Faculty and Staff

Lima Staff Advisory Council: Bylaws

BYLAWS OF THE OHIO STATE LIMA STAFF ADVISORY COUNCIL (LSAC) Updated: July 9, 2025

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this body shall be the Ohio State Lima Staff Advisory Council (LSAC).

ARTICLE II: MISSION

The mission of the Ohio State Lima Staff Advisory Council is to provide an active and participatory forum for staff members and to serve as a liaison to campus leadership concerning matters affecting staff, including trends in recognition, professional development, and other factors contributing to the current campus culture.

To achieve this mission, LSAC shall:

  1. Maintain consistent communication among staff members.
  2. Build relationships with the University Staff Advisory Committee on the Columbus campus.
  3. Facilitate a forum for staff to raise and discuss non-academic, non-Human Resource-related concerns on the Lima campus.
  4. Promote a campus culture rooted in community and professional growth.
  5. Meet semesterly with the Dean’s Office to foster transparency and increased communication.
  6. Serve as an advisory committee to the Dean and senior leadership.
  7. Provide recognition to staff members exemplifying the values of Ohio State Lima through the annual Dedicated Staff Award, administered in coordination with HR.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Composition Membership shall be limited to 9 members. If interest or participation is low, the Council may appoint ex-officio members as confirmed by the Chair. The Council’s composition should reflect representation across departments. Eligible members include Ohio State Lima staff (CCS and A&P) at 50% FTE or higher, including Columbus employees exclusively serving the Lima campus. This body does not serve as an official representative organization for labor disputes.

Section 2: Terms of Service A full term is three years, beginning at the start of the autumn semester with the fiscal year after appointment. Ideally, no member will serve more than three consecutive years, including partial unexpired terms. A 12-month waiting period is required before reappointment, unless extended service is necessary due to a small applicant pool. If a member has served three consecutive years, they may be eligible to extend their term without a waiting period if applicant numbers are low; otherwise, they must wait 12 months. Terms should be staggered so no more than two members are replaced per year. The Chair serves as an ex-officio member for one year after their term.

Section 3: Eligibility Any Ohio State Lima staff member not serving on the Senior Leadership Team is eligible. Members must be CCS or A&P staff.

Section 4: Resignations Members wishing to resign shall submit written notice to the Chair.

Section 5: Removals Members may be removed for non-attendance, non-participation, or other causes as determined by the Council in the best interest of Ohio State Lima.

Section 6: Membership Selection and Vacancies Opportunities to serve will be announced at each General Body meeting. Interest may be submitted via email to the Chair, the LSAC email address, or via Qualtrics form on the LSAC website.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

Section 1: Positions There shall be four officer positions: Chair, Chair-Elect, Treasurer, and Recorder. Officers are selected by majority vote for a one-year term beginning July 1, except for the Chair, who is the outgoing Chair-Elect. Officers must have at least one year of LSAC membership. At the end of each council term, officer positions can be reevaluated—depending on membership, officers could have a longer term.

Section 2: Duties

Chair

  • Preside over all LSAC meetings.
  • Represent LSAC at meetings with campus leadership or USAC as needed.
  • Review hardship fund requests with the Treasurer.
  • Plan and recruit new members.

Chair-Elect

  • Assume Chair duties in the Chair’s absence.
  • Prepare agendas for closed and business meetings.
  • Assist with recruitment.
  • Meet with Deans as needed.

Treasurer

  • Manage the LSAC Hardship Fund and review requests with the Chair.
  • Maintain the LSAC budget.

Recorder

  • Record minutes for all regular and special LSAC meetings.
  • Maintain the LSAC website and archive documents.

Section 3: Other Member Responsibilities Non-officer members will be assigned outreach duties by the Chair, such as birthday recognition, morale-boosting, event planning, or volunteer liaison work.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

Section 1: Types of Meetings

  1. Business Meetings: Held monthly in September, November, January, March, and May. Open to all staff (excluding senior leadership unless invited).
  2. Special Meetings: Called as needed to address concerns raised via Business Meetings or the anonymous Feedback Forum. Closed to senior leadership unless invited.
  3. Professional Development Meetings: Scheduled in October, February, and April (and as desired), offering training and development opportunities open to all staff.

Section 2: Preparation Meetings Regular biweekly closed meetings will be held to prepare for public meetings. The Executive Committee will also meet with the Dean in months without scheduled public meetings.

Section 3: Agenda and Input Staff may submit topics in advance via email, notecards, or Qualtrics. Notecards can be distributed at the start of each meeting, to be turned in and addressed privately or at the next meeting. LSAC will provide a medium for anonymous submissions and business updates via Qualtrics on the LSAC website. Anonymity will be preserved.

ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS

Bylaws may be amended by LSAC as necessary, with final approval by the Dean and a quorum of staff.