University of Oregon Mens Center

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON MEN’S CENTER BI-LAWS

I. Statement Of Program Purpose & Goals

Purpose:

The name of this program shall be called the University of Oregon Men’s Center, hereinafter referred to as the UOMC.
The UOMC was established in the 2001-2002 academic school year by a group of students following up on the work done by the UO Men’s Health Team.
The mission of the UOMC is to promote the emotional, physical, and social health of men on the University of Oregon campus.
The philosophy of the UOMC is to support all men, across developmental needs, age, class, sexual orientation, and culture. The UOMC is also devoted to promoting healthy relationships with other men, women, and the entire campus community.

University of Oregon Men’s Center Goals:

Increase the number of men living healthful (physical, social, and emotional) lifestyles.
Increase men’s utilization of the University Health Center, University Counseling and Testing Center, Student Recreation Center, Academic Advising, and ASUO Student Groups, and other support services on campus and in the community.
Increase attitudes and behaviors such as help seeking, providing and accepting support, emotional expression, and nurturing of self and others (i.e., with partners, peers, parents, and children).
Enhance proactive attitudes and behaviors that would reduce the occurrence of sexism, sexual assault, homophobia, inappropriate risk taking, and verbal or physical violence.
Increase the knowledge base amongst university students, faculty, staff, and administration of the health needs of men on campus.
Improve the accessibility of information for men on a wide range of health issues identified as important.
Train students to work effectively on a variety of issues related to men.

II. Membership

Membership is open to any student who wishes to join. The UOMC is a program that offers services to students, staff, and faculty and serves as a link between the Eugene academic and larger community with no restrictions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, or political ideology.

III. Officers: Job Descriptions & Responsibilities

Director:

This position is a part-time, 9-month, non-tenured faculty position. Funding for this GTF position (.19 FTE that has been added to an existing GTF position at the UCTC) was originally secured only for the 2002-2003 academic year by the University Counseling and Testing Center. As of 2004-2005, funding for this position (currently at .19 FTE) comes from the ASUO. The Director is responsible for the following:

Supervising and training UOMC officers.
Collaborating with officers and UOMC members to plan and organize UOMC events.
Facilitating the UOMC’s organizational meetings.
Providing direct intervention work to the University community in the form of individual counseling, mentoring, group counseling, outreach, presentations, and consultation.
Managing, organizing, and overseeing all aspects of the Center.
Training and mentoring GTF assuming this position for the next academic year (if applicable).
Carry through the vision and goals established by the UOMC.

Fundraising and Membership Coordinator

This position is a part-time, 9-month, student volunteer/practicum internship position. The Fundraising and Membership Coordinator is responsible for the following:

Attending all UOMC organizational meetings.
Helping to create an agenda and taking minutes for all UOMC organizational meetings.
Working on budgetary issues by identifying and leading the application process for funding (i.e., applying for grants, coordinating fundraising events).
Creating and maintaining a filing system for the center.
Collaborating with the UOMC Director, other Officers, and other student members.
Establishing a reference library and directory list for men on campus.
Carry through the vision and goals established by the UOMC.

Public Relations/Representations Coordinator

This position is a part-time, 9-month, student volunteer/practicum internship position. The Public Relations/Representation Coordinator is responsible for the following:

Attending all UOMC organizational meetings and events.
Developing and implementing a public relations strategy for the UOMC (includes networking with other ASUO programs, creating and maintaining a database-networking list, distributing information about events).
Acting as the UOMC’s liaison to programs on campus that support specific student populations (i.e., Women’s Center, LGBT, Educational and Support Services, Disabilities Services, Multicultural Center, APASU, BSU, etc.) by attending group meetings and planning the co-sponsorship of events.
Ensuring that the UOMC’s daily operations and events are sensitive to issues directly affecting the mission of groups that support specific student populations.
Collaborating with the UOMC Director, other Officers and student members.
Carry through the vision and goals established by the UOMC.

Events Coordinator

This position is a part-time, 9-month, student volunteer/practicum internship position. The Events Coordinator is responsible for the following:

Attending all organizational meetings and events.
Acting as the lead person at the UOMC responsible for organizing, promoting, and managing all UOMC organizational meetings and events.
Establishing an academic yearlong calendar of events for the UOMC.
Updating and maintaining the UOMC website.
Collaborating with the UOMC Director, other Officers and student members.
Carry through the vision and goals established by the UOMC.

IV. The Uomc Advisory Board

Membership:

The UOMC Advisory Board will consist of no more than 10 (ten) members, 5 (five) of whom must be students. The remaining five seats will be made up of faculty, administrators, and/or community members. The five student representatives should be chosen on a constituent basis from groups including but not limited to: The Women’s Center, Asian/Pacific American Student Union, Black Student Union, Black Women of Achievement, The Multicultural Center, Native American Student Union, and a minimum of one Student-at-Large position.

The five faculty, administrators, and community members should represent, but is not limited to: The Student Conduct Office, The UO Men’s Health Team, SASS, Academic Affairs, Office of Student Life, The University Health Center, The University Counseling and Testing Center, and an additional staff/faculty/community member.

The UOMC strives for a Board that is representative and responsive to a diversity of men. The Center strives to create a ‘constituent’ Board that represents all UO men.

Responsibilities:

Board Members may serve up to two years with half of the seats becoming available each year. Board Members are expected to attend a meeting at least once per quarter to participate in guiding the UOMC Officers and student members in the scope, content, and direction of the program. Board’s responsibilities include:

Being a resource for the Center
Advising and evaluating the CenterNrsquo;s overall program efforts
Budget development
Long-range planning and goal setting
Fundraising and grant writing support
Identifying and responding to emerging needs of men and women on the campus and in the community
Act as a link between campus constituents and the community at large

V. Hiring Of Staff

Hiring for the Director position will take place in April or May for the next academic cycle, which begins in September. The hiring committee shall consist of the current Director (not applicable for the 2002-2003 school year hiring) UCTC GTF Staff Supervisor, and 1 to 3 of the current UOMC Officers (not applicable for the 2002-2003 school year hiring).
Fundraising and Membership Coordinator, Public Relations/Representation Coordinator, and Events Coordinator selections will be complete by the end of September of each academic year. The selection committee shall consist of the UOMC Director, Director’s Supervisor, and 1-3 UOMC student members. Students may request to continue to work for the UOMC in their same position in subsequent years, granted such a request is approved by the UOMC Advisory Board.
Vacated Positions During the Year: If positions are vacated during the academic year current UOMC Officers will be responsible for filling those positions using the guidelines of the regular selection process.
Hiring Committee Responsibility: All Hiring Committee members will abide by the policies outlined in section V of this document.
Termination: In the event of unsatisfactory job performance or other unresolved issues the Director along with the Director’s Supervisor have the authority to terminate employment. The termination must be a jointly approved decision. This can only be done after the staff member has been notified of any performance inconsistency and been given training and/or an opportunity to rectify the situation or behavior. Below are the steps that must be followed with any termination proceeding. These steps should ensure fair treatment to all staff members.

Termination Proceedings & Fair Treatment:

The Director and the Director’s Supervisor shall meet with the staff member to discuss the issues or concerns that have come up. The staff member is notified at the arrangement of this meeting the nature of what will be discussed. The staff member is also given the opportunity to respond to questions in a way that is comfortable (writing, etc.). At this stage the process is very informal. The goal is to identify communication blocks, barriers, misunderstandings, and to put in place strategies and action plans to address the issues.
If the job inconsistencies are not rectified after this initial meeting, the Director and the Director’s Supervisor will meet again with the staff member to draft a more specific action plan, timeline, and expectations. The action plan will be specific as to what the staff member needs to do to improve job performance and any consequences for not meeting these goals. At this stage outside mediation or other campus services will be sought to help rectify the situation.
If the issues cannot be resolved within the first two steps of this process and if just cause exists for termination of the staff member, the Director will proceed with the termination.
Cause for immediate termination: If the staff member’s an immediate threat to him or herself or others, displayed physical harm to anyone or has been caught stealing, these may be grounds for immediate termination. The Director and the Director’s Supervisor will make this determination jointly. Both the Director and the Director’s Supervisor have the right to suspend an employee’s shift for the day if circumstances warrant.

VI. Meetings

Frequency:

All UOMC Officers (staff members) are required to attend weekly staff meetings, any other scheduled organizational meetings, and one meeting with the Advisory Board per quarter unless extenuating circumstances don’t allow them to. Staff meetings will be determined at least one week in advance to accommodate the schedules of everyone. Organizational meeting days and times will be determined by UOMC staff members based on their judgement of when and where a larger group of students could attend. Advisory Board meetings will be determined by the UOMC Staff and Board Members at least one week before the meeting.

Decision-Making Process:

Voting or Consensus: The UOMC Advisory Board with a majority vote must approve all events/services that are sponsored or co-sponsored by the UOMC. At least 6 (six)-yes votes are required for an approval of any UOMC event/service. Giving a proxy vote to another member will count as attendance at the board meeting and will not be viewed as an absence. Board members shall review all events/services up for approval prior to that quarter’s meeting.
Quorum Requirement: In order for a meeting to be held all members of the Advisory Board must be present or if a board member is not present, his/her proxy vote must have been passed on to another member for all of the services/event under consideration for approval.
Who Can Vote: The ten Advisory Board members each have one vote for each service/event under consideration.
Who Makes Decisions in Summer if Necessary: If necessary, any decisions during the summer can be made by the Director who will assume hi/her post in the following academic year and his/her Supervisor. All decisions must be made jointly by these two individuals.

VII. Grievances

Process for Resolving Grievances Against/Between Staff Members, Board Members, etc:

(1) Go directly to the person with whom you are experiencing difficulty (as long as this doesn’t jeopardize your safety). Prior to a discussion: *Clarify with yourself your personal feelings *Be able to describe what you perceive to have occurred *Consider what you need from the other person *Consider what you might be able to do to ameliorate the situation.
(2) Go to the Director (if your grievance is with that person go to the Director’s Supervisor) and repeat the suggestions list in step 1.
(3) Go to the Director’s Supervisor and repeat the suggestions listed in step 1.
(4) Go to the ASUO President and /or Vice President and repeat the suggestions listed in step 1.
Who Interprets Rules and By-Laws: Interpretation of the rules and by-laws shall be provided by the Director, Office Coordinator, Public Relations/Representations Coordinator, Events Coordinator, and the UOMC Director’s Supervisor
Mediation Process: If necessary the utilization of mediation and any other outside assistance can be determined by the parties involved in the grievance process.

VIII. Dissolution of the Program

In case the UOMC is dissolved, all assets not purchased with incidental fees or state dollars shall be given to the University Counseling and Testing Center to continue its efforts in providing services to male students on campus.

IX. Amending the By-Laws

Process for Amendments: Changes to the by-laws must be made in accordance to ASUO policies and procedure. Changes will be brought to the Advisory Board for review and /or adoption.
Quorum Requirements: Quorum requirements shall be the same as all other services/events under consideration for approval by the Advisory Board.
Notice Required to Membership/Public: A public announcement of any by-laws amendment will be posted on the UOMC website. All UOMC members will also be notified via email of any amendments made.
When Amendments Take Affect: Any amendment shall take affect immediately after the UOMC Advisory Board approves it.