Glendale Community College Faculty Senate Constitution
Revised May 8, 1980
Revised April 3, 1987
Revised May 6, 1989
Revised March 22, 1995
Revised March 2004
View the Previous Version of the Senate Constitution (circa 1995)
Preamble.
We hold that the governing of Glendale Community College is the joint responsibility of the Governing Board, the administration, and the faculty of the college. In order to promote the full participation of the faculty in the determination of education policy and the execution of that policy, the adoption of this Constitution establishing a faculty Senate is hereby ordained.
Purposes.
The primary functions of the Senate shall be to serve as the exclusive representative of the faculty. of this college to the local college or District administrations and to the Governing Board with respect to academic and professional matters, to select representatives to serve on administrative councils and on coordinating committees of the college's faculty, and to participate in the formation and implementation of educational policies for the local college and the District.
Article I. Definitions.
"Faculty," as used in this Constitution, means residential GCC faculty members eligible for membership in the District Faculty Association. "GCC faculty Association" refers to the GCC unit of the District Faculty Association whose members are those faculty who have paid or pledged their annual assessment. "District Faculty Association" is the district-wide faculty organization. FEC (Faculty Executive Council) refers to the elected officers and representative who meet to carry out District Faculty Association business. The FEC is the district-wide equivalent of the GCC Senate.
Article II. Eligibility.
Only faculty members who are recorded by the Treasurer as having paid or formally pledged the current annual assessment for support of the Senate and the District Faculty Association before November 15 shall be eligible to vote in the election of Senators, President of the Senate, Vice-President of the Senate; Executive Councilor-at-Large in amending the Senate Constitution, and on other issues directed to the Faculty Association. The positions of Senator, President of the Senate, Vice-President of the Senate, and Executive Councilor-at-Large can be sought and held only by faculty who have met the assessment deadline and have completed at least one full semester on campus.
Article III. Composition.
The Senate shall consist of fifteen Senators, the President, Vice-President Executive Councilor-at-Large. All are elected at large.
Article IV. Elections of Senators.
Section 1. The election of Senators shall be held prior to the second Wednesday in April, and the Senators shall serve from the time of their election.
Section 2. A Nominating Committee composed of two non-officer Senate members and three non-Senate GCC Faculty Association members shall be established by February 15 of each year. The Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Senate shall select the members of the Nominating committee. The same method shall be followed for vacancies in Article VI.
Section 3. The Nominating Committee shall encourage submission of names of faculty members who have agreed to be candidates for the Senate. In March, the committee shall announce to the Senate a slate of candidates for the positions which will become vacant.
Section 4. The nominees receiving, the greatest number of votes cast for the existing vacancies will be elected. In case of a tie, which would cause the number of elected Senators to exceed the number of existing, vacancies, a run-off election will be required.
Section 5. In an election of multiple Senators, Representatives, or other delegates the Nominating, Committee may choose to conduct the balloting by preferential voting, as described in Robert's Rules of Order and adapted to local needs.
Article V. Senators - Term of Office.
Section 1. Senators shall serve terms of three years. The terms shall be arranged so that one-third of the Senators is elected annually.
Section 2. There shall be no limitation on the number of terms which Senators may serve; however, they may serve only two terms consecutively.
Article VI. Election of Officers.
Section 1. Officers of the Senate (Executive Council) shall include, but shall not be restricted to President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2. In the spring of even-numbered calendar years, the GCC Faculty Association shall elect the President and Vice-President of the Senate at the same time as the regular Senate elections. The Nominating Committee (Article IV) shall present a slate of at least two candidates each for the President and Vice-President.
Section 3. Candidacy for the Senate or incumbency on the Senate shall not disqualify a member of the faculty to stand for election as President or Vice-President of the Senate.
Section 4. The President and Vice-President shall be elected by a simple majority of the votes cast. If no candidate receives a simple majority of the votes cast, a run-off election will be required between the two candidates who received the largest totals of votes in the first election. In the event a special election for Vice-President is necessary, the newly elected Vice-President will take office immediately and serve the unexpired term of the predecessor.
Section 5. Officers, other than the President and Vice-President, shall be elected from among the Senators by a simple majority of the members of the Senate present. This election shall take place at the first meeting following the election of the Senators.
Article VII. Officers - Terms of Office.
Section 1. The term of Office for the President and Vice President of the Senate shall be two years and shall begin immediately upon election.
Section 2. The term of office for officers other than President and Vice-President shall be one year.
Section 3. All Officers shall be eligible for re-election.
Article VIII. Vacancies.
Section 1. Vacancies shall be declared by the President upon direction of the Senate. Senator(s) Pro-Tem shall be elected by the Senate to serve until the next regular Senate Election. The President shall declare vacancies when a Senator has been absent three consecutive times or four total times during the academic year, a Senator resigns, or a Senator is unable to complete all or part of an elected term for any reason. Such vacancies shall be filled under the terms of Article IV.
Section 2. The Senate by its action may elect to leave a vacancy unfilled until the next election.
Article IX. Removal of Members of the Senate.
A member of the Senate may be removed from office. Within 2 weeks of the receipt of a recall petition signed by one third or more of the GCC Faculty Association members, the Senate will hold a recall election. On verification that two-thirds or more of the GCC Faculty Association members voting in the recall election voted for recall, the Senate member will be removed from office.
Article X. Officers - Duties.
Section 1. President: The President is the presiding officer of the Senate and conducts meetings of the Senate and the Executive Committee. Other duties include
- appointment of Senate or faculty of members to serve on Senate or Joint committees subject to Senate approval,
- ex-officio membership on all Senate committees,
- convocation of special meetings of the Senate or the Executive Committee,
- official representation of the Senate and the Faculty Association,
- communication between the Senate and other groups or individuals,
- maintaining appropriate correspondence files,
- and serving on the Faculty Executive Committee.
The President must call a general faculty meeting once each semester and may call others when needed.
Section 2. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall serve on the Faculty Executive Committee and shall perform such duties as may be assigned from time to time by the President or the Executive Committee. In addition, the Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President, and shall succeed the President should the President vacate the office prior to expiration of the term of office.
Section 3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Senate and shall be responsible for a written report to the faculty at large, concerning actions and activities of the Senate, following each meeting of the Senate.
Section 4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of assessments, the keeping of all financial records and making periodic financial reports.
Article XI. Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers of the Senate. It shall act to prepare the priority agenda for Senate meetings and to recommend actions to the Senate.
Article XII. Delegates.
Section 1. Appointments to MCCCD committees shall be determined by the Senate President. They may be Senate members or qualified faculty. All appointments shall be confirmed by the Senate.
Section 2. Representatives to the District Faculty Executive Council shall be the President, Vice-President and the Executive Councilor at large. Additional Representation to the District Faculty Association shall be chosen by the Senate from its members: by a simple majority vote of the Senate membership.
Article XIII. Meetings.
Section 1. The Senate shall meet an average of once monthly during the academic year or more often at the call of the President or by request of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Senate meetings shall be open to faculty members only: however, the President, Vice-President or Senate members may invite non-faculty members for official business.
Section 3. Faculty members may participate at any time as non-voting members.
Article XIV. Quorum.
A majority of the elected Senate shall be considered a quorum.
Article XV. Voting.
Section 1. The President of the Senate shall vote only in the event of a tie.
Section 2. A voting record shall be kept for every matter requiring a vote in the Senate, except for the election of Senate officers, and for customary meeting administration. Such voting record shall list each Senators vote. Abstentions may be recorded at the request of the abstainer, but do not count as part of the total number of votes cast.
Section 3. In the event the President of the Senate is required to vote to break a tie, that vote of "yes" or "no" shall also be recorded.
Section 4. This voting record shall be on file and available to all faculty upon request.
Article XVI. Procedures.
On all matters of internal functioning not otherwise covered by the Constitution of the Senate, these shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, revised. 10th ed.
Article XVII. Executive Sessions.
Section 1. By unanimous vote of the Senators, the Senate may resolve itself into an executive session where only members of the Senate may be present. Such sessions may be solely for the discussion of confidential personnel matters or for discussion or consultation for legal advice with attorneys.
Section 2. Executive session minutes, if taken, and proceedings shall be kept confidential except from Senate members.
Section 3. No votes shall be taken nor recommendations enacted either to the administration or to the trustees of the District during executive sessions.
Article XVIII. Committees.
Section 1. There shall be no standing committees of the Senate other than the Executive committee.
Section 2. Senate committees may be established by simple majority approval of the Senate.
Section 3. Senate committees shall exist at the pleasure of the Senate.
Section 4. The size, purpose, and membership of a committee shall be determined or modified by the Senate. Non-Senate membership on committees may be permitted by the enabling action of the Senate with specification concerning a non- Senate member's right to vote in committee.
Section 5. Vacancies on Senate committees shall be filled by direction of the President of the Senate, subject to approval of the Senate membership.
Section 6. Membership on continuing Senate committees shall be reconfirmed or modified by the Senate prior to October of each academic year.
Section 7. Senate committees shall report and be responsible to the Senate.
Article XIX. Joint Committees.
Section 1. None of the above provisions shall restrict or limit the power of the Senate to propose or participate in Joint committees involving the Governing Board, the District administration, the local administration, other colleges in the district, or the students of Glendale Community College. The nature and extent of participation of Senate appointed members on the joint committees shall be determined by the Senate as the need or opportunity arises.
Section 2. Appointments to Joint Committees shall be filled by direction of the President of the Senate, subject to approval of the Senate me Senate membership.
Section 3. The Senate shall work jointly with administration officials on the appointment of faculty members to administrative committees and to extracurricular responsibilities.
Section 4. Senate-appointed members shall make reports of the progress of Joint Committees.
Section 5. Recommendations of a Joint committee shall be referred to the Senate for Approval.
Article XX. Agenda.
The administrative head of the college, any member of the Senate, or ten percent of the members of the faculty may place an item on the agenda of the Senate by written notice to the President of the Senate. The President shall provide the faculty with an agenda one week in advance of all meetings except the executive sessions.
Article XXI. Privileges and Responsibilities.
Section 1. The Faculty Senate shall of its own determination concern itself with any academic and professional matters which it deems important to the welfare of the college or the enlightened self-interest of the faculty.
Section 2. The Senate shall be the agency of the faculty in exercising its primary responsibility for such matters as curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, faculty status (including appointments, evaluations, and dismissals), and those aspects of student life which relate to the educational process.
Section 3. The Senate shall on behalf of the faculty, actively participate, directly or through its representatives, in the determination of policies and procedures governing salary, fringe benefits, sabbaticals, and general conditions of employment.
Section 4. The Senate shall, on behalf of the faculty, participate in the selection of administrators of the college, bringing its recommendations to the attention of the Chancellor and the Governing Board of the District.
Section 5. The Senate shall work jointly with administration officials on the appointment of faculty members to the administrative committees and to extracurricular responsibilities.
Article XXII. Referenda.
Section 1. The Senate may request the administrative head of the college to call a general faculty meeting for consideration of matters of general faculty interest.
Section 2. The Senate may request the advice of the general faculty through written ballots or other communications.
Section 3. Any matter considered by the Senate must be referred to the faculty for a secret ballot on petition of ten percent of the total faculty or on demand of one-third of the Senators.
Section 4. A general faculty meeting shall be called by the President of the Senate upon presentation to him/her of a petition of ten percent of the faculty. The President shall call the meeting within three days of the receipt of the petition.
Article XXIII. Recommendations.
Recommendations of the Senate shall be forwarded through regular established administrative channels. However, the Senate may, after consultation with the administration, present its views and recommendations directly to the Governing Board.
Article XXIV. Finances.
Faculty members will be asked to pay an annual assessment, the amount to be determined by the requirements of the Senate and the District Faculty Association budgets. Faculty members who have not paid or formally pledged the full assessment by November 15 will not be eligible to vote in Faculty Association elections or to be nominated for or retain the position of Senator, President, Vice-President or Executive Council Representatives.
Article XXV. Amendments.
This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of Faculty Association members present at any general or specific faculty meeting called for that purpose or of those returning a written ballot, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been presented in writing to each member at least one week proceeding the voting.