麻豆入口

 

Constitution of the Faculty Congress of 麻豆入口

(Last revised: December 23, 2023)

 

ARTICLE I. Name and Object.

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Faculty Congress.

Section 2.  The Faculty Congress is an organization constituted by the faculty of 麻豆入口 for the purposes of discussing all matters of interest to the faculty and, where appropriate, passing resolutions expressing its opinion on such matters. While resolutions may be sent to any administrative officer, the Faculty Congress has a direct consultative line to the chief academic officer.

Section 3.  In representing the interests of the faculty, the Faculty Congress will be responsible for coordinating the activities of the faculty representatives on the University Senate and all university committees.  Those representatives, in turn, will advise the Faculty Congress on relevant matters which come before the bodies on which they serve.

Section 4.  Nothing in this Constitution shall be taken to preclude the formation or functioning of other faculty organizations, or to inhibit the operation of other faculty bodies of the University.

 

ARTICLE II. Membership.

Section 1.  Section 1. Faculty are elected for membership on the Faculty Congress by constituencies within 麻豆入口. This guarantees that every constituency is represented in it. The Faculty Congress consists of a maximum of forty-six members as follows:

• Chair 1
• Vice Chair 1
• Faculty elected to serve on the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee 15
• Faculty elected to serve on the Academic Policy Committee 16

Faculty elected to serve on the Research Policy Committee 5
One faculty member elected to serve on each of Athletic Advisory Committee, Budget Committee, Mission and Social Justice Committee, Student Life Committee 4

• At large adjunct faculty seat 1
• At large full-time faculty seat 1
• At large faculty seat 1
• Retired faculty 1
• Total members 46

Section 2.  The term of all members of the Faculty Congress will be two years with no limit on the number of consecutive terms which may be served.

Section 3. The term begins on May 1.

Section 4. Faculty are eligible to run for and serve on Faculty Congress during or after six continuous semesters as faculty at the University, except for the three at-large faculty seats who are eligible during or after three continuous semesters as faculty at the University.

ARTICLE III. Officers.

Section 1. Term of office.

a. Officers of the Faculty Congress shall be Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.

b. The term of office shall be two years. Officers shall assume office upon May 1 following election.

 

ARTICLE IV. Meetings.

Section 1.  The Faculty Congress shall meet at least two times each semester. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee, and must be called if petitioned by at least one-third of the membership of the Faculty Congress stating the reason for their petition, or by 50 full-time faculty by written petition.

Section 2.  The regular meetings of the Faculty Congress shall be open to the University Community and minutes of those proceedings shall be published.  The right of public participation by all faculty members is guaranteed and time will be allotted at each regular meeting of the Faculty Congress for this purpose.

Section 3.  At any duly called business meeting the members present shall constitute a quorum.

 

ARTICLE V. Committees.

Section 1. The Executive Committee of the Faculty Congress consists of the officers and other Faculty Congress members as specified in the Bylaws. At least one Continuing Non-tenure Track faculty member and at least one adjunct faculty member shall serve on the Executive Committee.

Section 2. In addition to the Executive Committee, the Elections and Credentials Committee, the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee, and the Research Policy Committee, other standing committees may be established by the Faculty Congress as specified in the Bylaws.

Section 3.  Special committees may be authorized by the Faculty Congress or by the Executive Committee. The special committee will be discontinued when its charge has been accomplished.

 

ARTICLE VI. Election.

Section 1. The regular general election of members shall take place in even numbered years in the spring of the year in which they are to take office.

 

ARTICLE VII. Amendment.

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by any Faculty Congress member. Such amendments must be proposed and debated at a Faculty Congress meeting, with further debate and a vote at a following meeting.  Approval requires at least two-thirds approval of the membership of the Faculty Congress present and voting. Following approval by the Faculty Congress, the amendment is presented to the full faculty, with approval requiring at least two-thirds of the ballots cast by all full-time and adjunct faculty who have completed one year at 麻豆入口.

Section 2. Nonsubstantive name changes in this Constitution may be proposed by any Faculty Congress member.  Such amendments must be proposed and debated at a Faculty Congress meeting, with further debate and a vote at a following meeting.  Ratification requires at least two-thirds approval of the membership of the Faculty Congress present and voting.

Section 3. Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by any Faculty Congress member.  Such amendments must be proposed and debated at a Faculty Congress meeting, with further debate and a vote at a following meeting.  Ratification requires at least two-thirds approval of the membership of the Faculty Congress present and voting.

 

 

 

 

Bylaws of the Faculty Congress of 麻豆入口

Last revised: November 25, 2024

 

ARTICLE I. Officers.

 

Section 1. Chair.

a. The Chair is the chief executive officer of the Faculty Congress and shall preside at all meetings of the Faculty Congress and the Executive Committee. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Chair shall perform the customary duties of chief executive officer.

b. The Chair shall assume office upon May 1 following election and shall serve for two years. A faculty member is limited to two consecutive terms as Chair but is eligible again after four years out of office as Chair.

c. To be eligible to serve in the position of Chair, the faculty member must be tenured and must have served on the Faculty Congress for at least one year.

d. The Chair will be granted no less than a 3 credit reduction in teaching responsibilities during each academic year of service in this role.

e. The Chair shall set the time for Faculty Congress meetings and Executive Committee meetings and shall be responsible for ensuring that notices of these meetings are sent to the members.

f. The Chair may establish special committees. The Chair shall appoint the members except when the Faculty Congress specifically makes other provisions.

g. The Chair is authorized to make payments in the absence or incapacity of the Treasurer.

h. If the office of Chair becomes permanently vacant, the Vice Chair shall succeed to that office for the remainder of the term.

If both the offices of Chair and Vice Chair become permanently vacant, a special election shall be held to fill both vacancies, until which time the Secretary shall act as interim Chair.

 

Section 2. Vice Chair.

a. The Vice Chair shall assume office upon May 1 following election and shall serve for two years. The Vice Chair shall receive an automatic nomination for Chair when elections for Chair and Vice Chair take place. A faculty member is limited to two consecutive full terms as Vice Chair, but is eligible again after four years out of office as Vice Chair.

b. To be eligible to serve in the position of Vice Chair, the faculty member must be tenured and must have served on the Faculty Congress for at least one year.

c. The Vice Chair will be granted no less than a 3 credit reduction in teaching responsibilities during each academic year of service in this role.

d. Should the Chair be temporarily unable to carry out the duties of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall assume the position of Chair until the Chair becomes once again able to resume duties.

e. Should the position of Chair become permanently vacant, the Vice Chair shall assume the position of Chair as prescribed in Section 1.h. of this Article.

f. If the office of the Vice Chair becomes permanently vacant, the Faculty Congress shall elect a new Vice Chair to fill the vacancy.

 

Section 3. Secretary.

a. The Secretary shall assume office on May 1 following election and shall serve for two years. A faculty member is limited to two consecutive terms as Secretary but is eligible again after four years out of office as Secretary.

b. The Secretary shall perform the customary duties of the office and those specified by the parliamentary authority except as otherwise provided herein. The Secretary is custodian of the minutes, membership roll, and other records of the Faculty Congress except for financial records held by the Treasurer. The Secretary shall prepare and transmit to all members notice of the time, place, and program of each regular or special meeting of the Faculty Congress; shall serve as secretary at all meetings of the Faculty Congress and Executive Committee; shall maintain all official records other than fiscal, including minutes of meetings; and shall maintain records of nomination and election of officers and committee members.

c. The Secretary shall prepare and transmit unofficial summaries of the Congress minutes or other Congress matters to the Faculty at 麻豆入口.

d. A vacancy in the office of Secretary shall be filled by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 4. Treasurer.

a. The Treasurer shall assume office upon May 1 following election and shall serve for two years. A faculty member is limited to two consecutive terms as Treasurer but is eligible again after four years out of office as Treasurer.

b. The Treasurer shall perform the customary duties of the office except as otherwise provided herein. The Treasurer shall have custody of and maintain the fiscal records of the Faculty Congress and maintain the funds of the Faculty Congress in an appropriate repository approved by the Executive Committee.

c. The Treasurer shall pay all legal obligations of the Faculty Congress.

d. A vacancy in the office of Treasurer shall be filled by the Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE II. Meetings.

 

Section 1. Communication with the Faculty

a. Meetings of the Faculty Congress shall be announced to all faculty at the beginning of each semester.

b. An agenda shall be made available to all faculty at least three school days prior to each meeting.

 

Section 2. Sensitive Discussions

If a sensitive issue arises during a meeting, the Chair (or by motion of the Congress as a whole) shall declare a 鈥渃ommittee of the whole鈥� to discuss the sensitive issue; this portion of the meeting shall be closed with no minutes recorded and no official actions taken.

 

Section 3. Representatives from Other Groups  

The Faculty Congress may extend invitations to liaisons from other groups, granting them full rights to the floor.

 

ARTICLE III. Committees.

 

Section 1. Executive Committee.

a. The Executive Committee of the Faculty Congress consists of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Faculty Congress. The Chair of the Academic Policy Committee, the Chair of the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee, and the Chair of the Research Policy Committee will be ex-officio voting members. In addition, two other members of the Faculty Congress shall serve on the Executive Committee, both elected by the membership of the Faculty Congress. One of these shall be a Continuing Non-Tenure-track faculty member and one shall be an adjunct faculty member. The total voting membership of the Executive Committee shall be nine.  The Executive Committee may appoint non-voting members to the Executive Committee.

b. The Executive Committee shall meet prior to each regular meeting of the Faculty Congress, typically the previous week, and set the agenda for that meeting.

c. The Executive Committee shall nominate faculty representatives to all University committees which include faculty in their membership, including committees of the Board of Trustees.   In appointing or nominating faculty representatives to various University committees, the Executive Committee will consciously support our culture of 鈥渆mbracing diversity in its multitude of forms.鈥�  The Executive Committee may designate one faculty member from each such university committee to be the liaison who regularly reports to the Executive Committee the university committee鈥檚 discussions and actions.

d. The Executive Committee shall act for the Faculty Congress on those matters requiring attention between meetings of the Faculty Congress. Such action will be reported to the membership of the Faculty Congress at the next scheduled meeting.

e. In the case of exigent circumstances, the Chair may negotiate or reach understandings with members of the administration on behalf of the Faculty Congress (accompanied by the following whenever possible: the Vice Chair, APC chair, and FRRC chair). 

f. Meetings of the Executive Committee are closed.

g. The Executive Committee shall fill vacancies in the membership of the Faculty Congress.

 

Section 2. Standing Committees.

a. In addition to the Executive Committee, the standing committees of the Faculty Congress are the Elections and Credentials

Committee, the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee, and the Research Policy Committee.

 

Section 3. Elections and Credentials Committee.

a. The Elections and Credentials Committee consists of five members appointed by the Chair of the Faculty Congress. The term of office is two years.

Members of the Elections and Credentials Committee need not be members of the Faculty Congress. The Elections and Credentials Committee shall elect its chair. 

b. The Elections and Credentials Committee shall have authority to administer the elections for the members of the Faculty Congress, the University Rank and Tenure Committee, the University CNT Promotion Committee, and other committees as directed by the Faculty Congress. It shall also solicit nominees for the appointed faculty members to all committees advising the University Council and present those nominees to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Congress, which will, in turn, select a nominee for each committee seat.

 

Section 4. Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee.

a. The Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee shall have primary authority to formulate recommendations in all faculty matters.

b. The Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee consists of fifteen elected faculty members (as detailed in Article IV Section 3) plus the Vice Chair of the Faculty Congress ex officio.  The term of office is two years.

c. The committee shall elect its chair from the tenured faculty members. A faculty member is limited to two consecutive terms as Chair of

the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee but is eligible again after four years out of office as Chair of the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee.

 

Section 5. The Research Policy Committee.

a. The Research Policy Committee shall have the authority to recommend policy in research matters affecting faculty in more than one college. 

b. The Research Policy Committee consists of eight members.  Five members are elected (as detailed in Article IV Section 3) and are members of the Faculty Congress; three additional members are appointed by the Executive Committee. The composition of the committee will reflect multiple disciplines and methodologies and will ensure broad representation of the 麻豆入口 research community.

c. The committee shall elect its chair from the elected members. A faculty member is limited to two consecutive two-year terms as Chair of the Research Policy Committee but is eligible again after four years out of office as Chair of the Research Policy Committee.

 

Section 6. Other Committees

Additional standing committees may be established by the Faculty Congress. Their members shall be appointed by the Chair unless otherwise specified.

 

Section 7. Discontinuing Committees

With the exception of the Executive Committee, the Elections and Credentials Committee, the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee, and the Research Policy Committee, existing standing committees may be discontinued by the Faculty Congress.

 

Section 8.  Right to Caucus

When needed to foster a unified faculty voice, the faculty members serving on a University Committee shall caucus.  

 

Section 9. Transparency

a. The agenda, minutes or meeting summaries, and recommendations of the Faculty Congress, Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee, Research Policy Committee, University Council Standing Committees, and other committees as determined by the Faculty Congress, will be posted in a timely fashion on 麻豆入口's website on a secured page requiring authentication to protect sensitive information.

b. The faculty members of the above committees are expected to bring items in the minutes and on the agenda to the attention of their various constituencies, and to solicit their input on these matters. Any member of the University Community may request an invitation to observe Committee deliberations. Such requests are granted at the discretion of the Committee Chair. 

c. Faculty members of University committees and Faculty Congress officers shall be as transparent as feasible about the general content of discussions in committees or with administrators.  When faculty representatives reach agreements or understandings with members of the administration, such agreements shall be communicated to the Faculty Congress as fully as the situation allows.  Each faculty liaison from a University committee to the Faculty Congress shall submit periodic written or oral reports to the Faculty Congress Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE IV. Election.

 

Section 1. Election of Officers

The Faculty Congress shall elect the incoming Chair and Vice Chair in even numbered years in the early spring of the year in which they are to take office, but no later than April 1.

 

Section 2.  Election of Executive Committee

The newly elected Faculty Congress, at its first meeting in the spring of even numbered years, shall elect all other members of the Faculty Congress Executive Committee.

 

Section 3. Election Procedures

a. The Elections and Credentials Committee will oversee voting for members on the Faculty Congress in the spring of even numbered years. For each seat, full-time faculty in the appropriate constituency will vote by secret ballot on the nominated candidates.  A plurality of the votes cast shall be necessary to win.

b. The elected faculty membership on the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee will be as follows:

• Arts Humanities (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Arts Social Science (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Sciences (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Engineering (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• FCN (2 seats)
• VSB (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Law (1 seat)
• At-large CNT (promoted rank) (1 seat)
• At-large tenured faculty member (1 seat)

 

c. The elected faculty membership on the Academic Policy Committee will be as follows:

• Arts Humanities (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Arts Social Science (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Sciences (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Engineering (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• FCN (2 seats)
• VSB (2 seats, from different departments/programs)
• Law (1 seat)
• At-large CNT (promoted rank) (1 seat)
• At-large tenured faculty member (1 seat)
• At-large Adjunct (1 seat)

 

d. The elected faculty membership on the Research Policy Committee will be as follows:

• Arts (1 seat)
• Engineering (1 seat)
• FCN (1 seat)
• Sciences (1 seat)
• VSB (1 seat)

 

Section 4. Election of University Promotion Committees

The Elections and Credentials Committee will oversee voting for members on the University Rank and Tenure Committee and the University CNT Promotion Committee.  Elections will be conducted by secret ballot using approval voting.

 

Section 5.  Defining Faculty

a. All faculty members are eligible to vote for seats on the Faculty Congress in their constituency group. An employee of the University is considered a full-time faculty member if Human Resources classifies the person as such and is considered an adjunct faculty member if Human Resources classifies the person as such.

b. Administrative faculty may not occupy a seat on the Faculty Congress nor be appointed to faculty seats on University committees. A 麻豆入口 faculty member is considered an administrative faculty member if the individual has a title equivalent to Associate Dean or Associate Provost or higher, or if both of the following hold:

1. Their 麻豆入口 administrative appointment is above the role of chair / program director / center director / institute director or equivalent. (That is, they hold an administrative position other than the aforementioned that does not report to an aforementioned position.)
2. The compensation they receive from 麻豆入口 for administrative work exceeds either one course release/reduction per academic year or 1/9 of their base academic salary.

c. In cases where the definitions in (a.) or (b.) do not provide a clear classification, the Faculty Congress Executive Committee shall decide how the person is classified.

d. If a faculty member serving on the Faculty Congress or a University committee becomes an administrative faculty member or a staff person, they may continue in their Congress seat only with the approval of the Faculty Congress Executive Committee and only for the remainder of their term, not to exceed two years.