approved on June 21, 1994

ARTICLE I. INTENT

It is the intent of the Board of Regents: 1) that the faculty, staff and students shall share in the governance of the university, 2) that shared governance is an integral part of the business of the university, and 3) that participators in shared governance are empowered by the Board of Regents to carry out their governance responsibilities to the best of their abilities without interference or fear of reprisal.

ARTICLE II. NAME

The Board of Regents hereby establishes a mechanism for Classified and APT staff system governance consisting of the Staff Alliance of the University of Alaska, hereinafter "Staff Alliance."

ARTICLE III. AUTHORITY, PURPOSES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, ROLE

A. Authority

The Staff Alliance receives its authority by policy 03.01.01 of the University of Alaska Board of Regents which derives its authority from the Constitution and statutes of the State of Alaska. The Staff Alliance shall carry out its function subject to the authority of the Board of Regents and the President of the University.

B. Purposes

1. Representation

To provide official representation for the APT and classified staff in matters which affect the general welfare of the University and its educational purposes and effectiveness.

2. Legislation

To function as a legislative body having as a primary authority that of initiating, developing and reviewing proposals relating to staff affairs for policy and regulation adoption. Actions of the Staff Alliance are binding subject to review and approval by the President of the University.

3. Consultation

To provide consultation to the President of the University and the Board of Regents on staff affairs.

4. Communication

To serve as an instrument by which information which is of interest and concern to the university system staff may be freely collected, disseminated, and discussed.

C. Responsibilities

Staff Alliance responsibilities include, but are not limited to staff affairs, excluding those covered by collective bargaining and those relating exclusively to faculty, and including but not limited to personnel policies and regulations, compensation and benefits, and other issues affecting the work enviroment and the general welfare of university staff.

D. Role

The Staff Alliance and local staff governance groups shall have primary system governance authority for staff affairs. For staff affairs impacting faculty and/or students, staff shall seek input from those groups, but are not governed by them.

ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION

A. Voting membership

The voting membership of the Staff Alliance shall consist of two each from the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the University of Alaska Southeast, and Statewide Programs and Services.

Voting members shall communicate their governance activities to their supervisors as appropriate and constituencies on a regular basis.

B. Selection

Representatives to the Staff Alliance shall be selected in such a manner as prescribed by the local constituent groups.

C. Terms of office

Representatives to Staff Alliance shall serve a minimum of a one year term. The term shall run from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

D. Qualifications

Representatives to the Staff Alliance should have prior shared governance experience wherever possible.

E. Recall of members

Any member may be recalled by the body from which the member was chosen. The local constituent body shall select a replacement to complete the term of office.

F. Ex-officio, non-voting membership

Ex-officio, non-voting membership in the Staff Alliance shall include the President of the University, an appropriate vice chancellor or other administrative officer from each MAU and any other such person or persons as the President may designate, and such others as determined by the Alliance.

G. Official Spokesperson

1. Election

The official spokesperson for Staff Alliance shall be the Chair of the Alliance, elected by and from the voting membership by a majority vote.

2. Duties

The Chair shall a) preside over all meetings of the Alliance, b) represent the Alliance, and c) serve as primary contact on behalf of the Alliance to the President of the University and the Board of Regents. Should the chair be unable to attend a board of regents meeting, the chair may appoint a replacement to speak to the board on behalf of the Alliance.

H. Task forces

The Alliance may establish task forces to consider complex system issues relating exclusively to staff affairs. These task forces are a formal part of shared governance, and as such, are subject to the Alaska Open Meeting Law, per Article V. C., below.

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

A. Regular and special meetings

The Staff Alliance shall meet a minimum of two times per year. At least once per year, all governance group spokespersons shall meet with the President of the University to identify system issues and plan for the coming year. Special Staff Alliance meetings may be called by the Board of Regents, the President of the University, the spokesperson of the Staff Alliance, or on petition of one-third of the Staff Alliance membership.

B. Voting

Voting shall be by simple majority of the full voting membership to include at least one member from each MAU. Amendments to the constitutions or bylaws affecting membership rights shall require a consensus with no negative votes.

C. Open Meetings

All meetings of the Staff Alliance are subject to the Alaska Open Meetings Law, which means that meetings of these bodies are open to the public, agendas must be posted, and meeting records kept. Staff Alliance activities shall be regularly communicated to the university community.

ARTICLE VI. QUORUM

A minimum of a simple majority of the voting membership to include at least one member from each MAU shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The parliamentary authority shall be the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VIII. CONSTITUTIONS AND BYLAWS, AMENDMENTS, APPROVAL

A. Constitutions and bylaws

The constitution and bylaws, once passed by the Staff Alliance, shall be transmitted to the President of the University for approval and to the Board of Regents for action. Copies of the Staff Alliance constitution and bylaws shall be maintained in the system governance office.

B. Amendments; distribution prior to voting

Amendments to the constitution and bylaws shall be sent to all members of the Staff Alliance at least 30 days prior to the meeting at which they will be considered. Amendments to the constitution affecting membership rights shall require consensus with no negative vote.

C. Transmittal to the the President and Board of Regents for approval

Amendments passed by the Staff Alliance shall be sent to the President of the University for approval, and for transmission to the Board of Regents as appropriate.

ARTICLE IX. REVIEW AND TRANSMITTAL OF PROPOSALS

A. Review

Administrative proposals and issues affecting the university system staff shall be submitted to the executive officer who shall send the items to appropriate goverance groups for review. The Staff Alliance shall respond to the proposals and issues relating to staff affairs and such others as the Staff Alliance may deem appropriate within 40 days after receipt from the executive officer. Those administrative proposals submitted in the summer months shall be acted upon by the Staff Alliance by October 15. Responses shall be transmitted to the executive officer for compilation and submission to the President of the University. Proposals requiring immediate implementation for compliance with state or federal law shall be submitted to the Staff Alliance for review, but may be implemented prior to their action.

B. Transmittal to the President

the executive officer shall submit in writing the original proposal, together with staff alliance input, including the majority and all minority opinions, to the President of the University for information or action as appropriate.

C. Transmittal to the Board of Regents

The Chair of the Alliance may present the Staff Alliance majority and minority views in writing directly to the Board of Regents on any issue within the purview of the Staff Alliance.

ARTICLE X. ACTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT, AND BOARD OF REGENTS

A. Action by the President

The President of the University shall, in writing, approve, disapprove, or modify a Staff Alliance action, and notify the Chair and the executive officer within forty-five (45) days of receiving notification of the action by the executive officer.

B. Modifications by the President

The President of the University may modify an Staff Alliance action if the modification does not effectively contravene or nullify the purpose or principle involved in the action.

C. Disapprovals

The President of the University shall inform the Staff Alliance of the reasons for any disapproval or modification within one month of disapproving or modifying a Council action.

D. Board of Regents notification and action

Staff Alliance actions which are modified or disapproved by the President of the University, together with the statement of reasons, shall be placed on the next Board of Regents' meeting agenda for the information of the Board if requested. At the request of either the President of the University or the Alliance, the Alliance action which has been modified or disapproved shall be brought before the Board for action. The decision of the Board of Regents is final.

ARTICLE XI. HANDBOOK

The Staff Alliance shall annually submit a a directory of Staff Alliance members, a description of the Staff Alliance and how it works, and the annual Staff Alliance calendar to the executive officer for inclusion in the governance handbook. This handbook shall be distributed to the Board of Regents and to the shared governance groups.

ARTICLE XII. REPORTS

The Staff Alliance shall annually prepare a report of activities. This report shall be submitted to the executive officer for compilation into a single annual report of governance activities for submission to the President of the University and the Board of Regents. The executive officer shall maintain Staff Alliance communications via vax, the vax bulletin board, and prepare system governance news for inclusion in vax and printed newsletters.