Name

• This Council was established by the vice chancellor for financial affairs on Sept. 13, 1978, and is named the Staff Advisory Council of the University of Denver. It is sometimes hereinafter referred to as the Council.

Purpose

• The purpose of the Staff Advisory Council is:

  1. To be aware of the concerns of the staff (defined as appointed personnel other than faculty and union employees) (hereinafter "Staff") relating to the management and administration of the University and to make recommendations to the University administration on matters of concern to the Staff;
  2. To provide a means for the exchange and dissemination of information among and for University of Denver staff relative to problems, procedures and policies;
  3. To promote unity, cooperation, loyalty among all staff of the University of Denver; and
  4. To work with any and all similar councils, groups, or bodies of the University to fulfill the aforementioned purposes.

History

• When the Staff Advisory Council was established in 1978, membership was voluntary. When bylaws were adopted in 1995, the then-current membership was grandfathered into the appropriate representative positions in order to facilitate the change from a volunteer system to an elected system. When there was not an easily identifiable position for the representative, the president determined an area for that person to represent. By May 1995, the SAC chair presented a list of vacancies and their areas of representation to the vice chancellor of financial and business affairs. The vice chancellor requested nominations from department heads of areas having vacancies and appointed members into those positions.

The formation of a committee shall be approved by a majority vote of the Staff Advisory Council. Committees shall act as forums for study and consideration of issues and activities and shall make recommendations to the Council. All proposals and recommendations of subcommittees must be made to the Council at the monthly meeting and approved by a majority Council vote.

Members of a committee may consist of both members and non-members of the Council who are Staff. Membership on a committee will be on a volunteer basis. All committee members must indicate their willingness to serve by notice to the Chair of the committee. Each member is responsible to attend meetings as scheduled by the Chair. If a member does not attend three or more consecutive meetings, the committee shall assume the member has relinquished his position on the committee. Each committee shall have a Chair who will be responsible for the budgetary, administrative and project coordination of all committee functions. The Chair will also preside over all committee meetings and be responsible for the general report-out of committee activities to the Council at the monthly Council meeting. The Chair shall be elected by the committee members or appointed by the Executive Committee. The Chair may also be required to attend Executive Committee meetings as necessary.

All committees shall submit a yearly budget of planned expenses to the Council for approval. Once approved, they are to then consider themselves bound by that budget unless granted approval by a majority Council vote to change focus or expansion of the approved budget. Expenditures under a $100.00 that are included in a committee's Council-approved budget may be made following approval by a majority vote of the Committee and approval by the Council President. Expenditures of over $100.00 shall require a majority vote of the Council before being made.

The Staff Advisory Council shall have the following standing committees:

Staff Issues and Actions that will focus on concerns of the Staff.

The Election Committee will be composed of members who are not up for reelection. The election committee will elect one of its members to serve as the chair of the committee. The election committee chair will preside over the meetings of the election committee and report back to the Council and the Executive committee as needed or requested. The duties and timelines of the election committee will be described in the election code. The election code may not be modified without a majority vote of the Council.

Election Code

• The election code can only be changed or amended by a majority vote of the Staff Advisory Council members responding. The election committee will follow the election code for conduction regular elections for SAC membership. No member of the SAC can be on the election committee if their position is up for re-election.
• If special elections are to be held, the election code will be a guide for holding those elections. 
• Other Subcommittees may be formed as deemed necessary or desired by the Council.