Ohio Admin. Code 3337-3-13 - Bylaws of the ohio university administrative senate

(A) Article I. Senators.

(1) Section 1. Eligibility. Any person who is an administrator as defined in paragraph(B)(1) of the constitution of the administrative senate of Ohio university is eligible to be elected to the administrative senate.

(2) Section 2. Districts. Senators shall be elected from each of fifteen districts composed of approximately equal members of constituents, established annually by the elections committee with approval of the senate, and from each of fifteen at-large positions.

(3) Section 3. Length and conditions of terms.

(a) Senators shall begin their terms of office with the last regular senate meeting in May and shall continue in office for three years, except that senators elected to fill positions vacated by resignation or for other reasons shall serve in office only for the length of the unexpired term of the senator being replaced.

(b) Alternates may be designated by any senator who finds that attendance at a senate meeting is not possible. Alternates must be chosen from the constituency represented by the senator and must be identified to the chairman prior to the beginning of the meeting. An alternate so chosen and so identified may participate in discussion, initiate motions, and vote on all issues, save those involving amendment to the constitution or the bylaws.

(c) Positions vacated by resignation or for other reasons prior to the date of the annual election shall be filled by the executive committee by appointment from the constituency represented by the vacated position. Such appointments shall be ratified by the senate, and shall continue until the next regular election.

(d) Senators who are absent from two consecutive regular meetings, or who are absent from there of five consecutive regular meetings, and who have not offered for such absences reasons acceptable to the executive committee, shall be designated by the executive committee as delinquent. After the delinquent senators have been notified by the secretary of their designation as delinquent, their names shall be placed before all the senators at any regular meeting. At that time, a vote-of two-thirds of those present shall be sufficient to remove the delinquent senator from office.

(4) Section 4. Method of election.

(a) The elections committee will prepare and circulate ' applications and will announce open positions three weeks prior to election day. The applications will be made available at a central place and the elections committee will take appropriate measures to inform all, administrators of application and election procedures.

(b) To be a candidate for senator, an eligible administrator must complete and submit the application form authorized by the elections committee and must declare which district or at-large position he or she is seeking.

(c) The elections committee shall certify each application submitted. Certification shall include insuring that the applicant is eligible to hold office under the provisions of the bylaws. Such certification shall be completed no later than one week prior to election day.

(d) The elections committee shall prepare the ballots to be distributed on election day. The names of all candidates for at-large positions whose applications have been certified shall appear on each ballot. Ballots for district positions will include instructions to the voter telling how many persons to vote for in all categories.

(e) The election day will be the first Wednesday in Hay in each year.

(f) On election day, the elections committee shall mail to each eligible administrator the ballots necessary. Each ballot shall be mailed with a return envelope. The voter will clearly mark his or her choice(s) and will place the ballot in the return envelope. After signing the envelope to validate the ballot, the voter will return both to the elections committee.

(g) The elections committee shall review envelopes to insure that votes are cast only by eligible administrators. Valid ballots will be removed from their envelopes and the envelopes will be kept apart from the ballots until the election has been certified.

(h) Ballots will be accepted by the elections committee for one week after election day; no ballots will be accepted after 5:00five p.m. on the second Wednesday in May.

(i) The elections committee shall count the votes cast and shall declare the results to the senate at the first regular senate meeting following the close of election. The senate shall validate the conduct of the election and shall vote to certify the election. When the election is certified, the elections committee shall destroy the envelopes and the ballots and shall transmit a report containing the tabulation of votes cast to the secretary of the senate.

(B) Article II. Officers.

(1) Section 1. Officers. The following officers shall be elected at the first regular meeting after the election of senators: chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer. These officers shall serve for one year and may succeed themselves in office for one year.

(2) Section 2. Duties of officers.

(a) The chairman shall preside at meetings of the administrative senate, act as chairman of the executive committee, which is made up of the elected officers, and appoint standing and ad hoc committees in consultation with the executive committee.

(b) The vice-chairman shall preside in the absence of the chairman, coordinate the standing and ad hoc committees established by the senate, and carry out such additional duties as may be assigned by the chairman.

(c) The secretary shall record and distribute minutes of the senate, keep a record of attendance and of votes where a roll call vote is requested, be responsible for correspondence, maintain the senate archives, and carry out such additional duties as may be assigned by the chairman.

(d) The treasurer shall prepare and supervise the operating budget of the senate, approve expenditures of the senate funds, and carry out such additional duties as may be assigned by the chairman.

(3) Section 3. Election of officers.

(a) The election committee shall administer the elections of officers.

(b) Nominations and elections of officers shall be conducted in the following order: chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer, and secretary. Nominations may be closed by a vote of a simple majority of senators. Election will be by secret ballot with ballots of distinctive color for each office. Individuals nominated will be excused during discussion of their qualifications but will return to cast their ballots.

(c) In order to be elected, a candidate must have a majority of the votes cast; in the case of an election where a candidate does not receive a majority, there will be a run-off vote between the two (or more) with the highest plurality.

(d) The votes will be counted and certified by the elections committee; if a member of this committee is a candidate for an office, the chairman shall appoint a substitute.

(e) In case of a tie vote, a re-vote will be taken. If a tie occurs a second time, the winner will be determined by the toss of a coin. Records of the election will be maintained for the duration of the term of office.

(4) Section 4. Resignation of officers. In the event of of resignation of an officer of the administrative senate, a special election to fill the unexpired term of office will be held at the first regular meeting after the effective date of the resignation.

(C) Article III. Voting.

(1) Section 1. Voting by members. Each member of the senate including the chairman has one vote. Normally voting is done by voice vote. A request for a roll call vote may be made by any senator on any motion on the floor. The record of a roll call or written ballot vote shall be kept by the secretary and included in the minutes, unless excluded by special vote.

(2) Section 2. Voting on motions. All substantive motions shall receive a reading at two consecutive meetings prior to voting. A vote of two-thirds of the members present is necessary to suspend this rule.

(3) Section 3. Attendance for voting. Voting on all substantive motions, and on amendments to the constitution and bylaws shall require the presence of a senator unless otherwise specified.

(D) Article IV. Meetings.

(1) Section 1. Regular meetings. The senate shall meet at a time and place determined by the senate on a date in alternate weeks; each senator is expected to be present for each meeting. If a senator must be absent, he or she must, prior to the meeting, notify the chairman of his or her expected absence. Senate meetings are open meetings unless especially designated as executive sessions.

(2) Section 2. Special meetings. At the request of the chairman of the administrative senate, executive committee, or five senators (submitted in writing), a special meeting may be called. The agenda for the special meeting should be sent out with the notice of the meeting and, if possible, at least three days in advance of the meeting. Circumstances may warrant emergency meetings with little or no advance notice.

(3) Section 3. Election meeting. The first regular meeting following the election of senators shall be designated as the meeting at which officers shall be elected.

(E) Article V. Committees.

(1) Section 1. Executive committee.

(a) The executive committee shall be composed of the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer.

(b) The executive committee shall have the power and authorization to act for the senate between senate meetings and shall discharge those responsibilities and duties vested in the committee by the bylaws and by action of the senate.

(c) The executive committee shall act as liaison between the senate and other campus governance groups, the university administration, and other related groups and agencies.

(d) Argumented by the chairman of the standing committees, the executive committee shall annually develop a statement of goals and priorities for presentation to the senate during the first meeting in October.

(2) Section 2. Standing committees.

(a) There shall be the following standing committees, with the chairman of each a member of the administrative senate:

1) personnel;

2) professional growth and development,

3) administrative policies; and

4) communications. The membership of each committee may include administrative staff persons who are not senators.

(b) The executive committee shall appoint the chairman of each committee. The chairman shall, in consultation with the executive committee, appoint senators and others to committee membership.

(c) The duties and responsibilities of the standing committees shall be as follows:

(i) Personnel committee shall concern itself with the relationships which exist between administrators and the university as an employer. In particular, the committee shall review, study, and recommend senate action in regard to such matters as performance, evaluation, and fringe benefits.

(ii) Professional growth and development committee shall concern itself with efforts to aid and encourage professional growth and development in administrators. In particular, the committee shall review, study, and recommend senate action in regard to such matters as professional leave, continuing education and recognition of professional achievement.

(iii) Administrative policies committee shall review, study, and recommend senate action in regard to those policies and procedures which affect the ability of administrators to function in their positions.

(iv) Communications committee shall develop and, with senate approval, implement means of providing information regarding the administrative senate to members of the senate, the constituency of the senate, the university community, and the public.

(d) A written report of each committee's activities shall be prepared and submitted by the chairman to the senate during the last meeting in May.

(3) Section 3. Ad hoc committees. There shall be such ad hoc committees as are needed for the conduct of special business; these shall be appointed by the chairman and/ or the executive committee of the senate.

(4) Section 4. University committees. With the advice and consent of the administrative senate, the chairman shall appoint representatives of the senate to serve on the university committee on committees, the budget advisory committee, and other major committees which require a representative from the administrative senate.

(5) Section 5. Elections committee.

(a) An elections committee composed of three continuing senators shall be appointed by the executive committee no later than the last Wednesday in March.

(b) The elections committee shall discharge those responsibilities and duties vested in the committee by the bylaws.

(c) The elections committee shall provide a report covering its activities to the senate during the last meeting in May. At that time, the elections committee shall present the results of the election and any other pertinent information.

(F) Article VI. Finances.

(1) Section 1. Budget. The treasurer shall annually prepare the administrative senate budget, according to the process as established by the university. The budget shall be submitted to the senate for approval prior to its submission to the university.

(2) Section 2. Approval of expenditures. The treasurer and the chairman shall cosign all expenditures of the administrative senate funds.

(G) Article VII. Official university liaison. A member of the university senior administrators shall be appointed by the university president to meet with the senate regularly. The president of the university shall have a standing invitation to meet with the senate.

(H) Article VIII. Quorum. For the conduct of business a quorum shall consist of a majority of the membership of the senate.

(I) Article IX. Parliamentary authority. "Robert's Rules of Order," revised shall govern procedure at all meetings of the administrative senate in all cases not otherwise provided for in the constitution or bylaws.

(J) Article X. Amendments. Amendments to the bylaws shall be presented in writing to the senators at least one meeting in advance of a requested vote. A two-thirds vote of the senators shall be necessary to amend the bylaws. The vote may be made by mail or at a regular meeting of the senate.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 3337-3-13

Effective: 3/14/2015
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 111.15
Rule Amplifies: 111.15
Prior Effective Dates: 3/16/1978