Version Dec. 24, 2024

The Staff Senate is an elected body that represents the staff of the school. The Staff Senate is governed by its own bylaws, which it alone has the power to amend.

The purpose of the Staff Senate is to consider and act, or recommend action, as appropriate, on all matters affecting the professional concerns of the SPH staff, including any matters as may be referred to it by the Dean or the Governing Council, and may examine and recommend action on broad issues affecting the general SPH and University community and such other matters as from time to time may be deemed appropriate.

The Staff Senate will strive to optimize the staff appointment processes, and encourage excellence, equity, and diversity within the staff body and university as a whole.

The Staff Senate will consider and make recommendations concerning staff at all career stages, including staff salary and benefits policies, and toward improving the intellectual and social environment for staff.

The Staff Senate will represent the staff in any revisions to the Staff Handbook.

Members of the staff senate are the uninstructed representatives of their constituents. It shall be the responsibility of the members of the Staff Senate to seek the opinions of their constituents. Having exercised such responsibility, the members of the Staff Senate shall feel free to make decisions and vote on matters according to their own reasoned judgment.

Staff Senate Bylaws

I. Organization

A. Membership of the Staff Senate

The staff will elect the members of the Senate, for a minimum of 5 and not to exceed a total of 9 elected members of the Senate.

All staff with a primary appointment at SPH, including all titles, are eligible to serve as elected members of the Staff Senate, unless they are members of the Governing Council. The Senate Chair, a member of the Governing Council, is the exception.

B. Terms of Office

The terms of office for elected Senate members shall be two years. Elections shall be held within one week of December 1, and terms will begin on January 1. No member may serve more than two consecutive two-year terms, but the total number of terms a member may serve is not limited. After serving two consecutive terms, an individual is not eligible for election for one year after leaving office.

C. Ex officio Members

Unless otherwise elected as a Staff Senate member, one SPH representative to the WashU Staff Council will serve as an ex officio, non‐voting member of the Staff Senate.

II. Voting rights

Staff who have a primary appointment at SPH, including all titles, may vote in Staff Senate elections.

III. Officers

A. The officers of the Staff Senate shall include at least a Chair and a Vice‐Chair.

B. Officers will be elected by the members of the Staff Senate.

C. Officers will be elected every year.

IV. Meetings and Procedures

A. Staff Senate meetings will be held at least four times per year. The Chair of the Staff Senate may call special meetings on their own motion.

B. Meetings will be open to all staff with a minimum of 50% engagement and with a primary appointment at SPH, whether or not they are eligible to vote, although the Staff Senate, by vote of its members, may go into executive session if necessary.

C. Executive session is limited to elected and ex officio Staff Senate members and anyone specifically invited to attend.

D. A quorum is defined as a majority of members of the Senate entitled to vote. A quorum must be present when a vote on official action is taken. The decision of a majority of those voting shall constitute official action of the Senate.

E. The Staff Senate shall be sole judge of its own rules and procedures not specified in these bylaws.

F. Amendment procedures. These bylaws may be amended by a two‐thirds vote of voting members of the Staff Senate.

V. Committees

Standing and ad hoc committees may be formed by the Staff Senate.

VI. Plebiscite Referral

The Staff Senate may refer an issue to the vote of the entire staff. A referral shall be initiated by a majority vote at a regularly scheduled or special meeting of the Staff Senate.

VII. Absentee and Proxy Voting

Absentee voting and proxy voting are not allowed in the Senate or in its Councils and Committees. Email votes on routine items may be taken in the Councils and Committees, provided that:

A. Email voting must be kept open for at least 48 hours and

B. There is no request by any member to postpone the vote to a regular meeting of the Council or Committee. The item is adopted if a majority of the total membership of the Council or Committee explicitly agrees in the email vote.