BYLAWS OF THE STAFF FORUM

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

Adopted:  October 9, 2006
Amended:  June 11, 2007
Amended:  January 27, 2009 

Article I.     Name, Purpose and Authority of Organization

Section 1. Name
The name of this forum shall be the Staff Forum of The University of North Carolina General Administration. (Hereafter in this document, the term "Forum" shall refer to the Staff Forum, and the term "Chair" shall refer to the Chair of the Forum unless otherwise noted.)
 
Section 2. Purpose
The Forum serves to address constructively the concerns and interests of all General Administration Staff. The goal of the Forum is to improve communications, understanding, and morale throughout General Administration, and to increase efficiency and productivity in operations.
 
Section 3. Authority of Organization
It has been delegated by the University of North Carolina President the authority and responsibility to bring to the attention of the administration matters of general staff concern; and to take such actions as are necessary to enable it to meet those responsibilities. The Forum shall have the authority to enact such Bylaws, as it deems necessary to conduct its affairs.

Article II.     Forum Composition

Section 1. Membership
The staff of The University of North Carolina General Administration and its affiliated institutions shall consist of any full-time or part-time employee subject to the State Personnel Act (SPA) and any full-time or part-time employee of the University exempt from the State Personnel Act (EPA). 
 
Section 2. Forum Representation
The Forum will be comprised of approximately 20 SPA and EPA Representatives (hereinafter, Forum Representative(s)) elected by permanent SPA and EPA employees of General Administration. These 20 Forum Representatives will be elected based on the number of staff members per defined work area. Each work area (division or department) will be allotted one Forum Representative per 50 employees.
 
Section 3. Right to Vote and Hold Office
Any member of the staff may vote on representatives within their respective work area and may hold office in the Forum.
 
Section 4. Terms of Elected
A. Forum Representatives shall be elected to serve two-year terms.
 
Terms of Forum Representatives begin on October 1 and end on September 30 of the second year of the term. If a Forum Representative’s work area changes from the functional area they were elected to represent, the Representative will move to a non-voting Representative status and the alternate will complete the remaining term of such Representative.

B. If a Forum Representative is elected to the UNC Staff Assembly, the Delegate's term on the GA Forum is extended until the UNC Staff Assembly term expires.  If a Delegate is assigned to a special committee or task force, the Delegate's term is extended until the work of such special committee or task force is complete.  In the event such Delegate's term is extended due to the aforementioned reason, then such Delegate will move to a non-voting status.

Section 5. Forum Representative Duties and Removal
The Forum Representatives shall attend all Forum meetings and communicate ideas and concerns of the staff from their particular work area.
 
The work area Forum Representative shall be removed as deemed prudent and just by the Chair of the Forum upon majority approval of the Forum Representatives and the alternate for that work area shall complete the remaining term of such Representative.
 
Section 6.   Alternates
Work areas shall elect to designate one or more Representative alternates. It is up to the discretion of the work area whether an alternate can serve as a proxy with voting rights.  If a Forum Representative is unable to fulfill his/her term, the alternate for that work area shall complete the remaining term of such Representative.

Article III.     Nomination and Election Procedures

Election of Forum Representative shall be conducted on or before October 1 of each year. The Executive Committee supervises the election process and may select a committee to assist with the process. Nominations shall be solicited from UNCGA and its affiliated institutions.  Ballot elections shall be held with ballots being returned to the Secretary or the Elections Committee Chair. 

Article IV.     Officers: Duties and Responsibilities

Section 1. Chair
A. Election: The Chair of the Staff Forum shall be elected at large and will serve a one-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms (two years). The Chair may be reelected for office after a one year absence from office.
 
B. Qualifications: With the exception of the 2006-2007, the Chair must have served for at least one year as a Forum Representative.
 
C. Duties and Responsibilities: The Chair will preside over all Forum meetings and the Executive Committee meetings, and represent the staff in all other duly constituted university forums meetings and Forum Representative meetings.  He/she will serve as liaison to the President and the General Administration Council. He/she will also prepare a written annual report of the past year and make it available to the Staff Forum and to the President within one month of his/her end of term.
 
D. Removal: The Chair of the Forum shall be removed from office only upon a simple majority of Forum Representatives. This proceeding shall be by mail ballot or public vote at any regular or special meeting.  The Vice Chair of the Staff Forum shall complete the remainder of the Chair's term.

Section 2. Vice Chair
A. Election: The Vice Chair of the Staff Forum shall be elected at large and will serve a one-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms (two years). The Vice Chair may be reelected for office after a one year absence from office.
 
B. Qualifications: With the exception of the 2006-2007, the Vice Chair must have served for at least one year as a Forum Representative.
 
C. Duties and Responsibilities: The Vice Chair shall chair the forum in the Chair’s absence and assume all duties, responsibilities and privileges of the office. The Vice Chair will assume any tasks as delegated by the Chair, as well as, assist the Chair in performing leadership responsibilities.
 
D. Removal: The Vice Chair of the Forum shall be removed as deemed prudent and just by the Chair of the Forum upon majority approval of the Forum Representatives.  A new Vice Chair shall be elected from the Forum Representative to complete the remainder of the Vice Chair's term.
 
Section 3. Secretary
A. Election: The Secretary of the Staff Forum shall be elected at large and will serve a two-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms (four years). The Secretary may be reelected for office after a one year absence from office.
 
B. Qualifications: The Secretary shall have the ability to record and distribute minutes of meetings and be able to assist the Chair with necessary correspondence.
 
C. Duties and Responsibilities: The Secretary shall conduct all correspondence, agenda requirements and other clerical requests of the Staff Forum. The Secretary shall maintain a roster of Forum Representatives, shall be responsible for overseeing elections and for overseeing attendance. He/she shall take minutes and distribute the minutes to Forum Representatives before the next scheduled Forum meeting.
 
D. Removal: The Secretary of the Staff Organization shall be removed as deemed prudent and just by the Forum upon majority approval of the Forum Representatives.  A new secretary shall be elected from the Forum Representative to complete the remainder of the Secretary term.

Article V.     Executive and Special Committees

Section 1. Executive Committee
A.  Composition
The Executive Committee shall be composed of elected officers who will serve one year or, in case of a vacancy, until a successor is appointed.  The officers on this committee will be the Chair, the Vice Chair and the Secretary.  The Associate Vice President of Human Resources or his/her designee shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee for the Forum, along with the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Chief of Staff. All three ex officio serve as advisors to the Executive Committee and do not hold voting privileges.
 
B. Powers and Duties
The Executive Committee shall represent the Forum in matters involving the General Administration Staff Forum and University policy; shall fix the hour and place of meetings; shall make recommendations to the Forum; and shall perform any other related duties. No actions shall be taken by the Executive Committee in the name of the Forum without prior Forum discussion and vote.
 
C. Meeting of the Executive Committee
A regular meeting of the Executive Committee shall be conducted at least once per quarter in accordance with a schedule published and distributed no later than November 1 each year to the University and Forum members by the Secretary of the Forum. Employees (outside of the Forum Representatives) should submit any items he/she would like discussed at the meeting to the Chair. Items for discussion should be submitted in writing ten working days in advance of the scheduled meeting.
 
The Executive Committee shall meet in special session on the call of the Chair with a required notice of 5 working days.  Within 5 days of the receipt of a request signed by at least two voting Executive Committee members, the Chair shall be required to schedule a special meeting of the Executive Committee. This special meeting shall be conducted within 10 working days of the notice of the special meeting.
 
Any member of the Executive Committee who misses three consecutive meetings of the Committee shall be dismissed from his/her office by the members.  Replacement of the Executive Committee member shall follow procedures stated in article IV sections 1D, 2D or 3D.  

A quorum of two-thirds (2/3) voting members must be present to vote.  Any tie votes will be decided by the membership of the Forum at the next scheduled Forum meeting.
 
Section 2. Special Committees
The Executive Committee may establish Special Committees from time to time to study specific issues brought before it by members of the Forum.

Section 3. Standing Committees
The Executive Committee shall establish the following standing committees:  Governance Committee, Communications and Technology Committee, Staff Relations Committee, and Budget Committee.

Article VI.     Meetings 

Section 1. Meeting Frequency
There shall be at least one general business meeting of the Forum once per quarter. Regular and special meetings of the Forum shall be called by the Executive Committee, the President, or by twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the Forum.

Section 2. Presiding Officer
Refer to Article IV, Section 1C.

Section 3. Announcement of Agenda and Meeting (Refer Sec 1)
The Executive Committee shall prepare and publish an agenda and announce to the members the meeting date, time and location by means of a website no later than five working days prior to a  meeting date. All meetings shall be open to all employees. Employees (outside of the Forum Representatives) should submit any items he/she would like discussed at the meeting to the Chair. Items for discussion should be submitted in writing ten working days in advance of the scheduled meeting.
               
Section 4. Quorum
Two-thirds (2/3) of the Forum shall constitute a quorum, excluding ex-officio members. A simple majority (anything more than 50 percent) of Forum Representatives present is required. The Chair shall abstain from voting except when necessary to break a tie.
 
Section 5. Meeting Authority
No meeting of the Staff Organization not organized and designated by the Executive Committee shall be recognized as an official meeting.

Section 6. Participation
Supervisors and managers shall support participation, including permitting reasonable release time for Forum activities, including Forum meetings. Forum Representatives engaged in regularly scheduled activities during regular work schedule will report such activity as work time.  All Employees are encouraged to participate in Forum activities with the following provision: Attendance and participation by employees other than Representatives in the Forum's quarterly meetings is on a volunteer basis, should not conflict with work assignments and may be reported as work time if activity occurs during the employee’s regular working hours.
 
Section 7. Meeting Proceedings
Forum meetings will be guided by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article VII.     Bylaw Amendments

Section 1. Proposal
Any member of the staff (as defined in Article II, Section 1) may propose an amendment to the Constitution or Bylaws. The proposal shall be in writing and shall be directed to the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Adoption
Amendments to the Bylaws of the Forum shall become effective only upon approval by two-thirds (2/3) of the Forum Representatives present and voting at any regular meeting and subsequent approval by the President.