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UC Merced Staff Assembly Bylaws

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this organization shall be Staff Assembly of the University of California, Merced, hereinafter referred to as Staff Assembly.

ARTICLE II: MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Staff Assembly is to:

  • Inform colleagues about campus matters vital to their interests;
  • Foster an effective communication link between campus employees and the Administration;
  • Participate in decision-making on issues of concern to staff;
  • Foster professional contacts and friendships among staff employees;
  • Encourage participation of all staff in Staff Assembly and in campus life in general;
  • Recognize and promote the contribution of staff to the University; and
  • Support the University of California, Merced's Principles of Community.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

All non-student staff employees shall be eligible members of Staff Assembly.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

A. General Board The General Board of Staff Assembly shall consist of:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Past President
  • Secretary
  • Finance Officer
  • Finance Officer – Elect
  • Co-Chairs for Programs, Events, and Outreach (Senior and Junior positions)
  • Co-Chairs for Communications (Senior and Junior positions)
  • Co-Chairs for Resource Development (Senior and Junior positions)
  • CUCSA Delegate (Optional)
  • CUCSA Delegate (Optional)

B. Executive Board Staff Assembly Executive shall consist of:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Past President
  • Secretary

These officers shall oversee the operations, decisions, and strategic direction of Staff Assembly.

C. Duties

D. Terms of Office

The Vice President shall serve a term of three years total, or one year at each level (President-Elect, President, and Past President). The Finance Officer-Elect shall serve a term of two years, one as Finance Officer-Elect and one as Finance Chair. The Events Co-Chair positions shall be two-year terms, with a Senior Co-Chair and Junior Co-Chair structure. Individuals may not be elected in the same position for more than two consecutive years. The Communications Co-Chair positions shall be two-year terms, with a Senior Co-Chair and Junior Co-Chair structure. Individuals may not be elected in the same position for more than two consecutive years. The Resource Development Co-Chair positions shall be two-year terms, with a Senior Co-Chair and Junior Co-Chair structure. Individuals may not be elected in the same position for more than two consecutive years. All other General Board members shall serve one-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive years in the same position.

E. Eligibility

Any member of the Staff Assembly who has completed one year of employment at UC Merced as of July 1 is eligible to become an officer on the Executive Board. Only employees from non-represented positions may hold the offices of Vice President, President and Past President.

F. Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) Delegates

Each participating UC location will send two delegates to participate in the Council. Each UC location shall name its delegates by June 1. Ideally two members of the General Board shall serve as delegates to CUCSA each year. The term of office shall be two (2) years, the initial year as Junior Delegate and the next year as Senior Delegate. Each year will commence on July 1. The Vice President and President shall fill the delegate positions of Junior Delegate and Senior Delegate, respectively if non-represented employees. The delegates shall speak on behalf of Staff Assembly at CUCSA meetings. CUCSA delegates must hold non-represented positions. If, for reasons above or approved by vote of the UC Merced Staff Assembly Board, the President or Vice President cannot serve their term as delegate, the President shall solicit interest from members of the General Board to serve as a delegate to CUCSA and shall appoint a Junior Delegate (and Senior Delegate should the position be open) from the pool of interested Board members or General members of Staff Assembly. In the event that the CUCSA Delegation must be chosen from among the General Board, the terms of participation may be less than 12 months.

ARTICLE V: COMMITTEES

Internal committees shall be established by the Executive Board as needed. Internal committees may be delegated the task of discussing and making recommendations for a wide-range of issues related to staff professional development, staff welfare, or rules and jurisdiction. Internal committees may be delegated the task of overseeing an event or program sponsored by the Staff Assembly. Internal committees may be established for at least one year or longer until issues are resolved.

ARTICLE VI: ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES

A. Officer Elections Elections for officers of the General Board shall be held during the month of May. The slate of candidates will be presented to the membership one week prior to the May General Meeting. Electronic votes will be accepted up to and including the day before the May General Membership meeting. Paper ballots will be accepted during the May meeting; however, voting by proxy will not be allowed. All members are entitled to one vote for each office. A simple majority (50% plus one) of votes received shall constitute approval. There shall be no voting by proxy. The Secretary, in coordination with the Communications team, will tally and record the votes. The President will confirm the tally and votes. Results are confidential until confirmed. In the event of a tie, the officers of the General Board will hold a vote. If that vote is tied, the President shall be the tie breaker. Candidates who are also General Board members cannot vote and will abstain from voting in the event of a tie. Election results shall be announced no later than June 15th. The appointment period for all officers is July 1st through June 30th of each year.

B. Recalls Any member of the General Board may be asked to resign or be removed from office by a majority vote of no confidence by the General Board.

C. Executive Board Vacancies In the event of a vacancy of the President, the Vice President will succeed to the presidency for the remainder of both terms. This would, in turn, create a vacancy of the Vice President position. In the event of a vacancy of the Vice President, a special election will be held to fill the position. If the vacancy occurs immediately before the term transition, the Past President may either:

  • Request the General Board to appoint an interim President until the newly elected Vice President is ready to step up, or
  • Serve as interim President until the newly elected Vice President assumes the role. In the event of a vacancy of the Finance Officer, the Finance Officer-Elect will succeed to Finance Officer and hold the position for the remainder of both terms. This would, in turn, create a vacancy of the Finance Officer-Elect position. In the event of a vacancy of the Finance Officer-Elect, a special election will be held to fill the position. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Past President, the next most recent and willing Past President will be appointed by the President. In the event of a vacancy of any remaining General Board positions, the General Board may:
  • Appoint a current General Board member to assume those responsibilities, or
  • Solicit and appoint another person from the eligible membership to serve the remainder of the term. Interim elections may be held for any vacant position at the discretion of the General Board. No position shall remain vacant for more than four weeks to ensure continuity in leadership and operations.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS & VOTING

A. Meetings General Board meetings will be held at a time convenient to the majority of the elected Board representatives to facilitate maximum attendance. All general meetings of the General Board will be open to the Staff Assembly except when the agenda specifies an executive session or the Executive Board motions to go into executive session and it is approved by a majority vote of the officers present. Full Board meetings will be held as often as required, but not less than once a quarter. General meetings of the Staff Assembly shall be held as often as required but not less than once each year.

B. Quorum General Board: Two-thirds of the members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board. General meetings of the Staff Assembly: attendance by 10 members shall constitute a quorum of that meeting.

C. Voting All business of the General Board requires vote. Unless otherwise outlined in the bylaws, a simple majority (50% plus one) of the votes received shall constitute approval. The President shall be the deciding vote in the case of a tie. There shall be no voting by proxy. At General Meetings of the Staff Assembly, a simple majority (50% plus one) of votes received shall constitute approval. The Secretary, in coordination with the Communications team, will tally and record the votes. The President will confirm the tally and votes. Results are confidential until confirmed. In the event of a tie, the officers of the Executive Board will hold a vote. If that vote is tied, the President shall be the tie breaker. There shall be no voting by proxy. Electronic voting shall be allowed.

D. Release Time Participation in this organization shall be considered an official University function. Supervisors shall encourage and support release time for employees who wish to participate in Staff Assembly activities and/or meetings according to Guidelines for Relations with Employee Associations/Advisory Groups re-issued August 28, 1979 to UC Chancellors and Laboratory Directors by the UC Office of the President. These guidelines continue to be applicable to the Council of UC Staff Assemblies and local campus Staff Assemblies. The guidelines provide that “management support of approved organizations may include ... allowing a reasonable amount of time on pay status to be devoted to legitimate association activities by officers and members.”

E. Parliamentary Authority Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Staff Assembly in all cases to which they are applicable, insofar as they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

Robert’s Rules of Order is a widely accepted framework for running meetings efficiently and democratically. It ensures that all participants are heard, discussions remain focused, and decisions are made in a structured way. Staff Assembly follows a simplified version to suit our group’s size and needs.

Key principles include:

  • Establishing a Clear Agenda Meetings follow a pre-planned agenda that outlines the order of topics to be discussed. This keeps the meeting focused, ensures all items are addressed, and allows participants to prepare in advance.
  • Recognizing Speakers To maintain order, only one person speaks at a time and must be recognized by the chair before doing so. This avoids interruptions and gives everyone a fair chance to contribute.
  • Making and Seconding Motions Formal proposals for action, called motions, are made by members and must be seconded by another member to show support. Once seconded, the group can discuss and vote on the motion.
  • Holding Votes After discussion, the chair calls for a vote to reach a decision. Most motions are decided by majority rule, though some may require a higher threshold depending on the bylaws.
  • Respecting Majority Rule and Minority Rights While the majority decides the outcome, all members have the right to voice opinions, propose changes, and be heard respectfully. This balance ensures inclusive and fair decision-making.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS

A. Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority (50% plus one) of votes received from eligible members at any regularly scheduled Full Board meeting or General Membership meeting of the Staff Assembly provided the membership has been notified, in writing, thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of voting.