Support Employees Senate

Table of Contents

By-Laws to the Constitution of the Support Employees Senate

 

Article I

Section One. The name of this organization shall be the Support Employee Senate of Eastern New Mexico University.

Article II

Section One. The purpose of this organization is to administer the authority conferred upon it by the Statement on Governance Policy and the Board of Regents of Eastern New Mexico University.

Article III

Section One. Support Employees Senate shall consist of the number of members as selected in the By-Laws of the Support Employees Senate. These members will be elected by the support employee constituency. This constituency shall be those designated by the university administration and employed as permanent half-time up to full-time employees. Members shall be entitled to vote, to hold office, and to participate in discussions at the meeting.

Section Two. Membership in the Support Employees Senate shall be a three-year term with outgoing members ineligible for re-election for one (1) academic year.

Article IV

Section One. The officers of the Senate shall be a president, a vice-president, secretary/treasurer, and a parlimentarian elected by the Support Employees Senate. Term of office for all officers shall be one (1) year with the exception of the vice-president. The vice-president shall serve the first year as vice-president and will automatically become the president during the second year of service on the Senate.

Section Two. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers. The immediate past president shall serve as an ex-officio member. The Executive Board shall formulate an agenda in conformity with the purpose set forth in the Constitution ; it shall conduct all business in conformity with the wishes of the membership, and shall execute all policies, plans, projects, and activities of the Senate and implement all action taken by the membership.

Section Three. The president may appoint such committees as are deemed necessary by the membership or the Executive Board.

Section Four. In case of vacancy in any elected office, other than the president, the Executive Board shall appoint the officer for the unexpired term. If the office of the president is vacated, the vice-president shall assume the duties of president and the Support Employees Senate shall appoint another vice-president.

Article V

Section One. Regular meetings shall be held once a month unless otherwise voted by the membership at a preceding meeting.

Section Two. Special meetings may be called by any member of the Executive Board.

Section Three. In case of emergency, the meeting time and place may be changed by a decision of the Executive Board.

Section Four. All Support Employees Senate meetings are open meetings.

Article VI

Section One. Amendments to this Constitution shall be proposed in writing and submitted to the membership of the Support Employees Senate at any regular meeting by any member. The proposed amendment may then be voted upon by ballot by the entire support employees constituency.

By-Laws to the Constitution of the Support Employees Senate

Article I. Meetings

Section 1. The name of the organization shall the the Support Employees Senate of Eastern New Mexico University.

Section 2. All meetings of this senate shall be conducted according to parliamentary procedure as set forth in Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, 2nd Edition.

Section 3. A quorum for an executive board meeting shall consist of at least three members. A quorum for a general meeting shall consist of a simple majority.

Section 4. Minutes of the senate shall be distributed to each member of the Support Employees Senate, University Council, and other designated individuals.

Article II. Membership

Section 1. Membership shall be elected as follows:

One (1) from President's Office/Planning & Analysis/University Relations
Three (3) from Academic Affairs
Four (4) from Business Affairs
Two (2) from Student Affairs
One (1) from Ruidoso campus, and
One (1) alternate from Ruidoso campus

All members will be elected to serve three (3) year terms. All members are elected at large at their respective campuses.

Section 2. Removal from the Support Employees Senate.

Members shall be considered to have voluntarily resigned after missing three (3) consecutive meetings. Executive Board will appoint a constituent from the same area to complete the term vacated.

Section 3. Resignation from Support Employees Senate.

The Executive Board will appoint a constituent from the same area to complete the term vacated.

Section 4. Elections shall be conducted in May/June and the terms of office shall commence on July 1st of each year.

Section 5. Standing committees shall be:

Support Employees Special Appeals Committee shall be elected by the support employees constituents during regular elections. Nominees for this committee shall be selected by the Support Employees Senate and elected by their respective campus, four (4) members and two (2) alternates from the Portales campus, and one (1) alternate from the Ruidoso campus. Their responsibility is to serve as an appeals board in all cases of removal and/or grievance of a support employee. These members shall serve for two (2) years.

A Support Employees Personnel Policy and Handbook Committee comprised of five (5) members shall be elected by the support employees constituency during regular elections: four (4) members from the Portales campus and one (1) member from the Ruidoso campus. These members shall serve for two (2) years.

Ad hoc committees will be appointed by the Executive Board as deemed necessary.

All committee members are elected from the support employees staff at large.

Article III. Election of Officers

Section 1. Officers of the senate shall be elected annually at the organizational meeting in July. The nominations will be from the floor.

Section 2. Term of office for all officers will be for one (1) year beginning in July of each year with the exception of the vice president. The vice president will serve the first year of service as vice president and the second year of service as president.

Article IV. Duties of Officers

Section 1. The president shall assume general leadership of the senate, shall preside at all meetings of the senate and the Executive Board; shall be an ex-officio member of all committees; shall call special meetings with the approval of the Executive Board; shall appoint such committees as deemed necessary by the membership or the Executive Board; shall serve on the University Council; and shall perform such other duties as deemed necessary by the Executive Board.

Section 2. The vice president shall assume the duties of the president when necessary; shall serve on the University Council; and otherwise assist the president as requested.

Section 3. The secretary/treasurer shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of regular and special meetings of the membership and Executive Board; shall handle any correspondence requested by the president or Executive Board; shall provide each member of the senate and other designated individuals with a copy of the minutes taken at the meetings; and shall perform such other duties as deemed necessary to this office.

Section 4. The parliamentarian shall see that the meeting is run according to Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, 2nd Edition.

Article V. Duties of the Executive Board

Section 1. The Executive Board shall formulate an agenda in conformity with the purpose set forth in the Constitution ; shall conduct all business in conformity with the wishes of the membership; and shall execute all policies, plans, projects, and activities of the senate and implement all action taken by the membership.

Article VI. Amendments

Section 1. By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting if written notice has been sent to all members at least one (1) week prior to the meeting.

Section 2. By-Laws shall be amended by a two-thirds majority vote.