LAUC-R

LAUC‑Riverside Bylaws

Revised April 2003
Revised May 2005

ARTICLE I. Name

The Librarians Association of the University of California (LAUC) and its divisions, including the Librarians Association of the University of California, Riverside (LAUC‑R) are established, by authority of the President of the University, and are recognized as official units of the University.

ARTICLE II. Divisional Objectives

Section 1. To create a forum where matters of concern to librarians in the University of California, Riverside may be considered, and to advise the Chancellor and the Library administration on such matters, including collections, library services, operations and policies, except as prohibited under Section 5 of this Article.

Section 2. To recommend professional standards for the rights, privileges and obligations of librarians at the University of California, Riverside, and to consult with and advise the Chancellor, or the Chancellor's designated representatives, concerning the maintenance of these rights, privileges and obligations, except as prohibited under Section 5 of this article.

Section 3. To promote the full utilization of the professional abilities, interests and skills of librarians, and to improve library services and collections, at the University of California, Riverside.

Section 4. To participate in LAUC and maintain liaison with librarians of the other campuses of the University of California.

Section 5. LAUC‑R shall not advise the Chancellor, nor the Chancellor's representatives, nor the Library administration with respect to matters covered by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or otherwise subject to negotiation between the University and any exclusive bargaining agent.

ARTICLE III. Membership

Section 1. The membership of LAUC‑R shall consist of all persons in the University of California, Riverside holding appointment half-time or more in the Librarian Series, or in any of the following titles: University Librarian, Associate University Librarian, Assistant University Librarian or in the same titles in an acting capacity.

Section 2. All members shall be eligible to vote, hold office, serve on committees and serve as representatives to the LAUC Assembly, except as provided in Article XI.

Section 3. Persons employed as librarians in the University of California, Riverside on less than half-time appointments and retired LAUC‑R members shall have affiliate membership. Affiliate members may participate in general meetings of LAUC‑R, but may not make motions, nominate candidates, become officers, serve on committees, be eligible for research and professional development funds, or vote.

ARTICLE IV. Officers

Section 1. The officers shall be chosen from the full voting membership of LAUC‑R.

Section 2. The officers of LAUC‑R shall be the Chair, Vice- Chair/Chair-Elect, Secretary, Delegate(s) and Alternate Delegate(s). The number of Delegates is prescribed in the LAUC Bylaws, Article VII, Section 2 (c), and the number of Alternate Delegates shall be the same as the number of Delegates.

Section 3. The terms of office shall be one year, commencing September 1.

Section 4. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Chair, the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect shall serve as Chair for the remainder of the current term as well as the following regular term.

Section 5. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice- Chair/Chair-Elect, a special election shall be held as soon as possible to fill the office for the remainder of the term.

Section 6. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary, Delegate(s) or Alternate Delegate(s), a member of LAUC‑R shall be appointed by the Chair to fill the office pro tem for the remainder of the term. The appointment of this pro tem officer shall become effective as soon as it has been confirmed by the Executive Board and the new officer is notified in writing.

Section 7. The duties of the Chair shall be as follows:

To determine the will of the membership and to act in accordance with that will.
To expedite the business of LAUC‑R in a manner consistent with the best interests of the membership.
To represent LAUC‑R to, and maintain active communication with, the administrations of the University, the campus and the UCR Libraries and any other appropriate organizations or agencies. If the Chair is unable to represent and speak for LAUC‑R because of absence or a conflict of interest, the Chair shall appoint a member of the Executive Board to do so.
To prepare an annual budget, to distribute budget information and disburse funds.
To report to the membership regularly.
To preside over meetings of the LAUC‑R membership and of its Executive Board.
To appoint the chairs of standing and ad hoc committees of LAUC‑R, direct charges to these committees and ensure that the committee reports and recommendations are referred to the LAUC‑R Executive Board and membership, and relevant decisions of LAUC‑R to the LAUC President and/or the chair of the related LAUC committee, for appropriate consideration and action.
To bring to the attention of the LAUC‑R membership, the LAUC‑R Executive Board and LAUC any matters which may require a response to LAUC or which may be of concern to LAUC.
To report regularly to the membership discussions, decisions and all important information and documents emanating from the LAUC Assembly and Executive Board and from the LAUC‑R Executive Board.
To represent LAUC‑R on the Executive Board of LAUC, and at meetings of its Assembly.
To submit to the LAUC President by September 1, for terms beginning October 1, recommendations for LAUC‑R representation on those LAUC committees for which LAUC‑R is eligible, and for any other appointment for which the LAUC President requests a recommendation.
To deposit appropriate records in the LAUC‑R Archives.

Section 8. The duties of the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect shall be as follows:

To assume the duties of the Chair in the Chair's absence or incapacity.
To serve as a member of the Executive Board.
To serve as Chair of the Committee on Personnel.
To meet with each new member upon the member's arrival to discuss the peer review process and procedures, the functions of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Librarian Series (CACLS) and the purposes and objectives of LAUC and LAUC‑R.
To perform such other duties as are assigned by the Chair.

Section 9. The duties of the Secretary shall be as follows:

To serve as a member of the Executive Board.
To take the minutes of the Executive Board meetings.
To compile the agenda and distribute it to the membership in advance of each LAUC‑R meeting, take minutes of the meetings, maintain the minutes after they have been approved and distribute them as directed by the Chair.
To maintain records of the LAUC‑R minutes and handle correspondence and publicity.
To assist the Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections in conducting the election of officers, as specified in Article VI; the election of CACLS, as specified in Article XI; and all other elections, as follows:
1. To prepare and distribute the ballot
2. To convey in person to the Chair of the Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections all ballots within five working days of the conclusion of each election; and
3. To notify the Chair of the results upon receipt of the report of the Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections.
To have the minutes of LAUC‑R membership meetings posted on the LAUC‑R website.
To submit to the LAUC President and Secretary by September 1 the roster of the LAUC‑R officers, and at any time to notify them without delay of changes in these offices.
To submit to the LAUC Secretary the results of the election by LAUC‑R of the LAUC officers, within ten days of such election.
To make available to the LAUC‑R membership minutes of meetings of the LAUC assembly.

Section 10. The duties of the Delegate(s) and Alternate Delegate(s) shall be as follows:

To serve as a member of the Executive Board.
To vote and represent LAUC‑R at the LAUC Assembly meetings.
In the absence of the Delegate(s), the Alternate Delegate(s) vote(s) and represent(s) LAUC‑R at the LAUC Assembly meetings.

ARTICLE V. Executive Board

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the Chair, Vice- Chair/Chair-Elect, Secretary, Delegate(s) and Alternate Delegate(s).

Section 2. The Immediate Past Chair and all members of LAUC‑R currently serving as LAUC officers shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Board.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall advise the Chair as to the will of the membership.

Section 4. The Executive Board shall perform the functions of LAUC‑R during the intervals between meetings of the membership whenever a majority of the Executive Board agrees that action cannot be postponed.

Section 5. By September 1 the Chair, in consultation with the Executive Board, shall recommend members to represent LAUC‑R on those LAUC committees for which LAUC‑R is eligible, and for any other appointment for which the LAUC President requests a recommendation. If a member is unable to continue serving in such a capacity, a new recommendation for the remainder of the term shall be made.

Section 6. The Executive Board shall adopt special and/or standing rules to govern its procedures.

ARTICLE VI. Election of Officers

Section 1. Election of officers of LAUC‑R shall be held annually.

Section 2. The election shall be held not later than June 30 and shall be conducted by secret mail ballot utilizing the Preferential Ballot system.

Section 3. Candidates for office shall be nominated by an ad hoc Nominating Committee appointed in March by the Chair in consultation with the Executive Board. Nominations may also be made by the membership to the Nominating Committee, and from the floor during a membership meeting.

Section 4. Elections for Delegate are based on the number of Delegates (in addition to the Chair or his/her alternate) allowed LAUC‑R by the LAUC Bylaws (Article VII, Section 2.c.).

In those years in which the size of LAUC‑R allows for only one Delegate, the candidate receiving the most votes will be declared Delegate. The candidate receiving the next highest number of votes will be declared Alternate Delegate.
In those years in which the size of LAUC‑R allows for two delegates, the Vice Chair-Chair Elect will serve as one delegate. In the election for the Delegate position, the candidate receiving the most votes will be declared Delegate. The candidate receiving the next highest number of votes will be declared Alternate Delegate.
If absences mandate one or more additional alternates for an Assembly, the Chair will appoint such from the Executive Board or the membership.

ARTICLE VII. Membership Meetings

Section 1. Meetings shall be held at least once per quarter.

Section 2. A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VIII. Parliamentary Authority

The current edition of Sturgis, Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall govern LAUC‑R in all parliamentary situations that are not provided for in its Bylaws or adopted rules.

ARTICLE IX. Parliamentarian, Alternate Parliamentarian

Section 1. Duties

To advise the Chair, The Executive Board, standing and ad hoc committees and members on questions of parliamentary procedure.
The Parliamentarian shall attend all membership meetings.

Section 2. Appointment

The Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Chair from the membership.
The appointment is subject to confirmation by the membership.
Appointment shall be concurrent with the term of the Executive Board.
The Parliamentarian shall not be a member of the Executive Board.

Section 3. An Alternate Parliamentarian shall also be appointed in accordance with all of the above provisions, to serve in the absence of the Parliamentarian.

ARTICLE X. Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees

The following standing committees shall be established:
1. Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections
2. Committee on Library Plans and Policies
3. Committee on Personnel
4. Committee on Professional Governance
5. Committee on Professional Development and Research
6. Committee on Programs
7. Committee on Diversity
Duties of standing committees
1. At the request of the Chair, to consider and develop recommendations upon matters implied in the committee's name, and to report directly to the Chair.
2. To submit a written annual report to the Chair by September 1.
3. If the committee is concerned with matters of more than local interest, to maintain liaison with the related LAUC committee, and to send copies of all substantive reports to the Chair of the related LAUC committee and to the President of LAUC.
Membership of standing committees
1. The LAUC‑R Chair shall appoint the chair of each standing committee with the exception of the Committee on Personnel (Article IV, Section 8, c.).
2. Each committee chair shall select prospective committee members. The committees as constituted shall be confirmed by a majority vote at a LAUC‑R meeting.
3. The term of office of members of standing committees shall be two years, commencing September 1. The terms shall be staggered to provide continuity on the committees. There is one exception: the Vice- Chair/Chair-Elect serves as the Chair of the Committee on Personnel for the duration of his/her term as Vice- Chair/Chair-Elect.
4. In the case of the Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections, the committee shall consist of three members including the committee chair, plus an alternate member who shall also be selected by the committee chair and confirmed by the membership. The alternate shall not sit on the committee when it is selecting the CACLS slate or counting ballots, except to replace a regular member. No member of the committee shall be nominated for CACLS.
5. Each LAUC‑R representative to the following LAUC Committees
  Committee on Committees
  Committee on Library Plans and Policies
  Committee on Professional Governance
  Committee on Research and Professional Development
  Committee on Cultural Diversity
  shall simultaneously be a member of the corresponding LAUC‑R Committee.
committee quorum shall consist of fifty-one percent (51%) of the members of the committee, except as stipulated in Article X, Section 1.e.1)a).
Permanent charges to standing committees
1. Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections
2. Committee on Library Plans and Policies
  1. To serve as the major advisory body to the LAUC‑R Chair and the Executive Board, as requested, on all issues concerning library planning and policies, both local and systemwide.
  2. To address other concerns and develop recommendations as appropriate.
3. Committee on Personnel
  1. The Committee Chair receives the final draft of each librarian position announcement from the LAUC‑R Chair.
  2. The Committee shall have a maximum of five working days to:
    1. review the overall contents of the documents;
    2. evaluate the job duties for appropriate rank; and
    3. evaluate the qualifications stated in terms of the job duties.
    4. submit its recommendations and comments to the LAUC‑R Chair, who shall convey them to the appropriate UCR Library administrator.
  3. The Committee Chair meets with new members upon arrival to discuss the peer review process and procedures, the function of CACLS and the purposes and functions of LAUC and LAUC‑R.
  4. To address other matters at the request of the LAUC‑R Chair and consider and develop recommendations concerning personnel matters as appropriate, except those referred to in Article II, Section 5 of these Bylaws.
4. Committee on Professional Governance
  1. To serve as the major advisory body to the LAUC‑R Chair on issues concerning revisions of the Academic Personnel Manual (APM) affecting librarians, peer review and other professional governance issues,
  2. To address other concerns at the request of the LAUC‑R Chair and consider and develop recommendations on matters of professional governance as appropriate.
5. Committee on Programs
  1. To plan, sponsor and present programs of interest to librarians.
6. Committee on Research and Professional Development
  1. To assist in the preparation of research proposals submitted by LAUC‑R members.
  2. To review research proposals submitted by LAUC‑R members to the University-wide Research Grants for Librarians Program, and to the LAUC‑R Research Program.
  3. To recommend consideration of proposals to the LAUC Research and Professional Development Committee.
  4. To approve and award funds to proposals submitted to the LAUC‑R Research Program.
  5. To be responsible for the research and career development calendar and for developing, monitoring and revising, as needed, procedures for carrying out the review of the research proposals of LAUC‑R members at the LAUC and LAUC‑R level, according to guidelines established by the LAUC Research and Professional Development Committee and the LAUC‑R Research Committee.
  6. To advise the LAUC‑R Chair on issues related to research by librarians and address other concerns at the request of the Chair and consider and develop recommendations as appropriate.
  7. To monitor the professional development budget.
  8. To make recommendations on the funding of the professional development requests of LAUC‑R members.
  9. To address other concerns at the request of the Chair and consider and develop recommendations on matters of professional development as appropriate.
7. Committee on Diversity
  1. To serve as the major advisory body to the LAUC‑R chair and Executive Board, as requested, on issues and initiatives of cultural diversity, both local and systemwide.
  2. To consider and develop recommendations and implementation strategies on matters and initiatives of cultural diversity, both local and systemwide in cooperation with the LAUC Committee on Cultural Diversity.
  3. To address other subjects at the request of the LAUC‑R chair on matters of cultural diversity in the UCR Libraries.

Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees.

Duties of ad hoc committees
1. At the request of the LAUC‑R Chair, to consider and develop recommendations upon matters implied in the committee's name, and to report directly to the LAUC‑R Chair.
2. Committees concerned with matters of more than local interest shall send copies of all substantive reports to the LAUC President as well as the LAUC‑R Chair.
Membership of ad hoc committees
1. The LAUC‑R Chair shall appoint the chair and members of all ad hoc committees.
2. The term of office of members of ad hoc committees varies according to the charge of the committee.
A committee quorum shall consist of fifty-one percent (51%) of the members of the committee.

ARTICLE XI. The Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Librarian Series (CACLS)

Section 1. CACLS shall make recommendation to the Chancellor, or the Chancellor's designee, on all personnel actions in the Librarian Series, taking into full consideration all documents compiled in such actions.

Section 2. CACLS shall consist of three members and two alternates. The term of the members shall be three years, and the senior member in regard to time served on the Committee shall be its Chair. The term of the alternates shall be one year. All terms shall begin on September 1.

Section 3. All members of the Librarian Series shall be eligible to be nominated to CACLS except members of the Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections; current members of CACLS; anyone serving as an alternate member of CACLS for the third successive year; and those lacking career status.

Section 4. CACLS is elected by LAUC‑R. Elections shall be conducted by the Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections, which shall nominate five candidates and report the nominations to the membership and to the LAUC‑R Secretary, who shall distribute ballots to the membership. The nominations presented shall not be added to, the consent of the nominees is not required and no write-in votes will be acknowledged as valid. Only members of the Librarian Series are eligible to vote for CACLS members.

Section 5. The election shall be conducted utilizing the Preferential Ballot system according to the procedures set forth in the Appendix to these Bylaws. The first person elected shall become a full member of CACLS, the second to be elected shall become the first alternate and the third to be elected shall become the second alternate.

Section 6. The ballots shall be returned to the Chair of the Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections by June 15. The Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections shall count the votes and report the results to the LAUC‑R Chair. The Chair shall, thereafter, notify the membership and the Chancellor, or the Chancellor's designee, before June 30.

Section 7. When any vacancy occurs among the full members of CACLS, the alternates shall move up accordingly, i.e.,

When there is one vacancy the first Alternate shall become a full member and the Second Alternate shall become the First Alternate for the remainder of the term, and an election shall be held as soon as possible to fill the position of Second Alternate.
When there are two vacancies the First and Second Alternates shall become full members for the remainder of the term, and an election shall be held as soon as possible to fill the positions of the alternates.
The election to fill the position(s) of the alternate(s) shall be conducted by preferential ballot and shall follow the requirements of Sections 3-6 of this article, except that only three candidates shall be nominated when there is one vacancy, or four candidates when there are two vacancies. The successful candidate(s) shall serve only for the remainder of the current term. At the following regular election two or three full members of CACLS shall be elected for the following term.

ARTICLE XII. LAUC‑R Archives

Section 1. The LAUC‑R Archives shall be housed in the Special Collections Department of the UCR University Libraries.

Section 2. LAUC‑R shall make provision for the maintenance of the archives.

Section 3. The outgoing LAUC‑R Chair, in coordination with the Secretary, shall determine which records will be deposited in the Archives.

ARTICLE XIII. Amendments

Section 1. Any member of LAUC‑R may propose amendments to these Bylaws.

Section 2. The Committee on Committees, Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections shall review all proposed amendments to determine their appropriateness and shall report its recommendations to the Chair and the Executive Board.

Section 3. Each amendment proposed and recommended by the Executive Board shall be discussed at a membership meeting before being submitted to the membership on a ballot.

Section 4. An amendment rejected by the Executive Board may be placed directly on a ballot if a petition requesting its adoption is signed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership and submitted to the LAUC‑R Chair.

Section 5. Voting on amendments shall be done on the annual ballot or by means of a special mail ballot.

Section 6. An amendment shall be considered adopted if approved by a majority of the valid votes cast.

Section 7. These Bylaws and all amendments thereto shall be subject to the approval of LAUC.

APPENDIX -- THE PREFERENTIAL BALLOT

(arranged from Australian Systems of Voting, by E.D. Senior. Sydney, Current Book Distributors, 1946)

The Preferential Ballot, which was introduced in Australia in 1907 and is still widely used in that country, has the same effect as a succession of ballots, and ensures, in an election with several contestants, that the successful candidate(s) will be acceptable to a majority of the voters.

A. To determine the first (or only) successful candidate:

The voter records a vote by placing the number "1" in the square opposite the name of the candidate for whom the voter desires to give a first preference vote, and records contingent votes for the remaining candidates by placing the numbers "2", "3", "4" and so on respectively opposite their names in order to indicate by numerical sequence the order of preference for them.
When counting the ballots, the election committee places them in piles according to the voters' first preferences. A candidate who has received a number of first preference votes greater than half the number of valid ballots is thereupon declared elected.
If no candidate has received an absolute majority of first preference votes, the candidate who has received the fewest first preference votes* is excluded, and each ballot counted to that candidate is redistributed and counted to, and placed on the pile of, the candidate next in order of the voter's preference, i.e. the number 2 vote. (Note that a second preference on a redistributed ballot has the same value as each remaining unexcluded first preference.)
Then if no candidate has an absolute majority of votes, the process is repeated by excluding the candidate who now has the fewest votes,* and counting each of that candidate's ballots to the unexcluded candidate next in order of the voters' preference, and so on until one candidate has received an absolute majority of votes** and is elected.

B. To determine other successful candidates:

After the first candidate has been elected, all of the ballots are rearranged in piles under the names of the respective candidates in accordance with the first preference votes indicated thereon.
Then each ballot on which a first preference is indicated for the elected candidate is transferred to the pile of the candidate next in order of the voter's preference, and the ballots are counted for each continuing candidate. A candidate with an absolute majority of the valid votes is declared elected.
In the absence of such an absolute majority, the counts continue. After each count not resulting in an absolute majority, the candidate who has the fewest votes* is excluded, and each ballot counted to that candidate is transferred to the continuing candidate (i.e., the candidate neither elected nor excluded) next in order of the voter's preference, until one candidate has obtained an absolute majority of votes** and is elected.
The procedure in electing a third or later candidate is similar to that described in B.1-3 above.

* In the case of a tie for the fewest votes, the same process is followed as in the previous footnote, except that the candidate with the fewest number of original first preferences, or original first plus second preferences, etc., is eliminated. (This will mean that if the tie occurs at the end of the first count, a coin will necessarily be tossed.) If after all other means have been exhausted three candidates remain tied for fewest votes, three coins, each representing a candidate, are tossed until there is only one head or one tail; the candidate represented by the one head or the one tail is then excluded.

** In the case of a tie at the end of the last count, i.e., if each candidate has received exactly half the total number of valid votes, the candidate with the largest number of original first preference votes is declared elected. If the result still remains a tie, the candidate with the largest number of original first plus original second preferences is declared elected, and so on. If at the end of this process the result is still a tie, the election is decided by a toss of a coin.

Last modified: 12/11/2012 2:36 PM