Membership Bylaws

Any full-time standing, fixed-term, non-bargaining HHD staff member who would like to volunteer to join the council is encouraged to communicate this to their supervisor. Each member is responsible for attending monthly, one-hour full council meetings; monthly, one-hour sub-committee meetings; and up to one hour of email communication/additional activities per month, on average. This time is part of your standard work week.

It is the responsibility of the council members to solicit ideas from their unit for the committee, represent their department, research center or business unit’s perspective, and keep their staff members informed of the council’s activities. If your department, business unit, or research center is not represented directly by a staff member, a member from a closely aligned department on the council will be assigned your area to ensure everyone is represented.

All terms will be two years with officers being able to serve the council for one additional year, beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30. Each spring, when there are available positions, the council will send a recruitment notice via email. Interested staff members will complete an application for membership. Independent parties, such as the staff advisory council working group in conjunction with human resources, will evaluate and select new members.

SAC members may rejoin the committee two years after their previous term has ended.

A vice-chairperson and recording secretary will be elected from the general membership each May to ensure for a smooth transition to the next term. The secretary can be elected for up to two consecutive terms. The previous year's vice-chairperson will move into the chairperson role. Those individuals on the ballot must complete one year as a SAC general member before they can be nominated for an officer position.  All officers will serve for one year with the term beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30.

If a representative transitions to a position outside of the college, it is the responsibility of that representative to work with the SAC officers to replace their representative.

In the event that the chairperson resigns or is otherwise unable to serve, the vice-chairperson will move into the chairperson role automatically. The vacant vice-chairperson position will be filled by the election among the currently serving representatives (from those who have been on the committee for at least one year), during the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Similarly, if either the vice-chairperson or secretary resigns or is otherwise unable to serve, the committee will elect a replacement officer from among currently serving representatives who have served for at least one year at the start of the next regularly scheduled meeting.  

Serving on the council should be considered a privilege. Participation on the council should not count against personal time; rather it should be considered part of the job responsibilities of the members. It is expected that members will be present at as many meetings as feasible and actively participate in the discussion and activities. Advance notice of an absence must be given to the chairperson for full council meetings and the head of the subcommittee for subcommittee meetings. 

If you have three unexcused absences or three consecutive absences for the full committee or subcommittee meetings within the one term year, the officers will ask for your resignation from the committee.

Council meetings will be held once each month for one hour. Sub-committee meetings will be held for an additional one hour per month. The Dean will be invited to the meetings at the beginning of each term, to the college-wide meetings, and to other meetings as appropriate. An agenda of items to be discussed will be given to the Dean in advance of each meeting.

Staff members may submit items for the committee through their representative, any committee member or the committee’s website. 

All items will be brought before the committee for discussion and consideration. All submissions will receive a response. The committee will address items of general interest and not those pertaining to individual staff members or units. 

Each member will join one sub-committee. The officers will join a sub-committee, but they are also expected to be part of any officers’ meetings outside of the regularly scheduled full committee meetings.

Additional sub-committees may be added at the discretion of the officers. 

Sub-committees will meet at least once per month outside of the regularly scheduled full council meeting. Each sub-committee will elect a sub-committee leader who will be the point person for business associated with that committee. 

Items of general interest and discussion may include but are not limited to:

• Training and development
• Career development
• Climate and diversity
• Health and safety
• Recognition and incentives
• Service
• Networking