STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization is The Ohio State University Libraries Staff Advisory Council (hereafterknown as SAC).
ARTICLE II: PURPOSEThe Staff Advisory Council (SAC) serves as an advisory and consultative body on behalf of the library
Administrative and Professional (A&P) and Classified Civil Service (CCS) staff to The Ohio State
University Libraries (OSUL) administration, facilitates communication to and from the library staff, andcontributes to planning, policy, and other decisions affecting staff throughout the Libraries.
ARTICLE III: FUNCTIONSThe Staff Advisory Council will:

identify staff concerns through regular open forums and share them with OSULadministration.



consult with staff on matters of planning, policy, and other items of general interest.

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proffer advice and make recommendations to administration on behalf of the staff.

maintain an SAC web-presence and publish Minutes in a timely manner.

participate in strategic planning initiatives.

maintain active communication and liaison with other OSUL groups and committees.

participate in the welcome and orientation of new staff members.

ARTICLE IV: STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL AND OFFICERS
Section A: Composition
The SAC shall be composed of:nine (9) Staff Advocates, elected at large;

a representative of OSUL Human Resources as ex officio

Section B: Eligibility
In order to be considered for election to the SAC, a candidate must be an Administrativeand Professional (A&P) or Classified Civil Service (CCS) staff member who has been anemployee of The Ohio State University Libraries for at least 180 days immediately prior
to the election and has secured the permission of his or her supervisor.

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Section C: Term
Staff Advocates: OSUL A&P and CCS staff elect Staff Advocates at large, to a three(3) year term, with a staggered complement of three (3) members standing for election
every year. Should there be a tie vote for an open position, the sitting SAC votes tobreak the tie. Elected Advocates may serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms;
however, there is no limit on the total number of terms that may be served.
Alternates: Alternates are those individuals who receive next highest vote total after all
positions have been filled. If in the election there is a tie vote for an Alternate, the sitting
SAC votes to break the tie.
Appointments: Should an election not result in a sufficient number of Advocates or
Alternates to fill nine seats, the SAC may appoint an appropriate number of library staff
members to fill any vacancies. Appointees serve only until the next elected Council
is seated, but may run in the next regularly scheduled election if desired. An appointed
term is not treated as a “full term.”
Section D: Attendance
Staff Advocates are expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings of the SAC. In theevent a member misses three (3) consecutive meetings or half (50%) within a year’s
timeframe, the SAC may vote by simple majority to remove a member from theremainder of their term.
Section E: Change of Position
Staff-to-Staff: If an individual changes one staff position to another within OSUL,that person retains his/her seat as a Staff Advocate.
Staff-to-Faculty: If an individual changes from a staff position to a faculty position within
OSUL, that person must resign their seat on the SAC.
Outside of OSUL: If an individual leaves their staff position at OSUL, that person must
resign their seat on the SAC.
Section F: Resignations and Removals
If a Staff Advocate resigns or is removed from their seat on the SAC, he/she is replacedby the Alternate with the highest number of votes, as described in Section C. An
Alternate completes the term of the individual who resigned or was removed. If
that term’s remaining time is greater than a year, it is treated as a “full term.”
Section G: Voting
Each Staff Advocate has one vote, while the ex officio representatives are non-votingmembers.

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Section H: Meetings
The SAC meets at least once a month. Five (5) of nine (9) Advocates constitute aquorum. The Chair, in consultation with the SAC, may cancel a meeting for lack ofAgenda.
Section I: Officers
The SAC elects its own officers. Officers serve a term of one year within their respective
offices; elections are held yearly. Advocates may serve up to three consecutive years inthe same officer position.
Chairperson: Presides at all meetings of the SAC.

Vice-Chairperson: Presides in temporary absence of the Chairperson; succeeds inthe permanent absence of the Chairperson.

Recorder: Records the proceedings of Council meetings, conveys approved
Minutes to the OSUL Director, and maintains the content on the SAC’s web page.

If the office of either Vice-Chairperson or Recorder is vacated, the SAC will electa current Advocate to fill the vacated office.

Ex officio members may not serve as officers.

Section J: Elections
Elections shall be held once yearly to maintain the membership of the Council
and, when necessary, to amend the SAC Constitution. Off-cycle elections at othertimes of year to determine Staff Advocates are not permitted. Constitutional
amendments may be proposed during the regular election process or during a
special off-cycle election if one or more amendments will affect the composition,
eligibility, or term of the next Council’s members. The OSUL Human Resources
ex officio representative shall administer all elections.

ARTICLE V: RATIFICATION
Ratification of this constitution must be by a simple majority of the voting A&P and CCS staff.
ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended by a simple majority of the voting A&P and CCS staff.
Revised 1991, 1995, 2009.
Amended 2011, 2012, 2017, 2022