1.11 Preside at Operating Staff Council (OSC) meetings.
1.12 Enforce all regulations and policies relating to the administration of the OSC.
1.13 Call special meetings of the OSC.
1.14 In consultation with the Executive Committee, issue all notices of meetings, develop and publish an agenda and distribute minutes prior to every regular OSC meeting. (See Article 5: Meetings)
1.15 Serve on the University Advisory Committee as the operating staff representative to the Board of Trustees.
1.16 Serve as an OSC representative on the University Council, any University Council Committees as specified in the University Council Bylaws and any other required university committees.
1.17 Establish ad hoc committees as needed.
1.18 Appoints members to fill OSC officer vacancies until an election can be held.
1.19 Serve as the chair of the Executive Committee of the OSC.
1.20 Have the authority to assign a designee from the OSC to serve in an official capacity on any other committee, commission, council or senate not listed above.
1.21 Attend meetings and represent the OSC as designated by the President or the OSC.
1.22 Maintain election records and share a copy with the administrative aide.
1.23 Maintain regular contact with the operating staff representatives serving on university committees, commissions and other bodies to secure timely exchange of pertinent information.
1.24 Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
1.25 Assume the Office of President in the event the elected President cannot fulfill the elected term.
1.26 Serve as Chair of the Elections/Appointments Committee.
1.27 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.
1.31 Keep records of attendance at all OSC meetings, prepare and distribute minutes to the Executive Committee for editing and approval prior to the next regular meeting.
1.32 Maintain files of correspondence, maintain files of minutes containing all resolutions and proceedings of OSC meetings and keep a copy of these records, and share a copy with the administrative aide.
1.33 Prepare correspondence relating to the OSC as requested.
1.34 Maintain electronic equipment as necessary to secure accurate recording of minutes, if applicable.
1.35 Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President and Vice President.
1.36 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.
1.41 Have signatory authority on all OSC accounts.
1.42 Present monthly Treasurer's report for approval by the OSC. (Expenditures not previously approved by the OSC may be subject to payment by the individual authorizing the purchase and/or the individual incurring the expenses involved.)
1.43 Inquire with appropriate offices about bills that are questionable.
1.44 Sign purchase requisitions.
1.45 Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President, the Vice President and the Secretary.
1.46 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.
1.51 Ensure that proceedings of the OSC are conducted in accordance with parliamentary rules and procedures.
1.52 Serve as the moderator of virtual and in-person discussions during OSC meetings.
1.53 Serve on the OSC Legislative Committee
1.54 Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the OSC.
Any officer of the OSC may be removed from office by two-thirds of the vote of the members present at any regularly scheduled or special meeting.
Editor(s) of Northern Staff News:
Annual Operating Staff Event:
Outstanding Service Awards Selection Committee:
The President of the OSC shall be one of the five OSC voting representatives, for the term of office of the OSC President. The OSC shall elect four additional voting members from the operating staff at large. The chosen representatives, if not members or alternates of OSC, are required to attend all OSC meetings in an ex-officio, nonvoting capacity. Term of representation is one year.
3.11 University Council Subcommittees. Members shall be assigned by the Executive Secretary of the University Council from the recognized OSC representatives to the University Council.
Representatives on all committees should be status operating staff employees. If no status employee is willing to serve on these committees, an NIU retiree who was a status operating staff employee at the time of retirement would be eligible to serve.
Representatives on committees who retire may serve out the remainder of their term. At the end of the term, a current status operating staff employee must be named.
Appointees to these committees must provide a timely written or oral summary of committee meeting activities to the Secretary of the OSC. The appointees must also be available to appear before the OSC as requested to present clarification of committee activities. University committees are as follows:
The OSC officers (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and parliamentarian) and the administrative aide will meet within the first month after the July OSC meeting and/or following the hiring of an administrative aide, to determine the duties which the administrative aide will perform regarding each of the officer positions. Duties must be in alignment with the administrative aide’s job description on file with Human Resource Services.
The chairs of the OSC standing and ad hoc committees will meet to determine the duties which the administrative aide will perform regarding each of the committee chair positions. Duties must be in alignment with the administrative aide’s job description on file with Human Resource Services.
5.1 The OSC operational and fiscal year shall be from July 1 through June 30 to coincide with the university's operational and fiscal year. Regular meetings of the OSC shall be held monthly throughout the year.
5.2 At the first meeting following elections, OSC members shall vote on the schedule for the year. In case of inclement weather or unforeseeable circumstances, there will be best attempts made to schedule the meeting virtually.
5.3 Attendance at the monthly OSC meeting is mandatory for all council members.
5.4 If an OSC member expects to be absent from a scheduled meeting, they must notify the Secretary in writing to be counted as excused. After three unexcused absences in the period of July 1-June 30, a written notification of absenteeism will be sent to the offending council member. Upon a fourth unexcused absence, the member will be removed from office/membership.
5.5 The OSC President may call special meetings of the council. If the President is incapacitated or the special meeting pertains to the removal of the President, then the Vice President may call a special meeting of the council.
5.6 All standing committees shall be subject to call by their respective chair or by the OSC President.
5.7 A simple majority of the OSC members shall constitute a quorum for the handling of the business duly presented at meetings of the OSC. A simple majority vote of members present shall carry a motion except on a motion to amend the Constitution. In the latter instance, a simple majority vote of the entire OSC membership present at any regularly scheduled meeting is required.
5.8 All agenda items should be received by the OSC President no later than five business days prior to each OSC meeting. Items submitted after this deadline may be added to the agenda at the meeting only with the approval of at least two-thirds of the members present.
A representative from the Office of Human Resource Services, the representative of the Civil Service Advisory Committee to the Merit Board (EAC), the Ombudsperson, and any interested individual may attend any regular meeting of the OSC and may also contribute to the OSC any points of interest; however, these visitors do not have voting rights.
The Operating Staff Council shall consist of seventeen elected representatives and three alternate members.
Alternate members shall be determined by the three candidates receiving the next highest number of votes in the most recent OSC election. If three alternates are not available to serve, the OSC will accept nominations from the operating staff-at-large in order of the receipt of nominations.
7.121 Candidacy
Operating staff employees in status positions shall have the right to run for a seat on the OSC with supervisory approval.
7.122 Process
7.1221 Elections/Appointments Committee shall inform the operating staff at large of an upcoming election with information on candidates, electoral procedure and deadlines.
7.1222 All operating staff employees in status positions shall have the right to vote for the OSC members by anonymous ballot.
7.1223 Elections/Appointments Committee shall prepare and distribute, to operating staff at large, names of candidates and deadlines for return of ballots.
7.1224 Elections/Appointments Committee shall tabulate ballots. The final tabulation shall be given to the Administrative Aide for the OSC records. All candidates are notified after the election by email by the chair of the Elections/Appointments committee. The official results will be published in the Northern Staff News.
7.123 Filling of Vacancies of OSC Representatives
7.1231. Should a vacancy occur during a term, the vacancy shall be filled by the alternate member who received the next highest number of votes in the most recent OSC election, or the first alternate appointed from the operating staff at-large.
7.1232 Should two or more simultaneous vacancies occur during a fiscal year, the longer term shall be filled by the alternate receiving the highest number of votes or the first alternate appointed from the operating staff at-large and the other vacancy(ies) shall be filled by the next alternate in the same manner.
7.1233 When no alternate is available to fill a vacancy, the Elections/Appointments Committee will advertise for the position. Interested party(ies) may be requested to appear before the OSC. The OSC shall make the appointment by a simple majority vote of the membership.
7.1234 If a vacancy should occur three months or less prior to the end of the OSC year and no alternate is available, the vacancy shall be filled during the next regular election.
Officers shall be chosen from the OSC membership. The new President of the OSC shall have served at least one year on the OSC.
The President shall be elected for a two-year term by the members of the OSC from its membership at the July meeting. All other officers shall be elected for a one-year term by the members of the OSC from its membership at the July meeting. Retiring officers shall continue to hold office until the new officers are elected. If a member of the OSC is elected to the office of President in the third year of their term, that member’s term shall be extended an additional year so that they may fulfill their duties as President.
In the event of a vacancy in an officer's position, the members of the OSC will fill such vacancy by an election held at any regular or special meeting. Each OSC member shall receive prior written notice of the election to be held.
Procedures for elections and appointments are in the Elections/Appointments procedure manual.
8.1 Any matter of concern to civil service employees can be subject to referendum. upon presentation of a petition signed by status civil service employees.
8.2 A request for a referendum shall be submitted to the President of the OSC who shall present the petition to the OSC representatives at the next meeting. A simple majority vote of the OSC is needed to proceed.
8.3 The OSC may also initiate a referendum by a majority vote of the OSC members.
8.4 If applicable the OSC shall conduct the referendum vote by distributing ballots to status civil service employees within thirty (30) days of the OSC meeting at which the petition was presented.
8.5 The results of the referendum and the recommendation of the OSC shall be forwarded by the OSC President to the University administration.
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern this organization except when the Rules are inconsistent with the Bylaws or Constitution of the Operating Staff Council.
Revisions Approved: 9/1/22
Frances Mitchell
815-753-7193
fmitchell@niu.edu