Preamble

We, the non-exempt staff, exempt staff, technical, maintenance, janitorial, full-time and part-time employees on the New Kensington campus believe that we are an important, integral, essential part of the overall functioning and operation of the New Kensington campus and that the support we provide students, faculty and administration is vital to the daily campus operation. Therefore, these by-laws are a testament to our resolve to participate in and to contribute to the well-being and decision making of the campus community. Under the guidance of these by-laws, we are establishing the New Kensington Staff Advisory Council as an avenue of communication and information gathering and as a forum for discussion, planning and proposing.

Membership

The Staff Advisory Council shall consist of all staff members employed on the New Kensington campus. Staff members shall be classified into two groups: (1) full-time and part-time Penn State employees, who will constitute the voting membership of the Staff Advisory Council and (2) full-time and part-time non-Penn State employees who will constitute the non-voting membership of the Staff Advisory Council. All staff employees will have discussion and proposal privileges. However, only those staff members employed by Penn State will have voting privileges.

Officers

The Staff Advisory Council shall elect from among its body the following officers: Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. The Chair shall call meetings, provide members with an agenda and preside at meetings. The Vice Chair shall assist and substitute for the Chair when necessary. The Secretary shall maintain records of business, minutes of meetings, prepare and distribute the agenda, prepare and distribute ballots, and provide other administrative support. Terms of office for the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary shall be one year, beginning July 1 and ending June 30. Officers shall be nominated in April and elected in May. During the month of June, the newly-elected and the outgoing officers shall make the transition so that the new officers take charge on July 1.

Meetings

Regular meetings of the Staff Advisory Council shall be called once a month, at a time agreed upon by the membership. The day and time of the month shall be determined in July of each year when new officers take their terms. In order for a Senate meeting to be convened, a quorum (fifty percent of the voting membership) must be present.

Agenda Items

Each meeting shall follow an agenda that shall be set by the officers. The agenda shall include time for (1) personal and/or professional announcements, (2) discussions concerning human resources and/or physical environment issues, and (3) motions for action, followed by a vote. In order for the Staff Advisory Council to take action on an issue, two thirds of the voting membership shall approve of the action.

Committees

Committees shall be formed, when and if needed, to study issues and report findings to the Staff Advisory Council. Committees shall consist of no less than three members, each representing a different segment of the staff.