IVC Academic Senate Bylaws

The Irvine Valley College Academic senate is a professional and collegial body responsible for the representation of the faculty of Irvine Valley College on academic and professional matters. The academic senate is constituted in accordance with relevant provisions of the California Education Code and Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations and with other relevant statutes and regulations. (TITLE 5: 53200-53206; BP2100.1, BP2100.2)

Membership

The academic senate is a certified member of the Academic senate for California Community Colleges and functions as a local affiliate of that statewide organization.

Responsibilities

The academic senate is responsible for establishing and assigning representation of the faculty on standing and ad hoc committees, councils, and other governing bodies, except when seats are reserved for the exclusive bargaining agent of the faculty.

Academic Policy

The State of California has provided that its institutions of higher education shall be jointly governed by the administration and the faculty. The Board must consult collegially with the faculty through the Academic senate in these academic and professional areas:

1. Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites.
2. Degree and certificate requirements.
3. Grading policies.
4. Educational program development.
5. Standards or policies regarding student preparation and success.
6. College governance structures, as related to faculty roles.
7. Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes.
8. Policies for faculty professional development activities.
9. Processes for program review.
10. Processes for institutional planning and budget development.
11. Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon.

To consult collegially means to—

Rely primarily upon the advice and the judgment of the Academic senate or reach mutual agreement with the Academic senate.

The law requires that the Board shall establish procedures to ensure faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to express their opinions at the campus level. These opinions are to be given every reasonable consideration. It is the right of the Academic senate to assume primary responsibility for making recommendations in the areas of curriculum and academic standards.

Where the Board must rely primarily on the advice of the academic senate, and such recommendation is not accepted, the reasons for the Board's decision must be in writing and must be based on a clear and substantive rationale which puts the explanation for the decision in accurate, appropriate, and relevant context.

Academic Freedom

Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition.

Academic freedom is essential to these purposes and applies both to teaching and to research. Academic freedom for teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and for the protection of the rights of the student in learning. Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. (TITLE 5: 53200, 53203,53203, 53430; Ed. Code: 87360, 87458, 87609, 87663-4, 87743, 87734.5))

Process

The academic senate represents the faculty through consultative and collegial processes and, by such means, makes recommendations to the governing board and/or to its agents or designees. With respect to these recommendations, the governing board and/or its agents or designees either (1) relies primarily upon the advice or judgment of the academic senate, or (2) enters into written mutual agreements with the academic senate, or (3) considers the counsel of the academic senate in its processes of deliberation and decision making. These options are exercised in accordance with governing provisions of statue and regulation and with board policies delegating authority and responsibility to the academic senate [BP 2001.1 and BP 2100.2], and in accordance with the requirements of sections (53200-53205 of Title 5, California Code of Regulations and the California Education Code).

Faculty Association and not the academic senate is responsible for negotiating collective bargaining agreements between the public employer and academic employees.

The academic senate will consult and confer with the exclusive agent of the faculty on matters of mutual concern and/or responsibility and will exercise its responsibility to confer when and where that responsibility is defined and/or mandated in law or regulation.

(Title 5: 53204; Ed. Code: 87610.1, 87743.1-5)

Primary Reliance

Except for exceptional circumstances and for compelling reasons, and absent a prompt and written explanation, the governing board and/or its representatives will adopt the recommendations of the academic senate [BP 2001.1]

Mutual Agreement

“Mutual agreement” means a written resolution, regulation, and/or policy not subject to modification by the governing board absent the agreement of the academic senate, unless continuance of an existing policy or procedure would expose the district to liability or substantial fiscal hardship and unless a prior and good faith effort has been made to reach agreement with the academic senate on such a change in policy or procedure [BP 2001.1]. (Title 5: 53200, 53202)

Appointments of Faculty Members to Committees and Councils

The academic senate shall either appoint or otherwise ratify the appointment of all faculty members to all college-wide and district-wide standing and ad hoc committees, councils, task forces, workgroups, and other similar bodies.

Exceptions include:

• internal committees, councils, or other such groups functioning exclusively within academic schools, departments, or programs.
• subcommittees composed only of members from an existing body.
• seats designated for the exclusive bargaining agent of the faculty.

The academic senate fills by appointment or by ratification all reserved or requested faculty seats on all employment committees for all full-time appointments, district-wide, except for seats that may be reserved for the exclusive bargaining agent of the faculty.

In instances in which committee seats are specifically reserved for faculty representatives from identified disciplines, departments, or schools, the academic senate shall rely upon recommendations or nominations from those faculty groups. In all instances, senate appointments are subject to the agreement of the appointee. (Title 5: 53203 (f))

Duty to Represent

The academic senate has a duty to represent all faculty and shall see that its actions and procedures are consistent with such end. Senators act on behalf of faculty in the schools they represent.

General Organization of the Academic senate

The business of the academic senate shall be conducted either by the faculty at-large, by elected representatives of the general membership, or by duly constituted committees of those bodies as defined herein.

Conduct

Business of the academic senate shall be conducted in public, in accordance with law, and by the process as defined in the Brown Act and other relevant regulations. recommendations of the academic senate or of any of its bodies shall be adopted only by parliamentary processes and upon majority vote, or by consensus if previously agreed upon by the body, subject to regulations defined herein.

Membership in the Academic senate

Except as otherwise limited herein, all individuals granted full-time or part-time, contract, tenure-track, or tenured academic appointments at Irvine Valley College are members of the academic senate and possess rights and privileges of membership as specified herein.

Rights of membership do not extend to academic administrators, excepting faculty members assigned temporary administrative duties in lieu of classroom or non-classroom instructional assignments.

Faculty Appointments and Membership

An appointment to the full-time faculty shall mean any tenured (permanent) or contract (either probationary or temporary) faculty appointment of at least 50% of the full-time load, defined as “fulltime” by the Master Agreement. Faculty members with this type of appointments are members of the academic senate. Faculty reassignments and/or leaves, whole or partial, shall have no bearing on membership status, except that members on full leave whose leaves extend beyond four consecutive semesters shall lose rights of membership until they reassume, in whole or in part, a regular assignment.

Associate Appointments and Membership

An “associate appointment” to the faculty shall mean a non-tenured and non-contractual, part-time faculty appointment, as defined by the Master Agreement. Faculty with temporary part-time appointments and current assignments shall be associate members of the academic senate.

Rosters of Members

The recorder, on behalf of the cabinet of the academic senate shall, at the onset of each academic semester compile a roster of full-time and active associate members as well as distributions of FTE faculty by school and academic discipline. These rosters shall be maintained in the academic senate offices and shall function to establish quorums and available representative seats unless otherwise provided in these bylaws.

Voting Rights

Faculty General Assembly: The electorate (all those permitted to vote) of the membership at-large shall consist of all full-time and associate members of the faculty.

Academic senate: The electorate of the representatives of the Faculty General Assembly shall consist of all members of that body unless otherwise and as specifically limited herein.

Committees, councils, and other bodies: The electorate of other committees and councils of the academic senate shall consist of all members of those bodies unless otherwise and as specifically limited herein or within other governing policies.

Electors: Each elector (a person permitted to vote) in any body of the faculty general assembly shall have one vote.

Majority requirements are as follows:

50% or 2/3 or 3/4 Simple Majority:

At minimum, the nearest whole number greater than 1/2, 2/3, or 3/4, respectively, of voters, that is, electors present and voting, exclusive of votes of abstention, presuming a sufficient quorum has been attained. This means that abstention is the same as not voting, and for these purposes equivalent to “not present” as pertains to that vote. Since abstentions are considered as “not present”, they contribute to neither the quorum nor the count of voters.

If, due to the number of abstentions, no quorum exists for the vote, then the vote is void, and no action is taken. In this case, any elector may move either the same or an altered proposition, and another vote may occur on the new motion. Should the same motion be repeated without achieving a successful vote, that is, a quorum of voters, the chair may determine that sufficient participation in that action will not be possible at that time, and not allow the same proposition to be moved again. This does not preclude the motion being brought forward at another time with different participants or after time for further reflection.

50% or 2/3 or 3/4 Absolute Majority:

At minimum, the nearest whole number greater than 1/2, 2/3, or 3/4, respectively, of the entire electorate, presuming a sufficient quorum has been attained. In this case, quorum is determined based on the total number of electors, whether or not present or voting.

Unanimity

“By unanimous consent” shall mean any case in which all electors present and voting cast an identical vote, exclusive of votes of abstention, subject to quorum requirements as defined herein. Since abstentions are considered as “not present”, they contribute to neither the quorum nor the count of voters. If, due to the number of abstentions, no quorum exists for the vote, then the vote is void, and no action is taken, even if all voters cast an identical vote.

Organization and Membership

The body comprising the faculty at-large shall be known as the general assembly of the faculty or the faculty assembly. All full-time and associate members of the faculty shall comprise the general assembly. Meetings of the general assembly shall be for purposes of information, study, and discussion only. Non-binding advisory votes may be taken. A quorum shall be the number of members present.

Actions of the general assembly

• Actions of the general assembly shall be taken by ballot of the electorate.
• Actions of the general assembly shall be taken only on items specified in or required by the bylaws.
• Actions of the general assembly shall be taken only in accordance with procedures adopted by the academic senate or as described in the bylaws.
• Such procedures shall insure proper notice and equal opportunity for participation and shall include provisions for absentee ballots.
• Each member shall have one vote.
• The quorum for any action of the General Assembly shall be met when at least one- half (½) of the full-time faculty have participated in the vote or action.

Matters requiring action by the general assembly (50% simple majority)

The following actions shall be taken only by the general assembly, and only in accordance with procedures specified within these bylaws. Unless otherwise specified, actions shall be adopted upon 50% simple majorities of those voting, subject to quorum limitations as noted above.

1. Election of senate president and vice-presidents.
2. Removal from office of senate president and/or vice presidents.
3. Confidence votes in administrators or members of the governing board.
4. Referenda initiated by petition.
5. Referenda initiated to academic senate.
6. Actions referred to the general assembly by the academic senate.

Matters requiring action by the general assembly (2/3 simple majority)

Unless otherwise specified, actions shall be adopted upon 2/3 simple majorities of those voting, subject to quorum limitations as noted above. The following actions shall be taken only by the general assembly, and only in accordance with procedures specified within these bylaw:.

• Modifying the composition of, and membership in standing committees of the academic senate.
• Modifying the composition of, and membership of the academic senate.
• Modification of, or suspension of the constitution and bylaws.

Election procedures: Elections Committee

1. Academic senate shall appoint an elections committee, which shall elect its own chair from the appointed membership, to oversee elections and/or balloting involving the general assembly.
2. Sitting officers of academic senate shall not sit on the elections committee.
3. The elections committee shall conduct elections or balloting in accordance with procedures developed by academic senate, and in accordance with relevant provisions of the bylaws.
4. The elections committee shall conduct, tabulate, record, and report the vote.
5. Ballots involving candidates for offices shall be confidential and shall provide capability for write-in candidates.

Election Procedures: Nominations Procedures

1. The open nominating period shall include at least two meetings of the Academic senate.
2. To open the nomination period, a campus-wide announcement will be made to all current full-time and associate faculty.
3. The open nominating period shall be started no later than week 9 and concluded no later than the start of week 12 of the fall instructional calendar.
4. Once nominated and at least 1 week prior to elections, nominees will complete a Candidates’ Statement. Candidates’ Statements will include at minimum a brief biography of the candidate and their qualifications for the positions.
5. Academic senate shall establish the polling dates with elections concluding prior to the final day of the fall instructional calendar.

Election Procedures: Polling and Voting

Polls shall be open, at minimum, one calendar week. If a holiday occurs during this period, the polls shall remain open for sufficient time to allow at least one seven-day period outside any holiday.

Special Elections

The academic senate shall maintain the right to hold special elections if and when circumstances so demand, and to establish appropriate nomination and voting dates for such elections. Special elections shall be overseen by the elections committee.

Right of Referendum

Full-time and associate members of the faculty general assembly have the right to initiate agenda items without the support of the cabinet, by means of referendum. This is intended to allow the representative body of academic senate or the faculty general assembly to initiate agenda items without the support of the cabinet.

Initiating a referendum by petition: petitions shall be valid if

• A petition calling for a referendum is filed with the senate cabinet, and
• Prior notice of the intent to file a petition has been filed with the senate cabinet, at least three (3) days prior to a scheduled cabinet meeting, and
• The petition is published and made available for signature to all members, and
• At least 25% of the members of the general assembly sign the petition.

Initiating a referendum by the representative body of the academic senate:

• The petition is ordered by an absolute majority of 2/3 of that body.
• The action to order a petition may occur with or without an agenda item describing this action.
• Such action shall be entered into the official record of the academic senate.

Referenda shall be voted upon by the members of the faculty general assembly in accordance with procedures adopted by the representative body of the academic senate.

• The elections committee shall oversee the polling and balloting for any referendum.
• The elections committee shall validate and affirm balloting results for any referendum.

Balloting of the general membership for referenda shall be conducted within 20 instructional days following the day upon which a valid petition is filed with the senate cabinet. The results of the referendum ballot shall be presented for vote or not to academic senate at its meeting immediately consequent to the close of balloting. The academic senate may act in a fashion of their own determination. All actions of the academic senate concerning the referendum shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. This includes any failure to accept or affirm the referendum ballot results.

Authority

The members of the faculty general assembly shall authorize formation of a representative body of senators and officers of the faculty, as indicated herein. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, this council shall act and speak on behalf of the entire academic senate, that is, the faculty general assembly. The council shall therefore assume the responsibilities of, function as, and bear the title of the Academic senate, except in those instances in which the faculty general assembly acts in this capacity.

Composition of Academic senate

Membership on the academic senate consists of senators and officers. Once the representative body of the academic senate composition is established, the composition and membership of academic senate, and the constituency and electors of the senators, shall be changed only by processes described herein for amending these bylaws (2/3 simple majority of the general assembly).

Senators

Senators shall be elected by constituency groups as defined herein. Two senators shall be elected by faculty of each school; the faculty of the school is the constituency group of each senator. Two senators shall be elected by the associate faculty.

Elections shall be conducted by the constituency group in accordance with procedures developed by the academic senate. Senators represent the constituency group and may be removed and/or replaced by that group for any reason, so long as election processes are in accordance with adopted procedures.

Upon a 3/4 absolute majority vote, academic senate may censure any senator for gross misconduct or gross negligence. In such instance, the president shall convey the notice of censure to the constituency group represented by the senator in question.

Alternates

In meetings of the academic senate, senators may be represented by alternates. Such allowance shall not extend to officers. Alternates must be designated by seat and must be selected in the same manner, at the same time, and by the same constituency that selects the senator. The academic senate may consider requests to seat alternates who have not met these conditions; however, such action shall be taken only during the call to order.

Associate Senators

Two seats on academic senate shall be reserved for senators representing the associate faculty at large. Up to two alternate associate senators may be elected at the same time. Elections for associate senators shall be conducted in accordance with procedures developed by the academic senate. For the purposes of electing associate senators, a simple majority of votes shall be required, and a quorum shall consist of the number of legitimate votes cast.

Officers of the academic senate (the “cabinet”)

The officers of the academic senate, herein referred to collectively as the cabinet, are:

• President
• Vice President of academic senate
• Vice President of Equity
• Chair, Curriculum Committee
• Chair, Academic Affairs Committee
• Recorder
• Past President

Terms of office: All officers shall serve terms of two years, commencing on the final day of the regular instructional calendar in spring.

Transition of office: Once elected, the incoming president and vice presidents shall work closely with the current cabinet to become familiar with the responsibilities and workings of the elected offices. The elected president and vice presidents are to attend academic senate and senate cabinet meetings during the spring semester prior to taking office.

Conditions of office

• The offices of President, Vice President of Academic senate, and Vice President of Equity shall be elected positions and may be held only by tenured faculty.
• All other officers must be full-time (tenured or tenure-track) members of the faculty.
• Cabinet will not have voting rights in academic senate meetings.
• The parliamentarian may be appointed by the president, as needed.

Officers, Duties, and Means of Appointment

As the primary representative of the academic senate, the President shall:

1. Be the official spokesperson and representative of the Academic senate to the Board, the District, the College, the press, the public, and all external groups and agencies.
2. Represent the Academic senate at commencement and other events and ceremonies.
3. Represent the Academic senate at the Fall and the Spring meetings of the State Academic senate and of the Regional Academic senate.
4. Appoint faculty representatives requested by any internal or external group or agency.
5. Prepare the agenda for the Academic senate meeting in consultation with the Executive Team.
6. Monitor and supervise Academic senate income and expenditures.
7. Chair meetings of academic senate Representative Council.
8. Monitor the publishing and archiving of the agendas and minutes of the meetings of the Academic senate.
9. Monitor the compliance with the Brown Act and any relevant open meeting laws and regulations.
10. Monitor all committees of the academic senate, attend and/or invite faculty to participate in conferences and workshops on issues relative to the duties assigned, including those related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and leadership.
11. Work with the secretary to disseminate information that is considered important and critical to the faculty.

As a representative of the Academic senate, the Vice Presidents shall:

Shared Duties

1. Maintain membership on committees relative to finances and budget
2. Collect and record instances of ethically questionable acts, unprofessional acts, or other acts or decisions by the College or District administration or administrators relevant to the accreditation process.
3. Serve on committees as directed by the President.

Vice President Specific Duties

• Vice President of Academic senate
  • Coordinate with faculty leads to monitor and report to Academic senate on items relating to Accreditation, Student Learning Outcomes, Program Review, curriculum and curriculum processes, distance education courses, technical support, academic processes, and College and District finances.
  • Attend conferences and workshops on issues relative to accreditation, Student Learning Outcomes, Program Review, curriculum and distance education, and finance and budgets.
  • Monitor the College’s collection of data to be used for accreditation reports and Program Review.
  • Monitor the College’s drafting of accreditation reports, development of Student Learning Outcomes, and production of Program Review reports.
  • Monitor College and District financial reports and budgets
• Vice President of Equity
  • Serve on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council
  • Participates in any Equity-focused shared governance committees, workgroups, and/or task forces as appropriate.
  • Under the direction of Academic senate, will lead the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for faculty.
  • Collaborates with the Director of Student Equity, the Academic Affairs Officer, and Professional Development Officer to provide professional development and growth opportunities to the college.
  • Collaborates with the Office of Research to develop and share equity-related data tools and reports campus-wide.
  • Participates in development and implementation of the IVC Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) Program.
  • Collaborates with consultants and the college as a whole on activities, projects, and decisions that impact the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Works with faculty to create a vision and effective strategy that champions the importance and values of diversity and inclusion within the classroom.
  • Works with and provides updates on equity incentives to Academic senate and other campus groups (i.e. Instructional Council, Institutional Effectiveness Committee, etc.) as needed.

Recorder shall:

1. Take minutes of Senate meetings.
2. Help prepare the agenda for the Academic senate meeting.
3. Oversee the publication and archiving of the minutes of the academic senate.
4. Serve as a member of the Executive team.
5. Attend conferences and workshops as directed by the President.
6. Attend or sit on grievance panels as directed by the President.
7. Oversee the publishing of a list of committees with chairs, meeting times, and meeting locations and ensure that minutes are archived and published at the request of the President.

Past-president

Appointed by academic senate;

1. May be any consenting past president of academic senate.
2. Assist and advises the president, the cabinet, and the academic senate; Assumes other responsibilities as requested by the president or the academic senate.

Chairs of standing committees, Curriculum Committee and Academic Affairs Committee

Appointed by the academic senate;

1. Convenes and presides over committee meetings as appropriate to their appointment.
2. Reports committee actions to the academic senate.
3. Serves as liaison between cabinet and respective committees.
4. Undertakes duties as directed by the committee members.
5. Assumes other responsibilities as requested by the president or the academic senate.

Removal and replacement of officers

Replacement of president: should the president’s office become vacant for any reason, the vice president shall assume office and serve out the remainder of the prior president’s term. Replacement of vice president: should the vice president office become vacant; the academic senate shall hold a special election of the general assembly to fill the position.

Removal of president and/or vice president

The academic senate may seek removal of the president and/or vice president upon a vote of no confidence by the academic senate. Such action shall require 2/3 absolute majority. Upon such action, the academic senate shall place the matter before the faculty general assembly. The elections committee shall oversee balloting and voting, which will proceed as described for elections of the president and vice-president. In the event of the simultaneous removal from office of both the president and vice president, the academic senate shall appoint temporary officers.

Following such appointment, the academic senate shall call for a special election of the faculty general assembly, unless the special election would occur within the same semester as a regular faculty-wide election, in which case the temporary officers will serve out the remainder of the normal term.

Interim officers for other positions

The academic senate shall appoint interim officers if a vacancy in office occurs.

Voting Rights and Procedures

Members of the academic senate are all senators. Each member of the academic senate, or his or her alternate, shall be an elector and shall have one vote. The number of electors shall consist of the number of voting members.

Quorum

No business of the academic senate of the academic senate or of any committee of the academic senate shall be conducted absent a quorum. For the academic senate, a quorum shall be the nearest whole number greater than half the number of electors. Unfilled or open positions shall not be counted to determine the quorum. For standing committees, a quorum shall be the nearest whole number greater than half the number of appointed voting members.

Majority requirements

Unless otherwise specified, actions of the academic senate shall be adopted only upon an affirmative vote by a 50% absolute majority of the electors of that body. Seats to which no person has been elected or appointed shall not be counted to determine quorum or absolute majority requirements.

Voting procedures

Actions of the Academic senate and committees

Members shall act by affirmative vote. Electors not voting in either affirmative or negative shall be provided with the option of casting votes of abstention. The record of each action taken shall specify the number of voters affirming, not affirming, and abstaining. This is the total number of votes cast.

The total number of votes cast on any action shall always be equal to the total number of voters present at the time the vote was conducted. Electors present but not voting are counted as if not present to determine a simple majority. To determine an absolute majority, the number of affirmative votes cast is compared to the number of electors (for 50%, 2/3, or 3/4), regardless of the total number of voters. Thus, abstentions and any other failure to vote in the affirmative effectively count as “votes against”.

Advisory votes

The president may, at their discretion, call for a non-binding advisory vote on any item under consideration.

Roll-call votes

The president shall conduct a roll-call vote upon a motion and two seconds from the floor or by electronic means. Roll-call votes may be requested for any action of the academic senate. Resolutions shall be adopted only by roll-call vote.

Voting by proxy

A senator may designate another senator from his or her same constituency group to serve as his or her proxy and, in such capacity, to exercise the senator’s right to vote on matters before the academic senate.

• A voting officer may designate another voting officer, to serve as his or her proxy and, in such capacity, to exercise the voting officer’s right to vote on matters before the academic senate.
• A senator may not serve as proxy for a voting officer, nor may a voting officer serve as proxy for a senator even if they are from the same constituency group.
• Written notice of designation of a proxy must be given to the recorder before the proxy may vote. Notice may be in electronic or paper form.

Absentee ballots

Senators may not vote by absentee ballot on matters before the academic senate.

Meetings

Unless otherwise addressed in the bylaws and adopted procedures, the academic senate and its committees shall conduct its business in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order. Public notice shall be given of all meetings in a manner consistent with applicable open meeting laws. Places, dates, and times of regular meetings shall be fixed at the onset of each academic year or semester. Such schedule shall be posted and maintained throughout the academic year.

Agendas

Meetings shall proceed in accordance with a published agenda, subject to modification by vote of the academic senate or committee membership at the meeting. Agenda items must be submitted to the Senate office or to the committee chair, at minimum, one week prior to the scheduled date of regular meetings and in accordance with adopted procedures.

Consent Calendar

• Unfinished (Old) Business
• New Business
• Special Orders
• Reports of Standing Committees
• Reports of Special Committees
• School/Constituency Reports
• Announcements and Open Forum
• Adjournment

Actions by consent

Agenda items may be placed upon a consent calendar and adopted as a group without discussion. Any item placed on a consent calendar will be removed and made a regular agenda item upon request during the adoption of the agenda. The agenda, modified as necessary, shall be adopted by a motion, second, and vote of the academic senate.

Discussion

Discussion on agenda items is intended to afford consideration of a range of ideas and to respect the rights of majority and minority points of view. The president or chair has the responsibility to moderate discussion, to see that all views are fairly represented, and all interested individuals are allowed the opportunity to speak.

General considerations

Standing committees of the academic senate attend to specific responsibilities of the senate, being so constituted and so charged. Committee members serve upon appointment by the academic senate. Committees may include administrative, staff, student, and/or community members in addition to associate or full-time members of the faculty.

Committee meetings

Each committee shall define and adopt its own procedures, subject to restrictions contained in the bylaws and other regulations of the academic senate. No committee member shall be denied a vote. Committee chairs shall vote only in the event of a tie.

Quorum

Each committee shall establish quorum requirements consistent with requirements of the academic senate bylaws.

Records

Committees shall keep and adopt official records of their meetings, a copy of which shall be filed with the academic senate office.

Committee composition and responsibilities

The faculty shall determine and shall adopt by 50% simple majority vote of the general assembly an appropriate set of standing committees to attend to the responsibilities assigned to the academic senate. The academic senate shall ratify other college and district committees, task forces, and other such working groups as called upon by college and district processes.

Members of committees, councils, task forces, special committees, and other such working groups shall be appointed by the academic senate. Work groups and task forces may be convened for a specific and short-lived purpose by a council, committee, or task force without further ratification.

ACTION

A motion. A motion, or action, may be carried (passed) or not, by a vote of the electors.

ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR

A college or district administrator not part of the classified staff or management, exclusive of faculty members temporarily assigned administrative functions for a portion or all of their regular workloads.

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENT

Any appointment to any position other than those designed as part of the classified staff or classified management of the college or district, as defined by the Master Agreement.

ACADEMIC EMPLOYEE

Any individual holding an academic appointment.

ACADEMIC SENATE

The faculty at-large, organized in accordance with these bylaws to represent the faculty on all academic and professional matters as provided by law; or otherwise representative bodies of this group, as defined in these bylaws.

CONTRACT FACULTY

Non-tenured faculty whose appointment is by one-year or two-year contract, including probationary tenure-track faculty, as defined by the Master Agreement.

ELECTORATE

Those upon whom the right to vote is conferred.

EXCLUSIVE BARGAINING AGENT

The representative of the faculty for purposes of collective bargaining, as defined in Section 3543 of the Government Code.

FACULTY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The faculty at-large acting as a body, consisting of all faculty with full-time or associate appointments.

FACULTY MEMBER

Any individual carrying a non-administrative academic appointment, inclusive of all faculty on leave or reassigned to duties outside the classroom as defined by the Master Agreement.

FACULTY SERVICE AREAS

Designated areas of disciplinary competency into which faculty are placed in accordance with statute and negotiated agreements and which function to establish categories for reduction in staff, should reductions be necessary.

FTE

“Full-time equivalent”: The equivalent of a full-time faculty, student, or staff position according to prevailing full-time workload standards.

GOOD FAITH EFFORT

A demonstrable, considered, and repeated attempt to achieve agreement in a collegial manner.

GOVERNING BOARD

The elected trustees of the community college district. Also, “Board of Trustees”

INITIATIVE

A proposal by petition of the members, in accordance with the provisions of the bylaws.

INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDAR

The annual adopted calendar indicating academic terms and contractual service days.

SIMPLE MAJORITY

A “simple majority” shall mean a majority of those electors present and voting, exclusive of votes of abstention, and subject to quorum requirements as defined in the bylaws.

ABSOLUTE MAJORITY

An “absolute majority” shall mean a majority of the electors, subject to quorum requirements as defined in the bylaws. Electors not present or not voting are counted as if they were present.

MUTUAL AGREEMENT

A written resolution, policy, regulation, or other document to which the academic senate is a party and to which modification may not be made absent the agreement of the academic senate except in certain extraordinary situations as defined by law.

OPEN BALLOT

A non-confidential written ballot.

OPEN MEETING LAWS

Regulations of the State of California governing the lawful conduct of meetings of public officials.

PRIMARY RELIANCE

A condition in which the governing board or its representatives agree in advance to adopt the recommendations of the academic senate, absent exceptional circumstances and for compelling reasons, provided in writing to the academic senate.

PROBATIONARY FACULTY

Non-tenured faculty holding a tenure-track appointment.

PROXY

An individual authorized to cast the vote or act on behalf of another.

QUORUM

As provided in the bylaws, the minimum number of persons required to conduct business.

REFERENDUM

An issue put to the faculty at-large for a vote, in accordance with provisions of the bylaws.

FULL-TIME FACULTY

Full-time faculty holding tenured, tenure-track, or temporary contractual appointments of at least 50%, exclusive of any temporary leaves or reassignments of a whole or partial nature, as defined by the Master Agreement.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNING BOARD

Administrative agents authorized to act on behalf of the elected trustees.

TEMPORARY FACULTY

Part-time, non-contractual faculty, or full-time faculty with non-renewable contractual appointments as defined by the Master Agreement.

TENURE

Conversion of a probationary, contract faculty member to a permanent member of the faculty.