The objective of this organization shall be to address the non-bargaining concerns of the classified employees and, in the spirit of participatory governance, work with college management in the development and implementation of college goals and objectives to promote campus community involvement, personal development, and collegiality.
As a classified employee of Moorpark College, you are automatically a member of the Classified Senate. There are no dues required to participate in the Classified Senate and participation in the Senate is completely voluntary.
As per the Classified Senate Constitution Article III. Membership - The general membership of the Classified Senate shall include all regular, permanent, probationary full-time and part-time, merit system, supervisors and confidential classified employees whose work assignment is attached to the Moorpark College campus.
CLASSIFIED SENATE CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 1
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Moorpark College Classified Senate, hereinafter referred to as the Classified Senate.
ARTICLE II
Mission Statement & Objective
Mission Statement
To participate in the Ventura County Community College District shared decision-making process by collecting, evaluating and disseminating information for classified employees at Moorpark College; to represent the aggregate interests of the classified employees before or on any non-bargaining district or college committee or task force; to promote and encourage activities which provide an opportunity for enhancing the involvement, morale and staff development of the classified employees.
The Classified Senate sees its mission as:
- Providing quality service to promote student success;
- Advocating the value and contributions classified employees provide to the learning environment;
- Being a body through which the professionalism of classified employees is valued, respected and articulated;
- Promoting the participation of classified employees in the participatory governance process at Moorpark College;
- Cooperating with campus organizations in the interest of enriching the educational environment of Moorpark College and the Ventura County Community College District;
- Supporting classified employees at Moorpark College through the organization of campus activities.
Objective
The objective of this organization shall be to address the non-bargaining concerns of the classified employees and, in the spirit of participatory governance, work with college management in the development and implementation of college goals and objectives to promote campus community involvement, personal development, and collegiality.
ARTICLE III
Membership
The general membership of the Classified Senate shall include all regular, permanent, probationary full-time and part-time, merit system and confidential classified employees whose work assignment is attached to the Moorpark College campus.
ARTICLE IV
Executive Board
The Classified Senate Executive Board, hereinafter referred to as Executive Board, shall consist of four elected Officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer; eight Senators; and the exiting President. The primary function of the Executive Board is to expedite the business of the Classified Senate.
ARTICLE V
Duties of the Executive Board
The duties of the Executive Board shall be ascribed in the Bylaws and expanded as deemed necessary by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings
The Classified Senate may meet on campus for at least one hour per month per calendar year. Special meetings may be called by petition of at least 10 percent of the membership or by majority vote of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VII
Committees and Task Forces
The Classified Senate shall have standing committees and task forces and shall determine the definition, goals and intended timeline for each. Standing committees shall be permanent and conduct the business of the Classified Senate. Task forces shall be established by the President for special purposes to deal with issues as the need arises. The chairperson of each task force shall be named by the Executive Board. The chairperson of each established task force shall make task force membership recommendations to the Executive Board, who will have the final responsibility for task force membership selection. It is the responsibility of the task force chairperson to report all findings and recommendations of the task force to the Executive Board. Responsibility for final action rests with the Executive Board, unless 10 percent of the Classified Senate membership petitions for a full vote of the Classified Senate. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and task forces, except the Elections Committee.
ARTICLE VIII
Elections
The Executive Board will form an Elections Committee and will conduct a general election every year as ascribed in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE IX
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order - Newly Revised shall govern the Classified Senate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and any special rules of order the Classified Senate may adopt.
ARTICLE X
Amendments
Any Classified Senate member may recommend to the Classified Senate Executive Board, in writing, a proposed amendment to the Constitution.
1X.1 Amendments to this Constitution may be put to a vote during a general election of the Classified Staff when meeting one or more of the following criteria:
- A two-thirds vote of the Classified Senate;
- A petition signed by no less than twenty-five percent of the classified staff; or
- The President of the College with the Classified Senate Executive Board following his/her determination that some portion(s) of the Constitution are at variance with the California State Law or the adopted rules and policies of the Trustees of the College District. Such recommendation will be presented to the President of the Classified Senate who will then bring it forward for further deliberation.
IX.2. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be presented to all classified employees at least ten working days before said amendment proposal is put to a vote. To be adopted, a proposed amendment must receive a simple majority of votes cast. Additions to and/or changes in the Bylaws may be effected by the Executive Board upon approval of a majority of the Classified Senate.
ARTICLE XI
Legal Conflict
Should any local, state or federal law, regulation, or code be found to be in conflict with this document, and then the portion in this document which is in question may be considered to be null and void; however the remainder of the document will remain full force. The law, regulation, or code from highest-ranking authority shall take precedence over all others and will be obeyed by the Classified Senate.
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BYLAW I. SENATE MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
The general membership of the Classified Senate shall include all regular, permanent, probationary full-time and part-time, merit system and confidential classified employees whose work assignment is attached to the Moorpark College campus.
BYLAW II. EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. Members of the Executive Board
The Executive Board membership shall be comprised of four (4) Officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary; current Senators; and the Exiting President.
Section 2. Duties and Responsibilities
A. Duties of President (shall include but not be limited to the following):
a. Serve as an official representative of the Classified Senate in all venues.
b. Be responsible for all required reports and recommendations.
c. Chair and facilitate all regular Senate meetings.
d. Administer and maintain the affairs of the Classified Senate between meetings.
e. Serve as ex-officio member of all Senate committees.
f. Chair of Executive Board.
g. Serve on college and district committees requiring the Classified Senate President and other committees as time allows.
h. Meet regularly with the College President.
i. Prepare the agenda for the regular meetings.
B. Duties of the Vice President:
a. Assume duties of President during the President’s absence, at the request of the President or for the unexpired term in the event the President cannot serve. This shall include attending college or district committee meetings in the absence of the President.
b. Serve as the coordinator of committee chairs and ex-officio member of all committees. Report on current status of committees activities to Executive Board and Senate.
c. Chair of the Elections Committee and Chief Election Officer for all Senate elections.
d. Perform other duties as necessary as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.
C. Duties of the Treasurer:
a. Assume duties of the President in absence of the President and Vice President in regards to facilitating or attending college/district committee meetings.
b. Shall be responsible for finances of the Classified Senate and all reports pertaining thereto.
c. Monitor legislative information pertaining to college finances in general and Classified staff in particular and report on same to the Senate.
d. Perform other duties as necessary as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.
D. Duties of the Secretary:
a. Assume duties of the President in absence of the President, Vice President, and Treasurer in regards to facilitating or attending college/district committee meetings.
b. Assume responsibility of recording all meeting notes of Classified Senate and Executive Board meetings and the distribution of such; including the distribution of the agendas.
c. Serve as official documentarian/historian of the Classified Senate.
d. Be responsible for Senate correspondence and the dissemination of information to all Executive Board members and the Classified Senate.
e. Be responsible for attendance roll and all records of the Classified Senate.
f. Perform other duties as necessary as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.
F. Duties of the Exiting President:
a. Assist and inform the President Elect with the fundamentals and history of the Classified Senate office.
b. Assume duties of the President in absence of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary in regards to facilitating or attending college/district committee meetings.
c. Perform other duties as necessary as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.
BYLAW III. ELECTIONS
Section I. Elections and Term of Office
The current Vice President will serve as Chair, form an Elections Committee with two other Executive Board members, and will conduct the general election every year beginning on or before April 1 and complete it prior to May 15. Prospective Members of the Executive Board will be nominated by the Classified Senate through the issuance of nomination forms. Nominations must be returned within one week of distribution. Only those persons who have signified their consent to serve shall be nominated for or elected to office.
Elections shall be held by secret ballot by which the Elections Committee shall submit to each member of the Classified Senate. Such ballots shall be returned on or before May 10. Ballots shall be counted in the presence of the Elections Committee. The candidate receiving the most votes (plurality) of those Classified Senate members voting shall be declared the winner.
Officers will be elected for two-year terms, with a limit of two consecutive terms. Elections for Officers (non-Senators) will be held on every odd year. Term shall be defined as June 1 of elected year through May 31 of the second year of the two-year term.
The Senators shall be elected from geographically balanced areas. The geographical areas shall be reviewed and adjusted, if need be, prior to the election. Senators will be elected for two-year terms, with a limit of two consecutive terms. Elections for new Senators will be held on every even year. Term shall be defined as June 1 of elected year through May 31 of the second year of the two-year term.
Section 2. Officer Qualification Criteria
Persons interested in running for a position on the Classified Senate Executive Board shall be considered by the Elections Committee if the individual meets all of the following criteria:
i. Shall be a Classified Senate member as defined in Bylaw 1. Section 1. Senate Membership; and
ii. Shall be a permanent employee at the time of the election.
Section 3. Removal from Office, Vacancies, and Reassignments
A. Removal from Office:
a. Any elected member of the Executive Board may be removed from office by a 2/3 majority vote of the Executive Board.
b. Reasons for Removal from Office may consist of:
i. Gross Neglect of Duties; and/or
ii. Malfeasance (the performance by a public official of an act that is legally unjustified, harmful, or contrary to law; wrongdoing (used especially of an act in violation of a public trust)); and/or
iii. Misfeasance (improper and unlawful execution of an act that in itself is lawful and proper).
B. Vacancies:
a. The President may declare a vacancy when an Executive Board member has been absent (unexcused) for more than three consecutive meetings or by which a formal written resignation has been tendered to the President;
b. In the event of a vacancy of the Executive Board, the Executive Board may, at their option:
i. Choose to elect a replacement according to the regular election procedure with confirmation by a simple majority of the Elections Committee;
ii. Authorize the President to appoint a Classified Staff member to fill the vacant Executive Board position; or
iii. Decide to leave the seat vacant until the next regular election.
C. Reassignments:
In the event that a Senator must move from one geographical area to another, he/she will continue to represent his/her original constituency for the remainder of that term of office.
BYLAW IV. MEETINGS
Section 1.
Meetings shall be open to the public and governed by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised as stated in Article VIII of the Constitution.
Section 2.
Meetings shall take place once a month per calendar year for at least one hour pursuant to Article VI of the Constitution. Meetings shall be set on a yearly calendar in conjunction with the Board of Trustees meetings to optimize flow of information, i.e., report of previous Board meeting and report from pre-Board meetings regarding agenda for the next Board session.
Section 3.
A quorum shall be established as 50% plus 1 of the Executive Board. A lack of quorum shall constitute discussion without action.
Section 4. Agenda
The Classified Senate agenda may consist of but not be limited to:
A. Agenda Approval
B. Approval of Minutes
C. Public Comments
D. Communications
E. Executive Board Reports
F. Committee Reports
G. Old Business
H. New Business
I. Other
Section 5. Standing Committees of the Senate
A. Standing Committees shall be permanent and established or dissolved by the Executive Board.
B. The charge of each Standing Committee shall be established by the Executive Board and clearly stated in the meeting notes.
C. Standing Committee Chairs must be members of the Senate and shall be appointed by the Senate President. Committee members shall not be limited to members of the Senate.
D. Committee membership shall not exceed the duration of the President’s term. Any appointee can be removed by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.
E. The Chair shall report committee activity to the Executive Board at its regularly scheduled meeting and to the Vice President of the Senate upon request by the same.
Section 6. Ad Hoc Committees (Task Force Committees)
Ad Hoc Committees shall be established by the President for special purposes and be of short duration. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Elections Committee.
Section 7. Campus-Wide College Committees
A. Requests and recommendations for Classified Staff appointments on campuswide college governance committees must be forwarded to the Service Employees International Union, Local 99 (SEIU) or to the Classified Senate President who will submit the request to the SEIU for approval.
B. Committee member appointments shall be made by the SEIU unless otherwise directed by the SEIU.
BYLAW VI. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Recommendations
Suggestions for amendment to these Bylaws can be made by submitting a written request to the Executive Board a minimum of 10 days prior to the next Senate meeting. The Executive Board shall place all amendment recommendations on the next Senate agenda for discussion. Amendments to the Bylaws shall be made with a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.
Section 2. Action
Upon no action by the Executive Board on a suggested Bylaw amendment, the amendment may be resubmitted as an agenda item upon receipt by the President of a petition with 15 classified staff signatures.
BYLAW VII. LEGAL CONFLICTS
Section 1.
Should any local, state or federal law, regulation, or code be found to be in conflict with this document, and then the portion in this document which is in question may be considered to be null and void; however the remainder of the document will remain full force. The law, regulation, or code from highest-ranking authority shall take precedence over all others and will be obeyed by the Classified Senate.
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Classified Senate Resources
- California Community Community Colleges Classified Senate (4CS)
- California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
- Community College League of California
- Foundation for the California Community Colleges
- California - Office of the Govenor
Classified Employee Resources
- Classified Employee Handbook
- Calendars
- The Moorpark College Participatory Governance Handbook 2020-2025
- HR Staff Directory
- VCCCD Graphic/Media Library
- LinkedIn Learning via the Vision for Success Center
- Working Remotely
- Balancing Work and Life
- Managing Stress for Positive Change