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 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.

Article I

Members and Elections

Section 1.

The Faculty Senate will be composed of fifteen (15) elected senators: three each from fine arts; humanities; natural sciences/mathematics/computer science; 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 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 per-credit faculty are not eligible to vote or be elected to office. 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 social meeting by majority vote.

Section 3.

A majority of the members of Faculty Senate are needed for a quorum and decisions shall be made by a majority vote of these members in attendance, unless otherwise stipulated in this document.

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 replacement procedures described in article I, Section 4. of these bylaws. Any senator may request, through the Faculty Senate President, 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 to the Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences changes in the bylaws of standing committees; such changes for approval require a 2/3 majority of the 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 the Senate.

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 Procedure

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 ensure that such procedures are followed.

Section 2.

All minutes of the 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 bylaws on such matters as membership, meeting procedures, voting, elections, committees and other organizational matters and needs of the senate. Such bylaws may not conflict with the Ithaca College Faculty Handbook (Volume IV) or any other Ithaca College Governance Document of the Ithaca College Policy Manual.

Section 2.

The bylaws 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 provided that the amendment does not conflict with the Ithaca College Faculty Handbook (Volume IV) or any other Ithaca College Governance Document of the Ithaca College Policy Manual.