Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee (UPAC)

Operating Principles

The Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee (UPAC) provides direct channels of communication between unclassified employees and the university administration. UPAC represents the interests of the unclassified staff as those interests are viewed in the context of the whole university. The committee:

• Serves as a discussion group regarding policies, procedures, benefits, and services affecting unclassified staff and forwards recommendations to the university administration;
• Provides an avenue of input from unclassified staff to the university administration involving matters of interest and concern at Miami University;
• Provides university officials with an effective method for soliciting and disseminating information about plans, policies, and concerns affecting unclassified staff.

Nominations and Membership

UPAC is comprised of at least 13 appointed members and ex-officio members (as needed). UPAC shall actively seek to balance the UPAC membership in terms of campus, division, gender, ethnicity, organizational level, job responsibilities, years of Miami service, and any other characteristics that help to achieve a balance of knowledge, experience, interest, viewpoints, and talents. There will be at least 2 representatives who are regional campus employees, preferably from different campuses or sites. All references to “year” are in relation to the university’s fiscal year, which starts on July 1 and ends on June 30.

Terms of Appointment

• Each UPAC member shall serve for a term of three years except for replacement members, who shall serve the balance of unexpired terms, and ex-officio members.
• Terms shall be staggered so that approximately one-third of UPAC membership shall be new each year.
• There is no restriction to submitting nominations in succeeding years or serving sequential terms.
• Members must maintain the status of unclassified employee of Miami University in order to retain UPAC membership.

Removal of Members

• A UPAC member may be recommended to the President for removal from the committee for cause by a majority vote of the full committee.
• Causes for removal may include, but are not limited to, excessive absences from regularly scheduled committee meetings, disruptive behavior at committee meetings, or serious violation of university policies.

Replacement of a Member

• If a member of UPAC leaves the committee during the first nine months of the year, a replacement nominee shall be selected by the remaining members of UPAC to fill the remainder of the term. The replacement nominee shall be selected from among the individuals previously selected as alternates for UPAC membership, subject to review by the Office of the President. If no alternates are available, the nominating procedure as outlined above will be used with adjustment to dates as needed.
• If a member of UPAC leaves the committee during the final three months of the year, the vacant position shall be filled at the beginning of the following year through the nominating and appointment process described above. The individual selected shall fill the remaining balance of the term as of the start of the year.

Ex-Officio Members

• The Directors of Academic Personnel and Human Resources (or their designated representatives) and UPAC representatives whose term on another university board, committee, or subcommittee outlasts their UPAC term shall serve as ex-officio members of UPAC. The duties of these members will include reporting to the group, serving as a liaison between UPAC and their respective offices or committees, providing context and history and serving in an advisory capacity.

Officers and Duties

Officers

• UPAC officers shall consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary.
• The Chair shall be elected by the Committee each year and will be chosen from among members in the second or third year of their terms.
• The Vice Chair shall be elected by the Committee each year and will be chosen from among members in the second or third year of their terms.
• The Secretary shall be elected by the Committee each year.

Duties of the Chair

• The Chair shall set the agenda for each regular UPAC meeting and shall conduct meetings in an orderly, businesslike way.
• The Chair shall monitor the progress of all committee work (including the assigning of subcommittees for special tasks), shall represent UPAC as necessary and appropriate, and shall ensure adequate communication between UPAC and any other group(s) involved with UPAC or its concerns.

Duties of the Vice Chair

• The Vice Chair shall assist the Chair as necessary and shall assume the duties of the Chair on occasions when the Chair is unable to perform such duties.
• The Vice Chair shall be responsible for the nomination process for new members each year.

Duties of the Secretary

• The Secretary shall keep minutes of regular UPAC meetings, and shall be responsible for providing copies to UPAC members for review. Minutes must be approved by a majority vote at a regularly scheduled business meeting. Then, the Secretary will provide copies of the approved minutes to UPAC members and other interested parties as appropriate.
• The Secretary shall take attendance at UPAC business meetings and keep a record of members’ attendance.
• The Secretary shall be responsible for archiving UPAC business meeting minutes and agendas.
• The Secretary shall submit approved minutes for publication on the UPAC website.

Meetings and Procedures

Business Meetings

• UPAC will hold a business meeting on the second Tuesday of each month or on another regularly scheduled date as selected by the Committee. In addition, the Chair may call special meetings as needed. UPAC business meetings shall be open to the university community and approved minutes of these meetings shall be publicly available on the UPAC web site.
• Members are expected to attend all meetings. If a member is unable to attend, then he or she should notify a UPAC officer at least two days before the meeting if possible.
• The Chair shall prepare and distribute an agenda prior to each business meeting. Committee members should submit agenda items to the Chair at least one week prior to a scheduled meeting.
• A simple majority of appointed members shall constitute a quorum. Passage of any motion shall require a simple majority of the quorum. Voting by ballot may be utilized if deemed appropriate by the majority of the quorum.

Working Sessions

• UPAC will meet in “working session” on the fourth Tuesday of each month or on another regularly scheduled date as selected by the committee. The function of the working session is to discuss issues, deliberate potential conflicts, detail planning of events and programs, and similar purposes. No actions requiring a vote of the committee shall be taken at the working sessions, and minutes will not be taken.

Subcommittees

• The Committee shall set forth subcommittees as deemed necessary to conduct the business of the Committee. All proposed subcommittee actions are subject to the approval of the Committee at a business meeting. Subcommittees may not commit the resources or funds of the Committee without prior approval.
• Review and formation of subcommittees will happen annually at the July business meeting.

UPAC appointments to other University Councils

• A representative from UPAC is often solicited to serve on various university boards, committees and subcommittees. Said representative shall be nominated and recommended at a UPAC business meeting.
• If a representative’s term on another university board, committee or subcommittee outlasts their UPAC term, they may continue to serve as a UPAC representative and will be expected to attend UPAC business meetings as an ex-officio member until the end of their term on that board, committee or subcommittee. If s/he declines, UPAC will appoint another current member to that position.

Conduct of Meetings

• UPAC members shall at all times respect the suggestions, ideas, comments, and concerns of all others.
• Committee members shall recognize and respect the confidential nature of some of the matters handled by the committee.

Change of Bylaws

• Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed at a business meeting.
• At the next business meeting, a vote by the full Committee shall be solicited and tabulated.
• Passage of amendments must be by a three-fourths majority of the full Committee and with the approval of the President.