Elections

The UHD Staff Council Membership Board, a crucial part of our UHD community, is composed of elected UHD Staff members who represent the staff and are elected by their peers yearly. The board includes the Staff Council President, Staff Council President-Elect, Staff Council Secretary, Staff Council Treasurer, Staff Council Communication Officer, and Division Ambassadors. Elections for the Membership Board shall open the first Monday in June and close on the third Monday in June. Terms of office shall begin on September 1. Any persons in the nominated position  receiving the highest number of votes will attain that position.

Nomination Process

The Annual Staff Council (SC) Election process is managed by the Staff Council Elections Committee (SCEC) in partnership with Human Resources (HR) and the Staff Council Executive Board (SCEB). Any staff member who accepts a nomination for an elected SC position is automatically removed from assisting with process to ensure the integrity of the elections. 

All benefits-eligible Staff Council members in good standing and with a minimum of 1-year tenure at UHD, with the exception of administrative staff (assistant and associate deans, deans, executive directors, assistant and associate vice presidents, vice presidents, and the University President), are eligible for Executive Board nomination.

Candidates must complete the nomination form. All nominations are reviewed by HR to ensure eligibility. Qualified candidates will be placed on the ballot for the election process, which is handled by the Staff Council Membership Board and Elections Committee.

Nominations  

1. On the first Monday of May through third Monday of May, a “Call for Nominations” is sent to all UHD Staff via email by current SC president or Communications Officer. 

   • Staff Council Membership Board elected positions are as follows:

     • Executive Board
       • President-Elect
       • Secretary
       • Treasurer
       • Communications Officer
     • Division Ambassadors (10)
       • 2 from Academic Affairs
       • 2 from Student Success and Student Life
       • 2 from Administration and Finance
       • 2 from Enrollment Management
       • 1 from Human Resources
       • 1 from the President's Office and Advancement and University Relations
2. Nominators should notify nominees of their intention to nominate.  
   • Staff members are allowed to self-nominate. 
   • SCEC shall contact nominees and request them to submit a short biography (no more than 150 words) and headshot.
3. If accepted, the nominee shall complete the Staff Council Membership Board Nomination Form and collect their supervisor’s approval and signature.
4. The nominee then emails completed form to HR (hr@uhd.edu), courtesy copying their supervisor. 
5. HR shall review the nomination form to ensure eligibility for the election year. 
6. HR shall notify staff members who are deemed ineligible. 
7. Upon approval by HR, HR shall notify the SC President of all nominees and proposed positions. 
8. SC President shall provide the list of nominees to the Elections Committee. 

Executive Board members and Ambassadors serve for a single one-year term. President-Elect serves a two-year term: year one as President-Elect and year two as President.

The nomination process will open on the first Monday and close on the third Monday in May. Self-nominations are accepted. Staff may be eligible to run for officer and ambassador positions concurrently but can only hold one office. All candidates shall complete the Staff Council Executive Committee Candidate Form. All nominations will be reviewed by Human Resources (HR) to ensure eligibility. Qualified candidates will be included on the ballot.

Election Process

The Elections will begin on the first Monday through the third Monday in June. On the third Tuesday of June, the SCEC shall review the survey results and vote to approve the results from the closing survey. After the election is complete, results shall be shared with the Staff Council President. The Staff Council President will share the results with the current Staff Council Membership Board and communicate with the UHD community of their incoming FY Staff Council Membership Board. In the event of a tie, the MEC will host a runoff election that will close 72 hours after opening. SC President will end the election process by emailing all nominees who ran for various positions.

Elections  

1. The SCEC shall develop an electronic survey (i.e. Qualtrics, CampusGroups, etc.) to serve as the official ballot for all positions.
   • Users must be knowledgeable about the software being used. 
   • Settings must ensure unique URLs.
   • Settings must ensure that only UHD staff emails may submit responses. 
   • Settings must ensure that each staff member may submit only one response. 
2. SCEC shall contact nominees and request them to submit a short biography (no more than 150 words) and headshot to SCEC.
3. SCEC shall create an informational “Meet the Candidate” information for each nominee, and placed on the Staff Council website. 
4. On the first Monday in June through third Monday in June, a “Call to Participate” in elections are sent by the current SC president or Communications Officer to all UHD Staff. 
   • This will include the Meet the Candidate information on an attached PDF. 
   • Reminder emails shall be sent on the second Monday and Friday of June.
5. The day following the election survey closing, SCEC members shall convene to review election results. 
   • Upon review, SCEC shall vote to approve the results with 48 hours.
6. Election results will be sent to SC President and Communications Officer for distribution to the institution.
7. In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by a run-off election.
   • SCEC will start the run-off election that will close 72 hours after being opened. 
8. SC President shall send thank you emails to all who ran for a position.  

All nomination forms must be delivered to HR by email at hr@uhd.edu.

Staff Council Membership Board Nomination Form