SP 03-01 - Revised By-Laws

The name of the organization shall be the Academic Senate of California State University Channel Islands (hereafter referred to as “the Senate.”)

ARTICLE 2: Faculty Membership

In accordance with Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution, the following members of the campus community are extended membership to the Senate.

A. All tenured and probationary faculty and all professional library personnel are members of the Academic Senate.

B. Other faculty may elect two (2) representatives to the Academic Senate.

ARTICLE 3: Senate Officers

A. The elected officers of the Academic Senate consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary chosen from the membership described in Section 3.A.1 of the Constitution. Each officer may be reelected, but not for more than three (3) one-year consecutive terms.

B. Election of Officers and Terms of Office

1. The officers will be elected by the Senate at its last regularly-scheduled meeting in Spring semester.

2. Election of the Chair: From among its membership, the Senate shall elect a Chair who shall take office on July 1st and serve until the successor assumes office. The Chair shall be elected as described in Section 3.C.3.

3. Election of the Vice Chair: The Vice Chair shall be elected in the same manner as the Chair and shall serve the same term of office as the Chair. In case the office of Chair becomes vacant, the Vice Chair shall take over.

4. Election of the Secretary: The Secretary shall be elected in the same manner as the Vice Chair and shall serve the same term of office.

5. In case the offices of Vice Chair or Secretary become vacant during the term of office, the Senate shall fill the offices as soon as possible in the manner prescribed above.

C. Election Procedures on the Floor of the Senate

1. Nomination and election for offices of the Senate shall be conducted for each office in turn, starting with the office of the Chair.

2. Senators shall vote for no more than one (1) nominee on the first and any subsequent ballot.

3. The nominee shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast by secret ballot. Where no nominee receives a majority of the votes cast, a subsequent ballot shall be prepared. Nominees who received the highest number of votes on the previous ballot and whose votes, when added together, result in a majority of the votes cast, shall appear on the next ballot. Voting shall continue in this manner until one nominee receives a majority of votes cast, or through six (6) ballots. If a nominee does not receive a majority after six (6) ballots, the nominee with the highest number of votes cast in the sixth ballot shall be elected. If there is more than one nominee with the highest number, the winner will be selected by lot.

4. The election shall be by secret ballot except when there is only one nominee for a position.

D. Duties

1. The Chair is responsible for presiding over meetings of the Senate and the Executive Committee, and, when necessary, for selecting and referring proposals to appropriate committees. The Chair or designee shall serve as the alternate for The California State University Academic Senate and shall attend the meetings of The California State University Academic Senate when an elected senator must miss a given meeting or there is not time to elect a replacement. The Chair shall transmit all official actions of the Academic Senate to the President of the university. When invited by the appropriate administrative officer, the Chair may attend meetings of administrative groups, but shall not take policy positions on matters not previously acted upon by the Senate.

2. The Vice Chair will assume all of the responsibilities of the Chair in the absence of the Chair. When invited by the appropriate administrative officer, the Vice Chair may attend meetings of administrative groups, but shall not take policy positions on matters not previously acted upon by the Senate.

3. The Secretary is responsible for the recording and distributing of the Senate Minutes (with assistance of the Senate Office staff). When invited by the appropriate administrative officer, the Secretary may attend meetings ofadministrative groups, but shall not take policy positions of matters not previously acted upon by the Senate.

4. Any other additional duties, including committee memberships, must be specifically assigned to Senate officers through action of the Senate.

ARTICLE 4. MEETINGS

Section 1. Meeting Days
The Academic Senate shall meet on Tuesdays from 1pm to 3 pm.

The Academic Senate shall meet at least once a month during the academic year.

Section 2. Quorum

A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the voting members of the Academic Senate for regularly scheduled meetings and a simple majority for special meetings of the Academic Senate.

Section 3. Special Meetings

Special meetings of the Academic Senate may be called by the President or by the Chair of the Academic Senate. A special meeting shall be called by the Chair of the Senate upon a petition certified by the Secretary of the Senate to contain the signatures of at least ten per cent of the Academic Senate electorate; in these circumstances the meeting must be scheduled no later than three academic days after the petition has been so certified.

Section 4. Cancellation of Regularly Scheduled Meeting

The Executive Committee may cancel regularly scheduled meetings. In case of an emergency the Chair may cancel a regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 5. Policies and Resolutions (old Section 7 of Bylaws)

A. Definition: Policies are the regulations governing academic programs, curricula, etc. Policies are passed by the Senate and require the approval of the President. Resolutions are passed by the Senate and express the will of the Faculty. They do not require Presidential approval.
B. Format: There is no standard format for Policies. Resolutions follow accepted format.
C. Introduction: Procedure for introducing legislative measures or advisory resolutions to the Senate

1. Proposed new measures and resolutions shall be presented to the Secretary of the Senate for placement on the agenda. Major policy proposals shall be placed before the Senate at least one meeting before final action is taken.

2. Unless referred to an appropriate standing or special committee, the original drafts of these measures and resolutions will be reproduced and attached to the agenda of the Senate meeting during which they are scheduled for action, or, in the case of major policy proposals, scheduled for a First Reading.

3. During the First Reading, major policy measures and resolutions may be read aloud and discussed before referral to committee, or, if there is no protest, they may be referred directly to the appropriate standing committee by the Chair without being read aloud, or they may be read and discussed for informational purposes only without referral to a committee.

4. A Resolution may be added to the agenda as a First Reading item at a meeting of the Academic Senate if it is sponsored by at least one voting member of the Senate and a vote approving its addition to the agenda is passed by a two-thirds majority.

5. All votes on motions to approve policies and resolutions shall be by paper ballots. . Ballots will be counted by the Secretary of the senate and one ex officio, non-voting member appointed by the Chair. Senators may not cast votes in absentia.

Section 6 Consent Calendar:

Policy statements may become Senate policy by consent by being placed on the consent calendar using the following procedures.

(1) Recommendation on the consent calendar will automatically be approved after two (consecutive) meetings of the Senate.

(2) Any Senator may remove a recommendation from the consent calendar and place it on the agenda at the time of approval of the agenda. The item will automatically become a SECOND READING at the next Senate meeting, except if the next meeting is a special, one-item agenda meeting.

Recommendations may be placed on the Consent Calendar when deemed non-controversial by the Chair of the Senate.

Section 7. Recording of Discussion and Motions on the Floor of the Senate

The Secretary of the Academic Senate shall keep minutes for each meeting of the Academic Senate. Every motion which has been made at the meeting shall be contained in the minutes and the disposition of each one of them shall be made clear. Any counting of votes made at the meeting shall be recorded in the minutes.

Section 8. Procedural Rules

A. Rules on Debate

1. Members of the Senate must be recognized by the Chair of the Senate prior to beginning to speak.

2. The member who made a motion has the right to speak to the motion first. In the case of a motion to approve a resolution, the member who made the motion follows the member who introduced the resolution.

3. A member may speak only twice to the same motion on the same day

4. Each member may speak no more than five minutes. Any unused time is forfeited and cannot be applied to a subsequent debate by this same member or yielded to another member.

5. Debate of a motion must be relevant to the motion. The Chair of the Senate shall determine whether debate has deviated from the motion being considered.

6. Members of the Senate shall not make ad hominem statements on the Senate floor.

7. The Chair of the Senate shall remain impartial to the debate. If the Chair wishes to speak to a motion, he/she must relinquish the chair to the Vice-Chair or Secretary of the Senate, in that order. If the Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Senate are not present, then the Chair may not speak to a motion without relinquishing the chair to an At-Large member of the Senate.

8.Members may speak to a motion and conclude their remarks by making a higher- ranking motion, such as calling for the question, moving to table, or any of the other options specified in Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE 5. Committees
Section 1. Committee Structure

A. Types: The committees of the Senate shall be of three types: Standing Committees as specified in the Bylaws, Advisory Committees and special or ad hoc committees established by special action of the Senate for the purpose of considering proposals that do not fall within the purview of the current standing committees.

B. Membership on Standing Committees: Members of all Senate standing committees shall be elected by their constituents and confirmed by the Senate.

C. All Standing Committees will elect Chairs from among the committee members. Chairs of Standing Committees who are not voting members of the Senate will be made ex officio non-voting members of the Academic Senate and may be called upon to report on behalf of their committees to the Senate Executive Committee and/or the Academic Senate.

D. Members of all Senate Advisory Committees shall be elected by their constituents. Advisory Committees will elect a chair from among the committee members.The purpose of an advisory committee is to guide the priorities, programs, and services of an office (such as faculty development, information technology, or grants and contracts), and to make recommendations on any operations budget allocated to or requested by that office that impinge on the work or responsibilities of the faculty.

E. Structure of Special Committees: Each special Academic Senate committee shall include at least one representative from each affected constituency (tenure track and temporary faculty, students, staff or administrators).

F. The Academic Senate shall have the power to create ad hoc committees for specific assignments which cannot be handled adequately by the Academic Senate at-large, by one of the existing committees, or by an administrative officer. Ad hoc committees shall include at least one representative from each affected constituency (tenure track and temporary faculty, students, staff or administrators). Ad hoc committees and all subcommittees shall cease to exist upon completion of their specific assignments or at the end of the academic year unless specifically authorized by the Senate to continue beyond that date.

G. Faculty representatives to University-wide Committees shall be selected by the Senate Executive Committee. The Senate Executive Committee may at its discretion request that the Committee on Committees hold an election of the faculty at large.

Section 2 Committee Policies
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A. The Academic Senate shall oversee the creation and operation of all special and standing committees created by this Constitution. Policy proposals and modifications shall be referred by the Academic Senate to the appropriate committee for study. The committee shall then report its findings to the Senate Executive Committee, which will then take appropriate action based on the committee’s findings or proposals.

B. Within the general area of responsibility assigned to it by the Academic Senate, a committee may also act on its own initiative or at the request of any member of the university community.

C. With the consent of the Executive Committee, any committee may establish regular subcommittees. These subcommittees shall report to the committee. At least one member of the subcommittee shall be an elected faculty member of the committee. Other members may be drawn from any segment of the University community, except that only faculty members may serve on subcommittees that deal with faculty personnel matters.

D. All committee minutes and reports shall be filed with the Academic Senate’s administrative assistant, who will enter them in the Academic Senate Archives and make them available to the Academic Senate electorate, except that access to reports of personnel review cases are limited by privacy regulations and policies.

E. Ex-oficio non-voting members of committees may attend meetings in person or send a representative who shall act in place of the member. Chairs of standing, special, orad hoc committees may recommend to the Senate Executive Committee that a committee member be replaced if that member accrues excessive absences. “Excessive absences” shall be defined by the committee.

Section 3. Standing Committees: Composition

The composition of the standing committees of the Academic Senate shall be as follows, and every effort will be made to ensure representation from as many disciplines and constituencies as possible. Members of standing committees shall be elected by the tenured and probationary faculty at large. A minimum of four of the five or six of the seven members of each committee shall be from among the tenured and probationary faculty. Members will be elected for two-year terms to ensure that each committee has rotating membership. Elections will be held in the Spring semester.

A. The Committee for Centers shall consist of five voting members elected from the faculty at large.

B. The Committee on Committees shall consist of five voting members elected from the faculty at large.

C. The Curriculum Committee shall consist of five voting members elected from the from the following constituencies: 1 from Math & Sciences, 1 from Arts & Humanities, 1 from Business and Economics, 1 from Behavioral and Social Sciences, and 1 from Education. And the Chair of the GE Committee and a librarian as non-voting members.

D. The Faculty Affairs Committees shall consist of seven voting members elected from the faculty from the following constituencies: 1 from Math & Sciences, 1 from Arts & Humanities, 1 from Business and Economics, 1 from Behavioral and Social Sciences, 1 from Education, 1 from the Library/Counselors and 1 at-large.

E. The Fiscal Policies Committees shall consist of seven voting members elected from the faculty from the following constituencies: 1 from Math & Sciences, 1 from Arts & Humanities, 1 from Business and Economics, 1 from Behavioral and Social Sciences, 1 from Education, 1 from the Library/Counselors and 1 at-large.

F. The General Education Committee shall consist of five faculty members elected from the faculty from the following constituencies: 1 from Math & Sciences, 1 from Arts & Humanities,1 from Business and Economics 1 from Behavioral and Social Sciences, and 1 at-large.

G. The Strategic and Tactical Planning Committee shall consist of five voting members: the Academic Senate Chair plus four members elected from the faculty at large.

H. The Student Academic Policies and Procedures Committee shall consist of six voting members; five elected from the faculty at large and the Director of Admissions and Records or his/her designee.

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Section 4: Standing Committee Charges:

1. Committee for Centers
The responsibilities of the Committee for Centers shall include:

A. Creating the definitions and procedures for the establishment of Centers and Institutes at CSUCI.

B. Accepting and reviewing proposals for the creation of Centers and Institutes

C. Recommending proposals to the Academic Senate for ratification

2. Committee on Committees
The responsibilities of the Committee on Committees shall include:

a. Formulation, review, and recommendation of policies and procedures for conducting elections with the Academic Senate electorate;

b. Planning, administering and recording Academic Senate elections, including any preceding nomination processes and subsequent run-off elections;

c. Performing such other duties in connection with electoral processes as may be delegated by the Academic Senate; and

d. Making appropriate regulations for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Constitution and the instructions of the Senate with regard to elections, provided that such regulations shall be subject to the approval of the Academic Senate.

e. Making recommendations to the Senate regarding the staffing of ad hoc committees.

3. Curriculum Committee
The responsibilities of the Curriculum Committee shall include:

a. Formulation, review and recommendation of general University curriculum policies and procedures including degrees, programs, majors, minors, options, emphases, credentials, certificates, courses, program reviews and any other academic related policies, procedures and issues;

b. Reviewing the Academic Master Plan of the University, considering requests for revision of that plan, and making recommendations to the Academic Senate for the adoption of each annual phase of revision of the Academic Master Plan.

c. Based upon criteria and procedures as specified by University policy, reviewing and evaluating all course proposals.

4. Faculty Affairs Committee
The following functions of the Faculty Affairs Committee may also fall within the areas of concern of other committees, and in such cases, the Faculty Affairs Committee will work in conjunction with those committees.

The responsibilities of the Faculty Affairs Committee shall include:

a. Providing information and policy recommendations to the Academic Senate whenever it believes that faculty rights and welfare need protection or enhancement: and

b. Making policy recommendations regarding such matters as:

i. Criteria and standards for the appointment, retention, promotion, evaluation and tenure of academic employees as well as preservationof the principle of peer review and evaluation through the direct involvement of appropriate faculty in these decisions;

ii. Professional activities of the University faculty;

iii. Financial support of University faculty activities;

iv. Faculty consultation in the appointment and review of administrative personnel in positions affecting the University Faculty;

v. Granting of awards and honors to members of the University Faculty, including conference of Emeritus/a status;

vi. Professional development, including minimum criteria and standards to be used for programs designed to enhance and maintain professional competence such as the awarding of sabbaticals and other academic leaves;

vii. Academic freedom and shared governance;

viii. Professional ethics, disciplinary procedures, and other professional matters not collectively bargained.

5. Fiscal Policies Committee
The responsibilities of the Fiscal Policies Committee shall include:

a. Providing recommendations through the Senate regarding areas that may warrant emphasis in the budget planning and allocation process;

b. Reviewing the University’s annual budget and providing information on budgetary issues to the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate;

c. Reviewing the proposed annual Academic Affairs budget with the Vice President for Academic Affairs;

d. Providing prospective policy recommendations to the Senate and subsequently to the President;

e. Reviewing, as appropriate, the fiscal implications of pertinent planning documents, including tactical plans;

f. Reviewing and making recommendations regarding local fees that have university-wide impact

g. Providing advice through the Senate on fiscal policy implications of campus physical planning and development and, as appropriate, the maintenance of physical facilities;

h. Reviewing and making other policy recommendations concerning the optimum utilization of resources in the achievement of university academic objectives.

6. General Education Committee
The responsibilities of the General Education Committee shall include:

a. Studying, reviewing, interpreting, and recommending, in consultation with appropriate disciplines, General Education programs for approval by the Academic Senate;

b. Reviewing and recommending the designation and classification of courses appropriate to the General Education programs;

c. Reviewing, on a regular basis, the existing GE-designated courses to ensure continued adherence to GE classification and quality standards; andrecommending changes in GE-designated courses to the Academic Senate after consultation with affected disciplines, departments and/or programs;

d. Responsibility for the University Catalog and Class Schedule statements on General Education, including identification and classification of General Education courses;

e. Aiding in the development, facilitation and creation of new courses and program proposals in General Education;

f. Assessing the effectiveness of the General Education program and courses designated as General Education courses.

7. Strategic and Tactical Planning Committee
The responsibilities of the Strategic Planning Committee shall include:

a. Recommending priorities and responsibilities for tasks and initiatives to be undertaken by the faculty and administration;

b. Recommending to the Academic Senate policies that assist the University in achieving its long-term goals in the light of changing conditions;

c. Coordinating long-range plans for academic development with campus planning of facilities development;

d. Consulting with appropriate administrators regarding academic planning, current budget issues, allocation of resources, campus development, and reporting periodically the nature of the consultation to the Academic Senate;

e. Consulting, when appropriate, with other standing committees and the University Strategic Planning Committee.

8. Student Academic Policies and Procedures Committee
The responsibilities of the Student Academic Policies and Procedures Committee shall include:

a. Reviewing existing policies and drafting and recommending new policies to the Senate which deal with academic issues relating to students in order to promote high academic standards;

b. Formulating, reviewing, and recommending policies regarding the granting of academic honors and awards to students;

c. Providing advice on the interpretation of these policies and the implementation of procedures arising from them.

Section 5: Advisory Committees: Composition

The composition of the Advisory Committees of the Academic Senate shall be as follows, and every effort will be made to ensure representation from as many disciplines and constituencies as possible. Members of advisory committees shall be elected by the tenured and probationary faculty at large. Members will be elected for staggered two-year terms to ensure that each committee has rotating membership. Elections will be held in the Spring semester.

A. The Faculty Development Advisory Committee shall consist of seven faculty members; five elected from among the tenured and probationary faculty and two elected from among and by vote of the temporary faculty.

B. The Technology Advisory Committee shall consist of five faculty members elected from the faculty at large.

C. The Library Advisory Committee shall consist of five faculty members elected from among the teaching faculty.

D. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Advisory Committee shall consist of five faculty members elected from among the faculty at large.

Section 6 Advisory Committee Charges:

1. The responsibilities of the Faculty Development Advisory Committee shall include:

a. Recommending priorities for the Director of Faculty Development and for campus faculty development programs and services, defining “faculty development” for CSUCI;

b. Reviewing budget proposals and expenditures for the Office of Faculty Development, recommending best use of fiscal, human and physical resources;

c. Guiding the planning of a Faculty Center, a facility devoted to professional development of the faculty;

d. Working with the Director of Faculty Development to develop a mission statement and strategic plan for faculty development at CSUCI;

e. Advising the Director of Faculty Development on evaluation of faculty development programs and services;

f. Recommending revisions to the position description of the Director of Faculty Development.

2. The responsibilities of the Technology Advisory Committee shall include:

d. Coordinating with other standing and special committees regarding recommendations for support of technology from University budgets;

e. Making recommendations concerning principles and procedures, including procedures for faculty consultation governing the development, improvement, and use of instructional technology;

f. Formulating, reviewing, and recommending all policies and procedures related to the academic and administrative uses of information technology, and promoting among various campus constituencies the appropriate use of on- and off-site technologies for instruction, learning, and research. These include but are not limited to:

i. Allocation of information technology resources in Academic Affairs;

ii. Access and utilization of technology resources;

iii. Privacy and security of information systems;

iv. Curricular uses of information technology;

v. Acting as an advisory body on information technology to the Chief Information Officer and the Academic Senate;

d. Consulting, when appropriate with Library Advisory Committee.

3. The responsibilities of the Library Advisory Committee shall include:

a. Coordinating with other standing and special committees regarding recommendations for support of the library, instructional technology and information literacy from University budgets;

b. Formulating and recommending plans for integration of writing labs, math labs, and faculty development into the new library

c. Working and consulting with the University Librarian to modify and implement a strategic plan for the library.

d. Assessing and reviewing the library collection in relation to the requests of faculty and staff

e. Encouraging faculty awareness of current library and information science practices, instructional technology issues, and database applications in information literacy and library service.

f. Assisting in formulating and reviewing services, collections, and practice within the framework of differences between undergraduate and research oriented libraries.

g. Consulting, when appropriate with the Technology Advisory Committee.

4. The responsibilities of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Advisory Committee shall include:

a. Recommending priorities to the Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs;

b. Developing and reviewing policies, sign off procedures and forms;

c. Working with the Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs to survey faculty on Office of Research and Sponsored Programs service needs, develop a strategic plan, and making recommendations to the Faculty Affairs Committee about a faculty recognition program;

d. Advising the Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs on evaluation of Office of Research and Sponsored Programs services and programs;

ARTICLE 6. Parliamentary Authority

Section 1. Parliamentary Procedure

Robert’s Rules of Order Simplified and Applied (Second Edition, 2001) shall be the source for parliamentary procedure as interpreted by the Parliamentarian. In the event of any conflict between Robert’s Rules of Order and the Constitution and Bylaws of the CSU Channel Islands Academic Senate, the Constitution and Bylaws take precedence. The final decision on questions of parliamentary procedure shall be made by the Chair of the Academic Senate.

Section 2. Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian of the Senate shall be appointed by the Chair with the approval of the Senate. The term shall be for one (1) year. The Parliamentarian is responsible for the interpretation of any questions of parliamentary procedure.

ARTICLE 7. Records, Office, and Budget

A. The Secretary shall file Senate documents in the Office of the Senate. Electronic copies of agendas, minutes, policies and resolutions shall be filed on the Academic Senate webpage

B. The Executive Committee of the Academic Senate shall serve as a budget committee for the Senate with the primary responsibilities of: (a) preparing and submitting all necessary Senate budget requests to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and (b) supervising administration of Senate budget expenditures when (or if) necessary.

C. Files, Senate Office

1. The Senate shall make documents available to members of the university community if they were distributed to the members of the Senate.

2. Requests for other materials should be directed to the source of the material.

ARTICLE 8. Election Procedures
Section 1. University-Wide Elections

A. Election Results

1. The Chair of the Senate shall present election results to the President of the University, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and to the Office of the Senate.

2. The Office of the Senate shall post the election results in the Office of the Senate and may publish them.

3. All election ballots shall be destroyed thirty (30) calendar days after election results have been announced.

Section 2. Election Of Representatives To The Academic Senate Of The California State University

A. Nominations

1. The Committee on Committees shall serve as the Nominating Committee to prepare a slate for the election.

2. The Nominating Committee shall get the approval of each nominee to have her or his name placed in nomination.

3. The Nominating Committee shall present its list of nominees to the Senate at the first meeting in March as openings occur.

4. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the first March Senate meeting. Those making nominations shall have the approval of each nominee to have her or his name placed in nomination.

5. Nominees, or their sponsors, shall have the privilege of giving brief statements of qualifications at the first March Senate meeting.

B. Eligibility to Serve as Representative on the Academic Senate CSU

Only those members of the University community who meet the eligibility requirements of the Academic Senate of CSU are eligible for election to the Academic Senate of CSU.

C. Election

1. The Committee on Committees shall prepare the ballot and conduct the election in order to meet the deadline set by the Academic Senate of CSU.

2. The ballot materials may contain, in addition to the names of the candidates, a statement not to exceed fifty (50) words, prepared by the nominee (or sponsor) concerning the candidate’s qualifications.

3. Candidates shall be elected as described in Article 3.C.

ARTICLE 9. Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws can be amended by a 2/3 majority vote; the procedure for introduction of amendments is the same as for policies and resolutions as indicated in Article 4, Section 5 of the Bylaws of the Academic Senate.