The Missouri University Libraries Staff Association

Constitution

Revised May 2014

 

ARTICLE I

The name of this organization shall be the Missouri University Libraries Staff Association (MULSA).

ARTICLE II

It shall be the purpose of the organization to foster and encourage the professional development of all employees, to promote employees' welfare, and to stimulate the spirit of cooperation and fellowship among its members.

ARTICLE III

SECTION 1. Membership shall be voluntary. All employees of the MU Libraries will be included as members upon appointment and will remain members until and unless they notify the MULSA Secretary that they no longer wish to be considered members.

SECTION 2. Membership is also open to individuals of the following groups, upon request by the individual to the MULSA Secretary:

• Students and employees of the MU School of Information Science and Learning Technologies
• MU faculty or staff members with a regular workplace in the Ellis Library building not employed by the MU Libraries (e.g., staff employees of the State Historical Society, Bookmark Café, Facilities, units housed temporarily in the library)

SECTION 3. Members, as described in section 1 and 2, receive communications from the Board, are invited to participate in MULSA-sponsored events and projects, and to vote on matters concerning MULSA and the disbursal of funds raised by MULSA.

SECTION 4.  Auxiliary members of MULSA are:

• All student employees of the MU Libraries, by default
• Retirees from the MU Libraries, by default

SECTION 5.  Auxiliary members of MULSA, as described in section 4, are invited as nonpaying guests to MULSA-sponsored events, but are not asked to assume the obligations of full MULSA members and are nonvoting.

ARTICLE IV

SECTION 1. The Executive Board shall consist of four officers: President, Vice-President/President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer; and ten other elected positions: Courtesy, Community Service, Muse (2 positions), Social (2
positions), Staff Room (2 positions), and Book Sale (2 positions). Each of these offices consists of one or two chairpersons with discretionary powers to appoint a committee. All officers and chairpersons are elected in May for a period of one year, except for the Vice-President/President-Elect and the Book Sale positions. The Vice-President/President-Elect is elected for a period of two years, the first year as Vice President and the second year as President. The Book Sale positions are elected for a period of two years, with each position filled on alternating years.

SECTION 2. Duties

A. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Executive Boards; to appoint special committees and fill vacancies with the consent of the Executive Board and to call special meetings when necessary.  The President shall be authorized to open and oversee bank accounts on behalf of MULSA in the event the Treasurer is unable to do so.

B. The Vice-President/President-elect shall assist the President in carrying out the work of the organization and shall serve as President should that officer be unable to carry out his/her duties; and to preside at meetings in the absence of the president.  The Vice-President/President-elect shall be authorized to open and oversee bank accounts on behalf of MULSA in the event the Treasurer is unable to do so.

C. The Secretary shall record the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board and the general meetings of the organization. Such minutes shall be read and approved by the respective groups, then become official record.

D. The Treasurer shall receive all monies collected by the organization and shall make such disbursements as the Executive Board shall direct. The Treasurer shall occasionally place notices in Library News Notes about membership.  The Treasurer shall be the primary officer authorized to open and oversee bank accounts on behalf of MULSA.

E. The Courtesy Chair shall be responsible for extending congratulations, condolences, and other courtesies all employees on appropriate occasions.

F. The Muse editors shall be responsible for publication of the Muse. Scope, frequency, and distribution of the Muse shall be determined by the editors and approved by the Executive Board.

G. The Social Chairs shall provide for the social activities of the Association. All proposed social functions of the Staff Association should be subject to approval by the Executive Board.

H. The Staff Room Chairs shall administer all activities connected with the use of the staff room and oversee its daily maintenance, within the limits established by the Library Administration.

I. The Book Sale Chairs are responsible for all activities associated with the Book Sale as it relates to the Missouri University Libraries Staff Association with the assistance of the Executive Staff Assistant to the Director of the Libraries.

SECTION 3. The Vice-President/President-Elect shall prepare a slate of nominees for the next Executive Board. There shall be one or more candidates for each position on the Executive Board and their names will be announced two days before the election.Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the time of the general meeting or by presentation of candidates' names to the Vice-President/President-Elect at least one days prior to the election. Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot. Absentee ballots will be provided but must be returned prior to the general meeting.

SECTION 4. The time of election of officers and chairpersons shall be in May of each year. They shall assume their duties on June 1.

SECTION 5. The Board shall meet monthly or at the discretion of the President to hear reports of the chairpersons and transact such business as may arise.

ARTICLE V

SECTION 1. An annual meeting shall be held each May to elect new officers and present annual reports. Additional meetings of the membership of the Association shall be called at the discretion of the Executive Board or upon presentation to the President of the Board of a petition signed by 10% of the MU Libraries Staff.  Association membership requesting a special meeting.

SECTION 2. Electronic votes

A. Electronic votes on procedural items, proposed expenditures over $300, and other business of interest to MU Libraries Staff Association members and not requiring a change to the MULSA Constitution or By-Laws, may be called by the Executive Board or upon presentation to the President of the Board of a petition signed by 10% of the MU Libraries Staff Association membership requesting an electronic vote. Expenses related to social events to which all MULSA members are invited shall be exempt from the $300 limit on funds that can be spent without a membership vote.

B. A simple majority of electronic votes received during the electronic voting period shall be sufficient to pass the proposal.

C. The electronic voting period shall be twenty-four hours beginning at 8:00 a.m. two working days (Monday-Friday) following notification of members.  The working day between the proposal and the voting period shall provide time for discussion of the proposal by membership, electronically or in person.

D. Votes shall be received as word-processing file attachments to the voter's email reply to the proposal.  Attachments shall be saved, unopened, to a file by the Executive Board member charged with counting the votes.  At the end of the voting period, the file shall be opened, the documents read, the votes tallied, and the results announced promptly to membership.

ARTICLE VI

SECTION 1. This constitution may be amended or revised as circumstance demands, provided that the proposed amendment(s) or revision(s) be presented in writing to the organization by the Executive Board one week before the general membership meeting at which it is to be voted on. A simple majority of those present at such general membership meeting shall be sufficient to amend or revise the constitution.

SECTION 2. By-laws may be adopted, resced by a siminded or amendple majority of the members present at any general membership meeting providing that written notice of the proposals be submitted to the members at least one  week in advance of the general membership meeting.

 

The Missouri University Libraries Staff Association

BY-LAWS

 

I. The Missouri Libraries Staff Association Executive Board may make purchases under $300.00 without approval of total membership. Expenses related to social events to which all MULSA members are invited shall be exempt from the $300 limit on funds that can be spent without a membership vote.

II. Alcohol will not be provided by the Missouri Libraries Staff Association at any MULSA function.

III. MULSA Members, student employees of the MU Libraries, and their families or one friend are invited to regular MULSA-sponsored events, including but not limited to the Annual Picnic and the Holiday party, at no charge. The Executive Board shall strive to adhere to that standard for all sponsored and co-sponsored events. The Executive Board may require fees for exceptional events, but shall not treat employees' families differently from a single invited guest of the employee's choosing. Additional invited guests of regular MULSA-sponsored events may be former MU Libraries employees and selected people voted on by the Executive Board.

IV. An annual budget will be prepared by the Treasurer subject to approval by the Executive Board.

V. The MULSA Board may give awards or prizes to individual employees or units of the MU Libraries for the purpose of improving employee morale. The manner or reason for the award/prize will be decided by the MULSA Board. The amount spent on each person will not exceed $25.00.