BY-LAWS/ELECTION COMMITTEE

• Directive:

This committee accepts the responsibility of revising the By-Laws as needed, reviewing the electoral process, and running the General Election. The By-Laws/Elections Committee shall consist of at least the Chairperson and one Senator from each location.

• Contact Members

• By-Laws:
  Staff Senate and Staff Organization
  Delaware Technical & Community College
  Stanton/Wilmington Campus

Table of Contents

ARTICLE I
Section 1.1 Name
Section 1.2 Organization Membership
Section 1.3 Definitions

ARTICLE II
Section 2.1 Purpose

ARTICLE III
Staff Senate Function
Section 3.1 Staff Senate Composition
Section 3.2 Responsibilities of Senators
Section 3.3 Staff Senate Officers
Section 3.4 Duties of Officers
Section 3.5 Officers Term of Office
Section 3.6 Officer Vacancies
Section 3.7 Voting Member Vacancies

ARTICLE IV
Elections
Section 4.1 Election Process

ARTICLE V
Meetings
Section 5.1 Staff Senate Meetings
Section 5.2 Quorum
Section 5.3 Closed Meetings
Section 5.4 Voting at Meetings
Section 5.5 Referendum

ARTICLE VI
Committees and Staff Senate Representation
Section 6.1 Standing Committees
Section 6.2 Special Committees
Section 6.3 Combination/Separation of Committees

ARTICLE VII
Removal of Staff Senators
Section 7.1 Removal
Section 7.2 Petition of Removal
Section 7.3 Appeal

Article VIII
Monetary Reimbursements
Section 8.1 Reimbursement
Section 8.2 Reimbursement Procedure
Section 8.3 Unavailability of Office Signature

ARTICLE IX
Amendments to the By-Laws
Section 9.1 Proposal and Review
Section 9.2 Ratification
Section 9.3 Professional Courtesy Copy
Section 9.4 Declaration of Approval

ARTICLE I

Section 1.1 Name

This body shall be known as the “Staff Senate of Delaware Technical & Community College, Stanton/Wilmington Campus,” hereafter referred to as the “Staff Senate.”

Section 1.2 Organization Membership

The Staff Senate is elected by the staff organization. The Staff Organization consists of all Delaware Tech Stanton/Wilmington Salary Plan B and Regular Salary Plan C employees operating in a support role. Temporary Part Time Plan C employees are not considered part of the Staff Organization for Staff Senate purposes.

Section 1.3 Definitions

1. Senator may be used to refer to any duly elected Staff Senator
   
2. Senate may be used to refer to the Staff Senate
   
3. Location is the commonly held term for distinguishing Stanton from Wilmington. Both “locations” are considered part of one Campus.
   
4. Term shall refer to the two year time in office of a Staff Senator, commencing in January of the year after the general election and ending in December following the next general election.
   
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ARTICLE II

Section 2.1 Purpose

The purpose of the Staff Senate is to represent the Staff Organization.
The Staff Senate shall:

1. Provide a forum for the consideration of matters of interest to the Staff Organization, excluding salary and grievance issues.
   
2. Facilitate communication among the administration, faculty, and support staff, and
   
3. Provide representation in the decision-making process on issues that directly affect the Staff Organization. (i.e., Planning Council, Administrative Council).

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ARTICLE III
Staff Senate Function

Section 3.1 Staff Senate Composition

1. The Staff Senate shall be composed of eight regular full-time Senators and four alternate senators per Campus location for equal representation. Alternate Staff Senators are allowed and encouraged to attend all Staff Senate and subcommittee meetings but do not have the right to vote or serve on a Staff Senate sub committee.
   
2. The Staff Senate shall also have one regular part-time Senator per location, provided one is elected.
   
3. Senators and alternates shall be elected by the Staff Organization at the nominee’s primary location and serve for a two-year term.

Section 3.2 Responsibilities of Senators

1. Attendance and active participation are the core responsibilities of each Staff Senator. Regardless of the reason for the absenteeism, missing four (4) meetings within any calendar year shall be grounds for removal. If a Senator is unable to attend a regular meeting, notice must be given to the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson in advance of that meeting. If circumstances make it impossible to notify the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson in advance, it is acceptable to notify them of the reason for the absence within 24 hours after the meeting.
   
2. A Senator elected or appointed to any Staff Senate committee or group shall attend all meetings of that committee or group. Senators will provide viable input and actions to obtain the objective or goal of that committee or group. If unable to attend a committee/group meeting, notice will be given to the committee chair.

Section 3.3 Staff Senate Officers

1. The officers of the Staff Senate shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, and a Secretary/Treasurer and shall be elected at the first meeting following the general election.
   
2. Only voting members of the Staff Senate may nominate or cast ballots in the election of any officer of the Staff Senate.
   
3. The officers of the previous Senate shall conduct the first meeting after the general election to allow for the election of new officers as well as provide a smooth transition.
4. All elected officers shall serve a two-year term. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be from opposite Campus locations and shall be from different Departments, unless no Senator from one location or department is willing to serve as Chairperson or Vice Chairperson.
5. After serving for one year, the Vice Chairperson shall immediately become Chairperson and the Chairperson will become the Vice Chairperson for the balance of the elected term.

Section 3.4 Duties of Officers

The duties of the Staff Senate Officers shall be as follows:

1. The Chairperson shall:
   1. Preside at all general meetings of the Staff Senate,
      
   2. Be an ex officio member of all committees,
      
   3. Delegate any powers to the Vice Chairperson as is deemed necessary,
      
   4. Establish a meeting calendar and, when appropriate, call special meetings,
      
   5. Vote with the Senate in the event of a tie vote,
      
   6. Represent the Senate at Planning Council and Administrative Council Meetings, and in meetings with Administrators.
      
   7. Represent the Staff Senate in all communication with the Assistant Campus Director and Campus Director.
2. The Vice Chairperson shall be considered the Chairperson-elect and shall assume all the responsibilities of the Chairperson when so delegated.
   
3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
   
   1. Record and maintain accurate minutes of meetings,
      
   2. Report directly to the Chairperson,
      
   3. Keep all financial records of the organization,
      
   4. Be required to present general accounting information as needed.

Section 3.5 Officer Term of Office

All officers may be re-elected to a second consecutive full term but may not be re-elected to a third consecutive term in the same office. Partial terms of office shall not be considered for this purpose.

Section 3.6 Officer Vacancies

1. If the Chairperson position becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice Chairperson shall assume the position of Chairperson immediately.
   
2. If the Vice Chairperson position becomes vacant for any reason, a special election by the Staff Senate must be called to elect a new Vice Chairperson. Such election must be held within ninety (90) days of said vacancy.
   
3. In the event the Chairperson position becomes vacant during the first year of the term, the provisions of Paragraphs A and B above shall be followed to fill the vacancy and the two officers shall switch duties on an equal time basis for the balance of the term.
   
4. In the event of Chairperson vacancy during the second year of the term, the Vice Chairperson shall resume the position of Chairperson, a new Vice Chairperson elected per Paragraph B above, and both will continue in their offices for the balance of the term.
   
5. If the Secretary/Treasurer position becomes vacant for any reason, a special election by the Staff Senate must be called to elect a new Secretary/Treasurer. Such election must be held within ninety (90) days of said vacancy.

Section 3.7 Voting Member Vacancies

1. If any Voting Member seat of the Staff Senate becomes vacant, the first Alternate from that location shall be elevated to voting member status for the remainder of the current term.
   
2. In the event that all Alternates from one location have been elevated to voting member status, Alternates, in order, from the opposite location will be used to fill voting member seats.
   
3. In the event there are no remaining alternates, names of potential new Staff Senators will be submitted for consideration at the next Staff Senate general meeting. A vote on these nominees will be held and a Staff Senate officer will begin the process of inviting (in order of number of votes received) nominees to become Senators. Once a nominee agrees to serve as a Senator, all remaining nominees will be asked to serve as alternates.

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ARTICLE IV
Elections

Section 4.1 Election Process

1. All Elections shall be conducted by the By-Laws/Elections Committee.
   
2. The By-Laws/Elections Committee shall see to it that notice is given to all members of the Staff Organization asking for self nominations. Nominations will be collected and a separate ballot prepared for each location. All Regular Full Time and Regular Part time members of the Staff Organization are eligible for election to the Staff Senate.
   
3. The election process shall be initiated by a mailing of the ballot, in November, every other year, to all members of the Staff Organization at each location.
   
4. On the ballot for each campus, votes are to be cast for a total of twelve Salary Plan B employees and for one Salary Plan C employee.
   
5. In the event that twelve Salary plan B nominations per location cannot be obtained, the election shall not be held as scheduled and the current Senate shall remain in office until such times as twelve nominations can be obtained. As soon as a ballot of at least twelve Salary plan B candidates per locations is obtained, the election shall proceed in a timely manner. Lack of a Salary Plan C nominee will not prevent the election from proceeding as scheduled due to the relative number of candidates available.
   
6. The eight nominees per location who receive the most votes in the general election at each campus shall be elected Staff Senators, Voting Members. All remaining nominees shall be considered Alternate Senators in order of vote count, alternates one through four. In the event of a tie for the eighth voting senate seat, the tie shall be broken by a vote of the By-laws/Elections Committee. The winner will become a voting member and the loser will become the first alternate.

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ARTICLE V
Meetings

Section 5.1 Staff Senate Meetings

1. Generally the Staff Senate shall hold meetings monthly, but not less than once per calendar quarter.
   
2. The date and time of all meetings is to be determined by the Chairperson.
   
3. Notice of the meetings will be sent to all Staff Senators and Alternates via E-mail.
   
4. The location of the meetings shall alternate between Stanton and Wilmington locations. In the event of inclement weather or an emergency situation, meetings may be held via teleconference. Use of video or other conferencing shall be at the discretion of the Chairperson.
   
5. The Chairperson of the Staff Senate, in consultation with the Vice Chairperson, Senators and the Committee Chairs shall determine the agenda for each meeting. A copy of the agenda will be made available to each Senator prior to the meeting via E-mail.

Section 5.2 Quorum

A quorum of the Staff Senate shall consist of a majority of senators with a minimum of nine Senators. In the event there is no quorum, an informational meeting may be held and committees appointed, but no motions may be made nor votes taken.

Section 5.3 Closed Meetings

1. Meetings of the Staff Senate shall be open only to Staff Senators and Alternate Senators unless prior arrangements are requested and approved by the Officers of the Staff Senate. The officers may approve or disapprove visitors, with or without cause at their sole discretion.
   
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph A above, special consideration will be given to those individuals in the Leadership Development Program from locations other than Stanton/Wilmington Campus to fulfill their requirement to attend a Senate meeting.
   
3. Stanton/Wilmington Leadership Development candidates must attend a senate meeting at another campus.
   
4. The Officers of the Staff Senate may designate any individual meeting(s) as an open meeting(s) to allow any member(s) of the Staff Organization to attend that specific meeting(s). There shall be at least one (1) such open meeting per calendar year.

Section 5.4 Voting at Meetings

1. Voting during each meeting of the Staff Senate shall be by the method prescribed by the Chair at the time of the vote.
   
2. Votes taken at Staff Senate meetings shall include but not limited to approval of:
   
   1. Minutes or referendums presented by the Staff as detailed in Section 4.5 of this article,
      
   2. Amendments to the By-Laws,
      
   3. Other business as deemed necessary, and
      
   4. Motion to adjourn.

Section 5.5 Referendum

The referendum procedure for reversing any decision of the Staff Senate shall be initiated by a petition signed by one-third (1/3) of the Staff Organization. The petition shall be submitted to the Staff Senate Chairperson. The Chairperson will call a special meeting of the Staff Senate within two weeks after receipt of the petition. A majority vote is required to reverse a Staff Senate decision.

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ARTICLE VI
Committees and Staff Senate Representation

Senators are required to serve on a minimum of two and not more than four committees each term. Decisions regarding appointments for Staff Senate representation outside the Senate shall be made by consultation between the Staff Senate Chairperson and other Staff Senate Officers. Staff Senators shall have first right of refusal to such appointments, after which Senate Officers will consider appointments from the Staff Organization. One e-mail message to all Senators shall be deemed sufficient notice of the opportunity for appointment to outside committees.

Section 6.1 Standing Committees

The following Standing Committees shall be constituted each term. The Staff Senate Chairperson will petition the Senate for Committee Chairpersons for the various Committees at the beginning of each term. Any Committee may have more than one Co-Chairperson except the Executive Committee and Concerns Committees.

1. Executive Committee – Members to include and limited to the duly elected Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and the Secretary/Treasurer. This Committee accepts the responsibilities for running the Staff Senate.
   
2. Communications and Outreach Committee-Members to be approved by the Committee Chairperson. This Committee accepts the responsibilities as it relates to Public Relations and Marketing.
   
3. By-Laws/Elections Committee – Members to be approved by the Committee Chairperson. This committee accepts the responsibility of revising the By-Laws as needed, reviewing the electoral process, and running the General Election. The By-Laws/Elections Committee shall consist of at least the Chairperson and one Senator from each location.
   
4. Concerns Committee – Membership in this committee shall be limited to the Staff Senate officers and will be chaired by the Senate Chairperson. This Committee accepts responsibility to address concerns that come directly to the Staff Senate and to offer/recommend workable solutions, and to present them to the appropriate Administrator for action.
   
5. Fund Raising Committee – Members to be approved by the Committee Chairperson. The committee accepts the responsibility of organizing events to ensure the Staff Senate has sufficient funds to provide for Senate operation, projects, programs, and events.
   
6. Mentoring Committee – Members to be approved by the Committee Chairperson. This committee accepts the responsibility of maintaining the Mentoring Program and ensuring that all new Salary Plan B Regular and Temporary Full Time employees, as well as all new Regular Part Time Plan C employees have a mentor assigned and the opportunity to be fully mentored.
   
7. Education Opportunity/Parity Committee - Members to be approved by the Committee Chairperson. This committee accepts the responsibility of reviewing the credit, non-credit, and job enhancement educational opportunities available to Stanton/Wilmington's Plan B and Plan C employees. The committee is also charged with surveying employees to determine need, providing oversight to ensure that educational opportunity parity exists between pay plans, and with developing or facilitating new educational opportunities for staff.
   
8. Awards Committee - Members to be approved by the Committee Chairperson.

This committee accepts the responsibility of acting as a consultant to any member of the Staff Organization who wishes to nominate another for Collegewide awards such as, but not limited to, the Excellence in Service Award.

Section 6.2 Special Committees

Other Committees may be commissioned by the Staff Senate Chairperson, for any reason.

Section 6.3 Combination/Separation of Committees

Committees, standing or special, may be combined or separated for cause by a vote of the Staff Senate.

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ARTICLE VII
Removal of Staff Senators

Section 7.1 Removal

Any Staff Senator may be removed from office upon determination of willful violation of the Staff Senate By-Laws. No Senator shall be removed without concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the Staff Senate. Any and all communication about removal of a Senator shall be strictly confidential.

Section 7.2 Petition of Removal

1. A petition requesting the removal of a Staff Senator must be signed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the currently elected voting members of the Staff Senate and must specify the grounds for removal.
2. Such petition shall be delivered to the Chairperson who, in turn, shall contact and present it to the Senator named in the petition.
3. The candidate for removal named in the petition shall have 30 calendar days after such notice in order to contest, in writing, the petition of removal. The candidate may request another Senator to act on his or her behalf.
4. The chairperson shall call a special meeting of the voting members of the Staff Senate to be held 30 days, not to exceed 45 days after the notice of the petition has been given to the Senator.
5. At the special meeting, the petition shall be read by the Chairperson to all members present, as well as any defense statements that were received. Non-response to the petition within the 30 day period, shall be considered a no contest response and constitute grounds for immediate removal without a vote.
6. The Staff Senators must vote on a contested petition of removal.

Section 7.3 Appeal

A two thirds (2/3) majority vote for removal of a Staff Senator shall be final and immediate. No appeal is possible.

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Article VIII
Monetary Reimbursement Procedures

Section 8.1 Reimbursement

Any Senator can make purchases on behalf of and for Staff Senate with prior approval of the Staff Senate Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson. Reimbursement for such purchases can be obtained by submitting a signed State of Delaware “Personal Expense Reimbursement” form, along with receipts or copies of same to the Secretary/Treasurer of the Staff Senate.

Section 8.2 Reimbursement Procedure

The Secretary/Treasurer will verify the amounts, fill out an internal Fund Disbursement Authorization, and submit all paperwork to the Staff Senate Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for signatures. When both signatures are obtained, the forms are returned to the Secretary/Treasurer so copies can be made for Staff Senate records.

Section 8.3 Unavailability of Officer Signature

If, for some reason, the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson is not available to sign the Internal Fund Disbursement Authorization, the Secretary/
Treasurer’s signature can be substituted. The Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for submitting all reimbursement paperwork to the Business Manager for final approval and signature.

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Article IX
Amendments to the By-Laws

Section 9.1 Proposal and Review

If an amendment to the By-Laws is considered, the By-Law Committee shall review the proposed amendment(s) and report to the Staff Senate its findings as to its impact on the organization.

Section 9.2 Ratification

The Staff Senate may ratify the proposed amendment(s) by an affirmative vote of fifty one percent of the voting members present.

Section 9.3 Professional Courtesy Copy

Any changes to the By-Laws of the Staff Senate will be forwarded to the Campus Director’s Office as a professional courtesy.

Section 9.4 Declaration of Approval

The amendment(s) to the By-Laws shall be declared approved by the Chairperson and become effective immediately upon ratification as defined in Section 9.3.

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