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Code of the KU Libraries Support Staff

Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the KU Libraries Support Staff (hereinafter "KULSS").
Article II. Purpose
As a representative body, KULSS serves the interests of all support staff employees of the Libraries. As an advisory body, KULSS discusses matters and decisions affecting support staff and makes recommendations to the Libraries' administration.
Article III. Membership and rights and responsibilities of members
Section 1. Membership. Each support staff person working for the Libraries shall be a member of KULSS.
Section 2. Rights. All members shall have the right to vote, hold office and serve on committees.
Section 3. Responsibilities. Members shall make their opinions known to their representative and tell their representative how they wish to be kept informed. Members are strongly encouraged to attend general KULSS meetings and are welcome to attend Executive Board meetings.
Article IV. Officers
Section 1. Titles. The officers of KULSS shall be a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and a secretary.
Section 2. General duties. The Chairperson shall preside at KULSS meetings and act as the official representative of KULSS to the Libraries' administration. The Vice-Chairperson shall assume the duties of the Chairperson in the latter's absence and serve as liaison with KULSS and other governance bodies. The Secretary shall make arrangements for KULSS meetings, prepare and tally ballots for elections and take minutes at KULSS meetings.
Section 3. Terms of office. The officers shall be elected to serve for one year or until their successors are elected. Their term of office shall begin at the close of the Executive Board meeting immediately following their election. No member shall hold more than one office at a time under ordinary circumstances.
Section 4. Vacancies. The Vice-Chairperson shall become Chairperson if the position becomes vacant. If the positions of vice-chairperson or secretary become vacant and less than nine months of a term have been served, the Chairperson shall call a special election to fill the position, otherwise the Executive Board shall fill the position by appointment.
Article V. Executive Board
Section 1. Compostion.
A. Officers. The officers of KULSS shall be the officers of the Executive Board.
B. Representatives. Representatives of the employee groups defined in Addendum II to this code shall be elected members of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be empowered to designate the number of groups and which departments comprise these groups. Representatives shall be elected in general proportion to the number of support staff employees in their group.
1. Duties. Representatives shall attend all general and Executive Board meetings and provide two-way communication between their constituents and KULSS.
2. Vacancies. If a representative is unable to serve a full term of one year the group represented shall elect a replacement.
C. Ex-officio members. The chairpersons of KULSS standing committees shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Board.
D. Consulting members. KULSS representatives on other committees shall be consulting members of the Executive Board. They are not required to attend Executive Board meetings except by direct request and they do not vote.
Section 2. Duties. The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of KULSS between general meetings, fix the time and place of meetings, make recommendations to KULSS, and shall perform other duties as are specified in this code. The Board will ascertain that the KU Libraries Support Staff website is maintained. The Board shall be subject to the orders of KULSS, and none of its acts shall conflict with action taken by KULSS.
Article VI. Committees
Section 1. Personnel Committee. This ad hoc committee shall be composed of no less than three and no more than seven members appointed by the Executive Board at any time during the current term. This committee shall be concerned with personnel issues, including but not limited to: personnel policies, procedures for job description, position reclassification, working conditions and dissemination of information pertaining to salaries and other staff benefits.
Section 2. University Committee on Libraries. This committee has one ex-officio member representing KULSS. This representative shall be elected by KULSS membership to serve a two-year term. Election shall take place as part of the election of new officers and representatives for the year the membership becomes vacant.
Section 3. Libraries' Grievance Committee. This ad hoc committee includes five members of the KU Libraries Support Staff and 5 members of Library Faculty and Professionals Assembly. Committee members are elected by special ballot and approved by the Dean as grievances are filed. Elected members may not serve two consecutive terms. Election of KULSS members shall take place as part of a special election ballot.
Section 4. Library Administrative Committees. For each library administrative committee with support staff membership the Executive Board shall submit a slate of names of support staff employees for the Dean's or Associate Dean's selection.
Section 5. Joint Committees with the Library Faculty Assembly

The Planning and Resource Committee, in consultation with library administration, KU Libraries Support Staff Executive Board and Library Faculty Assembly Executive Committee, shall examine general priorities in the distribution of resources, study planning issues and review ongoing planning activities within the Libraries, and participate in a timely manner in the Libraries' budget activities. In addition, the KU Libraries Support Staff Executive Board and the Library Faculty Assembly Executive Committee shall jointly issue other charges as needed. The Committee shall make recommendations concerning these priorities, issues and activities, as appropriate, to the KU Libraries Support Staff Executive Board and the Library Faculty Assembly Executive Committee. The Committee shall be composed of three KU Libraries Support Staff members, appointed by the KU Libraries Support Staff Executive Board and three Library Faculty Assembly members, appointed by the Library Faculty Assembly Executive Committee, plus the Libraries' Assistant to the Dean for Fiscal Services (ex officio). Committee members shall serve two-year overlapping terms and shall select a presiding officer and a recording secretary.

Section 6. Committee for the Review of the Dean. Upon call from the Provost or other appropriate University authority, the Executive Board shall direct Representatives to solicit names of KULSS members willing to serve on this committee. The Executive Board shall select from these volunteers the members whose names are to be forwarded for possible inclusion on the committee.
Section 7. Ad Hoc Committees. The Executive Board shall be empowered to appoint any committee of at least three members needed to meet the demands of KULSS.
Section 8. Structure. Each KULSS committee, standing or ad hoc, shall designate a presiding officer and a recorder. The Executive Board may designate the presiding officer of an ad hoc committee at the time the committee is appointed.
Section 9. Reports. Each KULSS committee, standing or ad hoc; and KU Libraries Support Staff members on library administration councils, joint committees with the Library Faculty Assembly and other non KULSS committees, shall provide, on a monthly basis, either a written report to the Vice-Chairperson prior to the Executive Board meeting or send a representative to the Executive Board meeting to give an oral report.
Section 10. Vacancies. Unless otherwise provided for in this code, vacancies on committees occurring during terms will be filled by appointment of the Executive Board.
Article VII. Meetings
Section 1. General. At least one general meeting of KULSS shall be held each year to introduce officers, group representatives, committee members and new support staff employees.
Section 2. Executive Board. Unless otherwise ordered by the Board, regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be at least once a month except that the Board may decide not to meet in December.
Section 3. Special. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or the Executive Board and shall be called upon the written request of ten members of KULSS. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. Except in cases of emergency, at least three working days notice shall be given.
Section 4. Agenda. The officers shall set the agenda for Executive Board meetings. The Executive Board shall set the agenda for general meetings of KULSS.
Section 5. Quorum. For general meetings of KULSS and for Executive Board meetings one-third of the membership of KULSS or of the Executive Board respectively shall constitute a quorum.
Section 6. Minutes. The Secretary shall publish minutes of all Executive Board and general KULSS meetings on the KU Libraries Support Staff website within two weeks.
Article VIII. Elections and nominations
Section 1. General. A general election to choose officers, representatives and elected committee members shall be held in early June of each year.
Section 2. Special. Special elections may be called at any time by the Chairperson with the consent of a majority of the Executive Board.
Section 3. Composing the ballot or appointive list. Representatives shall solicit nominations for elected and appointive positions. They shall contact nominees to verify their willingness to serve. Names of nominees shall be forwarded to the Secretary who shall prepare and distribute a ballot or, for appointive positions, a list of nominees.
Section 4. Voting. Written ballots shall be distributed to each member at least 10 working days before votes are to be tallied. Each member shall vote for one candidate for each officer on the ballot and for as many representatives as are apportioned to that member's group. Members shall not vote for representatives of groups other than their own. Ballots shall be returned to the Secretary on or before the date specified on the ballot.
Section 5. Tally and publication of results. Votes shall be tallied by the Secretary and one other member of KULSS. Results shall be announced on the KU Libraries Support Staff website within one week of the tally.
Article IX. Amendment of the code
Amendments of this code shall be ratified by mail ballot. Proposed changes must accompany the ballot which shall be distributed at least 10 days before votes are to be tallied. Two-thirds of the valid ballots tallied must favor adoption for an amendment to be ratified.
Addendum I.

As of June 2005, the KU Libraries Support Staff Executive Board has designated the following groups, with one representative each:
Group I Acq/Serials, Administration, Collection Development, Preservation, Reference
Group II Cataloging
Group III Watson Access Services: Circulation, ILL, Mail Room
Group IV Anschutz, Art & Architecture, Engineering, Music & Dance, Regents Center, Spencer
Addendum II.

As of October 2010, the KU Libraries Support Staff Executive Board has designated the following groups, with one representative each:
Group I Cataloging, Facilities, Preservation, Reference
Group II Acquisitions/Serials and Watson Access Services: Circulation, ILL, Mail Room
Group III Administration, Anschutz, Art & Architecture, Engineering, Music & Dance, Regents Center, Spencer Research Library