H&S Senate Constitution and Bylaws
This document is taken from Volume 1 of the Ithaca College Policy Manual (section 1.6.6.4) and became effective June 2000
Constitution of the Faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences
Article I NAME
Section 1. This body will be called the School of Humanities and Sciences Faculty Senate.
Article II PURPOSE
Section 1. The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to determine and represent the concerns of the Faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences and to make recommendations on its behalf on school policies and procedures concerning, but not limited to, curriculum, programs, grading, faculty appointments and credentials for same, evaluation of faculty, tenure, and promotion. The school will make no changes in these policies without a recommendation from the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate will report its recommendations to the Faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences and to the dean for action.
Section 2. It will be a liaison between the faculty and the dean and other administrators on matters of mutual concern.
Section 3. It may initiate and conduct studies of its own on school policies, programs, and procedures. It may also make studies of questions submitted by individual faculty, faculty groups, administrators, or students of H&S or other governing bodies of Ithaca College or its schools. It will make recommendations to the appropriate person or body as are called for by such studies.
Section 4. It will study and respond to problems referred to it by other councils or standing committees of the college.
Section 5. It will seek to promote harmony among members of the faculty and between the faculty and the administration of the school and the college.
Section 6. It may call meetings of the school faculty and conduct informal polls and referenda as appropriate to gather faculty sentiment and record faculty concerns.
By-laws of the Faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences
Article I MEMBERS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. The Faculty Senate will be composed of fifteen (15) elected senators; three each from fine arts, humanities, sciences and mathematics, and social sciences and three members elected at large. Terms will be staggered so that one third (1/3)of the body is elected or re-elected each academic year by the faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences.
Section 2. All full and part time faculty may vote in Faculty Senate elections and be elected to office.
Section 3. Senate elections will be held on or before April 15 of the year preceding the term of office.
Section 4. Senators who vacate their seats on the Faculty Senate for any reason will be replaced for the duration of their term by election of the faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences.
Article II OFFICERS AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. Senate officers will be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and two Officers-at-Large elected by majority vote of the Senate at the last meeting of the Spring semester. Terms will begin on June 1 and will be for one year. Officers maybe re-elected for a maximum of three consecutive terms.
Section 2. The officers of the Senate will constitute its Executive Committee which is subject to the orders of the Senate. Therefore, it may not act in conflict with any action taken by the Senate.
Section 3. The Executive Committee will have general supervision of Senate affairs between meetings and will set the agenda. It may also consult with the dean and meet with the dean, along with other senators who may wish to attend, to present the Senate's various resolutions and motions and to conduct business and it will report the substance of such meetings and consultations to the Senate.
Article III MEETINGS
Section 1. The Faculty Senate will meet once each month during the academic year.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the President of the Senate or the Executive Committee, or upon written request by any three (3) senators. At any meeting, the Senate may call a special meeting by majority vote.
Section 3. A majority of elected senators will constitute a quorum without which business cannot be conducted. A majority vote of those present is necessary to pass a motion or resolution except on matters that require a two-thirds (2/3) majority.
Section 4. Faculty Senate meetings are open, but the Senate may meet in executive session upon majority vote. The Senate may request the dean, or the dean's representative(s), or any guest to attend its meetings.
Section 5. Senators who are absent two consecutive or three cumulative meetings during an academic year will receive a reminder from the President of the Senate upon the advice of the Executive Committee. Upon further absences, the Senate, by majority vote, may declare the senator's seat vacant and invoke the replacement procedures described in Article I, Section 4 of these by-laws. Any senator may request a hearing prior to removal from the Senate.
Article IV COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Faculty Senate will propose new standing and ad hoc committees by majority vote. Proposed standing committees must be approved by vote of the faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences. The President of the Senate may recommend an ex officio member from the Senate to any H&S committee upon approval by majority vote of the Senate. All committees established after the ratification of these by-laws will report to the Senate for appropriate deliberation and action unless otherwise specified in their charge.
Section 2. Standing committees of the School of Humanities and Sciences that have bylaws adopted previous to the creation of the Humanities and Sciences Faculty Senate by vote of the faculty will continue to follow their bylaws. The Senate will facilitate the operation of these committees and coordinate communication between these committees and any committees created by the Senate. The Senate can propose changes in the by-laws of committees that existed prior to its creation. For approval, such changes require a 2/3 majority of Humanities and Sciences faculty voting.
Section 3. Annually, the Faculty Senate will review all standing and ad hoc committees created by the Senate. The Senate may recommend modification or elimination of said committees. Any recommendation to modify or eliminate a standing committee must be submitted to the Humanities and Sciences faculty for a vote. For approval, such changes require a 2/3 majority of the faculty voting.
Section 4. The Faculty Senate will be responsible for administering elections to all school wide faculty committees.
Section 5. The standing committees of the School of Humanities and Sciences are listed below:
- Academic Policies and Procedures
- Curriculum
- Peer Review
- Teacher Education
Article V MEETING PROCEDURE
Section 1. All meetings of the Faculty Senate will be conducted according to the general principles of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. The Senate will name a parliamentarian who will insure that such procedures are followed.
Section 2. All agenda and minutes of meetings of the Faculty Senate and the faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences will be published and made available to the Faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences. Copies will be sent to the dean of the School and to the provost of Ithaca College.
Article VI AMENDMENT PROCEDURE
Section 1. The Faculty Senate of the School of Humanities and Sciences will have the authority to make and amend its by-laws on such matters as membership, meeting procedures, voting, elections, committees, and other organizational matters and needs of the Senate. Such by-laws may not conflict with the Charter and by-laws of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees or any other governing group recognized by the Board of Trustees.
Section 2. The by-laws of the Faculty Senate may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Senate at any regular or special meeting provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting and providing that the amendment does not conflict with the Ithaca College Faculty Handbook, or the Governance Document, or any other Ithaca College Governance Documents in Volume I of the Ithaca College Policy Manual. The Senate may, at its discretion, conduct an informal poll or referendum of the faculty to inform its deliberations.