Membership
The University Staff Advisory Committee represents all full-time and part-time staff employees of Wilkes University. Members shall be full-time or part-time staff employees, with not less than one year of continuous service with the University determined by date of hire. If a member transfers, or is promoted, out of the unit within the University which he/she represents, his/her membership on the Committee continues until his/her term expires. A primary goal of the committee shall be to achieve University wide representation on behalf of staff employees of the University
Duties
Chair
- Schedule and preside over meetings of the Committee.
- Assume responsibility for Committee business between meetings.
- Call special meetings of the Committee as needed.
- Solicit agenda items for each meeting.
- Provide reports and communication to the Cabinet via Cabinet’s designee.
- Maintain and update the USAC webpage in the portal.
- Report to the Board of Trustees at regularly scheduled trustee meetings.
Vice Chair
- Preside over meetings of the Committee in the absence of the Chair.
- Serve as chair of the Selection Committee.
- Review proposed minutes prior to sending to Committee for approval.
- Coordinate special forum planning.
- Perform such other duties as the Committee or the Chairperson may deem necessary.
- Review attendance records and alert Chair of members not meeting attendance requirement.
Treasurer
- Maintain the financial records of the USAC
- Disburse monies owed by the USAC at the direction of the Committee
- Report on the Committees financial status at each meeting
- Preside over meetings in the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair
Secretary
- Preside over meetings in the absence of the Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer.
- Record attendance, and inform the Chair of a quorum.
- Record minutes of meetings and maintain official records.
- Coordinate communication of minutes and other materials to all members.
- Send Committee approved minutes to the Chair to post on USAC website.
- Maintain lists of members and officers with dates of their terms.
- Distribute agenda and send notification of meeting dates and times prior to meetings.
Ex-Officio Members
A representative from the Human Resources Department and a representative from the President’s Cabinet will serve as ex-officio members of the Committee. These members will serve in the capacity of advisor to the Committee. The ex-officio members are non-voting members of the Committee.
Members
- Participate in all regularly scheduled meetings, missing no more than three (3) per fiscal year.
- Bring recommendations to the Committee.
- Serve on subcommittees as needed.
- Communicate to his/her respective area regarding issues handled through the Committee.
- Promote a positive and solution-oriented approach to University issues.
Election of Officers
The Selection Subcommittee will provide a list of nominees for consideration by the members of the Committee at a regularly scheduled meeting. Candidates prevailing in the election shall receive a majority of the votes cast by all voting members of the Committee.
Term of Office
Each officer will serve a 1-year term. The term of service will follow the Wilkes Fiscal Year Calendar, running from June 1 to May 31. An officer may be elected for a second term, but thereafter must step down for at least one year before being eligible to hold an officer position again.
Each member will serve a 2-year term. A member may serve for two consecutive terms, but thereafter must step down for one year before being eligible to serve again.
A committee member may resign at any time. Written notification must be submitted to the Chair. Said member must wait one year before being eligible to serve on the committee again. Should a member vacate a position on the committee prior to the end of his/her term, the position shall remain vacant until the next appointments are decided (beginning of next fiscal year). Should a committee member be removed from the committee for excessive absence, they may recommend a replacement from their unit to replace them, subject to a majority vote by the committee. Should an officer position become vacant, elections will be held as soon as possible with candidates drawn from the existing committee membership.
An officer may be removed from office by majority vote of all voting members of the Committee.
Subcommittees
Selection Subcommittee: Prior to the final meeting of the fiscal year, the Selection Subcommittee, comprised of elected members and headed by the Vice Chairperson, shall solicit interest from the University Staff community by announcement posted to Wilkes Today. Eligible staff wishing to apply for available positions will be invited to submit a brief letter of interest to a designated member of the Selection Subcommittee. All letters will be shared for review by all USAC members at least 14 days before the final meeting of the fiscal year. At the final meeting of the fiscal year, the subcommittee will present its recommendations based on the following criteria:
- Current make-up of the Committee(giving preference to those who represent departments that are unrepresented or underrepresented on the Committee); and Applicants who may have previously served on the Committee (giving preference to those who have not yet had an opportunity to serve on the Committee).
- Content of the letter of interest.
After being provided with the letters of interest and with the recommendations of the Selection Subcommittee, the Committee membership will conduct a vote by way of secret ballot. Winners of the vote will be awarded the positions.
Ad hoc Committees
An ad hoc subcommittee may be appointed for a specified period of time by the Chair or Vice-Chair of USAC with the approval of a majority of the other committee members. The Chair of an ad hoc committee must be elected by the members of the University Staff Advisory Committee.
Meetings
Attendance
Attendance is expected at all events and monthly meetings. Members may miss no more than three (3) monthly meetings per fiscal year. Members missing four (4) or more monthly meetings in a fiscal year will be removed from the committee.
Frequency
The Committee generally meets once each month, on the first Thursday. Each meeting will be approximately one hour in length. The Chair will have the option of canceling any meeting.
Quorum
The majority of USAC membership shall constitute a quorum of that body. Voting shall be by by show of hands, in the absence of a motion for secret ballot, which shall require the support of a majority of the voting members present. A simple majority vote of the voting members present at a meeting shall constitute approval.
Special Meetings
The Chair shall be authorized to call special meetings. The purpose of the meeting will be stated in the call. Except in the case of an emergency, five business days notice shall be given to all members.
Virtual Meetings
The Chair or Vice Chair in his/her absence, shall be authorized to call virtual meetings using computer-mediated communications with at least five business days’ notice.
Subcommittee Meetings
Subcommittees shall schedule meetings to fit the requirements and needs of the specific committee.
Order of Business and Agenda
The agenda for any meeting shall include the call to order, approval of minutes, announcements, subcommittee reports, unfinished business, new business, discussion and recommendations, and adjournment. Any member may request that an item be placed on the agenda under new business by contacting the Chair prior to the meeting.
Minutes
Minutes for the full committee meeting will be taken by the committee Secretary. The minutes of the meetings shall be open for inspection. A summary of the minutes shall be made available to all eligible staff members.
Communications
USAC will communicate regularly with staff via Today@Wilkes, the USAC channel on the portal, and at department staff meetings. The Secretary will post minutes on the web page and portal. Staff may also communicate their ideas or suggestions to individual members of the committee or by emailing usac@wilkes.edu.
Amendments
These bylaws may be altered or amended at any time. Amendments must be presented to all Committee members in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to a scheduled meeting for review. Amendments to these bylaws must be adopted by the Committee by a two-thirds vote of the USAC committee and subsequently approved by the Cabinet of the University.