Policies and Procedures

A. The process for Staff Council elections shall be in accordance with the current Staff Council Constitution and Bylaws. The Staff Council Executive Committee shall approve any modifications.

B. The election processes for the general electorate, officers, and members-at-large occur on an annual basis and are conducted by the Staff Council Nominating Committee.

C. The designation of staff to serve on standing and ad-hoc campus-wide committees and councils may be by election or appointment.

D. In accordance with the Staff Council Bylaws, a special election may be deemed appropriate when a vacancy occurs.

E. Chairs of Staff Council committees are elected by the membership of each committee (Exception: Executive committee is chaired by Staff Council Chair, Membership. The committee is chaired by Vice-Chair, and subcommittee chairs may be appointed by the standing committee chair that created the subcommittee (See Constitution and Bylaws section 1.730).

F. Disputes, discrepancies, or irregularities regarding elections shall be referred to the Executive Committee, via the Chair, for appropriate resolution.

A. GENERAL ELECTORATE:
Refer to Staff Council Constitution and Bylaws Section 1.300 & 1.400 for definitions regarding membership and eligibility of the General Electorate.

B. OFFICERS OF THE STAFF COUNCIL:

1. The elected officers of Staff Council are the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Refer to Staff Council Constitution and Bylaws Sections 1.520 through 1.570 for terms and duties of each officer position.

C. STANDING UNIVERSITY-WIDE COMMITTEES, AND BOARDS OF DIRECTORS:

1. The Staff of the University have representation on such standing universitywide committees or Boards of Directors as, the Resource Planning Process Task Force, the Campus Sustainability Task Force, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, the Campus Climate Committee, the Enrollment Advisory Committee, the University Resource Council, the International Education Committee, the University Student Union Board of Trustees, and Forty Niner Shops Board of Directors.
   • A. The university’s staff as a whole elect the Staff Academic Senators. (Refer to Constitution and Bylaws section 1.800)
   • B. The President, Vice President, and/or others make calls for staff members to participate on these committees. These requests are directed to the Chair of the Staff Council who in turn forwards the request to the Chair of the Nominating Committee.
   • C. The Nominating Committee has the responsibility of soliciting possible candidates and nominations from all staff and conducts an election at the next general Staff Council meeting. In certain circumstances, the Executive Committee may make an interim appointment or if that is not possible the Staff Council Chair may make an interim appointment until an election can take place.
   • D. The Chair of the Staff Council sends a communication with the name of the staff representative (interim or otherwise) to the person making the original request and makes appropriate notification to the Secretary of the Staff Council and selected staff.

D. SPECIAL AND AD-HOC COMMITTEES:

1. Staff members of the University are frequently presented with the opportunity to have representation on special and ad-hoc university-wide committees including Administrative Review Committees and Search Committees.
2. Generally, requests for staff members to participate in these committees are made by the President, a Vice President, the Chair of the Academic Senate, and/or others. These requests are directed to the Chair of the Staff Council who in turn forwards the request to the Chair of the Nominating Committee.
3. As appropriate, the Staff Academic Senators or Staff Council Executive Committee members may have first right of refusal.
4. The Nominating Committee has the responsibility of soliciting possible candidates and nominations from all staff and conducts an election at the next general Staff Council meeting. In certain circumstances, the Executive Committee may make an interim appointment or if that is not possible the Staff Council Chair may make an interim appointment until an election can take place.
5. The Chair of the Staff Council sends a communication with the name of the staff representative (interim or otherwise) to the person making the original request and makes the appropriate notification

E. STAFF SENATORS TO THE ACADEMIC SENATE:

1. Staff Academic Senators are nominated and elected by the staff community as a whole. Requests for staff to serve in this capacity are made from the Chair of the Academic Senate to the Chair of the Staff Council.
2. The Chair of the Staff Council refers the request to the Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee has the responsibility of conducting a campus-wide election for the Academic Senate.
3. Results of that election are announced at the next general Staff Council meeting.
4. The Chair of the Staff Council sends a communication with the name of the staff representative (interim or otherwise) to the person making the original request and makes the appropriate notification to the Secretary of the Staff Council and selected staff.

A. The Nominating Committee is comprised of volunteers from the members of Staff Council and the Vice Chair. Ideally, the composition of the committee would include a representative from each division, a combined representative from the auxiliaries, and the Vice Chair.

B. The Past Chair of the Nominating Committee serves as the convening chair of the committee. If not available, Staff Council Chair convenes the committee.

C. The Chair of the Nominating Committee is elected annually from among its members. The Chair serves on the Staff Council Executive Committee.

The Vice-Chair shall develop a plan and process for General Elections of new members. The plan shall be presented to the Executive Committee of SC in the fall of each year.

June:  Term begins with the June meeting.

April

• First call for nominations to serve as officers of the Council. The Nominating Committee is responsible for conducting the election process.
• Officer positions to be filled: Chair, Chair-Elect, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.
• Other positions to be filled: (2) Members-at-Large 
• Nominees may make their Statement of Interest at the April and/or May Staff Council meeting and it may be read by another member if the nominee is absent.
• Each nominee should prepare a brief statement of their background, department(s) worked, volunteer service, and interest in serving on the Staff Council.

May
The following process is repeated for each open officer position at the May Staff Council meeting.

• Vice-Chair determines eligibility to vote.
• Members may nominate themselves or others.
• The Chair of the Nominating Committee calls for final nominations from the floor to serve as (name of officer position) of the following year’s Council.
• Nominations for officers are closed.
• All nominees or designees must verbally present their “Statement of Interest.”
•  If only one candidate has been nominated for office, it is acceptable for the secretary to make a motion to cast a unanimous ballot of the Council.
• Voting members or alternates standing in for voting members record their votes on the specific ballot previously disturbed.
• Ballots are collected and tallied by the Nominating Committee. A simple majority determines the winner. Run-off may be necessary. Note: during the period of the ballots being collected and tallied, the Chair of the Council will conduct regular business of the Council until such time as the successful candidate has been determined and the election process for the next officer position can proceed.)
• Winner announced by Staff Council Chair.
• Nominations and elections for the next officer position proceed.
• The gavel is passed to the incoming Chair as a gesture of transition but continues to facilitate the meeting. The new Chair begins one day before the May Academic Senate orientation meeting 
• Brief statements by the immediate Past Chair and new Chair.

A. General Electorate
At the September Staff Council meeting, the Chair, Vice-Chair, and available executive committee members will conduct a welcome/mini orientation.

B. Officers
Each outgoing officer of the Staff Council is responsible for immediately passing on to their successor all appropriate documents in electronic form where feasible.

C. Committee Chairs
Each outgoing committee chair is responsible for immediately passing on to their successor all appropriate documents in electronic form where feasible.

Treasurer’s Report is prepared for Executive Committee:
Treasurer prepares a summary report of income and expenses for the prior year, developing a beginning balance available for allocations. Secondary reports will be developed for each committee.

Budget Request Submitted to Executive Committee:

a) Each committee will be invited to submit a budget request to the Staff Council Executive via Treasurer (prescribed format).

b) The Treasurer reviews all submissions to ensure compliance with instructions and to clarify data as needed.

c) The Treasurer prepares a packet of material for advance distribution to Executive Committee.

Budget Hearings:

a) Purpose of the hearings will be to share information with the Staff Council Executive Committee on activities planned for the coming year and to request resources to support those activities.

b) Either the committee chair or other designee presents the budget request to the Executive Committee. Executive Committee members will be given an opportunity to ask questions or request supplemental information. An opportunity for comments or questions from visitors will be made available.

• Executive Committee formulates recommendations to the Staff Council.
• The Treasurer presents the Executive Committee’s recommended budget.
• Plan shared with the body as a whole.
• Discussion and action by the Staff Council.
• Administration of the approved budgets.