Staff Assembly By-Laws

Bylaws last revised: June 1, 2021

The UCLA Staff Assembly is officially recognized by the Office of the Chancellor as an independent advisory body to the University Administration on issues of concern to staff. The UCLA Staff Assembly is not an avenue to address concerns regarding terms and conditions of employment and is not involved in collective bargaining-related matters. The objectives of the Staff Assembly are:

  1. To support the mission of the University of California,
  2. To maintain and enhance communication within the University community,
  3. To act as a liaison between Staff and Administration, ensuring that Staff interests and input are adequately solicited and submitted to Administration as appropriate and represented in accordance with California law and university policies,
  4. To review new and existing policies and procedures affecting Staff and to provide the Chancellor and Administration with feedback from Staff when consulted,
  5. To denounce xenophobia, racism, and discrimination and to affirm our commitment to providing a safe, welcoming environment for all staff.

DISCLAIMERS
Staff should understand that neither the UCLA Staff Assembly nor the University will accept ignorance, thoughtlessness, or “tradition” as an excuse for discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status or disability.

The UCLA Staff Assembly is not an avenue to address concerns regarding terms and conditions of employment and is not involved in collective bargaining-related matters. The Assembly does not represent employees in grievances or administrative reviews, present demands at meet-and-confer sessions, or endorse legislation not supported by the University.

All staff employees of UCLA are automatically members of the Staff Assembly. All activities and services are available to every staff member, exclusively represented or non-represented.

Executive Board (heretofore referred to as the “Board”): The Board shall supervise the affairs of the UCLA Staff Assembly. The Board shall establish channels of communication among University Administration, the University community and Assembly membership. The Board shall submit to the appropriate campus or University-wide authority any petitions or resolutions, in writing, which are approved by the Staff Assembly in General Board meetings. The Board shall provide interpretations of specific provisions of the bylaws. The Board shall vote and act on specific items as presented by the general membership or any members on the Board. The Board shall establish and revise the election procedures as described in this Article (see below). The Board shall establish Committees as needed (see Article IV). The Board shall appoint an ad hoc auditing committee as needed. The Board shall meet as often as necessary to accomplish these duties.

Representatives:

President
President-Elect
Vice President for Programs
Vice President for Events
Vice President for Strategic Communications
Vice President for Outreach
Vice President for Information Systems
Vice President for Special Projects
Vice President for Development
Vice President for Digital Engagement
Vice President for Creative Production
Vice President for Wellness
Vice President for Records and Archives
Vice President for Finance
Immediate Past President

The Board shall consist of elected and appointed members of the Board and the Immediate Past President serving in an ex-officio capacity. All members except the President, the Immediate Past President, and Members-At-Large are voting members of the Board.

Eligibility:

Any member of the Staff Assembly who has completed one (1) year of employment at UCLA is eligible to become a member of the Board of the Staff Assembly. Elected Board member roles are reserved for policy-covered (non-represented) staff.

Election and Term of Office:

The Board shall be nominated and elected by the general Staff Assembly membership. The appointment period is July 1st through June 30th of each academic year. Immediate Past President may serve in an alternate position on the Board but may not return to the position of President-elect for a period of two (2) years.

Committees shall be established by the Staff Assembly Board as needed. Typically, Committees may be delegated the task of discussing and making recommendations for a wide range of issues related to staff professional development, staff welfare, or rules and jurisdiction. Committees may be delegated the task of overseeing an event or program sponsored by the Staff Assembly. Committees may be established for at least one year or longer until issues are resolved.

Committee Chairperson

Eligibility: Any Staff Assembly member who has completed one (1) year of employment at UCLA is eligible to be a Committee Chairperson. The Committee Chairperson may not hold another Board office while holding the position of Chairperson of a Committee.

Election and Term of Office: Committee Chairpersons shall be appointed by the Staff Assembly President. The term of office for all Committee Chairpersons shall be one (1) year, beginning at the annual meeting.

Duties: Each Committee Chairperson shall be a non-voting member of the Board. The Chairperson of each Committee shall be responsible for actively recruiting members of their Committee.

Committee Membership

Eligibility: Any Staff Assembly member is eligible to be a committee member. Each Committee shall consist of not less than three (3) members, one of whom shall be the Chairperson.

Duties: Each Committee shall submit for approval any recommendations for action to the Board prior to implementation.

President: In the event of a vacancy or a recall occurs in the office of President, the President-elect shall assume the duties of President for the remainder of the term.

Other Officers and Committee Chairpersons: Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the term by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of a quorum present at a Board meeting. Temporary appointments to these positions can be made by the President followed by ratification of this action at the next Board meeting.

Board meetings will be held at a time most convenient to the majority of the elected Board representatives to facilitate maximum attendance. All meetings of the elected Board will be open to the Staff Assembly. Meetings will be held as often as required, but not less than once a month.

General Meeting: There shall be one general meeting per Academic Year of the UCLA Staff Assembly membership. The general meeting shall be open to all members of the UCLA Staff Assembly.

Attendance: Everyone is welcome. A Board representative may be granted release time during regular scheduled hours of work to attend committee meetings or functions as designated by the Chancellor.

On Board mandated proposals, all elected Board representatives may vote, except the President and the Immediate Past-President. The President shall vote only in case of a tie.

Board and Committees: A simple majority (50% plus one) of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum of the Board or a committee.

General Meetings of the Assembly: A simple majority (50% plus one) of those present at the meeting(s) shall constitute a quorum of that meeting.

Recall Referendums: A Board member may be removed from the office by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of no confidence by the Board.  All voting members, except the Board member being recalled, must be present to initiate a recall vote.

The Board and each Committee shall present at the general meeting a written report of the activities undertaken by the Staff Assembly or Committees during the preceding year. The Committees shall report even if no activities have been undertaken. A copy of the Committee reports shall be forwarded to our University sponsor and the Chancellor’s Office, and a copy maintained in the Staff Assembly office and made available to each incoming Committee.

These bylaws may be amended or repealed, or new bylaws may be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board present at any Board meeting.

The details of the proposed amendments or actions must be published to the membership at large not less than thirty (14) days prior to the time at which the vote will be taken.

Any member may submit a proposed amendment to the Board. All proposed amendments shall be reviewed by the Board.

Participation in this organization shall be considered an official University function. Supervisors shall encourage and support release time for employees who wish to participate in Staff Assembly activities and/or meetings according to Guidelines for Relations with Employee Associations/Advisory Groups re-issued August 28, 1979, to UC Chancellors and Laboratory Directors by UC Office of the President. These guidelines continue to be applicable to the Council of UC Staff Assemblies and local campus Staff Assemblies. The guidelines provide that “management support of approved organizations may include … allowing a reasonable amount of time on pay status to be devoted to legitimate association activities by officers and members.”

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Staff Assembly in all cases to which they are applicable, insofar as they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

The President shall be the Senior Delegate to the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA). In the absence of the President, the President-elect shall be the acting Senior Delegate. The President may appoint an alternate who can be called on to serve as a delegate in the event that neither the President nor the President-elect can attend a CUCSA meeting.

The President-Elect shall be the Junior Delegate to the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA).

Board Member Descriptions

The duties of the President shall be to: schedule meetings, establish agendas, preside at all meetings of the UCLA Staff Assembly and of the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA); coordinate fundraising efforts; serve on and/or delegate another Staff Assembly member’s participation on University Committees and Councils as a representative of the Staff Assembly, and assume the role of the Immediate Past President when term expires. The President, or a designee, shall co-sign with the VP for Finance all orders for disbursement of funds as directed by the Board. The President shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of all Committees. He/she shall vote only in the case of a tie.

The President-elect shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President in their absence. The President-elect shall serve as the representative junior Delegate to CUCSA.  They shall become the senior delegate the following year when occupying the office of the President. The President-elect shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of all Committees and shall be a voting member of the Board.

The Vice President for Programs shall coordinate programs (e.g., Learn at Lunch series) and activities of the Staff Assembly, including programs co-sponsored with other campus groups. Responsibilities include developing a schedule for upcoming events, working with partner organizations on logistics, providing event summary information to the Vice President for Information Systems for posting, and working with the Vice President for Strategic Communications on program marketing materials and messaging.  The Vice President for Programs shall be a voting member of the Board.

The Vice President for Events shall coordinate events and special projects that shall yield funds for future endeavors, including events co-sponsored with other campus groups. Responsibilities include planning and project management for organizational fundraisers.  The Vice President for Events will work with the Vice President for Information Systems and the VP of Development for sponsorships on event-related activities, such as online event information, sales, funds management, and with the Vice President for Strategic Communications on event marketing materials and messaging.  The Vice President for Events shall be a voting member of the Board.

The Vice President for Information Systems shall be responsible for the maintenance of the Staff Assembly website, emailing list, YouTube channel, and supports the Vice Presidents of Programs, Events and Strategic Communications as they manage their programs and events. This entails responsibility for posting events, program information and photographs on the Staff Assembly website.  The key objective is to accurately communicate details to staff via the Staff Assembly website on an on-going basis. The Vice President for Information Systems shall be a voting member of the Board.

The duties of the Vice President for Special Projects shall coordinate events to foster community between UCLA Faculty, Staff and Students and in support of the current priorities of the Board.  An example of such programming includes but is not limited to the Emerging Research Speaker Series in collaboration with the Academic Senate, Staff Assembly Scholarship and Awards program and event, and a philanthropy project in support of the Chancellor’s goals. The Vice President for Special Projects shall be a voting member of the board.

The Vice President for Strategic Communications shall devise innovative methods for improving the visibility of the organization via its biweekly electronic newsletter and requesting updates of the all-staff emailing list on a quarterly basis from CHR. Responsibilities include marketing of events and providing marketing support to the Staff Assembly board for event and program promotion. Responsibilities also include publicizing and reporting Staff Assembly programs, accomplishments, and issues relevant to staff. The Vice President for Strategic Communications shall be a voting member of the Board.

The Vice President for Outreach shall devise innovative methods for increasing membership and improving the visibility of the organization. Responsibilities include developing plans for outreach for both the Campus and Health Systems, identifying opportunities and scheduling Staff Assembly outreach events. The Vice President for Outreach shall be a voting member of the Board.

The Vice President for Development shall identify fundraising opportunities for Staff Assembly and coordinate the cultivation and solicitation of gifts and donations, in an effort to sustain the organization and support staff engagement in Staff Assembly sponsored activities. The Vice President for Development will take the lead in identifying development activities, while all Board members shall be responsible for actively supporting development efforts. The Vice President for Development shall be a voting member of the board.

The Vice President for Digital Engagement shall devise innovative methods for improving the engagement of staff with the organization through various social media outlets and digital platforms. Responsibilities include posting on a regular basis to the various Staff Assembly social media accounts for the purpose of announcing events, programs, and promotions available to staff. Responsibilities also include collecting and reporting submissions in recognition of staff achievements and milestones through a digital platform and working with the Vice President for Strategic Communications and Vice President for Information Systems to share them with a wider and broad staff audience. The Vice President for Digital Engagement shall be a voting member of the Board

The Vice President for Creative Production shall produce and edit all digital images and videos as requested by members of the Board. Responsibilities include but are not limited to editing Staff Assembly logo(s), designing creative pieces such as flyers or digital images for social media posts, and editing videos that enhance Staff Assembly events, programs, and promotions. The Vice President for Creative Production shall be a voting member of the Board.

The Vice President for Wellness shall collaborate on programs and events that promote health and wellness by partnering with other UCLA affiliated organizations that have similar missions (i.e., Healthy Campus Initiative, FITWELL, Recreation, Staff & Faculty Counseling Center, etc.). Responsibilities include promoting already occurring events or programs that focus on health and wellness, as well as developing methods of acquiring staff feedback on needs and preferences for these offerings. “Health and wellness” would include, but is not limited to, mind, body, financial, housing, campus security and other related topics as they arise.  They will also serve as a liaison with Healthy Campus Initiative by maintaining frequent communication to provide updates and collect helpful information to share with the Board and campus community. The Vice President for Wellness shall be a voting member of the Board.

The VP for Records and Archives shall record, transcribe and distribute minutes of all Board meetings, as well as any general proceedings.  They shall serve as the historian, documenting events and maintaining archives of Staff Assembly files and minutes. The VP for Records and Archives shall perform other duties as may be assigned by the Board. The VP for Records and Archives shall be a voting member of the Board.

The VP for Finance shall hold office for two (2) years.  The VP for Finance shall maintain all accounting records pertaining to receipt and disbursement of funds and report the status of the accounts at each regular meeting of the Board. The VP for Finance will make recommendations concerning the budget to the Board. The VP for Finance shall serve as liaison to the University sponsor’s financial officer. The VP for Finance shall co-sign with the President, or their designee, all orders for disbursement of funds as directed by the Board. The VP for Finance shall be a voting member of the Board.

The duties of the Immediate Past President shall be to serve in an ex officio capacity, mentor new Council members, and assist with special projects. The Immediate Past President shall coordinate and/or name a Committee Chair to handle the selection process for the annual scholarship and Excellence in Service Award nominations and shall oversee the Engagement Survey Priority Area Task Forces. The Immediate Past President shall not be a voting member of the Board..

Appointed by the President, the Campus Member-at-Large shall attend Board meetings and conduct projects/duties assigned by the President and/or Committee Chairs.   They may serve on ad hoc and standing committees.  The Member-at-Large shall be a non-voting member of the Board and appointed from a UCLA Campus department.

Appointed by the President, the Health Member-at-Large shall attend Board meetings and conduct projects/duties assigned by the President and/or Committee Chairs.   They may serve on ad hoc and standing committees.  The Member-at-Large shall be a non-voting member of the Board and appointed from a UCLA Health department.