Faculty Senate - Hill College



Faculty Senate

Policies and Procedures

Purpose

The Faculty Senate (hereafter referred to as the Senate) is an official organization of the College, established for the purpose of encouraging and facilitating the free exchange of ideas between the instructional staff and the Administration. The Senate, composed of representatives elected from all divisions, serves as the official communications link between the Faculty Association and the Administration in matters of interest to the faculty.

Scope of Activities

The purview of the Senate shall include the discussion of policies, consideration of faculty suggestions, and study of problems related to faculty interests for the purpose of formulating recommendations and suggestions to the President of the College and to the faculty.

The Senate shall meet at least once each month during the fall and spring semesters and may meet during summer sessions if necessary. To conduct official business, at least one representative (alternate or substitute-with proxies) from each division must be present at a meeting to achieve a quorum. The Senate may call a closed meeting of the general faculty when, in the judgment of the Senate, direct involvement of the general faculty in the matter(s) under consideration is necessary. When calling a closed meeting, the Senate shall make the agenda available to the faculty prior to the meeting. Results of the meeting shall be promptly reported to the faculty.

Dues

Dues shall be collected each fall semester. The amount will be determined by the Faculty Association, and monies will be managed by the Senate Secretary/Treasurer. These funds will be used for the care fund for all faculty members (death, illness, disasters, and etcetera). In order to be a member of the Senate, these dues must be paid each year. In the event monies are raised for student scholarships, equipment, teaching aids etc separate college account will be set up and be managed by the secretary/treasurer. All faculty will be informed of the amount raised and decide how these funds are disbursed.

Membership

The Senate will consist of representatives elected from the eligible faculty members from each division. An eligible faculty member is one employed by the College in a full-time teaching position in which the instructional duties constitute over half the duties of that member. All senate members must have paid Faculty Association dues. The members of the Faculty Senate are charged with the responsibility of representing the Faculty Association members in their division. To this end, members should maintain communications with all their constituents, serving as a liaison between them and the Faculty Senate.

Each division shall elect one representative and one alternate for membership to the Senate Alternates or substitutes will have the proxy of the Senate member to vote on issues conducted at Senate meetings. At the beginning of each fall semester, the Vice President of Instruction shall furnish to the Senate a current list of divisions along with the number of eligible members in each. The Senate shall provide this information to the dean/division char.

Each division shall elect its representative and during the first week of April for the following academic year for a term of two years. In the event an elected representative cannot fulfill his/her elected term, the alternate representative will serve the remainder of the term. In the event there was no alternate elected, the dean/division chair in which the vacancy occurs may appoint a representative to serve the remainder of the term.

Any elected member who misses two meetings in an academic year without providing a substitute or notice of appropriate reason to the Senate be removed from the official list of Senate. The Senate President shall notify the dismissed representative's supervisor (dean or division chair) and the Vice President of Instruction of the dismissal and vacancy.

Officers

The officers of the Senate shall consist of a President, a Vice President, and a Secretary/Treasurer. The terms of office of the President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer shall run two years from the first class day of the academic year. The President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer shall serve as at-large representatives of the faculty provided that they are eligible for membership on the Senate as provided above.

Election of Officers

To hold an office an individual must have served previously on the Senate for a term of at least one year and be current in their dues. The Senate President shall appoint a nominating committee to nominate at least two eligible faculty members. Nominees shall be solicited from the faculty. The faculty, by majority vote in a secret ballot conducted during the spring semester, shall elect the Senate Secretary/Treasurer for the following two year term. The Secretary/Treasurer shall then assume the office of Vice President. The Vice President will then move to Senate President, and the Past President shall serve on the Senate as counsel to the Senate with no voting rights. Should any office be prematurely vacated, the Senate may call a special election to fill that office.

Duties

The Senate President shall call the meetings and preside over them in accordance with the policies established herein, shall appoint all committees with approval of the Senate, and shall communicate all recommendations of the Senate to the President of the College and Vice President of Instruction.

The Senate Vice President shall serve in the capacity of Senate President in the absence of the Senate President at any meeting.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall handle the official written correspondence of the Senate, record minutes of the meetings, distribute these minutes to the Senate for approval, and provide copies of the approved minutes to the Administration and to the faculty. The Secretary/Treasurer shall oversee all funds, keep a record of all transactions, and report to all faculty at the general meetings.

Committees

The standing committees of the Senate are an Elections Committee, Compensation Committee, Constitutional and By-Laws Committee, Faculty Student Scholarship Committee, and a Personnel Handbook Committee. The Senate President is responsible for communicating to each committee the procedures to be followed and deadlines to be met and, where appropriate, for providing historical records prior to related committee activities.

Communication with Administration

Recommendations of the Senate shall be made, in writing, to the President of the College, with a copy to the Vice President of Instruction. Subsequent discussion of such recommendations may be conducted by the President (or other Administrative officers designated by the President) and the Senate President, as the President deems appropriate.

Policy Revisions

Revision(s) of this policy may be considered by the Senate. Formal discussion of such revision(s) must occur in an official meeting prior to the meeting in which a vote on the proposed revision(s) is taken. The Senate, provided a quorum has been established, may approve the proposed revision(s) for submittal to a vote of the general faculty.

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