UA: August 24, 2010 Bylaws Draft

Article 1: Ex-Officio Membership

The following serve as members of the Assembly ex-officio without vote:

1. the chair of each associated committee of the Assembly; and,
2. the Associate Director for Community Relations of Gannett Health Services.

Article 2: Approval of Presidential Nominations for Certain Administrative Offices

2.1 Criteria to Request Reconsideration of Search Committee Member Selection

If the Assembly determines the President’s selections to search committees do not promote reasonable balance or representation, it may ask the President to reconsider those selections. The Assembly must specify how the balance or representation is inadequate.

Article 3: Protections

3.1 Suspension of Assembly Actions Appealed to the University Ombudsman

By majority vote, the Assembly may suspend any of its actions related to the appeal until the Ombudsman makes a final ruling on the appeal.

Article 4: Procedures

4.1 Meetings

At the first meeting of the academic year, the Assembly shall adopt a schedule of meetings for the remainder of the year. These meetings shall be referred to as the regular meetings.

4.2 Special meetings

Special meetings of the Assembly may be convened to consider issues of immediate and pressing concern. The Chair of the Assembly, the President or in the President’s absence, the Acting President, may call a special meeting of the Assembly. The Chair shall call a special meeting of the Assembly when requested to do so by two-thirds of its seated members.

4.3 Quorum

A majority of the seated members of the Assembly constitutes a quorum to do business.

4.4 Roberts rules of order

The procedures for debate and general conduct of business of the Assembly in all matters not specifically described in this document are Roberts Rules of Order, latest edition.

4.5 Executive session

With the concurrence of a majority of the voting members present, the Assembly or any of its committees may enter executive session to discuss confidential matters. The Assembly must enter into its minutes the purpose of an executive session. No policy decisions shall be made in executive session.

4.6 Speaking privileges

Any member of the Cornell community may request speaking privileges throughthe Chair, provided the request is made at least 24 hours prior to a meeting. Consultants invited to a meeting by the Chair may speak regarding the particular topic on which they were invited to present information or answer questions. During the course of the meeting the Assembly may establish additional procedures for granting speaking privileges.

4.7 Agenda

The President of the University or any member of the Assembly may ask the Executive Vice Chair to place of an item of business on the agenda. The Executive Board should place the item at the earliest possible time that is practical or refer the item to appropriate committees for further review. The Executive Vice Chair must make the agenda of the Assembly available to members no less than twenty-four hours prior to a meeting of the Assembly.

Except where explicitly stated by the Executive Board, agendas and associated documents are presumed to be public documents that may be shared with the campus community.

4.8 Minutes

The minutes of Assembly meetings and those of its committees shall be available to all members of the University, except for those meetings conducted in executive session.

4.9 Annual report

The Chair of the Assembly, in consultation with its members, presents an annual report to the President of the University. The report includes a summary of the Assembly’s work during the year and describes any outstanding issues or items of business that are expected to arise in the future. The Assembly must make the report available to all members of the University.

4.10 Timing of Regular Meetings and Notice of All Meeting Times and Locations

Regular meetings occur during the academic year only. The Executive Board must publicize and allow the campus community to attend and observe all open meetings of the Assembly and its committees .

4.11 Attendance Policy for Elected Members Not Yet Seated

Newly selected members of the Assembly must make every effort to attend any meetings that occur before such members are seated.

4.12 Attendance Policy for Seated Members

Seated and ex-officio members must attend all regular meetings of the Assembly. Members must:

1. notify the Chair of the Assembly at least twenty-four hours prior to any scheduled meeting they are unable to attend, if possible; and,
2. not miss more than two regular meetings in any session of the Assembly.

If the Chair determines a member has failed to meet any of these requirements, he or she must call for a vote on removal of the member at the next regular meeting of the Assembly.

4.13 Reporting Responsibilities of Members of the Assembly

Presiding officers of each constituent assembly serve as liaisons between the Assembly and their respective constituent assemblies, reporting the activities of the Assembly to their constituent assemblies and the activities of their constituent assemblies to the Assembly.

4.14 Sense-of-the-Community Referendum

The Assembly may call for a Sense-of-the-Community Referendum provided that it:

1. concludes before any members terms expire; and,
2. addresses a concern relevant to the entire University community in which all employees, faculty, and students may vote.

Article 5: Committees

5.1 Ad hoc committees

The Assembly standing committees may establish such ad hoc committees as are necessary for the proper performance of their functions. If such ad hoc committees are to include one or more non-members of the standing committees, the standing committees must request the Assembly to establish the ad hoc committee. The standing committee may recommend a specific prescription as to the membership of the ad hoc committee.

No ad hoc committee may have fewer than three voting members. Each ad hoc committee must disband at the end of a session of the Assembly.

5.2 Standing committees

5.2.1 Standing committee responsibilities

Each standing committee must:

1. hold and publicize at least one meeting that is open to the campus community where it receives and discusses items of business relevant to its charge;
2. submit minutes of each meeting to the Vice Chair for Operations;
3. submit, before May 1, an annual report to the Vice Chair for Operations including a summary of unfinished business of the committee;
4. make every reasonable attempt to insure that members of the University community affected by its recommendations are informed of the agenda of its meetings and of its recommendations;
5. file in a timely manner with the Assembly the minutes of all meetings and an annual report summarizing activities;
6. request that the Chair of the Assembly place on the agenda of the Assembly those matters, which in its opinion require discussion by the Assembly; and,
7. respond to any requests from the Assembly for information or reconsideration of recommendations.

5.2.2 Standing committee composition and terms

Except where otherwise provided, each standing committee consists of the following voting members:

1. two members of each constituency who serve staggered, two-year terms spanning consecutive sessions of the Assembly; and,
2. a Chair who must be a voting member of the Assembly and may participate in any vote where his or her participation will alter the outcome.

The Assembly may provide for additional voting or non-voting members to assure the committee has adequate representation of expert opinion and relevant administrative units.

5.3 Staffing of committees

Except where otherwise provided, the Vice Chair for Operations may appoint and remove members from ad hoc committees in consultation with the Executive Board.

Except where otherwise provided, each constituent assembly staffs positions of in each committee of the Assembly that are assigned to its constituency in the same manner that it staffs its own standing committees.

The Vice Chair for Operations, in consultation with the appropriate officers of the the corresponding constituent assembly, may staff both standing and ad-hoc committee positions that remain or become vacant after September 1. Such appointments may not continue beyond the current session of the Assembly.

Article 6: Charges of Standing Committees

6.1 Codes and Judicial Committee

The Codes and Judicial Committee (the Committee) serves to assist the Assembly in fulfillment of its role in overseeing the Campus Code of Conduct (the Code) and the University Hearing and Review Boards.

6.1.1 Responsibilities

The Committee:

1. considers the substantive and procedural rules of the Campus Code of Conduct and makes recommendations concerning changes in these rules to the Assembly;
2. recommends slates of qualified candidates for the Hearing and Review Boards as needed to assure efficient and adequate operation of hearing and review panels; and,
3. reviews other policies relevant to community standards of conduct and discipline for consistency and compatibility with the standards provide in the Code.

6.1.2 Composition

The following are members of the committee ex-officio without vote:

1. the Chief of the Cornell Police or a designee;
2. the Judicial Administrator or a designee; and,
3. the Judicial Codes Counselor or a designee.

6.2 Committee on Family Services

The Committee on Family Services (the Committee) is charged to identify needs of faculty, staff, and students with family responsibilities and to address issues related to work/study/life balance, to study proposals brought by members of the university community or administration to meet those needs, and to advise the assembly, Vice President of Human Resources, and other senior members of the university administration concerning such proposals.

6.2.1 Responsibilities

6.2.2 Composition

The following serve as voting members of the Committee:

1. one undergraduate student;
2. one graduate or professional student;
3. two employees;
4. two employees appointed by the Director of Human Resource Policy and Labor Relations in consultation with the collective bargaining organizations of the University;
5. four faculty members;
6. up to five field experts, appointed by the President to terms concurrent with a single session of the Assembly.

The following serve as non-voting members of the committee:

1. the Director of Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Life Quality.

6.3 Transportation Advisory Committee

The Transportation Advisory Committee is charged to provide a conduit for community input regarding policies and services related to safe, comprehensive, economical and efficient transportation programs. These include parking, transit, circulation, pedestrian, motorist and cyclist safety and education, and services that meet the transportation access needs for persons with disabilities.

6.3.1 Responsibilities

The committee:

1. makes policy and program recommendations to the Assembly and the Director of Transportation Services; and,
2. reviews, in consultation with the Campus Planning Committee, all plans for alterations of or additions to roads, parking lots, pathways and walkways on the Ithaca campus of the University.

6.3.2 Composition

In addition to those provided for elsewhere, the President appoints the following to serve staggered terms of three years:

1. two administrative staff members of Cornell Police, Facilities Management, Environmental Health and Safety, Planning, Design and Construction, Student and Academic Services, or University Relations;
2. two academic staff members of Civil and Environmental Engineering, City and Regional Planning, Natural Resources, Landscape Architecture; and,
3. one administrative staff member of the Office of Budget and Financial Planning.

The following serve as members ex-officio, without vote:

1. the Associate Director of Transportation and Mail Services;
2. a liaison from the Transportation Hearing and Appeals Board.

6.4 Transportation Hearing and Appeals Board

The Transportation Hearing and Appeals Board (the Board) shall review decisions that have been denied in whole or in part by Transportation and Mail Services administrative staff on matters relating to violation appeals, requests for special parking grants for those claiming financial hardship, and exceptions to parking rules and regulations and/or normal permit eligibility criteria.

6.4.1 Responsibilities

Violation appeals must each be decided separately, considering all relevant facts and circumstances brought to the board’s attention. The board shall only review cases for which it is deemed an error in judgment or procedure was made in the original decision. In cases of requests for special parking grants based on financial hardship, appellants must fully explain why they are unable to use the transportation options available. In cases of requests related to exceptions to parking rules and regulations and/or normal permit eligibility criteria, the board’s decision shall be based on demonstrated need and are subject to space and other limitations.

6.4.2 Composition

The following serve as voting members:

1. two undergraduate students;
2. two graduate or professional students;
3. four faculty; and,
4. four employees.

No employee of Transportation and Mail Services or Cornell Police may serve on the Board.

The Board shall annually elect its own chairperson.

6.4.3 Procedures

Hearings shall require a quorum of three members. In case of a tie vote, the decision shall be recorded in favor of the appellant.

6.5 Sustainability Committee

The Sustainability Committee (the Committee) is charged with reviewing matters related to the development of a sustainable campus and recommending pertinent actions regarding university sustainability policy to the Assembly.

6.5.1 Responsibilities

The committee:

1. reviews sustainability efforts in the areas of facilities, human resources and campus life, and offers advice, counsel and endorsement in the development of new policies and programs;
2. engages with other campus community sustainability efforts in their proceedings; and,
3. monitors academic sustainability efforts at the university.

The Office of Energy and Sustainability will deliver a report to the committee at the beginning of each semester and report on any significant policy changes as they occur.

6.5.2 Composition

The following or their designees serve as members of the committee ex-officio, without vote:

1. Vice President for Human Resources;
2. Vice President for Student and Academic and Academic Service;
3. Vice President for Facilities Services;
4. President of the Sustainability Hub;
5. the Director of Energy and Sustainability; and,
6. the Sustainability Coordinator.

6.6 Information Technology Committee

The Information Technology Committee (the Committee) is charged with reviewing matters relating to Information Technologies and recommending pertinent actions regarding community computing needs.

6.6.1 Responsibilities

The Committee:

1. reviews enterprise information technology initiatives and policies and recommends appropriate actions and modifications based on community input.

The Division of Computing and Information Technologies will deliver a report to the committee at the beginning of each semester and report on any significant policy changes as they occur.

6.6.2 Composition

The following or their designees serve as members of the committee ex-officio, without vote:

1. Vice President for Computing and Information Technologies.

6.7 Committee on Diversity and Inclusion

The Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (the Committee) is charged to TBD.

6.7.1 Responsibilities

In addition to responsibilities provided elsewhere, the Committee must:

1. meet once each semester with the University Diversity Council to exchange opinions and recommendations regarding university efforts to promote diversity and inclusion;

6.7.2 Composition

The following serve as voting members of the Committee:

1. three undergraduate students;
2. three graduate or professional students;
3. three faculty members; and,
4. three non-faculty staff members.

The following serve ex-officio, without vote:

1. the Director of Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Life Quality.

Article 7: Associated Committees

7.1 Definition and General Specifications

The Assembly may, with the approval of the responsible administrative unit, identify associated committees of the Assembly. Such committees are chartered and managed by the responsible administrative unit, but report additionally to the Assembly and possess the same responsibilities as standing committees of the Assembly.

Each committee’s charge must:

1. identify of the administrative unit responsible for the committee;
2. specify responsibilities of the committee; and,
3. specify composition and terms of the committee.

The following requirements hold except where otherwise provided:

1. Both the Assembly and the responsible administrative unit must approve changes to the charges of associated committees.
2. The chairs of associated committees serve ex-officio as non-voting members of the Assembly and are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings of the Assembly.

7.2 Public Safety Advisory Committee

The Public Safety Advisory Committee (the Committee) is charged to review current campus security policies and procedures and make recommendations for their improvement. The Committee fulfills the University’s obligations under New York State Education Law � 6431. The Office of the President is the responsible unit for this committee.

7.2.1 Responsibilities

The committee reviews current policies and procedures related to:

1. educating the campus community, including security personnel and those who advise or supervise students, about sexual assault;
2. educating the campus community about personal safety and crime prevention;
3. reporting sexual assaults, domestic violence and stalking incidents and assisting victims during investigations;
4. referring complaints to appropriate authorities;
5. counseling victims; and
6. responding to inquiries from concerned persons.

After its last meeting for the academic year but before the last day in June, the Committee must compile and report to the President of the University all of its findings and recommendations for the current academic year.

7.2.2 Composition

The President of the University appoints the following serve as voting members to serve staggered terms concurrent with two consecutive sessions of the Assembly:

1. two undergraduate students from a list recommended by the Student Assembly;
2. two faculty members from a list recommended by the Faculty Senate;
3. one graduate or professional student from a list recommended by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly; and,
4. one non-faculty employee from a list recommended by the Employee Assembly.

Each assembly must include at least one female candidate in its list of recommendations to serve on the Committee. At least half of the voting members must be female.

As soon as possible after a vacancy occurs or a new session of the Assembly begins, the Committee must elect a Chair from its voting membership to serve a term concurrent with a session of the Assembly or the remainder thereof.

The following serve as members ex-officio, without vote:

1. Chief of Cornell Police or a designee;
2. Judicial Administrator or a designee; and,
3. Director of Mental Health Initiatives or a designee.

7.2.3 Special Provisions

The President may, in consultation with the Assembly, alter the charge of the Committee when needed to assure compliance with the state laws it is charged to fulfill. The President must approve proposed changes originating from the Assembly to the Committee’s charge to assure compliance with such laws.

7.3 Campus Planning Committee

The Campus Planning Committee (the Committee) reviews and makes recommendations to the President regarding physical planning for the Ithaca campus.

7.3.1 Responsibilities

The Committee reviews and makes recommendations regarding the following subjects as they relate to the overall planning and character of the Ithaca campus::

1. landscape planning and design
2. circulation and parking; and,
3. new construction and renovations.

The Committee also reviews, in consultation with the Transportation Advisory Committee, all plans for alterations of or additions to roads and parking lots on the Ithaca campus of the University.

The Committee seeks advice and comment from membersmembers of the wider campus community when discussing a specific issue or design.

7.3.2 Composition

The following serve as appointed voting members of the Committee:

1. two members of each constituency who serve staggered, two-year terms spanning consecutive sessions of the Assembly and are staffed in the same manner as for standing committees of the Assembly; and,
2. four members appointed by the President of the University who serve staggered, three-year terms spanning consecutive sessions of the Assembly and who possess professional or technical expertise in a design or planning related field.

The following people or their designees serve as voting members of the Committee ex-officio:

1. the Chair of the Department of Architecture or a designee;
2. the Chair of the Department of Natural Resources or a designee;
3. the Director of Plantations or a designee;
4. the Vice President for Facilities Services or a designee;
5. the Coordinator of the Landscape Architecture Program or a designee;
6. the Chair of the Department of City and Regional Planning or a designee;
7. the Chair of the Art Department or a designee; and,
8. the Director of the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation or a designee.

The following serve as members ex-officio without vote:

1. the University Planner.

As soon as possible after vacancies occur or a new session of the Assembly begins, the Committee must elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair from its voting membership to serve terms concurrent with a session of the Assembly or the remainder thereof.

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