OC Home
Announcements Committees Minutes Calendar Scrapbook

ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONSTITUTION
 

The Organization of Professional Staff (OPS) is a support organization established to provide representation in regards to college issues for full-time and part-time employees classified as professional staff.

Objectives:
To provide the community and enhance the participation in appropriate committees concerning policy and decision making procedures. Thus, providing a means to present, discuss, and consider the concerns and suggestions of the professional staff in relation to institutional matters.

To improve communications between professional staff and other institutional areas.

To encourage and provide an opportunity for members to participate in community outreach.

To support and encourage the institution’s Mission and Purpose.
Page 1 rev 6/00
 

CONSTITUTION OF THE ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF
ODESSA COLLEGE, ODESSA, TEXAS

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Organization of Professional Staff of Odessa College, hereinafter known as OPS, or the Organization.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

The purpose of the Organization shall be to promote the welfare of the membership. Specifically:

To encourage and facilitate effective cooperation among all employees of the college;
To improve and increase the professional status of the OPS membership;
To represent the Professional Staff in the formulation, review, and recommendation of policies concerning professional matters.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Qualifications

Membership in the organization shall be open to any full-time member of the Professional Staff of Odessa College and those part-time employees that function as Professional staff.

Section 2. Privileges

Each OPS member shall be entitled to the following privileges unless otherwise stated in the Bylaws. They shall:
Be eligible for elected or appointed office;
Be entitled to one (1) vote in all OPS elections, referendums, items of business, etc.

Section 3. The Organization shall be the final judge of its membership.

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS

Section 1. Definition

The executive officers of the Organization shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary/Treasurer, and a Past President.


Page 2 rev 6/00
Section 2. Qualifications

The President must have been a member of the Organization for a period of one year and must be a current full-time member of the Professional Staff of Odessa College as defined in the Bylaws of the Organization.
The Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer must be current full-time members of the Professional Staff of Odessa College as defined in the Bylaws of the Organization.

ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS

Nomination of officers for the forthcoming term shall be solicited through campus mail within the first two weeks in April.

Prospective nominees will be contacted by an officer or a member of the election committee to inquire on their willingness to serve.

During the April meeting the slate of nominees will be presented and any further nominations from the floor will be accepted. Nominees from the floor must be present to accept the nomination.
Election of officers shall take place through campus mail after the April meeting.
New officers will be announced during the May meeting. Each officer shall serve a term of two years beginning September 1 of the election year.

ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS

Section 1. A quorum for a membership meeting shall consist of those present at any regular or special meeting, providing at least two executive officers are also present.

Section 2. Meetings

Membership meetings of the Organization must be held at lease once
during each semester of the academic year.
Special meetings may be called by the President or upon written request of one-third of the membership.
Others may attend membership meetings without making motions, participating in debate, or voting.

ARTICLE VII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The Parliamentary authority governing the Organization of Professional Staff of Odessa College is Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Page 3 rev 6/00
ARTICLE VIII – DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution, all fund balances shall be transferred to Odessa College General Fund at the discretion of the College President. All records shall be turned over to the Office of the President of the College.

ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS AND CONSTITUTION

Section 1. Amendments to the constitution of the Organization of Professional Staff

Amendments to the constitution may be initiated by written request signed by one-third of the membership.
Within five 5) working days the President of the Organization will appoint a committee to study the proposed amendment.
The membership will receive copies of the proposed amendment (s) and the results of the committee’s study at least five (5) working days prior to the voting date.
Amendment (s) to the Constitution shall become effective immediately upon ratification by vote of the membership in a mail or written referendum.

Section 2. Amendments to the Bylaws of the Organization of Professional Staff

All proposed amendments to the Bylaws of the Organization of Professional Staff may be amended and adopted upon approval by a two-thirds plurality of those voting, providing the proposed amendment shall have been presented to the full member-ship at least five (5) days prior to the vote.

Page 4 rev 6/00
 

BYLAWS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF
ODESSA COLLEGE

ARTICLE I – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Definition

The Professional Staff of Odessa College shall be defined as those persons with major supervisory/management responsibilities who do not report directly to the President of the College; professional support staff members who do not hold faculty rank; and those employees classified as Paraprofessional in the Employee’s Manual.
Those persons holding temporary staff appointments at Odessa College, i.e. grant award recipients, interns, etc., may participate fully in OPS Membership during the term (s) of said appointment.

ARTICLE II – OFFICERS

Section 1. Duties

President
The President shall:
Be the official representative of the Organization or name a designee;
Call regular and special Membership and executive meetings;
Preside at meetings;
Appoint committees and designate committee chairmen;
Serve as ex-officio member of all committees;
Sign for fiscal business of the Organization.

Vice-President
The Vice-President shall:
Preside at meetings in the absence of the President;
Assume the office of the President if that office should be vacated before the term has expired;
Represent OPS at meetings as designated by the President; and
Act as liaison to OPS committees as designated by the President.

Secretary/Treasurer
The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
Record and publish all minutes of OPS meetings;
Notify the Membership of regular and special meetings, changes in time and place of meeting, etc.;
Prepare and distribute the agenda for all regular and special

Page 5 rev 6/00
meetings at least five (5) days prior to the particular meeting;

Maintain fiscal records and report on same to the Membership at each meeting, or as called;
Maintain appropriate records of the activities of the Organization as designated by the President;
Present a tentative budget for the Organization; and
Represent OPS at meetings as designated by the President.

Section 2. Vacancies

(A) If there is a vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice-President shall become President for the remainder of that term of office.
(B) If there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice-President, the Membership shall elect one of its members to fulfill the duties of the Vice-President for the remainder of that term. A new Vice-President will be chosen at the next election.
If there is a vacancy in the office of the Secretary/Treasurer, the Membership shall elect one of its members to fulfill the duties of Secretary/Treasurer for the remainder of that term of office. A new Secretary/Treasurer will be chosen at the next election.

ARTICLE III – AUTHORITY

Section 1. Authority of Membership

A membership meeting must be called in accordance with the Bylaws of the Organization.
A membership meeting shall have the authority to:
Cause a referendum to be held on a ¾ vote;
By a majority vote, refer items to the next meeting;
By a 2/3 vote, of the entire membership vote, censure and/or cause a referendum to remove from office any officer of the organization.

ARTICLE IV – COMMITTEES

Section 1. OPS committees will be designated as ad hoc committees.

Section 2. The Chairpersons of committees will have the authority to call special meetings of such committees at their discretion.

Section 3. The Chairpersons of committees and/or OPS representatives to committees, if unable to attend a membership meeting, will submit to the Secretary/ Treasurer a status report of business to date.
Page 6 rev 6/00