By-laws

Preamble

NOW THEREFORE , the Valencia Community College professional staff hereby establishes the Professional Staff Leadership Team 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 Leadership Team, hereinafter referred to as the PSLT.

Article II
Purpose

The PSLT 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 PSLT shall include campus representatives from each of the campuses/centers, including the Downtown Center and the Valencia Institute. Membership will also include council liaisons. Liaison positions are not considered campus representatives. However, the liaisons serve as voting members of the PSLT. Liaison representation includes: Executive 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 PSLT; however, they will continue to represent their former campus/center, only.

Section 3   A chair and vice-chair shall be nominated by and from the PSLT membership, and appointed by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSLT, to serve a parallel two (2) year term. At the end of each two (2) year term, the PSLT shall nominate from its membership and appoint by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSLT, a new chair and vice-chair. However, the outgoing chair and vice-chair are each permitted to serve consecutive terms upon majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSLT. 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 PSLT. Voting members include campus representatives and council liaisons.

Section 4   Election of the campus representatives shall take place in June 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 PSLT for, but not to exceed, three (3) terms, which can be served consecutively.

Section 6   Should a campus representative need to vacate their PSLT position prior to the expiration of their term they are requested to inform the PSLT chair by advanced, written notice. The PSLT 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 PSLT 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 PSLT does not exceed three (3) terms, which can be served consecutively. Council liaisons serve as voting members of the PSLT 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 PSLT chair by advanced, written notice. The PSLT 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
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.

Section 3   An agenda shall be prepared by the PSLT chair or, in his/her absence, the PSLT vice-chair for distribution at each meeting. Items to be placed on the agenda shall be forwarded to the PSLT chair/vice-chair within a reasonable time prior to the subject meeting for inclusion on the agenda.

Section 4   Unless otherwise stated within these bylaws, items needing PSLT approval shall require majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSLT. 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 PSLT. Voting members include campus representatives and council liaisons.

Article V
Committees

Section 1   Special needs committees may be authorized by the PSLT chair. Committee members may be appointed to these committees from the PSLT 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 PSLT. 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 PSLT. Voting members include campus representatives and council liaisons.  

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

Section 3   Special needs committees will report all committee business to the PSLT no less than quarterly, and, as deemed necessary by the PSLT. All committee items requiring approval on behalf of the professional staff and/or the PSLT must be approved by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSLT. 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 PSLT. Voting members include campus representatives and council liaisons.

Article VI
Communication

Section 1   Meeting minutes shall be distributed to the professional staff at-large through a/the college-wide communication system(s).

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 PSLT 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 PSLT member.

Section 5   The PSLT 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 PSLT. 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 PSLT. Voting members include campus representatives and council liaisons.

Article VII
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 PSLT approval shall be approved by majority vote of a quorum of the voting members of the PSLT. A quorum shall consist of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the voting members of the PSLT. Voting members include campus representatives and council liaisons.

Article VIII
Amendment of Bylaws

Section 1   The bylaws of the PSLT 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 a voting process or 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 PSLT 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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