The Academic Senate
for California Community Colleges, Inc.
Constitution and Bylaws
Preamble
We, the faculty of the California Community Colleges,
through local academic senates, do hereby establish
a statewide organization to represent the faculty
in the California Community Colleges at the state
level.
Name
The official name of this organization shall be
the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges,
Inc.
Purposes
It shall be the purpose of the Academic Senate
to
A. Represent the faculty of the California Community
Colleges in the formation of statewide policies
on academic and professional matters.
B. Make recommendations on statewide matters affecting
the California community colleges.
C. Promote the implementation of policies on matters
of statewide concern.
D. Strengthen local academic senates or other
equivalent faculty organizations in the California
Community Colleges.
E. Assume responsibilities as may be delegated
by Members Senates or by the Board of Governors
of California Community Colleges.
F. Initiate policy positions relevant to California
Community Colleges and their role in higher education.
Powers
and Duties:
The power of the Academic Senate is derived from
Title 5 and implemented through its resolution
process. This resolution process shall be the
sole method by which policies of the Academic
Senate are adopted.
Academic
Senate Bylaws
Ratified: March 7, 1969
Amended/Ratified: November 7, 1992
Amended/Ratified: November 4, 1995
Amended/Ratified: November 1, 1997
Amended/Ratified: April 25, 1998
Amended/Ratified: April 15, 2000
Amended/Ratified: October 28, 2000
Amended/Ratified: November 1, 2003
Amended/Ratified: April 17, 2004
Amended/Ratified: April 9, 2005
Amended/Ratified: November 3, 2007
ARTICLE
I Definitions
Section 1. Definitions
The following terms are to be understood in the
restrictive and technical sense herein defined.
A. Faculty Member: Any employee of a community
college district who is employed in an academic
position that is not designated as supervisory
or management.
B. Academic Senate: As defined
in Title 5 "An Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges has been established through
ratification by local academic senates or faculty
councils so that the community college faculty
of California may have a formal and effective
procedure for participating in the formation of
state policies on academic and professional matters"
(Title 5, Section 53206, California Code of Regulations).
C. Member Senate: A local academic
senate or equivalent faculty organization certified
by the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate
for California Community Colleges.
D. Equivalent Faculty Organization:
Any organization of faculty members which, where
a local academic senate does not exist, has among
its primary purposes those enumerated for an academic
senate under Title 5 of the Administrative Code,
and has been certified as a Member Senate by the
Executive Committee of the Academic Senate for
California Community Colleges.
E. Delegate: An individual who,
(1) by reason of election as an officer or member
of the Executive Committee or, (2) by selection
by a Member Senate, enjoys full voting rights
at both regular and special general sessions of
the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.
Any individual claiming Delegate status must also
be in compliance with the provisions of Article
II, Section 2.
F. Executive Committee: The
officers and representatives elected by Delegates.
G. Senator Emeritus: A title
conferred by the Academic Senate for the purpose
of recognizing the meritorious service of a faculty
member upon or after retirement.
i. Criteria
Emeritus status may be conferred
upon a current or former faculty member
1.Who has completed at least
five (5) years of significant service to the
Academic Senate;
2.Who is recognized for exceptional contributions
supporting the aims and functions of the Academic
Senate; and
3.Who has retired or submitted intent to retire
within six months of the nominating resolution.
ii. Selection
1.Senator emeritus status is conferred by resolution.
Resolutions for emeritus status
must come from area meetings
H. Plenary Session: The bi-annual
three-day event at which the Academic Senate conducts
its business.
I. General Session: A single
scheduled meeting held during the plenary session.
There are five general sessions during the each
plenary session.
ARTICLE II Membership
Section 1. Membership
The academic senate of each of the California
Community Colleges and the district academic senate
of multi-college districts, or their equivalents,
are Member Senates.
Any academic senate recognized
by its local governing board as representing its
faculty in academic and professional matters (as
defined in Title 5 §53200) may apply for
status as a Member Senate. The Executive Committee
will certify such academic senates as Member Senates
upon verification of the following:
1. A majority of full-time
faculty members of a college or recognized center
have voted in favor of forming an academic senate
(Title 5 §53202 (a)).
2. The applying senate has a constitution and/or
bylaws approved by the faculty it represents.
3. The governing board of the college or recognized
center recognizes that organization as representing
its constituency in academic and professional
matters.
4. If a district academic senate is a Member
Senate, that district senate recognizes the
applying academic senate as representing the
faculty of the college or recognized center
it claims to represent.
Section 2. Delegates
Each Member Senate is entitled to designate any
of its faculty members, in whatever manner it
wishes, to be its one Delegate, who shall have
full voting rights at each plenary session. The
Delegate may transfer the responsibility for voting
on resolutions, but not on elections, to a faculty
member from the same district. Executive Committee
members do not have the same right to transfer
this responsibility. No Delegate shall be entitled
to more than one vote, and a vote cannot be cast
by proxy. In the event of a challenge, the Executive
Committee shall be the sole judge of the credentials
of a Delegate.
Section 3. Plenary Sessions
The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
shall meet in plenary session at least two times
during each academic year.
ARTICLE III Officers
Section 1. List of Officers
The officers of the Academic Senate shall include
the President, Vice President, Secretary, and
Treasurer. All officers shall be elected at a
general session of the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges for one-year terms. The term
of all officers shall be July 1 to June 30.
Section 2. Vacancy in Office
A vacancy in office shall be filled in accordance
with the Senate Rules.
Section 3. President's Term
The President shall serve no more than two consecutive
elected one-year terms.
ARTICLE IV Executive Committee
Section 1. Membership
The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers
and ten representatives. All Executive Committee
members must retain their faculty status to continue
in office.
Section 2. Selection and Term
All candidates for election to the Executive Committee
shall meet at least one of these criteria: 1)
is a Delegate or a local senate president 2) has
within the last three years immediately preceding
the election been a local senate president or
an Executive Committee member or officer or 3)
has been nominated by a resolution of a Member
Senate. The minutes of the meeting at which that
resolution was adopted must be submitted to the
Elections Committee chair with the nomination
of the individual. All members of the Executive
Committee, except the officers, shall be elected
by the plenary session on the basis of geographic
representation as prescribed in the Senate Rules
and shall serve for two-year staggered terms.
Terms of office shall commence on July 1 and end
on June 30.
Section 3. Voting
All members of the Executive Committee shall have
full voting privileges in the Executive Committee.
Section 4. Vacancy in Office
A vacancy in office shall be filled in accordance
with the Senate Rules.
Section 5. Meeting
The Executive Committee shall meet no fewer than
five times each academic year.
Section 6. Powers and Duties
The Executive Committee shall adopt procedures,
implement policies adopted at the plenary sessions,
transact business, and perform other functions
that are not inconsistent with the intent, purposes,
and provisions of the Bylaws and Senate Rules.
ARTICLE V Committees and Appointments
Section 1. Committees
Standing committees shall be specified in the
Senate Rules. Subject to the approval of the Executive
Committee, the President shall create all other
committees and make appointments to all committees.
Section 2. Committee Chair
The Chair of each committee shall be selected
for that position by the President with the approval
of the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Special Assignments
With the approval of the Executive Committee,
the President may assign individuals special tasks.
Section 4. Terms and Removal
The terms of all persons appointed to committees
or special assignments shall be for one year or
any shorter period specified by the President.
No person may serve more than two consecutive
terms on any one committee unless such appointment
is approved by the Executive Committee. Any appointee
can be removed by a simple majority vote of the
Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI Action
Section 1. Quorum
A quorum for the conduct of the Executive Committee
and all other committees shall consist of a number
equal to the majority of the membership. A quorum
for the conduct of a plenary or special session
of the Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges shall be a majority of the Delegates
registered.
Section 2. Resolution Process
The Academic Senate shall establish and maintain
means by which to adopt resolutions.
Section 3. Referendum
A. Any adopted resolution of the Academic Senate
for California Community Colleges may be rescinded
by a referendum of the Member Senates, (see Article
I, Section 1.C). The Academic Senate must receive
proposals to rescind within 60 days after the
plenary session at which the resolution in question
was adopted. A proposal to rescind must be in
the form of a Member Senate resolution signed
by the Member Senate president. Such a referendum
shall be held if at least one-fifth (1/5) of the
Members request it within 60 days after the mailing
of the adopted resolutions packet of the session
at which the resolution was adopted.
B. Upon receipt of such requests
from at least 1/5 of the members, the President
shall mail ballots on the referendum to each Member
Senate within 30 days of receiving the needed
number of requests.
C. Ballots must be returned
to the Academic Senate within 90 days from the
day the ballots were mailed. The referendum shall
pass if the majority of all the Member Senates
vote in favor of it. The Academic Senate Resolutions
chair will certify the results.
D. If the referendum is approved,
then the resolution of the plenary session is
rescinded and becomes null and void.
Section 4. Communications
In order to provide adequate communication with
the faculty of the California Community Colleges,
the Academic Senate shall make available to all
faculty agendas and minutes of its meetings, committee
reports and other pertinent information on pending
matters.
ARTICLE VII Amendments of the
Bylaws
Section 1. Proposal
Proposed amendments to these Bylaws shall become
part of the plenary session agenda upon receipt
by the President of a resolution in the form of:
A. A petition of one-fifth (1/5) of the Member
Senates, or
B. A petition of the majority of the Executive
Committee, or
C. A petition presented at any of the first four
general sessions and signed by a majority of registered
Delegates present at the general session at which
it was proposed.
A petition under A or B above
must be received in time to be noticed in writing
to the Member Senates for discussion at pre-plenary
session area meetings.
Section 2. Ratification
The resolution for amending the Bylaws shall require
a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the registered Delegates
present and voting.
ARTICLE VIII Procedures
Section 1. Senate Rules
The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
shall adopt Rules to implement the intent and
purposes of these Bylaws. In cases not provided
for in the Senate Rules, the procedures contained
in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall
govern the meetings of the plenary sessions and
Senate committees.
Section 2. Adoption
Senate Rules shall be adopted by resolution. Senate
Rules may be changed by resolution.
THE ACADEMIC SENATE RULES
I. Election Rules and Procedures
A. Composition of the Executive Committee
1) The Executive Committee shall consist of Officers
and Representatives.
2) Officers include the President, Vice President,
Secretary, and Treasurer.
3) Ten Representatives.
B. Elections of Representatives
1) Area Representatives. Each Area Representative
shall represent one of the geographical areas
designated as Area A, B, C, or D in the current
Academic Senate directory. A list of community
colleges and districts comprising each area shall
be published by the Academic Senate and included
in all plenary session mailings. Each Area Representative
will be elected to the Executive Committee by
balloting only from Delegates from their respective
Area colleges.
2) Two North Region representatives.
The North Region consists of all those community
colleges and districts comprising Areas A and
B. North Region Representatives will be elected
to the Executive Committee by balloting only from
Delegates from the North Region.
3) Two South Region representatives.
The South Region consists of community colleges
in Areas C and D. South Region Representatives
will be elected to the Executive Committee by
balloting only from Delegates from the South Region.
4) Two At-Large representatives.
At-Large Representatives will be elected to the
Executive Committee by balloting from all Delegates
and may be a pool of all candidates who have not
prevailed for other offices who indicate their
intent to be a candidate as well as all candidates
specifically nominated for the At-large Representative
positions.
C. Terms of Office
1) Terms for Officers shall be one year.
2) Terms for representatives
shall be two years.
3) Terms for representatives
shall be staggered as follows. Even-numbered year
elections will select the Area B and C representatives,
one representative each from the North and South
regions, and one of the At-Large representatives.
Odd-numbered year elections will select the Areas
A and D representatives, one representative each
from the North and South regions, and one of the
At-large representatives.
D. Schedule
1) The annual election shall take place on the
last day of the Spring Plenary Session.
2) If there is a vacancy on
the Executive Committee, a special election to
fill that vacancy may be held on the last day
of the Fall or Spring Plenary Session. Any special
election will be held following all regularly
scheduled elections. 3) The time at which balloting
will begin shall be announced in the printed agenda.
The first ballot shall not be held earlier than
the announced time.
E. Nominations
1) Nominations may be made in two ways:
a. In writing and delivered to the Chair of the
Elections Committee;
b. From the floor at a general
session designated for such floor action. The
general session for floor nominations should be
published in the agenda, and all nominations are
closed at the end of that general session.
2) Nominations may be made only
with the consent of the nominee.
3) Nominees shall indicate whether
they wish to stand for other positions for which
they are eligible if they do not prevail for the
office nominated.
4) The Elections Committee shall
provide, at the time of the elections, an announcement
board that indicates Officers and Executive Committee
members. This announcement board will be updated
as new Executive Committee members are elected,
and as vacancies occur.
F. Delegates Registration
Delegates must sign in by Saturday morning no
later than 8:15 a.m.
G. Elections Procedures
1) The process by which the election will be conducted
shall be distributed in writing prior to the day
of the election.
2) Each ballot shall proceed
as follows:
Tellers shall distribute ballots with signature
envelopes to those Delegates eligible to vote
for the specific office being contested. The signature
envelope of the ballot shall be color-coded for
the specific Area and will match that Area's color-coded
delegate badges.
a. The Delegate shall mark the
ballot, seal it in the envelope, sign the outside
of the envelope, and return the envelope to the
tellers.
b. The tellers shall retire
to another room and shall check the signatures
on each envelope against the list of Delegates
eligible to vote, setting aside any envelope not
submitted by a Delegate eligible to vote. Then,
all ballots shall be removed from the remaining
envelopes at one time, the envelopes set aside
and retained, and the ballots counted.
c. Upon request by a candidate,
made before the body takes up the next order of
business following the announcement of the results
of the ballot in question, the committee shall
verify, for the ballot on which that candidate's
name appears, that the signatures on the envelopes
match the signatures collected from Delegates
during the registration process. The specific
process by which the election will be conducted
shall be distributed in writing prior to the day
of the election.
3) To be elected, a candidate
must receive a vote from a majority of those delegates
present and voting.
4) In the event no candidate
for a position receives a majority, the run-off
will be limited to the top two candidates with
the largest number of votes, including all ties.
5) The order of the election
shall be as follows: President, Vice-president,
Secretary, Treasurer, Area Representatives, North
Representative, South Representative, and At-Large
Representative.
6) Any candidate may observe
or select someone to observe the counting of votes
for the ballot or ballots on which the candidate's
name appears.
7) A candidate for election
may not chair the Elections Committee or participate
in the distribution, collection, or tallying of
votes.
8) If a candidate runs unopposed,
the candidate may be elected by acclamation. The
motion to be elected by acclamation must be moved
and seconded by Delegates from the floor and must
be approved by the body.
9) Ballots shall be kept in
the Senate archives until the next election.
II. Vacancies on the Executive
Committee
A. Vacancies on the Executive Committee may be
filled by interim appointment in accordance with
Executive Committee procedures. Appointees shall
be selected from nominations submitted by Member
Senates in the area in which the vacancy occurs.
Nominees must meet the requirements for serving
on the Executive Committee as defined in Article
IV, Section 2.
B. Positions filled by appointment
shall be filled by election at the next plenary
session.
C. Failure to attend either
two successive meetings or six days total of Executive
Committee meetings per year shall be deemed a
resignation.
III. Officers' Powers and Duties
A. The President shall
(1) Be responsible for establishing the time and
place for all plenary sessions and all Executive
Committee meetings
(2) Be responsible for the preparation of the
agenda for all plenary sessions and all Executive
Committee meetings.
(3) Preside over all plenary sessions and Executive
Committee meetings.
(4) Represent and act as the spokesperson for
the Academic Senate and its Executive Committee.
(5) Have the sole power to authorize expenditures
for the Academic Senate.
(6) Appoint a parliamentarian who shall serve
at the pleasure of the President.
(7) Perform any other function normally thought
to be within the realm of a presiding officer
that is otherwise not denied by the Bylaws, Senate
Rules, or Executive Committee Rules.
B. The Vice President shall
(1) Act as President in the absence of that officer.
(2) Succeed to the Presidency in the event of
the vacancy of that office.
(3) Perform such functions as the President assigns
to assist in carrying out the purposes and policies
of the Academic Senate.
C. The Secretary shall
(1) Be responsible for all minutes of all plenary
sessions and Executive Committee meetings and
their dissemination.
(2) Be responsible for ensuring the currency of
all mailing lists of the Academic Senate.
(3) Ensure that all written material shall be
prepared for dissemination at plenary sessions
of the Academic Senate.
(4) Maintain a file of all minutes and official
documents except those placed in the keeping of
other officers.
(5) Perform such functions as the President assigns
to assist in carrying out the purposes and policies
of the Academic Senate.
D. The Treasurer shall
(1) Be responsible for keeping the accounts, books,
tax status, and other financial records up-to-date
and in good order.
(2) Be responsible for giving an oral and written
financial report at every plenary session and
Executive Committee meeting.
(3) With the approval of the president, make all
properly authorized payments which are not inconsistent
with the Bylaws, the Senate Rules, or the Executive
Committee Rules, and which do not threaten the
solvency of the Academic Senate.
(4) Be responsible for securing from a Certified
Public Accountant an audit without "exception"
of the books from the previous term, and for forwarding
a copy of the audit results to the Treasurer of
the previous terms, and to the current President.
(5) At Senate expense, bond himself/herself for
an amount equal to, or in slight excess of, the
highest estimated cash-on-hand status of the Senate
during his/her term.
(6) Chair a committee for the purpose of drawing
up the annual budget. The budget must be ratified
by the Executive Committee.
(7) Be responsible for the registration procedure
for the plenary sessions.
(8) Be in charge of all contracts for services
provided by hotels and businesses.
(9) Perform such functions as the President assigns
in carrying out the purposes and policies of the
Academic Senate.
IV. Committees
A. Standing Committees:
1. Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes
Committee
2. Basic Skills Committee
3. Counseling and Library Faculty Issues Committee
4. Curriculum Committee
5. Educational Policies Committee
6. Equity and Diversity Action Committee
7. Faculty Development Committee
8. Legislative and Governmental Relations Committee
9. Occupational Education Committee
10. Relations with Local Senates Committee
11.Research Committee
12. Standards and Practices Committee
13. Technology Committee
