Article I: Statement of Purpose
The Staff Assembly shall exist to contribute to the success of the University of Southern California and to the growth and welfare of its staff employees. The Assembly shall be a fact-finding, deliberative, and consultative body, with authority to make studies, reports, and recommendations on all matters which have a significant bearing on the work and environment of the staff. The Staff Assembly shall operate as a recognized part of the University governance system and shall, as appropriate, work jointly, with all other component parts of this system.
Article II: Membership and Constituency
The constituency of the Staff Assembly shall be all full-time permanent staff employees not holding a full-time faculty appointment in the University of Southern California.
The membership of the Staff Assembly shall consist of 60 full members elected by the constituency in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws.
The apportionment of membership shall follow those guidelines established in the Bylaws and shall be designed to ensure the highest degree of representation and enfranchisement fumble.
The status of any member or constituent shall be determined by the Assembly in accordance with prescribed selection, eligibility, and retention procedures, as set forth in the Bylaws.
Article III: Structure
The Staff Assembly shall consist of 60 members, each with 1 and only 1 vote.
The Staff Assembly shall provide for such officers, agents, and committees as are deemed necessary to carry out the business of the Staff Assembly.
The business of the Staff Assembly shall be to act as the responsible, representative voice of the concerns and needs of the staff and to investigate, discuss, report, and make recommendations on those issues that are consistent with the purpose of the Assembly.
The Staff Assembly shall establish a calendar of regular meetings and forums for the purpose of conducting its business. These meetings will be conducted in a manner which allows access to interested constituents and guests.
The Staff Assembly shall provide for the recording of all business; the documentation of all official meetings of the Assembly, as a whole or in committee; and the retention, safekeeping, and accessibility of these records to the constituents or those permitted by the Assembly. No constituent shall be denied access to the record of the Assembly’s business.
Article IV: Powers and Areas of Influence
The Staff Assembly shall be the officially recognized representative of the staff within the University governance system. The Staff Assembly does not claim to be, nor does it desire to be, the collective bargaining agent of the staff and disclaims any individual’s intent to identify it as such.
The Staff Assembly shall act in those areas outlined in the purpose of its existence. It shall work within the University governance system to clarify and define its areas of influence and shall strive to remain within the confines of its purpose. The Assembly may, however, express support or nonsupport of issues outside its areas of influence.
Article V: Provisions for Bylaws, Operating Procedures, and Organization
The Staff Assembly shall establish Bylaws for the effective and efficient conduct of its business.
The Staff Assembly shall provide for Standard Operating Procedures, to be reviewed each year at the first meeting of the newly elected Assembly.
The Staff Assembly shall establish its internal organization through its Bylaws and Standard Operating Procedures.
Article VI: Provisions for Amendment, Change, or Dissolution
Request for Revision:
A request for a revision of the Constitution or Bylaws may come either from the Assembly itself or from the constituency. Requests from the Assembly shall be submitted to the Executive Committee by any full member of the Assembly, with a second of at least one-quarter of the members present at any regular business meeting of the Staff Assembly. Requests from the constituency may be submitted to the Executive Committee in the form of a petition bearing the valid signatures of a number of constituents equal to or greater than one-quarter of the number voting in the most recent general election for members of the Staff Assembly.
Certification of Amendment:
The Executive Committee shall review the proposed amendment, obtain certification of any petition from the Executive Committee, and make recommendation for further action.
Recommendation for Action:
If the sponsoring member or constituent group is not satisfied with the recommendation of the Executive Committee the recommended action may be challenged in the following manner: within the Staff Assembly, the proposed amendment may be brought to the floor with an appropriate motion and may be discussed in full session, if a majority of members present approve the motion to do so. The constituency may, upon petition of at least one-third of the number of constituency members voting in the last general election, bring the proposed amendment directly to the ballot. All proposed amendments recommended favorably by the Assembly or by petition of the constituency shall be voted upon by the constituency in the next general election. A majority vote of those casting ballots will determine the outcome.
Article VII: Adoption
This Constitution shall be considered to be in effect when ratified by a majority affirmative vote of those participating in a referendum from the constituency as defined herein and when approved by the President of the University.