The University Libraries Support Staff Association

CONSTITUTION

Article I. NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. NAME. The name of this organization shall be The University Libraries Support Staff Association, hereinafter called the LSSA.

Section 2. PURPOSE. The purpose of the LSSA shall be: To educate and train library staff through continuing professional development and to promote awareness and understanding of concerns impacting library staff roles at The University of Memphis and in the community. To include library staff in the decision-making process regarding internal issues of the Library; to increase opportunities for advancement; to encourage staff to participate in local, state and national professional organizations.

Article II. MEMBERSHIP

All full-time staff (i.e., non-faculty, whether exempt or non-exempt) shall be members of the LSSA.

Article III. EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. The Executive Board shall consist of a President, Vice-President/President Elect, Recorder, Treasurer and Representative to the Library Administrative Council (LAC).

A. PRESIDENT. The President shall preside at all Executive Board meetings and at all general and special LSSA meetings, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees appointed by the Executive Board.

B. VICE-PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT ELECT. The Vice- President/President Elect shall perform all the duties of the President in that officer’s absence and shall automatically succeed to the presidency upon the expiration of the one-year term of the President.

C. RECORDER. The Recorder shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board, as well as of all general and special LSSA meetings and distribute minutes of the general meetings to all library support staff.

D. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall submit an annual financial report of the receipts and disbursements of the year. The treasurer is responsible for receiving and receipting funds, processing bank deposits, withdrawing and disbursing funds approved by the Executive Board.

E. REPRESENTATIVE TO THE LIBRARY ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL (LAC) hereinafter called the LAC representative.The LAC representative shall attend all meetings of the LAC, as well as the meetings of the Executive Board, and shall have an equal vote with officers in the governance of the LSSA. In the absence of the LAC representative, the alternate LAC representative, will attend LAC meetings and meetings of the Executive Board.

Section 2. TERM OF SERVICE. The term of service for LSSA officers shall be for one year, commencing July 1 and ending June 30. No officer or representative shall hold the same office for two consecutive terms or hold more than one office at one time.

Section 3. VACANCIES. In case of a vacancy in the office of Vice-President/President-Elect or Recorder or Treasurer, the President shall appoint a replacement to serve until the next scheduled election. If the office of President is vacant, the Vice-President/President-Elect shall succeed to the Presidency, and appoint a new Vice-President/President-Elect to serve the remainder of the term.

Section 4. REMOVAL OF OFFICERS. Any member of this organization may call for the removal of an officer by election. In this event an election to determine whether or not the officer will be removed will be held no later than two weeks after the request is made, the exact date to be determined by the President. A simple majority is sufficient to remove the officer in question.

Article IV. MEETINGS

Either an Executive Board meeting or a general meeting shall be announced at least a week ahead of time and held monthly. There shall be no less than six general meetings of the entire membership between July 1 and June 30 of the following year.

Article V. COMMITTEES

Section 1. AD HOC COMMITTEES. Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed as needed by the Executive Board. These committees shall be formed to deal with a particular issue and disbanded after the issue is resolved. Committee meetings shall be scheduled as needed.

Section 2. NOMINATING AND ELECTION COMMITTEE. The Nominating and Election Committee shall be appointed for a one fiscal year term (July 1-June 30). A minimum of four (4) members are needed for this committee. This committee will assist with initiating nominations, elections, and tabulations for the officers and representative positions of the Executive Board. The Nomination and Election Committee shall meet as necessary prior to the election process.

The chair of the Nomination and Election committee shall announce the results; in the event of a tie between two or more candidates another vote shall be conducted as a run-off.

Section 3. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION APPEALS COMMITTEE. The Performance Evaluation Appeals Committee is appointed as an Ad Hoc committee. There are ten members on this committee. This committee is responsible for establishing policy and procedures guidelines for support staff campus-wide to appeal or challenge their annual performance evaluation. This committee works closely with U of M officials such as the U of M Staff Senate, Human Resources Managers and President if necessary to come with a solution to allow supervisors and employees an opportunity to benefit from their proposed policies and procedures. Committee meeting shall be scheduled as needed. The chair shall give a periodic report to the LSSA on the committee’s progress. This committee will be banded once the new policy and procedures are approved and implemented. (This committee was disbanded on February 12, 2010 by the LSSA Executive Board and by the general membership on March 17, 2010.)

Section 4. EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE. The Employee Recognition Committee shall be appointed each year as a standing committee. This committee shall provide support to library employees with respect to the University of Memphis Outstanding Employee Award, offered quarterly by the University’s Employee Recognition Program. The committee will provide assistance with organizing and submitting the elements required in a nomination for this award and will offer critical assessment of the content as needed. In addition, this committee will recognize library staff for achievements, awards, and honors though the Top Notch Tiger Awards program. A minimum of three (3) members are needed for this committee. This committee shall meet regularly and the chair shall give a report at each LSSA's general meeting.

Section 5. FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE. The Fundraising Committee is a standing committee appointed for a two-fiscal-year term (July 1 – June 30). A minimum of 4 members are needed for this committee. This committee should identify, evaluate, and implement ideas and opportunities for raising funds for the LSSA. The committee should plan for a minimum of 2, but no more than 4 fund raisers in a fiscal year. The chair of the committee shall give a report after each fundraising event.

Section 6. LSSA WEBPAGE COMMITTEE. The LSSA Webpage Committee is a standing committee appointed with members appointed for a two-fiscal-year term (July 1 – June 30). A minimum of three (3) members are needed for this committee. The LSSA Webpage committee shall make recommendations concerning additions, deletions, and modifications to the Library Support Staff webpage. This committee shall work closely with the University Libraries Webpage Coordinator in compliance with the rules and regulations of the University Libraries. This committee is empowered to solicit input from libraries staff as needed to accomplish their goal of insuring accurate information is placed on the website. This committee shall meet on a regular basis. The chair shall give a report at each LSSA general meeting.

Section 7. LSSA CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMITTEE. The Continuing Education and Training committee (CETC) is a standing committee with members appointed for a two-fiscal year term (July 1 – June 30). A minimum of three (3) members are needed for this committee. This committee is responsible for collecting professional development information related to training, workshops, seminars, conferences, and educational opportunities geared toward library staff development. In addition to working in cooperation with the Libraries Personnel Development Committee, this committee also identifies and recommends speakers for staff professional development. The CETC will notify staff of the various professional development opportunities collected. The CETC shall meet regularly. The chair of the committee shall give a report at each LSSA general meeting.

Section 8. The ISSUES AND REVIEW COMMITTEE. The Issues and Review committee is a standing committee with members appointed for a two-fiscal-year term (July 1 – June 30). A minimum of three (3) members are needed for this committee. The Issues and Review Committee shall be responsible for evaluating and discussing any issues or concerns presented by any member of the support staff. The committee shall study, develop, and make recommendations to the Executive Board to be presented to the general membership for action. The Executive Board will, in turn, present the issues to the Dean for a resolution. Once the Dean has made a final decision and reported back to the Executive Board, the Executive Board will report back to the Issues and Review Committee. The committee shall then report back to the general membership on the resolution.

Section 9. LSSA HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE. The Hospitality committee is a standing committee with members appointed for a two fiscal-year term (July 1 – June 30). A minimum of two (2) members are needed for this committee. The Hospitality Committee shall be responsible for sending cards to library employees for birthdays, bereavement, illness/hospitalization, graduation, farewells, etc.

According to the University’s Sick Leave and Bereavement Policy (UM1544), http://policies.memphis.edu/UM1544.htm the following are considered as immediate family: spouse, child, step-child, foster child, parent, step-parent, foster parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, and sibling.

Section 10. LSSA EVENTS PLANNING COMMITTEE. The Events Planning committee is a standing committee with members appointed for a two-fiscal-year term (July 1 – June 30). A minimum of four (4) members are needed for this committee. The Events Planning Committee shall be responsible for scheduling, planning and organizing any activities, such as Pot Lucks, cook-outs, library table displays or gatherings. This committee will not be responsible for any duties assigned to the Holiday Committee.

Article VI. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the LSSA in all cases to which they are applicable and consistent with this Constitution or Bylaws or any special rules of order the LSSA may adopt.

Article VII. DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

In the event that the members decide that the LSSA should be dissolved, any funds remaining in the Treasury shall be disbursed to the materials budget of the University Libraries Endowment Fund.

Article VIII. AMENDMENTS

The Constitution may be amended or revised by two-thirds of those voting, provided that the proposed change has been submitted in writing to the membership at least fourteen days prior to the date of the vote on the proposed change.

Amended August 16, 2007

Amended March 17, 2010