II.       PURPOSE

 

The Classified Senate shall represent classified employees of Saddleback College within the goverance and decision-making at Saddleback College on matters that are not related to collective bargainig and contract negotiations.

 

A.	To represent the opinions, needs and concerns of the classified staff in all aspects of governance and decision-making at Saddleback College on matters that are not related to collective bargaining and contract negotiations.
B.	To support the professionalism of the classified staff.
C.	To encourage individual leadership, contribution, and development among the members of the senate.
D.	To provide informed member representatives to serve on the College and District decision-making committees
E.	To provide a centralized method of communication between classified staff and other areas of the College.
F.	To collect and disseminate information of interest to the classified staff.
G.	To represent the collective interests of the classified staff in all matters before any appropriate policy-making committee.

 

 

A.	Membership - The Saddleback College Classified Senate shall consist of all full-time and permanent part-time Saddleback College classified staff.
B.	Duties and Responsibilities - the Classified Senate shall:

 
 

1.	Collect and disseminate information of interest to the College classified staff.
2.	Review all policies affecting classified staff not related to bargaining issues.
3.	Extend invitations to College functions.
4.	Respond to queries and/or requests

 
 

C.	The Classified Senate shall concern itself with classified staff and operational matters and shall represent the interests of the College classified staff.
D.	The Classified Senate will provide a member to appear before the Board of Trustees to express the views of the Classified Senate.
E.	The Classified Senate is empowered to establish, make policy recommendations, and take action on behalf of the College classified staff.

 

Each division or service area may elect a minimum of one Senator. Each division or service area is entitled to one Senator for every ten permanent classified staff members or portion thereof.

 

A.	Approximately one-half of the Senate membership shall be elected each year, and each elected member shall serve for a term of two years.
B.	Each representational area, as defined in Section IV of the By-Laws, shall select its representative(s) to the Classified Senate. An executive council member will be assigned to each representational area to conduct its election. Representational areas that have more than one Classified Senator shall elect approximately one-half of the representatives each year. Newly elected Senators shall be seated in July. (See VII. B. 4. ; and VIII. L.)
C.	The Classified Senate President may declare vacant the seat of any Senator who is unable to complete his or her term of office, or who is absent for three consecutive meetings without sending a substitute, or who becomes ineligible to hold member-ship in the Senate. Vacancies will be immediately filled in the manner described in "D" of this section.
D	A representational area may recall and replace its Classified Senate representative under guidelines established within the area. The newly elected representative shall complete the remaining original term of office. A Classified Senator may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. The Classified Senate President shall inform the affected representational area and the vacancy will be filled according to the guidelines established within the representational area.
E	Substitute Representatives: Representational areas whose Classified representative cannot attend a meeting may be represented by another member of the area. The representative will have full rights and privileges of a Classified Senator during that Classified Senate meeting. The substitute shall inform the Classified Senate Secretary of the change before the meeting begins. (See VIII. M.)
F	Duties: Classified Senators shall attend and actively participate in all regular and special meetings of the Classified Senate. It is the Classified Senator’s responsibility to develop a work schedule around the Classified Senate’s regularly-scheduled meeting time. All classified Senators shall be eligible and should anticipate appointment to at least one College or Classified Senate standing committee per academic year. Classified Senators shall be the communicator between the Classified Senate and their representational unit.

 

 

A.	The Executive Council shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President, and two Members-at-Large who shall be elected from its senators to serve a one-year term commencing July 1.
B.	All Classified Senators, including newly elected Senators, are eligible for the President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-at-Large positions.
C.	If the office of the President becomes vacant, the President-Elect shall assume the Presidency. In the event that the President-Elect is unable to accept the position, the President shall be selected from the current senate membership.
D.	No person may hold more than one position on the Executive Council at the same time.
E.	Executive Board members may be elected for any number of terms, but no more than two consecutive terms of the same office.

 

 

1.	The President shall prepare the agenda and preside at meetings of the Senate.
2.	The President, or a designated Classified Senator, shall attend all District Board of Trustees meetings.
3.	The President, or designee, shall attend all President’s Council meetings.
4.	The President is responsible for maintaining lines of communication with CSEA and Statewide Classified Senate and other organizations.
5.	The President, in cooperation with the Classified Senate, shall appoint members to represent the Classified Senate on College and District committees.
6.	The President shall vote on issues only in the case of a tie.

 
 B.       President-Elect
 

1.	The President-Elect shall act in the absence of the President and assume the presidency in the event that the President cannot complete his/her term of office.
2.	The President-Elect, or a designated senator, shall attend the Chancellor's Cabinet
3.	The President-Elect shall keep the Classified Senate informed of the Classified Senate standing and ad hoc committee actions.
4.	The President-Elect shall be responsible for initiating and monitoring the nominating and voting process and timetable so that all officers and senators can take office July 1. (See V.B.;&VII.L.)

 
C.      Secretary
 

1.	The Secretary shall be responsible to maintain the official minutes of all Senate executive and general meetings.
2.	The Secretary shall act as corresponding secretary when so directed.
3.	The Secretary shall send copies of all minutes to senators, the secretary of CSEA, and the College President, the Chancellor, Saddleback College Academic Senate, Irvine Valley College Classified and Academic Senates, and the Saddleback College ASG.
4.	The Secretary shall submit a Classified Senate report to the Board of Trustees to be included in the Board meeting agenda packet.
5.	The Secretary shall assume other duties as may be agreed to by the Secretary and members of the Classified Senate.

 
D.      Treasurer
 

1.	The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting and disbursing funds.
2.	The Treasurer shall maintain fiscal records.
3.	The Treasurer shall participate in the Staff Development Committee.
4.	The Treasurer shall assume other duties as may be agreed to by the Treasurer and members of the Classified Senate.

 

E.       Past President

 

1.	The Past President shall be responsible for assisting the President as needed.
2.	At the discretion of the new Senate President, the Past President shall attend the first four meetings of the College President’s Council.

 

F.       Members-at-Large  

1.	The Members-at-Large shall provide a centralized means of communication between classified staff and senators  a.  Voice Mail/E-Mail Distribution List.  b.  Recognition of appreciation, congratulation and condolence.
2.	The Members-at-Large shall investigate fund-raising ideas.
3.	The Members-ar-Large shall perform other duties as needed.

 

 

A.	The Classified Senate shall establish both permanent and, when appropriate, ad hoc committees to assist in the development and implementation of policies and procedures relating to classified staff and to the operational and educational matters of the College.
B.	Senate meetings shall be held monthly or as needed. The day and time is to be arranged by the incoming Senate members.
C.	Senate members shall be granted release time for meetings.
D.	When necessary, the Classified Senate may call general classified staff meetings to discuss issues.
E.	Official meetings of the Classified Senate shall consist of any ten (10) of the voting members.
F.	Announcements of meetings shall be placed in the College President’s publication and the Classified Senate WebPage.
G.	Decisions shall be made by consensus unless a voting member of the Senate calls for a vote.
H.	Official minutes of each Senate meeting shall be kept and distributed to all members of the Senate and posted in each unit area by their Senate Representative and posted on the College’s Classified Senate WebPage.
I.	Ad hoc committees may be established by the President of the Classified Senate. Such committees shall be formed for special purposes and shall be of short duration.
J.	Standing committees shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, upon the advice and consent of the Senate members. Minutes of meetings shall be submitted to the President-Elect in a timely manner.
K.	Senate representatives who serve on committees shall provide either written or oral reports at the next regularly-scheduled Senate Committee meeting. Reports may be presented in person by the representative or by a designee.
L.	The election of officers shall occur at the last meeting in May.
M.	Proxy – Senators who are unable to participate in a vote may give written assignment of their vote by proxy to any senate member. The written authority shall specify if the proxy is for a single, specific voting issue, or is to include the entire meeting.

 

 

A.	Any position or recommendation under consideration by the Classified Senate must be submitted to the entire classified staff as a referendum if any of the following conditions occur:

 
 

1.	A petition is signed by twenty percent (20%) of the full-time classified staff requesting a referendum he held on the position or recommendation.
2.	A majority of elected Classified Senate members request that a referendum be held on an issue or recommendation.

 
 

B.	Such referendum shall be voted upon by the general classified staff by secret ballot within two weeks of the presentation of a petition or the vote by the Classified Senate.
C.	At least fifty percent (50%) of the classified staff must participate to qualify as a classified staff referendum. A majority vote is necessary for the referendum to prevail. Failure to vote on the issue is the same as a "NO" vote.

 

 

A.	An amendment to the By-Laws of the Classified Senate may be proposed either by the Classified Senate or by written petition by ten percent (10%) of the classified staff as defined in Section III. The Classified Senate shall thereupon publicize the proposed amendment to the classified staff in writing. After giving classified staff written notice of the date, time and place thereof, the Senate shall conduct one or more hearings no sooner than one week and no later than two weeks from the date of publication of the proposed amendment. The Senate shall record and publish minutes of the said hearing(s).
B.	Action on proposed amendments must be taken within two weeks of the final hearing. A majority of the Senate is necessary for an amendment to take effect.
C.	The procedures for adoption and ratification of these By-Laws shall be the same as those for amending the By-Laws in that the By-Laws is to be distributed to all eligible voters, hearing(s) held, and a vote by secret ballot cast.

 

Date of Establishment: 1983
By-Laws: 12/91
Revised: 9/94
Revised: 8/98