Asian Faculty and Staff Council

Article I - Name of Organization

The official name of the organization shall be the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Asian Faculty and Staff Council (AFSC).

Article II - Mission

Our mission is to serve as a representative voice of persons who identify themselves as Asian Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, their descendants, or allies. We are here to promote a positive community and recognize the role and historical context of the aforementioned people.

We hereby establish the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Asian Faculty and Staff Council for the purposes outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws which manifest our commitment to the well-being of the University.

Our goals are:

• Advocate for the equitable treatment of Asian Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty
• Identify, investigate, and make recommendations about the historical and current impediments to the recruitment, retention, and achievement of excellence by Asian Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty
• Articulate concerns and offer suggestions for problems which exist within the ranks of the Asian Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff and Faculty
• Enhance the quality of the institution by improving its overall climate for Asian Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty
• Support mentoring, networking, and programming initiatives which foster a sense of community among Asian Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty
• Actively participate in the recruitment and retention of Asian Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty

Article III - Membership Clarfications and Fees

Section 1. Membership

Membership is open to Faculty, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, Retirees, Graduate Assistants, Research Assistants, and Teaching Assistants of SIU Carbondale who embrace the mission and goals of the Council.

Section 2. Voting Privileges

To vote, a member must:

• have attended a minimum of one meeting within the current semester, or two meetings in the current academic year. Exceptions can be granted by the Executive Board (including, but not limited to sabbaticals and work-related absences.)
• Graduate Assistants, Research Assistants, and Teaching Assistants must be registered for the current academic year.

Section 3. Meetings

• The Council shall meet a minimum of twice per semester or four times a year.
• Meeting notification shall occur using SIUC email.
• A special meeting can be convened by the Executive Committee with at least 24-hour notice, including agenda items.

Article IV - Officers, Officers' Duties and Term Limits

Section 1. Officers

The Officers of the Council shall consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and five Representatives (one for AP Staff, one for Civil Service, one for STEM Faculty, one for Non-STEM faculty, and one for Graduate Students) plus one undergraduate representative appointed by the Undergraduate Student Government.

Section 2. Officers’ Duties

1. President: The President shall act as Chief Executive Officer of the AFSC. In this capacity, this person shall serve as spokesperson for the AFSC and as the presiding officer of all its meetings, for which he/she will manage the agenda. The President must be a current faculty member, civil servant, or academic professional.
2. Vice President: The Vice President shall ensure the proper performance of all Executive Committee duties and serve as the official liaison between the committees and the
   Executive Committee. He/she will make sure that discussion flows in a manner that is inclusive and participatory, and shall respond to any procedural or constitutional issues that may arise within the AFSC. The Vice President shall also serve as the presiding officer of the AFSC in the absence of the President at any official AFSC function. The Vice-President must be a current faculty member, civil servant, or academic professional.
3. Secretary: The Secretary shall be the Chief Records Officer of AFSC. This person shall maintain and distribute the minutes of Executive Committee and general membership meetings. He/she shall also distribute any correspondence pertaining to special meetings or events by the AFSC. The Secretary shall produce written reports to the Executive Committee and shall oversee the functions of the Membership Committee. He/she shall also maintain official copies of the minutes and events produced by the AFSC, like flyers, web links, etc.
4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the AFSC. This person shall be responsible for the proper handling, collection and disbursement of funds. The treasurer shall maintain the roster of all active members and produce written reports to the Executive Committee.
5. Representatives: The five representatives (one for AP Staff, one for Civil Service, two for Faculty—one from STEM area and one from non-STEM area, and one for Graduate Students) shall ensure that the concerns of his/her constituency are voiced and addressed by the AFSC. There will be one undergraduate representative appointed by the Undergraduate Student Government.

Section 3. Terms of Office and Elections Procedures

• To be eligible for office, the candidate must be a voting member.
• The quorum of a valid election meeting is fifty percent of all voting members, including proxies.
• Officers shall hold office for a two-year term.
• Elections shall take place in the last meeting of the academic year, to be held no later than the last day of April, with one-half of the officers elected in even numbered years and one-half elected in odd numbered years as indicated below.
• Terms begin at the beginning of the following fall academic semester.

Section 4. Resignation and Termination

1. Resignations: All resignations by officers of the Executive Committee shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee.
2. Removal from Office: 

   b-1.  A vacant seat on the Executive Committee shall exist when a member has two unexcused absences from two regularly scheduled meetings within an academic semester.

   b-2.  The Council has the option to remove an officer by majority vote of members in attendance. The removal has to be part of an agenda previously announced to all voting members.

Article V - Amendments

The Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of those voting at a regular or special meeting. The proposed amendments shall be distributed to the membership ten calendar days prior to voting.

Article VI - Dissolution

In the event of dissolution of the Asian Faculty and Staff Council, all assets of this organization shall be donated to on-campus Asian organizations as designated by the majority of the Executive Committee.