Purpose and Bylaws

The Staff Council is authorized by the President of the University as an organization through which Emory staff can participate responsibly and meaningfully in the governance of the University community. While the Staff Council is not a decision‐making body regarding Emory University Policies, it shall provide information, ideas, and recommendations as appropriate to those in decision-making positions. It shall seek to represent collective staff members’ perspectives to the administration and shall support those perspectives for the betterment of the Emory University community. Specifically, the Council shall address issues of common concern involving the life of the university;

1. Communicate with staff at all organizational levels regarding the various policies, practices, and programs of the university;

2. Seek to foster closer working relationships between the organizational areas and staff at Emory by endorsing and promoting community‐building programs and activities;

3. Deliberate on policies and programs proposed by the Division of Human Resources, by Council representatives, or by members of the faculty and staff, and, when appropriate, make recommendations to the appropriate authorities of the university;

4. Act in support of the principles of equal opportunity/accessibility/diversity/inclusion fully committed to a diverse workforce 

Section 1. Representation​

Members of the Staff Council shall be full‐time employees of Emory University and shall be selected from all organizational areas and employee levels throughout the university as follows:

1. Class A (48) Class A members represent all schools/divisions of the University. The number of seats per school/division is based on the full-time staff population in each unit and is verified biannually. Class A Primary members have voting privileges.

• Emory College (2)
• Laney Graduate School (1)
• Oxford College (1)
• School of Business (1)
• School of Law (1)
• School of Medicine (13)
• School of Nursing (1)
• School of Public Health (2)
• School of Theology (1)
• Advancement & Alumni Engagement (2)
• Campus Life (2)
• Campus Services (5)
• Carter Center (1)
• Communications & Marketing (1)
• Emory University Libraries (1)
• EVP (Executive Vice President) Business & Administration not represented elsewhere (1)
• EVP for Health Affairs not represented elsewhere (2)
• Human Resources (1)
• Office of Information Technology (2)
• Office of the Vice President for Finance (1)
• Office of the President (1)
• Office of the Provost (2)
• Research Administration (1)
• Emory National Primate Research Center (2)

    2. Class B (5) Class B members are ex‐officio and may serve for an unlimited number of terms at the discretion of the person appointing them. These members are considered key stakeholders in issues related to employees at Emory. Class B members have voting privileges.

• Center for Women (1)
• Office of the President (University Secretary, Deputy to the President) (1)
• Human Resources (1) (Staff Council Sponsor)
• "Emory Report" reporter (1)
• Emory Police Department (1)

Section 2. Selection of Representatives

Organizational heads shall be responsible for the selection of Council representatives and alternates from their areas. The Council's Membership Committee shall be responsible for informing organizational heads of selection procedures.

Section 3. Term of Office

Class A Representatives shall serve a two‐year term and no more than three (two year terms) consecutively. New representatives will typically begin their term in September. Class B representatives are ex‐officio and may serve for an unlimited number of terms at the discretion of the person appointing them.

Section 4. Duties of Council Members

It shall be the Council members' responsibility to attend the monthly meetings of the Council, serve on a standing committee, and distribute information about the Council to their constituents. The Council members shall also bring issues of concern from their constituents to the Council. Council members shall abide by university procedures. If a Council representative cannot be present at a meeting, they shall send an Alternate. It shall be the Council representative's responsibility to brief their alternate on Council issues. Representatives are responsible for notifying the membership committee chairperson of absences prior to meetings so that they can be noted as excused in the minutes. If neither the representative nor their alternate is present at the monthly meeting, this will count as an unexcused absence for the representative.

Section 5. Unexpired Term

In the event of a resignation, an inability to serve, or expulsion/dismissal of a Council representative, the procedures set forth by the Membership Committee shall be followed in selecting a replacement to complete the term.

Section 6. Dismissal of Representatives

Upon recommendation of the Membership Committee, the Executive Committee may dismiss representatives for excessive absences from regularly scheduled meetings. Three unexcused absences shall result in review by the Executive Committee. Before taking action, the Executive Committee shall notify the representative that dismissal is being considered so that he or she may respond. If dismissal occurs, the president of the Council will notify the representative and their organizational head so that a replacement may be selected for the constituency affected.

Section 7. Alternates

For every Primary member, there shall be an Alternate member, selected from the same University unit, who should attend the Council meetings in the event the member must be absent. Alternates are invited to attend regular meetings and serve on committees but do not have voting privileges unless they are voting on behalf of their absent Primary representative member.

Section 1. Officers and Elections

Officers of the Emory Staff Council are comprised of President, President‐Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Secretary‐Elect, Parliamentarian, Treasurer, and Historian, Membership Coordinator, and Hardship Fund Coordinator. President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian are elected by the Council body. The Parliamentarian, Membership Coordinator, and Hardship Fund Coordinator, are appointed by the President.

Nomination forms should be submitted at least one month prior to elections; all nominees will submit a short statement (biography) supporting the nomination. Self-nominations are equally encouraged, following the same process. Members will have the opportunity to review the nominees prior to the election. Elections will be coordinated by the Membership Coordinator and held no later than March.

Officers shall serve terms of one year beginning in May of the same year. A simple majority vote of Council members present is required for election. In the event of a tie vote for an office, the President shall cast the deciding vote, according to Robert's Rules of Order.

Section 2. Duties of the President

The President shall arrange and preside at all meetings of the Council, shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, shall serve as an ex-officio representative of the University Senate, shall serve as a member of the University Senate Executive Committee, and shall serve as chair of the Staff Council Executive Committee. The President shall appoint ad hoc committees as needed. Upon assuming office as President, the person elected shall become an ex-officio member of the Council, and the organizational head of their constituency shall select a representative to serve during their term as President. The President shall be responsible for reviewing and maintaining the bylaws.

Section 3. Duties of the Past President

Following the President's term of office, the President shall remain on the Council as Past President (ex-officio) for one year to provide history, knowledge, counsel, and active participation in Executive and Council meetings as well as Senate meetings. This includes all duties as needed.

Section 4. Duties of the President‐Elect

The President‐Elect shall assist the President in performing their leadership responsibilities as appropriate, shall serve as chairperson of the Special Issues Committee, shall preside over Council meetings in the absence of the President, shall serve as an ex‐officio member of the Staff Council and University Senate, shall serve as a member of the University Senate Executive Committee, and shall assume the responsibilities of the President at the end of the officers' annual term. Upon assuming office as President‐Elect, the person elected shall become an ex‐officio member of the Council, and the organizational head of their constituency shall select a replacement representative to complete their term as President-Elect and President.

Section 5. Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of Council meetings and shall maintain records of all papers pertaining to Council business for the current year. The Secretary shall give said records to the Historian for archival purposes.

Section 6. Duties of the Secretary-Elect

The Secretary‐Elect shall assist the Secretary in performing their duties as appropriate, keep the minutes of Council meetings in the absence of the Secretary, and assume the duties of Secretary at the end of the officer’s annual term. In addition, the Secretary‐Elect shall serve as Secretary of the Executive Committee, shall keep the minutes and agendas of the Executive Officers, and notify its members of meeting dates and locations. The Secretary-Elect shall give the minutes and agendas of the Executive Committee to the Historian upon completion of the current year.

Section 7. Duties of the Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian will enforce parliamentary procedure as specified in Robert's Rules of Order. They will counsel the President, Executive Committee and Council members on the governing documents of the Council and parliamentary procedure as requested. They will maintain the time limit of debate as determined by the Council.

Section 8. Duties of the Historian

The Historian shall maintain files of the Staff Council, archival and active, and keep records of all activities of the Council. At the end of the Council year, the Historian will transfer all records to the Rose Library Archivist. The archival records will include, but are not limited to, the official minutes, presentations, newsletters and agendas of both the Executive Committee and the Council. The Historian will also
maintain the website for Staff Council. This will include, but not be limited to, updating the web site for the upcoming year, as well as the membership roster, updating the President’s Bio, Executive Committee, Resources, Meeting Dates, Committees, Social Media ways to connect, and Bylaws.

Section 9. Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall manage expenditures and monitor ledgers for Council expenses and prepare annual budget projections for Council activities and related costs. The Treasurer will also work with the President and the Executive Committee and submit a formal budget proposal to the Office of the Provost for the succeeding Council year.

Section 10. Duties of the Membership Coordinator

The Membership Coordinator will chair the Membership Committee and validate FTE (fulltime equivalents) counts for each division/school to ensure adequate representation. Other duties of the membership coordinator should be spread throughout the committee. Duties include updating roster and contacting appointers prior to September of each year and when vacancies occur, keeping attendance and contacting any individuals not in compliance with attendance guidelines in accordance with Staff Council Bylaws, and running elections.

Section 11. Duties of the Hardship Fund Coordinator

The Hardship Fund Coordinator is the main point of contact regarding funding efforts for the Emory University Hardship Fund. This person may have a team to assist upon request. The Hardship Fund Coordinator will keep the council updated on funding efforts and account information. The coordinator also sits on the Hardship Fund review committee to review and approve new fund requests.

Section 12. Unexpired Term of Elected Officers

If the President or Secretary is unable to complete their term of office, the President‐Elect or Secretary‐Elect shall assume the respective vacant office for the length of the unexpired term. The President‐Elect in their capacity as President shall then appoint a Council member of the Special Issues Committee to assume the chair of that committee until the next President‐Elect is elected. If the office of President‐Elect or Secretary-Elect becomes vacant, a special election shall be held to fill the vacant office for the remainder of the term. A simple majority of members present shall be sufficient to elect. If the current President is unable to remain as Past President, the current Past President can stand in as able. If not, there is little recourse, given the nature of the role; though an election could be held for prior Staff Council Presidents if desired.

In the event of the resignation of any other elected officer, a special election shall be held at the next scheduled Council meeting. Prior to this election, nominations will be collected by the membership committee, and a nomination list will be distributed to Council members.

Section 13. Transfer of Records

All documentation (digital/physical) pertaining to current Council business shall be transferred from outgoing officers to incoming officers. Past records of the Council shall be transferred annually to the Rose Library. This includes presentations provided by speakers, newsletters provided to all members, etc.

Section 14. Dismissal of Officers

The Executive Committee may dismiss officers for excessive absences from regularly scheduled executive committee meetings. Three absences shall result in review by the Executive Committee. If dismissal occurs, the president of the Council with either appoint a replacement for appointed officers (Parliamentarian, Membership Coordinator, and Hardship Fund Coordinator), or recommend a special election for elected officers (President-Elect, Secretary-Elect, Treasurer, and Historian). If the current President or Secretary is dismissed from the Executive Committee, the President-Elect or Secretary-Elect will assume the vacated position.

Section 1. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President‐elect (the Special Issues Committee Chair), immediate Past President, Secretary, Secretary‐elect, Historian, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, Membership Coordinator, and the Hardship Fund Coordinator. The Executive Officer Committee shall consider all matters presented to it by the President, the Council, or an individual Committee member and make appropriate recommendations for action, shall assist the President in setting the agenda for Council meetings, and shall annually review the purpose and membership of each committee to assure that it is functioning as intended by the Staff Council. The Executive Officer Committee shall meet one week prior to the Council meeting and may be called for special meetings as needed.

Section 2. Membership Committee

The Membership Committee shall 1) maintain a current membership roster, 2)maintain attendance records of all meetings, 3) oversee the selection of Council representatives (i.e., Voting/elections), and 4) bi-annually review the Council's membership structure to assure that all areas of the university are appropriately represented. This will be completed in collaboration with HR in January and June of the current year.

Section 3. Communications Committee

The Communications Committee shall 1) compose a monthly newsletter to share with the Staff Council full membership 2) plan to participate in at least one Employee Information Fair at which university employees can meet Council representatives and learn about Council activities, 3) assist with the planning of a Town Hall/Leadership Social Meeting with the university president, normally to be held in the spring, 4) work with Emory Report to publicize the Council and its activities, and 5) support other efforts to increase awareness
throughout the university community of the Council's purpose and activities.

Section 4. Special Issues Committee

The Special Issues Committee shall consist of the President‐Elect as chairperson and ad hoc subcommittees appointed by the Committee chair to address issues identified by the Council President, the Executive Committee, or the Council. Subcommittee members shall serve until their subcommittee has fulfilled its charge as determined by the Council. At such time, they may be appointed to another subcommittee. 

Section 5. Hardship Fund Committee

The Hardship Fund Committee shall be responsible for creating awareness and soliciting donations for the Emory University Hardship Fund. The Hardship Fund Coordinator will work closely with the HR Designee in receipt of applications to follow through with monitoring funding, processing applications and communications that promote the Fund’s existence and need.

Section 6. Committee of Past Presidents

Past Presidents shall assist the Council in an advisory capacity as needed. This includes all available Past Presidents who maintain an association with Emory University.

Section 7. Senate Representative Committee

The Senate Ex‐Officio members (President, President‐Elect, and immediate Past President), selected representatives, and Senate Committee members (as designated/applicable) shall comprise the Senate Representative Committee of the Staff Council. This Committee shall be chaired by the immediate Past President of the Staff Council and shall be convened as needed. See Article 5.

Section 1. Regular Meetings

Regular meetings of the Council shall be held once per month, September through May. In the event that this date must be changed, the President will notify members of the change as soon as possible. The September meeting can serve as an orientation for new members but typically is held separately in late August/early September.

Section 2. Special Meetings

Special meetings of the Council may be called at any time by the President or a majority of the membership of the Council.

Section 3. Quorum

One third of the Council membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting. A simple majority vote is required for passage of motions brought before the Council, unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws.

Section 4. Procedure

The order of business in any meeting shall be determined by the President in consultation with the Executive Officer Committee. The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, as enforced by the Parliamentarian, shall govern the conduct of meetings.

Section 5. Visitors

Regular Council meetings are open to all employees of the university and to unaffiliated individuals who are sponsored by a council member in good standing, unless an issue of a particularly sensitive nature is being deliberated, and a majority of Council members vote to close the meeting. A guest speaker may request that attendance during his or her portion of the agenda be limited to Council representatives only. If an employee who is not a Council representative wishes to address the Council directly, they should contact the President of Council or their representative and ask to be added to the agenda.

Section 6. Distribution of official business records

Official minutes and committee reports shall be distributed to each Council member. These documents may be disseminated to a representative's constituency if they have been approved first by the Council’s Executive Officer Committee.

These bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Staff Council by two-thirds vote of those present, provided that notice of any proposed amendment has been given at a preceding meeting and/or circulated in writing at least two weeks prior to the meeting in which the proposed amendment is to be voted upon. The requirement of advance notice may be waived only by unanimous consent of members present.

Note: As of March 2023, the then Employee Council voted with significant majority to change the name to Staff Council as being more inclusive and fitting of the constituency we represent. Full protocol was observed by first informing our sponsor, Human Resources (in 2023) and with the President’s Office and the University Senate, along with the full membership (introduced, entertained, and then presented to a vote over a 4-month span). It was formally adopted June 1, 2023, and officially changed in August of 2023.  A committee was appointed to review/revise the Bylaws in keeping with this change and also to reflect current culture.  The final draft was shared with the Full Staff Council membership for review early 2024, and the vote was held March 18, 2024 in which the now current Bylaws were approved.