This is drawn from the Constitution of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (as of 2025) detailing the composition and function of the Staff Senate

Composition of the Staff Senate

The Staff Senate shall be composed of one employee (benefits eligible full-time or part-time classified, or non-classified, non-faculty) for each twenty (20) full-time or part-time benefits eligible filled positions. “Non-classified, non-faculty” means all full-time employees who are not classified under the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act (Act 199 of 1969, as amended) and who do not hold a faculty rank of instructor, advanced instructor, senior instructor, assistant professor, adjunct professor, associate professor, professor, distinguished professor, or university professor. All questions as to eligibility of non-classified, nonfaculty employees shall be answered by the Executive Committee of the Staff Senate, subject to appeal to the Staff Senate.

Members shall be elected from the aforementioned groups in order to provide broad representation and shall serve staggered two-year terms. No senator shall serve more than four consecutive years. Staff senators shall be elected by ballot with all full-time and part-time benefits eligible classified, non-classified, and non-faculty personnel eligible to vote. Election of Staff Senate members shall be in April of each year. The number of senators from each office, unit or department will be limited to no more than two from an office with fewer than 20 employees, no more than three from an office with 30-50 employees, and no more than four for offices with 50 or more employees. The Staff Senate Election Committee shall prepare the ballots, which shall be tabulated by the president or designee, and the Staff Senate secretary.

Functions of Staff Senate

The Staff Senate shall have the authority to make recommendations to the chancellor on matters of general campus-wide concern and the effectiveness of the University. This responsibility includes, but is not limited to, such nonacademic areas as:

  1. Salaries, work schedules, and work conditions
  2. Fringe benefits and health services
  3. Safety, traffic, and security
  4. Quality of campus life, continuing education, and professional development
  5. Service to UA Little Rock and community

Recommendations shall be sent directly to the chancellor. The chancellor may approve recommendations of the Staff Senate within fifteen calendar days after such recommendation has been presented to the chancellor. The chancellor shall provide written reasons to the Staff Senate for not acting favorably on a recommendation. If the chancellor declines to act favorably on recommendations by the Staff Senate, and no other option can be agreed upon in a reasonable period of time, then the three campus governing bodies may, by a three-fifths vote of their membership, request that the President of the University of Arkansas System consider the matter.

If the matter is not resolved within thirty days of its referral to the President, the President may submit the matter to the Board of Trustees for consideration.

Officers of the Staff Senate

Officers of the Staff Senate shall be the president, the president-elect, the immediate past president, the secretary, the treasurer, the parliamentarian, and the communications officer. The office of the presidency will exist as three one-year terms:

  1. President-Elect
  2. President, and
  3. Immediate Past-President

The president-elect of the Staff Senate shall be elected for a one-year term, which will be followed by two one-year appointments. The president-elect’s membership in the senate shall be extended to accommodate the three one-year appointments of the office of Staff Senate president. Once the president elect’s one year term is complete, they will become the president and will serve a one-year term. At the conclusion of the one-year appointment as president, they will become the immediate past-president.

The secretary, the treasurer, the parliamentarian, and the communications officer shall be elected by members of the Staff Senate for one-year terms. Officers of the Staff Senate shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Staff Senate. Elections are conducted by the Election Committee. The duties of each office are as follows:

Responsibilities of the President

The president shall preside at Staff Senate and Executive Committee meetings and shall discharge the responsibilities specified elsewhere in this Constitution.

Responsibilities of the President-Elect

The president-elect shall be the presiding officer at Staff Senate meetings in the absence of the president and shall discharge the responsibilities specified elsewhere in this Constitution.

Responsibilities of the Secretary

The secretary shall be responsible for promptly preparing the minutes of each Staff Senate meeting and for distributing them to the entire staff following each meeting.

The secretary also shall serve as secretary of the Executive Committee. The secretary shall compile papers and documents concerned with Staff Senate matters and transmit them to the appropriate archive , at the end of each academic year.

Responsibilities of the Treasurer

The treasurer shall be responsible for collecting and accounting for dues, funds, contributions, and other monies or assets, necessary for the operation of the Staff Senate business. The treasurer shall provide financial reports at every scheduled Staff Senate meeting of each year and be prepared to give additional reports at the request of the president.

Responsibilities of the Parliamentarian

The parliamentarian shall advise the Executive Committee and members of the Staff Senate on questions of procedure in order that the business of the Staff Senate be transacted correctly, efficiently, and impartially.

The parliamentarian also shall serve as parliamentarian of the Executive Committee.

Responsibilities of the Communications Officer

The communications officer shall oversee all external Staff Senate communication, including the Staff Senate website and a Staff Senate newsletter for the UA Little Rock campus community, and shall serve as chair of the communications committee.

Executive Committee of the Staff Senate

The officers of the Staff Senate shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Senate. The Executive Committee shall prepare the agenda as provided under Meetings of the Staff Senate. Subject to challenge on the floor of the Senate, the Executive Committee shall label Staff Senate agenda items in such a manner as to indicate whether they are advisory or recommendations for action to the Chancellor.

Subject to challenge on the floor of the Staff Senate, the Executive Committee may refer proposals for agenda items to an appropriate standing committee of the Senate. In the event of such a referral, the body receiving the item shall report to the Staff Senate what action it has taken in regard to the referred item. Also, subject to challenge on the floor of the Senate, the Executive Committee shall interpret Staff Senate provisions on credentials and elections and discharge the responsibilities specified elsewhere in this Constitution.

Meetings of the Staff Senate

The Staff Senate shall schedule at least six regular meetings during the academic year.

Governing of Staff Senate Meetings

All meetings are open, although the president may limit floor privileges. Additional meetings may be called by the president at their discretion. At all meetings the president shall preside; in the president’s absence the president-elect shall preside.

In the absence of both the president and the president-elect, the president’s designee shall preside.

A majority of the Staff Senate members shall constitute a quorum. The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order governs Staff Senate meetings.

Consequences of Absence from Meetings

Any Staff Senate member who is absent for two consecutive Staff Senate meetings shall be replaced with the alternate from that administrative area who received the next highest vote.

Meeting Agenda

The Executive Committee of the Staff Senate shall compile the agenda for each meeting.

Subject matters may be brought to the attention of the Staff Senate by any person or group of persons who are employed by the University half-time or more by placing a written signed statement on file with the Staff Senate.

The agenda must be distributed to all members of the Staff Senate, the president of the Faculty Senate, and the president of the Student Government Association within five working days before the meeting.

Items of business not listed on the Staff Senate agenda cannot be conducted without a quorum being present and two-thirds majority consent.

When an issue has not been included as an agenda item, the president will have the authority to call for a vote for this item to be placed in the agenda.

The president, or the presiding officer in the absence of the president, may extend speaking privileges to persons who are not members.

Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the meetings shall be made available to all members of the Staff Senate, the Chancellor, and the presidents of the Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association. The minutes shall also be archived and made accessible to the public upon request.