Faculty Senate
Minutes
Meeting – April 16,
2008
Pellissippi Campus,
Faculty/Staff Dining Room
3:30 p.m.
I. Call to Order
Meeting
was called to order by Mark Fuentes at 3:30 p.m. Senators in attendance: Wanda
Scarbro, Mark Fuentes, Nina McPherson,
Ken Swayne, Donnie Thomas, Dave Vinson, Denise Reed, Mae Jean King, Sami
Ghezawi, Dave Gilbert, H.L. Ford, Lawana Day, Charles Miller, Anita Maddox,
Anne Kinggard, Daryl Thomas, Judy Fethe, Yolanda Sankey, Kathy Byrd, Jane
Stribling, Jonathan Morrell. New 2008
Senators present: Tom Gaddis, Joe Zitka, David Key, and Brad Rose. Guest present: Marilyn Harper.
II. Approval of Minutes – Mark
Fuentes
Minutes
of the March 19, 2008, meeting were approved with no
changes.
III. Officer Reports
Secretary
– Nina McPherson had no report.
Communications
– Ken Swayne had no report.
TBR
Representative – Dave Vinson
TBR
Faculty Sub Council is scheduled to meet on Thursday and Friday, April 17-18,
2008.
President
– Wanda Scarbro
Information
from her meeting with Dr. Wise:
Efficacy of online courses:
Dr.
Wise thinks that implementing a minimum GPA for admission to online courses
would not address faculty concerns since a high GPA does not guarantee computer
literacy or a student’s ability to work on one’s own. Based on headcount, the enrollment in online
courses would be the college’s second largest site campus if taught in a face
to face setting. Faculty need to address
concerns about lower success percentages in the online courses through academic
departments’ program reviews.
Recommendations can be made in the program reviews to address student
success. President Scarbro also met with
Audrey Williams to discuss the online sections.
Miss Williams said that one concern that she had was a department assigning
adjunct faculty with little experience to an online class at the last
moment. Miss Williams is also interested
in working with faculty to re-invigorate some online courses that have been
offered for several years.
Faculty Bill of Rights:
Faculty are in the process of developing a
Faculty Bill of Rights to protect their rights when they have to deal with
disruptive students. Of course, faculty
rights need to be balanced with students’ legal rights. Faculty are
concerned about what they can legally do when a student exhibits threatening
behavior in some manner, especially as related to whether the student may
remain in the classroom.
Faculty Input:
President Scarbro thanked Dr. Wise
for attending Senate meetings and being willing to listen to faculty concerns. She expressed the hope that faculty can be
kept “in the loop” with future decisions
and can voice their concerns earlier in the process.
Banner
Registration:
During
the first week of priority registration, 1,238 students had registered versus
986 during the same period of Spring 2007.
Pay
Equity:
President
Scarbro sent an email to Peggy Wilson concerning whether Ms. Wilson will be
scheduling meetings to address the process for pay equity decisions but has not
received a response yet.
Calendar
Issues:
Faculty
should ask their department members if they prefer the alternate calendars for
the spring semesters of 2009 and 2010 since Learning Council will be discussing
the calendars at their next meeting on April 29, 2008.
Designee
for President’s Council:
According
to the Faculty Senate Constitution, its President is supposed to attend the
President’s staff meetings. President
Scarbro cannot attend the meetings due to a class conflict, but she does
receive minutes of those meetings.
Currently, Marilyn Harper does attend and will serve as the Faculty
Senate President’s designee in the future.
Senate
Officers for 2008-2009 and Schedule of Meetings:
President
Scarbro took a notice of privilege to introduce new Senators; Senators rotating
off were acknowledged. New Senators
are: Joe Zitka (BCT), David Key (LA),
Sue Ann Dobbyn (Mathematics), Brad Rose (Natural Sciences); and Tom Gaddis (
President
Scarbro distributed the schedule for Faculty Senate meetings for
2008-2009. (Attachment 1)
IV. Committee Reports
Adjunct
Faculty – Jonathan Morrell
Mr.
Morrell asked David Vinson to check with other colleges at the TBR Faculty
Sub-Council meeting to see if any of the colleges offer health insurance to
adjuncts. David responded that this matter
had previously been discussed and that none do.
Student
Scholarships – Sami Ghezawi
Mr.
Ghezawi reported that $7,033 had been raised during the book sales. The breakdown for the campuses is: Pellissippi Campus $5,025 –
Rules –
Don Thomas
Mr.
Thomas asked Nina McPherson to discuss proposed changes to the Faculty Senate
Constitution. Mrs. McPherson distributed
copies of the proposed changes to the Senators and asked for feedback. The changes primarily dealt with clarity and
uniformity, a process for the election of the President Elect, formally making
the TBR Representative a Senator, and selection
process for Faculty Senate officers.
Further action is discussed in section VI, New Business, of the minutes. (Attachment 2 is the current Constitution
showing the proposed changes)
Nominating
Committee – Nina McPherson had no report.
Promotion/Tenure
– Anne Kinggard
Anne
reported that she had met with Dr. Wise to discuss issues with the just
completed Promotion/Tenure process.
Those issues were presented in the Faculty Senate minutes for March 19,
2008, and all of them were resolved.
Faculty
Emeritus – Mark Fuentes
Mr.
Fuentes said that the policy will be discussed again at the Faculty Senate’s July
16, 2008, meeting.
In-Service
Ad Hoc – Don Thomas
The
committee met prior to the Faculty Senate meeting today at 2:30pm today. The
change discussed was shortening the event to only one day. President Scarbro will present this idea to
Dr. Wise.
V. Unfinished Business – No unfinished business
VI. New Business
Don
Thomas presented a motion from the Rules Committee that the changes to the
Faculty Senate Constitution be accepted at the July meeting. The motion was unanimously passed.
Don
Thomas presented a motion from the Rules Committee that the Inservice Ad-Hoc
Committee become a standing committee. The motion was passed with 19 aye votes and 1
nay vote.
It was
determined that the Mathematics Department will have to select another Faculty
Senate representative. The Faculty
Senate Constitution requires that at least two of the three academic
representatives of a department must hold academic tenure. The person initially selected does not have
tenure, making two of the three without tenure.
The Mathematics department will make another selection before the July
meeting.
The
Faculty Senate Constitution states that attendance at Senate meetings is
mandatory. A Senator may only be excused
for reasons of illness, professional leave, and/or at the discretion of the
Faculty President. Unexcused absences
totaling three or more during an academic year are reason for recall. Don Thomas made a motion, seconded by Judy
Fethe, that the rules as established in the Constitution be strictly
enforced. The motion passed with 19 aye
votes and one nay vote. The process to
handle this situation was discussed. It
was determined that the Faculty Senate President should inform the dean of the
affected department of such absences and let the department handle the
situation.
VII. Discussion
College
Security
President
Scarbro distributed copies of a PowerPoint presentation (Attachment 3) made by
Dr. Mike North and a safety brochure distributed by Dave
Walton. There was considerable
discussion on this issue. Some faculty were concerned about the lack of a firearms policy
for the college. It might take more than
15 minutes for a
Web
Overload – President Scarbro
There is
not a college wide policy to determine course overload credits; every academic
program does it differently. The amount
is not contingent on space or computer availability. Dave Vinson said that the TBR has a task
force studying faculty loads; he will ask if a web overload policy will be
included in that effort. Faculty are also concerned about the difference in numbers
for face-to-face classes and web classes.
Course size for face-to-face is often determined by
the size of the classroom. Some
faculty reported that course enrollments for web classes are sometimes raised
prior to faculty approval. One possible
solution discussed was using the medium enrollment for web courses and either
increasing enrollment by one student per year for lower enrollment courses and
decreasing by one student per year on higher ones until the enrollments are more
nearly the same. Discussion of this
issue will be continued.
Faculty
Bill of Rights Ad Hoc – Anita Maddox
Maddox
reported that the ad hoc committee will meet during the summer.
VIII. Announcements – No announcements
Next
meeting will be at July 16, 2008, at 3:00 pm on the Pellissippi Campus.
IX. Adjournment
The
meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm..
Attachment 1
April 16, 2008
Faculty Senate
Schedule of Senate Meetings for 2008-2009
SUMMER & FALL SEMESTER
2008
Wednesday, July 16-3:00 PM-Pellissippi Campus
Wednesday, September 17-3:30
PM-Pellissippi Campus
Wednesday, October 22-3:30
PM-Division Street Campus
Wednesday, November 19-3:30
PM-Pellissippi Campus
SPRING SEMESTER 2009
Wednesday, January 28-3:30
PM-Magnolia Campus
Wednesday, February 18-3:30
PM-Pellissippi Campus
Wednesday, March 18-3:30
PM-Blount County Campus
Wednesday, April 15-3:30 PM-Pellissippi Campus
Attachment 2
April 16, 2008
Faculty Senate
FACULTY SENATE CONSTITUTION
Adopted
: April 20, 2005
Revised: July 18,
2007
The role of the faculty, through its
Faculty Senate and its committees, is central to the governance, development,
and improvement of
The purpose of Faculty Senate is to represent faculty as
their primary governing body; to serve as liaison between the represented
departments and teaching sites in disseminating information and soliciting
responses; to provide responsive leadership; to participate on all appropriate
administrative Councils; to initiate, formulate, discuss, and recommend
policies and procedures related to the welfare of the College and the
development of the academic unit; and to analyze, report, and advise the
President of the College (and through him/her the Tennessee Board of Regents)
on College policies and procedures in areas of primary concern.
ARTICLE II – SENATE DUTIES AND POWERS
The Faculty Senate assumes the
duties and powers delegated to it by the faculty of the
college and considers matters referred to it by the faculty,
administration, or students. The duties and powers of the Faculty Senate
include the right to participate fully and actively by reviewing and making
recommendations concerning all policies pertaining to academic affairs and
faculty welfare; to review, formulate, initiate, recommend and refute policy;
to meet with the President of the College; to receive timely response to
Faculty Senate initiatives; to participate in governance of the College;
formulate and/or review all mission and values statements; to recommend and/or
review goals and objectives; to review all related budgetary documents; to
participate in all tenure and promotion procedures consistent with College
policy and procedure; and to participate in institutional effectiveness
initiatives as outlined by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS); and to be represented in all faculty grievance and disciplinary
hearings consistent with College policy and procedure.
ARTICLE III - BUDGETARY SUPPORT
The College provides budgetary
support for travel and operational costs. The President of the Faculty,
hereinafter referred to as the President, serves as the budgetary official.
Section 1: Faculty Senate Membership
and Terms
A. Eligibility. Any
member of the full-time faculty will be eligible for election to membership in
the Senate. The College faculty consists of all full-time faculty members
holding academic appointments with the rank of instructor, assistant professor,
associate professor, or professor, whose primary duties are teaching, library
service, or departmental administration.
B.
Representation: Each academic department of the
College is entitled to elect three representatives to the faculty Senate.
Library Services is entitled to elect one representative to the Faculty Senate.
At least two of the three representatives from each academic department during
any given academic year must hold academic tenure.
C. Term of
Office: The term of office for an elected
member of the Senate will be two (2) years. Terms will begin in April and
continue through July 1, two years hence.
1.
Upon the establishment of a Faculty Senate:
Initial elections of the academic departmental representatives will include one
representative who will serve a one-year term and two representatives who will
serve two-year terms. Terms will be determined by drawing lots. Library
Services will elect one representative for a two-year term. Thereafter, one or
two department representatives will be elected each year at the annual
election.
2. If a
vacancy occurs, the department elects a representative to fill the unexpired
term. This election is held at the earliest possible time and may be conducted
through e-mail. The current department representatives conduct the election.
Section 2: Responsibilities of Elected Senate
Representatives and Recall
A. Responsibilities.
1. It is the
responsibility of each Senator to attend all meetings of the Senate. Attendance
at Senate meetings is mandatory. A Senator may only be excused for reasons of
illness, professional leave, and/or at the discretion of the Faculty President. Unexcused absences totaling three or
more during an academic year are reason for recall.
2. Senators serve as liaisons between
their departments/areas and the Senate in disseminating information and
soliciting responses. Departmental Senators who hold a Senate Office are
released from this duty.
3. Senators elect all Senate Officers,
with the exception of the Faculty President, who must be elected by a vote of
all full-time faculty.
Change: Senators approve officer recommendations made
by the Faculty President.
Justification: Provide clarity so that it is clearly
understood that only Senators approve these positions, that all of the faculty
do not have a vote on them.
4. Senators may request
departmental/area meetings if necessary for the dissemination of information
and the discussion of issues.
B. Recall. A Senator may be recalled by his/her department or area
with twenty-five (25%) percent of the faculty members of that department/area
signing a petition for a recall vote, which is then filed with the Secretary of
the Senate. The Senator is officially recalled if two-thirds of the faculty in that department vote to do so. An election then
proceeds according to election guidelines.
Section 3:
Elections and Academic Obligations
A. Elections:
Elections are held in March of each year. Departmental elections are conducted
by the current departmental Senate representatives in a manner agreed upon by
the department. Voting may be by e-mail, voice vote, or show of hands unless
the majority of those present desire a secret ballot or a roll call. All
full-time faculty members may vote for departmental Senate representatives.
Elected Senators meet with the outgoing Senate at the April meeting to prepare
for the following academic year.
Change: Elections for departmental Senators are held in March of each
year. Departmental elections are
conducted by the current departmental Senate representatives in a manner agreed
upon by the department. Voting may be by
e-mail, voice vote, or show of hands unless the majority of those present
desire a secret ballot or a roll call. A candidate duly nominated according to the by-laws of the
Faculty Senate and accepting of the nomination and facing no opposition is
declared elected without opposition.
All full-time faculty members may vote for departmental Senate
representatives. Elected Senators meet
with the outgoing Senate at the April meeting to prepare for the following
academic year.
Justification: Clarifies that academic departments elect
their Senators in March, not the Faculty Senate president or officers. It includes wording that deals with the
acclamation wording problem. The same
wording will be used in the Site election section and the President Elect section.
B. Academic Obligations. The
department head or Vice President of Academic Affairs ensures its departmental
nominee(s) of reasonable scheduling to enable representatives or officers to
attend Senate meetings.
Section 4: Site Campus
Representatives:
A. Representation.
B. Term of Office: Site campus representatives
serve two-year terms. Terms begin with the April Senate meeting in year of
election and continue through July 1, two years hence.
Change: Delete section.
Justification: Information about term of office is in
Article IV, Section IC above; is redundant and is not included in section about
academic department Senators; provides clarity that term of office is the same
for all Senators.
C. Elections: Site campus Senate elections are
held in March. Elections are conducted in a manner agreed upon by full-time
faculty housed on the site campus. Voting may be by e-mail, voice vote, or show
or hands unless the majority of those present desire a secret ballot or roll
call. Uncontested elections may be decided by acclamation.
Change:
Site campus Senate elections are held in March. Elections are conducted in a manner agreed
upon by full-time faculty housed on the site campus. Voting may be by e-mail, voice vote, or show
of hands unless the majority of those present desire a secret ballot or roll
call. A
candidate duly nominated according to the by-laws of the Faculty Senate and
accepting of the nomination and facing no opposition is declared elected
without opposition.
Justification: Uses same wording as in election section for
department Senators, deals with the acclamation wording problem.
Section 5: Adjunct Faculty
Representation:
A. Adjunct faculty are
entitled to two seats on the Faculty Senate. During the college’s fall adjunct
in-service meeting, information is distributed to all adjunct faculty regarding Senate representation. Interested adjunct faculty are encouraged to contact the Senate and/or a
designated Senate representative. In order to represent the adjunct faculty and
exercise a vote in Faculty Senate business, the adjunct must be teaching in the
current major semester (fall or spring). One adjunct representative is elected
each year and serves two years or until a successor is elected. Vacancies will
be filled by election at the earliest possible Senate meeting.
B.
The Senate elects adjunct faculty representatives at the earliest possible
Senate meeting during fall semester. The Senate contacts the nominee(s) before
the election to determine willingness to serve.
Section
1. Regular Meetings of the Faculty
Senate
A.
The Faculty Senate meets at regular times at least once each month,
or at least four times during each academic-year semester, and once during the
summer. The Communications Officer notifies Senate Representatives at least one
week before each meeting, except for called emergency meetings, noting time and
location of the next meeting.
B. Faculty Senate meetings are open to the public, but attendees other than representatives
of the Faculty Senate must request permission from the Faculty President to
speak.
Section
2. Special Meetings of the Faculty
Senate
A.
The Faculty President may call a special meeting of Faculty Senate.
B. Ten (10) or more full-time faculty
members by petition may initiate a special meeting of Faculty Senate.
C. The President of the College or the
Vice President of Academic Affairs may call a special meeting of Faculty
Senate.
Section
3. Rules for Special Meetings
A.
The Communications Officer notifies Senate Representatives of a special meeting
at least six days before the meeting. For called emergency meetings, the
President may waive the notification requirement.
B. Items may not be added to an agenda
for a special meeting after the agendas are distributed.
ARTICLE VI – TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS
Section
1. Quorum
For the transaction of business, a
quorum consists of a simple majority of Faculty Senate representatives.
Section
2. Definition of Majority
A.
A simple majority vote is more than half the representatives present and voting
(50 percent plus one) and represents the Senate Representatives as a whole.
B. A majority vote is required to
transact all business and to elect all officers and representatives of the
Faculty Senate. Amending the Constitution or voting to remove an officer from
office requires a three-fourths majority vote.
Change:
B. A simple
majority vote is required to transact all business and to elect all officers
and representatives of the Faculty Senate.
Amending the Constitution or voting to remove an officer from office
requires a three-fourths majority vote.
Justification: Clarity, using same terminology as in Article
VI, Section 2A.
Section
3. Voting
A.
Voting may be by voice vote or show of hands unless the majority of those
present desire a secret ballot or a roll call. If there is no contest, vote may
be by acclamation.
Section
4. Procedure
Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, most current edition, serves as the parliamentary
authority of Faculty Senate on all questions not covered by the Constitution
and for any standing rules the Senate may adopt.
Section 1.Eligibility
A.
Any member of the tenured full-time faculty is eligible for the office of the
President of the Faculty. However, the President and the President Elect may
not represent the same department.
B. No officers may hold more than one
office at a time.
C. Officers of Faculty Senate include
the President of the Faculty, President Elect, Immediate Past
President, Recording Secretary, Communications Officer, Business Officer,
Parliamentarian, and TBR Sub-Council Representative. They constitute the
Executive Committee of the Senate.
Section 2. Duties (change:
list officers in same order as in Article VII, Section 1C and includes wording
so that it is clear that the FS president recommends and the Senators either
approve or disapprove, clarifying that not all of the faculty vote on the
officers.)
A.
The President serves as the representative and spokesperson for the faculty;
communicates individual and collective faculty concerns to the administration;
attends Learning Council and disseminates the official minutes of same; attends
President's Council (or sends a designee); meets regularly with the President
of the College and the Vice President of Academic Affairs; serves as chief
executive officer of Faculty Senate and its Standing Committees and as
ex-officio, non-voting member of all Faculty Senate committees except the
Nominating Committee; commits the Faculty Senate to courses of action only
through the approval of Faculty Senate; serves as budgetary official; serves a
two-year term, or until a successor is elected, beginning July 1; receives a
one-course teaching load reduction per semester to carry out Senate business;
presides over Faculty Senate and Committee meetings in the absence of the
Business Officer; and appoints the Business Officer with the approval of the
Senate members.
B. The President Elect substitutes for
the President when necessary; serves one year, or until a successor is elected,
as President Elect before assuming the presidency; and advances to office of
President if it becomes vacant.
C. The Immediate Past President serves
on Faculty Senate; may assume duties of President if needed; and serves one
year, or until a successor is elected, after the year of serving as President.
Change: The Immediate Past President serves on
Faculty Senate; may assume duties of President if needed; and serves one year as Immediate Past President after serving as President for
two years.
Justification: I don’t know how we would elect a
successor as an Immediate Past President.
D. (F) The Business Officer is appointed by the President with
approval of Senate members and serves as the presiding officer of the Senate.
He/she coordinates operations for Faculty; helps the President set the agenda
and all items of business for Faculty Senate; remains neutral in all discussion
and debate, but may (by following rules of parliamentary procedure) temporarily
relinquish the chair for purposes of debate; retains the right to vote on all
matters; and serves a two-year term (if office is vacated, a new Business
Officer is appointed for a full term as described in the Constitution).
E. (D)
The Recording Secretary records and prepares minutes of all Faculty Senate
meetings for distribution to members; maintains a permanent record of all
Faculty Senate minutes and all other correspondence or e-mail sent or received
by Faculty Senate; houses Faculty Senate official records in the Parkway campus
library.
Change: The Recording Secretary is appointed by the President with approval of Senate
members. He/she
records and prepares minutes of all Faculty Senate meetings for distribution to
members; maintains a permanent record of all Faculty Senate minutes and all
other correspondence or e-mail sent or received by Faculty Senate; houses
Faculty Senate official records in the Parkway campus library; serves as chair of the Nominating Committee.
Justification:
In Article VII, Section 3 A election of officers, it
says that the Nominating Committee is chaired by the Recording Secretary. This includes that responsibility in the
description of duties.
F. (E) The
Communications Officer establishes and maintains a communications network with
all members; disseminates information pertaining to Faculty Senate and
Committee activities, including announcements, minutes, polls, surveys and
other relevant documents; and prepares and electronically maintains the
official membership list; serves as administrator of the Faculty Senate website
and works with Information Services to make appropriate information available
on it.
Change: The Communications Officer is appointed by the President with approval of Senate
members. He/she establishes and
maintains a communications network with all members; disseminates information
pertaining to Faculty Senate and Committee activities, including announcements,
minutes, polls, surveys and other relevant documents; and prepares and electronically
maintains the official membership list; serves as administrator of the Faculty
Senate website and works with Information Services to make appropriate
information available on it.
G. (H)
The TBR Faculty Sub-Council Representative is appointed by the Senate and
serves as the Faculty Senate’s official representative to the Tennessee Board
of Regents (TBR) Faculty Sub-Council; records and prepares minutes of TBR
Faculty Sub-Council meetings for distribution to Faculty Senate members and
faculty at large; maintains a permanent record of all TBR Faculty Sub-Council
minutes; and serves a three-year term or until a successor is appointed. If the
Sub-Council representative is unable to attend Sub-council, the Faculty
President will attend in his/her stead, or appoint a designated attendee.
Change: The TBR Faculty Sub-Council Representative is
appointed by the Senate and serves as the Faculty Senate’s official
representative to the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Faculty Sub-Council;
records and prepares minutes of TBR Faculty Sub-Council meetings for
distribution to Faculty Senate members and faculty at large; maintains a
permanent record of all TBR Faculty Sub-Council minutes; and serves a
three-year term or until a successor is appointed. This
position does not have to be a departmentally elected Senator; Senators can select
any full-time faculty member. If this
person is not an elected Senator, this faculty member will be designated as a
Senator and will have all of the responsibilities and obligations of an elected
Senator. If the Sub-Council
representative is unable to attend Sub-council, the Faculty President will
attend in his/her stead, or appoint another Senator to
be the designated attendee.
Justification:
Apparently there has been considerable discussion about this in the
past. This will make it official. And the change in the last sentence says how
to officially handle the problem if neither the FS president nor the TBR rep
can make the meeting.
H. (G) The Parliamentarian is appointed by the Faculty President
and advises the President so as to ensure that all business transacted by the
Faculty Senate conforms to this constitution and to the parliamentary authority
accepted by Faculty Senate; serves as advisor to the Business Officer on
parliamentary matters; chairs the Rules Committee; and serves a two-year term
(if office is vacated, a new Parliamentarian is appointed for a full term as
described).
Change: The Parliamentarian is appointed by the
Faculty President with approval of Senate members. He/she advises the President so as to
ensure that all business transacted by the Faculty Senate conforms to this
constitution and to the parliamentary authority accepted by Faculty Senate;
serves as advisor to the Business Officer on parliamentary matters; chairs the
Rules Committee; and serves a two-year term (if office is vacated, a new
Parliamentarian is appointed for a full term as described).
I. Officers of the Senate are released from the Senator
responsibility of disseminating information and receiving feedback from their
respective departments/areas during the term of their offices. Those duties
will be assumed fully by the other Senator(s) of the respective
department/area.
Section
3. Election of Officers
A.
The President appoints a Nominating Committee at the first fall semester
meeting to be chaired by the Recording Secretary.
B. The President or President Elect
establishes the times and meeting places for the upcoming semester's Senate
meetings before the nomination and election of officers and representatives to
the committee.
C. At the first Faculty Senate meeting
of spring semester, the Nominating Committee presents a slate of officers with
at least one person nominated for each office. Each nominee must be notified of
nomination and meeting times of the Senate and must accept the nomination
before the slate is presented. Nominations will be accepted from the floor, but
any person nominated must be present to accept the nomination.
Change: At the
first Faculty Senate meeting of spring semester, the Nominating Committee
presents a slate of Nominees for President Elect of the
faculty with at least one person nominated. Each nominee must be
notified of nomination and meeting times of the Senate and must accept the
nomination before the slate is presented. Nominations will be accepted from the
floor, but any person nominated must be present to accept the nomination.
Justification:
Clarity that nominees are only for President Elect, not all of the
Senate officers.
D. The election of Faculty President
is determined by a vote of all full-time faculty.
Voting is conducted by e-mail within one week of presenting nominations.
Election may be by acclamation if uncontested.
Change: The chair of the Nominating
Committee will email a ballot to all full-time faculty. Voting is conducted by e-mail within one week
of the presentation of the nominations.
A candidate duly nominated according to the by-laws of Faculty Senate
and accepting of the nomination and facing no opposition is declared elected
without opposition. If there is more
than one nominee, the election will be open for one week (seven days). The Nominating Committee will count the votes
the next working day. The election of
President Elect is determined by a simple majority vote, 50 percent plus one of
those voting. If there are more than
two nominees in the election and none receive a simple majority vote, there
will be a run-off between the two nominees who received the most votes. This election will also be by email. An email with those two nominee’s names will
be sent to all full-time faculty within two days of
the first ballot count. That election
will be open for five days. The
Nominating Committee will count the votes the next working day. The nominee receiving a simple majority of
the votes will be declared the winner.
The chair of the Nominating Committee will send an email to the
President of the Faculty and the nominees with the election results, followed
by an email to all faculty with the results.
Justification: Currently there is nothing in the
Constitution about a process.
E. Elections of other Senate Officers
are conducted at the next Senate meeting after nominations are presented.
Change: The
Faculty President will present his/her nominees for Senate Officers, excluding
the President Elect and Past President, at the last spring meeting of the
Faculty Senate. Senators will vote on
the nominees at the July meeting of the Faculty Senate.
Justification:
Clarity, trying to make sure there is no confusion between the election
of the officers and the president elect and that only the Senators vote on the
officers, and clarification of timing.
Section
4. Removal of Officers
A.
An affirmative vote of three-fourths of the Senate membership removes an
officer from service.
B. Negligence of duties as outlined in
the Constitution is a valid reason to remove an officer.
ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES
Section
1. Establishment of Committees
A.
The Faculty Senate has the power to establish committees to study and report on
matters of concern to the faculty. Committees appointed by Faculty Senate
become committees of the Faculty Senate, receive their authority from the
Faculty Senate, and report their findings and make recommendations to the
Faculty Senate. Actions taken are those of the committee as a whole
representing a majority vote. Minority reports and recommendations may be
submitted to the Faculty Senate if desired by dissenting committee members. A
majority of committee members constitutes a quorum for transacting all business
of the committee.
B. The President appoints committees
if the need arises. Each committee should have three or more members. A balance
of academic department representation should be considered in making
appointments. The President may allow a committee to form on a volunteer or
partial volunteer basis, but with balanced representation as a consideration.
Section
2. Standing Committees
Faculty Senate establishes or
abolishes standing committees as necessary.
A. The Constitution includes a roster
of current standing committees.
B. Establishing or deleting a standing
committee does not require an amendment to the Constitution.
C. The President appoints members and
chairpersons of standing committees at the first fall semester meeting of
Faculty Senate.
D.
Committees established:
Executive Committee
Faculty Senate Student Scholarship
Committee
Nominating Committee
Promotion and Tenure Committee
Adjunct Faculty Concerns
Committee
Rules Committee
Evaluation Committee
Section
3. Ad Hoc Committees
A.
The Faculty Senate may establish temporary committees for special purposes.
B. These ad hoc committees are formed
following the same guidelines as those for standing committees.
ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENT PROCEDURE
Amendments to the Faculty Senate
Constitution are made under the following provisions carried out in sequence.
A. Initiation of Proposed Amendments
Initiation of proposed amendments requires a majority vote
of the membership at a meeting of the Faculty Senate.
B. Procedure for Proposed Amendments
1. Amendments are submitted to the Faculty Senate at a regular
meeting.
2. Action of proposed amendments is delayed until at least the
next regular meeting of the Faculty Senate.
C. Adoption of Proposed Amendments
1. Three-fourths of the Faculty Senate
present and voting must approve the amendment.
2. The amendment goes into effect immediately unless
otherwise stipulated by the amendment itself.