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CLASSIFIED SENATE CONSTITUTION

Article 1: NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Contra Costa College Classified Senate, organized under authority of Title 5, Reg. 51024.

Article 2: PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization is to attend to non-negotiated (non-collective bargaining) issues as they pertain to the classified staff. We are charged to facilitate communication among the classified personnel and the administration, the faculty, and the governing board; and to participate in the development and formulation of policy and practices of the college, consistent with the college’s philosophy, mission and goals.

Article 3: MEMBERSHIP & RIGHTS

3.1 Membership
Voting membership in the Classified Senate shall be all regular classified personnel, full-time and part-time; and non-voting membership may be extended to other classified hourly/contract staff.

3.2 Rights

Classified Senate members have the right to:

Serve as Classified Coordinating Council members.
Represent the classified staff on college committees and the College Council.
Attend Classified Senate Council meetings and meetings of the Classified Senate. Vote on matters brought before the Classified Senate.

Article 4: GOVERNING BODY

4.1 Designation of Official Representation & Purpose
The Classified Senate Council shall serve as the governing body of the Classified Senate, and shall represent the Classified Senate. Its purpose shall be to provide leadership, make recommendations, and take action on behalf of the classified staff.

4.2 Structure of the Classified Senate Council
The Classified Senate Council shall consist of seven members elected from among the voting membership of the Classified Senate. All Classified Senate Council members shall be elected at-large to serve as representatives of the entire Classified Senate.

4.3 Terms of Office

4.3.a Members of the Classified Senate Council shall be elected to serve terms of two years. Four Council members shall be elected one year to serve two-year terms, and three members shall be elected the next year to serve two-year terms.
4.3.b There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms an individual may be elected to the Council.
4.3.c Terms of office shall run from June 1 through May 31.
4.3.d New members elected each year shall be seated at the regular meeting of the Council in June.

4.4 Election of Council Members

4.4.a Nominations: Any Classified Senate voting member is eligible to serve on the Council. The Classified Senate Council is responsible for notifying the Senate membership in a timely manner of the available positions. Anyone interested in serving on the Council is asked to notify a current Council member of his or her desire to run for election. There is no limit to the number of nominees who may appear on the ballot.

4.4.b Elections: Election of members to the Council shall be held at the end of April each year. Voting shall be held on two days: the regular staff payday (the last working day of April) and the next day. If the payday falls on a Friday, the election will continue the following Monday.

4.4.c The Classified Senate Council shall be responsible for facilitating the elections, and for proper notification of the Classified Senate as to the time, date and place that elections will be held.

4.4.d Voting shall be by secret ballot. Each qualified voter shall sign an official roster in order to receive his or her ballot. After completing the ballot, the voter shall place the ballot in a ballot box.

4.4.e Ballots shall be counted by non-classified staff members, who shall make a written report of the results to the college President.

4.4.f The nominees receiving the most number of votes shall be declared elected, according to the number of positions available.

4.4.g The entire membership of the Classified Senate shall be notified of the results of the voting as soon as feasible following the election.

4.4.h If a Senate Council member resigns or is recalled, the Council shall appoint the person with the next highest number of votes to fill the vacancy.

4.4.h.(1) If the vacancy occurs within the first year of a term, the appointee shall serve only until the next election, at which time a special election will be held to fill the vacancy for the second year of the term.
4.4.h.(2) If the vacancy occurs during the second year of a term, the appointee shall serve out the remainder of the term.

4.5 Organization of the Senate Council
The new Council shall be seated at the second regular meeting of the Council following the election (at the June meeting), and shall elect its officers at that time.

4.6 Senate Council Officers

4.6.a Officers shall be elected by the Senate Council members to serve a term of one year. A Council member may be re-elected to an office for an unlimited number of terms, as long as he/she is duly elected to serve on the Council.
4.6.b The Council may elect what officers it deems necessary.

4.7 Responsibilities of Senate Council members
Members of the Senate Council shall be responsible to:

4.7.a Attend all meetings of the Council.
4.7.b Ensure representation of all members of the Classified Senate.
4.7.c Ensure representation of the classified staff on all appropriate college and district committees.
4.7.d Create appropriate standing and ad hoc committees, and charge them with duties.
4.7.e Represent the views of the classified staff to the administration, faculty, and governing board.

Article 5: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

5.1 Initiating Amendments
Amendments to the Classfied Senate Constitution may be proposed in the following manner:

5.1.a By a simple majority of the Classified Senate Council; or
5.1.b By a petition presented to the Classified Senate Council, and signed by a minimum of 20 percent (rounded to the nearest whole number) of the Classified Senate membership.

5.2 Notification

5.2.a Members of the Classified Senate shall be notified in writing of the proposed change to the Constitution, as well as the date, time, and place of the election, at least 10 days prior to the election.

5.3 Voting

5.3.a Voting shall be done by secret ballot in the same manner as the election of Council members.

5.4 Approval

5.4.a Amendments to the Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast in a Constitutional Amendment Election.

RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
This Constitution shall be declared ratified and accepted by a favorable vote of a two-thirds majority of the votes cast in a ratification election.

BY-LAWS OF THE CLASSIFIED SENATE COUNCIL

Section 1: Meetings

1.1 The Classified Senate Council shall meet at a regularly scheduled time, at least one or more times per month

1.2 The meeting time shall be established by consensus, so that every classified member has an opportunity to serve on the Council, without hardship to the member or his/her supervisor.

1.2.a The meeting schedule shall carry over from one year to the next, unless the schedule for the next academic year is changed and established prior to the Council elections. This will be done so that potential members and their supervisors are aware of the time commitment and can schedule accordingly.

1.3 At a regularly-scheduled meeting of the Classified Senate Council, business may be conducted by those Council members in attendance.

1.4 At any special meeting of the Classified Senate Council, a quorum of at least four members must be present to conduct business.

Section 2: Meeting Agenda

2.1 An agenda for each regular Senate Council meeting shall be available the day prior to the meeting.

2.2 Proposals may be submitted by any Classified Senate member for inclusion on the agenda, but shall be submitted at least three working days prior to the meeting.

2.3 Any proposal properly submitted to the Council may not be refused.

Section 3: Voting Procedures
3.1 In order to expedite the work of the Council, all issues shall be decided by consensus. (Consensus is hereby defined as: all members may not agree, but they do agree to support the decision once made.)

3.1.a Any Council member may at any time request a formal vote — either voice vote or secret ballot. Results of such votes shall be recorded in the minutes.

3.2 A vote is required for all recommendations expressed to the administration.

3.3 Any recommendation in writing to the administration shall be signed by both the Council president and the recording secretary for that meeting.

3.4 Only Classified Senate Council members may vote on issues brought before the Classified Senate Council.

3.5 If the Council wishes to take the matter to the Classified Senate for a vote it may do so, according to whatever procedure it determines appropriate for that issue.

Section 4: Minutes

4.1 Minutes of each meeting shall be recorded and distributed to the Classified Senate membership.

4.1.a The normal vehicle for publishing the minutes shall be the “Highly Classified” newsletter; however, if that method is not timely, they may be printed and sent to Senate members via their campus mailboxes.

Section 5: Committees

5.1 Committees may be created and charged by the Council on a permanent or ad hoc basis.

5.1.a Members for committees shall be solicited from the Classified Senate, and appointed by the Council. All appointments will be reviewed on an annual basis.
5.1.a.(1) Council will publish semi-annually a list of all committees and their classified representatives, as well as information on when and where the committee meets and what its responsibilities are.

5.1.b Each committee representative shall be responsible for reporting on its activities to the Classified Senate Council at least twice per semester by submitting a written report in a timely manner.

5.1.c A senate member serving as a committee representative may be replaced for neglect of responsibilities. This may include consistent failure to attend and report on his/her committee activities. The Seanate Council will review and take action on complaints of this type.

Section 6: Recall of Council Members

6.1 Any member of the Classified Senate Council may be recalled for neglect of duty. This may include, but is not limited to, consistent failure to attend meetings or falsely representing the Classified Senate
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6.2 A member of the Classified Senate Council may be removed from office in the following manner:

6.2.a A recall petition signed by a minimum of 20 percent (rounded to the closest whole number) of the Classified Senate membership shall be presented to the Council, stating the reason for the recall; or the Council may present the issue.
6.2.b The Council shall hold a recall elelction in a manner it deems appropriate.

6.2.b.(1) A two-thirds majority of the votes cast in a recall election is required in order to recall a Council member.

Section 7: Changing the By-Laws

7.1 A change in the by-laws may be proposed by:

7.1.a A simple majority vote of the Classified Senate Council, or

7.1.b A petition submitted to the Classified Senate Council, signed by a minimum of 20 percent (rounded to the closest whole number) of the Classified Senate membership.

7.2 Any change in the by-laws must have the approval of a simple majority of the votes cast by the Classified Senate membership in an election held in an appropriate manner as determined by the Classified Senate Council.