Hispanic/Latino Staff and Faculty Council

Article I - Name of Organization

The official name or the organization shall be the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Hispanic/Latino Staff and Faculty Council.

Article II - Mission

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

As a result, we hereby establish the Southern Illinois University Hispanic/Latino Staff and Faculty 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 Hispanic/Latino 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 Hispanic/Latino Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty
• Articulate concerns and offer suggestions for problems which exist within the ranks of the Hispanic/Latino Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff and Faculty
• Enhance the quality of the institution by improving its overall climate for Hispanic/Latino Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty
• Support mentoring, networking, and programming initiatives which foster a sense of community among Hispanic/Latino Students, Civil Service, Administrative Professional Staff, and Faculty
• Actively participate in the recruitment and retention of Hispanic/Latino 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 four Representatives (one for AP Staff, one for Civil Service, one for Faculty, and one for Graduate Students).

Section 2. Officers’ Duties

1. President: The President shall act as Chief Executive Officer of the HLSFC. In this capacity, this person shall serve as spokesperson for the HLSFC 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 HLSFC. The Vice President shall also serve as the presiding officer of the HLSFC in the absence of the President at any official HLSFC 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 HLSFC. 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 HLSFC. 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 HLSFC, like flyers, web links, etc.
4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the HLSFC. 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 four representatives (one for AP Staff, one for Civil Service, one for Faculty, and one for Graduate Students) shall ensure that the concerns of his/her constituency are voiced and addressed by the HLSFC.

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
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 Hispanic/Latino Staff and Faculty Council, all assets of this organization shall be donated to on-campus Hispanic/Latino organizations as designated by the majority of the Executive Committee.