ARTICLE I. NAME

This organization will be known as The Texas A&M University System Offices (A&M System Offices) Staff Council.

ARTICLE II. MISSION

The purpose of the A&M System Offices Staff Council (the Council) is to provide A&M System Offices employees with a forum for raising, discussing, and making recommendations on current policy and procedures to enable them to better serve A&M System Offices and the State of Texas. The Council is committed to assessing, prioritizing, and communicating staff needs, and responding to those needs through the implementation of developmental programs and job enhancing initiatives.

ARTICLE III. GOALS

Staff Council will establish goals consistent with the needs and vision of the A&M System Offices and publish these goals on the Staff Council Website. Staff Council shall reevaluate the goals annually.

ARTICLE IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

The Council will develop and implement standard operating procedures, which shall include the process for soliciting and selecting volunteers for the Council.
The Council may, where staff interests are concerned, recommend A&M System Offices employees to serve on committees established by the Chancellor.
The Council will prepare and submit to the Chancellor proposals and position papers on staff concerns as determined by a majority of the Council.
The Council will prepare and submit reports as requested by the Chancellor.
The Council will formulate, monitor, and review recommendations on development programs that affect members of the A&M System Offices staff.
The Council will not act in an advocacy role in any specific employee/employer dispute within the A&M System Offices, nor will it assume the role of arbitrator in any such matter.

ARTICLE V.  STAFF COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

<b Section 1.  Membership
All benefits-eligible, A&M System Offices employees – with the exception of the Chancellor and Executive Committee – will be eligible for Council membership.
The Council will consist of 8-12 members, selected from a bank of volunteers, regardless of departmental affiliation. No department or group of departments will have a minimum number of volunteers.

Section 2.  Volunteer Solicitation
The council will solicit volunteers via email every year during the month of June. Each volunteer will provide a written application justifying membership. The council will review applications and vote to select members during the July monthly meeting.

Section 3.  Term of Office
Members will commit to a two-year term. At the conclusion of the initial two-year term, members may re-apply as volunteers and will be subject to the selection process. There will be no term limit for members.

Section 4.  Vacancies
In the event a member is unable to fulfill the two-year commitment, the council will be responsible for enlisting a new volunteer to replace them. 
Vacancies of officers for unexpired terms will be filled by election at the next regular meeting of the Council under the rules identified in Article VI, Section 2.

Section 5.  Quorum
A quorum will consist of at least sixty percent (60%) of the members of the Council. No action will be taken by the Council unless a quorum is present.

ARTICLE VI.  STAFF COUNCIL OFFICERS

Section 1.  Duties
Officers of the Council will consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.

The Council Chair will preside over meetings of the Council, serve as liaison to the Chancellor and major A&M System Offices committees, and carry out other duties as specified in these Bylaws.

The Vice Chair will assume the responsibility of the Staff Council Chair when the Staff Council Chair is absent or otherwise unable to perform Staff Council duties and will assist the Staff Council Chair as required.

The Treasurer will maintain an account of all monies received and expended, make disbursements as authorized by the Council, and prepare an annual report of financial transactions.

The Secretary will maintain accurate records of attendance; keep minutes of all business conducted by the Council; prepare meeting agendas; and coordinate, prepare, and distribute required reports and correspondence for the Council. Minutes should be distributed to Council members prior to the next meeting.

All actions taken by these officers that are reasonably required by their official positions within the Council will be reported to the Council. Officers may not take a public stand or voice an opinion on an issue in the name of the Council without prior approval by a majority vote of the Council.

Section 2.  Election of Officers
Officers of the Council will be elected annually by the new Council membership during the August monthly meeting, based on receiving the largest number of votes. Only Council representatives with at least one year of membership experience are eligible to serve as Chair. This rule may, however, be waived by a two-thirds vote of the full-voting Council membership.

Section 3.  Terms of Office
Officers will be elected annually to one-year terms. No member may hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms, but the member may be re-elected after a one-year interval. This rule may, however, be waived by a two-thirds vote of the full-voting Council.

Section 4.  Vacancies
Vacancies of officers for unexpired terms will be filled by election at the next regular meeting of the Council under the rules identified in Article VI, Section 2.

ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES

The chair and members of all committees will be appointed by the Council Chair. Standing committees and special committees will be established as deemed necessary by the Council. At least one member of any standing committee/special committee should be a Council member. Appointment to these committees is open to any A&M System Offices employee.

ARTICLE VIII. MEETINGS

Section 1.  Staff Council Meeting Schedule and Notification
The Council will meet once a month at a time and place determined by members of the Council.

The secretary will notify council members of the time and location of all council meetings. Such notification should be by written/email correspondence at least seven days in advance of the meeting and should include a tentative agenda.

The order of business will include, but need not be limited to, the following items:

• call to order
• determination of members present
• disposition of minutes of previous Council meeting
• Chair’s report
• Treasurer’s report
• reports of standing committees
• reports of special committees
• unfinished business
• new business
• and adjournment.

Any A&M System Offices employee may present a written suggestion for Council consideration to one or more members of the Council. If the Council determines the proposal is one of merit, a recommendation will be formulated and communicated to the Executive Sponsor, who will determine whether the recommendation will be communicated to the Chancellor. The individual(s) initiating the proposal will be notified of the Council’s action.

Section 2.  Executive Session
Council meetings will be open to all interested parties. A majority vote of the Council membership present and voting may, however, determine that a meeting will, in whole or in part, be conducted in executive session during which time only Council members, as well as others designated by the Council membership, will be present.

Section 3.  Voting
Voting on motions and issues brought before the Council will be by voice or show of hands unless a roll call or vote by secret ballot is requested by a voting member (roll-call votes will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting). A simple majority vote of the quorum present and voting will decide a question, unless otherwise provided in the Bylaws. In the case of a tie vote, a tie is not considered a majority; therefore the item does not pass.

ARTICLE IX. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Order may be invoked by the Chair as needed. The Chair has the discretion to conduct meetings in a less formal manner.

ARTICLE X. ADOPTION OF BYLAWS

These amended Bylaws were adopted based on an affirmative vote by a majority of the Council and became effective May 12, 1997.

ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

Amendments to the Bylaws may be initiated in two ways:

• through a petition signed by twenty percent of the A&M System Offices staff, or
• through action originated by the Council and approved by a majority of Council members.

Proposed amendments will be distributed to all A&M System Offices employees at least three weeks prior to the Council vote on the amendment.  A two-thirds vote of the Council will be required for action. The Bylaws of The Texas A&M System Offices Staff Council were revised on January 3, 2000, May 14, 2003, October 13, 2005, November 17, 2005, May 10, 2006, May 21, 2008, October 13, 2011, June 30, 2019 and December 7, 2022

ARTICLE XII. EXECUTIVE SPONSORSHIP

A representative of the Texas A&M University System Offices Executive Committee will serve as the Executive Sponsor for Staff Council.
The Executive Sponsor will meet with the council twice per year to hear issues and recommendations, and bring them before the executive committee as he or she deems appropriate.
The sponsor will also advocate for the value of the Council to managers and department heads to ensure membership is not discouraged by any department.