Bylaws
BYLAWS OF THE VALENCIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE EAST CAMPUS FACULTY SENATE
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of the organization shall be the Valencia Community College East Campus Faculty Senate, herein referred to as the Senate
ARTICLE II
Authorization
The Senate is authorized by the Constitution of the Valencia Community College Faculty Association.
ARTICLE III
Purpose
The purpose of the organization shall be
1.to advise the chief administrative officer on East Campus on matters of campus improvements and faculty-related interests,
2.to promote communication and mutual understanding within the faculty, and between the faculty and other groups, and
3.to provide a democratic means of formulating questions and articulating problems and solutions.
ARTICLE IV
Membership
The East Campus members of the Faculty Association shall consist of members of the Faculty Association whose principal place of employment is on the East Campus of Valencia Community College.
ARTICLE V
Senate
Section 1. The Senate shall consist of the President of the Senate and the East Campus senators, as duly elected under this Article.
Section 2. East Campus members within each East Campus department or area shall elect two senators, at least one of whom must be tenured. East Campus members within the Library and Student Services shall elect one senator. East Campus adjunct faculty shall elect two non-voting senators from the adjunct faculty. The current departments or areas on East Campus are Arts and Entertainment; Communications; Humanities and Foreign Language; Math; Science; Social Science; Business, Information Technology and Public Services; Student Services; Library; and adjunct faculty.
Section 3. East Campus members shall elect four senators-at-large. The candidates for senator-at-large shall be nominated in writing (with the candidate's prior consent) and elected by written ballot in a manner determined by the Senate. A first and second alternate shall be elected in the same manner.
Section 4. The term of office on the Senate shall be for two years or until successors are elected. No senator may serve for more than two successive two-year terms. Senators shall be elected in odd numbered years from Communications; Humanities and Foreign Language; Math; Science; and the Library. Senators shall be elected from Arts and Entertainment; Social Science; Business, Information Technology and Public Services; Student Services; Adjunct Faculty; and At-Large in even numbered years. Departmental/area elections shall be held during November or December of each year, and senators elected will become voting members at the January Senate meeting.
Section 5. A vacancy on the Senate shall be filled by the appropriate alternate until the department or area can hold an election to fill the vacancy.
ARTICLE VI
Duties of the Senate
It shall be the duties and functions of the Faculty Senate to
1. represent the East Campus faculty in all matters of faculty interest;
2.take action on all matters referred to the Senate by the Faculty Council;
3.make recommendations for appointments of faculty from East Campus as requested by the Faculty Council;
4.hear, discuss, coordinate and recommend action on the various reports of East Campus representatives serving on college-wide councils;
5.hear, discuss, coordinate and recommend action on the various reports of Senate committees;
6.disseminate to the East Campus members of the Association appropriate information regarding issues affecting all East Campus members of the Association;
7.advise the Provost of the East Campus on all matters of campus improvement or other matters of faculty interest that may affect the operation of the campus; and
8.act on all other matters of business which are not specifically reserved for the Association members and which are necessary and proper in order to carry out the foregoing duties and functions.
ARTICLE IX
Duties of Senators
Section 1.A Senator shall share with the Senate the perspectives of the faculty in the department or area the Senator represents.
Section 2. A Senator shall disseminate and gather from the East Campus members of the Association in the Senator’s department or area appropriate information regarding issues affecting or of interest to the East Campus members of the Association in the Senator’s department or area.
Section 3. Senators shall attend the meetings of the Senate.
Section 4. If a senator is unable to attend a Senate meeting, the senator shall notify the appropriate alternate to perform the duties of the absent senator. If college duties require a senator to be absent for an entire session or more, the President may appoint the appropriate alternate to serve as senator during the absence.
Section 5. Any senator absent, except for conflicts with scheduled classes or assigned college duties, for three regular Senate meetings in an academic year shall be suspended in writing by the President of the Senate. The suspension is subject to appeal to the Executive Committee within ten working days from the date of suspension. If the suspension is not appealed or is upheld, the senator shall be removed and the vacant seat shall be filled by the appropriate alternate until the department or area can hold an election to fill the vacancy.
ARTICLE VIII
Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Senate shall be a President, Vice President, and Secretary.
Section 2. The Vice President and Secretary shall be elected from and by the senators. These officers shall be elected in November or December of each year, the exact date to be set by the Senate. Candidates for these offices shall be nominated in writing (with candidate's prior consent) and elected by written ballot and majority vote in a manner determined by the Senate. Officers shall take office in January and shall serve one year from taking office.
Section 3. At the December Senate meeting, the incumbent Vice President shall assume the office of President and serve in that office for the following year. A vacancy created in the Senate when the President takes office shall be filled by the appropriate alternate or by election from the department, if no alternate is available.
Section 4. If the Senate President resigns the office before his/her term is expired, the Vice President shall assume the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. If the unexpired term is less than four months, that President shall continue in office for the succeeding year. The Senate shall elect an interim Vice President to serve the remaining term of the rising President. A vacancy in the office of Secretary shall be filled by a vote of the Senate.
Section 5. If the Senate President is in line to become College-wide President in April, the Senate shall elect a Vice President-elect the preceding February. When the Senate President steps down to become College-wide President, the Vice President shall become President and the Vice President-elect shall become Vice President.
Section 6. Should the positions of Senate President and Vice President be vacant at the same time, the Secretary shall serve as Acting-president until an election for Senate President is held at the next regular Senate meeting.
ARTICLE IX
Duties of Officers
Section 1. Officers shall perform the duties prescribed by the Constitution of the Valencia Community College Faculty Association and these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Senate.
Section 2. The President shall speak for the Senate on all matters pertaining to its concern.
Section 3. The President and the Vice President shall serve as two of the representatives of the East Campus faculty to the Faculty Council.
Section 4. Unless otherwise provided by the Senate, the President of the Senate shall appoint standing and special committees of the Senate.
Section 5. The Vice President shall work with the President, act on behalf of the President when necessary, and perform other duties as requested.
Section 6. The Secretary shall act as recording and corresponding secretary and distribute to the faculty copies of the minutes of all regular and special meetings. The Secretary shall serve as one of the East Campus representatives to the Faculty Council.
ARTICLE X
Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held each month during the fall and spring semesters and once during each short summer session. Meeting dates shall be fixed at the first meeting in each of Sessions 1 and 2. Special meetings may be called by the President at the request of any senator. The faculty shall be notified at least three days in advance of the time and place of the Senate meetings. Items for the Senate agenda that constitute new proposals to be considered may not be acted on unless the material was distributed to all senators at least five days prior to the meeting date. Should the need arise, the five day prior notification provision may be waived by a 3/4 vote of the quorum present at a meeting.
Section 2. A quorum shall be a majority of the senators under contract for the current session.
ARTICLE XI
Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers of the Senate.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall sit as an appeal body for any member suspended by the President for absenteeism and shall act by majority vote.
Section 3. The Executive Committee may perform such other duties as authorized by the Senate.
ARTICLE XII
Faculty Council At-Large Representatives
Section 1. East Campus at-large representatives to the Faculty Council shall be elected to represent East Campus faculty for a two-year term of office or until the election and installation of a successor in the case of removal or resignation. Elections for East Campus at-large representatives to the Faculty Council shall be staggered.
Section 2. All association members whose principal place of employment is the Valencia East Campus shall be eligible to vote in the election. Only Faculty Senators shall be eligible to seek this position.
Section 3. The election of East Campus at-large representatives to the Faculty Council shall be held in November or December of each year in accordance with procedures established by the East Campus Senate. The East Campus at-large representatives to the Faculty Council shall commence terms of office in January following election to office.
ARTICLE XIII
Amendment of Bylaws
The Bylaws of the Senate may be amended by the East Campus members either at a general faculty meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members or by written ballot by two-thirds of the votes cast. Any proposed amendment shall be distributed in written form to the East Campus members at least one week prior to the meeting or written ballot.
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