
  4. Special Meetings/Emergency Meetings: Special meetings may be called by the Staff Council Chair, or at the request of a quorum of the Staff Council members. The President may instruct the Staff Council Chair to call emergency meetings at any time without prior notice. Only the business specified in the call of the special meetings shall be conducted at such meetings. 
 
Section 2. Schedule of Meetings
 
The meetings of the Staff Council shall be open to Texas Southern University Staff employees. The Executive Board may have meetings to discuss certain issues in closed session at the direction of the Chair. This meeting may include the Staff Council members if deemed necessary.
 
  1. Staff Council shall hold general meetings from September through May. There should be no fewer than 4 meetings per academic year.
  2. Meeting time during the academic period shall be established by the Executive Board at the first general meeting. Meeting should be held Monday through Friday, during the normal working hours regardless of the type of meeting.
  3. Meeting Agenda shall be posted at least five working days prior to the scheduled meeting date and time. Advance notice should be given for each meeting.
  4. When there are no new agenda items, proposals, or unfinished business, the Executive Board reserves the right to hold no meeting. However, prior notice shall be given to Council Members.
 
Section 3. Forum
 
The first meeting after the election of Executive Board Members shall be an open forum for all the Staff of Texas Southern University. The guest speaker(s) could be the Chair, one of the Executive Board officials, or the President’s designee. The purpose of the forum shall be to share common interests and concerns, to pose questions, and to provide the President an opportunity to share information with Staff.
 
Section 4.   Quorum
 
A quorum shall be formed by a simple majority (50% + 1) for all meetings. The Executive Board, Staff Council or a Committee shall not conduct business without a quorum.
 
In the absence of a quorum:
 
  1. The Executive Board may convene and vote on time-sensitive issues that require immediate action and report the results to the Staff Council during the next scheduled meeting. This includes emergency meetings which may be called by the President of the University.
  2. Any other business transacted shall be null and void.
  3. Only announcements of informative nature may be made by the Chair. These announcements shall be sent by email to all Staff Council members.
 
Section 5. Voting
 
Elected Staff Council members (only) may vote:
 
  1. A quorum (50% + 1) is required for a Staff Council vote to be taken.
  2. Voting on motions and issues brought before the Staff Council shall be by voice or show of hands, unless a roll call vote or vote by secret ballot is requested by a voting member. Roll call votes are recorded in the minutes.
  3. Members must be present to vote. No proxy votes will be permitted.
 
Section 6. Floor Privileges
 
Proposals, measures, and resolutions shall be introduced on the floor by Staff Council members only. Persons who are not members of the Staff Council may be granted the right to speak, however, voting rights will not be granted on matters before the Staff Council. If a request to speak is made by a non member, the Chair shall ask the Staff Council for objections and upon hearing none shall grant the non-member the privilege to speak. If objections are raised, the privilege will be extended by a majority vote (50% + 1) of Staff Council members. Voting rights shall not be granted to non-members on matters before the Staff Council.
 
Section 7. Agenda
 
The Executive Board shall set the agenda for meetings. New items may be added to the agenda at the meeting if approved by majority (50% + 1) of Staff Council members who are present. Staff Council meetings shall have an agenda which includes the time and place of the meetings, copies of minutes from previous meeting, copies of substantive proposals if any, and the order of business. Agenda should be widely posted in order to be available to all staff persons.
 
The Executive Board shall:
 
  1. Collect agenda information through the use of request forms. Agenda Request Forms shall include the requirements for information to be submitted with a proposal;
    1. it shall contain the date, name and contact information of the Staff member submitting/presenting the proposal;
    2. reason for submitting the proposal, (i.e. issues to solve, goals and objectives, etc.);
    3. name of proposal or a one line caption describing the proposal;
  2. Receive proposals or other presentations for Staff Council action from committees, members, TSU Staff persons, the University President or the President’s designee. A detailed proposal must be submitted including supporting documents, if available; (i.e. petitions, letters, articles, surveys and backup documentation or materials if appropriate).
  3. Set an agenda that allows for business to be addressed in a reasonable duration of time during the meetings;
  4. Refer all substantive proposals needing Staff Council action to appropriate committees for review before placing them on the agenda, unless the Executive Board is prepared to address an issue and present it to the Staff Council;
  5. Include on the agenda of a general meeting as soon as practical, all items presented from various sources;
  6. Advise the Staff Council of the need for a special meeting; and
  7. Respond to submitted proposals within a reasonable amount of time, based on the circumstances of the proposal.
 
Section 8. Minutes
 
The minutes of all meetings shall be made available to the Staff Council within (5) five working days. In the absence of the Secretary, the Chair shall appoint someone in the interim for that particular meeting. Minutes shall be approved at the next meeting after modification and amendment, and shall be maintained as permanent record. The minutes of the meetings shall be available upon request. Minutes should include at minimum:
  • date, time, location of meeting;
  • list of those present and absent;
  • list of items discussed and reports presented;
  • text of motions presented and description of their disposition;
 
Section 9. Order of Business
 
The order of business for meetings shall be as set forth in the agenda. However, this may be altered by the Chair. (1) call to order and establish quorum; (2) approval of the previous meeting’s minutes; (3) committee reports; (4) unfinished business; (5) new matters/issues arising; (6) miscellaneous (comments, announcements, tributes, etc); and (7) adjournment.
 
Section 10. Parliamentary Authority
 
The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the TSU Staff Council and its committees in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these guidelines or with any special rules of order the Staff Council may adopt.