1.6.3.1 The Constitution of the Ithaca College Faculty Council
effective May 2001
Article I
Name
This body shall be known as the Ithaca College Faculty Council.
Article II
Object
Section 1.
As the representative body of the Ithaca College faculty as a whole, Faculty Council makes recommendations for the College faculty on all-college policies concerning curriculum, programs, grading, appointments, tenure, and promotions. The College shall make no changes in these policies without recommendations from the Faculty Council. The Faculty Council will report its recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Educational Affairs for decision.
Section 2.
It shall be organized to reflect all academic units at the College and the varying size of same.
Section 3.
It shall act as a liaison between the faculty and administration on matters of mutual concern.
Section 4.
It shall make studies upon its own initiative of all-College policies concerning curriculum, programs, grading, appointments, tenure, and promotions, or it may make studies of questions submitted to it by any individual or group of the faculty, staff, administration, or students. It may recommend to the appropriate persons or bodies such action as its studies seem to call for.
Section 5.
It shall respond to problems referred to it by the Student Governance Council, the Staff Council, or Standing Committees of the College.
Section 6.
It shall seek to promote harmony and cooperation among members of the College faculty.
Section 7.
It shall call meetings of the Ithaca College faculty, conduct straw votes and referenda as appropriate to gather faculty sentiment.
Section 8.
It shall recommend to the Board of Trustees through the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and President all degrees granted by the College.
Article III
Bylaws
The Faculty Council shall have the authority to make Bylaws on such matters as membership, meeting procedures, voting, elections, committees and other organizational matters and needs of the Council. Such Bylaws may not be in conflict with the Charter or Bylaws of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees or any other governing group recognized by the Board of Trustees of Ithaca College.
Article IV
Amendments to the Constitution
This Constitution can be amended at any regular meeting of the Faculty Council by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, so long as that number is not less than a majority of the elected representatives, and provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting and provided that it does not conflict with the College governance structure as found in section 1.6 of Volume I of the Ithaca College Policy Manual.
1.6.3.2 Bylaws of the Ithaca College Faculty Council
Effective fall 2002
Article I
Members and Elections
Section 1.
The Ithaca College Faculty Council will be composed of members drawn from the various schools of the College as well as the library at a ratio of one representative plus, at the discretion of the unit, up to one additional representative for every twenty (20) FTE faculty in the unit and one for any remainder between 11 and 20; in addition, part-time faculty of the College may elect one member. Faculty Council shall reapportion the membership at least once every five years.
Section 2.
Any faculty member who meets one of the following criteria is eligible to vote in Council elections and/or to be elected to a two-year or replacement term to Council:
(1) the faculty member is full-time or is ordinarily a full-time faculty member who has temporarily taken on non-academic duties while teaching part-time;
(2) the faculty member has been at or above half time for three or more years out of the previous four and is at or above half time for the current year;
(3) the faculty member is part-time at the rank of associate or full professor;
(4) all librarians.
Any faculty member who is not eligible under the provisions (1) through (4) above is eligible to vote in an election and/or to be elected to a two-year or replacement term to Council occupying the seat for a part-time faculty member.
Section 3.
Council elections will be held by the various component groups on or before May 1 of the year preceding the terms of office.
Section 4.
Council members who go on leave of absence or sabbatical leave will be replaced for the duration of their leave by a member from their constituency. Council members who vacate their seats will be replaced by a representative from their constituency for the duration of their term. In either case, if a vacancy occurs within one month of an election of that constituency, the candidate who received the most votes among the losing candidates in the most recent election will be appointed; otherwise a new election will be held to fill the vacancy.
Article II
Officers
Section 1.
Council officers will be a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and two officers-at-large.
Section 2.
At the regular May Faculty Council meeting, officers will be elected by a majority of the members of the subsequent year's Faculty Council (i.e., continuing members and newly-elected members). Each office has a term of one year; terms begin on June 1.
Article III
Meetings
Section 1.
Regular meetings of the Council will be held on the first Tuesday of each month of the academic year except for the November meeting (not to conflict with Election Day) and the January meeting (held once classes have begun), unless otherwise ordered by the Faculty Council or the Executive Committee.
Section 2.
Special meetings can be held upon a call from the Chairperson, the Executive Committee or upon written request of seven members of the Faculty Council.
Section 3.
A majority of the members of Council are needed for a quorum and decisions shall be made by a majority vote of these members in attendance.
Section 4.
Faculty Council meetings are open to all members of the College community. The Council, however, may meet in Executive Session when it is deemed desirable.
Section 5.
Council members who are absent without excuse twice consecutively or three times accumulatively during an academic year will receive a reminder from the chair of Council upon the advice of the Executive Committee. Upon further absences, Council, by majority vote, may declare the Council member's seat vacant and invoke the replacement procedures described in article I, section 4 of these bylaws. Any member of Council may request a hearing before the Executive Committee prior to removal from Council.
Section 6.
To facilitate the cancellation of a meeting when necessary for lack of a quorum, all members of Council are urged to notify the Chairperson at least 24 hours before a meeting of any anticipated absences.
Article IV
Executive Committee
Section 1.
The Officers of the Council and the person selected to represent Council on the Academic Policies Committee if that person is not an Officer of Council shall constitute the Executive Committee of Faculty Council. This group is subject to the orders of the Council and none of its actions shall conflict with action taken by the Faculty Council.
Section 2.
The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Faculty Council between meetings, shall act for the Faculty Council as necessary, shall fix the time and place of meetings, draw up the appropriate agenda, and make recommendations to the Council.
Section 3.
Council officers will be a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary and two officers-at-large. In the event that the chairperson is unable to fulfill their duties, the vice-chairperson shall temporarily assume those duties until such time as the chairperson is capable or until the end of the chairperson’s term. The vice-chairperson shall serve as the Faculty Council liaison to the Faculty Handbook Amendment Committee (FHC), and shall also serve as the nominations officer, responsible for all aspects of soliciting faculty nominees and electing faculty members to serve on college committees as they are needed. In the event that the vice-chairperson assumes the responsibilities of the chairperson, the executive committee will elect one member from the executive committee to serve as the nominations officer until such time as the chairperson can resume their responsibilities.
Article V
Committees
Section 1.
The Council shall appoint committees in accordance with governance documents. The Council may also appoint ad hoc committees, which the Chair may attend as an ex officio member. Council will normally set a duration for the life of an ad hoc committee. An ad hoc committee may ask to be dismissed when it has completed its task or for other cause; and Council may extend the duration of an ad hoc committee as it deems appropriate.
Section 2: Faculty Handbook Amendment Committee
The Faculty Handbook Amendment Committee is a standing committee of the Faculty Council. It is composed of one faculty member from each of the five schools and the current vice-chairperson of the Faculty Council. Representatives of the schools will serve for terms of two years; terms will be staggered to ensure continuity of membership.
Members of the Faculty Handbook Amendment Committee must be tenured or have served more than five years as a full-time faculty member.
The committee reviews and may initiate changes and amendments to the Faculty Handbook on behalf of the faculty and/or administration.
The Faculty Handbook Amendment Committee will hold public hearings for the faculty in general prior to submission of changes/amendments.
The Faculty Handbook Amendment Committee reports its actions to Faculty Council.
Section 3: Faculty Benefits Committee
The Faculty Benefits Committee is a standing committee of the Faculty Council. It is composed of five faculty members elected by the members of the Faculty Council. Terms will be staggered to ensure continuity of membership.
The committee provides advice with regard to types and levels of faculty fringe benefits. The committee studies, reviews and recommends changes to existing benefits and/or proposed new benefits. The Faculty Benefits Committee may hold hearings on proposed changes it recommends; may poll the faculty at large concerning proposals for changes in fringe benefits.
Members of the Faculty Benefits Committee are members of the Staff and Faculty Benefits Committee.
Article VI
Amendment
These bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Faculty Council by the same procedure for as for the Constitution of the Ithaca College Faculty Council. See section 1.6.3.1, article IV.
Article VII
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised will be used when appropriate and a Parliamentarian will be named.
Last Updated: May 9, 2022