Abstract: Resolution to amend the Employee Assembly Bylaws to reflect minor changes in operating procedures, update references to leadership roles to current titles, formalize the Employee Assembly Priority Poll Committee as a standing committee, and clarify non-voting and ex-officio member status on standing committees.
Sponsored by: Rose Howard, Employee Representative for Cornell Duffield Engineering and Cornell Bowers, Employee Assembly Executive Committee Parliamentarian, Wendy Treat, Exempt Employee Representative At-Large, Employee Assembly Chair, Iván Solís Cruz, Representative At-Large, Executive Vice Chair
Reviewed by: Employee Assembly Executive Committee - 03/13/2026, Employee Assembly - 03/18/2026, Employee Assembly – 04/01/2026
Whereas, the Employee Assembly is the shared governance body who abides by the officially documented Bylaws; and
Whereas, the Employee Assembly Bylaws have not been amended since September 6, 2023, and;
Whereas, several lines in the Employee Assembly Bylaws refer to out-of-date titles for upper leadership roles, minor spelling errors, some unclear language around non-voting members vs ex-officio members, do not contain the newly formed CEAPP standing committee, and reference a grant fund that is no longer in existence.
Whereas, in §Article I, Section 1.3 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, the organizational meeting is set to be no later than April 15. Due to constraints of timing, adjusting this date to May 1 would give the Assembly the needed flexibility to adjust around Slope Day, as well as religious holidays that shift from year to year. This will allow for greater participation from elected members of the Assembly.
Whereas, in §Article II, Section 2.3 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, there is ambiguity surrounding the meaning of two consecutive terms. Adding ‘in the same role’ will clarify the intent as well as current practice.
Whereas, in §Article II, Section 2.6 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, there is a duplicate ‘for the’ which shall be removed.
Whereas, in §Article III, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, the language regarding Leadership participation is no longer in line with current Cornell University titles.
Whereas, in §Article III, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, the language regarding Leadership participation on the Communications, Outreach and Recognition Committee is no longer in line with current Cornell University titles.
Whereas, in §Article III, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, the language regarding Leadership participation on the Benefits and Policy Committee is no longer in line with current Cornell University titles.
Whereas, in §Article III, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, updating non-voting member to ex-officio non-voting member to be in line with current practice.
Whereas, in §Article II, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, the newly established Ad-Hoc Committee of the Employee Assembly’s Priority Poll is being formally added, to allow for regular priority polls to be conducted in partnership with HR.
Whereas, in §Article IV, Section 4.1 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, the CARE fund is no longer in the jurisdiction of the Employee Assembly, and should be struck from the Bylaws.
Be it resolved, that §Article I, Section 1.3A of the Employee Assembly Bylaws be amended as follows;
The Chair sets a date for the organizational meeting to occur as soon as possible after the conclusion of employee elections, but no later than May 1st.
Be it further resolved, that §Article II, Section 2.3 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, of the Employee Assembly Bylaws be amended as follows;
The term of office is concurrent with a session of the Assembly. Officers may not serve more than two consecutive terms in the same role.
Be it further resolved, that §Article II, Section 2. o6f the Employee Assembly Bylaws, be amended as follows:
- the chief contact for the resolution or committee action being undertaken; and,
Be it further resolved, that §Article III, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, be amended as follows:
- The committee shall be chaired by the Vice Chair for Communications. The HR Employee Program Coordinator, HR Communications Manager, and a representative from the Cornell Chronicle, shall be invited to serve as ex-officio non-voting members of the committee. The committee may propose, review, and amend resolutions as it deems appropriate. The committee must approve resolutions referred for its consideration before they can be advanced to the Assembly for debate and for a vote.
Be it further resolved, that §Article III, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, be amended as follows:
- The Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, or a delegate, shall be invited to serve as an ex-officio non-voting member of the committee. The committee may propose, review, and amend resolutions as it deems appropriate. The committee must approve resolutions referred for its consideration before they can be advanced to the Assembly for debate and for a vote. The committee will appoint members, as needed, to serve on the University Benefits Committee.
Be it further resolved, that §Article III, Section 3.4 of the Employee Assembly Bylaws, be amended to add the newly formed CEAPP Committee as follows
Section 3.4 Charges of Standing Committees
- Committee of the Employee Assembly’s Priority Poll
By delegation from the Assembly (“Assembly”), the Priority Poll Committee (“Committee”) is hereby established and charged with the following responsibilities: - In collaboration with the Office of Human Resources, the Committee shall design and administer a comprehensive survey intended to inform and strengthen the work of the Assembly. The survey shall be structured to identify pain points, trends, and patterns across staff communities. The Committee shall coordinate distribution with consideration of other surveys administered to the staff population to avoid duplication and survey fatigue. The survey shall be conducted on a regular basis, and no less frequently than every other year.
- The Committee shall analyze survey findings and translate the results into clear, actionable recommendations for the Assembly and its standing committees. The Committee shall uphold principles of accountability and transparency in its review and response to the findings. A summary report of the results and recommended actions shall be presented at a regularly scheduled public meeting of the Assembly.
- In addition to compiling and analyzing survey data, the Committee shall produce a formal report identifying priority areas for improvement. Subsequent annual reporting shall include a documented update outlining actions taken in response to prior survey findings, thereby ensuring continuity, transparency, and sustained accountability over time.
- The Committee shall be chaired by any voting-eligible Employee Assembly Member. A representative of Cornell’s Human Resources team will be invited to serve on this committee. The committee may propose, review, and amend resolutions as it deems appropriate. The committee must approve resolutions referred to for its consideration before they can be advanced to the Assembly for debate and for a vote.
Be it finally resolved, that §Article IV in entirety should be struck from the Employee Assembly Bylaws, with the following two Articles renumbered accordingly.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rose Howard
Employee Representative for Cornell Duffield Engineering and Cornell Bowers, Employee Assembly Executive Committee Parliamentarian
