By-laws

Professional Staff Council

Bylaws

Preamble

NOW THEREFORE, the Valencia Community College professional staff hereby establishes the Professional Staff Council and its powers and responsibilities shall be governed by the following Articles:

Article I

Name

The name of the organization shall be the Valencia Community College Professional Staff Council, hereinafter referred to as the PSC.

Article II

Purpose

The PSC shall serve as the representative body of all professional staff members college-wide on matters of professional staff concern.

Article III

 Membership

Section 1         Membership of the PSC shall include campus representatives from each of the campuses/centers, including the Downtown Center and the Sand Lake Center. Membership will also include council liaisons. Liaison positions are not considered campus representatives. However, the liaisons serve as voting members of the PSC. Liaison representation includes: Operations Council, Planning Council, and Learning Council.

Section 2         Campus representatives are required to have their designated office/worksite on the campus or in the center they represent.  In the event a campus representative’s designated office/worksite is relocated to another campus/center, the campus representative is permitted to complete their current term on the PSC; however, they will continue to represent their former campus/center, only.

Section 3         A Chair and Chair-Elect shall be nominated by and from the current or past PSC membership, and appointed by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSC, to serve a two (2) year term. At the end of the two (2) year term, the Chair-Elect shall become the Chair and the PSC shall nominate from its membership and appoint by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSC, a new Chair-Elect. Pursuant to Article VII, Sec. 2 of these bylaws, a quorum shall consist of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the voting members of the PSC Voting members include campus representatives, council liaisons, and council officers.

Section 4         Election of the campus representatives shall take place in the Spring of the year the respective term ends. Candidates shall be nominated in writing by the professional staff and elected by majority vote of the professional staff who voted through a nomination and election process, or by public nomination at a professional staff forum and elected by majority vote of the professional staff present at the respective professional staff forum. Unopposed candidates will be appointed provided no objection is made by the professional staff pursuant to either of the aforementioned voting processes.

Section 5         Campus representative terms shall be two (2) fiscal years running from July 1 – June 30 of the respective term. Campus representatives are permitted to serve on the PSC for, but not to exceed, three (3) terms, which can be served consecutively.

Section 6         Should a campus representative need to vacate their PSC position prior to the expiration of their term they are requested to inform the PSC chair by advanced written notice. The PSC will conduct a nomination, voting and election process through the professional staff, pursuant to Article VI, Sec. 3 and Article VII, Sec. 1 of these bylaws, for a professional staff member to complete the exiting member’s term.

Section 7         Council liaisons are elected by majority vote of the professional staff who voted through a nomination and election process, or by public nomination at a professional staff forum and elected by majority vote of the professional staff present at the respective professional staff forum. Unopposed candidates will be appointed provided no objection is made by the professional staff through either of the aforementioned voting processes. Council liaisons’ terms are set by their respective councils. However, a council liaison is permitted to serve on the PSC as a campus representative - in accordance with Article III, Sec. 1, 2, 4-6; and Article VII, Sec. 1 - prior or subsequent to, but not in conjunction with, their respective council term(s), provided their combined service on the PSC does not exceed three (3) terms, which can be served consecutively.  Council liaisons serve as voting members of the PSC for the duration of their appointment to their respective council.

Section 8         Should a council liaison need to vacate their position prior to the expiration of their term they are requested to inform the PSC chair by advanced, written notice. The PSC will conduct a nomination, voting and election process through the professional staff, pursuant to Article VI, Sec. 3 and Article VII, Sec. 1, for a professional staff member to complete the exiting council liaison’s term. 

Article IV

Officers

Section 1        The officers of this council shall be Chair, Chair-elect. The immediate Past Chair shall serve as ex-officio.

Section 2         The Chair and Chair-Elect shall serve for a term of two years. The Past Chair (ex-officio) shall serve for a term of one year. 

Section 3          The officers shall be elected in the spring of the year the position term  

                         ends.

Section 4          In the event the office of Chair should become vacant, the Chair-Elect shall succeed to the office. If a vacancy occurs in the Chair-Elect position, the PSC team shall commence a nomination and election process pursuant to Article III, Sec 3.

Section 5         The duties of the officers of the organization shall be as follows:

1. The Chair shall:

1. serve as the presiding officer to the council
2. act as the representative of the constituency group to the college
3. make appointments if necessary to fill campus representative vacancies if no one is nominated
4. call special PSC meetings when necessary

1. The Chair-Elect shall assist the Chair by:

1. maintaining and updating Professional Staff Roster
2. setting up meeting agendas and handouts
3. setting calendar and reserving rooms for meetings and forums
4. maintaining and updating the issues matrix
5. assisting and collaborating with the Chair to establish meeting agendas
6. acting as presiding officer in the absence of the Chair
7. conferring regularly with the Chair regarding issues facing the group

1. The Past Chair shall:

1. provide ongoing leadership support for the incoming Chair
2. provide historical context regarding issues when necessary at Council meetings

Article V

Meetings

Section 1         Generally, regular meetings shall be held each month throughout the calendar year. Meeting dates will be flexible to accommodate a majority of the members’ schedules. Meetings will rotate through the campus/center locations. Special meetings may be scheduled more frequently should a need arise.

Section 2         Minutes shall be taken at all meetings by a designated council member.

                        Minutes will be distributed to the PSC two weeks prior to upcoming meetings. 

Section 3         An agenda shall be prepared by the PSC Chair-Elect or, in his/her absence, the PSC Chair for distribution at each meeting. Items to be placed on the agenda shall be forwarded to the PSC Chair/Chair-Elect within a reasonable time prior to the subject meeting for inclusion on the agenda. Agendas will be distributed to the PSC one week prior to upcoming meetings.

Section 4         Unless otherwise stated within these bylaws, items needing PSC approval shall require majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSC. Pursuant to Article VII, Sec. 2 of these bylaws, a quorum shall consist of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the voting members of the PSC. Voting members include campus representatives, council liaisons, and council officers.

   Article VI

  Committees

Section 1         Special needs committees may be authorized by the PSC chair. Committee members may be appointed to these committees from the PSC membership or professional staff members at-large. Committee members shall be approved and appointed by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSC. Pursuant to Article VII, Sec. 2 of these bylaws, a quorum shall consist of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the voting members of the PSC. Voting members include campus representatives, council liaisons, and council officers.

Section 2         Special needs committees will meet outside of the PSC meetings for the duration of the appointed task.

Section 3         Special needs committees will report all committee business to the PSC no less than quarterly, and, as deemed necessary by the PSC. All committee items requiring approval on behalf of the professional staff and/or the PSC must be approved by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSC. Pursuant to Article VII, Sec. 2 of these bylaws, a quorum shall consist of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the voting members of the PSC. Voting members include campus representatives, council liaisons, and council officers.

 Article VII

 Communication

Section 1         Meeting minutes shall be distributed to the professional staff at-large through a/the college-wide communication system(s). Minutes will be communicated to the professional staff within one week of minutes’ adoption at PSC meetings.

Section 2         Announcements of professional staff forums will be made through a/the college-wide communication system(s).

Section 3         Nomination, election and/or voting issues will be distributed to the professional staff through a/the college-wide communication system(s).

Section 4         Professional staff may contact any PSC member to request that an issue/concern be addressed and/or researched. Professional staff may register their inquiries verbally or in writing with/through any PSC member.

Section 5         The PSC shall adopt and publish a procedure for handling issues and concerns registered by professional staff members. This procedure shall be published and distributed to all professional staff members through a/the college-wide communication system(s). Amendments to the procedure shall be recommended as needed and must be approved by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSC. Pursuant to Article VII, Sec.2 of these bylaws, a quorum shall consist of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the voting members of the PSC. Voting members include campus representatives, council liaisons, and council officers.

                                                               Article VIII

                                                                  Voting

Section 1         Unless otherwise stated within these bylaws, items requiring the approval of the professional staff will be brought to the professional staff by a nomination, election and/or voting process as provided by Article VI, Sec. 3,  whereby, a majority vote of the professional staff who voted through the nomination, election and/or voting process is required; or, by public nomination and/or notification at a professional staff forum and elected/approved by majority vote of the professional staff present at the respective professional staff forum.

Section 2         Unless otherwise stated within these bylaws, items requiring PSC approval shall be approved by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSC. A quorum shall consist of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the voting members of the PSC. Voting members include campus representatives, council liaisons, and council officers.

 Article IX

   Amendment of Bylaws

Section 1         The bylaws of the PSC may be amended. Proposed amendments to the bylaws will be presented to the professional staff, pursuant to Article VI, Sec. 3, and Article VII, Sec. 1, by an online voting process or by ballot vote during a professional staff forum, and will be approved by majority vote of the professional staff who voted through the voting process or by majority vote of the professional staff present at the respective professional staff forum. The PSC will provide the professional staff with reasonable advance notice of the proposed bylaws amendments and meeting, if applicable, through a/the college-wide communication system(s).

Section 2         Any approved amendments to these bylaws shall be distributed in written form to the professional staff through a/the college-wide communication system(s).

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