Constitution

Revised as approved by the AU President on 2/23/2022

Preamble:

The Administrative and Professional Assembly is established to afford representative participation in the University governance process. Recognizing its role and responsibility in advising the University in formulating and administering policies affecting these employees, the Assembly affirms its commitment to the principles of fair and equitable treatment and opportunity of all employees.

Article I: Charter

Section 1: Name

This body shall be known as the Administrative and Professional Assembly of Auburn University and is hereafter referred to as the Assembly.

Section 2: Authority

The Assembly is an elected body established at Auburn University by authority of the University Board of Trustees.

Section 3: Purpose

The Assembly will be an advisory body to the President. The Assembly will provide members of the Administrative and Professional staff with a means of representative participation in the university governance process through which the formation or change of university policies may be addressed, especially those matters relating to budget, resource allocation, employee welfare, campus calendars, schedules and facilities. The Assembly will facilitate communications between these employees and other segments of the university as it endeavors to promote common interests of the employees it represents.

Article II: Organization

Section 1: Scope

The Assembly may consider any issue that has the potential to affect the general welfare of Administrative and Professional employees.

Section 2: Definition

All employees of Auburn University classified as Administrative and Professional are considered members in the Administrative and Professional employee grouping. Administrative and Professional employees who have been employed by Auburn University for one year or longer are eligible for nomination and election to the Assembly.

Section 3: Representation

A. Number of Members

The Assembly shall be composed of no more than twenty-five elected members. The Executive Committee will be included in this number.

The chair and the chair-elect will not be included in the proportional distribution of the Assembly. The chair-elect shall be elected from the Assembly membership, and the vacated position will be available to be filled from the appropriate university vice-presidential and presidential categories during the Assembly elections in the spring.

B. Proportional Representation

Representation on the Assembly shall be proportional and distributed among the colleges and schools, in addition to the vice-presidential and presidential categories as determined by the Executive Committee prior to the annual elections.

C. Term Limits

Representatives to the Assembly will serve three-year terms staggered in such a manner as to have approximately one-third of its membership retiring and approximately one-third of its membership beginning anew each year, except for each third year when seven will retire and seven will begin anew.

During the first year of Assembly existence, fourteen new Assembly representatives shall be elected. The fourteen new representatives plus the Executive Committee, excluding the chair and the chair-elect, shall draw to determine by lot each representative's term length. The selection pool shall be composed of 7 three-year terms, 6 two-year terms, and 6 one-year terms.

The Officer positions of chair-elect, chair and past-chair shall each be one-year terms, with each position served in succession. The appropriate vice-presidential or presidential category whose representative becomes chair-elect will be entitled to nominate and elect a replacement representative during the Assembly elections in the spring.

D. Elections

Each category shall hold its own election to elect its representative(s) in accordance with general guidelines set by the nominating committee. Election of the Assembly members will be held the first week of each May, and election of the Executive Committee will be held the first week of April. The newly elected officers, the Executive Committee, and the Assembly will take office July 1 of the year elected.

E. Vacancies

Vacancies shall be temporarily filled from the respective representative category by appointments by the Assembly Chair with the concurrence of a majority of the Executive Committee members. The vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at the next scheduled election.

Article III: Officers

Section 1: Composition of Executive Committee

The Administrative and Professional Executive Committee shall be composed of the chair, chair-elect, past chair, secretary, and three members-at-large. Each shall be elected by and from the elected Assembly representatives. If there is no past-chair, there shall be four members-at-large on the Executive Committee.

Section 2: Duties and Responsibilities of Officers

A. Chair

The chair of the Assembly shall preside over all meetings of the Assembly and the Executive Committee. The chair shall be the official spokesperson for the Assembly. In the absence of a past-chair, the chair will break any tie vote.

B. Chair-Elect

The chair-elect shall preside when the chair is absent and shall serve as the Assembly's Parliamentarian. In accordance with directives from the Executive Committee, the chair-elect is also responsible for arranging and scheduling regular or called meetings of the Assembly and shall reserve necessary meeting rooms. The chair-elect shall assume any other duties assigned by the chair of the Assembly. When the chair is vacated, for any reason, the chair-elect shall assume the duties of the chair.

C. Secretary

The secretary shall keep the official minutes of each Assembly and Executive Committee meeting. The minutes shall be filed in the University Archives. Copies of the Assembly minutes will be distributed to the Assembly members prior to the next meeting. The secretary shall distribute official calls for meetings and other materials as directed by the chair. The secretary will be the Administrative and Professional representative to the University Senate's Calendar and Schedules Committee. This duty can be designated to a member of the Advisor Caucus. If the duty is fulfilled by the secretary, it should involve consultation with the Advisor Caucus on important academic calendar dates.

D. Past-Chair

The past-chair's principal role shall be advisory to the Assembly and the Executive Committee. The past-chair shall not be counted as part of the assembled quorum but accorded full privilege of deliberation. The past-chair shall be entitled to vote only in the event of a tie vote.

Section 3: Eligibility

An Assembly member must have served for one full year on the Assembly, within the last five years, before becoming eligible to be nominated for an Executive Committee office. In addition, an assembly member must bave served on the Executive Committee, for one full year, within the last five years, to be considered for chair-elect.

Section 4: Elections of the Executive Committee

A. Election Process

The Nominating Committee shall present two names for each of the offices of chair-elect and secretary and a minimum of three names from the Assembly for the remaining positions. Assembly members shall be notified in writing of the nominees no later than March 15. If the nominee consents, nominations may be made from the floor at the election meeting to be held the first week of April. Election shall be by secret ballot of the Assembly members with a majority of the votes cast required for election. If a majority is not received on the first ballot, a runoff election will be held immediately between the two candidates garnering the largest number of votes. The newly elected officers shall take office July 1 of the year elected.

B. Absentee Voting

Only Assembly members present at the election meeting will be eligible to vote.

C. Vacancies

Should a vacancy occur on the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee will submit two names to the Assembly members fifteen days before the next Assembly meeting. At that meeting, the election will be held to fill the unexpired term. Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor with the consent of the nominee. If the chair becomes vacant, the chair-elect will assume the duties of the chair.

Section 5: Term Limits

Each elected position on the Executive Committee shall consist of a one-year term.

Article IV: Meetings

Section 1: Assembly Meetings

A minimum of six meetings a calendar year with frequency of no less than one per calendar quarter. Attendance at scheduled meetings will be open to all Administrative and Professional employees.

Meetings shall be scheduled at least thirty days in advance.

A. Rules of Order

Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the authority on parliamentary procedure at any meeting of the Assembly.

B. Agenda

The agenda for each meeting shall be set by the Executive Committee and distributed to all Assembly members at least seven days prior to the meeting date.

C. Quorum

A majority of the Assembly members (50% of elected members not counting any of the chairs) make up a quorum.

D. Action

All action shall be by majority vote of a quorum of members present unless otherwise specified here in or in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

E. Minutes

The Secretary shall record and maintain minutes of each meeting. Minutes shall be distributed to all Assembly members within ten days of the meeting and shall be available on request to all Administrative and Professional members.

F. Absences

An Assembly member who misses more than two of the regularly scheduled six meetings per year will be removed from the Assembly and replaced in accordance with Article II Section 3e.

Section 2: Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall meet six times per year. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair as needed.

A. Rules of Order

Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the authority on parliamentary procedure at any meeting of the Assembly.

B. Agenda

The agenda for each meeting shall be set by the Chair and Executive Committee and distributed to all Executive Committee members at least seven days prior to the meeting date.

C. Quorum

A majority of the Executive Committee members make up a quorum.

D. Action

All action shall be by majority vote of a quorum of members present unless otherwise specified here in or in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

E. Minutes

The Secretary shall record and maintain minutes of each meeting. Minutes shall be distributed to all Executive Committee members within ten days of the meeting and shall be available on request to all Administrative and Professional members.

F. Absences

An Executive Committee member who misses more than two of the six scheduled Executive Committee meetings per year will be removed from the Executive Committee and replaced in accordance with Article III Section 4c.

Section 3: Called Meetings

Special Assembly meetings may be called as necessary by the Chair. A special meeting shall also be called by the Chair within seven days after receiving a petition signed by at least one-third of the Assembly members.

Assembly members will be notified no later than 48 hours before the special meeting is to be held.

Article V: Committees

Section 1: Standing Committees

During the Spring of each year, Administrative and Professional employees will be given an opportunity to express interest in serving on Assembly and University Standing Committees and to nominate others for such service. All nominations require supervisor approval and are subject to Executive Committee review. Using this information, the Nominations and Elections Committee shall submit nominations for membership on Assembly Committees to the Assembly for approval. All committee members (with the exception of the Executive Committee members) shall serve a three-year term staggered in such a manner as to have one-third of its membership retiring and one-third of its membership beginning anew each year. During the first year of a newly established committee, each committee member will draw a lot to determine their term length. Committee chairpersons are chosen by majority vote of the respective committee members during the first meeting of each year. Committee chairpersons must have served at least one year on the committee prior to being elected chair and shall serve a one year term. Each standing committee shall have a written statement of its operating procedures on file with the Executive Committee. Each chairperson shall submit a yearly report of the committee's activities to the Executive Committee and the report shall be available upon request. Committee chairpersons should keep track of attendance at scheduled meetings. Committee members who missing more than two scheduled meetings during the year may be removed from the committee by vote of the committee and replacements will be nominated by the Nominations and Elections Committee and appointed by the Executive Committee. Committees that are unable to reach a quorum may have missing members removed and replaced by the Executive Committee.

The duties and responsibilities of the following Administrative and Professional standing committees are:

A. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Past-Chair, and the Secretary of the Assembly plus three other Assembly members elected by majority vote of the Assembly. The Executive Committee shall act for the Administrative and Professional group between regular meetings and assist the chair in preparation of the agenda for the Assembly meetings. Other responsibilities shall include the confirmation of appointees for vacancies, the formation of task forces, and the establishment and abolition of ad hoc committees as deemed necessary. The Executive Committee is also responsible for nominating Administrative and Professional representatives to other university employee groups.

B. Nominations and Elections Committee

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall consist of at least nine members appointed from the Administrative and Professional group by the Executive Committee. The Nominations and Elections Committee is responsible for submitting nominations for officers and standing Assembly committee members to the Assembly for approval and making recommendations to the President for membership on university committees. This committee shall set general election guidelines, maintain election eligibility, and maintain voting records. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall oversee all aspects of final election processes. Assembly members receiving nomination for elections shall be ineligible for Nominations and Elections Committee membership.

C. Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee shall consist of at least nine members appointed from the Administrative and Professional group. This committee is charged with aiding and encouraging the professional growth and development of the Administrative and Professional members. It shall study and recommend action on professional leave, continuing education, and recognition of professional achievement.

D. Welfare Committee

The Welfare Committee shall consist of at least nine members from the Administrative and Professional group. The Welfare Committee shall review and make recommendations about Administrative and Professional salaries, benefits, and evaluation procedures.

E. Grievance Committee

The Administrative and Professional Grievance Committee shall consist of at least fifteen members appointed from the Administrative and Professional employee group. A minimum of one member from each of the major vice-presidential representative categories shall be maintained on the committee at all times. The chair shall be elected from within the Grievance Committee and shall serve for a one-year term. The committee shall provide mediation teams to assist with the resolution of work-related complaints and shall evaluate grievances filed by Administrative and Professional employees and make recommendations to the president and appropriate vice-president.

Section 2: Ad Hoc Committees

Administrative and Professional Ad Hoc Committees may be created and dissolved as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee. Membership of such committees shall not be limited to Assembly members but may be drawn from the Administrative and Professional membership at large. Examples of Ad Hoc Committees are:

By-Laws Committee
Administrative and Professional Handbook Committee

Section 3: Administrative and Professional Employee Participation in Standing University Committees

Standing University Committees are appointed by and are advisory to the President. Administrative and Professional employees should be proportionally represented on appropriate University Committees. The Assembly Nominations and Elections Committee shall submit recommendations to the President for membership on University Committees. These committees may be under the purview of a member of the University's central administration who shall be responsible for convening these committees at regular intervals and whenever the need for committee action arises. A list of members of all standing Senate and University committees will be distributed each fall by the Office of the President.

Article VI: Grievance Policy

The Administrative and Professional Grievance Procedures can be found in the Auburn University Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, Section 8.6, March, 2006, or in such location as deemed appropriate by University Administration. It is understood that Administrative and Professional employees will be afforded the opportunity to review, comment, and endorse proposed changes to the Grievance Policy and Procedures prior to such changes taking effect.

Article VII: Amendments

These constitutional Articles may be amended by three-fourths vote of those elected members present and voting on the announced meeting date. The Assembly shall individually notify, in writing, all Administrative and Professional employee group members of every proposed change to the constitutional articles. The individual notification shall occur a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the announced meeting date on which the vote shall be taken, and the notice shall include the full written text of all proposed changes. All adopted amendments shall be subject to review and approval by the Auburn University President.

Page Last Updated: June 19, 2023