Professional Staff Organization
Bylaws

Adopted January 19, 2000
rev. 1/30/2007

Article I. Mission

To represent the interests of the Professional Staff at Lewis-Clark State College by working with other components of campus for the improvement of personnel and program management, morale, working conditions, and productivity. To promote and encourage ethical practice within the Professional Staff at Lewis-Clark State College.

Specific Functions.

1. To provide leadership to Professional Staff in the promotion and development of programs, policies, and procedures which enhance the institution in the pursuit of its mission.

2. To achieve formal representation on behalf of the Professional Staff in policy matters pertaining to personal and professional welfare.

3. To promote an active role for the Professional Staff in the institution’s governance structure.

4. To make recommendations concerning the establishment, interpretation, and publicity of operating policies and procedures affecting Professional Staff.

5. To cooperate with the Faculty and/or Classified Staff Organization(s) in the formulation of joint recommendations concerning the solution of problems common to faculty, classified, and professional staff.

6. To form committees, as necessary, to study special and/or continuing topics of interest to Professional Staff.

7. To provide representation and/or recommendations to general campus committees and other study groups.

8. To call to the attention of the President matters concerning staff affairs in any division or department that the organization believes should receive special attention.

9. To develop criteria and determine recipient of Professional Staff Excellence Award eligibility and election process.

 

Article II. Membership

Section 1.

Membership in the LCSC Professional Staff Organization is open to all benefit-eligible Professional staff and is automatic upon commencement of employment. Membership does not include:

1. Employees in a classified position, subject to guidelines of the Idaho Personnel Commission.

2. Employees holding faculty rank whose primary responsibility is teaching.

3. President, Provost, Vice Presidents

Section 2.

A person ceases to be a member of the Professional Staff Organization upon termination of employment from Lewis-Clark State College or upon requesting by email to the Digital Communications Officer the removal of his/her name from the roster of the organization.  The Digital Communication Officer shall notify Officer Council of member removal request.

 

Article III. Membership Meetings

Section 1. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the organization may adopt.

Section 2. Meetings

The Professional Staff Organization will meet at least five times per year (one of those to be held in January and one in March).  Meeting dates will be selected and posted on the Professional Staff Organization web site two (2) weeks prior to the first meeting of the academic school year.  Additional meetings may be called by the Chair/Officers as needed.  Meeting day and time will vary to accommodate varied employee work/training commitments.

Section 3. Quorum

A quorum shall consist of members present at a regularly scheduled meeting or any special meeting called in accordance with the bylaws.

After the bylaws are adopted, amendments to the bylaws will require a majority of the votes cast for ratification. All other business of the Professional Staff Organization and the Officer Council of the organization shall be ratified by a simple majority of votes cast.

Section 4. Elections

Solicitation for nominations for officer positions will begin in January, up to five (5) calendar weeks prior to the election.   Acceptance of nomination must include submission of biographical information before candidate will be placed on the ballot.    Names of candidates who have accepted nomination will be announced via the Professional Staff Organization web site two (2) weeks prior to election.  Once nominations close, membership will be provided secure PIN numbers for electronic voting; electronic ballots will be available on the Professional Staff Organization web site for two (2) calendar weeks.  Once the election period closes, votes will be obtained by the Digital Communication Officer.  If the Digital Communication Officer is a nominee, the Chair shall assign another designee.   Election results will be announced at the March meeting.   New officer orientation by immediate past officers shall occur between the March meeting and the first meeting of the new academic year. 

 

Article IV. Officer Council

The organization will be led by an Officer Council consisting of a Chair, Vice-Chair, Recording Secretary, and Digital Communications Officer.  Officer terms shall be one (1) year in length. The term limit for any one officer position (except Past Chair) shall be two (2) consecutive years. Past Chair term limit shall be one (1) year. Only those persons who have been members of the Professional Staff Organization for at least one (1) year shall be eligible for election to the offices of Chair and Vice-Chair.

Officer Council shall hold meetings separate from general membership meetings to conduct business for the organization. Officer Council shall meet no less than four (4) times during each calendar year. 

Article V. Officer Duties

Chair shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the Professional Staff Organization

2. With the approval of the Officer Council, appoint required subcommittees.

3. Maintain lines of communication between the Professional Staff Organization, Officer Council, College President, Faculty Senate, and Classified Staff Organization.

4. With the approval of the Officer Council, nominate representatives to College committees, as requested by the College President or other campus entities.

5. Maintain most current copy of approved bylaws as well as proposals for bylaw revision.

6. Perform other duties pertaining to the office of Chair.

7. Serve as Past Chair for one year following last term served as Chair.

8. Attend President’s Council meetings and provide summary to membership.

Past Chair shall:

1. Attend Professional Staff Organization and, by invitation, Officer Council meetings.

2. Provide advisement and/or services in current Officer Council and Professional Staff Organization.

 Vice-Chair shall:

1. Assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chair in the event of absence or disability.

2. Oversee process of nomination and election of officers.

3. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or Officer Council.

Recording Secretary/Treasurer shall:

1. Act as recorder at all Professional Staff Organization and Officer Council meetings, and shall keep minutes thereof.

2. Will submit minutes of all meetings to the Officer Council within ten (10) working days after Organization and Officer meetings.

3. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or Officer Council.

4. Monitor Professional Staff Organization budget. 

Digital Communications Officer shall:

1. Attend all Professional Staff Organization and Officer Council meetings.

2. Maintain and update the Professional Staff Organization web site and member database.

3. Send email notices of meetings, agenda items, and other points of information to all members via Professional Staff Organization e-mail web application.

4.  Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or Officer Council.

5.  Receive training with regard to web architecture, maintenance and file structure.  Changes made to design   or structure of Professional Staff Organization web site must be approved by Officer Council.

6. Obtain election results from Professional Staff Organization web site and communicate to Vice Chair for announcement at March meeting.

 

Article VI. Committees
 

Section 1. Nominating/Election Committee

At the January meeting, the Chair shall appoint a Nominating/Election Committee consisting of the Vice-Chair (who shall serve as the Nominating/Election Committee Chair) and three (3) members from the organization to identify a slate of persons willing to serve as officer in the organization. Nominations will be actively solicited from the membership. The slate shall be presented to the membership prior to the March meeting.

Section 2. Committee Formation

Special or Ad-Hoc Committees may be created and disbanded by majority vote of the Officer Council. The Professional Staff Organization Chair shall be an ex-officio (with vote) member of all subcommittees.  General membership will be informed of committee formation. 

Section 3. Committee Appointment

With the approval of the Officer Council, the Professional Staff Organization Chair shall hold responsibility for committee chair and committee representative appointment. General membership will be informed of committee appointments.

 

Article VII. Communications

Formal communication to the Professional Staff Organization membership will be the responsibility of the Officer Council. This communication may occur in the following forms: meetings, email, web site, and/or written communication.

Two weeks prior to the first meeting of each school year, the Digital Communications Officer shall send correspondence by e-mail to announce the first meeting. This e-mail shall also include a link to the PSO web site for general membership information, including meetings throughout the current school year.

Two weeks prior to each scheduled meeting, e-mail notices shall be sent to all members announcing the meeting.

The Professional Staff Organization web site shall include, but not be limited to, the following: current year meeting schedule, meeting minutes, and bylaws.

All nomination/election processes will occur via the Professional Staff Organization web site per related section of the bylaws.

 

Article VIII. Amendments

These bylaws may be amended either by a majority vote of the members of the LCSC Professional Staff Organization voting at a duly called meeting. Proposed amendments must be posted on the Professional Staff Organization web site at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting at which vote will be held.

 

(pdf version)