The Committee shall consist of thirteen (13) members, twelve(12) regular members recruited and elected from the staff at large and one (1) ex-officio member.

The elected members shall serve three-year terms. Committee membership terms shall begin with the first day of October and conclude the last day in September.

The Director of the University Library shall appoint the ex-officio member. Currently, the Assistant to the Director serves as ex-officio to the committee. In the event that positions related to the issue of diversity are created, these positions may be added to the Committee with ex-officio membership at the discretion of the Library Director.

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Procedures

A. Election of New Members
New members shall be elected each September in an open election of all regular library staff by anonymous ballot. Nominations shall be solicited from the entire staff , with staff members allowed to nominate themselves. Former Committee members are required to wait one year (1) before rejoining the Committee.

The call for nominations shall begin in early August. The ballots shall be sent out no later than the end of the third week of August. Each nominee shall be asked to submit a self-promotional statement to the Committee, which expresses the nominee's interest in the Committee and the attributes the nominee would bring to the Committee. The statements will be available in the library sharespace for all staff to review during the balloting process.

The election shall be administered by an election subcommittee comprised of the four Committee members whose terms are about to conclude. A member of the election subcommittee shall be designated to serve as a liaison for the nominees, providing answers to nominee's questions. The Committee shall provide assistance in this process as needed.

The election of new Committee members shall occur during the first two weeks of September, with a deadline for returning the ballots of the Friday of the second full week of September. The Director's office shall contact the supervisor of each nominee to obtain the supervisor's endorsement of that person's possible membership on the Committee. Once the election has occurred, the names of the four nominees receiving the greatest number of votes shall be submitted to the Library Director as the persons newly elected to the committee. The nominee receiving the fifth highest vote tally shall be designated as an alternate to fill Committee vacancies of greater than twelve (12) months. Following the election, the Library Director shall notify each newly elected member by letter of his or her appointment to the Committee. Additionally, a letter from the Committee chair on behalf of the Committee shall be sent to the new members to welcome them and to share a packet of orientation information. The first meeting for newly elected members shall be the first meeting of October.

The name of the nominee designated as an alternate shall be forwarded to the Library Director for official appointment to the Committee to a vacant position. This alternate will not have to adhere to the one-year waiting period that members who have served their full term must comply. Vacancies of less than twelve (12) months shall not be filled.

B. Meeting Time and Location
The Committee shall meet once a month on a Wednesday of each month, with additional meetings to be called by the Committee Chair. The standard location for meetings shall be 818 Hatcher South, the Director’s Conference Room, Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library. When deemed necessary or desirable, the meetings may be rescheduled and or held in a different location. At least two (2) regular meetings per year shall be held at a location off central campus. Subcommittees shall meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month at locations to be determined by subcommittee members.

C. Chair and Vice Chair
A Chairperson and Vice-Chair of the Committee shall be selected from amongst the twelve (12) regular Committee members during the second meeting of May by a vote of the entire Committee and shall serve for a term of one (1) year. The term shall begin the first of July and conclude at the end of the June. During this term, the Chair shall be responsible for scheduling a meeting location, preparing the agenda for each meeting, designating a taker of the minutes, distributing the meeting minutes and attending Library Cabinet meetings. The Vice-Chair will assist the Chair in his/her duties and will lead meetings in the Chair's absence.

D. Committee Member Duties
Discussions at Committee meetings shall be open and civil. All Committee members shall have a single vote on all issues put to a vote.

Minutes from each regular meeting shall be distributed to the committee in advance of the next meeting for approval for the official record as well as for inclusion on the website. This may result in two sets of minutes.

To facilitate Committee business, members shall organize various standing and ad hoc subcommittees, whose composition shall be determined annually after the election of new members. Each member is expected to serve on at least one (1) subcommittee.

E. Annual Goals
The Committee shall write a goals document each year, beginning the process each July. Progress on the goals shall be reviewed quarterly and revisited as necessary.. This goals document shall be limited to short term goals.

F. Budget
The Committee's budget shall be allocated from the Library’s Staff Development funds. The Chair shall have responsibility for overseeing the budget and signing any authorization of expenditures.

G. Meeting Guests
Committee meetings shall be open to Library staff. Those wishing to attend Committee meetings shall be asked to inform the Committee a minimum of one (1) day before the scheduled meeting. Guests shall be allowed to take part in Committee discussion but not allowed to vote. The Committee shall reserve the right to excuse guests when confidential issues are to be discussed. The Committee may also invite Library staff and others from the community to meetings as guests to discuss matters of interest.

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Activities

A. Annual Diversity Award
Each year, the Committee shall recognize an individual or group who has made a significant contribution to the Library’s Diversity program with the Annual Diversity Award. Nominations shall be solicited from throughout the Library system at least one and a half to two months prior to the Annual Diversity Celebration. Individuals nominating other staff shall be asked to submit supporting statements outlining the nominees' contribution to the Library’s Diversity program. The Committee shall vote on the nominees and inform the Director of the results. The Award shall be presented in the summer of each year at the Annual Diversity Celebration. The Award shall be a twenty-five dollar ($25) gift certificate from a local merchant. Recipients will be recognized through inclusion on the Diversity Award plaque, and through articles in the the Library Newsletter and at Library staff events. Current Committee members are ineligible for the award.

B. Annual Diversity Celebration
The Committee shall host an annual celebration of the Library’s Diversity program. Subcommittees shall be formed in January to organize and plan the event to be held ideally in late March or early April.. Staff members not presently serving on the Committee shall be welcome to serve on the subcommittees. The Annual Diversity Award shall presented at the annual celebration.

C. Diversity Programs
The Committee shall regularly sponsor diversity training workshops, film showings & discussions, and Brown Bag lunch discussion of various topics. Staff members shall be encourage to attend, lead, and develop these sessions.

D. Focus Groups/Evaluations
Representatives of the Committee shall periodically meet with units throughout the Library system to discuss and evaluate the unit’s and the Library’s Diversity program. Feedback from these evaluations shall be used to continuously refine and improve the Diversity program.

E. Amendment and Adoption
Amendments to these By-laws shall be made by a two-thirds vote of the entire Committee through a formal vote.

Copies of these By-laws shall be submitted to the Library Director and posted on the Committee website.

These By-laws shall supersede all previous By-law documents and shall go into effect upon the approval of two-thirds of the entire Committee in a formal vote.

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