CONSTITUTION OF THE CASPER COLLEGE FACULTY ALLIANCE OF THE CASPER COLLEGE ASSOCIATION

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1 CONSTITUTION OF THE CASPER COLLEGE FACULTY ALLIANCE OF THE CASPER COLLEGE ASSOCIATION PREAMBLE This Constitution, written and adopted by the Faculty of Casper College, shall establish the Casper College Faculty Alliance and Faculty Senate to further the overall objectives of Casper College and seek to determine and establish, through consultation, advice and participation, educational and academic policies which promote and protect the interests and welfare of the College and further the full and free development and preservation of learning and teaching. ARTICLE I POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES The basic operational principle of this Constitution is that, under the Constitution of the Casper College Association, the Casper College Faculty Alliance constitutes a principal policy recommendation body within the College with regard to those academic and educational matters in which the faculty have expertise and responsibility, and that in all such and other areas of faculty interest and concern, the Alliance constitutes the proper organ for faculty participation in policy determination as delegated to its Senate. The listing of the following objectives shall not be construed as limiting powers or authority of any academic or administrative officer, or any school, or department, to discharge responsibilities imposed by law or by the Bylaws or Regulations of the Trustees and policies and procedures of the College. The Alliance is empowered: To advocate policy on all academic matters including the following: the standards for admission, selection, and retention applicable to students for the College; requirements for granting degrees and certificates; curricular requirements; instructional standards throughout the College; facilitation of academic research; standards of academic freedom throughout the College; class size; academic calendar; duration and time of instructional period; vacation period, grade due requirements; and any other essentially academic matters pertaining to the College; To advise on the following matters of institutional policy; appointment, reappointment, dismissal, rank, continuing contract, promotion, sabbaticals, leaves and teaching loads of faculty members; review of the principal college wide administrative and academic officers, the creation and reorganization of such offices, and procedures for faculty participation in the selection and review of deans of schools; expenditure of funds allocated to instruction and academic or instructionally related research; issues affecting current or projected budget decisions, programs for faculty welfare concerns such as salaries and benefits; standards for student conduct and student affairs; 1 / Revised Fall 2009

2 To consult with the Board of Trustees regarding the selection of a President of the College whenever that office shall become vacant; and any other subject relative to the welfare of the College. All policies and procedures the Alliance recommends to the College must be proposed through the Senate. All academic policy recommendations shall be transmitted to the President or Vice Presidents of the College. ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP AND ELECTION The Alliance shall be constituted of all full time or part time benefitted, contracted teaching faculty, or full time personnel who are paid on the faculty salary schedule or an issued faculty contract. All members of the Alliance shall be eligible to nominate, vote for and serve as members of the Senate. A Membership Committee of the Senate shall meet in March of the spring term and determine all the names of eligible Alliance members to participate in voting and being elected. A majority of the Senate may override the recommendations of the Membership Committee. The Senate shall consist of members from the Alliance. Election of Senators from Schools and the Divisions of Continuing Education and Educational Resources shall be in the first 15 days of April. All elected Senators shall serve for two year terms, May 1 to April 30. The immediate past Chair of the Senate shall serve for one year, May 15 to May 14, as a full senator without an election process. Members of the Senate shall be chosen from each School and the Divisions of Continuing Education and Educational Resources. All Senators will be chosen using the following formula: 3 from each school and 1 from each Division. When the President of the Senate is elected, a new representative from his or her respective school may be chosen by that school. Vacancies in the Senate shall be filled by appointment of the respective school and shall serve until the next regular Senate election. Part time (unbenefitted) teaching faculty employees are associate members of the Alliance, but they have no voting power nor shall they be eligible to hold office in the Alliance or the Senate. ARTICLE III OFFICERS AND SENATE ORGANIZATION The officers of the Senate shall consist of a Chair, Vice Chair/Chair Elect, Secretary and Treasurer all to be chosen by the Senate in a meeting within the first two weeks of May. The Senate may establish other officers as they become necessary. 2 / Revised Fall 2009

3 The term of the Chair is two years The term of the Vice Chair/Chair Elect, Secretary and Treasurer is one year. The duties of the officers shall be those usual to the office, as well as those designated by the Senate. The Chair should attend all regular College Board of Trustees, College Council meetings and other meetings as designated by the Senate. The four elected officers of the Senate, plus the immediate past Chair, shall constitute and Senate Executive Committee. The Chair of the Senate shall be the Chair of the Senate Executive Committee and the Alliance. A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the Chair of the Senate to serve as arbiter and consultant on all questions of procedure for the Senate and the Alliance. The parliamentarian need not be a member of the Senate but must be a member of the Alliance. ARTICLE IV MEETINGS OF THE ALLIANCE AND THE SENATE ALLIANCE The Alliance shall meet at the beginning of each Semester and within the last 15 days of April. The Alliance can meet at other times upon the call of the Senate or upon the call of 25% of the members of the Alliance. A quorum of the Alliance shall consist of the members present after written or electronic notification of the meeting. SENATE The Senate shall have regular meetings as established by the Bylaws and shall be subject to call at other times. Special meetings of the Senate may be called by the Chair or at the request of the Senate Executive Committee, the President of the College or at the written request of six members of the Senate. A quorum of the Senate shall consist of a majority of the members of the Senate and one of the elected officers. The agenda shall be prepared by the Senate Chair and submitted to the members of the Senate at least three days prior to each regular meeting. Any issues or recommendations shall be placed on the agenda when proposed by the Senate Chair, Senate Executive Committee, the President of the College, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Chair of the Council of the Casper College Association, a Senate Committee Chair, 1/3 of the Senators present and voting at a meeting or a petition signed by 20% of the members of the Alliance. Parts of the order of business of each senate meeting shall be a report from the Chair on the disposition of all previous recent Senate decisions. Minutes of the Senate meeting shall be made available to all Alliance members by and posting on the college webpage. 3 / Revised Fall 2009

4 All Senate sessions shall be open to all Alliance members, except for good and sufficient reasons, which shall be made known to the members. Any member of the Alliance may address the Senate after securing recognition from the Chair. Any person who is not a member of the Alliance may gain permission to address the Senate from the Chair, subject to overrule by 2/3 majority of the Senate. Attendance at Senate meetings by Senators is mandatory. If a Senator cannot attend a scheduled meeting, that Senator must notify his or her Dean and the Vice Chair of the Senate of the absence. Further, that Senator will assign their proxy vote to an attending senator. If a Senator is absent from three consecutive Senate meetings the Senate Vice Chair will notify that Senator s Dean to elect a new Senator to serve out the term. ARTICLE V SENATE COMMITTEES Committees of the Senate shall include the standing committees of Senate Executive, Membership, Curriculum, and Salary and Benefits, Constitution and By Laws Revision, General Education and other such working committees as authorized by the Senate. Titles, duties and membership of the committees shall be determined by the Bylaws. The Senate Executive Committee shall follow through on Senate recommendations and act as a liaison with the administration of the College. The Senate Executive Committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the Senate when the situation requires immediate action. Such actions and recommendations of the Senate Executive Committee shall in all cases be subject to review by the Senate, which shall be notified of all such actions and recommendations through the reports of the Senate Executive Committee. All Senate Committees shall be responsible to the Senate and shall report all actions and recommendations to the Senate. ARTICLE VI ALLIANCE REFERENDUM The actions of the Senate shall be subject to a 2/3 majority vote of the Alliance if it is requested by the President of the College, one third of the Senate members, or 25% of the Alliance members upon presentation of a signed petition to the Chair of the Senate. A request for a referendum shall be presented to the Chair within twenty days of the publication of the minutes describing the Senate decision in question. The Senate shall be governed by the results of the referendum. ARTICLE VII SPECIAL ELECTIONS COUNCIL MEMBERS (CCA): during the April meeting in the spring term, the Alliance will elect two members from the Alliance to serve on the Council of the Casper College Association for a period of one year beginning May 1 of the year elected. ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE(CCA): during the April meeting in the spring term, the Alliance will elect three members from the Alliance to serve for two year terms on the Activities Committee of the Casper College Association. 4 / Revised Fall 2009

5 The Senate shall provide for the appointment or election of other members of the Faculty Alliance to any designated institutional committee vacancy. ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS The Senate shall write its own Bylaws, adopted by the Alliance by majority vote. Amendments to these articles may be adopted at any regular meeting of the Senate by a 2/3 vote of those present or by a 2/3 majority vote of those present at an Alliance meeting. ARTICLE IX PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY The rules in the current edition of Robert s Rules of Order shall govern the Alliance and Senate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution and any special rules of order which the Senate may adopt. ARTICLE X ALLIANCE DUES AND FINANCES Funds may be raised by assessment or requests and/or requests for funds from the College. Assessments require a 2/3 majority vote of the Alliance. Monies shall be accounted for by an elected Treasurer and shall be paid out for expenses of the Senate or the Alliance. No monies shall be paid to a member of the Senate as a salary. 5 / Revised Fall 2009

6 BYLAWS OF THE CASPER COLLEGE FACULTY ALLIANCE AND SENATE I. GENERAL A. MEMBERSHIP: To be eligible for membership in the Alliance, a faculty member must meet the requirements of the Constitution, Articles II and III of the Casper College Association Constitution. B. RULES OF ORDER AND ORDER OF BUSINESS: Robert s Rules of Order shall provide the primary parliamentary rules for guidance of the Faculty Alliance and Senate at all meetings. 1. The Order of Business of the Alliance shall customarily follow the described sequence: a. Call to order b. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of the Alliance c. Elections d. Report from Senate e. Unfinished Business and General Orders f. New Business g. General Faculty Comments. 2. The order of Business of the Senate shall customarily follow the described sequence: a. Call to order b. Roll Call c. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of the Senate d. Treasurer s Report e. Reports of the Standing Committees f. Reports of the Working Committees g. Unfinished Business and General Orders h. New Business i. General Faculty Comments. II. THE SENATE ORGANIZATION A. OFFICERS: See Article III, Paragraph I of the Constitution B. BALLOTING: When two or more nominations are made for the same office, the balloting shall be secret, and the candidate receiving the majority of the votes cast shall be declared the winner, except, in the event that no individual receives the majority of the votes cast, and then a run off election between the top two candidates shall be conducted. 6 / Revised Fall 2009

7 C. MEETING TIMES: The Senate shall meet monthly during the academic year. Additional meetings can be scheduled for working and standing committee meetings. A calendar of meeting times for the semester should be drawn up by the Senate, and a copy will be given to Alliance members in meetings each semester. III. DUTIES OF OFFICERS A. CHAIR: 1. The Chair shall preside at all Alliance, Senate, and Senate Executive meetings and shall serve on the Council of the Casper College Association. 2. The Chair shall appoint the committee chairs and committee members. 3. The Chair shall prepare the agenda for the Alliance and Senate meetings. 4. The Chair should attend all regular College Board of Trustee meetings and other College committees as determined by the President of Casper College or the Vice President of Academic Affairs and other meetings determined by the Faculty Senate. B. VICE CHAIR/CHAIR ELECT: 1. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair/Chair Elect will preside at meetings of the Alliance, Senate, or Senate Executive committee and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned. 2. The Vice Chair/Chair Elect will be responsible for coordinating all committee activities. 3. The Vice Chair/Chair Elect is expected to succeed to the position of Chair whenever the position of Chair becomes vacant, subject to the approval by the Senate. C. SECRETARY: 1. The Secretary shall keep the minutes and other official records of the Alliance and Senate. 2. The Secretary shall carry out routine correspondence designated by the Senate. 3. The Secretary shall preserve the Alliance records and perform other duties as ordinarily pertain to the office and when retiring from the office shall turn all records of official business over to the successor. 4. The Secretary shall make available minutes of the Senate to all Alliance members. 5. The Secretary shall be responsible for providing notification of Alliance meetings. 7 / Revised Fall 2009

8 D. TREASURER: 1. The Treasurer shall be elected by the Senate and will be responsible for any monies. 2. The Treasurer shall provide a monthly report. 3. The Treasurer shall provide an annual statement for distribution at the spring Alliance meeting. E. PARLIAMENTARIAN: See Article III, paragraph 6 and Article IX, paragraph 1 of the Constitution IV. FUNCTIONS OF COMMITTEES A. STANDING COMMITTEES: 1. Standing Committee membership shall be approved by the Senate with at least one Senator to act as liaison. 2. Committee Chairs shall be approved by the Senate and shall report regularly to the Chair or Vice Chair/Chair Elect of the Senate. 3. Standing Committees for the Senate shall be: Curriculum, Salaries and Benefits, Constitution and Bylaws Revision, Executive, Membership and General Education. 4. Standing Committees shall make recommendations for action to the Senate. 5. Standing Committees shall keep minutes and other official records of all meetings. The Committee chair shall supply the Vice Chair/ Chair Elect with copies of all minutes. B. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 1. The Executive Committee shall meet upon the call of the Chair or Vice Chair/Chair Elect. 2. The Senate Executive Committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the Senate when the situation requires immediate action. 3. The Executive Committee shall report all its actions to the Senate. 4. The Executive Committee shall ensure the preparation of an agenda prior to regular Senate and Alliance meetings. C. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: The Membership Committee shall be composed of 3 5 members. In March, the committee shall meet and determine the names of all members of the Alliance, the number of voting members in each school, and the number of Senators to be elected from each school. The Committee shall bring to the attention of the Senate any discrepancies or questionable memberships. 8 / Revised Fall 2009

9 D. WORKING COMMITTEES: 1. Working Committees shall be created and disbanded by the Senate for a special purpose for a certain time. 2. Working Committees shall meet upon the call of their Chair, the Senate Chair, or the Vice Chair/Chair Elect of the Senate. 3. The Committee Chair or their designee shall report regularly to the Vice Chair/Chair Elect of the Senate and at Senate meetings. 4. Working Committees shall keep minutes and other official records of all meetings. The Committee chair shall supply the Vice Chair/Chair Elect with copies of all minutes. 5. Working Committees should generally be composed of 3 8 alliance members with a Senator as the committee chair. V. ALLIANCE ORGANIZATION A. The Alliance shall meet at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters and within the last fifteen (15) days in April. Alliance members shall receive written or electronic notice of the meetings. B. A quorum shall consist of the members present after notification of the meeting. Ordinary business shall be conducted by simple majority vote of those present. Ties shall be broken by the Chair. Alliance referenda amendments to the Constitution and Alliance assessments are all subject to a 2/3 majority vote of the members present. The agenda will be provided at the meetings of the Alliance. VI. ELECTIONS OF MEMBERS TO THE COUNCIL OR ACTIVITIES COMMITTEES OF THE CASPER COLLEGE ASSOCIATION OR TO ANY OTHER DESIGNATED COLLEGE COMMITTEE A. The Alliance shall elect two members from the Alliance to serve for one year terms on the Council of the Casper College Association. These members should be elected in the April meeting. B. The Alliance shall elect any other member to a designated college committee. C. If the Alliance fails to fill a designated vacancy in any committee as required by this Constitution and Bylaws, the Senate Chair shall make the appointment subject to Senate approval. 9 / Revised Fall 2009

10 10 / Revised Fall 2009