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Constitution of the Staff Senate
George Mason University

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of this organization is the Staff Senate of George Mason University.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Senate will remain open to all staff comments and recommendations.  The Senate will not serve as a substitute for the formal grievance procedures of the University.

The Staff Senate will represent all classified and non-student wage employees by supporting the diverse, multi-campus staff of George Mason University, without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation.

The Staff Senate will promote honest and open communication between the Administration and staff.

The Staff Senate will function, in an advisory capacity, in the governance of the University, by encouraging actions that address the current and future needs of the entire University community.

ARTICLE II

AUTHORITY

  1. The Staff Senate derives authority independently through the voice and intentions of the staff, defined as classified staff, full-time and part-time, and non-student full- and part-time wage employees of George Mason University (herein referred to as staff).
  2. Existence of the Staff Senate does not preclude the existence of or the right of any university employee to belong to any other organization.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSES

  1. To facilitate communication among staff members.
  2. To foster a spirit of unity and cooperation.
  3. To keep open lines of communication with the President, the Faculty, and the students of George Mason University.
  4. To act as liaison between the George Mason University staff, the staff of other state-funded institutions, Virginia Government Employees Association (VGEA), George Mason University Administration, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  5. To advance professional growth.
  6. To promote social responsibility and demonstrate concern for all members of George Mason University, the community at large, and higher education in general.
  7. To act as an advocate for the George Mason University staff by bringing their concerns to the attention of the appropriate body and following through to resolution.
  8. To remain open to all staff comments and recommendations.
  9. To not serve as a substitute for the formal grievance procedures of this University.

ARTICLE IV

MEMBERSHIP
  1. To be a member of the Staff Senate, a nominee must be non-probationary permanent full-time, part-time classified, or non-student wage employee.
  2. There shall be at least 24 voting seats on the Staff Senate.  The distribution of seats
    shall be:

    Fairfax                 16 seats
    Prince William          4 seats
    Arlington                4 seats
    Loudoun                1 seat

    Senate seats will be added upon a majority vote of the full Senate to respond to the growth of the university.

  3. There shall be seven possible non-voting members representing university organizations:

    1. One representative from the Faculty Senate
    2. One representative from the Student Government Association
    3. Past-Chair of Staff Senate, if no longer serving as a senator
    4. The Chief Human Resource Officer or Director of Human Resources, at the recommendation of the Staff Senate
    5. The Associate Provost for Personnel and Budget
    6. The Senior Vice President.

  4. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee, to be sensitive to the representation of the various occupational classifications of the staff.  The staff associations shall be responsible for maintaining an equitable representation of occupational classifications within their areas.

ARTICLE V

TERM OF OFFICE
  1. Term of office for Staff Senators will be two years. Each term will begin July 1st. Terms shall be staggered to permit election of approximately one-half of the Senate body each year.  In order to preserve continuity, terms may also be extended to three years with the approval of the Executive Committee.
  2. Movement of a member from one position to another within a different LOCATION shall not terminate the senator’s term of office.  The senator would become a ‘Senator-at-Large’ with the same rights and privileges as regular senators until their term is up.  If a vacancy occurs in a LOCATION and the senator-at-large is in the LOCATION, he/she would automatically fill that vacancy.  The Executive Committee will determine committee assignment for this senator.
  3. Vacancies may occur as a result of long-term disability, termination of classified employment at George Mason University, or by a majority vote of the Staff Senate to remove a senator for just cause.  See Article II, Section C of the bylaws for information on special elections.
  4. Staff Senators nominated during a special election will serve the remainder of the length of term vacated.
  5. The retiring Chair of the Staff Senate shall serve as an advisor to the Executive committee for one year. If his/her elected term as a senator has expired, he/she shall serve as a non-voting member of the Staff Senate and Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI

ELECTIONS
  1. Elections for the Staff Senate by LOCATION shall take place no later than March 31, except for the founding year.  The election process shall be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws.
  2. Elections by the Staff Senate officers shall be conducted in accordance with the Staff Senate Constitution and Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII

OFFICERS

A. Elected officers of the Staff Senate shall consist of

  1. Chair
  2. Vice Chair
  3. Treasurer
B. An Executive Committee shall consist of the above-named officers, the chair and co-chairs of the standing committees, the Parliamentarian, and the Legislative Officer.

C. A Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Chair.

D. A Legislative Officer shall be appointed by the Chair.  A Legislative Officer will be appointed to track the issues such as compensation and health care and reporting to the general Senate.

E. Officers shall be elected for a two-year term by the Staff Senators.  Each term will begin at the end of the June regular meeting.

F. Terms shall be staggered to permit election of the Vice Chair on the alternate year of the Chair and Treasurer.

G. Staff Senate membership of any officer shall be extended, as necessary, to enable fulfillment of duties.

H. Officers shall be eligible for re-election, but may not serve more than two full consecutive terms in the same office.

I. The Staff Senators, by a two-thirds vote, may remove any officer.

J. In the event an officer, excluding the Chair, shall take office and for some reason be unable or unwilling to complete his/her term of office, a special meeting shall be called and a special election held to fill the vacated office for the remainder of the vacating officer’s term.

K. If a special election of the Vice Chair or Treasurer takes place, the newly elected officer shall complete the term of the vacated office.

ARTICLE VIII

UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES

A. Senators and staff representatives to University Committees shall be appointed by the Chair of the Staff Senate, in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Staff Senate.  Terms of office and procedures to fill vacancies in remaining terms are outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Staff Senate.

B. Terms of appointment and responsibilities are outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Staff Senate.

C. Senators and staff representatives to the University Committees shall:
     1. Represent the position of the Staff Senate.
     2. Inform the Staff Senate of pertinent matters to be considered and action taken by either
         a. forwarding copies of meeting minutes to the Secretary within ten days after approval of minutes by the respective University Committee, or
          b. summarizing discussions and actions taken at meetings of each University Committeeand forwarding as a group or by a Staff Senator, staff representative, or designate to the Secretary within ten days after each meeting if no official minutes are kept at the meeting.
      3. Bring matters of staff concern before the respectiveUniversity Committees.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

The approval process of amendments to the Constitution shall be:

A. A proposal for an amendment and/or resolution must be submitted to the Executive Committee for review and clarification.

B. A notice that an amendment and/or resolution is to be proposed must be given by the Executive Committee to all members of the Staff Senate at least thirty days before the meeting when the amendment will be proposed. The notice shall contain the proposed amendment in context or general nature of the matter.

C. A proposed amendment and/or resolution may be discussed at the regular meeting at which the amendment and/or resolution is proposed.

D.  Proposed amendments and/or resolutions shall not be voted on until at least one regular meeting after the introduction.

E. Amendments to the Constitution and resolutions shall become effective upon approval by a simple majority vote of the Staff Senate voting members.

ARTICLE X

ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION

The Constitution shall be ratified by a simple majority vote of the Staff Senate voting membership.