REVISED H&S Faculty Senate Bylaws
BY-LAWS OF THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SCIENCES (REVISED May 7, 2010)
Article I MEMBERS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1
The Faculty Senate will be composed of fifteen (15) elected senators: three each from fine arts (Art, Art History, Theatre Arts, Writing); humanities (Education, English, History, Modern Languages and Literatures, Philosophy and Religion, Speech Communication); sciences and mathematics (Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics); social sciences (Anthropology, Economics, Politics, Psychology, Sociology); 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 tenured and tenure eligible faculty are eligible to vote in Faculty Senate elections and be elected to office. Adjunct faculty and non-tenure eligible full-time faculty are eligible to vote and be elected to office after their first year. Part time faculty are paid by the credit and are not eligible to vote. This policy would exclude one-year temporary faculty from voting in their first year.
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 or cannot attend meetings for more than one semester will be replaced for the duration of their term by election of the faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences. For example, a Senator on a one-semester leave will not be replaced if they choose to retain their seat.
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 may be 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 at least four times a semester, roughly once a month.
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 of active senators. Active senators (those not on approved leave) may submit a proxy ballot.
Section 4
Faculty Senate meetings are open to the Ithaca College Community, but the Senate may meet in executive session upon majority vote. The Senate may invite any guest to participate in its discussions.
Section 5
Senators who are absent without approval for two consecutive or three cumulative meetings during an academic year will receive a reminder of their obligations 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 with the executive committee 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 except H&S Curriculum Committee will report to the Senate for appropriate deliberation and action unless otherwise specified in their charge.
Section 2
The Senate will facilitate the operation of H&S standing and ad hoc committees and coordinate communication between these committees. The Senate can propose changes in the by-laws of standing committees; such changes for approval require a 2/3 majority of Humanities and Sciences faculty voting.
Section 3
Annually, the Faculty Senate may review all H&S standing and ad hoc committees. 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. Any recommendation to modify or eliminate an ad hoc committee must be submitted to the Faculty Senate for a vote. For approval, such changes require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of active senators.
Section 4
The Faculty Senate will be responsible for administering elections to all school wide faculty committees.
Section 5
The standing and ad hoc committees of the School of Humanities and Sciences are listed on the Faculty Senate website.
Article V MEETING PROCEDURES
Section 1
The Faculty Senate meetings will be conducted according to the general principles of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. The Senate will name a parliamentarian who when necessary 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 on the Faculty Senate website making them available to any interested party.
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 active senators 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.