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Administrative and Professional Association
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Administrative & Professional Association Bylaws Revision Date: October 4, 2024

Article I - Name and Purpose

The name shall be the Administrative and Professional Association of the University of North Florida. The Administrative and Professional Association ("The A&P Association") shall be concerned with any activities that affect exempt staff members as specified in the constitution, rules, policies and procedures of the University of North Florida and its Board of Trustees and any governance enacted by the Florida Board of Governors and Florida law.

Article II - Mission

The A&P Association is established to foster collegial relationships among Association members which promote professionalism, creativity and leadership. The A&P Association shall also serve as a forum wherein an individual or group of exempt staff members may voice their beliefs, concerns, problems and suggestions regarding any and all aspects of the University, and of their employment. The A&P Association shall be the representative voice of its exempt staff members and shall actively participate and cooperate with the other constituent associations and the University; and shall stand in the overall governance of the University as provided for in the Constitution of the University of North Florida.

Article III - Membership

 Eligible members

The membership shall include all those persons holding exempt appointments except those otherwise classified in the General Faculty Classifications and Rank Equivalents (e.g., Librarians) and those with Administrative Appointments (Deans, Chairs, etc.). The Association shall be the judge of its membership where questions of eligibility arise, except as provided in the UNF Constitution.

Conflicts  

No member of the Administrative and Professional Association shall be a member of any other UNF constituent association simultaneously.

Article IV - Powers and Duties of Officers

Officers  

Association officers shall consist of the President, the Vice President, the Treasurer and the Secretary. Any member of the Association shall be eligible to serve as an officer. Officers shall perform the duties prescribed herein.

 

President  

The Association President shall act as presiding officer of the Association meetings. In addition to the duties prescribed by the Association's Bylaws, the President shall: represent the Association at meetings, conferences, and other occasions except as herein provided; provide leadership for Association activities; keep the membership advised concerning needs, programs, and accomplishments of the Association, or of other matters of professional concern; coordinate the work of the Association; serve as an ex-officio member of all Association Committees; appoint such special committees as the Association deems necessary to conduct business; and serve as a delegate to the University 's Standing Committees. The President shall chair the Association’s Steering Committee. The President shall serve as chair of the Gabor Award Committee. The President is responsible for the administration of the A&P Association’s mentorship program and Employee Interest Groups but may delegate this authority to another officer.

 

Vice President  

The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in the President's absence. In the event the President is unable to serve, the Vice President shall succeed to the Presidency for the duration of the unexpired term. The Vice President shall also: assist the President in coordinating Association work; and receive motions, resolutions, and proposals from the members and place all such matters on a legislative calendar in the order received. The Vice President shall chair the Nominating Committee.

 

Treasurer

The Treasurer shall receive, report and deposit the funds of the Association and disperse the same in accordance with the Association budget. The Treasurer also shall render to the Association an account and statement of all financial transactions at each annual meeting of the Association and at other such times as the Association may determine. The Treasurer shall at all reasonable times exhibit Association books and accounts to any member of the Association, shall be the accountable officer for the Association's budget, and shall in general perform all duties incident to management of the Office of Treasurer for the Association. The Treasurer shall be responsible for reviewing, approving and disbursing funding requests made by Employee Interest Groups; approval must be supported by the Steering Committee by simple majority vote.

 

Secretary  

The Secretary shall keep the records of the Association's proceedings and shall make a report at each Association meeting. The records and minutes shall be maintained by the Secretary and shall be available to members upon reasonable request. The Secretary also shall conduct the Association's general correspondence; notify members of meeting time and place; make the physical arrangements for Association meetings; maintain the records of the Association, its officers, and committees; assist the officers, committees and members, and delegates of the election; and, in the absence of both the President and the Vice President, call the meeting to order and preside until the election of a President pro temp.

 

Vacancies

The Association President shall have the authority to appoint Officers to fill vacancies for the remainder of unexpired terms. In the event of any Officers' absence or inability or refusal to perform the duties of the office, the Association President may appoint any Association member to perform his/her respective duties.

 

Power To Create Additional Offices

The Steering Committee shall have the power to create additional offices as it deems necessary and appropriate.

 

Removal  

Failure to faithfully execute the duties of the office constitutes cause for an officer's removal. Removal of an officer shall require a two-thirds majority of those members voting in a general election.

Conflicts

No officer shall serve as an elected delegate or elected member of any other constituent association committee.

Article V - Nominations and Elections

Nominations 

The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of proposed new officers for each election. 

Elections 

The names of the candidates for elected office together with information about each candidate shall be published at the beginning of the election period, as defined by the Executive Committee. This shall begin no less than one week prior to the Annual (spring) Meeting during election years. 

The Nominating Committee shall prepare a ballot that contains the names, grouped by office and arranged alphabetically, of all individual nominees who have accepted nomination. Write-in candidates will be accepted. 

Elections may be conducted either at the Annual (spring) Meeting or by electronic means, as determined by the Executive Committee. 

Election of Association officers shall be by majority vote. A majority of the members voting during the election shall constitute the majority necessary to elect an officer. 

Article VI - Committees

Standing Committees  

The Standing Committees of the A&P Association shall consist of the following:

  1. Nominating Committee - The President shall appoint The Nominating Committee bi-annually. The Nominating Committee, chaired by the Vice President, shall prepare a list of nominees for elected Association offices.
  2. Gabor Award Committee - The Gabor Award Committee shall consist of the Association President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, the current recipient and the immediate past recipient.
  3. Steering Committee - The Steering Committee shall consist of the Association officers and others as may be appointed by the President. The Steering Committee shall identify programs and activities to assist the Association in serving the needs of its members. It shall coordinate and focus the Association's involvement in University activities and projects, fund-raising efforts, and organize advocacy efforts on the Association's behalf. To this end, the Steering Committee shall have the authority to appoint such Special Committees as may be required from time to time to accomplish special projects and purposes.
  4. Constitution Jurisdiction Committee - As provided for in the University of North Florida Constitution, the President of the Association or her/his designee serves on this committee. Two (2) additional Association members serve on this committee and are to be appointed by the Association President in consultation with the Steering Committee.
  5. Constitutional Convention - As provided for in the University of North Florida Constitution, the President of the Association is a member of the Convention, which is convened every ten years, prior to the expiration of the Constitution. Five (5) additional members of the Association will be appointed to the Convention by the Association President, in consultation with the Steering Committee.
    • Ratification - By a simple majority vote of those in attendance, the Association will approve or disapprove the Constitution. This vote will occur at the Association's annual Spring, or other meeting as designated by the President, in the year the Constitution is to expire. The President will communicate the results of the vote to the President of the University.
     

Special Committees

The Association President and/or the Steering Committee shall identify such Special Committees as may be required from time to time to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Association. The President and the Steering Committee  

Article VII - Activities

Section 1 - Mentorship Program

The A&P Association shall maintain a mentorship program for the purpose of pairing new members with senior members. The mission of the mentorship program is to create meaningful professional relationships between participants and to further the professional development and institutional knowledge of new A&P Association members.

The A&P Association President or designee shall create guidelines for the administration of the mentorship program. The guidelines for administration of the mentorship program must include details on the following components of the program:

  1. A general timeline for when the program shall be active.
  2. Criteria that will differentiate mentors from mentees.
  3. A summary of how mentors will be paired with mentees.
  4. Goals and expectations for program participants.

The guidelines for administration of the mentorship program shall be made publicly available to all members on the A&P Association website. The program must be available for application to all members. 

Section 2 – Employee Interest Groups

The A&P Association shall enable members to establish Employee Interest Groups (EIG’s) for the purpose of uniting small groups of members through common interests.

Regulations

  1. The creation of new EIGs must be approved through a simple majority vote of the Steering Committee.
  2. All EIG’s must have a clear mission and purpose.
  3. All EIG’s must comply with established University policies and regulations.
  4. All EIG’s must be open to any A&P Association member.
  5. The Steering Committee may disband any established EIG through simple majority vote if the disbandment of the group is deemed to be in the best interest of the A&P Association.

Policies and Procedures

The A&P Association President or designee shall create policies and procedures for the administration of EIG’s. The policies and procedures shall be made publicly available to all members on the A&P Association website.

Funding

EIG’s may make written requests to the A&P Association Treasurer for funding to assist in their mission and purpose. Such requests, if approved by the Treasurer, must then be approved by a simple majority vote of the Steering Committee.

Article VIII - Conduct of Business

Section 1 - All members have the right and privilege to attend meetings of the Association.

Section 2 - The Administrative and Professional Association shall meet at least twice yearly. The regular meeting in the spring will be termed as the annual meeting.

Section 3 - The President of the Association may call special meetings with not less than 10 working days notice.

Section 4 - The Secretary shall notify members of all regular meetings and special meetings. Notice of all meetings shall indicate the full agenda to be considered.

Section 5 - The President, or in his/her absence, the Vice President, shall act as Chairman of all meetings of the Association. In the absence of the Vice President, the Secretary shall act as Chairman. In the absence of the Secretary, the Treasurer shall act as Chairman. In the absence of these Officers, the Steering Committee may appoint any Association member to serve as temporary Chairman.

Section 6 - No Officer may hold more than one office at a time.

Section 7 - The rules of order of the Administrative and Professional Association shall be in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Section 8 - A quorum for any general meeting of the Administrative and Professional Association shall consist of a majority of those members in attendance. A majority of committee members shall constitute a quorum for all Association committee meetings.

Section 9 - There shall be no proxy votes.

Section 10 - The usual order of business will be as follows:

  1. Approval of Minutes
  2. Reports of Officers
  3. Reports of Standing Committees in alphabetical order
  4. Reports of Special Committees
  5. Special reports
  6. Legislative calendar

Section 11 - The meetings of the Administrative and Professional Association are open, and non-members may have the floor when permission is granted by the Association. Members and non-members may submit items to the Steering Committee to be considered for inclusion on a meeting agenda at any time prior to 30 days before any such meeting.

Section 12 - Recommendations of the Association shall be forwarded to the University President for approval. Upon approval of the President or the Board of Trustees as may be applicable, these decisions shall become the policies and practices of the University.

Article IX - Amendments

The Association may amend, alter, rescind or repeal these Bylaws by majority of the members present and voting at any annual or special meeting, provided that the text of the proposal to amend has been made available to the members of the Association at least one (1) week prior to the meeting at which the amendments are to be considered.