Academic Librarians Assembly: By-Laws

By-Laws

BY-LAWS OF THE MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS ASSEMBLY

By-Law I: REGULAR MEETINGS

Section 1: The Assembly shall have at least two regular meetings each year. 

Authority: Constitution, Article IV, Section 1.

Adopted "in substance" October 7, 1975; approved as edited September 30, 1976; amended February, 2003; amended May 13, 2010; amended May 13, 2015; amended May 24, 2016.

By-Law II: SPECIAL MEETINGS

Section 1: A petition for a special meeting of the Assembly shall require the signatures of one third of the membership.

Section 2: The Secretary of the Assembly must certify that a petition for a special meeting has the required number of signatures. The certification is to be made upon receipt of the petition.

Section 3: The Secretary shall forward the certified petition to the Chairperson, who shall announce the special meeting and its purpose(s).

Section 4: Whether called by the Executive Committee on its own initiative or by petition of the membership, a special meeting must be announced together with its purpose(s) at least three working days prior to the meeting.

Authority: Constitution, Article IV, Section 2.
Adopted "in substance" October 7, 1975; approved as edited September 30, 1976.

By-Law III: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1: Purpose: The Executive Committee shall coordinate the work of the Assembly, shall act as liaison between the Assembly and the Dean, and shall assume such responsibilities as the Assembly may establish.

Section 2: The Executive Committee plans agendas for both regular and special meetings.

Section 3: The Executive Committee conducts the nomination process for the annual election of officers and committee members.

Section 4: The Executive Committee makes appointments to non-elective positions (except as appointments may be otherwise provided for in specific resolutions of the Assembly).

Section 5: Temporary appointments to fill vacant offices may be made by the Executive Committee until an election can be held. The Executive Committee shall either call a special meeting for the purpose of the election, or hold the election at the next regular meeting of the Assembly.

Section 6: Appointments to fill vacancies on the Standing Committees are made by the Executive Committee. If the term of the vacancy to be filled extends beyond the current year, the balance of the term is to be filled by election at the annual election meeting.

Section 7: The Executive Committee considers issues outside the province of other committees, and the Assembly members may request it to do so.

Section 8: The Executive Committee may require progress reports from committees of the Assembly between regular meetings of the Assembly.

Section 9: The Executive Committee shall meet at least once with the Executive Committee of the Libraries Support Staff Association in order to discuss and work on areas of mutual concern.

Authority: Constitution, Article VI, Section 2.

Adopted "in substance": October 7, 1975; approved as edited: September 30, 1976; amended November 15, l977, September 21, 1978, September 27, 1984, September 19, 1996, September 17, 1998, February, 2003, November 15, 2006.

By-Law IV: RANKS, PROMOTIONS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Section 1: Purpose

  1. To facilitate professional development opportunities in support of advancement in rank.

  2. To inform librarians of the promotion cycle, timeline, and documentation requirements.

  3. To advise the Dean on promotions of academic librarians and archivists and rank of new hires. The Dean makes recommendations to the appropriate University official.

Section 2: Composition and Eligibility

  1. The Ranks, Promotions, and Professional Development Committee will be composed of three (3) members, all holding the rank of Associate Librarian or Librarian. The Associate Dean is not eligible to serve on this Committee.

  2. In the event of absences, conflicts of interest, or conflict with University Academic Senate promotion and tenure policy, The Executive Committee may appoint alternate member(s) to the committee.

  3. The Executive Committee will ensure that there are three (3) members on the committee at all times.

  4. If the Ranks, Promotions, and Professional Development Committee deems that its current workload exceeds what it can realistically accomplish, the Committee may request assistance from the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may appoint an ad hoc task force of members to assist the Committee in alleviating its excessive workload.

Section 3: Election

  1. Election to the Ranks, Promotions, and Professional Development Committee will be as provided for in the by-laws of the Assembly.

  2. The term of office will be three (3) years, and the terms will be staggered: one (1) person going off the Committee and a new one (1) elected each year.

  3. The Committee will select its own chairperson each year from among its own members.

Section 4: Implementation and Procedures

  1. The committee will follow the “Appointment and Promotion Criteria for Marquette University Librarians and Archivists” and “Procedures for Promotion in Rank for Marquette University Librarians and Archivists” documents when evaluating promotions and recommending ranks.

  2. This Committee will work in consultation with the Associate Dean.

  3. Except as may be specified in the constitution and by-laws of the Assembly, the Committee shall establish its own working procedures.

Authority: Constitution, Article II, Sections 3, 4, 5, 6; Article VII, Section 1.

Drafted and revised February 16, July 13, and November 15, 1978; approved February 14, 1979; revised September 19, 1979, January 17, 1980, May 8, 1985 and March 28, 1990; amended February, 2003; amended May 13, 2010; amended May 13, 2015.

 

By-Law V: COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS COMMITTEE

Section 1: Purpose

  1. To examine and monitor compensation, benefits, and participating faculty status for academic librarians and archivists at Raynor Memorial Libraries.
  2. This Committee shall be advisory to the Assembly and the Dean.

Section 2: Composition and election

  1. This Committee shall be composed of three members.
  2. Election to this Committee will be conducted according to the by-laws of the Assembly.
  3. One member will be elected each year to serve a three year term.
  4. This Committee shall annually select its chairperson from among its membership.

Section 3: Procedures

  1. This committee will keep itself informed of the activities of the Committee on Faculty Welfare (a standing committee of the University Academic Senate).
  2. This Committee shall preserve the confidentiality of data in all instances where confidentiality is involved.
  3. Except as may be specified in the constitution and by-laws of the Assembly, the Committee shall establish its own working procedures.

Authority: Constitution, Article II, Section 6 and Article VII, and Article VIII, Section 3.

Adopted November 15, 1977; amended November 30, 1983, September 19, 1985, February 15, 1995, February 2003, November 15, 2006, May 13 2010.

By-Law VI: DITTMAN STUDENT RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Section 1: Purpose

This committee shall showcase student research in order to:

(a) honor Maria Dittman, the late retired librarian, who served the Marquette community for over 25 years and was responsible for teaching thousands of students library research skills.
(b) promote the importance of effective library research among students and faculty.
(c) provide a growing awareness of the role of libraries, library resources and staff in the academic environment.

Section 2: Composition and Election

(a) This Committee shall be composed of three (3) members.
(b) Election to this Committee will be conducted according to the by-laws of the Assembly.
(c) One (1) member will be elected each year to serve a three-year term.

Section 3: Procedures

(a) This Committee shall meet jointly with the Library Support Staff Association’s (LSSA) Dittman Student Research Committee.
(b) This Committee shall annually select its chairperson from among its membership.
(c) Except as may be specified in the constitution and by-laws of the Assembly, the Committee shall establish its own working procedures.

Proposed June 17, 2002, Approved Sept. 17, 2002; amended May 13, 2010, October 10, 2017.

By-Law VII: ELECTIONS

Section 1: The election of officers and members of committees shall occur annually at a regular meeting of the Assembly and shall be conducted by ballot according to the procedures established by the Assembly.  When circumstances dictate, special elections may be held at any time to fill vacated positions.   

Section 2: Nominations for elections shall take place prior to the date of the election or special election, according to the timetable and procedures established by the Assembly.

Section 3: Officers of the Assembly and members of the standing committees shall assume office on July 1st of that year.  For special elections, they shall assume office immediately following their election. 

Section 4: The election of the Assembly representative on the University Academic Senate and its subcommittees are governed by the by-laws of the University Academic Senate.

Authority: Constitution, Article VIII, Sections 1 and 3.

Adopted: Section 1 "in substance" October 7, 1975; approved September 30, 1976; Section 2 as amended, September 30, 1976 and September 17, 1998. Amended May 13, 2010; amended September 15, 2015. 

By-Law VIII: RULES OF ORDER

Section 1: The order of business meetings shall be:

(a) Meeting called to order

(b) Approval of minutes previously distributed by the Secretary:

(i) Correction requested
(ii) No motion necessary for adoption (The Chair shall rule: "The minutes stand approved as distributed," or "The minutes stand approved as corrected.")

(c) Announcements

(d) Committee reports:

(i) Call for questions or discussion
(ii) No motions necessary unless recommendations for Assembly action are made in the committee report.

(e) Other reports 

(f) Unfinished (or "Old") business

(g) New business

(h) Adjournment

Section 2: Precedence of the most common motions shall be (in descending order)

 

Motion

Debatable?

Amendable?

Vote Required

 

To adjourn

No

No

Majority

Subsidiary motions

To table

No

No

Majority

To close debate

No

No

Two-thirds

To postpone to a definite time

Yes

Yes

Majority

To refer to committee

Yes

Yes

Majority

To amend

Yes

Yes

Majority

To postpone indefinitely (effect is to reject the main motion without a vote)

Yes

No

Majority

 

Main Motion (Can only be made while no other motion is pending)

Yes

Yes

Majority

Section 3: The mover may withdraw or modify his motion if there is no objection. If there is objection the request is put to a vote.

Section 4: A motion to refer to committee:

(a) Should specify the number of appointees
(b) Should specify when the committee report is due
(c) May name the members of the committee (unless named members are appointed by the Executive Committee)

Section 5: A member may rise to a point of order, a point of information, or a question of privilege at any time without securing recognition from the Chair and without waiting for a speaker to yield the floor. Such privileged questions take precedence over all motions and require no second.

Section 6: Parliamentary questions not covered in these by-laws shall be decided by the Chair in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order with advice and consultation from the Vice-Chairperson or acting parliamentarian.

Authority: Constitution, Article IX, Section 1.
Adopted February 15, 1977, amended February 15, 1995, amended May 13, 2010.

By-Law IX: QUORUM

Section 1: The presence of 66% of members will constitute a quorum at any meeting.

Section 2: No business shall be considered by the Assembly at any meeting at which a quorum is not present, and the only motion which the Chair shall entertain at such meeting is a motion to adjourn.

 Authority: Constitution, Article IX, Section 1.

Adopted May 14, 2013, amended March 12, 2024.