ARTICLE I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Lone Star College–CyFair Professional and Support Staff Association, (herein after referred to as "Association"), and shall be recognized as such by the College President.
ARTICLE II. Purpose
The purposes of the Association are to foster and facilitate communication on issues deemed critical between the Association’s members and the administration, to create a climate of issue resolution and trust, to advance the professional growth of its members, and to promote training and activities that provide a positive working environment beneficial to the college as a whole.
ARTICLE III. Membership
Section 1 Eligibility – membership is open to all full-time and regular part-time staff.
Definition of full-time staff: any non-contractual employee eligible for the Lone Star College System benefits package (retirement, insurance, etc.).
Definition of regular part-time staff: any non-contractual employee limited to 19½ hour work schedule and required to contribute to the retirement program.
Section 2 ARTICLE IV. Council
Section 1
The Association shall be represented by a Council, (hereinafter referred to as “Council”), consisting of five elected officers and the immediate past president. The five elected officers are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian.
Section 2
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian officers shall serve for a term of two years beginning September 1 and ending August 31 or until their successors have been duly installed. No officer may serve in the same position for more than two consecutive terms.
Section 3
The Council shall be elected every two years, with the elections beginning on the second Monday in May and concluding on the third Monday of May by 5:00 PM. Nominations will be accepted up to 15 days prior to election. Ballots will be used to elect the officials; a simple majority vote shall elect. In the case of a tie, a run-off election between the top two candidates will be held. If a seat is declared vacant, the Council President will appoint a replacement to fill the vacant position.
Section 4
The period from June 1 to August 31 shall be used as a transitional time for incoming and outgoing Council officers. During this time, both incoming and outgoing elected officers shall attend Council meetings. Only current Council members have the right to vote. The incoming Council officers will assume voting rights after September 1.
Section 5
The Council will recommend directly to the College President policies and procedures pertaining to college staff through the Council President. Council must receive a written response to Council’s recommendations from the College President within fifteen (15) working days following submission, or such recommendations will be considered approved.
Section 6
Section 7
The total of three absences from either Association or Council meetings will be permitted by members of the Council during each year. Prior to a missed meeting, the Council Secretary is to be contacted. In the absence of the Secretary another member of the Council is to be contacted.
After two absences from either the Association or Council meetings, the Secretary will notify the member that only one more absence will be permitted during the Council year.
Following a fourth absence, the member will be given seven days’ notice that Council will, at the next Council meeting, vote whether to declare the seat vacant by a simple majority vote of the Council members. If seat is declared vacant, Council President will appoint a replacement to fill the vacant position.
ARTICLE V. Council Officers Section 1 President
The President shall:
1. Serve as the presiding officer of the Association.
2. Act as liaison to College President.
3. Act as an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee.
4. Act as the official representative of the Association to the public.
5. Call special meetings when necessary.
6. Appoint committees as necessary, except for the Nominating Committee.
7. Act as advisor to the new President after term of office is completed.
8. Appoint a replacement to fill any vacated Council position for the remainder of the unexpired term.
9. Appoint committee chairs of all standing committees with the exception of the Nominating and Revisions Committee.
10. Set a yearly calendar of meetings.
11. Set agenda for Association meetings.
Section 2 Vice President
The Vice President shall:
1. Preside in the absence of the President.
2. Immediately succeed to the office of President in the event the office of the President becomes vacant for the unexpired term.
3. Coordinate the efforts of the committee chairs.
4. Supervise any publications made by the Association.
5. Serve as chair of the Revisions Committee.
6. Serve as special committee chair as deemed appropriate by the president.
7. Assume such responsibilities as may be assigned to him/her by the President, the Council and/or general membership.
Section 3 Secretary
The Secretary shall:
1. Keep an accurate record of the proceedings of all meetings of the Association and the Council.
2. Keep accurate attendance of Council members at Association and Council meetings.
3. Provide said minutes to communications committee for update of Association website and upon request, furnish a hard copy.
4. Preserve all Council and Association records and convey such records to the new secretary when the term of office has expired.
5. Maintain a directory of all eligible members.
6. Maintain an official record book of all approved minutes.
7. Provide, upon request, copies of the Bylaws.
8. Provide the membership via e-mail and/or hard copy, the agenda of the upcoming Association meeting at least five working days prior to the meeting.
9. Provide minutes of previous Council meetings upon the request of the Council President.
10. Provide the Hospitality Committee with current information about the organization, i.e., newsletters, minutes, welcome letter.
11. Assume such responsibilities as may be assigned to him/her by the President, the Council and/or general membership.
Section 4 Treasurer
The Treasurer shall:
1. Maintain and account for all Association funds.
2. Give a monthly account of funds to the Council.
3. Give a quarterly account of Association funds to the general membership.
4. Insure that all expenditures are pre-approved before funds are committed.
5. Be responsible for budget preparation for consideration by the Council.
6. Receive all funds of the council.
7. File a financial statement with the President as of August 31 of each year.
8. Assume such responsibilities as may be assigned to him/her by the President, the Council and/or general membership.
Section 5 Historian
The Historian shall:
1. Produce an annual scrapbook of the Associations' events.
2. Develop a procedure or retaining the activities of the Lone Star College–CyFair Professional and Support Staff Association.
3. Recognize other occasions deemed appropriate by the Council.
4. Assume such responsibilities as may be assigned to him/her by the President, the Council and/or general membership.
ARTICLE VI. Committees The Council President will choose the chair of the standing committees and the chair of the committee will appoint the members of each committee. An exception is the chair of the Nominating Committee who is elected by the Council from its members.
Section 1 Revisions
The Vice President shall serve as the chair of the Revisions Committee.
The Revisions Committee shall receive and study all proposed amendments to the Bylaws. The committee shall make a copy available through agreed channels, i.e., the LRC, e-mail, Internet, or hard copy.
The committee will also be responsible for updating the Bylaws as amended during the year and submit them to the Secretary at the last regular meeting of the year. Copies of the amended Bylaws will be issued to each member by e-mail or the Internet. A hard copy will be provided if requested.
Section 2 Nominating
The Nominating Committee shall consist of a chair that is elected from the Council and two members that are appointed by the Chair. If any committee member accepts a council nomination they must relinquish their duties on the nominating committee and the position will be reappointed.
The process for nomination and election of officers is as follows:
A call for nominations will be circulated to all full-time and part-time staff. Nominations will be accepted up to 15 days prior to election.
The chair will contact nominees at which time they can accept or decline the nomination. Candidates' names will be placed on the ballot. Ballots will be circulated to all full-time and part-time staff and returned to the Nominating Committee for tallying by the 3rd Tuesday of May. The Nominating Committee Chair will forward results to the College President who will announce the newly elected officers.
Section 3 Hospitality
The Hospitality Committee shall arrange all meetings held by the council. This committee will be responsible for welcoming new staff members and making them aware of the Association and its Council. The committee shall recognize the Lone Star College–CyFair professional and support staff for major illnesses, births, hospitalizations, sympathies and other occasions deemed appropriate by the Council.
Section 4 Communications
Publications shall be published under the guidance of the Vice President.
The Communications Committee shall promote the objectives of the Association and publish information that pertains to the activities and news to the membership.
Section 5 Fund Raising
ARTICLE VII. Meetings Section 1 Quorum
- The members present at a regular Association meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2 Council Meetings
- The Council shall meet on a council-determined schedule.
- A quorum shall be a simple majority of elected officers as listed in Article IV Section 1.
Section 3 Association Meetings
- The Association shall meet no less than once a quarter beginning September 1 - August 31.
- Membership shall be notified via e-mail and/or hard copy, the agenda of the upcoming Association meeting at least five working days prior to the meeting.
- The meetings shall be open to Association members and invited guests.
ARTICLE VIII. Parliamentary Authority In a situation not covered by these Bylaws, Robert's Rules of Order shall be our guide.
ARTICLE IX. Amendments These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the general members present at any regular meeting, provided notice of the proposed amendment(s) has been given in writing five working days prior to the regular meeting.