BYLAWS
OF THE
FACULTY SENATE
Name
The name of this organization shall be North Georgia College & State University Faculty Senate.
ARTICLE II.
Purpose
The purpose of the Faculty Senate shall be to provide a systematic means of recommending policy matters to the President and to the Faculty. Refer to Article XVIII, Section 3 of the NGCSU Statutes. The Senate shall serve as the mechanism for shared governance at the University and shall be the body to which the statutory, standing, and special committees of the Senate shall report.
ARTICLE III.
Members
Section 1. Membership. Membership of the Faculty Senate shall consist of the President of the University, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Elected Senators.
Section 2. Elected Senators. Any member of the Corps of Instruction, as described in the Statutes of North Georgia College & State University, is eligible for election to the Senate.
a. Representation. Each Academic Unit, the Military Department and the Library shall have one or more Senators elected from its unit. Academic Units with ten or more Faculty members shall be represented by two elected Senators. Academic Units with fewer than ten Faculty members shall be represented by one elected Senator. In addition, five at-large Senators shall be elected from the Faculty, but no two at-large Senators may be from the same unit.
b. Elections. Representative units shall elect Senators by secret ballot by January 21 and shall forward names of elected Senators to the Chief Executive Officer immediately after the election. The Chief Executive Officer shall seek nominations for at-large Senators no later than January 28 and shall conduct an election by survey ballot of the Faculty by February 4. Faculty members shall elect at-large Senators by largest number of approval votes cast for nominees. Ties will be decided by the Senate. Terms of service for Senators shall begin summer term.
c. Length of Service. Terms shall be for two years. Following the first year, half of the Senators shall be elected annually.
Section 3. Attendance. Elected Senators
shall attend
all meetings of the Senate unless extenuating circumstances prevent
attendance.
Explanations of absences from meetings shall be submitted to the Chief
Executive Officer within ten days of the missed meeting. The Secretary
shall
include an attendance record in the minutes. Senate
members should make every effort to attend all meetings, and
explanations may
be voted on by the Faculty Senate to determine whether or not the
explanation
is sufficient to be deemed excused.
Section 4. Resignation. Any Senator who is unable or unwilling to perform expected or requested duties shall submit a written resignation to the Chief Executive Officer. More than two unexcused absences from meetings of the Senate per academic year will constitute an act of voluntary membership resignation. Any such vacancy will be filled by special election among appropriate constituents. The Secretary will notify the Chief Executive Officer and the head of the relevant constituency of any such resignation. This election process should be completed with adequate time for the newly elected faculty member to attend the next Faculty Senate meeting.
Section 5. Unexpired Terms of Service. In the case of unexpired terms of service for any Senator representing a unit, the unit shall elect by secret ballot a replacement to fill the remaining Senate term. In the case of unexpired terms of service for at-large Senators, the Chief Executive Officer shall seek nominations and conduct an election for these terms by survey ballot. Faculty members shall elect replacement at-large Senators by largest number of approval votes cast for nominees. Ties will be decided by the Senate.
ARTICLE
IV.
Officers
Section 1. Officers.
The officers of the Senate shall include the Chair of the Senate, the
Vice-Chair of the Senate, the Chief Executive Officer of the Senate,
Secretary,
and Parliamentarian.
a.
Chair. In
accordance with the Board of Regents Policy Manual, the President of
the
University shall serve as Chair of the Senate. The Chair may choose to
preside
at Senate meetings, but does not vote except to make or break a tie.
b.
Vice-Chair.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall serve as Vice-Chair of
the Senate
and shall preside over the Senate in the temporary absence of the
Chair, or if
the Chair requests the Vice-Chair to do so. The Vice-Chair votes only
when
acting as Chair, in the absence of the President, and only to make or
break a
tie.
c.
Chief
Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer of the Senate shall be
elected
annually by the Senate membership. Any duly elected Senator or
Senator-elect
with at least one-year remaining at the time of the election on his or
her
service term is eligible. The duties of the Chief Executive Officer
shall
include presiding at Senate meetings at the request of the Chair,
chairing the
Executive Board, collecting agenda items and coordinating with the
Chair
arrangements for meetings of the Senate, scheduling the room and
overseeing details
for each meeting, appointing ad hoc committees and conducting elections
as
specified in these Bylaws. Furthermore, the Chief Executive Officer
shall
examine the committee structure of the Faculty Senate and recommend at
the last
Senate meeting of the spring semester that committees that have
transacted no
business during the past two years be disbanded.
d.
Secretary.
The Secretary of the Senate shall be elected annually by the Senate
membership.
The duties of the Secretary shall include keeping minutes documenting
motions,
actions and discussion topics of each Senate meeting; and posting
copies to the
Senate web site no later than three days following each Senate meeting;
and
maintaining an accurate record of attendance to include the names of
members
present and absent. The Secretary shall
also assist the board coordinators in archiving minutes of all
committees.
e.
Parliamentarian.
The Leadership and Appointments Committee shall recommend to the
Faculty Senate
one faculty member to serve as Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian
settles
questions regarding parliamentary procedures, according to Robert's
Rules of
Order: Newly Revised.
Section 2. Elections. Election of
Chief
Executive Officer and Secretary shall take place at the last Senate
meeting of
the spring semester. Newly elected Senators may attend the last Senate
meeting
of the spring semester only for the purpose of electing the CEO and
Secretary.
The voting body in the election of the CEO and Secretary shall consist
of
seated Senators who are rotating over to the next year and newly
elected
Senators. Nominations for the Chief Executive Officer and Secretary
shall be
solicited by the outgoing Chief Executive Officer. Those making
nominations
shall secure permission from the nominee. Additional nominations may be
received prior to voting. The Chief Executive Officer and Secretary
shall be
elected by majority of votes cast. Any run-off election shall be held
between
the top two candidates for either office.
Meetings
Section 1. Regular Meetings. The Faculty Senate shall meet in open session, in space adequate for potential visitors, once a month or four times per semester during the academic year. The Executive Board of the Faculty Senate shall determine the dates and times for regular meetings and shall provide the Faculty with a copy of the annual schedule (fall and spring) at the beginning of each fall semester.
Any member of the Faculty may present a problem or suggestion in person or in writing to the Faculty Senate for its consideration, provided the Faculty member notifies the Chief Executive Officer in writing at least ten calendar days prior to the next regular meeting. Any member of the Faculty who wishes to remain anonymous may present in writing a problem or suggestion to the Chief Executive Officer or any Senator for Faculty Senate consideration. This notification must reach the Chief Executive Officer at least ten calendar days prior to the next regular meeting.
Section 2. Special Meetings. The Chief Executive Officer shall call a special meeting of the Faculty Senate provided approval is granted by the Executive Board or upon written request of at least 25 percent of the Senators.
Section 3. Executive Session. The Faculty Senate may hold an executive session at any regular or special Senate meeting by simple majority approval of the members present.
Section 4. Quorum. A quorum shall exist when more than 50 percent of the Faculty Senate is present.
ARTICLE
VI.
The
Executive Board
Section 1. Membership.
The membership of the Executive Board shall consist of the Chair of the
Senate,
Vice-Chair of the Senate, Chief Executive Officer of the Senate, and
the
Secretary of the Senate.
ARTICLE
Committees
Section 1. Organization of
Committees. The following shall apply to all standing
committees of the
Faculty Senate:
a.
Chair
Selection. The Leadership and
Appointments Committee will appoint a Senator on each committee that
has no
designated chair as an interim chair for the express purpose of calling
a
meeting and electing a chair. Unless designated by position,
chairs will
be identified by the committee before the end of spring semester prior
to the
next academic year in which they will serve.
b. Initial Meeting. The initial meeting of each
committee shall be convened within the first two weeks of the fall
semester.
The Executive Board will charge the committees during the initial
meeting with
general and/or specific goals.
c.
Tasks. The
task of each committee shall be to review the policies and
administration of
policies in its area and offer recommendations, if necessary.
Recommendations
to the Senate shall be submitted to the Executive Board for inclusion
on the
agenda.
d.
Annual
Committee Report. Each committee shall submit a written annual report
electronically to the Chief Executive Officer no later than the last
regular
meeting of the academic year. The report shall include a list of all
items
placed on the committee's agenda and note the disposition of each. The
minutes
of the last Senate meeting of the academic year shall incorporate these
reports
and they shall be posted on the Committee System Web site.
e.
Annual Board
Reports. Each board coordinator shall
present an oral report to the Senate during the last meeting of the
academic
year. The report shall include a summary
of major accomplishments during the academic year and recommendations
for
future actions.
f.
Minutes. A
copy of the minutes of each committee meeting, excluding items
considered
confidential, shall be furnished electronically to the Executive Board
and to
the respective board coordinator within ten days of the committee
meeting.
g.
Appointments.
Appointments to committees shall be for two-year staggered terms;
however,
members may be reappointed to committees for succeeding terms.
h.
Elections.
(1)
Elections to
the Leadership and Appointments Committee: The Chief Executive Officer
shall
solicit nominations no later than February 11 for Senate
representatives to the
Leadership and Appointments Committee. The Chief Executive Officer
shall
conduct the election of Senate representatives to the Leadership and
Appointments Committee by survey ballot no later than February 18. The
Chief
Executive Officer shall solicit nominations no later than February 25
for
faculty members on the Leadership and Appointments Committee. The Chief
Executive
Officer shall conduct the election of faculty to the Leadership and
Appointments Committee by survey ballot no later than March 4.
Committee
members shall be elected by largest number of approval votes cast for
nominees.
Ties will be decided by the Senate.
Other members of the committee shall be selected as specified in
Section 6 of this article.
(2)
Elections to
the Other Standing and Statutory Committees: The Chief Executive
Officer shall
solicit nominations no later than March 11 for faculty membership on
standing
and statutory committees that require elected faculty members. The
Chief
Executive Officer shall conduct the election of faculty to committees
by survey
ballot no later than March 25. Committee members shall be elected by
largest
number of approval votes cast for nominees. Ties will be decided by the
Senate.
i.
Replacements. (i) If a committee
chair or member, who was initially selected by the faculty or Faculty
Senate,
is not fulfilling the duties of the position, the Faculty Senate may,
by majority
vote, remove the incumbent, thus vacating the position.
(ii) In the event that a committee member
does not complete a term, the Leadership and Appointments Committee
shall
recommend a replacement for an appointed member to the Faculty Senate
for approval.
In the event that this member is an elected individual, a special
election
following the guidelines of the original election shall be held.
j.
Student
Representation. The appointing body of a committee with student members
shall
attempt to represent the student constituencies of the university
(resident,
commuter, undergraduate, graduate, military, non-military,
multicultural,
international, etc.) equitably in the assignment of those student
members.
k.
Staff
Representation. Professional staff serves
on committees where their subject matter expertise and functional areas
may be
of benefit. Chairs may coordinate with
other professional staff as required in the performance of their duties.
Section 2. Boards and
Coordinators. The business of the
University shall be conducted through various committees as designated
herein,
and others as appointed by the President or Vice Presidents. To facilitate the functioning of the
committees and to increase their efficiency, accountability, and
visibility,
the committees will be grouped functionally into six areas, each
constituting a
board:
Academics
and
Curriculum Board
Commemorations
and Events Board
Discipline,
Honor, and Equity Board
Institutional
Governance and Employee Welfare Board
Student
Services
Board
Vital
Resources
Board
For
each board, a coordinator shall be
determined by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate (President,
Vice
President for Academic Affairs, CEO and Secretary) for a two-year term
which
may be renewed. The coordinator’s duties
are exclusively to promote effective communication, to coordinate the
functionality of the committees and to ensure that each committee
carries out
its purpose, duties, composition, or charges.
To facilitate the functionality of the committees, the
coordinator will:
● Ensure
that every committee in the board area meets early in the academic year
and
elects a chair, if applicable, and meets regularly (with the frequency
determined by the committee's responsibilities).
● Receive
calls of committee meetings from each respective committee chair (or
his
designee) and post the date, time, and place of the committee on the
proper
Committee System Web page.
● Ensure
that every committee submits minutes in a reasonably timely fashion,
and uploads
the minutes to a location linked from the proper Committee System Web
page.
● Contact‑‑and
meet in person, if necessary‑‑any committee chair whose committee is
not
meeting, providing advance notice of meetings, or submitting minutes,
and
developing a plan with that committee chair to remedy the deficiency.
● Call
meetings of the board only if necessary, as determined by the
coordinator
and/or by committee chairs. At such meetings, the coordinator
shall chair
the meeting and shall have one vote.
If the
coordinator does not carry out the duties listed above in a
satisfactory
manner, the CEO shall meet with the coordinator and develop a plan to
remedy
the deficiency. The Executive Committee shall have the authority
to
remove a coordinator, ordinarily upon two weeks' warning of a
problem but
immediately in the case of urgency.
Section 3. Academics and
Curriculum. There shall be an
Academics and Curriculum Board, whose coordinator shall ensure that the
affiliated committees meet, fulfill their duties, and provide
accessible
minutes and reports.
The
board and affiliated committees are constituted as follows:
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Academics and Curriculum Board shall be to coordinate
deliberations among affiliated committees, when necessary, to optimize
the
accomplishment of academic-related goals.
Composition:
The
members shall be the coordinator of the Academic and Curriculum Board
and the
chairs of the affiliated committees.
Duties: The
committee shall
facilitate coordination among the affiliated committees, at the behest
of the
members of the board. The committee shall submit recommendations
to the
Faculty Senate or the vice president for academic affairs, as
applicable.
Purpose: The
purpose of
the Academic Activities Committee shall be to review and recommend
academic
policies that affect undergraduate programs.
Composition: The
committee
shall be composed of each academic department head, the Dean of each
school,
the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Registrar, the
Director
of Admissions, the Director of Library Services, the Director of Global
Engagement, the Executive Director for Regional Engagement, two
Senators
appointed by the Senate Leadership and Appointments Committee, four
faculty
elected at large, and three student representatives. The Vice President
for
Academic Affairs shall serve as the chair. Faculty members shall be
from four
different academic departments and shall not be department heads. They
shall be
elected for two-year terms.
Duties: The
committee
shall review admission requirements, comprehensive program reviews, and
any
regulations pertaining to certificate and degree programs, including
their
attendant courses of study. New courses and other programmatic matters
that can
impact academic units outside of the school or division from which they
originate are to be presented to the Deans' Council for review and
determination if they need to be forwarded to the Academic Activities
Committee.
Should the Deans' Council have a negative vote on any matter, it is to
be sent
to the unit of origination for revision and resubmission to the
council. Upon second review by the council, items originally
needing
full review of the Academic Activities Committee will be forwarded to
the
committee with an indication of "support" or "non-support"
of the Deans' Council. Routine program matters such as title changes,
course
deletion, and number changes will be approved in the Deans' Council and
forwarded to the Academic Activities Committee for informational
purposes
only. All actions of the Academic Activities Committee and the
Deans'
Council related to academic matters are submitted as recommendations
for the
VPAA for final action.
Purpose: The
purpose of
the Academic Review and Fee Waiver Committee shall be to enforce
regulations
relative to the university’s Academic Standing Policy and Fee Waiver
Policy,
and hear appeals from students who have been placed on academic
suspensions and
from students who have requested exemptions from fees.
Composition: The
committee
shall be composed of the Vice President for Academic Affairs or
designee, the
Vice President for Student Affairs or designee, the Registrar or
designee, the
Director of Admissions or designee, the Comptroller or designee, the
Commandant
of Cadets, the Director of Athletics, the Graduate Admissions
coordinator, the
International Student Advisor, the Student Success coordinator, and
Faculty
representation consisting of one Senator and four Faculty appointed by
the
Senate Committee on Committees. The Professor of Military Science and
the
Director of Financial Aid shall serve as non-voting members. The Vice
President
for Academic Affairs or designee shall serve as Chair. There shall be
no
student representation. Faculty members are expected to be present for
committee meetings which usually occur between academic terms.
Duties: The
committee
shall be responsible for enforcing academic probation and suspension
policies
and fee exemption policies and hearing appeals from students who have
been
placed on academic suspension or who have requested exemptions from
fees.
The committee may divide into subcommittees for academic review and fee
waiver,
respectively, and such subcommittees may conduct business in their
respective
areas.
Purpose: The
purpose of
the Graduate Council shall be to guide the direction of the graduate
program
under the supervision of the President of the University and the Vice
President
for Academic Affairs. The Graduate Council shall review and
formulate
graduate academic policies for the University.
Composition:
The
Graduate Council shall be composed of the Associate Vice President for
Academic
Affairs (chair), the Executive Director for Regional Engagement, and
one
graduate faculty member from each graduate program. Graduate faculty
from the
departments that do not house the degrees above shall collectively
elect one
representative. The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
will
conduct this election. The graduate program with the largest
number of
students, as measured by full-time equivalency standard, shall have one
additional graduate faculty representative. The Senate Leadership
and
Appointments Committee shall appoint one Senator who is a graduate
faculty
member. The Graduate Student Senate shall select one graduate
student
representative. A department that is petitioning for a new
graduate
degree program may select a graduate faculty member to serve on the
Graduate
Council in a non-voting capacity. The Vice President for Academic
Affairs
and the Registrar or the Registrar’s designee shall serve in a
nonvoting
capacity.
Duties: The
Graduate
Council shall review graduate admissions requirements, graduate
comprehensive
program reviews, and any regulations pertaining to graduate certificate
and
degree programs, including their attendant courses of study. New
graduate
courses and other programmatic matters that can impact academic units
outside
of the school or division from which they originate are to be presented
to the
Deans’ Council for review and determination if they need to be
forwarded to the
Graduate Council.
Should
the
Deans’ Council have a negative vote on any matter, it is to be sent to
the unit
of origination for revision and resubmission to the Deans’
Council. Upon
second review by the Deans’ Council, items originally needing full
review of
the Graduate Council will be forwarded to the council with an
indication of
“support” or “non-support” of the Deans’ Council.
Routine
program
matters such as title changes, course deletion, and number changes will
be
approved in the Deans’ Council and forwarded to the Graduate Council
for
informational purposes only. All actions of the Graduate Council
and the
Deans’ Council related to academic matters are submitted as
recommendations for
the VPAA for final action.
The
Graduate
Council shall be responsible for establishing academic policies for the
graduate program. The council shall review and approve new program
proposals as
well as proposed revisions in the existing program. After approval by
the
Graduate Council, new proposals that also affect undergraduate
instruction will
be forwarded to the Academic Activities Committee for approval of those
provisions that affect undergraduate instruction.
Purpose: The General Education Committee reviews and
recommends courses for inclusion in the core curriculum, general
education
competencies and assessment strategies and evaluates the extent to
which
students have attained such competencies.
Composition: The General Education Committee shall be
composed of the Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, the
Dean of
Students, an Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs appointed by
the
VPAA, the Executive Director of Regional Engagement, a QEP Co-Director,
and the
following faculty members appointed by the VPAA: three
from the School of Arts and Letters,
two from the School of Science and Health Professions, one from the
Mike
Cottrell School of Business and one from the School of Education. The Chair of the General Education Committee
shall be appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs from this
list of
members.
Duties: The General Education Committee oversees the
assessment of the effectiveness of the core curriculum and general
education
competencies. It reviews and makes
recommendations concerning the core curriculum and the general
education
learning outcomes, and it develops appropriate methods for assessing
general
education learning outcomes in the core curriculum, major curriculum,
and the
co-curriculum. It oversees
curriculum
mapping to identify the connection between general education courses
and
learning outcomes. The General Education
Committee assists in maintaining compliance with SACS-COC Comprehensive
Standard 3.5.1, which states “The institution identifies college-level
general
education competencies and the extent to which graduates have attained
them.” Other related duties may be
assigned to the General Education Committee by the Vice President for
Academic
Affairs or the Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness. The
committee’s decisions constitute recommendations to the Vice President
for
Academic Affairs and the Executive Director of Institutional
Effectiveness.
Section 4. Commemorations
and Events. There shall be a
Commemorations and Events Board, whose coordinator shall ensure that
the
affiliated committees meet, fulfill their duties, and provide
accessible
minutes and reports. Members include one
representative from the committees listed below, one member from the
Staff
Council, and one faculty member from the faculty at-large.
Each
member of the committee shall
obtain assistance for carrying out her responsibility as organizer of
her
respective event or series of events in one of the following ways: (i) by using the board as her organizing
committee, (ii) by appointing members of a subcommittee, or
(iii) by
using the committee/subcommittee prescribed by the source of the
mandate,
source of funding, or other authority.
All
members of the board, including the
coordinator, shall have one vote.
The
board and affiliated committees are constituted as follows:
Purpose: The purpose shall be to create a greater
intellectual
understanding and commitment to participate in the civic life of the
United
States, and to recognize Constitution and Citizenship Day.
Composition: The
Vice
President for Academic Affairs or designee, the Executive Assistant to
the
President, three faculty members from the Department of Political
Science and
Criminal Justice, one faculty member from the faculty at-large , and
one
student representative.
Duties: To organize and publicize events to fulfill
its purpose.
Purpose: To celebrate and honor the historical
contributions of black citizens.
Composition: The Director of MAP is chair and may appoint
other committee members.
Duties: To organize and publicize events to fulfill
its purpose.
Purpose: To plan monthly events on campus that
promote culture, the North Georgia Learning Outcomes, and attract a
wide
participation of members of the faculty and staff, students, alumni,
and
community members.
Composition: The coordinator, elected by the previous
committee, will appoint members so that the committee consists of four
faculty
members from the School of Arts and Letters and one faculty member from
each of
the other three schools, two staff member from Student Affairs, a staff
representative from the Staff Council, and four students, one of whom
also
serves on the Student Activities Board.
Duties: To plan and publicize various events
celebrating various cultures and segments of the population, making
clear
curricular and co-curricular ties.
Purpose: To promote the late
President Merritt E. Hoag's philosophy of a fully educated
individual, by bringing to campus speakers who have distinguished
themselves in
various disciplines and whose presence encourages students to broaden
their
intellectual boundaries‑‑learning about the arts, literature, science,
history,
philosophy, religion, and more.
Composition: Appointed by the Vice President for
Academic
Affairs, with the chair elected by the committee, including one faculty
member
from each school, the chair of the Cultural Events Committee, and the
Vice
President for Academic Affairs
Duties: Solicit nominations for events,
investigate
the feasibility of each, invite the speaker, plan the event, publicize
the
event, suggest curricular and co-curricular ties, and host the event.
Purpose:
To
coordinate all academic units to mount activities befitting an in-house
academic conference.
Composition: The chair, elected by the previous year’s
committee, shall appoint the committee, with at least two faculty
members from
each school, who will serve in staggered terms.
Duties: Plan, publicize, and host conference.
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Student Honors Committee shall be to recommend
procedures for
the awarding of academic honors.
Composition: The chair, appointed by the Leadership and
Appointments Committee, may appoint other members as needed.
Duties: To coordinate the selection process for Who's
Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and the annual
Honors
Banquet.
Purpose:
To host
at least two authors annually, who will visit campus, teach classes,
and read
from their work.
Composition: The chair, appointed by the head of the
Department of English, shall recommend four other faculty members, who
will be
approved by the dean of the School of Arts and Letters. One of
the
faculty members must be from outside the School of Arts and Letters.
Duties: To solicit nominations, invite, plan,
publicize,
and host the event. To seek grants and funding for the
event. In
the fall, the visiting author should be suitable for inclusion in the
ENGL 1101 curriculum, with published essays. In the spring,
the
visiting author should be suitable for inclusion in the ENGL 1102
curriculum, with publications in fiction, poetry, or drama. The
visiting
authors will represent diversity, including regionalism, gender,
ethnicity, and
languages.
Section 5. Discipline,
Honor, and Equity. There shall
be a Discipline, Honor, and Equity Board, whose coordinator shall
ensure that
the affiliated committees meet, fulfill their duties, and provide
accessible
minutes and reports.
The
board and affiliated committees are constituted as follows:
Purpose:
To
coordinate deliberations among affiliated committees, when necessary,
to ensure
that all constituents of the university obtain the due-process
opportunities
that applicable constitutions, laws, and regulations guarantee and the
equity,
justice, and dignity to which they are entitled.
Composition:
The
coordinator of the Discipline, Honor, and Equity Board and the chairs
of the
affiliated committees.
Duties: The board shall facilitate coordination among
the affiliated committees, at the behest of the members of the board. The board shall submit recommendations to the
Faculty Senate or the vice presidents, as applicable.
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Academic Integrity Committee shall be to uphold
regulations
regarding academic integrity and, in the case of graduate students,
professional integrity as well.
Composition:
(1) The
Academic Integrity Subcommittee shall be composed of ten faculty
members
appointed by the Leadership and Appointments Committee and twelve
student
members appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs. The
Associate Vice
President for Academic Affairs shall serve as the chair. The Associate
Vice
President for Academic Affairs shall appoint a non-voting chair for the
Hearing
Committee. Faculty members shall be representative of the various
academic
departments that house undergraduate programs. (2) The Academic
and
Professional Integrity Council shall be composed of ten faculty members
drawn
from and representative of departments that house graduate professional
programs appointed by the Leadership and Appointments Committee and
twelve
student members‑‑two from each of the departments that house graduate
professional programs‑‑appointed by the Vice President for Student
Affairs. The
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs shall serve as the
chair.
Committee members shall be appointed for two-year terms which will be
staggered
to insure continuity. For a hearing committee, the Associate Vice
President for Academic Affairs shall appoint three faculty members and
two
students, one faculty member of whom shall be designated as the chair.
Duties:
(1) The
Academic Integrity Subcommittee shall receive allegations of violations
of
academic integrity as defined by the North Georgia College & State
University Student Honor Code involving undergraduate students and,
when
necessary, shall conduct hearings addressing said allegations.
(2) The Graduate Academic and Professional Integrity Subcommittee
shall
receive allegations of violations of academic and professional
integrity as
defined by the North Georgia College & State University Student
Integrity
Code and the Graduate Program Academic and Professional Integrity
Policy, and,
when necessary, shall conduct hearings addressing said allegations.
Purpose: The committee shall offer, for the use of
employees and students who wish to avail themselves of the service, a
process
of confidential and nonbinding mediation for resolving disputes.
Composition: The President shall appoint the members of
the committee. The committee shall elect
its chair.
Duties: The committee shall fulfill duties specified
by the Board of Regents. It shall adapt
the duties specified by the Board of Regents and the standards
published by the
Consortium of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution to the specific
organization,
processes, and needs of the university.
Purpose: The purpose of the Discipline Committee shall
be to determine whether a student has violated University policies or
regulations and to recommend appropriate discipline when deemed
necessary.
Composition: The committee shall be composed of two
Senators and twelve faculty members appointed by the Senate Leadership
and
Appointments Committee, and twelve student members. The student members
shall
be selected by the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of
Students to
reflect a cross section of the student body. The chair of the committee
shall
be a member of the faculty and shall preside at all committee hearings,
unless
removed by challenge for cause. The chair shall select, by lot from a
list of
committee members, a panel of four faculty members and three students
to hear
each case referred for action by the Vice President for Student Affairs
and
Dean of Students. The defendant may challenge for cause the
participation of
any committee member to the chair. The chair shall rule on the
challenge. In
the event of a challenge to the chair, the vice chair shall rule on the
challenge. During the initial meeting of the fall semester, the
committee will
elect a vice chair. The vice chair will (1) attend all hearings during
the year
(participating in those where his/her name has been selected as a
committee
member for the hearing and only observing the remainder), (2) conduct
any
hearings in the absence of the chair, and (3) assume the chair’s
position the
following academic year, convening the committee for its initial
meeting during
the fall semester.
Duties: The committee shall conduct discipline
hearings in accordance with the established regulations of the
University.
Appeals shall be carried out in accordance with the Bylaws and Policies
of the
Board of Regents. The Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of
Students
shall be responsible for implementing any disciplinary action
recommended by
the committee. The minutes of the committee shall be forwarded solely
to the
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and to the
President of
the University.
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Student Board of Review and Grievance Panel shall be to
address
grievances by individual students against nonstudents that cannot be
resolved
through direct discussions between the disputants, escalation to
management,
discussion with Student Affairs, or mediation.
Composition:
The
Board of Review shall be composed of five tenured faculty members, five
staff,
and five currently enrolled students. Members are selected to
serve a
one-year term from August 1 to July 31 as follows: Five non-faculty
employees
shall be elected by the Staff Council; Five tenured faculty shall be
elected by
the faculty; and Five students shall be elected by the Student
Government
Association.
The
Grievance
Panel shall be composed of five members of the Board of Review.
Duties:
The
Grievance Panel shall conduct grievance hearings for individual
students who
have not settled their grievances with a nonstudent through direct
discussions
between the disputants, escalation to management, discussion with
Student
Affairs, or mediations. The chair shall forward Findings and
Recommendations to the appropriate vice president within two days after
the
conclusion of the hearings.
Purpose: To
serve as
the appeals body for traffic violations on campus, having the authority
to
receive, hear and rule on appeals of traffic citations issued by the
Department
of Public Safety.
Composition: The
Committee
shall consist of not less than 2 faculty members, 2 staff members, and
4 students
as appointed by the Vice President for Business and Finance. At least
one
member from each of these three groups constitutes a quorum for all
meetings.
The Office of Public Safety provides the non-voting Recorder of the
Committee.
The Committee meets on a regularly scheduled basis of not less than
monthly
during the academic year.
Duties:
Review and
rule on all traffic appeals made by members of the University community
and
recommend changes in traffic policy accordingly to the Department of
Public Safety.
Section 6. Institutional
Governance and Employee Welfare.
There shall be an Institutional Governance and Employee Welfare
Board,
whose coordinator shall ensure that the affiliated committees meet,
fulfill
their duties, and provide accessible minutes and reports.
The
board and affiliated committees are constituted as follows:
Purpose:
(i) To coordinate deliberations among the instruments of
institutional
governance and representation.
(ii) To coordinate the facilitation of efforts to ensure
that the
University provides rules, processes, and an environment conducive to
productive work, successful learning, and a rewarding association with
other
members of the campus community.
Composition:
The coordinator
of the Institutional Governance and Employee Welfare Board and the
chairs of
the affiliated committees.
Duties: The board shall facilitate coordination among
the affiliated committees, at the behest of the members of the board. The board shall submit recommendations to the
Faculty Senate or the vice presidents, as applicable.
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Faculty Affairs Committee is to review policies
affecting
faculty welfare.
Composition:
The
committee shall be composed of eight tenured Senators, two from each
School. The CEO of the Faculty Senate will also be a
member.
Four members shall be elected by the Senate and four shall be
appointed
by the Leadership and Appointment Committee.
Duties:
The
committee shall review policies (other than individual grievances)
relative to
evaluation, tenure, promotion and recruitment. This committee
shall also
review policies and issues pertaining to faculty welfare, governance,
and benefits.
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Leadership and Appointments Committees shall be to
recommend to
the Faculty Senate the appointment of faculty members to all standing
committees and to the offices of Parliamentarian and Secretary to the
Faculty.
Composition:
The
committee shall be composed of four Senators, all with at least two
years
service to the university, elected by the Senate during spring semester
to
represent each School, and two faculty members elected at large by the
faculty
also during spring semester. The Vice President for Student
Affairs
shall serve as an ex-officio member of the committee along with a
representative of the Staff Council. The
newly elected Chief Executive Officer shall appoint two additional
members who
will be the chair and vice chair.
Duties:
The
duties of the Leadership and Appointments Committees shall be to
nominate for
Senate approval the membership for all existing statutory and standing
committees of the Senate, unless such membership is elected by the
faculty or Senate.
Appointments to committees shall be presented to the Senate for
approval at the
last Senate meeting of spring semester. The Leadership and
Appointments
Committee will appoint a Senator on each committee that has no
designated chair
as an interim chair for the purpose of calling the first meeting and
electing a
chair. The committee will consider faculty preferences,
commitment, and
past activities in making nominations to optimize the function of the
committee. Lastly, this committee will retain a list of faculty
not
assigned to statutory committees each year for use, if needed, for ad
hoc
committees. In addition, the Leadership and Appointments
Committees
shall nominate for Senate approval a parliamentarian and a secretary to
the faculty.
Pursuant
to the
Statutes of the University, the President shall appoint a Statute
Revisions and
Amendments Committee when necessary.
Section 7. Student Services. There shall be a Student Services Board,
whose coordinator shall ensure that the affiliated committees meet,
fulfill
their duties, and provide accessible minutes and reports.
The
board and affiliated committees are constituted as follows:
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Student Services Board is to coordinate the efforts of
the
committees and other members associated with the board.
Composition:
The
board shall be composed of the coordinator, the chairs of the five
affiliated committees, a member designated to monitor student-health
issues,
two students designated by the VPSA, and a representative of the Staff
Council.
Duties:
The
committee shall discuss policies routinely reviewed, or reviewed as
circumstances necessitate, by the associated committees and other
members;
facilitate coordination; and report findings and recommendations to the
CEO of
the Faculty Senate.
Purpose: The purpose of the Athletics Committee shall
be to review proposals relating to either the intercollegiate or the
intramural
athletic programs. Committee recommendations shall be forwarded to the
President of the University.
Composition: The committee shall be composed of the
Athletic Director, the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of
Students,
the Associate Dean of Students, the Director of Recreational Sports,
the
Assistant Commandant of Cadets, the NCAA Faculty Athletic
representative, a
faculty member who is also on the NGCSU Foundation, thirteen students,
and
faculty representation consisting of one Senator and four Faculty
members
appointed by the Leadership and Appointments Committee. The Athletic
Director
shall serve as chair.
Duties: The committee shall review proposals and make
recommendations relating to sports programs of the University.
Recommendations
shall deal with, but are not limited to, financing and budgeting of
programs,
scheduling for individual teams, establishing of criteria for athletic
awards,
and determining facilities required to support an effective
intercollegiate and
intramural sports program.
Purpose: The purpose of the Military Committee shall
be to consider all aspects of the military program of the University
and to
make recommendations to the President of the University, Vice President
for
Academic Affairs, other University officials, or the Faculty Senate.
Composition: The committee shall be composed of the
Professor of Military Science and the Commandant of Cadets, the Vice
President
for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, the Assistant Commandant,
faculty
representation consisting of one Senator and three faculty members
appointed by
the Leadership and Appointments Committee, and the Cadet Brigade
commander, who
shall serve as the student representative.
Duties: Assistance with determining the courses
offered at NGCSU that are the best courses for the Professional
Military
Education (PME) requirements for commissioning, organizing special
projects/events which build rapport between civilian faculty members
and military
faculty members, selecting cadet leaders by participating in selection
boards
upon request, hosting cadets from out-of-state on special weekends and
holidays, arranging whenever possible preferred scheduling to include
all
freshmen, and developing new courses to prepare cadets for a military
career.
Purpose:
To
assist in the planning, implementation, evaluation, and modification of
MAP-related activities, programs, and services, including the planning
of
events during Diversity Week.
Composition:
Coordinator of the Minority Achievement Program (chair), the Dean of
Students,
the minority recruiting officer, the Associate Vice President for
Academic
Affairs, the director of student development, four faculty members to
represent
each school, and four student representatives. At least one
faculty
member and at least one student shall be members of minority groups.
Duties:
The
committee shall be responsible for assisting the MAP coordinator in
developing
and implementing a comprehensive delivery system for minority
students.
The committee shall make recommendations to the appropriate officers of
the
University in MAP-related areas of academic-support services, student
achievement, and student development. The committee shall plan,
implement, and publicize an array of appropriate campus-wide activities
to
involve students and members of the faculty and staff at various times
and
venues, attracting participation to educate and entertain.
Purpose: The purpose of the Publications Committee
shall be to monitor the operation of all approved student publications.
Composition: The committee shall be composed of each
faculty advisor to an official student publication, each student editor
of an
official student publication, the Director of University Relations, two
Senators, and the head of the Department of Language and Literature.
Duties: The committee shall make recommendations to
the Vice President for Student Affairs on matters related to student
publications.
When necessary, the committee shall recommend to the Vice President for
Academic Affairs a faculty member to serve as advisor to each
publication.
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Student Life Committee shall be to establish and enforce
the
guidelines regulating student activities.
Composition:
The
committee shall be composed of the Vice President for Student Affairs,
the
Associate Dean of Students, the Commandant of Cadets, the Director of
the
Student Center, the faculty advisor to the Student Government
Association, the
president of the Student Activities Board, the vice president of the
Student
Government Association, the Director of Recreational Sports, faculty
representation consisting of one Senator and three faculty members
appointed by
the Leadership and Appointments Committee, and seven student
representatives.
Duties:
The
committee shall develop the annual budget for student activities
proposed by
the Student Government Association and shall serve as an advisory board
to
review the policies of the Student Center. The formation and
operation of
student organizations shall be subject to the committee's
direction. In
addition, the committee shall review all cases in which student
organizations
have been charged with violating University regulations. Its
recommendations on such matters shall be submitted to the Vice
President for
Student Affairs. The committee shall periodically direct an
evaluation of
student development services and programs. Committee
recommendations
shall be forwarded to the President of the University.
Section 8. Vital Resources. There shall be a Vital Resources Board, whose
coordinator shall ensure that the affiliated committees meet, fulfill
their
duties, and provide accessible minutes and reports.
The
board and affiliated committees are constituted as follows:
Purpose:
To
coordinate deliberations among affiliated committees, when necessary,
to ensure
that resources necessary to the functioning and the success of
University
programs are acquired and maintained.
Composition:
The
coordinator of the Vital Resources Board and the chairs of the
affiliated
committees.
Duties: The board shall facilitate coordination among
the affiliated committees, at the behest of the members of the board. The board shall submit recommendations to the
Faculty Senate or the vice presidents, as applicable.
Purpose: The
intellectual property committee shall recommend to the president or his
or her
designee the rights and equities in intellectual property created by
faculty,
staff or students of the institution. The committee will also provide
oversight
for appeals within the institution in the event of a disagreement as to
the
ownership and use of such materials.
Composition: The president shall appoint an institutional
Intellectual Property committee, consisting of no fewer than three or
more than
nine members, one of whom shall be designated by the president to serve
as
chair. In each case the committee shall include a representative of the
Office
of Fiscal Affairs of that institution.
Duties: The
committee
shall meet as necessary, and shall act in an advisory capacity to the
president
or his/her designee. Faculty, staff and students shall promptly report
to the
committee in writing, through the appropriate channels, all
Intellectual
Property invented or created by them that is reasonably likely to have
commercial value. The committee will act
to insure the utilization of such inventions for the public good and to
expedite their development and marketing. The rights and privileges, as
well as
the incentive, of the inventor or creator will be preserved so that his
or her
abilities and those of other faculty, staff or students may be further
encouraged and stimulated.
Purpose:
The
purpose of the Library Committee shall be to make recommendations on
all
matters relevant to the maintenance of an effective library program.
Composition:
The
committee shall be composed of the Director of Library Services, two
faculty
representatives from each school appointed by the Leadership and
Appointments
Committee, one representative from the Division of Academic Learning
Support
Programs, the Vice President for Student Affairs or an appropriate
designate,
and the Chief Information Officer or an appropriate designate, and
three
student representatives.
Duties:
The
committee shall make recommendations on all matters concerning the
library,
such as library requirements, media selection, and operating
hours.
Recommendations shall be forwarded to the Vice President for Academic
Affairs.
Purpose: The
purpose of
the University Technology Committee shall be to review and formulate
recommendations related to technology issues.
The University Technology Committee and the Student Technology
Fee
Committee, which has its charge mandated by the Board of Regents, meet
alternating months, one month UTC, next STFC, as needed, at least once
each
semester.
Composition: The
committee
shall be composed of the Chief Information Officer, one senior
administrator
(appointed by the President’s Cabinet), a faculty associate (appointed
by the
Chief Information Officer) who shall have no vote, the
Vice President for Student Affairs or
designee, the Director of Library Services or designee, the Director of
the
Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence or designee, one faculty
representative from each school of the University (appointed by the
Dean of the
School), one academic staff member appointed by the Vice President for
Academic
Affairs, one staff member appointed by the Vice President for Student
Affairs,
one staff member appointed by the Vice President for Business &
Finance,
one representative from the QEP, one staff member of the Office of
Information
and Instructional Technology (appointed by the Chief Information
Officer),
two other staff members of the Office of Information and
Instructional
Technology (appointed by the Chief Information Officer) who shall have
no vote,
five undergraduate student representatives and one graduate student
representative (appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs).
A
facilitator
shall be elected for the student technology fee committee each academic
year. The facilitator shall have no
vote.
Voting
on
student technology fee proposals is restricted to an equal number of
students
and faculty/staff. For example, if 4 student members are in
attendance,
then there are only 4 voting faculty/staff members. The
facilitator never
casts a vote.
Duties: The
committee
shall provide advice to the Chief Information Officer, the Faculty
Senate, and
the President about needs of employees and students relating to
availability of
hardware, software, and other technological resources and to assistance
in the
use of such resources; making effective use of technological
innovations to
enhance classroom and on-line instruction and to enhance student
learning;
distribution of resources in the budget to various end-uses; and
policies and
procedures related to information technology, including protection of
privacy
and defense against threats to security of databases and other files.
ARTICLE
VIII.
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order: Newly Revised shall govern the Senate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Senate may adopt.
ARTICLE IX.
Amendment of Bylaws
The Faculty may amend the Bylaws at a regularly scheduled Faculty Meeting by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present. A proposed amendment must be recommended by at least five members of the Faculty and submitted to the Faculty Senate at a regular Senate meeting. The proposed amendment shall be voted on by the Faculty Senate at its next regular meeting, and submitted in writing with the recommendations of the Faculty Senate to the Faculty at least ten days prior to the next Faculty meeting at which action on the amendment could be taken.
An amendment shall become effective when approved by the Faculty.
ARTICLE X
Suspension of the Bylaws
One or more of the provisions of Article IX may
be
suspended at a general faculty meeting by a two thirds majority vote of
members
present. Any such suspension of these provisions is limited to
matters of
old business or current business pending under Article IX.
Last Amended: October 13, 2005