Key changes an Timeline Needed for Academic Senate Bylaws March 7, 2017

Changes Needed ELECTIONS   We need to be explicit about who votes for officers: Per communication with past president Bea Lawn (email 11/5/16) we are a Representative Senate thus only senators actually vote for these positions. What we call “Elections” in our current bylaws is misleading; when we say (all) faculty vote it really is intended as an all faculty call for nominations/candidates. After all candidates are identified, they are to be announced for X time to all faculty and placed on an Academic Senate meeting agenda for the senate (as representatives of all faculty) to vote and elect the new officers. If this is not the case, then that needs to be changed/clarified in our bylaws. When elections are to occur: We need to specify when elections are to be held (particularly President-Elect if we go that route) and when they assume office. What the process is if there are no candidates for an office: This is what happened last year. If we are going with the President-elect model then we need to outline what happens during the semester when the President-elect is to be part of the senate, i.e. do we continue having calls for candidates, how often, etc. AND what happens if no president has been elected prior to the end of the serving president’s term? Senate goes on recess until a president is elected? Who calls for special election meeting in such a case?

OFFICERS   Agree on number of VPs and composition of the rest of the Executive Committee (committee should also be established), i.e. do we want a treasurer to manage the senate budget? Once decided, these positions need to be assigned specific duties and “Desirable” duties depending on level of compensation/support. When these positions are elected: do they mirror the President-elect model?

SUCCESSION   What will be the succession process in case of a vacancy in one of these positions? Does the VP move up to the role of president? Do VPs get appointed by the president?

RELEASE TIME   How will compensation be allocated to the officer positions? Should it be part of the bylaws? GCFA contract? Can/should the senate propose that all institutional release time afforded to the senate to do its 10+1 duties be distributed by the senate? For example, can we advocate that the senate be given “release time budget” and it determines how it allocates itself and its standing committees (currently the Curriculum committee and the Faculty Professional Learning committee)?

ACADEMIC SENATE COUNCIL/STEERING COMMITTEE   Who should comprise such a group? What would be its purpose? How often should it meet?

COMMITTEES   We need definitions of what constitutes Standing, Ad hoc, Advisory, Subcommittee. Such definitions should have explicit process of how they are to be established, what their roles are and how they are to be evaluated and continued/terminated. Bylaws should name the senate’s Standing Committees with corresponding constitutions and/or bylaws.

Immediate Senate Goals 1. Recruit and Support new Officers for election prior to June 1st; 2. Update Constitution and Bylaws to enable such; 3. Determine how best to update Constitution and Bylaws and recruit next senate leadership.

# 1 Recruit and Support Individual senators need to be actively identifying and inviting future officers to engage in the changes the senate is undergoing. Recognize that the current senate cannot “fix/update” all current senate needs this semester thus needs to prioritize what is feasible this semsester.

#2 Undate Constitution/Bylaws The senate needs to decide how it is going to proceed regarding these two. Suggestion: Constitution update sent out for ALL faculty ratification; bylaws left to the senate to update (2/3s vote). This would entail interpreting the current bylaws based on current practice/definition of “faculty” being applied to the election of officers. For example, current Bylaw Article III: Election Procedures refers to “most votes” and “run-off” elections implying a full faculty vote, however, that has not been the senate practice. We are a “representative” senate and election have been decided by a senate vote. If we are to translate this practice it would follow that the bylaws can be changed by the senate even though Article VII: Adoption and Amendments implies a similar “faculty” vote. Alternative: The bylaws are sent out with the constitution for ratification/adoption with only one change: clarifying that the senate has the authority to change its bylaws.

So… how best to update the Constitution and Bylaws …with the (possible) priority of electing new officers by June 1st… The senate needs to decide and create a concrete timeline.