Our By-Laws

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA HEALTH SYSTEM ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH

EMPLOYEE COUNCIL BY-LAWS

Table of Contents:

Purpose Scope of Authority Membership Elections of Representatives Officers Officer Election Procedure Conducting Business

1. PURPOSE: The purpose of the council is to:
   
   
   1. Facilitate communication among classified employees, health care professionals of the Schools of Medicine and Nursing, the Health Sciences Library and Office of the Vice President and Provost for Health System (VPPHS) and interaction with University Department of Human Resources.
      
      
   2. Serve as a liaison with the VPPHS to inform employees under his direction of missions, goals, existing and proposed policies and programs, and other timely topics.
      
      
   3. Receive and discuss employee ideas for the purpose of improving relations among faculty and staff within the University of Virginia Health System. The resolution of specific individual personal concerns is not the responsibility of the council.
      
      
   4. To assist the VPPHS in the planning and organizing of social, recreational and educational activities for the University of Virginia Health System.
      
      
      
2. SCOPE OF AUTHORITY
   
   
   1. The council assumes no administrative authority. Its responsibility is to act in an advisory capacity to the VPPHS.
      
      
   2. The council will recommend appropriate actions to the VPPHS. Such recommended actions may be, but are not limited to, implementation of new policies or programs and solutions to problems perceived by the members. The VPPHS will consider such recommendations and direct implementation as appropriate.
      
      
   3. Council members are responsible for soliciting ideas and general concerns from those employees they represent and for reporting council meeting information back to those employees on a timely basis.
      
      
      
3. MEMBERSHIP
   
   
   1. Qualifications and Representation:
      
      1. Membership will consist of classified employees and HCP employees of all major elements of the University of Virginia Health System except the Medical Center, with the VPPHS determining the specifics regarding voter eligibility, and the number of the representatives allocated to each department.
      2. Council may review the voting procedures established for the preceding election and recommend modifications to the VPPHS.
      3. Each representative will have one alternate to replace each council representative absent from meetings and to become a representative in the event of a vacancy.
      4. The VPPHS will appoint or reappoint one or more management representatives who will be ex-officio council members.
      5. The Director of Employee Relations or his designee will attend all meetings as a resource for Human Resources policy and initiatives and give timely information on pertinent issues in an ex-officio capacity.
      6. Representatives on the council will serve for a two-year period according to a rotation system whereby approximately one-half of the representatives may be replaced each year. Representatives may stand for re-election at the end of two years and may serve uninterrupted terms. (Amended June 1990)
      7. If a representative resigns, or through other circumstances, can no longer complete his/her term, the alternate will become the representative. The person who received the next highest number of votes in the preceding election will be the new alternate. In the absence of such a person, the appropriate supervisor will appoint a replacement. The alternate or appointed replacement will serve for the remainder of the vacated term.
         
         
   2. Conduct and Responsibilities of Representatives
      1. A representative may resign by informing the Council Chair or the Secretary of the council in writing.
      2. The office of a representative will be declared vacant whenever that person has unauthorized absences from two consecutive meetings or from three meetings within a year. Absences are authorized if announced in advance to the Council Chair or Secretary or if the absentee is replaced by the designated alternate.
      3. Representatives will be excused from normal work duties to attend the monthly council meetings.
      4. Representatives, especially officers, will be granted a reasonable amount of additional time to attend specific council affairs as requested by the Council Chair.
      5. If a representative's employment status changes within the University of Virginia Health System during his/her term of office, he/she must notify the council chair who will communicate with the department chair to select a replacement.
      6. Representatives will strive to keep their constituents informed of council activities and will actively solicit the views of their constituents to present to council.
         
         
         
4. ELECTIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES
   
   
   1. Selection of representatives will be the responsibility of each department chair.
      
      
   2. Each organization will submit to the Council Chair a list of its elected representative(s), the alternate(s), and the next runner-up(s).
      
      
   3. Selections of representatives will be held during May.
      
      
   4. New representatives will assume office at the June meeting.
      
      
      
5. OFFICERS
   
   
   1. The officers of the council consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair and a Secretary.
      
      
   2. The Chair will:
      1. Preside at all meetings.
      2. Call special meetings of the council when he or she deems necessary.
      3. Serve as a Health System Representative on the Executive Committee of the Employee Councils.
         
         
   3. The Vice Chair will:
      1. Assume the duties of the Chair when necessary and will be the principal assistant to the chair.
      2. Serve as a Health System representative on the Executive Committee of the Employee Councils and act as secretary in the absence of the elected secretary.
         
         
   4. The Secretary will:
      1. Keep minutes of all meetings and distribute them to representatives, the Vice President and Provost and to other persons in regular attendance prior to the next council meeting.
      2. Ensure that correspondence relating to council matters is distributed in a timely manner.
      3. Ensure that representatives are notified of meetings.
      4. Maintain attendance lists and inform the Council Chair if a representative is in danger of losing his/her seat due to unauthorized absences.
      5. Maintain fiscal year attendance.
      6. Maintain appropriate files for the Council.
         
         
         
6. OFFICER ELECTION PROCEDURE:
   
   
   1. A Nominating Committee of the University of Virginia Health System Academic and Research Employee Council shall be established in April to begin deliberations concerning election of council officers for the next fiscal year.
      
      
   2. In accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, no current officer of the Council shall serve as a member of the Nominating Committee.
      
      
   3. The Nominating Committee shall consist of no more than four members, three from Council and one alternate to the Council, selected by the Council Chair. Individuals shall be notified, prior to the presentation of names at the meeting, to solicit their interest in serving as an officer. This official notification shall contain the requirements of each office. The Council Chair shall also solicit nominations from the floor.
      
      
   4. At least one month prior to the election of new officers the following will take place:
      1. The chair of the Nominating Committee shall make an announcement of candidates for each office to the council.
      2. Each candidate shall make a brief statement, if requested, to the membership about how he/she can best serve the membership as an officer.
         
         
   5. Officers (Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary) will be nominated and elected by secret ballot by the representatives for a term of one year at the July meeting and will be taking office at the August meeting. Officers may serve two consecutive terms and may stand for re-election after one year's absence from their previous term as an officer.
      
      
   6. In case of a vacancy of an office, the representatives will elect a replacement from their members. The replacement will serve until the annual election of officers is held.
      
      
      
7. CONDUCTING BUSINESS
   
   
   1. A simple majority of council representatives will constitute a quorum for handling business.
      
      
   2. A majority vote of representatives present will carry a motion except on a motion to amend the By-laws. In this case, two-thirds of the representatives must be present and two-thirds of these must vote in favor of any amendment. Amendments must be ratified by the VPPHS.
      
      
   3. Votes may be by acclamation or show of hands, unless a representative requests a secret ballot vote.
      
      
   4. Regular council meetings will be held monthly at a time and place designated by the Council Chair.
      
      
   5. Meetings will be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.
      
      
   6. Council will invite the VPPHS annually to give a general message on the state of the University of Virginia Health System and will be available for questions.
      
      
   7. Council will arrange with the VPPHS to have access to photocopying equipment and word processing services as needed for specified projects.
      
      
   8. Committees or sub-committees may be appointed by the Council Chair as necessary to carry out the work of the council.
      
      
   9. Council meetings are open to observers or visitors who have received prior invitation or permission from the Council Chair.