SP 01-50 - Constitution of the Academic Senate (Fomerly “SR 1-02”)

CONSTITUTION OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE

OF

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS

PREAMBLE

We, the faculty of California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI),in order to promote the effective exerciseof our rights, duties, and privileges, and to dischargefully the responsibilities placedupon us by our profession, society, and the State as well as the University and our commitment to our students,do hereby establish, subject to the limitations set forth by theTrustees of the California State University and their officers and the Legislature of California, the Academic Senate of CSUCI and this Constitution. The Academic Senate shall be the representative body of the faculty through which the faculty shall normally exercise its powers. The Academic Senate shall have the power to act for the faculty on all matters within the scope of the faculty. The Constitution establishes and defines the means by which it will participate in the formulation, evaluation, and recommendationof University policy and procedures. It facilitates communication, coordination, and cooperation within the University; and provides to members of the Academic Senate a formal means of expression regarding matters of academic concern, academic freedom, and academic leadership.

ARTICLE 1

ORGANIZATION

Section 1 NAME:

The name of this organization shall be the Academic Senate of California State University Channel Islands.

Section 2 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

It shall be the purpose of the Academic of California State University Channel Islands to promote academic excellence in this University. To that end, the Academic Senate remains at all times in the possession of the authority and power as set forth in this document. The Academic Senate and its designated sub-units shall particupate in the governance of the University. Governance shall include collaboration with and recommendations to the President of the University concerning the formation, revision, adoption, and review of policy and procedures at CSUCI. 

A. The Academic Senate shall be responsible for

1. requirements for degrees and other academic programs, and

2. evaluation and recommendation of candidates for degrees and other academic programs. 

B. It shall be responsible for developing policies and making recommendations to the campus president on the following matters:

1. criteria and standards for the appointment, retention, awarding of tenure, promotion, and evaluation of faculty;

2. such curricular policies as admission and degree requirements, approval of new courses and programs, discontinuance of academic programs, and academic standards; 

3. determination of membership in the faculty;

4. academic standards and academic policies governing athletics;

5. establishment of campus-wide committees on academic and professional matters;

6. policy decisions regarding curricula and research programs, criteria and standards for programs designed to maintain professional competence (i.e. academic leaves);

7. academic conduct of studets and means for handling infractions;

8. academic role of the library;

9. academic role of technology; and

10. academic recognitions and awards.

C. It should be primary source of policy recommendations to the campus president on the following matters:

1. development of institutional missions and goals; and 

2. strategic planning for the University.

D. It may offer advice on the following matters:

1. creation of and selection of faculty representatives to system-wide and intersegmental committees, auxiliary organizations, conferences, or task forces designed to deal with educational, professional, or academically related fiscal matters, as well. as organization composition and charge;

2. system-wide aspects of program review;

3. system-wide aspects of the basic direction of academic support programs; 

4. the appointment and evalutation of academic personnel;

5. academic calendar and policies governing the scheduling of classes.

E. The Senate shall exercise its authority consistent with the provision of state and federal laws with the regulations of the Trustees and Chancellor of the California State University.¹

F. Academic Freedom

1. The Academic Senate shall uphold the principle of academic freedom.

2. The Academic Senate shall not abridge academic freedom by its own action or that of its sub-units.

G. The Academic Senate assumes responsbility for actions that results from delegation of its authority to an authorized sub-unit.

Section 3: MEMBERSHIP: 

A. Voting members of the Academic Senate are as follows: 

1. elected representatives of the faculty– including those tenured and probationary, professional library personnel, lecturers; 

2. a student representative appointed by the Associated Students.

B. Ex Officio Members of the Academic Senate are non-voting. They are as follows: 

1. the Universtiy President;

2. the University Vice Presidents;

3. the Associate Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs;

4. representatives of Student Affairs Personnel; 

5. representatives of the staff; and

6. representatives of technology services.

Section 4. OFFICERS:

The officers of the Academic Senate shall include, but shall not be restricted to, a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary. These officers shall be elected by the Academic Senate and shall perform the usual functions of such offices. 

Section 5. MEETINGS:

There shall be regular meetings of the Academic Senate during each academic term. Additional meetings with appropriate notice may be initiated by the University President, the Chair of the Academic Senate or by a written request signed by 10% o the Academic Senate membership. 

Section 6. INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT:

As integral element of the infrastructure of the CSUCI, the Academic Senate of CSUCI shall be provided with institutional support to ensure shared governance. 

Secion 7 ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

This outline of functions and responsibilities is intended to provide the essentials for a satisfactory system of shared governance but should not necessarily be viewed as a comprehensive enumeration of such functions and responsibilities. 

ARTICLE 2

The EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

Section 1. GENERAL

The Executive Committee shall be the principal sub-unit of the Academic Senate. Its role is to set the agenda for the Senate’s general meetings, to act in place of the Senate when the Senate is not in session, and to exercise such other powers as the Senate may delegate.

Section 2. MEMBERSHIP:

The Executive Committee of the Academic Senate shall consist of nine or more members, including the Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary, the immediate past year’s Chair of the Academic Senate, and three or more members of the Senate, the representative(s) to the California State University Statewide Academic Senate, and the student representative to the Academic Senate; and ex officio members to include the President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs of California State University Channel Islands or their designees, and a faculty representative of the union.

Section 3.       POWERS:

1. The Executive Committee, as the direct, active agent of the Academic Senate of CSUCI, shall have powers consistent with those granted to the Academic Senate under Article 1, Section 3 of this Constitution.
2. The authority described in Section 3.A of this Article shall be exercised in a manner and to an extent consistent with the provisions of state and federal law, and the regulations of the Trustees and the Chancellor of the California State University.

Section 4. RESPONSIBILITIES:

It is the responsibility of the Executive Committee, acting for the Academic Senate of CSUCI, to make recommendations to the Senate concerning the. formulation, revision, adoption, and review of policies and procedures related to all academic matters delegated to the President of CSUCI by law and the

Trustees and Chancellor of the California State University. Areas of responsibility shall include, but not be limited to, those dealing with academic, personnel, and fiscal policies and procedures.

Section 5. DUTIES:

1. The Executive Committee shall perform all duties necessitated by, and consistent with, the delegation of the Senate authority to participate in the formulation, revision, adoption, or review of policy and procedures of CSUCI.
2. The Executive Committee shall have responsibility for oversight of Academic Senate committees. To this end, the Executive Committee shall:

1. recommend to the Senate the creation of all new standing committees;
2. propose changes to the Constitution or bylaws necessitated by the creation of new standing committees;
3. propose the creation of such ad hoc committees as it deems necessaryto insure the performanceo f Senated uties; and
4. propose methods for selecting the membership of Academic Senate committees.

Section 6. RECALL:
Any member of the Executive Committee may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the members of the Senate during a duly authorized recall election.

Section 7. VACANCIES:
Vacancies on the ExecutiveC ommittee shall be filled by a vote of the Senate.

ARTlCLE 3

AMENDMENTS

Amendments to this constitution or its bylaws may be initiated by (a) the Executive Committee or (b) a written request signed by 10% of the Senate membership.

Amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the membership.

BY-LAWS OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE
OF
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS

1. All tenured and probationary faculty and all professional library personnel are members of the Academic Senate.
2. Other faculty may elect two (2) representatives to the Academic Senate.

Section 3 Senate Officers

1. 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.l. Each officer may be reelected, but not for more than three (3) one­ year consecutive terms.
2. Election of Officer and Term of Office

1. As soon as feasible following the election of the new Senate members in the spring semester, the new Senate (which will take over at the beginning of the fall semester, except for the Executive Committee) will convene for the purpose of electing its officers.
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 Chair and shall serve the same term of office as the Chair.
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.
6. Selection of the 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.

3. 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 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.

4. 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 of administrative 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.

Section 4. Committee Structure

1. Types: The Senate shall have two types of committees: Standing committees as specified in the Bylaws, 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 any of the standing committees.
2. Membership on Standing Committees: Members of all Senate standing committees shall be elected by their constituents and confirmed by the Senate. Each standing committee of the Senate shall have a representative from the Academic Senate as an ex officio member. This member will be appointed by the Chair and confirmed by the Senate.
3. Structure of Special Committees: Each special Academic Senate committee shall have representation from all affected constituencies (whether faculty, students, staff or administrators)

Section 5. Standing Committees:

The Committee on Committees shall be a standing committee of the Academic Senate and shall have responsibilities as described herein.

Section 6. Consent Calendar:

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

¹Incorporated by reference here are the CSU Trustees Statement on Collegiality and the Senate documents relating to shared governance, collegiality, and collective bargaining found in the Academic Senate CSU book “Policies and Procedures: Papers of the Academic Senate CSU” Volume II, 1999, pages 21-41.