Primary By-Laws

1. The chair of the Council will be chosen in April of the academic year preceding the one in which she/he will serve by majority vote of the current Council members. A vice/co chair will be chosen at the same time and in the same manner. The length of service for both will be one calendar year, beginning on August 15 with re-election possible.

2. The responsibilities of the chair will be to provide direction to the council, to call meetings, to provide members with an agenda prior to the meeting, and to preside at those meetings, to handle communications between the council and the university administration and the broader campus community, and to perform such other duties that will guarantee the smooth and productive functioning of the council.

The responsibilities of the vice/co chair will be to assist the chair in the performance of her\his duties and to call and preside at meetings in the absence of the chair.

3. A secretary and/or treasurer will be chosen by majority vote at the same time as the chair and vice‑chair. The responsibilities of the secretary\treasurer will be to record and distribute minutes of the meetings, to ensure records are kept of documents and correspondence of the council, to keep an accurate accounting of the finances of the council including monies provided each semester by the president, and to fill out necessary forms for activities of the council that involve money.

4. Upon advice of the council, members will be appointed by the president by May 15 and will begin service on August 15. They will serve for three‑year terms with re-appointment possible. The council will make advisory recommendations to the president concerning potential members. All members of the University community are eligible. All efforts should be made to ensure that the composition of the council is broadly representative of the University community.

5. The Director or designee of the Women's Center and the Director or designee of Women Studies will be ex officio members of the Council. As such they will have a vote in council decisions.

6. A regular meeting time determined to be most convenient for most members will be set at the beginning of each academic term, in August and in January. Other meetings may be called by the chair, or by the vice/co chair in the absence of the chair.

7. The Council under the direction of the chair may establish committees to deal with particular issues. The composition of the committees, their charge, and the duration of their existence will be determined by the Council, relying upon recommendations from the chair.

8. The Council will submit an Annual Report to the President by the recommended due date each year.

Approved & Updated

02/01/03 wh