Career Development Network
CONSTITUTION
Article I: Name
The name of the organization shall be the Career Development Network (CDN).
Article II: Mission and Values
CDN Mission
CDN provides structure for professional staff development; collaboration; and sharing of best practices. CDN raises the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of career services and increases value to the overall student development and learning experience at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
CDN Values
Collaboration - Working together with campus and community members to develop and deliver exceptional events, programs and services.
Innovation - Leading through creative and forward-thinking solutions to advance our mission and contribute to the field of career development.
Action-Oriented - Delivering practical and impactful results that advance the organization, our members and the University.
Responsible Stewardship - Managing resources effectively and efficiently to implement and advance the mission, values and goals of CDN.
Diversity - Ensuring students of all backgrounds and identities are supported through CDN initiatives
Article III: Membership
Section 1. Any member of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus community engaged or interested in career development issues.
Section 2. CDN is committed to promoting equal opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other group or class against which discrimination is prohibited by State or Federal law.
Article IV: Officers and Duties
Section 1. The officers of the Career Development Network shall be a chair, vice-chair, Communication Coordinator, Ex-Officio, Programming Committee Liaison, Diversity Committee Liaison, and Member-at-Large
Section 2. Duties
The chair shall:
- Preside over all meetings of the Career Development Network and Executive Board
- Serve as a liaison for the CDN with campus committees and organizations, such as the Council of Undergraduate Education
- Communicate and coordinate with CDN committee chairs
- Maintain communication with AAN co-chairs to discuss collaboration for professional development
The vice-chair shall:
- Preside over CDN and Executive Board meetings in the absence of the chair
- Assist the chair with the analysis of issues facing the CDN
- Welcome new members to CDN
- Maintain communication through AAN listserv; Vice-chair adds self to AAN’s listserv to share emails as necessary.
The Ex-Officio shall:
- Serve as communication link with Vice Provost for Student Affairs
- Manage CDN budget
- Liaison to Career Directors’ Group
- Update and maintain career.umn.edu website and career services brochure
- Serve as point person to external career organizations, such as the Hire Big10+ consortium
The Communications Coordinator shall:
- Take meeting minutes for CDN board meetings and CDN general meetings
- Coordinate outreach to a U of M Office every year to promote career services
- Review and maintain CDN listserv membership
- Communicate with the larger campus community on behalf of CDN, such as through the Undergraduate Update
Programming Committee Liaison shall:
- Maintain communication with the Programming Committee Chair and the CDN board
Diversity Committee Liaison shall:
- Maintain communications with the Diversity Committee and the CDN Board
Member-at-Large shall:
- Provide feedback on behalf of the CDN membership and assist in making decisions for CDN
- Work on initiatives and projects based on the needs of CDN
Section 3. The chair is elected to a two-year term. The vice-chair is elected to a one-year term.
Section 4. In case the office of chair becomes vacant, the vice-chair shall assume that office for the remainder of the unexpired term. A replacement for the vice-chair position will be elected from Executive Board at-large members.
Section 5. In case the office of vice-chair becomes vacant, a replacement will be elected from Executive Board at-large members.
Section 6. In case an at-large position becomes vacant, the chair will appoint a selection committee, which shall consist of three Career Development Network members. The selection committee is responsible for ensuring that the members of the Executive Board represent a cross-section of campus offices and CDN membership. The selection committee will accept nominations, including self-nominations. Nominations will include information regarding the candidate’s qualifications for being an Executive Board member. The committee shall present the candidate to the CDN membership for endorsement at its next meeting.
Section 7. In the temporary absence of the chair, the vice-chair shall perform those duties. The duties of vice-chair will be assigned to another Executive Board member.
Section 8. No officer shall hold the same office for more than one term. The vice-chair may move, without interruption of service, to the role of chair for an additional term if it is within the scope of the Executive Board member term limit.
Section 9. Current members of the Executive Board will fill the chair and vice-chair positions. The out-going chair, or vice-chair in his/her absence, shall preside over the election of the chair and vice-chair at the first meeting of the new Executive Board. At this meeting, nominations, including self-nominations, will be accepted from the floor. The vote shall be conducted by anonymous, written ballot. A simple majority vote will decide the outcome of the ballot. In case of a tie, those parties involved will be named to the ballot of a re-vote.
Article V: Executive Board
Section 1. Executive Board members are responsible for promoting leadership and involvement within the CDN membership.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers named above.
Section 3. The Communication Coordinator, Programming Committee Liaison, Diversity Committee Liaison, and Member-at-Large will be elected to two-year terms.
Section 4. A majority of Executive Board members shall constitute a quorum for conducting the business of the Career Development Network.
Section 5. The term limit for all Executive Board members shall be four years, or two terms. An exception to this shall be when a Board member is elected chair after three years on the Board; in this case, the newly elected chair shall be permitted to serve for two additional years. Following the completion of two consecutive terms as an Executive Board member, an individual must remain off the Executive Board for one year before eligibility to serve is restored.
Section 6. The chair will appoint a selection committee, which shall consist of three Career Development Network members. The selection committee is responsible for ensuring that the members of the Executive Board represent a cross-section of campus offices and CDN membership.
Section 7. The selection committee will accept nominations, including self-nominations, one month before the final meeting of the year. Nominations will include information regarding the candidate’s qualifications for being an Executive Board member. The committee shall present the slate of candidates to the CDN membership for endorsement at the final meeting of the year. Executive Board member terms begin following the general CDN meeting in June of each year. At the first board meeting members will express interest in what position they would like to serve in and why. Then, if needed, a vote will take place to determine roles.
Section 8. The Executive Board is responsible for reviewing the CDN constitution during every even-numbered year.
Section 9. Executive Board members shall miss no more than 3 board meetings each year and no more than 3 general meetings per year. Board members who fail to meet these attendance guidelines may be asked by the board to step down from their board position.
Section 10. If an Executive Board member changes roles within the University of Minnesota, the board may reassess membership (ask the member to step down) to ensure the Executive Board represents a cross-section of campus offices and CDN membership as noted in Article V, Section 6.
Section 11. Executive Board members are expected to serve on one or more CDN charged or event related committees throughout their term on the board. Executive Board members may be called to serve as a representative of CDN on university-wide or external committees as needed by the chair.
Article VI: Committees
Section 1. Working committees of the Career Development Network will be created and eliminated as needed.
Section 2. The Executive Board will approve the charge and serve in an advisory capacity for each committee.
Section 3. Committee service and leadership is open to all CDN members.
Section 4. When forming a committee, members are responsible for ensuring that the committee represents a cross-section of campus offices and CDN membership.
Section 5. Committees shall re-evaluate their charge and leadership and report back to the CDN at the conclusion of each academic year, in May.
Article VII: Amendments
Section 1. Proposed amendments to this constitution shall be presented in writing to the Executive Board at least two weeks prior to an Executive Board meeting.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall provide for the discussion of the proposed amendments at the next CDN meeting.
Section 3. Ratification of an amendment shall require an affirmative majority of two-thirds of the votes of CDN members present at the meeting.
Article VIII: Budget
Section 1. The purpose of the CDN Budget is to partially or fully fund CDN collaborative events/initiatives and CDN professional development activities.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall develop the CDN Budget at the beginning of each fiscal year with input from CDN membership.
Section 3. The Executive Board Chairperson shall be responsible for submitting the budget for approval from the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and distribute the approved budget to CDN membership.
Section 4. The Executive Board Chairperson and the Central Coordinator for Career Development are jointly responsible for monitoring budget expenses and submissions.
Section 5. The Executive Board may re-allocate unused budgetary funds for alternate CDN projects. A simple majority vote of Executive Board members will decide the use of such additional funds.
Section 6. Members of the Career Development Network must submit receipts for all purchases and expenses charged to the CDN Budget within 1 month of the purchase/bill date. Receipts, along with the required CDN Expense Form, shall be submitted to the Central Coordinator for Career Development within the Office of Student Affairs.