Article I - Name
The name of this constituent association shall be the University Support Personnel Association of the University of North Florida.
Hereafter the association will be referred to as the USPA.
Article II - Purposes
The USPA shall be concerned with all activities that affect its members as specified in the University of North Florida Constitution.
The USPA shall also serve as a forum wherein an individual or group of its members may voice their beliefs, concerns, problems and/or suggestions regarding any and all aspects of the University. The USPA shall be the representative voice of its members and shall work closely with the administration and other constituent associations in the overall governance of the University as provided for in the Constitution of the University of North Florida.
Article III - Membership
The membership shall include all persons who have achieved permanent status in USPS positions at the University of North Florida.
Article IV - Officers
USPA officers shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Any member of the USPA shall be eligible to serve as an officer.
The President shall act as presiding officer of the USPA and chair of the Staff Affairs Committee. In addition to the duties prescribed by the USPA's parliamentary authority, the President shall represent the USPA at meetings, conferences, and other occasions, provide leadership for USPA activities, keep the membership advised concerning needs, programs, and accomplishments of the USPA, coordinate the work of the USPA, serve as an ex officio (nonvoting) member of all USPA committees, appoint such special committees as the USPA deems necessary to conduct business and be the accountable officer for the USPA's budget.
The Vice President
The Vice President shall- assume the duties of the President in the President's absence. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice President shall succeed to the Presidency for the duration of the unexpired term.
The Vice President shall assist the President in coordinating USPA work- receive motions, resolutions, and proposals from the members and place all such matters on a legislative calendar in the order received.
The Treasurer shall receive, report and deposit the funds of the USPA and disperse the same in accordance with the USPA's budget.
The Secretary shall keep the records and minutes of the USPA's proceedings and make a report at each USPA meeting, which shall be available to members upon request.
The Secretary shall conduct the USPA's general correspondence, notify members of meeting time and place, make the physical arrangements for USPA meetings, maintain the records of the USPA and Staff Affairs Committee Meetings, notify officers, committee members, and delegates of their election, and, in the absence of both President and Vice President, call the meeting to order and preside until the election of a President.
Terms of Office
Officers shall be installed at a specified fall general assembly. Terms of office shall begin immediately upon installation and shall terminate when successors are installed.
No officer may hold more than one office at a time or serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office, An officer who has served more than half a term is considered to have served a full term in that office.
If the position of President becomes vacant and the Vice President is unable to fulfill these duties, then an interim President may be appointed by a majority vote of the remaining officers and Staff Affairs Committee until elections can be held at the next general assembly meeting.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary, the vacant position may be appointed by the President and approved by a majority vote of the remaining officers and Staff Affairs Committee.
Failure to execute faithfully the duties of the office constitutes cause for an officer's removal. Removal of an officer shall require a two-thirds majority vote of the Staff Affairs Committee.
Article V - Conduct of Business
Section 1 - The rules of order of the USPA shall be in
accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Section 2 - All members have the right and privilege to
attend meetings of the USPA without fear of sanction, provided prior approval
has been granted by their supervisor.
Section 3 - The USPA shall meet at least once yearly in the
spring semester. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the USPA president.
Section 4 - The Staff Affairs Committee will meet as needed
with a minimum of once per semester. This meeting is open to all USPA members.
However, agenda items should be given to an officer or representative before
the meeting time.
Section 5 - Special meetings may be called with due notice
by the president of the USPA.
Section 6 - The secretary shall give members due notice of
all regular meetings. Notice of all meetings shall indicate the agenda to be
Section 7 - A quorum for any general meeting of the USPA
shall consist of those members in attendance. A majority of committee members
shall constitute a quorum for all USPA committee meetings. There shall be no
Section 8 - The usual order of business will be as
officers and representatives
-Report of Staff
-Reports of ad hoc
Section 9 - Members are to present motions, resolutions and
proposals to the vice president of the USPA prior to the scheduled meeting
date. The vice president shall place all such items on the legislative calendar
in the order they are received. Items may be removed from the calendar by a
majority of the members voting for any reason, including immediate action by
the body or referral to the appropriate committee.
Section 10 - The meetings of the USPA are open, and when
permission is granted by the presiding officer, non-members may have the floor.
Article VI - Nominations and Elections
Section 1 - Nominations of USPA officers shall be made at
least 10 working days prior to the spring general assembly meeting. No member
may accept nominations to more than one office. No officer shall serve more
than two terms in the same position. A term, wherever mentioned in this
document, shall be construed to be two years.
Section 2 - Election of USPA officers shall be by ballot at
a designated place during the spring general assembly. If no candidate for a USPA
office receives a majority of votes cast, the two candidates receiving the most
votes for that office shall be in a runoff election conducted after the general
election and before the new fiscal year begins.
Section 3 - Prior to the annual meeting, the presiding officer
shall send out a call for volunteers for all positions on the Staff Affairs
Committee scheduled to become vacant on the date of the spring general assembly
meeting. These nominations shall be in accord with the representative
appointment described in Article VII of these bylaws. Additional nominations
for positions on this committee may be made from the floor. The USPA president
shall select delegates or representatives to other University committees as
Section 4 - There shall be no proxy votes.
Article VII - Committees
Section 1 - There shall be one standing committee, the Staff
Affairs Committee, which shall be the primary legislative body of the USPA, and
such special committees as are necessary for the USPA to conduct its affairs
and meet its responsibilities.
Section 2 - Except as provided hereafter,
the Staff Affairs Committee shall have 11 members.
Section 3 - Each Staff Affairs Committee member shall be
elected for one term. No committee member shall serve more than two consecutive
terms in the same position. To fill a vacancy, a member shall be appointed by
the president of the USPA and approved by the Staff Affairs Committee. This
member shall be considered to have served a full term.
Section 4 - Committee members who fail to execute faithfully
the duties of their positions or who fail to attend three consecutive meetings
may be removed by vote of the Staff Affairs Committee. A vacancy in any
committee position shall be filled by invitation by the president and
Article VIII - Finance
Section 1 - Prior to the spring general assembly, the President shall submit to the USPA a proposed budget for the following fiscal year. Upon approval by the USPA, the budget will take effect in the upcoming fiscal year.
Section 2 - Any funds allocated to the Association shall be handled through the office of Administration and Finance and shall be included in the University's Annual Operating Budget. The USPA President shall be the accountable officer.
Article IX - Amendments
Section 1 - The USPA may amend these bylaws by a majority of the members present and voting, provided that the text of the proposals to amend have been made available to the members of the USPA at least two weeks (ten working days) prior to the meeting at which the amendments are to be considered.