Staff Senate

To incorporate activities that would promote interest and participation in BPCC’s Staff Senate; thereby, establishing a stronger relationship among all staff employees.

To strive to choose activities and functions that best serve the needs and interest of our members.

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Article I – Election of Staff Senate Officers

1. The election of new Staff Senate officers will be conducted by the retiring Staff Senate officers in accordance with the guidelines established in these bylaws.
2. In cases where only one candidate is nominated and has accepted the nomination, that candidate will be declared elected.
3. If no one is nominated for a particular Staff Senate office and/or no one will run for that office, the position may be declared vacant and filled under the terms and conditions as set forth in Section F.
4. Staff Senate elections will be held during the month of May at a time determined by the President and officer group.
5. Elected or appointed Staff Senate officers will serve a minimum of 2 years with the option of a 3rd and 4th year from July 1 through June 30th.
6. Vacancies:
   1. Should a Staff Senate office become vacant, that office will be filled by the eligible runner-up of the last regular election. This individual will serve until the term of the position expires.
   2. If the runner-up declines the position or there is no qualified runner-up, the President may appoint an eligible Staff Senate member to fill the position. This appointment must have the concurrence of the Staff Senate officer group.
7. Alternative Representation:
   1. Any Staff Senate officer may designate his or her proxy to another member of the officer group should he/she be unable to attend a meeting. The proxy will be evidenced by a written authorization provided to the presiding officer. The presiding officer may hold more than one proxy for absent officers.
8. To be nominated and run for a Staff Senate Officer’s position, the nominee must be an active member of record for that school year.

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Article II – Removal of Staff Senate Officers

1. Nonattendance at Staff Senate meetings may be cause for removal as follows:
   1. A record of attendance will be kept for officer meetings from July 1 through June 30.
   2. If an officer is absent for two or more meetings during the year, the President may declare the seat vacant. Only two proxies are allowed per officer per year. Representation by proxy constitutes attendance (see Article I, Section G).
   3. Nonattendance at special meetings or absences caused by a change of the regular meeting date will not count as an absence.
   4. An officer may petition for reinstatement to the Staff Senate Executive Committee only once during the year. Such petition must be submitted in person by the individual at the first regularly scheduled meeting following removal from office.

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Article III – Officers

There shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Member-at-Large and 2 Senators. The immediate past President will serve ex-officio.

1. Officers will be elected for at least a two-year term with a 3rd and 4th year option. They will take office July 1st following the May elections and serve until June 30 of the 2nd year or at the end of a 3rd or 4th year.
2. Newly elected or appointed Vice President will assume the President’s position the following year.
3. Election Procedures:
   1. Nominations for officers will be submitted to the presiding president or his or her designee. The nominations will be in writing or by e-mail.
   2. Elections will be held by electronic ballot. If no one receives a majority vote on the first ballot, there will be a second ballot between the two persons receiving the largest number of votes. Majority is defined as meaning 50% plus 1.
   3. In the event of a tie in the election of an officer position, another ballot will be held between the two candidates. If the tie is not broken after the second vote, then the tie will be broken by a majority vote of the Staff Senate officer group.
   4. The ballots will be counted by an appointed committee consisting of two members of the staff senate that are not officers or candidates in the current election. This committee will be appointed by the President with the concurrence of the Staff Senate Officer group.
   5. Only members of record may vote for the election of Officers.
4. Officer Duties:
   1. President – will be the presiding officer at the regularly scheduled meetings of the Staff Senate officers and will have the primary responsibility for preparing the agenda for each meeting. As an elected representative, the President may vote on any and all issues brought before the group. The President may assign additional duties to any of the officers as needed.
   2. Vice President – will serve in place of the President in the event of his/her absence. He/she will also serve as the parliamentarian who will advise the Staff Senate officers on points of Robert’s Rules of Order. The Vice President will also maintain order in any event involving the entire staff senate membership.
   3. Secretary – will assume the responsibilities of the President and Vice President when both are absent from a meeting. The Secretary will be responsible for maintaining accurate records, including attendance of all officer meetings and general meetings of the membership. The Secretary will submit a rough draft of the minutes to the President for review and approval. The approved minutes will be distributed to the Staff Senate officers for final approval and will be made a part of the permanent records of the organization.
   4. Treasurer – will assume the responsibility for keeping the budget and financial records for the Staff Senate. The Treasurer will submit a monthly financial statement to the President and the Staff Senate officers for their review and approval. All financial transactions of the Staff Senate must be approved by the Treasurer and President. An annual financial statement will be prepared and made available to the membership. This financial statement will be presented to the Staff Senate officers for approval prior to the May meeting each year.
   5. Member-at-Large – is responsible for all duties as assigned by the President.
   6. Two (2) elected or appointed Senators will serve on the Staff Senate leadership team assisting the Secretary or Treasurer in areas of their expertise or interests.

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Article IV – Meetings

1. Regular meetings of the Staff Senate officers will take place monthly. These meetings will be called by the President and scheduled when it is most convenient for the officer group. The President will determine the place and time for any special meetings.
2. Notices of regular meetings will be distributed in the form of memos or e-mails. Either written, telephone or e-mail notification will be given to all members of the Staff Senate in advance of all staff meetings.
3. Items for consideration at officer meetings should be submitted prior to the scheduled meeting.
4. A simple majority of the Staff Senate membership will constitute a quorum.
5. The Staff Senate President–or a majority vote by the membership–is authorized to invite guests to speak about matters of interest to the staff membership as a whole.

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Article V – Order of Business

1. Call meeting to order
2. Attendance (proxies, guest, etc.)
3. Approval of minutes
4. Invited guests
5. Committee Reports
6. Treasurer’s Report
7. President’s Report
8. Old Business
9. New Business
10. Adjournment

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Article VI – Committees

1. Executive Committee
   1. The Executive Committee will consist of five voting members of the Staff Senate as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and the Member-at-Large. The immediate past President will serve as ex-officio for a period of one year.
   2. The Executive Committee will meet as needed.
   3. Special meetings of the Executive Committee will be called by the President.
   4. A minimum of three officers must be present to conduct business.
   5. The Executive Committee will serve as the liaison between the Staff Senate membership, the Chancellor’s office and other governing bodies.

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Article VII – Member of the year award.

This award will be presented at the last general meeting of the year by the Staff Senate.

1. Qualifications
   1. To be nominated for the member of the year award, the nominee must be an active member of record for that school year and have attended the majority of the events.
   2. Staff Senate Officers are not eligible for this award.
   3. The nominated member must have demonstrated a dedication to the Staff Senate by donating both their time and talents.
2. Election of the Member of the Year
   1. Nominations for this award will be made by the Executive Council.
   2. A majority vote of the Executive Council will determine the winner.

Staff may apply to the Staff Senate Executive Council for BPCC Foundation funds to assist in defraying the cost of attendance to workshops, conferences, etc. that are used for staff development. Funds may NOT be used for tuition, fees, or any other costs of attending college for credit. Priority will be given to applicants who

• have already secured funds from other sources;
• are presenting or actively participating in the event or organization, and;
• have not received Foundation funds the past semester or academic year.

Monies obtained from department budgets or other sources within the College must meet all State of Louisiana Travel Regulations (see PPM No. 49 – General Travel Regulations). Monies obtained from the Foundation must meet these requirements as well. Exceptions may be made only for individuals receiving prior approval for overage costs (see PPM No. 49 – General Travel Regulations).

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Eligibility

Eligible staff are current members of the Staff Senate who have contributed monetarily to the BPCC Foundation in the current academic year.

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Foundation Fund Procedure

Applicants should research the cost of all expenditures for attendance to proposed staff development event that include current rates for

• travel (as defined by State of Louisiana Travel Regulations PPM No. 49);
• registration fees, and;
• other legitimate costs to attend.

Documentation of all expenditures such as travel, hotel, and registration should be included. (Please note that dues for membership to an organization are NOT considered valid expenditures).

• Applicants should approach their direct supervisors to secure department funds.
• Applicants should type a one page (maximum) explanation of justification for the trip and include an itemized list of expenditures and amount requested. The justification should also include how the College and/or students would benefit by attendance to the event.
• Applications should be submitted six weeks prior to event date. Applicants are responsible for filing a Travel Request form and obtaining all necessary signatures prior to travel.
• The Staff Senate Executive Council will review the application, prioritize which should be funded, and forward their decision to the Foundation Board. Every effort will be made to maximize the use of the Foundation monies by distributing available funds among a broad number of applicants. The decisions of the Staff Senate Executive Council are final. It should be noted that the Foundation Board must also approve applications prior to funding.
• If the Foundation Fund application is approved, applicants should keep all receipts for expenditures. Restaurants receipts must clearly indicate that food was purchased. Receipts should be submitted to the Advancement Coordinator in the Office of Institutional Advancement. All Louisiana Travel Guidelines must be met in order to be reimbursed.