PROFESSIONAL SENATE CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

The purpose of this document is to define the rights, powers, duties, and obligations of the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell as the representative assembly of the Professional Staff of ENMU-Roswell, according to the Employee Handbook for Professional and Support Staff.

A complementary document, Bylaws of the Professional Senate of ENMU-Roswell, sets forth the ways and means of implementing the rights, powers, duties, and obligations which are defined in this constitution.

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

1. The name of this organization shall be the Professional Staff Senate.
2. The Board of Regents of Eastern New Mexico University through this constitution confers the right and the permission for the professional staff of ENMU-Roswell to create, establish, organize and operate its own professional senate separately from the professional staff of ENMU-Portales.
   1. The Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell shall be autonomous with regard to its rights, actions, powers, duties, and obligations in matters that concern only the Roswell campus.
   2. The Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Portales shall not preempt the rights, duties, responsibilities, obligations and actions of the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell in matters concerning only the Roswell campus.
   3. The existence of a separate Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell shall in no way limit, exclude, or preclude representation of the Roswell campus professional staff in the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Portales when it is considering university wide matters that concern all campuses.  
   4. The Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell shall make its recommendations to the Provost of the Roswell campus, with the right of appeal to the central Administration of the Portales campus.
3. The Professional Staff Senate is the primary vehicle for professional staff participation in university governance.  As such, it shall carry out all the responsibilities and obligations delegated to it by the Employee Handbook for Professional and Support Staff and/or the University Governance Document.
4. The Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell shall constitute the regular professional staff constituency assembly on the Roswell campus, with all the rights, duties, and obligations of a constituency assembly as set forth in the University Governance Document.
5. The rights, functions, and responsibilities of the regular professional staff of ENMU-Roswell in regard to participation in university governance and operation shall be used on the principles outlined in the 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities, jointly formulated by the Association of American Colleges and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.
6. The regular professional staff of ENMU-Roswell shall have the right to establish internal committees, which have parallel functions and responsibilities to corresponding committees on the Portales Campus, and the right to be proportionately represented on all appropriate university-wide consultative groups.

ARTICLE II: COMPOSITION OF THE SENATE

1. Eligibility
   1. All regular professional staff members, who meet the criteria set forth in the Employee Handbook for Professional and Support Staff, are eligible to vote in Professional Staff Senate elections and to serve in the Professional Staff Senate.
2. Representation
   1. The regular professional staff of ENMU-Roswell shall be proportionally represented in the Professional Staff Senate by a total of twelve (12) elected members.

ARTICLE III: ELECTION, TERMS OF OFFICE, SUCCESSION

1. Elections
   1. Annual elections shall be conducted to fill vacancies on the Professional Staff Senate.
2. Term of Office
   1. Members of the Professional Staff Senate shall serve terms of three years except in the first election.
3. Succession
   1. Members of the professional senate shall be eligible to succeed themselves for one term.

ARTICLE IV: SENATE RULES

1. Authority
   1. The business of the Professional Staff Senate shall be conducted according to its own Bylaws and in accordance with the provisions of the University Governance Document, the Employee Handbook for Professional and Support Staff, and the laws of the State of New Mexico.
      1. This authority applies to all of the following:
         1. Meetings
         2. Parliamentary procedure
         3. Officers of the Senate
   2. The Professional Staff Senate shall call a minimum of one meeting per month, except during summer sessions.
2. Committees
   1. The President of the Professional Staff Senate shall establish ad hoc committees from time to time as deemed necessary to carry out the functions and to transact the business of the Professional Staff Senate.
   2. Standing Committees and Other Consultative Groups
      1. Regular professional staff members who serve on standing committees of the university or of the regular professional staff or on other consultative groups as required by the Employee Handbook for Professional and Support Staff and/or the University Governance Document, shall be elected or appointed, as specified in those documents, under the direction of the Professional Staff Senate.  
      2. The President of the Professional Staff Senate shall have the power to call meetings of the regular professional staff for the purpose of electing or appointing regular professional staff members to serve on standing committees.

ARTICLE V: PROFESSIONAL STAFF REVIEW

The regular professional staff shall have the power to review, affirm and reject actions of the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell.

ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS

1. Proposal
   1. Any member of the Professional Staff Senate may propose amendments to this constitution by submitting such proposals in writing at any regular or special meeting of the Professional Staff Senate.
2. Adoption
   1. Proposed amendments shall be adopted and be effective immediately upon completion of all of the following procedures:
      1. Passage by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Professional Staff Senate.
      2. Ratification by a majority of regular professional staff members voting on such proposals in general meetings, through ENMU-Roswell campus mail, or by electronic voting within fourteen (14) days after passage by the Professional Staff Senate.
      3. Approval by the Board of Regents of Eastern New Mexico University.
3. Effects on Bylaws
   1. It shall be incumbent upon the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell to initiate amendments to the Bylaws of the Professional Staff Senate when such amendments are necessary to make the Bylaws consistent with the amendments to this constitution

PREAMBLE

The purpose of this document is to set forth the ways and means of implementing the rights, powers, duties, and obligations of the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell as defined in the Constitution of the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell.  Nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed to be in any way contrary to or inconsistent with the constitution of the Professional Staff Senate of ENMU-Roswell.

ARTICLE I: COMPOSITION OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF SENATE OF ENMU-ROSWELL

1. Representation
   1. The regular professional staff of ENMU-Roswell shall be proportionally represented in the Professional Staff Senate by electing a total of 12 representatives.  The 12 Senate representatives will be made up of professional staff employees elected in accordance with the following distribution:
      1. Provost’s Area - 1 professional staff representative.
      2. Dean of Instruction – 3 professional staff representatives.
      3. Dean of Administrative Services - 3 professional staff representatives.
      4. Dean of Student Services - 3 professional staff representatives.
      5. Dean of Information Services - 2 professional staff representatives.
2. Apportionment
   1. The ratio of the regular, full-time professional staff members in each area of the university (as defined in Article I. A., of the Bylaws) to the total number of such members in all areas shall be reviewed by the Professional Staff Senate every third year, or sooner if substantive changes are made in the ENMU-Roswell organization, prior to the election in those years.  The apportionment of representation among the areas will be adjusted as needed.

ARTICLE II: ELECTIONS, TERMS OF OFFICE, SUCCESSION

1. Elections
   1. A general election shall be held annually to elect professional staff members to fill the vacancies on the Professional Staff Senate and standing committees.
   2. Nomination Procedures
      1. “Nomination Week” shall be the first workweek of March of the spring term each year.
      2. The Professional Staff Senate shall have power to change the designation of “Nomination Week” to a different week if necessitated by extenuating circumstances.
   3. On Monday of “Nomination Week” each year, the President of the Professional Staff Senate shall notify the regular professional staff of the approaching election and request nominations to fill the vacancies either by calling a meeting, mailing, or e-mailing all the regular professional staff.
      1. If a meeting of all the regular professional staff is called it must be announced in writing, through the ENMU-Roswell Campus e-mail system, at least three days before the meeting is to take place. The announcement must include the place, time, and purpose of the meeting.
      2. Each regular professional staff member may submit his/her name in nomination for the vacancies of his/her choice.
      3. Nominations shall be returned to the President of the Senate no later than Friday of “Nomination Week.”
      4. The officers of the Professional Staff Senate shall tally the nominations and prepare the ballots.
   4. If the number of nominations is insufficient to fill the vacancies, the President of the Senate shall notify the regular professional staff a second time, on Monday following the first week of nominations, and the procedure shall be the same as those in the regular nominations, to secure additional nominees.
   5. If the number of nominees is still insufficient to fill the vacancies, the President of the Senate may at his/her discretion, supply the necessary nominations to fill the vacancies for the election.
   6. Election Procedures
      1. “Election Week” shall be the first week of April of the spring term each year.
      2. The Professional Staff Senate shall have power to change the designation of “Election Week” to a different week if necessitated by extenuating circumstances.
      3. All procedures related to the election shall be carried on through the ENMU-Roswell campus mail or through appropriately secure forms of electronic communication.
      4. Ballots
         • The nominees’ names shall be placed on the ballot by their respective areas in alphabetical order by last name.
         • Each member of the regular professional staff may vote for candidates within their respective area (as determined in Article I-A of the Bylaws), which is equal to or less than the number of vacancies to be filled on the Professional Staff Senate and committees.  Area vacancies will be determined during each voting cycle by the officers of the Professional Staff Senate and occur as described in Article II-B of the Bylaws.
      5. The ballots, with instructions for voting and for returning the completed ballots to the President of the Senate, shall be submitted by the President to the regular professional staff on Monday of Election Week, and the completed ballots (votes) shall be returned to the President of the Senate no later than Friday of the same week.
      6. The officers of the Professional Staff Senate shall tally the ballots and determine the outcome of the election. Those persons receiving the largest number of votes within their respective area (as defined in Article I. A) shall be declared winners of the election, in descending order of the number of votes received, until the number of winners is equal to the number of vacancies for that area.
         • Those elected shall be notified by the President or other designees.
         • The regular professional staff shall be notified of the outcome of the election.
         • In case of ties, a runoff election shall be conducted during the first full week following Election Week with the same procedures as in the regular election.
      7. Electronic Voting
         • In addition to other forms of voting as described in these Bylaws, the Professional Staff Senate may, at the discretion of the President of the Senate, use appropriately secure forms of electronic communication where notification, mail ballot or other business is described in these Bylaws.
2. Terms of Office
   1. Members of the Professional Staff Senate and its committees shall be elected to a three year term except in the first election.  With the exception of the officers, terms shall be staggered to allow for the election of one-third of the members each year. To achieve this staggering, the duration of terms shall vary in the first election such that approximately equal numbers of representatives will be elected for one, two, and three year terms.  Senators will draw for one, two, and three year terms.  Officers shall be elected for one year terms from the Professional Staff Senate each spring and begin their term in the following fall semester.
   2. Officers shall be elected for one year terms from the Professional Staff Senate each spring and begin their term in the following fall semester. 
   3. Persons elected to the Professional Staff Senate shall begin serving their terms in the following fall semester. 
   4. Election of Officers
      1. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the elected officers.
      2. Officers of the Senate. The officers shall consist of president, vice president, secretary/treasurer, and such other officers as may be deemed necessary. 
         1. President: The president shall be the chief representative officer of the senate and shall perform all the duties commonly pertinent to that office and shall preside at all meetings of the senate. The president shall report to the senate at each regular meeting any pertinent information from university meetings attended.
         2. Vice President: The vice president shall assume and perform the duties of the president in the absence or disability of the president or whenever the office of president is vacant and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the senate or the president shall designate from time to time.
         3. Secretary/Treasure: The secretary/treasurer shall keep the minutes of all proceedings of meetings of the senate and bring approved minutes of the current year to each meeting; shall promptly distribute copies of all approved minutes as directed by the president; shall keep adequate and correct accounts of the senate's properties and business transactions; shall establish or maintain an account or accounts with the business office; shall maintain and keep records of the receipts and expenditures of such funds; and shall perform such other duties as are pertinent to that office or as are assigned to the secretary by the senate or by the president.
   5. Succession
      1. Upon resignation or removal of the president, the vice president of the Professional Staff Senate shall succeed to the office of president. Should the office of the president and vice president be vacated simultaneously, a general or special meeting of the Professional Staff Senate shall be held at the earliest opportunity so that the membership may elect new officers to fill the unexpired terms.
      2. Members of the Professional Staff Senate shall be eligible to succeed themselves for one term.
      3. New eligibility for former members of the Professional Staff Senate shall be established after a lapse of one year.
   6. Recall
      1. The regular professional staff shall have the power to recall members of the Professional Staff Senate.
      2. Procedures for recalling a member of the Professional Staff Senate are:
         1. A petition, which is signed by at least 25% of the regular professional staff, must be filed with the Chair of the Administrative Council.
         2. Upon the filing of such a recall petition, it shall be obligatory upon the president or vice president of the Professional Staff Senate to call a meeting of the regular professional staff.  The president or vice president of the Professional Staff Senate shall preside.  The professional staff member meeting must be called within a reasonable time after the recall petition is filed, in order that the regular professional staff may hear the matter fully.
         3. At the end of the meeting, the regular professional staff shall cast written ballots on the recall matter under discussion by voting: “FOR the recall”, “AGAINST the recall”, or “ABSTAIN.”
         4. In order for the recall motion to carry, the “FOR the recall” votes must constitute a majority of the TOTAL votes cast.
         5. Senators who have been recalled by the regular professional staff shall immediately vacate his/her position on the Professional Staff Senate.
   7. Vacancies
      1. If vacancies occur within the Professional Staff Senate as a result of resignations, removal, death, recall, etc., the president, with the approval of the senators, shall appoint a replacement for the unexpired term.  Vacancies shall be filled within a reasonable time after they occur.
      2. Senators may not send substitutes to the meetings.  If a senator is unable or unwilling to attend meetings of the senate consistently, without good reason, the president of the senate shall declare that position vacant and provide a replacement according to the procedures set forth in the University Governance Document.
   8. Attendance
      1. Absence from three regular, consecutive senate meetings during the academic year without prior notification to the Senate office, so recorded by the secretary, shall be construed as a resignation.
      2. The senator shall be notified by personal communication, e-mail, or telephone and, subsequently, in writing of the policy regarding absences and will be requested to respond in writing whether she/he wishes to resign from the senate.

ARTICLE III: SENATE RULES

1. Meetings
   1. The initial meeting date and time will be set by the president of the senate.
   2. The times for subsequent meetings shall be set during the first meeting called by the president of the senate each semester. These meeting are open meetings.
   3. Special meetings may be called by one-third of the senators and/or the president of the senate by notifying all senators. These meetings may or may not be open meetings.
   4. A simple majority of the senators shall constitute a quorum to conduct business.   
2. Parliamentary Procedure
   1. Parliamentary procedure shall be based on Roberts Rules of Order.  The president of the Professional Staff Senate shall act as presiding officer.
   2. The president of the Professional Staff Senate shall not be eligible to make motions or vote except in the case of a tie. 
   3. Each senator shall have one vote.
   4. When requested to do so by the secretary, the senators shall submit motions in writing.
   5. Rules may be adopted or changed by vote of a simple majority of senators present during any regular meeting.
3. Participation at Meetings
   1. All members of the college community and the ENMU system may participate without the right of vote in open meetings of the Professional Staff Senate. The president may put the senate into executive session as prescribed in Robert's Rules of Order.
4. Offices
   1. Standing Committees
      1. Any member of the professional staff elected to or designated to a standing committee shall have the responsibility of reporting back information and discussion items to the Professional Staff Senate.
      2. Representatives on Standing Committees
         1. Academic Standards
         2. Administrative Council
         3. Assessment
         4. Financial Aid
         5. Grievance Committee
         6. Portales Professional Senate
         7. Safety and Loss Control
         8. Strategic Planning
5. Ad hoc committees shall be established by the president of the senate from time to time as deemed necessary to carry out the functions and to transact the business of the professional Staff Senate.

ARTICLE IV: PROFESSIONAL STAFF REVIEW

The regular professional staff shall have the power to review motions of the Professional Staff Senate.

1. Delayed Effects
   1. No motion of the senate shall take effect until ten (10) business days after publication of unofficial minutes of the Senate meeting in which the motion was passed, unless the motion has been declared an “emergency motion”.
2. Emergency Provision
   1. Any motion declared an “emergency motion” and passed by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the senators present and voting would allow that motion to take effect immediately upon passage.
3. “Publication” of the minutes shall consist of an unofficial copy of the minutes globally e-mailed to the ENMU-Roswell professional staff members.  This document shall include all motions as passed by the Professional Staff Senate.
   1. Said copies of minutes shall be filed electronically within ten (10) business days after the meeting in which the motions were passed.
   2. The president of the Professional Staff Senate shall sign the official copy of the minutes and ensure that a copy has been delivered to the library for archiving.
   3. Protests of any motion of the Professional Staff Senate, including “emergency motions”, may be made within the ten (10) day period by submission of a petition, signed by not fewer than twenty-five percent (25%) of regular professional staff members, to the president of the Professional Staff Senate.
      1. The filing of such a petition will automatically place the protested motion on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Professional Staff Senate, and the Senate shall hear the protest. 
      2. The senators may, as a result of said protest hearing, reaffirm, alter, or withdraw its previous motion on the protested matter.

ARTICLE V: AMENDMENTS

1. Proposal
   1. Any senator may propose amendments to these Bylaws by submitting such proposals in writing at any regular or special meeting of the Professional Staff Senate.
   2. Amendments shall concern procedural matters only, and not substantive matters; amendments to these Bylaws shall not conflict with the Professional Senate constitution.
2. Adoption
   1. The proposed amendment shall pass if it is approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the Professional Staff Senate.
   2. Ratification by a majority of the regular professional staff members voting on such proposals, either in general meetings or through ENMU-Roswell Campus mail, within fourteen (14) days after passage by the Professional Senate.