Constitution of the Staff Senate

1. The name of this organization is the Staff Senate of Alcorn State University.
2. The purposes of this organization are:

• • To serve as a liaison between the administration and the staff of Alcorn State University to provide a formal process for staff to discuss issues involving university policies and procedures and to forward ideas, recommendations, and opinions to the President.
  • To promote increased communication among departments and employees, to enhance job satisfaction and motivation, and to recognize outstanding achievement and work performance by member of the Alcorn State University staff.
  • To dedicate excellence in service and the continued growth and development of Alcorn State University.
  • To provide a channel through which staff positions on university practices and policies may be placed before the administration.
  • To serve as an instrument by which information of university-wide interest and concern may be freely collected, disseminated and discussed by members of the staff.
  • To promote the material well-being of staff members.
  • To stimulate and strengthen the bonds of personal friendship among members of the staff and administration.
  • To consider non-instructional matters affecting the professional status and performance of the staff.
  • To provide a vehicle for middle management personnel to forward ideas, suggestions and opinions to the President, a privilege enjoyed by upper management through Council meetings and by the faculty through the Faculty Senate.

1. The staff personnel of the university are those persons engaged in supporting the mission of the institution.They are the non-instructional personnel – skilled, unskilled, professional and technical – who perform the myriad tasks necessary for the efficient conduct of the teaching, research and public service programs of the university.
2. The Staff Senate shall consist of 41 members of the staff as defined in Article II, Section A.All staff personnel shall be eligible for election to the Staff Senate by peers in their particular area in accordance with the following stipulations:

• • The elected members shall be chosen by the following areas:
    • Fourteen (14) members to be elected from Academic Affairs staff personnel:one (1) from the Library and seven (7) at large.
    • Ten (10) members to be elected from Fiscal Affairs:five (5) at large.
    • Six (6) members to be elected from Institutional Advancement and Planning:three (3) at large.
    • One (1) member to be elected from the President’s office.
    • Five (5) members to be elected from Student Affairs:one (1) from the dormitory personnel and two (2) at large.
    • Two (2) members to be elected from the Vice President’s Office.
    • Three (3) members to be elected from Cooperative Extension, Research and Experiment Station.

• • A Nominating Committee, comprised of five persons from the Staff Senate, shall submit candidates for officers of the Executive Committee, to be voted on at the election in May.
  • The election and appointment of Staff Senate members shall be held in May, with electees assuming duties the succeeding July.
  • The term of elected Staff Senate members shall be two years.Members may be removed upon cause and upon a two-third majority vote of the overall present and voting, provided a quorum is present.

Section I

1. The Staff senate shall have the following officers:President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Parliamentarian and Ombudsman.These members shall comprise the Executive Committee.
2. The term of office shall be two years, with the privilege of re-election to one additional, consecutive term.
3. ROBERTS FULES OF ORDER shall govern the nomination and election process.

Section II

Duties of the President:
The president of the senate shall be the executive head of the organization and shall be endowed with such discretionary powers as are required to direct the affairs of the Senate in an orderly and business-like manner, included but not limited to the following:

1. Preside at all Senate meetings;
2. Appoint all special committees and their chairs;
3. Issue call for all special meetings of the Senate, stating the business to be considered;
4. Serve as the official spokesperson for the Senate and as the official representative of the Senate in all of its business;
5. Rule on all questions involving interpretation of the Constitution and By-laws and the general procedures of operation of the Senate;
6. Serve as non-voting ex-officio member of standing committees and ad hoc committees.

Section III

Duties of the Vice President
The Vice President shall act in an advisory capacity to the President and, in the absence of the President, shall perform all duties of the President.

Section IV

Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall oversee the official record-keeping of the Senate, including membership records and official minutes of the Senate meetings; notify the membership of meetings, and perform the functions assigned the position by the President.

Section V

Duties of the Parliamentarian:
The Parliamentarian shall keep abreast of the constitution, rules, bylaws and regulations of the Senate and be well versed in the proper decorum for conducting a meeting according to ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER.

Section VI

Duties of the Ombudsman:
The Ombudsman shall receive written communication from an employee and refer that information to the Executive Committee.The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the President.

1. There shall be an Executive Committee of the Staff Senate with the following duties:
   • To plan the agenda for the meeting of the Staff Senate.
   • To recommend all committee appointments to be made by the Staff Senate.
   • To recommend the formation and/or elimination of committees.
   • To establish the calendar of regular meetings of the Staff Senate each year.
   • To establish procedures whereby the policy-forming activities of the Staff Senate and its committees and councils may be expedited.
   • To discharge other duties as may be delegated to it by the Staff Senate.
2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the current officers of the Staff Senate, the immediate Past President and the immediate Past Secretary-Treasurer.
3. The current President of the Staff Senate shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee.

1. The Executive Committee shall prepare, publish and distribute the agenda for each meeting of the Staff Senate at least three days prior to the date of the meeting.
2. All committees will submit their recommendations to the Ombudsman for submission to the Executive committee for inclusion on the agenda.
3. The Staff Senate may, by a two-third majority vote of those present and voting, bring a matter up for consideration from the floor of the Senate without previous recommendation of the committee studying the matter on the Executive Committee.
4. Policy recommendations shall require a simple majority vote of those present and voting to become the official recommendation of the Staff Senate when the minutes are approved. (See Section VI)
5. There shall be at least four meetings per year.Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee.
6. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all business by the Senate not covered in the Constitution of the Staff Senate.
7. A quorum for a meeting of the Staff Senate shall consist of 19 members of the Staff Senate.

The Constitution for the Staff Senate may be amended by (1) reading and presenting a written statement of the proposed amendment at a regular meeting of the Staff Senate, (2) securing approval by a two-thirds vote of those present at the next regular Staff Senate meeting and (3) approval by two-thirds staff vote.

Amendments to this Constitution shall be in effect when approved by a simple majority of members of the staff voting.