Proposed Revisions Date: April 21, 2025

Ratification Date: April 24, 2025

SECTION I: Purpose

The Carleton Staff Council (CSC) provides a forum where the interests, concerns, needs, and ideas of staff can be shared in order to amplify staff voices in support of the mission of the College. The CSC will promote effective channels of communication, enhance staff engagement and visibility across the College, and strengthen community among staff and between staff and other College constituencies.

The CSC will advocate for staff and strive to advance institutional priorities and goals by:

  • Acting in an advisory capacity to the President and the Cabinet.
  • Increasing the sense of belonging and value of each staff member in relationship to the College.
  • Identifying concerns relating to staff and working to seek solutions through existing governance committees and processes.
  • Gathering and sharing information to research and support staff interests.
  • Integrating staff into the strategic directions of the College while fostering a culture of mutual support, respect, and professionalism.
  • Establishing standing and ad hoc committees as appropriate to the performance of the CSC’s function.
  • Exercising control over the internal operations of the CSC.

The CSC represents all personnel, excluding faculty. Staff personnel are identified as those employees who work full time, part time, or in a temporary capacity. Students employed by the College are not considered staff.

The CSC is not a labor organization and its purpose is not to negotiate grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours of employment, or conditions of work.

SECTION II: CSC Membership

  1. The “Carleton Staff Council” or “CSC” refers to the elected members of the council.
  2. The CSC members are elected by the staff that the CSC represents. Membership and participation is open to all Carleton staff. Individuals who serve on the CSC cannot be a staff member with a temporary contract, due to the short tenure of their positions and the need to fulfill a three-year term.
  3. The CSC will be comprised of a minimum of five members and a maximum of nine and will include a minimum of one representative from each of the following staff categories: exempt, non-exempt, and union staff.
  4. A representative from the Office of Human Resources will serve the CSC in an ex-officio, non-voting capacity.
  5. A representative from the Carleton President’s Cabinet will serve the CSC in an ex-officio, non-voting capacity.

SECTION III: Officers

  1. The CSC will elect its own officers at the first meeting of the newly elected members in spring term.
  2. There are five leadership positions on the CSC:
    • President
    • Vice President
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
    • Communications Manager
  3. The President of the CSC will be elected by the other members of the Council and will serve a two-year term.
    1. A CSC member is eligible for election to CSC President only if there are at least two years remaining on their term of service.
  4. The other officers will serve one-year terms, but are eligible for reelection.
  5. Duties of the CSC officers:
    1. President
      1. Preside over all meetings of the CSC.
      2. Nominate appointees for ratification to campus committees, as requested.
      3. Serve as the liaison between the CSC and the College’s administration.
      4. Issue all formal correspondence from the CSC.
      5. Other duties as determined by the CSC.
    2. Vice President
      1. Preside over meetings in absence of the President.
      2. Conduct elections and provide orientation to new members.
      3. Assist the President in all appropriate matters.
      4. Other duties as determined by the CSC.
    3. Secretary
      1. Maintain a database of all CSC agendas and minutes.
      2. Distribute agendas and minutes through the appropriate channels.
      3. Other duties as determined by the CSC.
    4. Treasurer
      1. Serve as the financial analyst in Workday for the CSC account.
      2. Coordinate with staff to determine if/when additional funds should be requested for the budget.
      3. Maintain accurate financial records for all CSC-approved expenditures throughout the year.
      4. Provide regular updates about the financial status of the CSC.
      5. Other duties as determined by the CSC.
    5. Communications Manager
      1. Update and maintain the CSC website.
      2. Determine the appropriate campus channels through which to publicize CSC business.
      3. Serve as the primary point of contact for all comments and suggestions sent through the website.
      4. Other duties as determined by the CSC.

SECTION IV: Terms of Service

  1. Terms of service are three years, staggered, and renewable once.
  2. The standard election cycle will start with Spring Term 2027.
  3. CSC members must wait one full year after their second term before being eligible for election to the CSC again.
  4. Terms will begin upon appointment under “New Business” at the closing of the CSC meeting of the spring term when elections occur. Any “Old Business” requiring voting will be completed by the outgoing members.
  5. Resignation of members:
    1. Any member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the CSC President. Such resignation will be effective at a time that is agreed upon by the CSC President and the person submitting the request.
    2. The resignation of a member will be handled in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section VI.
  6. Removal of members:
    1. A member of the CSC may be removed from their position for any of the following reasons:
      1. Consistent absence from scheduled CSC meetings without prior notification and valid reason.
      2. Breach of confidentiality regarding sensitive information discussed in closed sessions or shared with the CSC in confidence.
      3. Conduct that is deemed detrimental to the effective functioning of the CSC or the best interests of the staff it represents, as determined by a two-thirds vote of the remaining CSC members.
      4. Failure to perform assigned duties.
      5. Violation of the bylaws.
    2. Process for removal:
      1. Any Carleton staff member may file a written complaint with the CSC President, detailing the grounds for removal and providing supporting evidence.
      2. The CSC President will notify the CSC member in question in writing, providing them with a copy of the complaint and evidence.
      3. The CSC member will be given two weeks to respond to the complaint in writing and/or appear before the CSC to present their case, at which time the CSC will hold a fair and impartial hearing to consider the complaint and the CSC member’s response.
      4. After the hearing and deliberation, the CSC will vote on the removal of the member. A two-thirds majority vote of the remaining CSC members will be required for removal. The member in question will not have a vote.
      5. The CSC will issue a written decision, stating the grounds for removal (if applicable) and the effective date of removal.
      6. The removed member will have the right to appeal the decision to the Carleton President (or designated administrator) within a specified time frame of the written decision. The appeal process will be determined by the College’s established policies.
      7. If a member is removed, the vacancy will be filled in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section VI.

SECTION V: Election of CSC Members

  1. Only exempt, non-exempt, and union staff members will be eligible to nominate and vote in these elections. 
  2. The CSC Vice President will oversee elections, with the assistance of the Office of Human Resources, unless they have less than one year remaining on their term. If the CSC Vice President is unable to conduct elections, another eligible CSC member will be appointed.
  3. The announcement of open positions, including a brief description regarding service on the CSC, will be made by the second week of spring term.
  4. A call for nominations will be distributed to all staff represented by the CSC.
  5. Nominations from the Carleton community will be due by a date determined by the CSC. Nominations should be collected no later than the fifth week of spring term.
  6. Before circulating the election ballot, the member in charge will consult with the Office of Human Resources to ensure eligibility of the nominees.
  7. Election ballots, with space provided for write-in candidates, will be sent to all eligible staff for election.
  8. Elections should be held no later than the eighth week of spring term.
  9. The CSC will always include at least one exempt, one non-exempt, and one union representative. If a particular staff group is not represented in the group of five to nine candidates with the most votes after an election, the candidate representing that group with the most votes on the total list of candidates will be elected. The remaining CSC seats will be filled by the candidates with the most votes, regardless of staff group.
  10. Votes will be tallied by the CSC Vice President, verified by the CSC Secretary, and validated by the Office of Human Resources before final results are announced and posted to the website.
  11. A copy of the election results will be posted on the CSC website.
  12. New CSC members announcements will be advertised through regular campus channels following the completion of the election cycle.

SECTION VI: Vacancies

  1. Special elections can be held at any point in time during the academic year due to the resignation of a current member or an unfulfilled position during the regular election cycle.
  2. The timeline for special elections must be agreed upon by current members of the CSC. The timeline will be advertised through regular campus channels.
  3. If CSC positions open midterm, the CSC Vice President will work with the Office of Human Resources to curate a list of alternate and potential new members, based on the previous election results.
  4. The CSC Vice President will open a nomination period for at least two weeks.
  5. Nominated individuals will be provided one week to accept or decline their nomination and provide their candidate platform to be advertised on the election ballot.
  6. Before circulating the election ballot, the CSC Vice President will consult with the Office of Human Resources to ensure eligibility of the nominees.
  7. Special election ballots will be open for a minimum of 72 hours, but not more than five days.
  8. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes will fill the open seat(s) in accordance with Section V, Part 9.
  9. The newly elected member will serve the remainder of the vacated term.

SECTION VII: Meetings

  1. Robert’s Rules of Order, latest edition, will govern the conduct of all meetings and all subcommittees. A current copy is available through the Gould Library, and a quick summary will be provided on the CSC website soon.
    1. All CSC members will be trained on Robert’s Rules of Order through training facilitated by the Office of Human Resources.
  2. The CSC will meet approximately monthly with the meeting schedule determined and communicated to all staff prior to the beginning of each term. 
  3. The CSC will meet regularly with the Carleton President and/or their designee for the purposes of guidance, information sharing, and open communication.
  4. The CSC will meet regularly with the Faculty Affairs Committee to discuss faculty and staff interactions and partnerships.
  5. CSC meetings will be open to all Carleton staff.
    1. The voting members of the CSC may meet in closed session at their discretion.

SECTION VIII: Voting

  1. Official actions and motions will be voted on by a quorum of CSC members. A simple majority of votes in favor will be required for the action or motion to pass. Alternate voting on any action or motion may be performed in writing, via email, or other forms of communication.
  2. A quorum will consist of 51% or more of voting CSC members. If a quorum is not met, a regular meeting may be held but no voting may occur.

SECTION IX: Programs

  1. Staff Inclusion
    • The CSC will advocate for consistent and broad inclusion of all staff in opportunities and events provided by the College (e.g. College-wide training and initiatives, special hirings, working groups, inaugurations, town hall meetings, etc.).
  2. Professional Development and Training
    • The CSC will provide input for the coordination and organization of professional development and training opportunities for staff (e.g. polling staff areas of interest, suggesting topics, sharing available resources, creating new opportunities for learning, etc.).
  3. Events
    • The CSC will work with the Office of Human Resources and/or the Special Events Committee to brainstorm and assist with organization of staff events (e.g. Winter Luncheon, Staff Retreat, social/networking gatherings, etc.).
  4. Other Programs and Initiatives
    • The CSC reserves the right to recommend or create programs it deems necessary throughout the year to meet the needs of its constituencies.

SECTION X: Committees and Appointments

  1. The CSC may authorize special committees.
  2. Guidelines, duties, and responsibilities for special committees will be specified by the CSC.
  3. The CSC President may serve as an ex-officio member of all special committees.
  4. Any College staff member can be elected to represent Carleton staff on the following College committees, including, but not limited to:
    1. Benefit Committee — 2 positions (3 year terms)
    2. Bookstore Committee — 2 positions (2 year terms)
    3. Budget Committee — 2 positions (2 year terms)
    4. Campus Design Advisory Committee — 2 positions (3 year terms)
    5. College Council — 2 positions (2 year terms)
    6. Community, Equity, and Diversity Initiative (CEDI) Leadership Board — 2 positions (2 year terms)
    7. Security Services Advisory Group — 4 positions (2 year terms)
  5. Representatives elected to College-level committees will assume their duties on a date designated by the specific committee.
  6. Representatives elected to College-level committees may be eligible to serve up to two consecutive terms.

SECTION XI: Miscellaneous

  1. Revisions to Bylaws
    1. The CSC bylaws will be reviewed annually by the CSC prior to the election year process.
    2. The bylaws, with the exception of Section I, may be altered, amended, supplemented, or rescinded by submitting any proposed change to the CSC President and Vice President in writing at least one week in advance of any regular meeting. Proposals may be submitted to the CSC President by any individuals represented by the CSC.
    3. Any proposed changes to the bylaws must be published for at least two weeks on the CSC website for consideration by the Carleton community.
    4. The adoption of the proposal will be voted on by CSC members via ballot at the next CSC meeting following the meeting in which they were proposed.
    5. Amendments will require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the CSC to be adopted.