1.9 Faculty Senate Bylaws

Policy Statement

These Bylaws facilitate the business of the Fa ulty Senate of Nevada State College (NSHE Code Section 1 :.4-1.3.5) (Hereafter referred to as the Senate.) They establish the basis upon which effective participation and deliberation shall take place in formulating, evaluating, and recommending policy by which the college shall be governed.

Reason for Policy

The Faculty Senate Bylaws provide the guide ines necessary for the Faculty Senate to express the faculty's position on matters of academic concern and faculty rights. It also serves to facilitate coordination and cooperation between and among the several parts of the college organization.

Entities Affected by This Policy

• President
• Provost
• Vice Presidents
• Provost Council
• Deans/ Directors
• Academic Faculty
• Administrative Faculty

Who Should Read This Policy

President
Provost
Vice Presidents
Provost Council
Deans/Directors
Academic Faculty
Administrative Faculty

References for Additional Information

NSHE Code: http://system.nevada.edu/Nshe/index.cfm/administration/board-of-regents/current-regents/

Website Address for the Policy

http://www.nsc.nevada.edu/Administration/VPFinanceAdministration/projects/PPM/index.htm

Contacts

Direct any general question about the Faculty Senate Bylaws to your department's administrative office. If you have questions about specific issues, contact the following offices:

Gregory Robinson
Faculty Senate Chair (2008-2009)
Phone: (702) 992-2032
Email: Gregory.Robinson@nsc.nevada.edu

Lesley Di Mare
Provost
Phone:(702) 992-2060
Email: Lesley.DiMare@nsc.nevada.edu

Faculty Senate Bylaws

Article 1 Preamble

1.1 The intent of these Bylaws is to facilitate the business of the Faculty Senate of Nevada State College (NSHE Code Section 1.3.4-1.3.5) (hereafter referred to as the Senate.) This document consists of procedures designed to supplement those outlined in the NSHE Code and the Nevada State College Bylaws.

1.2 These Bylaws establish the basis upon which effective participation and deliberation shall take place in formulating, evaluating, am recommending policy by which the college shall be governed. It is intended to provide the governance structure of the college faculty based on a philosophy of shared responsibility for college leadership, to facilitate coordination and cooperation between and among the several parts of the college organization, and to provide means of expression on matters of academic concern and faculty rights.

1.3 The Bylaws of the Senate shall be in accord at all times with the provisions of the NSC Bylaws and the NSHE Code.

1.4 In cases of doubt as to proper procedure, and when not superseded by either the NSHE Code or NSC Bylaws, the parliamentary authority of the Senate shall be in accordance with the latest edition of Robert's Rule of Order.

Article 2: Membership

2.1 All academic and administrative faculty who hold greater than a .50 FTE professional contract with Nevada State College as defined in title 4, chapter 3 of the Board of Regents handbook, are eligible to serve on the Senate and its committees.

2.2 Administrative Faculty occupying executive offices, such as the President, the Provost, Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Associate Vice Presidents, Assistant Vice Presidents, Deans, Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, and Directors (where equivalent to academic Deans), shall not be eligible or Faculty Senate membership.

Article 3: Faculty Senate Units

3.1 For the purpose of conducting elections of senators, the faculty of Nevada State College is divided into the following units:

• School of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• School of Education (inc. business, speech pathology and other departments currently in Education).
• School of Nursing.
• Administrative faculty (excluding Executive and Supervisory as defined above)
• Libraries

3.2 Units named above are separately identified Schools or Colleges. At the formation of new Schools or Colleges (i.e., a School of Business) then these new Units will have equal representation.

Article 4: Faculty Senate representation

4.1 Each academic unit named in 3.1 shall have one (1) representative for each five (5) faculty (with professional contracts of >0.50FTE) or fraction thereof, to be elected by the members of the Unit from among its eligible members. The Administrative Faculty Unit shall have one (1) representative for each fifteen (15) faculty or fraction thereof, to be elected by the members of the unit from among its eligible members.

4.2 One Senate seat shall be designated "At-Large." The at-large seat is to be filled by an eligible member of the faculty who is successful in an election conducted by the entire faculty in which all persons on at least a 50% FTE contract are eligible to vote. Such election will be conducted by the Faculty Senate Elections Committee.

4.3 Each spring the Faculty Senate Chair will conduct an annual census of the faculty to determine the correct number of representatives allowed to serve on the Faculty Senate. The Chair will notify each unit of any elections that need to be held as a result of the census. At the March meeting of the Senate, the Chair will announce that each unit is to choose its representative(s) for the following academic year.

4.4 The total body of the Senate shall at no time exceed 21 members; before the annual reapportionment after the Senate reaches 21 members the bylaws Committee will ask to amend the bylaws to adjust the number of faculty allowed for each Unit (see 3.1 above).

4.5 To maintain a combination of new and experienced Faculty Senate membership, elections shall occur on a staggered schedule. Term of office in Senate shall be two years-and equal number of terms shall expire each year at the end of spring semester.

4.6 As an exception to the above and to assist in transition to the new bylaws, the number of LAS representatives will remain at 7 until the total number of LAS faculty reaches 40, at which time LAS will be represented, according to article 4.1.

Article 5: Faculty Senate Representatives

5.1 Faculty members elected to the Senate are authorized and have responsibility to represent faculty on matters of primary concern to the faculty of the college.
.1.1 If a unit senator becomes unable to serve, a replacement may be elected to serve the unexpired term at any time by the unit affected according to the procedures contained in the Bylaw
.1.2 If an at-large senator becomes unable to serve, the person finishing second in the most recent election for an at-large seat shall be appointed to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.

5.2 A member of the Senate who is unable to attend a single meeting may designate a proxy for the meeting. All proxies must present to the Secretary of the Senate a written authorization signed by the designating member. A proxy must be qualified for membership in the Senate from the same unit as the designating member, except for at-large members.

5.3 A long term proxy is defined as one in which the senator anticipates being unavailable for four or more consecutive meetings but intends to return prior to the expiration of the year. Long term proxies are limited to one year.

5.4 In the absence of unit Bylaws or regulations stipulating the selection of longterm proxies, the following will be used:
.4.1 If the unit delegation includes two or more senators the delegation shall designate the proxy. If the delegation contains only one senator, that unit shall conduct a special election to select a long-terrn proxy.
.4.2 In the case of at-large senators, the Senate Executive committee shall designate a long-term proxy with input from the senator requesting the proxy and special consideration given to the results of the most recent at-large election.
.4.3 Any senator may request the designation of a long-term proxy so long as the time during which the senator will be unavailable does not extend beyond one year and that a definite date of return is indicated on the written notice to the Secretary of the Senate.
.4.4 Any Senate office must be resigned by the senator requesting a long-term proxy.

5.5 At the end of each semester, the Secretary to the Senate shall include in the minutes the attendance record of each senator.

5.6 A Senator who is absent for more than two regularly scheduled senate meetings per year without a proxy shall be automatically dismissed from service on the Senate. At that time, the number required for a quorum shall be reduced accordingly. The senate chair will then take action to see that replacement from that same unit is named to fill the vacancy.

Article 6: Officers of the faculty senate

6.1 Each spring the Senate shall elect from among its member a Chair, Vice Chair, a Parliamentarian, and a Secretary. These individuals shall constitute the Senate Executive Committee (EC).

6.2 Upon becoming officers, the Chair and Vice Chair shall relinquish their seats on the Senate. A special election will be held by their respective Units to the fill the vacant seats. The vice chair shall have voting priviliges as a member of the Executive Committee, and s/he shall not have Senate voting privileges. The chair shall have Senate voting privileges only in the event of a tie.

6.3 The Chair of the Senate shall be the official representative of the Senate at all functions. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Senate and the EC, and s/he may serve in other capacities as directed by the NSHE Code or the NSC Bylaws. Reassigned time, one 3-credit course reduction each semester, shall be granted to the Chair.

6.4 The Vice Chair of the Senate shall assume the position of the chair in the absence of the elected Chair.

6.5 The Parliamentarian shall make recommendations to the Chair on matters of parliamentary procedures.

6.6 The Secretary shall maintain minutes of the activities of the Senate and distribute minutes of the Senate meetings to the Senate memberships within a timely manner.

6.7 Members of the EC may not appoint proxies to EC meetings; however, votes may be submitted in absentia.

6.8 The number of consecutive terms that an individual may serve as Chair shall be limited to two; no term limits shall be imposed on the remaining offices of the executive committee.

6.9 If a vacancy occurs midterm for any officer, except Chair, the executive committee will serve as a nominating committee and will resent a list of candidates willing to run for the vacancy at the next Senate meeting.

Article 7: Election of Officers

7.1 The Vice Chair from the current Senate shall automatically issume the chairship of the new Senate at its first regular meeting in the fall semester.

7.2 Reassigned time (one three credit course reduction per semester) shall be granted to the Chair of the Faculty Senate on the approval of the Provost upon the recommendation of the School Dean.

7.3 At the April meeting of the Senate, the Chair will announce the results of the unit selections of representatives and will call for nominations of officers. A list of candidates for all Faculty Senate offices (Chair, Vice Chair, Parliamentarian, and Secretary) shall be distributed by email at least two weeks in advance of the last regular meeting of the current Senate in the spring semester. Officers shall be elected by secret ballot at the first item of business at the last regular meeting of the current Senate in the spring semester.

7.4 With the exception of the senate chair, terms of office for officers shall run from the first meeting of the new Senate in the fall semeste to the last meeting of that Senate in the spring semester. Terms of office for the senate chair shall run from the first meeting of the new Senate in the fall semester to the last meeting of that Senate in the spring semester two years later.

7.5 Members of the Executive Committee may not appoint proxies to Executive Committee meetings. Votes may be submitted in absentia.

Article 8: Meetings, Agenda, Minutes, and Quorum

8.1 Meetings: The Senate shall hold meetings at least once each calendar month during the fall and spring semesters. The date, time, and place of each of these meetings shall be made known to each senator and a members of the faculty at least 10 full working days in advance of the meeting.
.1.1 The Senate may hold special meetings at any time, called by the Chair of the Senate or requested of the Chair by petition of at least one-third of the senators. These meetings shall be publicized in the same manner prescribed for regular meetings in Article 3.
.1.2 Meetings during summer shall be called by the Executive Committee as necessary.

8.2 Agenda: The Executive Committee shall prepare an agenda which shall allow for the introduction of new business at each meeting and which shall accompany notification of the meeting. The Senate must include on its agenda any resolution directed to it by the faculty or any units thereof not later than the first regular meeting following the receipt of such resolution by the Chair of the Senate.
.2.1 Recommended Senate meeting agenda format: announcements; action items, guest speakers; future action items-meeting date); general information; committee reports; new business.
.2.2 All action oriented items presented for inclusion on the Senate agenda must be submitted to the Senate Executive Committee for approval no later than 2 weeks prior to the scheduled meeting.
.2.3 The School or Unit with authority over the proposal before the Senate shall present the action item to the Senate and shall be listed on the agenda.

8.3 Minutes: A copy of the minutes of each Senate meeting shall be distributed to each member of the Senate and the faculty within 15 working days of the meeting.

8.4 Quorum: A majority of the voting members of the Senate shall constitute a quorum. Single meeting proxies may not be counted in determining a quorum.

Article 9: Voting

9.1 Authority. Chapter 1, section 2 of the NSC Bylaws requires that policies and procedures having college-wide impact be submitted to the faculty senate for review and recommendation. The will of the NSC faculty, in any given matter is determined through one of the two following procedures:
.1.1 Procedure 1: a vote of the faculty senate as described below in section 9.3 or
.1.2 Procedure 2: a vote of the entire faculty. In procedure 2, a question is submitted to the entire faculty through electronic or other means for a vote. A simple majority of voting faculty (faculty in the definition of section 1.1a of the NSHE Code) is sufficient to resolve any question. The Faculty Senate will have 2 weeks to determine which procedure to follow after a question is considered at regular meeting of the Faculty Senate. If procedure 2 it is Faculty Senate responsibility (elections committee) to draft a ballot and distribute to faculty for a vote.

9.2 The Senate may solicit campus opinion on an issue through a campus ballot. The results of this opinion poll are not binding upon the Senate.

9.3 All Motions will require a simple majority of those voting members present. Motions to close or limit debate or to move to the previous juestion shall require a two-thirds majority vote of those present.

9.4 All Senate votes other than elections shall be taken by open voting (voice votes/show of hands), unless a majority of Senators present vote in favor of a secret ballot on the question.

9.5 Actions approved by the Senate shall be forwarded through administrative channels to the Provost. The Chair will report the fate of such actions at the earliest subsequent meeting.

9.6 At the request of a majority vote of Faculty Senate, when there is disagreement on an issue, an Issue Group will be formed to attempt to mediate a joint stand. An equal number of participants shall represent each side of the issue. If no consensus is reached, the Issue Group shall develop a joint statement of the differences. All recommendations of the Issue Group will be returned to Faculty Senate.

9.7 Faculty of NSC may petition the Senate to force a faculty wide vote on any issue before the Senate. If 10% of all academic and administrative faculty with greater than 0.50 FTE sign a written petition addressed to the Chair of the Faculty Senate on any issue, the Senate must follow procedure 2 as described above in 8.1

Article 10: Committees

10.1 Eligibility. Any faculty member eligible to vote in the general Faculty Senate elections in accordance with Article 1 shall be eligible for election or appointment to standing committee or Special Committee if the Senate, except as may be provided in article 7 and 10.1.1 below. Also, as may be appropriate from time to time, the Senate may appoint, or ask, any individual to serve in a special committee of the Senate.
10.1.1 The Faculty Senate Promotion and Tenure Committee shall consist of tenured faculty members.
10.1.2 No administrative faculty as defined in section 2.2 above may be members of the Promotion and Tenure committee.

10.2 The following shall be the standing committees of the Senate
10.2.1 Nominations and Elections committee
10.2.2 Promotion and Tenure
10.2.3 Sabbatical Leave Committee
10.2.4 Facilities and Campus Planning Committee
10.2.5 Budget 10.2.6 Bylaws and Code (all NSHE Code, NSC Bylaws, and Faculty Senate Bylaws and interactions)
10.2.7 Curriculum
10.2.8 Academic Affairs and Standards (includes issues of icadernic workload and NSC technology.
10.2.9 Grievance
10.2.9.1 The Grievance Committee shall periodically review policy regarding faculty grievances, recommending revisions in current policy whenever desirable. The Grievance Committee shall determine whether there is sufficient cause for a grievance and/or hearing.
10.2.9.2 The Grievance Committee is also an advisory body that hears cases involving evaluations, denials of promotion, tenure, salary increases, and/or merit. The committe will be activated only after the appellant has exhausted all administrative remedies through the vice president or the provost. The committee's major function shall be to investigate and determine whether the procedures and criteria involved in the decision were fairly and appropriately followed and equitably applied.
10.2.10 Policy

10.3 Special Committees will be formed on an as-needed basis as judged by a voting majority of the Senate.

10.4 The chair of a new committee will be elected by the voting majority of the Senate.

10.5 The faculty members of each committee shall be selected by the committee chair.

10.6 Faculty Senate committees shall strive for balanced representation from each Unit as defined above in section 3.1.

10.7 Faculty Senate committees shall include an odd number of members.

10.8 Faculty Senate committees may include faculty who are not senators.

10.9 The chair of a Faculty Senate Committee must be a Senator.

10.10 The student members of a committee shall be selected in any democratic manner directed by the student government Bylaws.

10.11 Senate standing and ad hoc committee chairs will present a report of their committee's activities to the Senate at least once a semester. The Executive Committee shall determine the rotational schedule for the committee reports.

10.12 All standing committee assignments shall be for two-year terms.
10.12.1 For purposes of committee assignments, the year begins at the beginning of the fall semester.
10.12.2 When appropriate, committees shall meet during the summer months.

10.13 A matter within the jurisdiction of any committee must be submitted to that committee by the Chair of the Senate. This does not preclude issues initiated by the committee in concurrence with the chair.
10.13.1The Chair shall allow the committee a reasonable time in which to respond to matters so submitted and shall inform the Senate of the Chair's directions to the committee and the time period allowed for committee.
10.13.2 In the event a committee does not recommend action upon any matter so submitted within a reasonable time, said matter may be brought directly to the floor of the Senate by any senator for disposition.

10.14 The timely recommendations of a standing committee upon any matter within its jurisdiction shall be accepted and implemented upon a vote of a majority of the voting senators present.

10.15 No provision contained herein shall be interpreted as restricting the Chair of the Senate, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee, from forming ad hoc standing committees, or restricting a standing committee from forming subcommittees.

10.16 All standing and ad hoc committee reports must be distributed in writing to the Senate at the meeting.

10.17 At the end of each semester the chair of each Senate Committee shall submit to the Secretary to the Senate the attendance record of each committee member.

10.18 Committee members shall follow the same procedures as do Senate members in delegating proxies.

Article 11: Amendment of Bylaws

11.1 Amendment of these Bylaws may be accomplished in the following manner:
11.1.1 A proposed amendment must first be submitted to the Executive Committee.
11.1.2 The proposed amendment shall be circulated to all Senate members seven days prior to a properly called and constituted meeting of the Senate.
11.1.3 The proposed amendment shall be discussed in the Senate meeting.
11.1.4 If the proposed amendment is approved by a majority of the voting membership of the Senate, the amendment shall not take effect for ten days.

11.2 Bylaws shall be reviewed for possible revision every two years.

Article 12: Suspension of the Bylaws

12.1 Suspension of any part of these Bylaws, except Articles 11 and 12 may be accomplished by the consent of two thirds of the voting members present in a properly called meeting.