CONSTITUTION (Ratified, Spring 2011)

PREAMBLE

We, the faculty of College of the Canyons, do hereby establish this Constitution to represent the faculty in academic and professional matters and to enable the collegial process of shared governance.

ARTICLE I  NAME

Section 1 - The official name of the organization shall be the College of the Canyons Academic Senate.

ARTICLE II  PURPOSE

Section 1 - In accordance with Title V, the purpose of the Academic Senate, as the representative body of the Faculty, shall be to recommend, promote and participate in the formation and implementation of policies on academic and professional matters and to support faculty, students, administration, and the Board of Trustees in that endeavor.

ARTICLE III  DEFINITIONS

Section 1 - For the purposes of this Constitution, the term "tenured" faculty refers to regular employee and the term "tenure track" faculty refers to probationary and, or contract employee as defined by Education Code Section 87661(d) and 87661(b), respectively.

ARTICLE IV  ELECTIONS

Section 1 - The voting members of the Academic Senate hereinafter identified as Senators who, unless otherwise specified, shall be tenured and tenure track faculty members are:

A.  President

B.  Vice President

C.  Three Adjunct Faculty Representatives

D.  The Immediate Past-Academic Senate President

E.  One Representative from each Division

F.  1 At large representative per every 40 tenured/tenure track faculty members

G.  Faculty Chair of the Curriculum Committee (Ex Officio).

Section 2 - The Non-voting members of the Academic Senate shall be:

A.  Chief Instructional Officer (CIO)

B.  Vice President of Student Services

C.  The COC Faculty Association President or designee

D.  The COC Adjunct Association President or Designee

E.  The Student Senator of Associated Student Government.

Section 3 - In the event a vote of the Senate for any matter being decided upon results in a tie, the deadlock will be broken by the vote and judgment of the President of the Academic Senate.

Section 4 - The term of office for all Senators shall commence July 1 and end June 30.

Section 5 - The Senators shall be elected in the following manner:

A.   The President and the Vice President shall each serve a 2-year term of office upon election by a plurality of the tenured/tenure track faculty at College of the Canyons. The elections shall be administered by the Academic Senate and conducted during the 2nd week of the Spring Semester. No restrictions shall exist in the number of terms served.

B.   The Division Representatives shall be elected by a plurality of their respective divisions.  They will be elected for a two-year term. No restrictions shall exist in the number of terms served. The elections shall be conducted in the respective divisions during the 4^th week of the Spring Semester.

C.   The At-Large Senators will be elected by a plurality of the tenured and tenure track faculty.  They will be elected for a TWO-year term.  No restrictions shall exist in the number of terms served.  The elections will be conducted no later than the 8^th week of the Spring semester. 

D.   Division Representatives and At-Large Senators will have staggered terms from one another.  Upon ratification and enactment of this clause, At-Large Senators will begin serving two year terms in the Fall, of 2011 in order to initiate the staggering process.

E.   Adjunct Senators will be elected as early as possible in the beginning of each Fall Semester. Adjunct Senators will be elected by a plurality of adjunct faculty maintaining employment as adjunct faculty during the Fall Semester.  The Adjunct Senator will serve a one year term. The Adjunct Senator must maintain his/her employment as an adjunct faculty member during his/her term of office. If the adjunct senator is not re-hired as an adjunct faculty member, the position will be declared vacant until the next regularly scheduled election.

F.    In any non-contested elections where there is only one candidate for a position, a formal ballot will not be needed unless requested by an eligible voting member for that respective election. 

G.  The results of all elections must be confirmed by the Senate.

Section 6 - Senate vacancies in office shall exist as so declared by a two-third majority of the Academic Senate upon acknowledgement of resignation, sabbatical leave of absence, recall or other incapacity.

A.   Vacancies in the office of President or Vice President shall be filled in the manner prescribed by a plurality vote of the Senators.

B.   Vacancies in the office of Division Senator shall be filled by a plurality vote of tenured and tenure track faculty from which that Senator was elected in a manner prescribed by the Senate.

C.   Vacancies in the office of At Large Senator shall be filled by a plurality vote of tenured and tenure track faculty in a manner prescribed by the Senate.

D.   Vacancies in the office of Adjunct Senator shall be filled by a plurality  vote of adjunct faculty in a manner prescribed by the Senate.

E.   Recall of the President, Vice President or At-Large Senator may be initiated by a petition of 40% of all full time Faculty members. Upon establishment of the authenticity of the petition, the Academic Senate must conduct a recall election among the tenured/tenure track faculty. A 2/3 vote of those tenured/tenure track faculty voting is required to recall the President, Vice President or At-Large Senator from office.

F.    Recall of a Division Senator may be initiated by 40% of members of the Division. Upon establishment of the authenticity of the petition, the Academic Senate will authorize the Division to conduct a recall election.  A 2/3 vote of those tenured/tenure track faculty voting from that division is required to recall the Division Senator from office.

G.   Recall of an Adjunct Senator may be initiated by 40% of adjunct faculty. Upon establishment of the authenticity of the petition, the Academic Senate will authorize a recall election. A 2/3 vote of those adjunct faculty voting is required to recall the Adjunct Senator from office.

ARTICLE V  CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

Section 1 -Curriculum is the heart of the educational mission of the college; as such, the Curriculum Committee shall be considered the Academic Senate's primary sub-committee.

Section 2 - The Faculty Curriculum Committee chair will be appointed by the President and subject to confirmation by a majority of the Senate.

Section 3 - The Faculty Chair of the Curriculum Committee shall serve a two year term, subject to reconfirmation by a majority vote of the Academic Senate every two years during the Spring semester.

Section 4 - The voting members of the Curriculum Committee shall include:

A.      Faculty Chair of the Curriculum Committee

B.      1 representative from each division

C.      3 At-Large Faculty Representatives

D.      1 Adjunct Representative

E.      Chief Instructional Officer, or designee from the Office of Instruction.

E.1 - The Chief Instructional Officer, or designee from the Office of Instruction may serve as Administrative Co-Chair of the Curriculum Committee.

E.2 - Every two years during the Spring Semester the Chief Instructional Officer will confer with the Senate as to the status and performance of the Administrative Co-Chair.

Section 5 - If they are not already voting members, the following shall be appointed as Non-Voting members:

A.      Curriculum Coordinator

B.      Representative from the Associated Student Government

C.      Representative of the Counselors (if no elected member is a Counselor)

D.      Matriculation Officer

E.      Director of Admissions and Records

F.       Articulation Officer

Section 6 - The Faculty Chair and Administrative Co-Chair of the Curriculum Committee will exercise their voting rights on that Committee only in the event of a tie vote of other voting members.  In the event the Co-Chairs split their two votes by casting opposing votes, the matter to be decided will be resolved by a majority vote of a quorum of the Senate.

ARTICLE VI  COMMITTEES

Section 1 - The President shall be empowered to form any Standing or ad hoc committees of the Senate.

Section 2 - The President shall be empowered to appoint faculty members to all Senate, and/or District committees, except when those faculty members are to be appointed by the COCFA President.

Section 3 - The operating procedures and, or, bylaws of all standing sub-committees of the Academic Senate, shall be approved by a majority of the Academic Senate.

Section 4 - The President will inform and update the Senate, each semester, of any Senate committees that are formed, as well as the appointment of any faculty members to Senate, District and/or College Committees. Those committees and appointments are valid unless a majority of the Senators present rejects the formation of the committees or the appointment that have been made.

ARTICLE VII  MEETINGS

Section 1 - The Academic Senate shall adopt and distribute a schedule of meetings for each Academic term. The President or a majority of the Senators may call special meetings. All meetings shall be open to any interested persons.

Section 2 - The President and the Vice President shall submit an annual budget request on behalf of the Academic Senate.

Section 3 - Any Senator unable to attend a meeting may select an alternate upon notification to the President in writing in advance of the meeting.

A.   In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall preside.

B.   In the absence of both the President and the Vice President, the President shall designate an alternate from the voting members of the Senate to act as Presiding Officer for that meeting.

C.   A Division Senator who anticipates their nonattendance at a Senate meeting, may select an alternate from his/her respective Division.

D.   Alternate Senators serving in place of voting members of the Senate will maintain voting privileges.

E.   In the absence of a voting member of the Senate where no Alternate Senator is designated, those absent voting members may provide their proxy vote to the President or presiding officer in advance of the meeting.

ARTICLE VIII  QUORUM

Section 1 - The minimum number of Senators, which must be present at a meeting in order to transact business legally, shall be 50% of the elected Senators or their representative.

A.   The presence of the immediate Past-President is not required for a quorum.

ARTICLE IX  AMENDMENTS

Section 1 - This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of a quorum of the Senate and ratified by a majority vote of the tenured/tenure track faculty.

ARTICLE X  ENACTMENT CLAUSE

Section 1 - This Constitution shall be effective upon approval by a majority vote of the College of the Canyons full time Faculty.

Section 2 - Amendments to the Constitution shall be effective upon confirmation of election results by the Academic Senate.

Section 3 - Unless otherwise specified, all actions previously taken by the Academic Affairs Committee of the College of the Canyons Faculty Association shall constitute the policies and practices of the Academic Senate.

Review Copy of Draft of Constitution (with Proposed Changes) - Spring 2011

Constitution 1998-2011