Classified Senate

Vice President: Phoumy Sayavong, Senior Research and Planning Analyst, (510) 981-5014, psayavong@peralta.edu

Secretary/Treasurer:  Jennifer Lenahan, Student Services Specialist for Veterans, (510) 981-5039, jllenahan@peralta.edu

Our Classified Senate is the best way for us to participate in shared governance decision-making across the college; so it is crucial that we have strong and committed Senate leadership!

Nominations are done a 1-2 weeks before elections that occur in May.
Elections results are announced by the end of May and the new officers begin their roles on July 1st.  Senate officers positions are elected every two years.
Click here for the current Nomination form and click here for the current Election ballot.

Classified Senate Officer Archives

Term	President	Vice President	Secretary/Treasurer
2019-21	Felicia Bridges	Kye Ocasio-Pare	Jasmine Sumandal Martinez
2017-19	Jennifer Lenahan	Alejandria Tomas	Kye Ocasio-Pare
2015-17	Karen Shields	Roberto Gonzalez	Theresa Rumjahn
2014-15	Roberto Gonzalez	Catherine Nichols	Jasmine Sumandal Martinez
2013-14	Roberto Gonzalez	Jasmine Sumandal Martinez	Marilyn Clausen
2012-13	Ramona Butler	Gail Pendleton	Paula Coil
2011-12	Paula Coil	Dwayne Cain	Sylvia Espinosa
2010-11	Marc Chan	Javier Lopez	Marilyn Clausen
2009-10	Marc Chan	Javier Lopez	Jasmine Sumandal Martinez

Article I
Name

The name of this organization shall be the Classified Senate of Berkeley City College.

Article II
Purpose
The Classified Senate shall represent classified employees in Berkeley City College’s governance system. It is intended to provide:

1. A body representing the various needs, concerns, and viewpoints of the classified staff not related to union negotiation matters.
2. A means through which the classified staff will coordinate with administration and faculty to assure opportunities for input from classified staff regarding college business and classified representation on college committees, thus assisting in the shared governance process.
3. A body through which the professionalism of classified staff is articulated and valued.
   An opportunity for enhancing the democratic process of informed decision-making at Berkeley City College.
4. An opportunity to develop individual leadership contribution and development among the college’s classified staff

Article III 
Membership, Duties, and Responsibilities
Section 1: Membership

The Classified Senate shall consist of all (non-management) permanent full-time, part-time, and temporary classified staff employed or assigned at Berkeley City College.

Section 2: Duties and Responsibilities

The Classified Senate shall:

1. Establish principles, make recommendations, set policies, and take action on behalf of the college’s classified staff.
2. Collect, evaluate, and disseminate information pertaining to and of interest to the classified staff.
3. Review all policies affecting classified staff which are not related to Union activities.
4. Undertake research studies.
5. Extend invitations.
6. Respond to questions and/or requests.
7. Request information.
8. The Classified Senate shall request and obtain any information and/or recommendations made by the college administration to the Board of Trustees in time to effectively consider the issues in those recommendations.
9. The Classified Senate may select a member to appear before the Board of Trustees to express the views of the Classified Senate.
   
   

Article IV
Officers, Electorate, and Elections
Section 1: Officers

1. The governing body of the Classified Senate shall consist of the following elected officers: President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer.
2. Either the President or Vice President of the Classified Senate shall be a member of the full-time classified staff.

Section 2: Electorate
Those eligible to vote in the election for officers shall be those eligible for membership in the Classified Senate (Article III, Section 1).

Section 3: Elections

1. Senate officers and representatives shall be elected during the month of May.
2. The Classified Senate shall appoint a nominating committee to receive and solicit names of candidates, and supervise the elections of officers and representatives. Nominations shall take place at least two weeks before the May meeting of the Berkeley City College Classified Senate.
   Ballots will be made available to all classified staff at least one week before the May meeting so that those who can’t attend the meeting can vote.
3. Officers and representatives shall be elected by simple majority of votes cast.
4. Limit on terms: No Officer or Representative shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

Section 4: Special Elections and Appointments

• A vacancy may occur through resignation, through leave of absence, or by declaration (see #3 below).
• A vacancy resulting from resignation or declaration shall be filled by appointment by a Classified Senate majority vote of two thirds (2/3) of those present at the Senate’s general meeting, after the resignation or departure occurs.
• A vacancy resulting from a leave of absence shall be a temporary vacancy and may be filled by an appointment (for the duration of the absence) made by a majority vote of two thirds (2/3) of those present at the Senate’s regularly scheduled general meeting. An Officer may request a leave of absence from his/her office if such absence is occasioned by an approved leave of absence from the District. If the leave is for one semester or more, a Berkeley City College replacement may be appointed by a majority vote of two thirds (2/3) of those present at the Senate’s monthly general meeting.
• Upon an elected official’s unexcused absence (absence without prior notice to the President) from three Senate meetings in any one semester, the position will be declared vacant.

Section 5: Officer and Representative Terms and Duties

President

• Term of office shall be for two years (July 1-June 30).
• The President shall be the spokesperson for the concerns of the Classified Senate to the College and District administration, the faculty, the staff, the Board of Trustees and to the public
• The duties of the President shall include but not be limited to:
  The procurement of information and recommendations being sent to the Board of Trustees by the College and District Administration, and distribution of these to Classified Senate members.
  
  Convening and presiding over Classified Senate meetings.
  
  Representing (or providing for a designate to represent) the Classified Senate at District Administrative meetings.
  
  Recommend to the College President, with the advice and a majority vote of two thirds (2/3) of those present at the Senate’s regularly scheduled Senate meetings, representatives to College-wide and College Ad Hoc Committees.

Vice President

1. Term of office shall be for two years (July 1-June 30).
2. The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in the President’s absence.
3. The Vice President shall keep the Classified Senate apprised of Standing Committee and Ad Hoc committee actions.
4. The Vice President shall be responsible for orientation of new classified staff.

Secretary/Treasurer

1. Preparing, publishing, and distributing the minutes of all Classified Senate meetings.
2. Publishing and distributing the agenda of official meetings at least two days prior to official meetings.
3. Acting as corresponding secretary, when directed.
4. Maintaining and filing all Classified Senate records.
5. Acting as president in the absence of the President and Vice President.
6. Acting as Parliamentarian, if requested.
7. Possessing a copy of and understanding the procedures of Roberts Rules of Order (Revised).
8. Collecting monies, disbursing funds, maintaining financial records, and submitting financial reports, as necessary and required, to the Classified Senate during the fiscal year, as requested by the Classified Senate.
9. Submitting, when requested or needed, a budget.
10. Performing other duties as may be agreed to by the Secretary/Treasurer and Officers of the Senate.

Article V
Governance
Section 1: Meetings

1. The Classified Senate shall meet a minimum of once per month, … with the intent of meeting twice per month in order to be in alignment with other shared governance meeting cycles.
2. Special meetings shall be held in accordance with the Brown Act.
3. Announcements of Classified Senate meetings shall be publicly posted.
4. A quorum for purposes of Classified Senate meetings and voting shall consist of at least 25% of those regularly attending and registered with the Senate Secretary as such. Decisions will require a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of those present at the Senate’s regularly scheduled general meeting.
5. Official minutes of each Classified Senate meeting shall be kept and distributed to all members of the Senate within ten (10) working days after the meetings.
6. Unless otherwise provided for in this constitution, all meetings shall be conducted either in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order (Revised), or through the Making Meetings Work structure originated by Michael Doyle and David Straus, or through a structure invoked by the President, or a majority of those present, as needed.

Section 2: Agenda

1. The secretary/treasurer shall be responsible for publishing and distributing the agenda to members of the Classified Senate at least two days prior to a meeting.
2. Items for the agenda from the membership must be submitted to the secretary/treasurer seven (7) days preceding the Classified Senate meeting.

Section 3: Committees

The Classified Senate shall establish both standing (permanent) and, when appropriate, Ad Hoc (of short duration) Committees to assist in the development and implementation of policies and procedures relating to classified staff, and to the operational matters of the college, where it does not conflict with collective bargaining as stated in the most recent SEIU Local union contracts.

Each College Standing or Ad Hoc Committee representative shall:

• Report to the Vice President after each of its meetings.
• Prepare recommendations relating to its functions for review and approval by the Classified Senate.
• Perform other duties as determined by the Classified Senate.
• Prepare a summary of committee activities for the Classified Senate as required.

Article VI
Amendments
An amendment to the constitution of the Classified Senate may be proposed by a senate member or by written petition signed by 50 percent of the Classified Senate membership. The Officers shall thereupon notify classified staff of the proposed amendment by memo, and the Berkeley City College CLASSIFIED SENATE amendment shall be discussed and voted on at the next Classified Senate Meeting following its proposal.

Article VII
Governance
Action on proposed amendments must be taken within two weeks of the final hearing. Valid votes cast by two-thirds (2/3) of those present at the Senate’s general meeting is necessary for an amendment to take effect.

Article VIII
Ratification
The procedures for adoption and ratification of this Constitution shall be the same as those for amending the Constitution.

By-laws will be added soon.

The Classified Senate of Berkeley City College recognizes that there are individuals who exemplify what being a Classified Professional represents. These individuals excel in areas such as customer service, leadership, and teamwork, and participate in college-wide activities and more. The Senate recognizes one classified professional per year with this award and it is the hope of the Senate that these individuals will be role models for their peers and co-workers for years to come.

In 1980, former PCCD Trustee Constance L. Ormond established a trust fund to honor classified employees in the District who have provided exemplary service. To be eligible for nomination, a person must be a classified employee working/assigned at BCC (All full-time, part-time, and hourly classified staff members are included). All nominations must be made by another classified employee at BCC.

Characteristics that apply to the nominee:

• Professional conduct
• Positive attitude
• Positive interaction with students
• Spirit of cooperation; works well with staff
• Work ethic (reliable, conscientious, diligent)
• High-quality work
• Leadership ability
• Actively supports and participates in college-wide activities
• Sense of humor

The Classified Senate nominations occur every March and the winner is announced in April/May.  The award shall be given to the winner at the Classified Staff Appreciation luncheon that occurs every spring semester in April/May.  The Award consists of a $100 check (to be determined by the Peralta Colleges Foundations, based on available trust funds) and a framed certificate presented to the recipient.

Please follow this link to the Employee of the Year Award for the current nomination form.

Classified Employee of the Year Award Recipients

TERM	NAME	POSITION
2018-19	Yolanda Young	Account Clerk II/Bursar’s Office
2017-18	Loan Nguyen	Financial Aid Supervisor
2016-17	Joanna Louie	Sr. Staff Services Specialist/Fiscal
2015-16
2014-15	Jasmine Sumandal Martinez	Staff Assistant to Vice President of Student Services
2013-14	no election this year
2012-13	Ramona Butler	Secretary to Dean of Student Support Services
2011-12	Felix Smith	Custodian
2010-11	Loan Nguyen	Financial Aid Supervisor
2009-10	Shu Hu	Custodian
2008-09	Javier Lopez	Storekeeper
2007-08	Dwayne Cain	Head Custodian
2006-07	Vincent Koo	College Network Coordinator
2005-06	Nancy Cayton	Staff Assistant/ASL
2004-05	Marilyn Clausen	Staff Assistant/PACE
2003-04	John Pang	Staff Services Specialist/Fiscal
2002-03	Gloria Villalva	Financial Aid Clerk
2001-02	Marilyn Montague	College Receptionist
2000-01	Paula Coil	Assessment & Orientation Coordinator