Staff Senate Constitution
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of the organization shall be the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Staff Senate (herein referred to as the TTUHSC Staff Senate or Staff Senate).
ARTICLE II. AUTHORITY
The TTUHSC Staff Senate shall function under this Constitution as approved by the President of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and shall continue to do so until such time as the TTUHSC Staff Senate dissolves itself or the Constitution is revoked by the President or Board of Regents.
ARTICLE III. PURPOSE
The Staff Senate shall exist to serve as the official representative body of the staff of the TTUHSC and to function as an advisory body in making recommendations on issues affecting institutional governance. Through these purposes the Staff Senate strives foremost to contribute to the overall success of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and to foster a spirit of unity and cooperation among staff employees.
ARTICLE IV. JURISDICTION
Section 1. The TTUHSC Staff Senate shall provide representation for all staff from the TTUHSC and provide a forum for examining common concerns related to Staff quality of life and employment.
Section 2. The Staff Senate shall represent the Staff in communicating with the TTUHSC Administration regarding policies and procedures and in making recommendations that are consistent with the TTUHSC overall mission.
ARTICLE V. ORGANIZATION
Section 1. Any staff employee of TTUHSC shall have the right to vote for candidates for Senator.
Section 2. The Staff Senate shall be elected to serve as the representative body of all staff employees of TTUHSC regardless of geographic location, school or service classification.
Section 3. The voting membership of the Staff Senate shall consist of 18 Senators: Four (4) representatives (2 non-exempt and 2 exempt) from each campus (Lubbock, Amarillo, El Paso and Permian Basin) and two (2) representatives (1 non-exempt and 1 exempt) to represent all distant sites (Abilene, Dallas, Marble Falls, etc.). The Senators are elected to represent the entire staff and are not elected to represent a school or service department. Senators are elected by campus or site so that when needs arise because of geographic location they can be fully understood.
Section 4. The Staff Senate shall elect from its membership a President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. Each will be elected in accordance with the Staff Senate Bylaws.
Section 5. A Webmaster for the Staff Senate shall be appointed by the Staff Senate officers as a non-voice, non-voting position on the Senate with a non-expiring term. The webmaster will need the following skills: Access to, and knowledge of, TTUHSC designated web page management system.
ARTICLE VI. RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 1. The Staff Senate shall operate to facilitate open communication between the Staff and the TTUHSC Administration, seeking to provide constructive recommendations.
Section 2. The Staff Senate shall meet at least monthly, as provided by the bylaws. All meetings of the Staff Senate shall be open meetings unless otherwise required by law or allowed by law.
Section 3. The Staff Senate shall call meetings of the entire TTUHSC Staff at least annually with telecommunication linkage from the originating site to all campuses. The President of the TTUHSC shall be invited to make comments of their choice and to address specific issues of common interest to all staff. Special meetings of the entire TTUHSC Staff may be called by any of the processes described in the Bylaws.
Section 4. The Staff Senate shall publish on its website the Agendas for all meetings of the Staff Senate and the entire Staff prior to the meeting. The minutes of all Staff Senate and entire Staff meetings shall be published on its website upon approval.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENT PROCEDURE
Section 1. An amendment to the Constitution of the Staff Senate may be proposed by a petition to the President of the Staff Senate signed by at least 100 members of the TTUHSC Staff or by two-thirds vote of the Senators.
Section 2. Any amendment proposed by the Staff Senate shall be submitted to a vote of the TTUHSC Staff. TTUHSC staff shall be notified by the Staff Senate via e-mail and web page announcements at least fourteen days in advance of such a vote and at that time furnished with the proposed amendment.
Section 3. An amendment to this Constitution shall become effective upon approval by a two-thirds vote of the ballots cast by the TTUHSC Staff.
ARTICLE VIII. COMPOSITION
The initial composition of the Staff Senate shall consist of:
• 2 Senators (1 exempt and 1 non-exempt) from each campus (Lubbock, Amarillo, El Paso and Permian Basin) serving a one year term
• 2 Senators (1 exempt and 1 non-exempt) from each campus (Lubbock, Amarillo, El Paso and Permian Basin) serving a two year term
• 2 Senators (1 exempt and 1 non-exempt) from the distance sites (Abilene, Dallas, Marble Falls, etc.), one who will serve a one year term and one who will serve a two year term. The term will be determined at the time the initial senators nominate themselves by indication on the nomination form whether they want to serve the 1 year term or the 2 year term.
• TTUHSC Staff Senate Interim Task Force shall serve as an Advisory Team for one year after inception of the TTUHSC Staff Senate. The President of the Staff Senate will ensure that at least two members of the Advisory Team will attend each meeting for the first year.
Thereafter the Staff Senators will serve 2 year terms and may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
Officers shall be elected annually. The President will serve a one year term as a Senator before becoming President. The Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer may be new members of the Senate and may be re-elected for a second consecutive term. The Vice President’s role is to fill in during the President’s absence. The Past-President will serve as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Staff Senate for one year immediately following the term as President.
ARTICLE IX. ADOPTION AND RATIFICATION
The Constitution of the Staff Senate shall become effective when adopted by a two thirds majority of the members of the HSC Staff submitting votes.