Bylaws

UCSC Staff Advisory Board Bylaws

1. Name and Purpose

   1. Name. The name of this organization shall be Staff Advisory Board (SAB), hereinafter referred to as the Board, which serves as the elected and appointed officials advocating on behalf of the Staff Assembly, hereinafter referred to as the Assembly, inclusive of both represented and policy-governed staff on and off campus.
      
      
   2. Purpose. The purpose of the UC Santa Cruz Staff Advisory Board (SAB) is to support the welfare and diversity of the UCSC staff. The Board does this by serving in an advisory capacity to our campus leadership and other campus parties or organizations. Our advocacy promotes better communication and relations among the staff and our larger campus community.

2. Membership Criteria, Term of Service, and Duties 

   1. Membership

      1. The elected Board consists of no fewer than fourteen members. No more than two employees may serve as a member on the board for a predetermined limited term as explained in Section II.B.2. Changes to the current number of Board members will be determined by an evaluation of workload within the Board as needed, and approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board. 
      2. Each winter/spring quarter, potential Board members are nominated from among the Assembly. Current members will engage in outreach to create a diverse pool of candidates that reflect the diversity of the campus population. 
      3. To be eligible for Board membership, nominees must be policy governed (non-represented) and either past probation in a Career/Partial-Year Career appointment or in a Contract appointment with at least six months served in that contract.
      4. Nominees with the most votes are elected from the Assembly to fill available seats on the Board.
         1. In the event of a tie, current board members will decide which candidates will serve by a majority vote.
         2. If a current Board member is one of the tied candidates, and if breaking a tie would affect their election result, they will be excused from voting on the tied ballot. 
      5. The following individuals are invited to sit with the Board as non-voting ex officio members;
         1. The Associate Chancellor, as the sponsor of the Board, 
         2. The Chief Human Resources Officer (or designee), 
         3. Officers of the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA), if from the UCSC campus and not currently serving on the Board, 
         4. Staff Advisors to the Regents (STARs), if from the UCSC campus and not currently serving on the board.

   2. Term of Office

      1. The customary term of office for each member is three (3) years. The term begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. 
      2. Contracted staff employees, or other employees for whom serving a three-year term is not possible, may serve a shorter term. When allowed by a renewal of their contract, their elected term may extend up to the initially allotted 3 years. Their availability will be specified in their candidate summary during elections.
      3. CUCSA Delegates elected from outside of SAB membership will serve a one (1) or two (2) year term, consistent with their length of service as a delegate.
      4. Members are limited to two consecutive terms. Members completing two consecutive terms are required to have a break in service, of at least one year before running for re-election. 
      5. Service in any ex-officio role, does not constitute a break in service, for the purposes of re-election, as laid out in II.B.4.
      6. If a member is consistently unable to perform their duties as outlined in Section II.C or if they are found to continually be acting in opposition to the guiding principles of the Board as listed in Section VIII, their term may be ended prematurely. A vote of no-confidence in a given member may be called by another member of the Board, and if a two-thirds majority support removal, the remainder of the member’s term will be suspended.   

   3. Duties

      1. All members shall participate in the monthly meetings of the Board. If member schedules prevent participation in monthly meetings, alternate accommodations for committee/event updates will be arranged with the Chair. 
      2. All members will have at least one internal and external committee assignment. Assignments to previously established committees will occur before the start of the Fall term. Members will provide regular and pertinent updates to the Board.
      3. All members will help facilitate in person SAB events, as needed. 
      4. In the event the Board creates new internal committees, or is asked for representation on external committees, members may be appointed by the Chair. If the chair’s assignment is contested by a current Board member, the assignment will be made by a majority vote of the Board.
      5. Ex-Officio Members
         1. Invited to attend full board meetings of the SAB. 
         2. May attend other meetings and events as invited. 
         3. CUCSA Delegates and Leadership members will be invited to participate in all SAB work. 

3. Officers

   1. Titles. The officers of the Board shall be a Chair, Chair-elect, Past-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer-elect. Additional leadership roles include the First-Year and Second-Year CUCSA Delegates.
      
      
   2. Executive Board. The Executive Board consists of the Chair, Chair-elect, Past-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer-Elect.
      
      
   3. Elections. Candidates for Chair-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer-Elect shall be nominated and voted upon annually during the spring quarter by the Board members. Only current Board members may be nominated, and only Board members may vote in the election. The vote for officers shall take place after the general membership vote by the Assembly is finished. 
      
      
   4. Qualifications. Members of the Board who are completing their first year of service are qualified to be nominees for officer roles. Board members in a third year of a term must be re-elected to the Board through the general membership vote by the Assembly before they can stand as a candidate for an officer role. 
      
      
   5. Terms
      1. Secretary shall serve for one year.
      2. Treasurer-Elect will serve for two years in the successive roles of Treasurer-Elect and Treasurer.
      3. Chair-elect will serve for three years in the successive roles of Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past-Chair.
      4. CUCSA delegates will serve for two years in the successive roles of [First-Year] Delegate and [Second-Year] Delegate.
      5. Any member elected to the role of Chair-Elect or Treasurer-Elect, or appointed as a CUCSA delegate, shall be exempt from running in a general membership election until they have completed their terms as officers. 
      6. Members may hold the same officer role more than once, provided they do not exceed allowable terms of service as outlined in Section II.B.

   6. Duties

      1. The Chair
         
         1. Preside at monthly board meetings and Executive Board meetings
         2. Facilitate meetings of the Board with outside people as appropriate (e.g. CHRO, Chancellor, etc)
         3. Call emergency or special meetings of the Board as circumstances may warrant
         4. Appoint Board members to external committees as needed
         5. Chair the Advocacy Committee
         6. Attend regular meetings with Associate Chancellor 
         7. Assumes the role of Past-chair in the following year
      2. The Chair-Elect
         1. In the absence or inability of the Chair, the Chair-Elect shall perform the duties of the Chair. 
         2. The Chair-elect shall assume the position of Chair of the Board the following year.
         3. Shall assume such additional responsibilities as designated by the Chair.
         4. Chair the Programs Committee
      3. The Past Chair
         1. Serve as an advisor to the Chair
         2. First right of refusal to serve as UCSC [First-Year] CUCSA Delegate.
         3. Chair the Engagement Committee
      4. The Secretary
         1. Schedule meetings of the Board, Executive Board, and other campus stakeholders as needed.
         2. Record the minutes of all meetings. 
         3. Ensure that all meetings are conducted in accordance with the Rules of Order as established by the Board and the Bylaws.
         4. Chair the Communications Committee
      5. The Treasurer
         1. Oversee all financial transactions related to the Board. 
         2. Archive and present budget reports as needed to the Board.
         3. Chair the finance committee.  
      6. The Treasurer-Elect
         1. Support and learn from the Treasurer in the oversight of all financial transactions of the Board.
         2. The Treasurer-Elect will serve on the finance committee.
         3. In the absence or incapacity of the Treasurer, the Treasurer-Elect will serve in the capacity of Treasurer.
      7. Delegates to the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA). 
         1. The Board shall send two Delegates to CUCSA. These delegates will serve in two sequential roles, referred to here as [First-Year] and [Second-Year] Delegates.
         2. As specified in section III.F.4.b, the Past Chair has the first right of refusal to serve as the [First-Year] CUCSA Delegate. In the succeeding year, the [First-Year] Delegate assumes the [Second-Year] Delegate position. 
         3. Should either position become vacant during their term of service, or should the Past Chair be unable or unwilling to serve, the Chair, in consultation with CUCSA Delegates, will appoint a delegate from the pool of previous Chairs still employed at UCSC.  
         4. Delegates appointed from among the pool of previous Chairs will be required to run for election to SAB before running for additional leadership roles. 
         5. If either the First-Year or Second-Year Delegate is unable to attend a CUCSA meeting, another Board member may be substituted.

4. Vacancies

   1. Chair/Treasurer. In the case of the Chair’s or Treasurer’s resignation from Board service or separation from employment at UCSC, the Chair/Treasurer-elect shall assume the office for the unexpired term. This will be effective immediately upon the departure of the Chair/Treasurer and require no vote.
      
   2. Chair/Treasurer-Elect. In the case of the Chair/Treasurer-elect’s resignation from Board service, separation from employment at UCSC, or assumption of the role of Chair/Treasurer, a new Chair/Treasurer-elect shall be nominated and elected by a simple majority of the Board for the unexpired term. The chair will call this vote at the next Board meeting.
      
      
   3. Secretary. In the case of the Secretary’s resignation or separation from employment at UCSC, a new Secretary shall be nominated and elected by a simple majority of the Board for the unexpired term. The chair will call this vote at the next Board meeting. 
      
      
   4. Member. Any unanticipated Board vacancy may be filled by the candidate with the next highest number of votes from the most recent election of Board members or by calling another general election. The officers will consider the current Board members, the work required of the Board, and the duration of the given year to decide if a special election is needed or not. The new member shall fill the position for the remainder of the term.
      
      
   5. Resignation. Any elected Board member may resign from the board, or from their leadership position on the board, at any time by giving written notice of their resignation to the Chair. A Chair's resignation goes to the Chair-elect. Any board member who becomes union-represented, whether due to reorganization or a change in roles, will be required to resign from their role on the board, due to union regulations. 
      
      
   6. Removal. An officer of the Board may be removed from office through the mechanism of a vote of no-confidence. Another Board member may initiate a vote of no-confidence at a regularly scheduled Board meeting with sufficient quorum, or they may call for a remote vote of no-confidence. If an additional member seconds the vote of no-confidence, members shall cast votes. If two-thirds or more votes support removal, the member in question will no longer hold an officer role. A second vote of no confidence may be called to remove the member from the Board entirely per section II.B.
      
      
   7. Simultaneous Vacancies. In the event both the Chair/Treasurer and Chair/Treasurer-elect resigns from Board service, is separated from employment at UCSC, or their term as Chair/Treasurer is naturally ending, AND the Chair/Treasurer-Elect resigns from Board service or is separated from employment at UCSC, new Chair/Treasurer and Chair/Treasurer-elect officers shall be nominated and elected by a simple majority of the Board for the unexpired term. In the absence of a Chair and Chair-elect, the Past-chair may assume the role temporarily to facilitate the nomination and vote of new officers. In extraordinary circumstances, Board members may feel it necessary to appoint one or more past-chairs to officer roles. A past-chair may be appointed to the role of Chair with a two-thirds majority vote of Board members.
      
      
   8. Temporary Vacancies. In the event that the Secretary or Treasurer-elect is on a leave of absence, the e-board will assign a temporary replacement. 
      

5. Meetings

   1. Meetings. Board meetings will be held at a time most convenient to a majority of the elected Board members to facilitate maximum attendance. Meetings will generally be held once a month or as often as required, but not less than once a month. Non-voting guests may be invited at the discretion of the Chair. Attendance may be restricted at the discretion of the Chair if sensitive subjects are up for discussion. 
      
      
   2. Quorum of Members. The minimum number of Board members who must be present for business to be legally transacted shall consist of 50% of the current members plus one.
      1. Members on a leave of absence will not count toward the total number of current members for the purpose of determining quorum.
         
         
   3. Release time. A Board member may be granted release time during regularly scheduled hours of work to attend Board and committee meetings or functions, or other work as related to the Board, as designated by the Chancellor.
      

6. Rules of Order

   1. Synchronous Voting
      
      
      1. When a Board member is ready to call a vote on a topic of discussion, they shall make a motion for a specific course of action. That motion needs to be seconded by another member of the Board before being considered for a vote. 
      2. After verifying there is no further discussion on the topic or opposition to the vote, the Chair may call for a vote on the subject. Only elected Board members may vote at meetings. Those in favor, opposed, and abstained should be counted either by voice or raising of hands. A simple majority vote (50% plus 1) shall pass any motion unless stated otherwise in the bylaws.
      3. In the event of a tie, the Chair/s shall be the deciding vote. In non-tie circumstances, the Chair shall have no vote on motions.
         
         
   2. Asynchronous Voting. The Chair may call for a remote vote of the Board members when navigating time-sensitive issues or unusual circumstances. In these cases the Chair will establish the wording of the motion and collect votes from participating members in an explicitly defined range of time. A simple majority (50% plus 1) shall pass the motion unless stated otherwise in the bylaws. A record will be maintained of the motion, the vote, and the results.
      
      
   3. Voting Thresholds. Voting thresholds are determined by the number of participating voters in a given vote, provided quorum has been met.
      
      
   4. Tabling. If it becomes apparent that a consensus on a topic is not being reached, either through voting or during the discussion, a topic may be tabled until a later date at the discretion of the Chair. When an item is tabled it is no longer up for discussion until specified otherwise by the Chair.
      
      
   5. Budget. The budget shall be presented by the Treasurer for review at the beginning of each fiscal year. A two-thirds majority vote of the Board is required to approve the budget.

7. Amendments

   1. Bylaw Annual Review. The Board will review the bylaws every academic year during Winter/Spring quarter. A call will be made for any proposed amendments. All amendments received by the call deadline will be reviewed by the Amendment Review Committee. The Amendment Review Committee will review, edit, and finalize the language of any proposed amendments and submit them to the Board for review at least two weeks prior to a final vote. Proposed amendments require a two-thirds majority vote to pass.
      
      
   2. Amendments outside annual review. Any member may propose an amendment during a regularly scheduled meeting throughout the year. If outside of the annual review timeframe, the review committee will be convened at the request of the Chair. If convened, the Amendment Review Committee will review, edit, and finalize the language of any proposed amendment and submit it to the Board for a final vote. Amendments proposed outside of the annual review process require a two-thirds majority vote to pass.
      
      
   3. Amendment Review Committee. Membership of this committee will include at least the Chair-Elect, the Past Chair, and one additional volunteer. The committee will be codified by the end of the first meeting of the year, to serve as needed that year. The review committee will collaborate with the author of any proposed amendment to ensure consistent language and avoid contradictions with the rest of the bylaws. 
      

8. Guiding Principles

   1. Nondiscrimination. The Board shall in no way discriminate against or harass any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, veteran status, or status within any other group protected by federal, state, or university policy.
      
      
   2. Principles of Community. The Board supports and maintains the Principles of Community as designated by the University of California, Santa Cruz community.
      
      
   3. Commitment to Diversity. The Board values and is committed to a diverse membership. The Board recognizes that advocacy is more effective and inclusive when as many campus constituencies are involved in direct participation as possible. To that end, recruitment efforts should include the proactive inviting of campus partners from all backgrounds (different divisions, career roles, held identities, etc.) to serve.
      
      
      

Last Updated 7/1/2024