Faculty & Staff    Professional Staff Association  

Professional Staff Association Constitution

Professional Staff Association
East Central College
CONSTITUTION
(Approved March 2019)

Download PSA Constitution as PDF

Article I
Name and Membership

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Professional Staff Association of East Central College, hereafter referred to as PSA (BP 1.34).

Section 2. PSA shall be composed of all full-time and part-time regular staff members who are contractual employees (excluding administration), as identified in the college’s staffing plan or equivalent document. All such contractual staff employees shall automatically be members of PSA.

Section 3. Subject to any specific limits contained in this constitution and subsequent amendments or bylaws, PSA members shall have the following rights of membership:

  1. To be notified of meetings
  2. To attend meetings
  3. To make motions or suggest items for discussion
  4. To discuss and debate matters
  5. To vote
  6. To stand for election as a representative of PSA as an elected officer (after six months of employment), member of an organized college committee membership, or representative of PSA to the Shared Governance Council
  7. To nominate PSA members, including oneself, for available positions of representation
  8. To resign from office
  9. To propose amendments and bylaws to these governing documents
  10. To demand the enforcement of PSA rules and these governing document
  11. To receive, upon request, a copy of these governing documents, meeting minutes, or other available documents related to PSA, within five business days
  12. To exercise any rights or privileges bestowed to members of PSA by law or these governing documents

Article II
Mission

Section 1. In alignment with BP 1.34, the purpose of PSA is to engage effectively and transparently in College communication and business. This is accomplished through the following measures:

  1. Through democratic means, PSA shall identify members’ viewpoints and concerns and shall represent its members with a unified voice to the College Administration, Board of Trustees, Committees, and Shared Governance Council on matters of institutional significance.
  2. PSA should serve to increase effective and positive communication among the Administration, Classified Staff, Faculty, and the Professional Staff.
  3. PSA should serve to promote professional and ethical conduct among its members and raise the standards of professional positions at East Central College.

Article III
Governing Body

Section 1. The full PSA membership shall be informed when a meeting is scheduled and when an election occurs. Otherwise, for the continuing business of the association, members shall be represented by a governing body termed the Professional Executive Council (PEC) to act for the organization and to exercise its leadership function. The PEC shall be composed of at least three of the four offices enumerated in the following Sections of this Article:

  1. A President shall be elected for the purpose of preparing for and monitoring open discussion during membership meetings. The President shall be elected by the membership.
  2. A Vice President shall be elected for the purpose of monitoring open discussion during membership meetings or other meetings involving the business of PSA in the event the President cannot attend. The Vice President shall be elected by the membership.
  3. A Secretary shall be elected for the purpose of recording minutes, along with reporting and maintaining documentation, as needed. The Secretary may serve over the responsibilities and business of the Vice President during membership meetings or other meetings involving the business of PSA in the event the Vice President cannot attend. The Secretary shall be elected by the membership.
  4. A Treasurer shall be elected for the purpose of overseeing financial accounts held and overseen by PSA. The Treasurer shall maintain financial records and report financial status, as requested, at membership meetings. The Treasurer may serve over the responsibilities and business of the Secretary during meeting membership meetings or other meetings involving the participation of PSA in the event the Secretary cannot attend. The Treasurer shall be elected by the membership.

Section 2. The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall serve a term of two academic years (through two complete Spring semesters) beginning with the Spring election. There will be no limits to the number of consecutive terms which can be served by any of member of the PEC in any elected capacity.

Article IV
Elections

Section 1. General Election

  1. Elections for the PEC shall be held annually in May, or by special election, as needed, by the call of a presently elected person on the PEC or by approved motion at a meeting of PSA.
    1. Elections will be staggered, allowing the President and Secretary positions to be open simultaneously, and the Vice President and Treasurer positions to be open simultaneously.
  2. In any given election for the PEC, a member of PSA may only run for one open PEC position. If the PEC member is nominated for more than one open PEC position, the member must choose which position is preferred and that member will be considered nominated only for that position.
  3. The greatest number of votes cast from the membership shall be sufficient for a candidate’s election to the PEC. If the elected person declines to serve, a new vote will be taken.
  4. Outgoing and incoming officers should collaborate during a transition period to start following the day after elections are held. Incoming officers will assume their official duties no later than the beginning of the summer semester.

Section 2. Special Election

  1. To fill a vacant PEC position(s), a special election will be held. The greatest number of votes cast from the membership shall be sufficient for a candidate’s election.
  2. To remove an elected person on the PEC, a vote in favor of removal by two-thirds majority of the total membership must be passed.

Article V
Committees

Section 1. Ad hoc committees may be formed within the PSA as issues arise which warrant temporary or ongoing groups to form and carry out a specific task within PSA membership and its purview. Committees may include any number of members of PSA, as appropriate. Committees will consist of members who willingly volunteer to support the responsibilities of their charge.

  1. A scholarship committee shall be chaired by the PEC and consist of at least four other PSA members whose charge is to review the candidates and select the recipient of the PSA scholarship annually. Upon selection, the officers should communicate the recipient to the larger PSA body.

Section 2. PSA members sometimes may be requested by name to serve on various time-limited committees to the benefit of the College. In circumstances when specific members are requested by the College administration or chair of a temporary college committee because of their job description, knowledge, or skill in a particular matter of interest or benefit to a temporary committee, the PSA shall hold no jurisdiction or claim over the governance of that representation.

Section 3. In circumstances when PSA receives a request for a member or members to participate on a standing or newly established college committee, PSA members shall be notified, and PSA will accept nominations for that committee’s representation. If more members have been nominated and are interested in serving than had been requested to serve on a particular college committee, an election will be held at the earliest convenience of PSA.

Section 4. Committee Election

  1. Elections for committee members shall be held, as needed, by the call of a presently elected person on the PEC.
  2. The greatest number of votes cast from the membership shall be sufficient for a candidate’s election to a college committee. If the elected person declines to serve, a new vote will be taken.
  3. Elected representative committee members shall assume their official duties on the first business day following an election.
  4. Elected representative committee members will be allowed and expected to serve on the committee until such time they choose to resign from the committee, when the committee has been dissolved, or until a Committee Special Election occurs.

Section 5. Committee Special Election

  1. To fill a vacant position on a college committee, standing or newly established, in the case when more than one person has been nominated and more than one person has interest in serving on the committee, a special election shall be held. The greatest number of votes cast from the membership shall be sufficient for a candidate’s election.
  2. To remove a PSA member from a college committee who has volunteered or been voted to participate on that committee, a majority of PSA membership must vote in favor of removal.

Section 6. PSA recognizes that participation and representation on the Shared Governance Council is unique among organized councils and committees at the college. Per the college’s shared governance policy, PSA shall be represented by two PSA members. To determine its Shared Governance Council members, PSA shall vote starting with one among the members of the PEC (after the annual general election) and select, by vote, one other at large PSA member.

  1. Election for the at large Shared Governance Council member will be held annually by June 30, or by special election, as needed, by the call of a presently elected person on the PEC or by approved motion at a meeting of PSA.
  2. The greatest number of votes cast from the membership shall be sufficient for a candidate’s election to the Shared Governance Council. If the elected person declines to serve, a new vote will be taken.
  3. The elected representative member shall assume official duties on the first business day following an election.
  4. In the event the PEC member or at large PSA member is unable to attend a scheduled Shared Governance Council meeting, the PEC shall choose among the non-Shared Governance Council members as to which of the PEC will attend, with the intention that PSA should be represented at such meetings fully by two PSA members. If no PEC members are able or willing to attend a Shared Governance Council meeting, the PEC reserves the right to select a willing PSA designee from among the PSA membership, with the intention that PSA should be fully represented.
  5. To remove a PSA member from Shared Governance Council representation, either from among the PEC or the at large position, a vote in favor of removal by two-thirds majority of the total membership must be passed.

Section 7. PSA recognizes that participation and representation on the Insurance Committee is unique among organized councils and committees at the College. There are five representatives of PSA on this committee. Upon the publication of the Insurance Committee’s bylaws, this section will be updated to reflect information on the terms and procedures set forth by the committee.

Article VI
Membership Meetings

Section 1. Membership meetings shall be conducted once monthly as deemed appropriate by membership. The meeting schedule should be set at the beginning of the semester.

Section 2. For purposes of conducting routine business of PSA, a majority of those present at the meeting will be necessary to approve items of business and to adjourn the meeting.

  1. Changes to bylaws, policy recommendations, or expenditure of association funds exceeding $250 can only be approved by the majority of PSA membership.

Section 3. The PEC shall meet if the need arises in order to conduct business of PSA which warrants a prompt response.

Section 4. At least one member of PSA shall attend open, scheduled, on-campus meetings of the Board of Trustees to keep informed of college and community issues and then report to PSA items of note or interest.

Article VII
Method of Voting

Section 1. For routine items of business, Robert’s Rules of Order or an acceptable modification thereof shall be used for voting. Voting on proposals to modify this document, include bylaws, recommend changes in college policy, or expenditure of Association funds shall be accomplished by:

  1. Voting in person or via Zoom at the Association meeting at which the question is moved.
  2. Voting within one week of the meeting at which the question is moved, such vote to be registered with the Secretary of the Association, via electronic means or in person. The President, or presiding officer of the meeting, may elect to allow proxy voting or alternative means via electronic voting for those items requiring a majority of all professional staff eligible for membership in the Association. Proposals requiring such approval shall be distributed in writing or electronically to all members of PSA within two business days of the meeting at which the question is moved.

Article VIII
Amendments and Bylaws

Section 1. PSA may alter this constitution by amendment at any meeting of PSA membership, provided that the following have occurred:

  1. A proposed amendment has been communicated to PSA membership with reasonable notice (at least two weeks) before a vote is taken.
  2. A proposed amendment is discussed and sufficiently debated by PSA during a meeting of PSA membership.
  3. A proposed amendment is approved by two-thirds majority of the votes cast.

Section 2. Approved amendments have immediate effect.

Section 3. PSA may add bylaws by addendum to this document. Bylaws shall be considered updates, clarifications, or creation of policy which are not necessarily an alteration of or in conflict with an article of this document or an action which is deemed not to require a new article. A proposed by-law is approved by two-thirds majority of the votes cast.

Article IX
Dissolution

Section 1. Any action to dissolve PSA or merge it into another College association must be approved by two-thirds majority of the votes cast at a meeting of PSA membership specifically called to consider such action.

Section 2. The PEC at the time of an affirmative vote to dissolve PSA or merge it into another College association shall be responsible for concluding PSA business. Following paying or adequately providing for the payment of any debt, obligation, and liability of PSA, remaining financial assets shall be distributed appropriately to the East Central College and/or the ECC Foundation.