Constitution of the Academic Senate

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History

  • Policy Number: SP.07.017
  • Version: Revision 1
  • Drafted By:
  • Approved By: Richard R. Rush
  • Approval Date:
  • Effective Date:
  • Supercedes:

Purpose

We, the faculty of California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI), in order to promote the effective exercise of our rights, duties, and privileges, and to discharge fully the responsibilities placed upon us by our profession, society, and the State as well as the University and our commitment to our students, do hereby establish, subject to the limitations set forth by the Trustees of the California State University and their officers and the Legislature of California, the Academic Senate of CSUCI and this Constitution. The Academic Senate shall be the representative body of the faculty through which the faculty shall normally exercise its powers. The Academic Senate shall have the power to act for the faculty on all matters within the scope of the faculty. The Constitution establishes and defines the means by which it will participate in the formulation, evaluation, and recommendation of University policy and procedures. It facilitates communication, coordination, and cooperation within the University; and provides to members of the Academic Senate a formal means of expression regarding matters of academic concern, academic freedom, and academic leadership.

Background

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Policy

Accountability

Faculty of CSUCI

Applicability

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Definition(s)

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Text

ARTICLE 1: ORGANIZATION

Name

  1. The name of this organization shall be the Academic Senate of California State University Channel Islands.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.2 It shall be the purpose of the Academic Senate of California State University Channel Islands to promote academic excellence in this University. To that end, the Academic Senate remains at all times in the possession of the authority and power as set forth in this document. The Academic Senate and its designated sub-units shall participate in the governance of the University. Governance shall include collaboration with and recommendations to the President of the University concerning the formation, revision, adoption, and review of policy and procedures at CSUCI.

1.3 The Academic Senate shall be responsible for requirements for degrees and other academic programs, and evaluation and recommendation of candidates for degrees and other academic programs.

1.4 It shall be responsible for developing policies and making recommendations to the campus president on the following matters:

  •  criteria and standards for the appointment, retention, awarding of tenure, promotion, and evaluation of faculty;
  • such curricular policies as admission and degree requirements, approval of new courses and programs, discontinuance of academic programs, and academic standards;
  • determination of membership in the faculty;
  • academic standards and academic policies governing athletics;
  • establishment of campus-wide committees on academic and professional matters;
  • policy decisions regarding curricula and research programs, criteria and standards for programs designed to maintain professional competence (i.e. academic leaves);
  • academic conduct of students and means for handling infractions;
  • academic role of the library;
  • academic role of technology; and
  • academic recognitions and awards.

1.5 It shall be the primary source of policy recommendations to the campus president on the following matters:

  •  development and revision of institutional missions and goals; and
  • strategic planning for the University.

1.6 It may offer advice on the following matters:

  • creation of and selection of faculty representatives to system-wide and inter-segmental committees, auxiliary organizations, conferences, or task forces designed to deal with educational, professional, or academically related fiscal matters, as well as organization composition and charge;
  • system-wide aspects of program review;
  • system-wide aspects of the basic direction of academic support programs;
  • the appointment and evaluation of academic personnel; and
  • academic calendar and policies governing the scheduling of classes.

1.7 The Senate shall exercise its authority consistent with the provision of state and federal laws and with the regulations of the Trustees and chancellor of the California State University.

1.8 Academic Freedom

  • The Academic Senate shall uphold the principle of academic freedom.
  • The Academic Senate shall not abridge academic freedom by its own action or that of its sub-units.

1.9 The Academic Senate assumes responsibility for actions that result from delegation of its authority to an authorized sub-unit.

Membership

1.10 Voting members of the Academic Senate are as follows:

  • All tenured and probationary faculty, all tenured and probationary librarian faculty, all counselor faculty unit employees, and elected representatives from non tenure track faculty.
  • A student representative appointed by the Associated Students.

1.11 Ex Officio Members of the Academic Senate are non-voting. They are as follows:

  • The University President;
  • The University Vice Presidents;
  • The Associate Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs;
  • The Deans and Associate Deans for Academic Affairs;
  • Representatives of Student Affairs Personnel;
  • Representatives of the staff; and
  • Representatives of technology services.

Officers

1.12 The officers of the Academic Senate shall include, but shall not be restricted to, a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary. These officers shall be elected by the Academic Senate and shall perform the usual functions of such offices.

Meetings

1.13 There shall be regular meetings of the Academic Senate during each academic term. Additional meetings with appropriate notice may be initiated by the University President, the Chair of the Academic Senate or by a written request signed by 10% of the Academic Senate membership.

Institutional Support

1.14 As an integral element of the infrastructure of CSUCI, the Academic Senate of CSUCI shall be provided with institutional support to ensure shared governance. The Academic Senate shall constitute a line item in the Academic Affairs budget. The Academic Senate shall be provided with an administrative assistant appointed at least 50% time..

Additional Responsibilities

1.15 This outline of functions and responsibilities is intended to provide the essentials for a satisfactory system of shared governance but should not necessarily be viewed as a comprehensive enumeration of such functions and responsibilities.

ARTICLE 2: THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

General

2.1 The Executive Committee shall be the principal sub-unit of the Academic Senate. Its role is to set the agenda for the Senate’s general meetings, to act in place of the Senate when the Senate is not in session, and to exercise such other powers as the Senate may delegate.

Membership

2.2 The Executive Committee of the Academic Senate shall consist of nine or more members, including the Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary, the immediate past year’s Chair of the Academic Senate, and three or more at-large members of the Senate, the representative(s) to the California State University Statewide Academic Senate, and the student representative to the Academic Senate; and ex officio members to include the President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs of California State University Channel Islands or their designees, and a faculty representative of the union.

Powers

2.3 The Executive Committee, as the direct, active agent of the Academic Senate of CSUCI, shall have powers consistent with those granted to the Academic Senate in this Constitution [1.2 through 1.9].

2.4 The authority described in 2.3 above shall be exercised in a manner and to an extent consistent with the provisions of state and federal law, and the regulations of the Trustees and the Chancellor of the California State University.

Responsibilities

2.5 It is the responsibility of the Executive Committee, acting for the Academic Senate of CSUCI, to make recommendations to the Senate concerning the formulation, revision, adoption, and review of policies and procedures related to all academic matters delegated to the President of CSUCI by law and the Trustees and Chancellor of the California State University. Areas of responsibility shall include, but not be limited to, those dealing with academic, personnel, and fiscal policies and procedures.

Duties

2.6 The Executive Committee shall perform all duties necessitated by, and consistent with, the delegation of the Senate authority to participate in the formulation, revision, adoption, or review of policy and procedures of CSUCI.

2.7 The Executive Committee shall have responsibility for oversight of Academic Senate committees. To this end, the Executive Committee shall:

  • Recommend to the Senate the creation of all new standing committees;
  • Propose changes to the Constitution or bylaws necessitated by the creation of new standing committees;
  • Propose the creation of such ad hoc committees as it deems necessary to insure the performance of Senate duties; and Propose methods for selecting the membership of Academic Senate committees.

Recall

2.8 Any member of the Executive Committee may be impeached by a unanimous vote of the other members of the Executive Committee or by a petition signed by one-third of the members of the Senate. Removal shall follow upon two-thirds vote of the members of the Senate present and voting, after she/he has been accorded a hearing before the Senate.

Vacancies

2.9 Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled by a vote of the Senate.

ARTICLE 3: AMENDMENTS

3.1 Amendments to this constitution or its bylaws may be initiated by (a) the Executive Committee or (b) a written request signed by 10% of the Senate membership.

3.2 Amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the membership.

Exhibit(s)

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