Guidelines and Bylaws

Mission

The commission shall be the primary channel by which advice is given to the president on issues and concerns related to the status of those who identify as women at NIU. Commission members shall serve on behalf of the whole university community in a spirit of independence and impartiality to foster a supportive climate for those who identify as women at NIU.

The mission statement will be reviewed every three years, when the chairperson elections take place, to ensure it is up to date with current language and practices.

Meetings

The commission is composed of faculty, staff and student members and meets monthly; dates and times are determined by the chairperson. We welcome input and participation from anyone who is interested. Each year the commission sets goals to address various issues at NIU that impact all who identify as women and who are members of the university community.

Subcommittees

Members of the commission will serve on at least one of the following subcommittees to carry out the commission’s mission. The commission may establish additional subcommittees, as needed.

The Research subcommittee shall:

  • Conduct research and gather information pertaining to the status of those who identify as women at NIU
  • Present research findings to the president, commission and the greater campus community when applicable
  • Advise the president on research and actions needed but may not be the body primarily responsible for performing indicated research or information gathering

The Campus Climate and Quality of Life subcommittee shall:

  • Create recommendations for the university based on research from the research subcommittee
  • Collaborate with other departments and other presidential commissions on campus to review the campus climate and quality of life of the campus community

The Personal/Professional Development subcommittee shall:

  • Facilitate educational programs for the commission and the greater campus community

The Awards and Recognition subcommittee shall:

  • Facilitate the awards process for the commission
  • Plan and execute an awards ceremony for the commission's awards

The Bylaw Review subcommittee shall:

  • Only be formed every three years when the bylaws are being reviewed
  • Be made up of at least one member of each subcommittee
  • Review and update the bylaws including mission statement for a vote of the entire commission

The Elections subcommittee shall:

  • Convene in March and manage the election process each year
  • Be made up of one full-time faculty member, one supportive professional staff member, and one operating staff member
  • Solicit nominations for each position up for election, gather materials from nominees for commission member review, and create ballots for elections

Membership

Every spring, a campus announcement is posted where the university president solicits new members to the commissions for the upcoming academic year. Any NIU student, faculty or staff member is eligible to join the commission and needs to contact pcsw@niu.edu and provide the following information:

  • Name
  • Title
  • Classification (faculty, instructor, supportive professional staff, operating staff, undergraduate student, graduate student)
  • Email address
  • A brief statement summarizing your qualifications and desire to serve

The commission shall be composed of at least 16 members made up of at least four members of the full-time teaching faculty, four supportive professional staff, four operating staff and up to four students. The students will serve a one-year term and can be nominated by the Student Government Association or can nominate themselves. Faculty and staff are eligible for self-nominations and can be nominated by colleagues. Efforts should be made to have representation across the various divisions of the university on the commissions and on each subcommittee.

The chair and vice-chair will review all nominations submitted to the pcsw@niu.edu inbox and compile a list of names for the presidential appointment to the commission.

Members of the commission will serve three-year terms and need to follow the process outlined above should they wish to maintain their membership in the spring semester in which their membership expires. Should members wish to leave the commission before their term ends, they need to contact the chair to resign their position.

Liaisons

The following departments should identify a liaison to attend meetings and provide updates from their areas to the commission. Liaisons can choose if they would like to serve on the subcommittees and do not vote on commission business. As liaisons do not vote, liaisons cannot also serve as regular members of the commission. Term lengths for liaisons can be determined by their department.

  • Athletics
  • Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality
  • Gender and Sexuality Resource Center
  • Provost’s Office
  • Division of Student Affairs
  • Human Resource Services

Elections

The officers of PCSW shall be the chairperson, vice-chairperson and secretary. The chairperson will serve a three-year term, and the vice-chairperson and secretary serve one-year terms. All officers are eligible for re-election.

The commission will hold elections for open officer positions at its last regularly scheduled meeting in the spring semester. The Elections subcommittee will be made up of one full-time faculty member, one supportive professional staff member, and one operating staff member.  The subcommittee will convene beginning in March and will be charged with the responsibility of identifying/soliciting candidates for chairperson, vice-chairperson and secretary of the PCSW.

PCSW Officer Duties

The chairperson will serve a three-year term. The commission chair will:

  • Understand and follow the commission’s guidelines and bylaws
  • Make themselves available to meet with units or persons within the university, at the university president's request
  • Provide the university president with an annual report in June following each year as well as other reports if necessary, during the academic year
  • Prepare a schedule for monthly commission meetings, which usually take place on the second Wednesday of the month and will call special meetings as necessary
  • Develop the commission’s budget with the vice-chair and present the budget to the commission at the September meeting
  • Bring the members with excessive unexplained absences up for review by the commission in February and receive any recommendations for action

The vice-chairperson will serve a one-year term. The vice-chair will:

  • Understand and follow the commission’s guidelines and bylaws
  • Make themselves available to meet with units or persons within the university, at the president's request
  • Monitor the pcsw@niu.edu email inbox and either bring items received for discussion at commission meetings or refer the individual to the appropriate department on campus for assistance
  • Develop the commission’s budget with the chair and present the budget to the commission at the September meeting
  • Assist the commission chair with their duties
  • Fulfill the chair’s role in the event they are unable to attend meetings or complete their duties

The secretary will serve a one-year term. The secretary will:

  • Understand and follow the commission’s guidelines and bylaws
  • Make themselves available to meet with units or persons within the university, at the president's request
  • Receive notifications from commission members who are unable to attend regularly scheduled meetings
  • Notify the chairperson of any commission members with four unexplained absences for review of the commission
  • Take minutes and attendance during monthly and special meetings, to be shared with commission members
  • Maintain up to date files for the commission to be made available to all commission members

Operations

  • Members will be expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings or to notify the secretary of their absence in advance of the meeting date
  • The appointment of persons with four unexplained absences will be reviewed by the commission in February. Recommendations for action will be forwarded to the president.
  • Commission members with approved university leaves will notify the secretary of their leave timeline
  • When a vote is necessary, the commission will decide the issues based on a majority of votes by the members in attendance
  • The commission's budget shall be developed by the chair and vice-chair. It will be presented to the commission at the September meeting. Minor modifications in the budget (under $300) may be made by the chair to ensure that approved tasks are carried out.
  • Annual Report
    • Each subcommittee will provide a brief overview of their work to the chair to be included in the annual report by May 1 each year
    • The annual report will be sent out to all commission members and published on the PCSW website

Last Reviewed – April 2023

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