2.8(3) University Staff Council

(Amended 04/93; 09/93; 10/94; 12/95; 05/96; 09/97; 05/98; 12/02; 02/06; 04/07; 09/14/11; 6/24/19; 1/15/21; 6/3/22)
  1. Name [Article I]. The name of this organization shall be the University Staff Council of the University of Iowa. Herein referred to as the "Council" or "UISC."
  2. Mission and goals [Article II].
    1. Mission. The Council supports the university mission. In pursuing that mission, the Council seeks to advance such endeavors through visibly active staff participation/involvement both campus-wide and community-wide in a spirit of unity and open communication with other shared governance organizations on campus.
    2. The goals of the Council are to:
      1. Advocate on behalf of represented staff;
      2. Advise the university Administration on policies;
      3. Inform the university community of the activities of the Council;
      4. Promote university relations within the community of Iowa City and the state of Iowa;
      5. Collaborate with shared governance organizations on campus, notably the Faculty Senate, Student Government and organizational shared governance groups;
      6. Promote staff learning through professional development and awards; and
      7. Promote communication and shared governance among staff, central administration, Faculty Senate, and Student Government.
  3. Organization [Article III].
    1. The Council represents regular employees of the university who are classified as Professional and Scientific or Merit staff and who are not represented by an exclusive bargaining agent. Membership on the Council is based upon representation from job functions and organizational units. The Council will be comprised of 55 members:1 35 representing Job Function/combined Job Function Categories, herein referred to as Job Function Categories, and 20 representing Organizational Unit/combined Organizational Unit Categories, herein referred to as Organizational Unit Categories.
    2. Council representation will be reevaluated every 3 election cycles beginning in the 2018–19 Council year.
    3. Approximately one-third of Council seats shall be elected each operational year. Organizational representation is on a fixed schedule of election; job function representation is on a static, revolving three-year cycle of election. Vacancies and multiple-year officer positions do not affect election cycles. Refer to paragraphs k and o (articles XI and XV) and to Table 1 at https://staff-council.uiowa.edu/about/staff-council-bylaws.
  4. Official Publication [Article IV]. Council information will be available on the Council website and provided to the Office of Strategic Communication for publication.
  5. Operational year [Article V]. The operational year of the Council shall be from June 1 to the following May 31.
  6. Council Nominees [Article VI].
    1. Those eligible for nomination shall be regular employees of the university, either full time or part time, who are classified as professional and scientific or merit staff and who are not represented by an exclusive bargaining agent.
    2. All eligible staff members may run for election or appointment to officially recognized shared governance bodies. Council nominees should discuss their intent to be on Council with supervisor(s) to ensure that time away from work can be allowed. Supervisors are encouraged to provide reasonable flexibility so that elected staff members may participate in Council business during regular work hours. Four hours per month typically should be expected to conduct Council activities, such as monthly meetings and committee assignments. Refer to paragraph i (article IX) for councilor duties.Elected Council members must provide their supervisors as much advance notice as possible of Council meetings and activities that occur during their regular work hours.
  7. Nominations to the Council membership [Article VII].
    1. A standing committee shall be appointed, according to paragraph f, which will oversee nominations to the Council. This committee shall be known as the Elections Committee.
    2. The call for nominations shall be as follows:
      1. Three months before the next operational year begins, the Council shall advertise upcoming nominations for Job Function councilors. Nominations for vacancies in a Job Function Category shall be sent to the Elections Committee of the Council no later than 2 months before the operational year begins.
      2. Nominations for vacancies in an Organizational Unit Category shall be determined by its organizational unit Category shared governance process no later than 1 month before the next operational year begins.
    3. Employees who are represented by the Council may seek election to the Council, as long as the term limits are not exceeded. Refer to paragraph i (article IX).
  8. Elections to the Council Membership [Article VIII].
    1. The Council elections shall be as follows:
      1. The names of all eligible Job Function nominees shall be placed on the ballot. Ballots shall be prepared and approved by the Elections Committee. Nominations may not close before the first day of the second month before the next operational year begins. Ballots will be electronically distributed to all employees in the Job Function Category no later than the fifth working day of the second month before the next operational year begins. The deadline for election of councilors will be 2 weeks after the distribution date.
      2. The names of all eligible Organizational Unit nominees and voting procedures shall be determined by the Organizational Unit Categories shared governance processes. Councilors must be elected, not appointed to represent the Organizational Unit Category. The Vice President/President Elect will serve as an advisor to each Organizational Unit. See paragraph k(2)(f).
    2. Election results will be verified and reported as follows:
      1. Following the Job Function Categories election, results will be approved and certified by the Elections Committee. In case of a tie, the winner shall be chosen by random draw administered by the Elections Committee. Results of the election shall be formalized by notification to the Council Secretary for permanent Council file no later than 2 weeks before the operational year begins.
      2. Following the Organizational Unit Category elections, results will be approved by their respective Organizational Unit Category Shared Governance Committee and communicated to the Elections Committee. The Elections Committee will give Organizational Unit representative results to the Council Secretary for permanent Council file no later than two weeks before the operational year begins.
      3. A Councilor may not represent both Job Function and Organizational Unit. In the event the same person is elected to represent a Job Function Category and an Organizational Unit Category, the Elections Committee will determine placement and the representative vacancy shall be filled in accordance with paragraph o.
    3. Any candidate listed on the official ballots for annual election may ask for an audit of the election within 7 days of the date of mailing of the election summary. Said audit request must be presented in writing to the chair of the Council Elections Committee or the chair of the Organizational Unit Category Shared Governance Committee, whichever applies. An authorized audit of election ballots shall be performed by an impartial third party.
    4. All newly elected councilors will begin at the start of the operational year.
    5. In the event that a councilor changes positions within the university to another represented Category, the councilor may continue to serve on the Council until the end of the operational year, with the approval of the Organizational Unit Category Shared Governance Committee or the Elections Committee. In the event of a vacancy, refer to paragraph o.
    6. In the event that a member of the Council changes positions within the university to a category not represented by the Council or terminates employment, the member's term ends immediately. In the event of a vacancy, refer to paragraph o.
  9. Membership [Article IX].
    1. Term of membership:
      1. Councilors shall serve no more than 2 consecutive elected 3-year terms.
      2. Councilor terms shall be 3 years unless a vacated term is being completed, or if the Budget Officer, Vice President/President Elect, or President is in the last year of their Council term, in which case this councilor's term is extended in order to fulfill the duties of Budget Officer, President, and/or Past President.
      3. Reelection can be sought after a 1-year leave.
    2. Duties of membership:
      1. Regularly attend meetings and participate in discussions.
      2. Solicit information/opinions from constituents and share with Council.
      3. Disseminate Council information to constituents.
      4. Accept at least one Council committee assignment.
  10. Officers [Article X].
    1. The officers of the Council shall be a President, Vice President/President Elect, Past President, Secretary, and Budget Officer.
    2. Nominations for the officers of Council shall be open beginning at the meeting 2 months prior to the start of the operational year continuing through 7 calendar days prior to the meeting one month prior to the start of the operational year. An individual may be nominated for multiple officer positions; in the event of election, their name will be struck from successive ballots. A nominee may also withdraw their name at any time prior to a given election. Officers shall be elected by the Council at the meeting 1 month prior to the start of the operational year.

      In the event of a tied vote during the election of an officer, the Council shall conduct a second vote amongst the tied individuals. In the event that a tie continues in the second vote, the position shall be filled at random from the pool of tied individuals. The method of random selection shall be at the discretion of the Elections Committee.
    3. All officers of the Council shall assume their duties at the beginning of the operational year.
  11. Duties of Officers [Article XI]. The duties of the officers are those implied by their respective titles and as specified in these bylaws.
    1. The President shall:
      1. Preside at all meetings of the Council and Executive Committee.
      2. Convene the Executive Committee to appoint Council members to all ad hoc, external, or standing committees. These appointments are subject to the acceptance of the members so appointed.
      3. Appoint committee chairs.
      4. Submit appointments or recommendations for representation on university committees in consultation, as necessary, with the Committee on Committees.
      5. Prepare an agenda for each meeting over which the President presides.
      6. Prepare the Annual Report for the President of the university for presentation at the Council meeting at the first meeting whereby new councilors are asked to attend.
      7. Appoint a President pro tem in the event of the absence of the President and Vice President/President Elect.
      8. Submit Council recommendations to appropriate university officials.
      9. Serve on the Faculty Staff Budget Committee as ex-officio member.
      10. Hire and supervise support staff.
      11. Serve as past-president the following year.
      12. Serve on the UI Shared Governance Council.
      13. Serve on Mary Jo Small Awards Committee.
      14. Perform such duties as may arise pertaining to the office of President.
      15. Term: 1 year.
    2. The Vice President/President Elect shall:
      1. Perform the duties of the President in the absence of the officer.
      2. Perform such duties as the President shall designate.
      3. Assume the office of President the following year or as outlined in paragraph j(3) (article X.3).
      4. Serve on the Faculty Staff Budget Committee as ex-officio member.
      5. Serve on the UI Shared Governance Council.
      6. Serve as an advisor to each Organizational Unit regarding the selection of a Council representative through a shared governance process.
      7. Term: 1 year.
    3. The Secretary shall:
      1. Be responsible for minutes of the Council and all Executive Committee meetings.
      2. Be responsible for the Council meeting attendance roster.
      3. Conduct correspondence, as necessary.
      4. Serve on the UI Shared Governance Council.
      5. Serve on the Faculty Staff Budget Committee as ex-officio member.
      6. Serve on Mary Jo Small Awards Committee.
      7. Term: 1 year.
    4. The Past President shall:
      1. Serve on the Faculty Staff Budget Committee as ex-officio member.
      2. Appoint a staff designee from the Faculty Staff Budget Committee to serve as Staff Co-Chair.
      3. Serve on the UI Shared Governance Council as an ex-officio member.
      4. Participate on the Awards Selection Committee for the Staff Council sponsored awards.
      5. Term: 1 Year.
    5. The Budget Officer shall:
      1. Prepare an annual office budget for approval by the Executive Committee.
      2. Prepare an annual overview of Staff Council budgetary information.
      3. Serve on the UI Shared Governance Council.
      4. Serve on the Faculty Staff Budget Committee as ex-officio member.
      5. Term: 2 years.
  12. Executive Committee [Article XII].
    1. Voting members shall include the President, Vice President/President Elect, Past President, Secretary, Budget Officer and four other members elected at the last meeting of the operational year.
    2. The Executive Committee is charged to formulate goals and direction for Council activities and advises and assists the officers of the Council in carrying out the responsibilities of their office.
    3. The Executive Committee reviews all proposed amendments to Staff Council bylaws. The review shall be conducted according to the Policies and Procedures Manual. Approved proposed amendments to the bylaws then proceed according to paragraph s (article XIX).
    4. Nominations for at-large Executive Committee positions shall be open beginning at the meeting 2 months prior to the start of the operational year continuing through 7 calendar days prior to the meeting 1 month prior to the start of the operational year. An individual may be nominated for multiple officer positions in addition to an at-large Executive Committee position. In the event of election to an officer position, their name will be struck from the at-large Executive Committee ballot. A nominee may also withdraw their name at any time prior to the at-large Executive Committee election. The at-large Executive Committee members shall be elected by the Council at the meeting 1 month prior to the start of the operational year.

      In the event of a tied vote during the election of an at-large Executive Committee position, the Council shall conduct a second vote amongst the tied individuals. In the event that a tie continues in the second vote, the position shall be filled at random from the pool of tied individuals. The method of random selection shall be at the discretion of the Elections Committee.
    5. The term of office for elected, at-large, Executive Committee members shall be one year. At-large members elected to the Executive Committee for 2 consecutive years, must remain off the Executive Committee for one year. This does not apply to Officers of the Council.
    6. Minutes from all Executive Committee meetings will be distributed to the Councilors.
    7. Executive Committee meetings are called and chaired by the Council President not less frequently than every 2 months.
    8. Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled as stated in paragraph o (article XV).
  13. Meetings [Article XIII].
    1. Meetings shall be held monthly. Regularly scheduled Council meetings may be cancelled or rescheduled at the discretion of the Staff Council President.
    2. The meetings of the Council shall be open to the public. Executive sessions may be held by majority vote of the Council. In executive sessions, attendance is limited to members of the Council, the President of the university or a designee, the senior executive from Finance and Operations, the senior executives from Human Resources, and other persons approved by a majority vote of the Council. Some portion of each regular meeting must be open. A report of each executive session must be made in the next open meeting.
    3. Special meetings may be called by the President.
    4. The Council office should be notified of all absences from meetings.
    5. Council members missing more than 3 of the regularly scheduled meetings during the year may be sent a letter reminding them of their obligations to represent their constituents on the Council. Council members missing 5 or more of the regularly scheduled meetings during the year shall be subject to replacement upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall notify the President of a Council member missing three meetings, and shall notify the Executive Committee of a Council member missing 5 meetings. 
    6. Minutes taken at Staff Council meetings will be sent to the members of the Council in draft form no later than 8 business days post-meeting.
  14. Quorum/Voting [Article XIV].
    1. In order to transact business that requires a vote, a quorum of simple majority of the Council members must be present.
    2. To carry a motion, affirmative votes must be cast by one more than one half of those voting except as stipulated in paragraph s.
    3. All voting in meetings of the body of the whole will be done by voice, by hand, by paper ballot, or by electronic ballot. If the vote is an election, it must be performed by secret ballot.
  15. Vacancies [Article XV].
    1. In the event of a Job Function Category representative or Executive Committee member vacancy during the year, the Elections Committee will use the current term's election results from which to select the next member by order of votes received. If nominees are not available from the immediately preceding ballot, the Elections Committee will solicit nominations from the floor at the first available Council meeting and forward 2 names to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will then be responsible to complete final selection of a new member to serve the remainder of the vacant term. If a vacancy occurs within 4 months of the beginning of the next operational year, the Elections Committee will fill the vacancy using the upcoming election results and begin with the new operational year term.
    2. In the event of an Organizational Unit Category representative vacancy during the year, the Organizational Unit Category's shared governance process will determine selection of the new representative and communicate according to paragraph h (article VIII).
    3. If the office of President becomes vacant within the first 6 months of the operational year, a President shall be appointed by the Executive Committee to serve the remainder of the term. If the office of President becomes vacant within the last 6 months of the operational year, the Vice President/President Elect shall become President for the remainder of that term as well as the following year. 
    4. If the office of Vice President/President Elect becomes vacant, a replacement shall be elected by the councilors. If the vacancy was caused by the previous occupant becoming President in the last six months of the operational year, the replacement Vice President shall not assume the office of President the following year. 
    5. If the Office of Secretary or Budget Officer becomes vacant, the President shall appoint a Secretary or Budget Officer from Council membership for the remainder of the term. 
    6. If the office of the Past President becomes vacant, the President may appoint a Past President from current or previous councilors to serve for the remainder of the term. The appointed Past President shall have completed at least 1 full term as President prior to the appointment.
  16. Staff Council committees [Article XVI]. Council members are expected to actively serve on at least one ad hoc committee, standing committee, external committee, or the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall appoint Council and non-Council staff members to the standing committees. The Staff Council President shall designate a chairperson for each standing committee. A committee chair may recommend non-Council, ex-officio, or advisory members be appointed to their committee; the Executive Committee has authority to do so.  At the discretion of the committee chair, committee members may be removed from the committee for non-attendance.
    1. Committee Chair shall:
      1. Maintain a committee calendar providing guidance as to the timing of occurrences such as special deadlines, when planning for annual events should begin, and other notable dates.
      2. Maintain records such as previous meeting minutes (if kept), a history of the committee charges, the annual year-end committee report, and other documents important to committee function.
      3. Document and maintain policy and procedure information. This should contain information not only of what is done, but how it is being accomplished.
      4. Maintain a list of commonly used contacts.
      5. File a year-end committee report with the Staff Council President or designee.
      6. Provide an electronic copy of all above materials to the Staff Council Office Manager at the end of the Staff Council year.
    2. The standing committees and their respective charge(s) shall be:
      1. Awards Committee.
        1. Purpose: To recognize and reward staff for exemplary service to the university and/or to the community.
        2. Scope of Concern:
          1. Administer and manage awards that recognize staff contributions, including:
            1. David J. Skorton Staff Excellence Award for Public Service
            2. UI Outstanding Staff Award
            3. Board of Regents Staff Excellence Award.
          2. Call for nominations for the awards in the spring of each year.
          3. Review submissions in terms of requirements.
          4. Convene a Selections Committee to evaluate and determine the awards for nominated staff, to include Council Past President and Council Awards Committee chair(s).
          5. Arrange a reception for all nominees and their nominator(s).
          6. Notify recipients and other nominees.
          7. Notify Council, Office of the President, university organizations, Office of Strategic Communication, and other appropriate media.
          8. Report activities to the Council.
        3. Membership: 3–4 councilors.
      2. Bylaws Committee:
        1. Purpose: To review and make recommendations regarding bylaws and associated policies and procedures.
        2. Scope of Concern:
          1. Serve as a resource for the Executive Committee and Staff Council committees and constituent groups regarding potential changes to the bylaws.
          2. Review proposed bylaws amendments to determine whether they are  consistent with current bylaws:
            1. If, after Executive Committee review and approval, the Bylaws Committee finds the proposed amendment consistent with current bylaws, the Bylaws Committee will bring the proposal to the Staff Council at the next regular meeting.
            2. If the proposed amendment is inconsistent with current bylaws, the Bylaws Committee will recommend language that makes the proposal consistent with current bylaws and will transmit that proposal back to the Executive Committee for review.
          3. After the last meeting of the Staff Council operational year, compile and transmit all updates to the Bylaws to the Executive Committee, who will forward them to the editor of the University of Iowa Operations Manual for publication.
          4. Review Staff Council policies and procedures to ensure they are consistent with the Staff Council bylaws and to advise the Executive Committee.
          5. Act as parliamentary advisory in order to maintain productive Council meetings.
          6. Assist shared governance or other university groups with creating or amending their bylaws as requested.
        3. Membership:
          1. Members: No restriction on the number of members.
          2. Open to: Current Council members. If available a non-Council member may be included to act as an expert or advisor on bylaws.
          3. Term: 1 year.
      3. Committee on Committees:
        1. Purpose: To solicit and recommend the best qualified candidates to represent staff on the University of Iowa charter, non-charter committees, and other standing committees. To find and recommend replacements for the various committees as unscheduled openings occur. Candidates' eligibility for each university committee is governed by I-2.8(6) with charter and non-charter committee policies.
        2. Scope of Concern:
          1. Act as liaison with staff members serving on university charter committees and non-chartered committees.
          2. Report charter and non-charter committee issues of interest to the Council.
          3. Provide Council view to charter and non-charter committee members as needed.
        3. Membership: There is no requirement or term for membership on this committee.
      4. Communications Committee:
        1. Purpose: To facilitate the communication of up-to-date information relevant to councilors, represented staff, and others interested in the activities of the StaffCouncil.
        2. Scope of Concern:
          1. Work closely with the Executive Committee and other Council committees to communicate with all Council audiences.
          2. Maintain a digital presence for Staff Council.  
          3.  Maintain resources related to councilor communications. 
          4. Explore and support communication tools.
        3. Membership:
          1. Membership is open to all councilors. The size of the committee is at the discretion of the Executive Committee. 
          2. The chair must be a member of the Council. 
          3. Membership must include at least 1 member of the Executive Committee.
          4. Individuals not on Staff Council may be appointed to the committee by the committee chair, requiring approval by the Council president. Non-Council members should have relevant committee expertise.
          5. Term: 1 year.
      5. Community Outreach Committee:
        1. Purpose:  To foster a relationship with campus and the surrounding community by promoting volunteerism among Staff Councilors.
        2. Scope of Concern:
          1. Collaborate with Staff Council members to identify volunteer opportunities across campus and in the surrounding community.
          2. Organize volunteer opportunities for Staff Council participation.
          3. Encourage Staff Council members to document and submit their university and Council-related volunteer efforts to the Community Outreach Committee and provide a procedure to do so.
        3. Membership:
          1. Members: The committee consists of a minimum of 3 Staff Council members.
          2. Open to: Current Staff Council members.
          3. Term: 1 year.
      6. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee:
        1. Purpose: To provide support to University of Iowa staff in fostering a culturally diverse and inclusive university community.
        2. Scope of Concern:
          1. Support and develop programs that promote diversity awareness and an inclusive, supportive campus environment.
          2.  Inform the Council  and university staff of these  programs, and   solicit active  support  from the Council for their promotion.
          3. Actively collaborate with other diversity groups on campus and in the community.
          4. Request annual progress reports on staff diversity and inclusivity from the appropriate university diversity  office, and share these reports with the Council and university staff.
        3. Membership: No special requirements.
      7. Education Committee:
        1. Purpose: To promote awareness on campus of UI-provided professional development opportunities. To explore options for further educational opportunities and to make recommendations to the Council for making such opportunities available to  staff. To inform staff of the existence and function of the Council.
        2. Scope of Concern:
          1. Organize and present Council information to new staff members during onboarding.
          2. Work closely with the University of Iowa Learning and Development Office to provide staff with professional development opportunities.
          3. Coordinate a mentorship program to acclimate new councilors and introduce them to Council responsibilities.
        3. Membership:
          1. Members: The committee consists of a minimum of 4 Council members.
          2. Open to: Current Council members.
          3. Term: 1 year.
      8. Elections Committee:
        1. Purpose: To solicit candidates for vacant seats on the Council, Council office of President, Vice President/President Elect, Secretary, and Budget Officer, and Executive Committee. To carry out elections in accordance with the Council bylaws.
        2. Scope of Concern: Refer to paragraphs c, f, g, h, j, l, n, and o (articles III, VI, VII, VIII, X, XII, XIV, and XV).
        3. Membership:
          1. Members: 3–5 Council members.
          2. Open to: Current Council members not seeking reelection governed by the Elections Committee.
          3. Term: 1 year.
      9. Health Care Committee:
        1. Purpose: To facilitate discussion regarding the issues facing UI Health Care staff, and to develop recommendations for a proactive and collaborative approach to problem solving and issue resolution where indicated and with the best interests of staff in mind.
        2. Scope of Concern:  
          1. Organize and present relevant information to staff council on health care–specific topics.
          2. Provide feedback to UI Health Care leadership on a quarterly basis or more frequently as needed.
          3. Attend UI Health Care forums and meetings as appropriate.
        3. Membership:
          1. All function and organization representatives currently in positions which fall under UI Health Care organizations will have membership to the committee.
          2. A chair and pro-tem chair will be appointed yearly by the Executive Committee with no finite restriction on number of members.
      10. Human Resources Committee:
        1. Purpose: To review University of Iowa policies and procedures central to human resource needs and concerns of Professional and Scientific and Merit Supervisory Exempt/Confidential staff in order that it may advise Central Administration in these matters.
        2. Scope of Concern: The Committee will be responsible for annually reviewing, maintaining, and updating the Workplace Support Matrix for presentation to the Council at or before the March meeting and inclusion in the orientation binder for new councilors. The Committee may consider and make recommendations to any human resource policy or practice including but not limited to the following:
          1. Furlough, temporary status,
          2. Retraining, professional development, recognition,
          3. Reallocation of staff due to organizational change,
          4. Job reclassification and review,
          5. Workplace safety,
          6. Compensation,
          7. Performance appraisals,
          8. Staff benefits,
          9. Compliance and regulation issues.
        3. Membership:
          1. Members: The number of members is at the discretion of the Council. The chair and vice-chair of the committee will be members of the Council. At least 3 members of the committee will be non-council members and the majority of the committee members will be Council members. Non-council members should have firsthand experience in working with human resource issues of concern to Professional and Scientific and Merit Supervisory Exempt/Confidential staff.
          2. Open to: Current Council members. Administrative liaisons and/or their representatives with human resource interests are invited to attend as appropriate and with the Committee's approval.
          3. Term: Committee membership is a 2-year term with a maximum of 3 back-to-back terms.
      11. Merit Supervisory Exempt/Confidential Committee:
        1. Purpose: To develop, review, facilitate discussion and make recommendations concerning issues of Merit Supervisory Exempt/Confidential (MSE/C) Staff.
        2. Scope of Concern: The issues that may be addressed include but are not limited to the following as they apply to MSE/C personnel:
          1. Review policies and practices relative to MSE/C colleagues.
          2. Foster inclusion of MSE/C Staff on all recommendations from Council.
          3. Meet with MSE/C constituents at least twice per year.
          4. Communicate MSE/C information to constituents as appropriate via listserve.
          5. Meet with UI administrators and other representatives as appropriate to represent MSE/C staff on issues.
          6. Represent the University of Iowa MSE/C membership on the Regents Inter-institutional Supervisory and Confidential Advisory Council (RISCAC) which represents non-bargaining Merit Staff of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa School for the Deaf, and Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.
        3. Membership:
          1. Members: Committee consists of all MSE/C staff on Council and at least 1 non-MSE/C Council member.
          2. Open to: Current Council members.
          3. Term: Length of Council term for MSE/C members and 1 year for non-MSE/C Council members.
      12. University Relations Committee:
        1. Purpose:
          1. Endeavor to establish and maintain working relationships between university and shared governance bodies.
          2. Foster good relationships among local, state, and national officials and the university, in collaboration with the Executive Committee and in conjunction with Faculty Senate's Governmental Relations Committee.
          3. Research and share findings on new methods and improvements to shared governance models.
        2. Scope of Concern: 
          1. Attendance at organization shared governance meetings.
          2. Identify shared governance group contacts.
          3. Keep shared governance portal up to date.
          4. Investigate and compare shared governance models of peer institutions to our own.
        3. Membership:
          1. Members: No restrictions; however at least 1 member of the Executive Committee should be a member of the committee.
          2. Open to: All Councilors.
          3. Term: 1 year.
  17. Parliamentary Authority [Article XVII]. The parliamentary authority of the Council shall be Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. This authority shall govern all procedures in the Council except where it conflicts with any special rules of order adopted in these bylaws.
  18. Policies and Procedures Manual [Article XVIII]. There shall be a Policies and Procedures Manual. Inclusion/revision/deletion of policies and procedures will be brought to the Bylaws Committee which will be submitted to Executive Committee for recommendation.
  19. Amendments [Article XIX].
    1. A proposed amendment shall be sent to the Executive Committee, via the Vice President/President Elect, for consideration by the entire committee at its next regular meeting.
    2. The Executive Committee may approve, modify, send back for revision, or reject the proposed amendment by a two-thirds vote. If the proposal is sent back for revision or rejected, the rationale for the decision shall be provided, and the proposing group shall have an opportunity to submit an updated amendment to the Executive Committee.
    3. If a proposed amendment is approved, the Vice President/President Elect shall transmit the proposed amendment to the Bylaws Committee to follow its procedures regarding amending the bylaws.
    4. These bylaws may be amended at the regular monthly meeting of the Council by a two-thirds vote of those present, provided that the amendment has been introduced to the Council at the previous regular meeting.

Footnote

1. Council representation structure was accepted on March 9, 2011. Between April 1, 2011, and April 1, 2014, there will be a transition period whereby members elected under the previous four-category system will be placed in their Job Function Categories. Membership might exceed 55 during this period, whereby it is possible for the number of councilors in a Job Function to exceed the number of councilors needed to represent the given category. Initiated by the Elections Committee and approved by the Executive Committee, currently elected councilors may temporarily fill an Organizational Unit Category vacancy or may remain as an additional Job Function representative until their elected term expires. Once an Organizational Unit Category elects a councilor, councilor placement by the Elections Committee for that given category will not be an option.