Staff Advisory Council Bylaws

May 3, 2020

Article I — Mission and Vision

The mission of the College of Education Staff Advisory Council (CoED SAC) is to:

  • Foster an inclusive environment;
  • Provide a voice for CoED staff;
  • Act as liaison between University and College leadership and CoED staff.

The vision of the CoED SAC is to:

  • Strengthen staff relations within the College and increase networking opportunities;
  • Support, encourage and cultivate professional growth and development of staff within the College;
  • Engage in collegial discussions and collaborations by serving as a sounding board for staff within the College.

The core values of the CoED SAC are:

  • Diversity
  • Excellence
  • Innovation
  • Professionalism
  • Integrity
  • Collaboration
  • Sustainability

Article II — Membership

Section 1 — Application and Election

Eligible staff interested in serving on CoED SAC must complete the application. Applications are vetted for good standing by the CoED human resources consultant. When evaluating applications, CoED SAC members will place careful consideration on the following: providing a balanced representation of membership across all of the college’s areas; sharing the opportunity for all staff to serve on the CoED SAC; and supporting an inclusive membership pool from the different areas.

If there are no applications received from an area, the CoED SAC will reach out to that area to address any concerns and encourage individuals to apply in order to promote equal representation. In the event that a area remains unrepresented, CoED SAC will select a member from the applicant pool with an emphasis placed on selecting a second representative from the relatively large area(s). For example, under these circumstances one of the larger areas may have two representatives.

*Note: If a council member moves to a different area, within the college, during their appointment, their seat will become vacant, and they will be given the option to remain on the council as a non-voting member or terminate their membership.

The application period will run from March 1 to March 31. New members will be selected and notified prior to May 31. The new member term will commence on July 1.

*Note: If multiple applications are received from an area a special election will be held within the area to select a representative.

Section 2 — Members (voting)

A. To be eligible for SAC membership, an employee must be a full-time staff member in good standing per HR. Elected members have voting privileges.

The CoED SAC shall consist of 10 staff members made up of one representative from each of the following areas:

  • Advising and Certification
  • Carrara Education Technology Center (CETC)
  • Curriculum and Instruction (including Center for Science and Schools)
  • Dean’s Office 1 (Dean’s Suite, Recruitment, Data Analyst, Office of Education & Social Equity, Humphrey Fellowship)
  • Dean’s Office 2 (Grants and Contracts, Research, Finance)
  • Development/Alumni Relations, and Communications
  • Education Policy Studies (including Center for the Study of Higher Education)
  • Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education
  • Learning and Performance Systems (including Professional Personel Development Center)
  • Institute for the Study of Adult Literarcy

It is the responsibility of the CoED SAC members to solicit ideas from their respective areas for the council’s consideration, to represent their area’s perspective and to keep their area’s staff informed of CoED SAC initiatives and projects.

B. Ex-Officio Members (non-voting)

The CoED human resources consultant and Director of Operations will serve as a non-voting ex officio member of the CoED SAC Committee. The human resources consultant and Director of Operations are welcome at but not required to attend all meetings and will have the opportunity to view meeting agendas in advance.

Section 3 — Terms

Each member is to serve a two-year term, commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30. At the end of the two-year term, members may reapply.

*Note: Inaugural leadership positions will serve a three-year term; all subsequent leadership positions will serve a two-year term.

Time served for CoED SAC work is considered a part of the council member’s job responsibilities and not as personal time.

Section 4 — Leave of Absence

Requests for a temporary leave of absence from CoED SAC may be submitted to the Chair. Such requests shall be granted by the CoED SAC whenever possible, but shall not exceed approved time by HR. A staff member from the same area as the member requesting the leave will be identified by the CoED SAC and shall temporarily fill the resulting vacancy.

Section 5 — Resignations

Resignations from the CoED SAC will be submitted to the Chair. The CoED SAC will reach out to the area for appointment of a new member for the remainder of the designated term.

Section 6 — Recruitment

The current CoED SAC will advertise and recruit new members. Notifications regarding membership will be sent out via email and CoED’s internal newsletter. Advertisements will be placed on the digital signs and CoED SAC website.

Article III – Executive Committee

*Note: Terms of the inaugural leadership positions will expire June 30, 2022.

The CoED SAC Executive Committee shall consist of five elected positions — chair, co-chair, secretary, treasurer, and public relations. The term period for these positions will run concurrently with the original membership term, not to exceed two years. All CoED SAC members are eligible to serve in a leadership position.

  • Chair: This position is responsible for the general leadership of CoED SAC and will create agendas, run meetings, and communicate with the dean, USAC, DCEC and other entities, as needed, on behalf of the CoED SAC. The Chair will also share the responsibility of managing the CoED SAC website with Public Relations.
  • Co-Chair: This position will jointly lead CoED SAC with the Chair and will serve as leader in the Chair’s absence. In addition, this individual will take the lead on administering the application and appointment process.
  • Secretary: This position is responsible for meeting preparation, including securing meeting locations, taking minutes, and providing other administrative support as needed.
  • Treasurer: This position is responsible for managing the budget, including income and expenditures, and budget projections.
  • Public Relations: This position is responsible for website, social media, communications and email notifications.

*Note: Terms of the inaugural leadership positions will expire June 30, 2022.

The CoED SAC Executive Committee may create and assign work to standing committees or temporary subcommittees on an as needed basis. For example, the CoED SAC Executive Committee may decide to establish a permanent subcommittee which is responsible for managing the CoED SAC website.

Article IV — Meetings

Section 1 — Regular Meetings

Regular monthly meetings will be held July through June on the first Thursday of every month, with a closed council meeting followed by an open forum. . Meetings will take place during regular University hours and are considered University business. A minimum of six CoED SAC members must be present in order for a meeting to be held. Members who are unable to attend a meeting should give notice to the chair when possible.

Any member who misses three consecutive regular monthly meetings may be asked to resign, subject to review by the CoED SAC.

Section 2 — Voting

Each CoED SAC member is entitled to one vote and all motions will be passed by a majority rule. A minimum of six members must be present in order for a motion to be passed.

Section 3 — Special Meetings

The CoED SAC will meet with the dean of the College annually and on an as-needed basis.
The CoED SAC also will hold periodic town hall meetings, as needed, in which all staff in the College will be invited to attend.

Article V — Budget

The CoED SAC will propose an annual operating budget and submit it to the dean by April 1 of each year.

Article VI — Amendments

The CoED SAC shall review the guidelines on an annual basis and make amendments as needed with review and approval from the Dean and the College human resource strategic partner.