Bylaws

Article 1: Officers - Powers and Duties

1.1 President shall:

1.11 Preside at Operating Staff Council (OSC) meetings.
1.12 Enforce all regulations and policies relating to the administration of the OSC.
1.13 Call special meetings of the OSC.
1.14 In consultation with the Executive Committee, issue all notices of meetings, develop and publish an agenda and distribute minutes prior to every regular OSC meeting. (See Article 5: Meetings)
1.15 Serve on the University Advisory Committee as the operating staff representative to the Board of Trustees.
1.16 Serve as an OSC representative on the University Council, any University Council Committees as specified in the University Council Bylaws and any other required university committees.
1.17 Establish ad hoc committees as needed.
1.18 Appoints members to fill OSC officer vacancies until an election can be held.
1.19 Serve as the chair of the Executive Committee of the OSC.
1.20 Have the authority to assign a designee from the OSC to serve in an official capacity on any other committee, commission, council or senate not listed above.

1.2 Vice President shall:

1.21 Attend meetings and represent the OSC as designated by the President or the OSC.
1.22 Maintain election records and share a copy with the administrative aide.
1.23 Maintain regular contact with the operating staff representatives serving on university committees, commissions and other bodies to secure timely exchange of pertinent information.
1.24 Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
1.25 Assume the Office of President in the event the elected President cannot fulfill the elected term.
1.26 Serve as Chair of the Elections/Appointments Committee.
1.27 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.

1.3 Secretary shall:

1.31 Keep records of attendance at all OSC meetings, prepare and distribute minutes to the Executive Committee for editing and approval prior to the next regular meeting.
1.32 Maintain files of correspondence, maintain files of minutes containing all resolutions and proceedings of OSC meetings and keep a copy of these records, and share a copy with the administrative aide.
1.33 Prepare correspondence relating to the OSC as requested.
1.34 Maintain electronic equipment as necessary to secure accurate recording of minutes, if applicable.
1.35 Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President and Vice President.
1.36 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.

1.4 Treasurer shall:

1.41 Have signatory authority on all OSC accounts.
1.42 Present monthly Treasurer's report for approval by the OSC. (Expenditures not previously approved by the OSC may be subject to payment by the individual authorizing the purchase and/or the individual incurring the expenses involved.)
1.43 Inquire with appropriate offices about bills that are questionable.
1.44 Sign purchase requisitions.
1.45 Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President, the Vice President and the Secretary.
1.46 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.

1.5 Parliamentarian shall:

1.51 Ensure that proceedings of the OSC are conducted in accordance with parliamentary rules and procedures.
1.52 Serve as the moderator of virtual and in-person discussions during OSC meetings.
1.53 Serve on the OSC Legislative Committee
1.54 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.

1.6 Removal of Officers

Any officer of the OSC may be removed from office by two-thirds of the vote of the members present at any regularly scheduled or special meeting.

Article 2: Appointments and Committees of the Operating Staff Council

2.1 Standing Committees

• Representatives on all committees must be status operating staff employees. In the event that no status employee is willing to serve on these committees, an NIU retiree who was a status operating staff employee at the time of retirement would be eligible to serve.
• Retiring representatives on committees may serve out the remainder of their term. At the end of the term, a current status operating staff employee must be named.
• Committee chairs may invite non-operating staff, or other campus partners, to serve as non-voting committee members.

2.11 General Membership

• Members shall serve on at least one standing committee of the OSC. Membership shall be established at the July OSC meeting.
• OSC members must constitute a majority of the membership of each OSC standing committee.

2.12 Executive Committee

• Membership: OSC Officers.
• Chair: The OSC President shall serve as chair of the Executive Committee.
• Responsibilities: Screens agenda items and makes assignments to standing committees as appropriate. Reviews meeting minutes prior to submission to the OSC for approval. Prepares budget proposals. Handles general administrative matters. Has authorization to sign purchase requests.

2.13 Elections/Appointments Committee

• Membership: OSC Vice President with two or more OSC members and, if possible, one or more additional operating staff.
• Chair: The OSC Vice President shall serve as chair of the Elections/Appointments Committee.
• Responsibilities: Administers and supervises annual elections and appointments for the following: vacancies on the OSC, OSC officers, candidates to fill vacancies on University commissions and committees on which the OSC has representation. Evaluates the process for elections and makes recommendations for improvements to the election process. Informs candidates of election results. Maintains and updates election procedure manual.
• Any committee member(s) up for re-election that year must recuse themselves from the OSC election process.

2.14 Public Relations/Activities Committee

• Membership: Four or more OSC members, the editor(s) of Northern Staff News, and, if possible, one or more additional operating staff. One member will serve as a liaison to the Outstanding Service Award Selection Committee.
• Chair: One member of the committee shall be elected as chair by the membership of the Public Relations/Activities Committee at the committee’s first meeting of the year.
• Responsibilities: Oversight of Northern Staff News; OSC Annual Event; Operating Staff Dependent Endowed Scholarship; and Outstanding Service Award Selection Committee. Manages updates to OSC plaques as needed to stay current. Updates archives with pertinent historical information.

• Editor(s) of Northern Staff News:

  • Membership: To be appointed by the OSC, from the operating staff at large. Other members from operating staff as needed.
  • Responsibilities: Production and distribution of Northern Staff News. The editor(s) shall serve as a member(s) of the Public Relations/Activities Committee of the OSC.

• Annual Operating Staff Event:

  • Membership: A coordinator to be appointed by the OSC from the operating staff at large. Other membership from operating staff at large as needed.
  • Responsibilities: The coordinator shall select members of the Annual Events Committee as needed. Is responsible for the coordination of all activities. Determines expenses in consultation with the OSC Treasurer. Consults the OSC on all event matters and makes reports at regular OSC meetings as needed. Updates Annual Operating Staff Event procedure manual. Responsible for supplying Administrative Aide of OSC with copy of all updated procedures.

• Outstanding Service Awards Selection Committee:

  • Membership: Recipients of previous years’ awards. One member of the OSC Public Relations/Activities Committee to serve as liaison to the Award Selection Committee (non-voting ex-officio) and one alternate from the OSC Public Relations/Activities committee. One representative from the Office of Human Resource Services (non-voting ex-officio) to receive, vet and electronically submit nominating materials to the Operating Staff Council Administrative Aide (non-voting ex-officio) who will distribute the materials to the Operating Staff Council Awards Selection Committee and coordinate award letters and plaques with the President’s Office. Other operating staff as needed.
  • Responsibilities: Evaluates nomination materials submitted and selects up to four operating staff to receive the Outstanding Service Award. Updates the Outstanding Service Awards Selection Committee procedures manual and provides Administrative Aide of OSC with updated copy.

2.15 Workplace Guidance Committee

• Membership: Four or more OSC members, and, if possible, one or more additional operating staff.
• Chair: One member of the committee shall be elected as chair by the membership of the Workplace Guidance Committee at the committee’s first meeting of the year.
• Responsibilities: Reviews and formulates recommendations and responds to inquiries from staff regarding personnel policies and procedures. Reviews concerns related to employee benefits. Maintains follow-up with the University Benefits Committee. Explores new avenues for professional growth and advancement and makes recommendations for implementation of new programs. Works in conjunction with the other OSC standing committees to identify, develop, promote, and implement new efforts designed to increase employee morale at NIU. Also works in collaboration with the Faculty Senate, SPS Council, University Benefits Committee, and any other appropriate parties on campus on matters concerning employee morale.

2.16 Legislative Committee

• Membership: OSC Parliamentarian, with two or more OSC members, and, if possible, one or more additional operating staff.
• Chair: One member of the committee shall be elected as chair by the membership of the Legislative Committee at the committee’s first meeting of the year.
• Responsibilities: Maintains the OSC Constitution and Bylaws and reviews for compliance, when necessary. Proposes amendments for OSC's consideration. Monitors and communicates information about relevant local, state and federal legislators (elected and non-elected) and facilitates the sharing of information on matters of interest or concern to the council and its constituents.

2.2 Special Committees/Appointments of the Operating Staff Council

2.24 EAC Representative:

• Represents the civil service staff in the Employee Advisory Committee (EAC) of the State Universities Civil Service System (SUCSS).
• Membership: A representative to be elected every four years from the campus civil service staff at large in a campus wide election.
• Responsibilities: Shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Operating Staff Council. Function as the principle employees' liaison with the State Universities Civil Service System. Keeps the Operating Staff Council informed regarding civil service matters that may be brought before EAC and obtains the Council's comments and suggestions on these matters. Propose changes to the Civil Service Statute or Rules that would be of benefit to the civil service staff. Act as a Council and employee resource regarding the Civil Service Statutes, Civil Service Rules, and policies and procedures relating to civil service operations. Serves as a representative for employee concerns related to the policies or procedures related to civil service employment to the individual designated by the Civil Service System as the designated employer's representative.

2.25 Ad Hoc Committees as assigned

Article 3: University Committees

3.1 University Council

The President of the OSC shall be one of the five OSC voting representatives, for the term of office of the OSC President. The OSC shall elect four additional voting members from the operating staff at large. The chosen representatives, if not members or alternates of OSC, are required to attend all OSC meetings in an ex-officio, nonvoting capacity. Term of representation is one year.

3.11 University Council Subcommittees. Members shall be assigned by the Executive Secretary of the University Council from the recognized OSC representatives to the University Council.

3.2 University Committees

Representatives on all committees should be status operating staff employees. If no status employee is willing to serve on these committees, an NIU retiree who was a status operating staff employee at the time of retirement would be eligible to serve.

Representatives on committees who retire may serve out the remainder of their term. At the end of the term, a current status operating staff employee must be named.

Appointees to these committees must provide a timely written or oral summary of committee meeting activities to the Secretary of the OSC. The appointees must also be available to appear before the OSC as requested to present clarification of committee activities. University committees are as follows:

• Athletic Board - One member of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve a three-year term.
• Campus Parking - Four members of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve three-year staggered terms.
• Campus Security and Environmental Quality Committee - Two members of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve two-year staggered terms.
• Student Conduct Board - Two members of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve a three-year staggered term.
• Student Conduct Advisory Board - One member of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve a three-year term.
• Computing Facilities Advisory Committee - One member of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve a three-year term.
• Joint Faculty Senate/University Council Rules, Governance and Elections Committee - One operating staff member who is a member of the University Council or of Faculty Senate serves a one-year term and shall be eligible for reappointment.
• Student Grievance Panel - Fifteen members of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve a one-year term.
• Libraries Advisory Committee - One member of the operating staff selected by the provost from those nominated by the OSC to serve a three-year term.
• Non-union Faculty and Staff Grievance Committee - three members of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve a one-year term.
• Parking Appeals Committee - Three members of the operating staff elected by the OSC to serve three-year staggered terms.
• University Benefits Committee - Two members of the operating staff selected by the university president from those nominated by the OSC to serve three-year staggered terms.
• University Council - Five operating staff members, selected by Operating Staff Council, who shall serve three-year terms. The President of the OSC or the President’s designee shall be one voting member. The other four members will be appointed by the OSC.

Article 4: Role of the Administrative Aide

4.1 Support for OSC officers

The OSC officers (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and parliamentarian) and the administrative aide will meet within the first month after the July OSC meeting and/or following the hiring of an administrative aide, to determine the duties which the administrative aide will perform regarding each of the officer positions. Duties must be in alignment with the administrative aide’s job description on file with Human Resource Services.

4.2 Support for OSC committee chairs

The chairs of the OSC standing and ad hoc committees will meet to determine the duties which the administrative aide will perform regarding each of the committee chair positions. Duties must be in alignment with the administrative aide’s job description on file with Human Resource Services.

Article 5: Operating Staff Council Year and Meetings

5.1 The OSC operational and fiscal year shall be from July 1 through June 30 to coincide with the university's operational and fiscal year. Regular meetings of the OSC shall be held monthly throughout the year.

5.2 At the first meeting following elections, OSC members shall vote on the schedule for the year. In case of inclement weather or unforeseeable circumstances, there will be best attempts made to schedule the meeting virtually.

5.3 Attendance at the monthly OSC meeting is mandatory for all council members.

5.4 If an OSC member expects to be absent from a scheduled meeting, they must notify the Secretary in writing to be counted as excused. After three unexcused absences in the period of July 1-June 30, a written notification of absenteeism will be sent to the offending council member. Upon a fourth unexcused absence, the member will be removed from office/membership.

5.5 The OSC President may call special meetings of the council. If the President is incapacitated or the special meeting pertains to the removal of the President, then the Vice President may call a special meeting of the council.

5.6 All standing committees shall be subject to call by their respective chair or by the OSC President.

5.7 A simple majority of the OSC members shall constitute a quorum for the handling of the business duly presented at meetings of the OSC. A simple majority vote of members present shall carry a motion except on a motion to amend the Constitution. In the latter instance, a simple majority vote of the entire OSC membership present at any regularly scheduled meeting is required.

5.8 All agenda items should be received by the OSC President no later than five business days prior to each OSC meeting. Items submitted after this deadline may be added to the agenda at the meeting only with the approval of at least two-thirds of the members present.

Article 6: Representation at Operating Staff Council Meetings

A representative from the Office of Human Resource Services, the representative of the Civil Service Advisory Committee to the Merit Board (EAC), the Ombudsperson, and any interested individual may attend any regular meeting of the OSC and may also contribute to the OSC any points of interest; however, these visitors do not have voting rights.

Article 7: Nominations and Elections

7.1 OSC Membership

The Operating Staff Council shall consist of seventeen elected representatives and three alternate members.

7.11 Alternates

Alternate members shall be determined by the three candidates receiving the next highest number of votes in the most recent OSC election. If three alternates are not available to serve, the OSC will accept nominations from the operating staff-at-large in order of the receipt of nominations.

• Alternate members may speak on matters or bring new business before the council however alternate members do not vote, except as prescribed below.
• If an elected council representative is absent from a meeting of the council, the alternate member shall be entitled to vote at that meeting. This is not a proxy vote.
• Alternate members to the council are required to serve on at least one of the regular committees of the council and may serve on more than one committee (regular or ad hoc) if their employment duties permit.

7.12 Elections

7.121 Candidacy

Operating staff employees in status positions shall have the right to run for a seat on the OSC with supervisory approval.

7.122 Process

7.1221 Elections/Appointments Committee shall inform the operating staff at large of an upcoming election with information on candidates, electoral procedure and deadlines.

7.1222 All operating staff employees in status positions shall have the right to vote for the OSC members by anonymous ballot.

7.1223 Elections/Appointments Committee shall prepare and distribute, to operating staff at large, names of candidates and deadlines for return of ballots.

7.1224 Elections/Appointments Committee shall tabulate ballots. The final tabulation shall be given to the Administrative Aide for the OSC records. All candidates are notified after the election by email by the chair of the Elections/Appointments committee. The official results will be published in the Northern Staff News.

7.123 Filling of Vacancies of OSC Representatives

7.1231. Should a vacancy occur during a term, the vacancy shall be filled by the alternate member who received the next highest number of votes in the most recent OSC election, or the first alternate appointed from the operating staff at-large.

7.1232 Should two or more simultaneous vacancies occur during a fiscal year, the longer term shall be filled by the alternate receiving the highest number of votes or the first alternate appointed from the operating staff at-large and the other vacancy(ies) shall be filled by the next alternate in the same manner.

7.1233 When no alternate is available to fill a vacancy, the Elections/Appointments Committee will advertise for the position. Interested party(ies) may be requested to appear before the OSC. The OSC shall make the appointment by a simple majority vote of the membership.

7.1234 If a vacancy should occur three months or less prior to the end of the OSC year and no alternate is available, the vacancy shall be filled during the next regular election.

7.2 Election of Executive Committee of the OSC

7.21 Candidacy

Officers shall be chosen from the OSC membership. The new President of the OSC shall have served at least one year on the OSC.

7.22 Terms

The President shall be elected for a two-year term by the members of the OSC from its membership at the July meeting. All other officers shall be elected for a one-year term by the members of the OSC from its membership at the July meeting. Retiring officers shall continue to hold office until the new officers are elected. If a member of the OSC is elected to the office of President in the third year of their term, that member’s term shall be extended an additional year so that they may fulfill their duties as President.

7.3 Vacancies in Executive Committee of the Operating Staff Council

In the event of a vacancy in an officer's position, the members of the OSC will fill such vacancy by an election held at any regular or special meeting. Each OSC member shall receive prior written notice of the election to be held.

7.4 Procedures

Procedures for elections and appointments are in the Elections/Appointments procedure manual.

Article 8: Referendum

8.1 Any matter of concern to civil service employees can be subject to referendum. upon presentation of a petition signed by status civil service employees.

8.2 A request for a referendum shall be submitted to the President of the OSC who shall present the petition to the OSC representatives at the next meeting. A simple majority vote of the OSC is needed to proceed.

8.3 The OSC may also initiate a referendum by a majority vote of the OSC members.

8.4 If applicable the OSC shall conduct the referendum vote by distributing ballots to status civil service employees within thirty (30) days of the OSC meeting at which the petition was presented.

8.5 The results of the referendum and the recommendation of the OSC shall be forwarded by the OSC President to the University administration. 

Article 9: Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern this organization except when the Rules are inconsistent with the Bylaws or Constitution of the Operating Staff Council.

Revisions Approved: 9/1/22