07-07-04 Revised 04-13-06
The Kansas State University (hereinafter referred to as KSU) Classified Senate is hereby established to promote classified employee participation in issues concerning KSU, and to provide representation at the university and state levels for said employees.
The name of this organization shall be the Classified Senate (hereinafter referred to as "Senate") of KSU.
This Senate is formed to serve as a representative body, which articulates classified employee's interests, concerns, and recommendations to the Vice President for Administration and Finance on matters of policy, training, and educational opportunities. Other charges involve recommendations on working conditions and work schedules; employment, promotion, and career development procedures; State of Kansas Civil Service pay and benefit plans; and the dissemination of information to all classified employees. This Senate exists as an open forum for the free expression of ideas, issues, and interests, which are of concern to the KSU classified employees. This Senate will, as well, represent the constituency on University standing and ad-hoc committees, and on search committees for key administrative positions. The Senate may also interact with other classified employees, the Kansas Board of Regents, other regents institutions, the university community, and the government of the State of Kansas, on matters of interest of all classified employees.
In conjunction with the Kansas State University Division of Human Resources, the Senate will plan and host the annual "Classified Employees Recognition Ceremony".
All permanent full-time and part-time classified employees of KSU shall constitute the Electorate of the Senate (hereinafter referred to as "Electorate"). Any member of the Electorate shall have the right to vote for the candidate(s) for senator to represent his/her college or administrative unit, and to vote in any or all other elections held in connection with Senate activities as provided by this Constitution.
Eligibility for election to the Senate shall be extended to all members of the Electorate as defined in Article III above. Should a Senator accept an unclassified position, he/she becomes ineligible to serve as a classified senator. If a Senator transfers to another college or administrative unit, they may carry out the remainder of that Senate year (June 1- May 31), with the understanding that at that time they must resign their Senate position. If a position is vacant in their new college or administrative unit, they may run for the vacancy through normal election procedures. Anyone filling a vacancy will only complete the remaining term for that college or administrative unit created by the vacancy.
The Senate shall be composed of twenty-six (26) Senators chosen by the Electorate as provided by this code.
The twenty-six (26) Senators, each having one vote in the Senate, shall be elected in direct proportion to the number of permanent classified employees in their designated college or administrative unit.
Every five years (calendar years ending with a zero or five) the apportionment will be reviewed to ensure equal representation. The Criteria is as follows:
Administration and Finance includes: Vice President's Office of Administration & Finance, Budget Office, Employee Relations, Controller's Office, Division of Human Resources, Information Systems, Public Safety, and Division of Facilities
Institutional Advancement includes: Vice President's Office of Institutional Advancement, Admissions, Career and Employment Services, Education/Personal Development, Housing and Dining Services, New Student Services, Printing Services, Registrar's Office, Student Financial Aid, Student Life, University Counseling, and University Publications, Lafene Health Center
Local Agencies includes: Athletics, K-State Student Union, Child Development Center, Student Publications
Office of the President & Provost includes: Affirmative Action, Beach Museum of Art, McCain Auditorium, University Attorney, Research & Graduate School, Research/Vice Provost, Telecommunications, Computing and Network Services, Division of Continuing Education, and Regents Education Community Center
This election process will be under the direction of the Senate Legislative Affairs Committee as provided in Article VIII, Section 2, taking into account any reductions or additions required during reapportionment years. Those persons receiving the most votes in the elective process are considered duly elected to represent the constituency. If for any reason the individual receiving the most votes declines his/her elective office, the next individual receiving the most votes will be contacted to serve. Ties will be settled by the flip of a coin. If only one nomination is received for a college or administrative unit vacancy, that person will be duly elected.
During the Month of March an initial mailing shall be sent to all permanent full- and part-time classified employees from each specific college or administrative unit where a position is to be filled explaining the Senate's purpose and nominating process. Nominations shall be accepted by signature of the nominee. Nomination forms will be sent out March 1 with nominations being accepted through April 1. Eligibility of all nominations returned shall be verified by a combination of the Legislative Affairs Committee and Human Resources. In the event insufficient candidates have been nominated for the vacancies, the Legislative Affairs Committee will solicit nominations from College Deans and Administrative Heads.
The Legislative Affairs Committee will supply the final ballots to be sent to the classified employees in the college or administrative unit and nominees will be numbered in alphabetical order. Voting shall be from May 1 to May 14. Write-in votes shall be considered invalid ballots. The ballot shall contain a list of all the candidates with their department or division. All ballots shall be returned to KSU CLASSIFIED SENATE, ANDERSON HALL. Ballots shall be verified at that time.
Nomination forms/ballots are due by 5:00 p.m. to the designated location on April 1/May 14. Any nomination forms/ballots arriving after that date shall be judged late and will not be considered. The Legislative Affairs Committee of the Senate is not responsible for late arrivals via any source.
Once voting has closed, members of the Legislative Affairs Committee shall manually count the ballots. Ballots shall be destroyed ninety (90) days after the announcement of the official results of the election and the results can be contested only during that time. The Legislative Affairs Committee shall decide conflicts regarding the election procedures.
In the event of a vacancy, the Legislative Affairs Committee will provide the Executive Council with a list of potential nominees. Vacant terms shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Council with the consent of a majority of the existing Senate.
The term of office shall be three (3) years, beginning with the first regularly scheduled meeting in June, with one third of the Senate elected each year in order to ensure overlapping terms, and ending with May 31st of the third year. A Senator may hold no more than two (2) consecutive terms of office.
The Senate shall meet once monthly at a time and place specified by the Senate Executive Council. Special meetings may be called by the President with the consent of a majority of the Executive Council or by petition of a majority of Senators. The quorum for Senate meetings shall be a two-thirds majority of those positions filled.
The Senate may address any matter of concern to classified employees noted in Article II.
The Vice-President, President-Elect, Secretary, Budget Coordinator, and one At-Large Representative shall be voted upon and elected at the April meeting. The Ex-Officio position shall be the past President. The election of Officers will fall under the auspices of the Legislative Affairs Committee. A nominating committee will be appointed by the Legislative Affairs Committee chair comprised of the President, President Elect and one senator going off the Senate chosen at random. Nominees will be selected by the nominating committee and contacted to verify their willingness to serve. A slate of officers will be presented to the Senate at the April meeting. Nominations from the floor will be accepted at this time. A written ballot will be distributed to each Senator present. Ballots will be turned in and tallied by the nominating committee before the end of the meeting. The new officers will be announced before the April meeting is adjourned. The Campus Affairs Chair and Legislative Affairs Chair will be appointed by the incoming President in June and will be expected to serve on Executive Council.
The term of President is one year and is automatically filled by the position of President-elect. The president will preside over Senate meetings and events, attend Council of Classified Senate meetings and KSU State Legislative Briefings plus participate in Legislative Day. The President will attend Council of Senates and Legislative Day, unless schedule conflicts arise, in which case the Vice-President or other Executive Council member will attend. At least one member of the Executive Council must attend these annual events. In the President's absence, the Vice President will serve as the office representative.
The President-Elect shall have completed at least one year on the Senate to be eligible for the position of President -Elect. The President-Elect shall serve for one year under the guidance of the President, and shall automatically succeed to the position of President the following Senate year.
The Vice President shall serve a one-year term. In the absence of the President, the Vice President will serve as the official representative and preside over any other meetings, or any other meetings/events the President is unable to attend. The Vice-President must have completed one year on the Senate before becoming Vice President.
The position of Ex-Officio will be a one year term to be served by the immediate past President with no voting privileges
The Secretary shall record and distribute minutes of all meetings of the senate, record official attendance and shall carry on official correspondence as directed by the Senate.
The Budget Coordinator shall cooperate with the Vice-President for Administration and Finance pertaining to all budget matters and make necessary reports to the Senate concerning all financial issues.
One (1) At-Large Representative shall be voted on in April with the election of the Executive Council. A representative must have completed one year on the Senate before becoming an At-Large Representative. The representative will attend the Executive Council meetings.
The Senate shall have an Executive Council that consists of a President, Vice-President, President-Elect, Secretary, Budget Coordinator, Chairs of the Campus Affairs and Legislative Affairs Committees, Ex-Officio, and one At-Large Senate representatives and shall serve for a term of one year.
The Campus Affairs Chair and Legislative Affairs Chair will be appointed by the incoming President in June and will be expected to serve on Executive Council. The Senate shall have the following standing committees; each composed of no fewer than ten persons if Senate membership allows and will be expected to meet monthly.
This committee is charged with investigating issues that affect classified employees in any way, reporting on these issues and making recommendations to the Senate when appropriate. The committee will be the liaison between Senate and campus administration as these issues are explored. A primary objective of this committee is to keep KSU classified employees informed of these issues.
The Campus Affairs Committee will establish the following sub-committees:
This committee is charged with developing the KSU Position Paper per the needs of the classified employees. The Legislative Affairs Committee meets with the Kansas Council of Classified Senators to coordinate and finalize a "unified" version of the Kansas Council of Classified Senates Position Paper each fiscal year. The committee is to monitor Legislative bills and committee hearings that may impact classified employees and inform classified senators on the progress of Legislative action. The Legislative Affairs Committee helps organize Legislative Day with the other regents universities, recruit fellow classified employees to attend, and aids in presenting the Kansas Council of Classified Senates Position Paper in February of each year. The committee is to co-organize university Legislative forums on the KSU Campus, to hear current issues in the Legislature, to present classified issues to Legislators and have an organized question/answer session.
The Legislative Affairs Committee will establish the following sub-committees:
The Senate may create additional special committees to address any matter of concern to the Senate.
Membership on some special committees may come in the form of a request to the Senate from Central Administration. The President of the Senate will appoint a person or persons as the need arises.
All regular meetings shall be open to the public and times and location will be posted on the Senate website. All classified employees and their guests are encouraged to attend Senate meetings.
Where necessary to ensure the orderly and proper function of the Senate, regulations to accompany this constitution may be proposed by a Senator(s) at any Senate meeting and passed upon affirmative vote by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership. Changes to the Codes and By-Laws will be noted by Date in the Revisions Section. The By-Laws will be reviewed every two years for necessary updates and revisions. (To be reviewed and completed by the end of the Senate year May 31 ending in even numbered years)
Senators should be present for the entirety of the regular monthly meetings. A maximum of three (3) absences will be allowed per Senate year (June 1 - May 31). A senator will be notified in writing and shall have fifteen workdays to make a written appeal to the Executive Council regarding absences. The Executive Council shall resolve the appeal at the next regular Executive Council meeting. Upon review of the appeal, the Senator could be removed from Classified Senate.
Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised, shall govern the conduct of procedures of Senate meetings. Senate special rules can be established.
Any Senator may propose amendments to the Code or the By-laws. The amendment shall be considered adopted if approved by a two-thirds majority of filled Senate positions.
Any Senator may propose suspensions of the By-laws. The suspension shall be considered adopted if it is approved by a simple majority of the quorum. Suspensions must be approved for each occurrence.