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Bylaws

Indigenous Faculty and Staff Organization Employee Resource Group Bylaws

Website: ifso-erg.nd.edu

The Indigenous Faculty and Staff Employee Resource Group is committed to diversity and inclusion and educating not only our campus, but our community, on our Indigenous heritage.

Article 1: Mission and Vision

The Indigenous Faculty and Staff Organization (IFSO) is an Employee Resource Group, sponsored by the Office of Human Resources. IFSO's purpose is to build community among faculty and staff of Indigenous American heritage and those who support and celebrate it, as well as cultivate a sense of belonging and connection to Our Lady's University.

Objectives

Our primary objectives are to foster a diverse and inclusive work environment at the University, specifically supporting Indigenous Peoples and promoting a deeper understanding of Indigenous cultures.

Cultivating an Inclusive Environment

  • Support University Diversity Initiatives: Assist the University in developing and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Building Internal Support Systems

  • Establish a Robust Support Network: Create an internal support system for Indigenous employees within the University to:

    • Mitigate feelings of isolation.

    • Address specific issues and concerns.

    • Facilitate the integration of new Indigenous employees through welcoming meetings and mentorship opportunities across the University.

Program Development and Resource Provision

  • Coordinate Educational Programming: Develop and implement programming focused on Indigenous issues for employees and allies.

  • Serve as a Central Resource: Provide a primary source of information tailored to the needs of Indigenous employees.

  • Identify and Resolve Workplace Issues: Help identify workplace challenges affecting Indigenous employees at Notre Dame and develop culturally appropriate solutions.

Enhancing Communication and Understanding

  • Facilitate Leadership Engagement: Foster open communication between the University's senior leadership and Indigenous employees.

  • Promote Cross-Cultural Understanding:

    • Increase awareness of issues significant to Indigenous Americans.

    • Encourage participation in Indigenous activities within the University and the broader Michiana community.

    • Offer a forum for discussing Indigenous American community concerns.

    • Educate employees on Indigenous American history and legacy, both at Notre Dame and nationally.

Attracting and Retaining Indigenous Talent

  • Support Talent Acquisition and Retention: Assist the University in its efforts to attract and retain top Indigenous talent, encompassing recruitment, hiring, retention, professional development, and career advancement.

  • Provide Professional Development: Offer career development and enrichment opportunities, such as "Lunch & Learn" sessions, guest speakers, and networking events.

Article 2: General Membership and Leadership

Membership is open to all faculty, staff, and administrators of the University. Members must meet and maintain the following eligibility requirements:

Membership Criteria

  • Members must be employed by the University of Notre Dame.

  • Membership is open to all University employees interested in supporting and learning more about Indigenous culture.

  • Membership is voluntary.

  • Attendance to a majority of ERG meetings – as determined by the officers, or leadership.

  • Support the core values of the University.

  • Be an advocate for the University’s diversity & inclusion goals

  • Confidentiality where appropriate. Opinions, experiences and ideas shared by members of the ERG during meetings or related activities and any records thereof, shall be held in confidence and such records shall remain the sole and exclusive property of the University.

Leadership

  • New and replacement leadership members will be determined by members and will serve a 12-month term (unless there is voluntary attrition or the steering committee recommends a change). Successive terms are permitted with member support.

  • The ERG was created to serve as a resource to the University and as a support group for the faculty and staff. The selection of leaders is based on the commitment to the goals and parameters of the group.

  • Executive support shall be provided by the steering committee, HR liaison and the Director of Staff Diversity and Inclusion. The ERG hereby establishes the following initial leadership roles that will work to support the organization objectives, as deemed necessary and appropriate.

Chair

  • The Chair’s role is to act as spokesperson for the organization.

  • The Chair will attend all events and meetings and lead the meetings.

  • Support members and seek opportunities for additional engagement.

Co-Chair

  • Must be in attendance of, and help run group meetings.

  • The main role is to support the Chair.

  • The Co-Chair will keep an updated website as well as maintain regular communication with members.

Archivist

  • An ERG Archivist position will be created and staffed by a volunteer.

  • The archivist is responsible for building and maintaining the ERGs history for future reference.

  • The Archivist will be responsible for taking meeting notes and sharing with members.

Committees

  • Committees will be established as need arises as determined by leadership. Committee members will establish meeting cadence on their own.

Article 3: Meetings

  • IFSO meetings will be held quarterly with special events being held as opportunities arise.

  • In addition, any subcommittee or leadership meetings will be held as determined by that group .

  • IFSO leadership are expected to attend IFSO meetings until such time as the sponsored event/activity is completed; all other members are encouraged to attend IFSO meetings, events and other activities.

  • Documentation:

  • All meetings and/or teleconferences will be managed in the following manner:

    • Attendance

    • Old business

    • Items discussed

    • Decisions made

    • Action items

    • New business

    • Next meeting date and agenda

    • Agendas will be provided in advance and meeting notes will be taken and kept by the archivist.

  • Protocol:

  • All meetings and/or teleconferences shall be conducted in accordance with the following inclusive behavior

    • Share freely of member’s experiences

    • Encourage others to share freely

    • Allow one conversation at a time

    • Respect unique/different points of view

    • Agree to disagree

    • Confine comments to the issue at hand

    • Be sensitive to everyone’s time

    • Be considerate of the feelings of others

    • Provide a timekeeper as needed

    • Maintain the confidentiality of internal issues

    • Be creative and encourage creativity in others

    • Be an active communicator and listener

    • Think about the greater good of the organization as a whole

Article 4: Funding

  • The Office of Human Resources provides an annual budget and liaison to IFSO.

  • Leadership is tasked with keeping up with the budget as well as providing members with an update on budgetary matters.

Article 5: Amendment of Charter

  • This Charter will be reviewed by the Chair and Co-Chair to reflect current needs every 3 years. Amendments will be presented to the members for approval.

  • Any member of the ERG, the steering committee and/or the HRLT may propose amendments. Approved amendments will be incorporated into the charter and shall take effect immediately, or as described in the amendment.

  • This charter is created as a framework around which the ERG will carry out its mission. It is not intended to be a contract and may change, as business needs change.