CASDAS Bylaws

1. MEMBERSHIP
   1. All employees holding the rank of Department Assistant or the equivalent (the principal non-exempt staff member of a department, area, program or center), or his/her designated representative, within the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences shall be eligible for membership.
   2. Anyone fitting the definition above who attends and signs in at two successive meetings shall be considered an active member of the group. A member becomes inactive by leaving the DA-equivalent position or by requesting removal from the mailing list.

2. MEETINGS
1. Meetings will take place during regular working hours, with every effort made to accommodate DAs who do not work a 40-hour week. Frequency of meetings will be decided at the first meeting of each academic year, with allowances made for breaks between quarters. The regular meeting day for each quarter shall be set at the first meeting of the quarter, for greatest convenience to the majority of participating DAs.
2. Every effort shall be made by the chair and by the members to keep meeting length to approximately one hour. The chair shall have the option of summarily adjourning until the next session any meeting which extends beyond one hour and fifteen minutes. One fifteen-minute extension beyond this time limit is allowable IF properly moved and seconded; ONLY at those sessions where a guest speaker is present. No votes may be taken during the extension of a meeting, in order to accommodate members who are unable to remain.
3. Those members present at any regularly scheduled or special meeting shall constitute a quorum, provided that both of the following conditions have been met:
   1. Any changes to the regular meeting schedule have been mailed/e-mailed on the next business day to those who were unable to attend the session at which the changes were made.
   2. The officers of the committee have announced the agenda for an upcoming meeting no less than one week prior to said meeting.
   3. The first regular meeting of any academic year will take place on the first Friday after the end of the Fall quarter drop/add period.
   4. The last regular meeting of an academic year will take place during the Spring Quarter reading week period. This meeting will be primarily a social occasion. The Vice-chair, with the aid of a social events subcommittee, will be responsible for planning the event.
   5. A special or emergency session may be convened at the request of 5 active members if a question affecting the membership requires action before the next regularly scheduled meeting. No votes may be made on amendments, officers or major issues during a special meeting, but recommendations may made and knowledge may be shared. Where possible, a one week notice of the meeting must be given to the full membership.

3. OFFICERS & DUTIES
1. Officers shall serve a one year term beginning and ending with the third regular meeting of the academic year. Officers must run for re-election every year. However there is no limitation on number of consecutive terms.
   1. The first meeting of any academic year shall be devoted to nominations for every office. Ballots will be distributed, returned and tabulated between the first and second meeting. Results of the balloting will be announced at the second meeting of the academic year, with terms effective AT THE 3RD MEETING.
   2. Ballots shall be drawn up & distributed by the Secretary of the committee. They shall be returned to & tabulated by a ballot subcommittee composed of two regular members of the group who have been appointed by the chair at the first meeting of the academic year.
2. Officers shall include a Chair; Vice-Chair; Secretary; and Communications Chair with duties as follows:
   1. Chair:
      1. cultivates a collective vision for the committee & serves as spokesperson & representative of the group on appropriate occasions
      2. presides over, convenes and adjourns meetings
      3. appoints sub-committees and work groups as necessary (such as the ballot sub-committee mentioned above)
      4. sets the agenda for specific meetings (from input given by the membership).
   2. Vice-Chair:
      1. assumes the duties of the Chair in the absence of same
      2. performs such duties as the Chair assigns
      3. serves as membership coordinator
      4. organizes social aspects of meetings: refreshments, annual social event, etc.
   3. Secretary:
      1. keeps a record of all proceedings of the group, and a file of these records
      2. prepares and distributes the minutes of the meetings
      3. keeps a file of any reports or data generated by group committees
      4. assures that all members of the group have a current copy of the statement of purpose and the bylaws
   4. Communications Chair: serves as a link to related groups on campus.
   5. Website Manager: prepares and maintains group website to distribute information of interest to department office managers, such as "tricks of the trade", a compilation of information gleaned from various sources, including CASDAS minutes and the network file-server.
3. Succession of officers who are promoted or resign will proceed as follows: If the Chair resigns, the Vice-Chair assumes that office and serves either the remainder of the term or until a special election has taken place. If any other officer resigns the Chair will appoint an interim officer until the next regular meeting, when nominations will be put forth, or a nomination committee will be named. An interim officer may only serve through two regular meetings unless elected to the position in question.
4. An officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Chair; resignation is effective immediately upon the chair's receipt of this notice.

4. AMENDMENTS & OPERATING PROCEDURES
   1. Recommendations to change or amend these bylaws may be made by any member of this group. Proposed amendments must be submitted at least one meeting prior to consideration for adoption.
   2. Amendments to the bylaws may be made by a majority vote of the members present at any regularly scheduled meeting; provided that all active members have been informed of the proposed amendment at least one full week prior to the meeting at which a vote will be taken.
   3. In its meetings and proceedings CASDAS will abide first by the rules set forth in this document; and for any procedures not covered, it shall be governed by the rules of order commonly observed in democratic deliberative assemblies.