Local Senates Handbook: Part III.
Ensuring the Effectiveness of the Local Senate
A. Placement
in the College's Governance Structure
As we have discussed earlier,
Education Code and Title 5 clearly shape the position
of the local senate within the college's governance
structure (Appendix E). That delegation of authority
places the local academic senate in a unique position:
you have direct access to the board of trustees
and can bring forward items to be placed on the
board agenda without filtering by other administrators;
your voice as faculty must be given primacy on
the academic and professional matters called out
in Education Code and Title 5 (See Part I, Section
B. 1. of this document). A remark made earlier
bears repeating:
"Effective participation"
means that affected parties must be afforded
opportunity to review and comment upon recommendations,
proposals, etc.; having given due and reasonable
consideration to those comments, however, the
academic senate shall retain its primacy in
the 10 + 1 items . . . and need not adopt,
accommodate, or reach consensus on concerns
raised by other constituent groups. ("Delegation
of Authority," Part I. B. 2.)
Yet, even with the clear language
in regards to the role of the senate in governance,
you may find yourself in a situation where academic
and professional matters are agendized for a meeting
of a college council or similar all-campus governance
group. If the academic and professional matters
are agendized for information/general discussion
and comment, that in itself is not necessarily
cause for concern or alarm. On the other hand,
if those academic and professional matters are
agendized for some type of action or a recommendation
to the board or your chancellor/ superintendent
or president, that would not be appropriate.
Under these circumstances, as
senate president, you must dissuade them from
taking "action," using the opportunity
to educate the committee as to the privilege and
primacy of the academic senate on these matters.
You may wish to distribute the portions of Title
5 53200 shown on page 5 of this document; you
may further urge them to declare this matter an
academic and professional matter, indicating their
acknowledgement of your official status on the
issue at hand. While you welcome and even want
to encourage the interest and opinions of your
classified staff colleagues, management colleagues,
and students, the recommendation will come from
the official voice of the faculty--the academic
senate--on these academic and professional matters.
An observation made by the Academic
Senate/CCLC document seems useful here:
Many colleges have found coordinating
councils useful, but some cautions are warranted.
. . a coordinating council is not the appropriate
body to make recommendations to the governing
board or designee on academic and professional
matters. These issues are appropriately within
the purview of the academic senate. Furthermore,
care should be taken in placing decision-making
authority in the hands of coordinating councils.
The strength of participatory governance lies
in recommendations being made by those who have
the necessary expertise and are most affected
by the decision.” (Question 18, “Participating
Effectively in District and College Governance”
Academic Senate/CCLC, 1998)
Clearly, a communication channel
that permits timely and orderly exchange of information
at every level of the governance structure is
critical to your work as a senate officer. As
the local senate president, your primary responsibility
is first to ASK your senate to deliberate on policy
and procedural questions that affect academic
and professional matters, enabling you to act
as both the principal watchdog for the faculty
and their chief spokesperson, once the senate
has voiced its stance. At the same time,
a senate president must avoid appearing to speak
for the senate prematurely, for administrators
may have a tendency to assume that if they have
consulted with the senate president, they have
consulted with the senate itself. Local senate
presidents must be nimble, articulate, persuasive,
diplomatic, but most of all, determined.
B.
Constitutions
and Bylaws
Each local academic senate needs
a constitution, and each would benefit from having
a set of bylaws in place, as well. Though the
terms are sometimes used interchangeably, technically
the constitution of an organization sets out the
fundamental principles that govern a group's nature,
function and limitations of governance. A constitution
also explains how the body is “constituted,”
and it typically defines who the officers are
and how they are selected for (or removed from)
office. Thus, the constitution might identify
the purposes of the local academic senate and
define which officers comprise the senate’s
executive committee.
Bylaws, on the other hand, are
guidelines or operating procedures to implement
the constitution. Bylaws spell out precise things
the organization does in conducting its business,
and bylaws may even specify the time period during
which they will be done. Thus, a typical set of
bylaws will articulate the senate’s election
process, including the composition of the election
committee, voting procedure, vote counting procedure,
duration of the election period, announcement
of results, and assumption of office by elected
faculty. Typically, bylaws also address development
and distribution processes for meeting agendas
and any other similar procedural matter.
The Academic Senate Website offers
several examples of both constitutions and bylaws
that local senates can use to develop or revise
their own documents.
C. Effective
Participatory Governance
While earlier we intimated something
about the legal nature of effective participatory
governance (see "Delegation of Authority"),
we offer in this next section some strategies
to ensure that the senate itself benefits from
effective participation. To be wholly effective
and participatory, the senate must see your own
leadership as open, encouraging of a free exchange
of information, respectful of those who express
divergent, even unpopular points of view. In
exchange, as faculty serve the senate on committees
and task forces, they must report back to and
receive their direction from the senate: they
must carry forth the expressed will of the local
senate.
1.
Goal Setting, Status Reports and Annual Reports
Many local senates determine annual
goals, building upon the subsequent years' achievements,
as well as residual tasks yet to be completed.
If your senate has not considered developing a
workplan for the year, a good place to begin is
with an examination of senate responsibilities
as detailed in statute and policy. Appendix F-1
illustrates how a poll of faculty at one college
was predicated on those defined responsibilities;
based on those obligations, faculty determined
what areas needed their attention and thus formulated
specific goals for the year (Appendix F-2).
Once the senate (or its officers,
depending upon your bylaws) has articulated and
publicized its goals, the senate will want to
examine its progress periodically and produce
a year-end report that can be shared with all
faculty as well as with other governance groups
and the local board. This annual report, such
as those appearing in Appendix G, complete with
any recommendations for the coming year, provides
the foundation for subsequent senates and their
officers and permits them to set priorities that
are proactive rather than reactive.
2. Local
Senate Meetings
a. Compliance with the Open
Meeting Acts
One of the obligations local
senate presidents encounter with some trepidation
are the requirements of the Open Meetings Act
(Government Code 54950-54960.5), also called the
Ralph M. Brown Act, as well as the Bagley-Keene
Act (Government Code 11120 et seq.), cited as
the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act governing "state
bodies." The latter law has been recently
revised to accommodate exchanges of information
through teleconferencing and Internet posting;
it is worth reviewing as an indication of how
technology-mediated meetings must conform to the
spirit of the open meetings laws.
These two laws have direct bearing
on how the state Board of Governors, and districts,
advisory groups to elected officials (including
the local senates), and subcommittees of those
groups must conduct their business. You will
want to familiarize yourself with these two acts,
available on numerous Websites, including http://www.leginfo.ca.gov
(click on “California Law”). You will
want to review and determine how these sections
will shape how you convene your senate, and how
you monitor other meetings you attend. Of particular
interest, then are these sections:
groups covered by these laws
notice of meeting
closed and open sessions
actions requiring remedy
options if these laws are being violated
For your convenience, Appendix
H contains excerpted portions, either quoted or
summarized, of particular interest and urgency,
followed by notations about their applicability
to your local circumstances. These significant
excerpts are derived from the full text. More
information appears on the Leadership page of
the Academic Senate Website.
b. Setting and Posting Agendas
While the Open Meetings Acts outline
the legal responsibilities for posting of an agenda,
they do not fully spell out acceptable or pragmatic
suggestions for setting and subsequently posting
agendas for meetings of the local senate or its
standing committees. Generally, the president
meets with officers prior to the 72 hour deadline
for posting of the agenda; at that time, the officers
can identify carry-over items, new business, needed
reports, and other matters of business called
for by faculty or even administrators who have
asked to have an item placed upon the agenda.
While the determination of the agenda is conventionally
the prerogative of the president alone, consultation
with other officers is helpful. Moreover, to
encourage faculty deliberation of academic and
professional matters, and to ensure the effective
participation of other governance groups as required
by law, the local senate should extend an open,
standing invitation to the college community to
present items to be considered for placement on
an agenda. Some local senates hold regular Executive
Council or Cabinet meetings on the "off"
weeks to plan their agendas for the forthcoming
weeks and to take up urgent matters. Such meetings
provide a convenient deadline for the submission
of items to be considered at future meetings.
District senates face the same
obligations--and strategic dilemma--as campus
senates do. Agendas are generally distributed
to the local senate presidents and committee chairs
(e.g., curriculum) on each campus; the obligations
of additional posting then fall to the local senates.
Electronic posting of agendas makes it possible
to email them to all faculty, depending upon local
choice or need.
(1) The Order of Business
The order of business of your
senate meeting may well already be spelled out
in your local senate bylaws or you may use the
standard order of business recommended under the
parliamentary procedures outlined in Roberts
Rules of Order. Appendix I offers sample
agendas, but a common pattern to order the meeting
follows:
Call to Order
Public Commentary
Record of the Previous
Meeting
Agenda of the Current
Meeting
Consent Calendar
Reports of Standing Committees
Reports of Special Committees
Special Orders
Unfinished Business
New Business
President's Report
Announcements and Open
Forum
Adjournment
(2)Public Comments
at Meetings
A significant feature of the sample
agenda above is its placement of public commentary,
a requirement of the Open Meetings Acts. The
laws permit the body to determine the placement
and manner of public commentary; in other words,
the local senate can determine for itself the
length of time allotted to each speaker, as well
as the placement on the agenda when non-senate
members can address the body on matters both on
the agenda or on matters of a more general nature.
In the example above, the "Public Commentary"
is intended to elicit comments on matters on the
agenda for the current meeting, while the "Open
Forum" section permits visitors--and senators--to
bring to the floor matters not currently on the
agenda, though action may not be taken on such
items. Again, the law permits you to establish
time limits. Significantly, however, the law
is explicit in its insistence that speakers do
NOT need to sign "permission to speak"
slips or in other ways provide identifying information
about themselves other than on the most voluntary
basis. While this is less likely to be of concern
during local senate meetings, it is occasionally
a ploy of governing boards to restrict the freedom
of redress by its citizens.
As you weigh the options your
local senate has, consider these strategies adopted
by local senates throughout the state:
Permit non-senators (including faculty, students,
administrators, or other interested parties)
to address the body on agenda items only at
the beginning or the end of the meeting:
Advantages: makes it more
convenient for non-senators who may find it
difficult to remain through the entire meeting
until the agenda item of interest to them
comes up.
Disadvantages: earlier
comments will not be as fresh when the item
comes up for discussion later in the agenda;
commentators lose opportunity to hear and
participate in the more full debate on the
issue; speakers may be rushed or discouraged
from participation when public comments are
placed at the end of the agenda.
Permit non-senators (including faculty, students,
administrators, or other interested parties)
to address the body on agenda items as those
items appear on the agenda. Again, even under
this arrangement, there are options: do they
speak before the senators, during the debate,
or only at the end of the discussion prior to
any vote taken?
a. In the first arrangement,
non-senate participants who speak before the senators
begin their debate enable the senators to be fully
informed about the views of others and to respond
to their comments or questions.
b. If allowed to participate
in the debate itself, outside voices can raise
pertinent questions and provide points of information
or clarification. However, their voices may receive
undue weight and extend their participation beyond
any established time period generally allotted
for "public commentary."
c. If non-senate participants
are asked to withhold their comments until the
senate has conducted its debate, important observations
may not be shared or may not subsequently be subject
to refutation or rebuttal by the senate.
Permit non-senators (including faculty, students,
administrators, or other interested parties)
to address the body on matters of interest not
on the agenda at the end of the meeting or in
writing.
Create and use consultation forms to be circulated
among other governance groups to afford them
due opportunity to review and comment and provide
written or oral testimony at senate meetings
if necessary. Sample forms are included as
Appendix B.
Create combinations of these strategies to
reflect your campus culture while ensuring broad
and effective participation. As is indicated
in the sample agenda above, the Public Commentary
segment invites comments on agenda items prior
to debate, while the "Open Forum"
section permits both visitors and senators to
introduce matters of concern that will, most
likely, be added to a future agenda, if a matter
of senate purview.
(3)Posting Agendas
The appropriate and reasonable
posting of the agendas is perhaps one of the most
contested of the Open Meeting Acts requirements.
If the law seeks to permit full and effective
participation of the community served, the local
senates must identify the means and location of
posting to enable interested parties to attend
the meeting or to communicate with their elected
representatives prior to the scheduled meeting.
This obligation is even more critical for colleges
with affiliated centers or for district senates
having multiple colleges with whom they must communicate.
Among the effective means of posting senate agendas
are these:
a bulletin board near the local senate office,
in an administrative area, or other boards accessible
and available to the college community, perhaps
at several locations on a larger campus.
an email posting to the entire college faculty,
staff, and student government
a website posting on the local senate website,
in a form that can be easily down-loaded or
reproduced.
combinations of these methods.
Not in the spirit of the law:
bulletin boards in offices or other areas inaccessible
to the general public for much of the day or week;
affixed to interior windows or behind other barriers
that do not permit viewing of the full document;
obscured by other documents or postings
c. Conducting
Senate Meetings
(1) Standing Rules
Local senate presidents, usually
in conjunction with other officers, can generate
local senate standing rules. Generally, the body
need not adopt these, but good practice may persuade
you to discuss these rules before implementing
them. Standing rules may never circumvent or
supercede law, local policies, or bylaws; they
can, however, enable you to prescribe implementation
strategies: who speaks, in what order, for how
long, under what conditions, how agenda items
may be submitted and by when, etc. Standing rules
can also stipulate deadlines for materials submitted
for senate consideration or for your signature
as senate president.
(2) About Parliamentary
Procedures
Having established and posted
an agenda, you will find it useful to review the
use of parliamentary procedures. In their excellent
reference work, The Practical Guide to Parliamentary
Procedure (2nd Edition), Edward
S. Strotherland and David W. Shepard point to
four essential benefits offered by parliamentary
procedure. They argue that parliamentary procedure
is:
an orderly way to conduct
the affairs of an organization;
a way to determine the
will of the majority;
a way to protect the
minority;
a way to protect the
rights of an individual member.
Some groups, particularly smaller
committees, avoid using parliamentary procedure
because of their misperception that it will inhibit
their business. Such is not the case; in fact,
parliamentary procedure will help move business,
particularly if the senate president or committee
chair assists the group participants in remembering
these simple guidelines:
LISTEN CAREFULLY: The senate
president or chair will clarify what ideas (motions)
are "on the floor," and declare what
sorts of comments are germane to a particular
motion.
ASK QUESTIONS: The Academic Senate,
at its plenary meetings, provides a parliamentary
mike at which observers may ask the presiding
officer what is happening, what sort of motion
is relevant to the discussion, how to properly
accomplish a desired goal, or how to challenge
a ruling or determination. Participants at your
senate meeting should be encouraged to seek such
clarification, and if not provided by your bylaws,
your parliamentarian might make clear to those
attending how to ask questions during discussion
of business.
SPEAK TO THE POINT: The senate
president or chair will ensure that remarks apply
to the specific motion on the floor or, if not,
are ruled "out of order."
Below we offer a brief illustration
(Illustration 1) of how commonly used parliamentary
motions may be responded to within your senate
Appendix J offers additional helpful information
from the Academic Senate's official Parliamentarian
about conducting the meeting under parliamentary
procedures.
(3) A Strategy for
Conducting Discussions of Agenda Items
To expedite discussions during
your meetings, you may wish to consider Standing
Rules to provide order while ensuring that effective
participation occurs. We have noted that the
senate may determine time limits and establish
who may speak and under what conditions. The Academic
Senate, at its plenary sessions, asks members
wishing to speak to an item to queue before a
"pro" microphone on one side of the
room, or at a "con" microphone on the
opposite side, or to ask questions about parliamentary
procedure at a "parliamentary" microphone
located mid-room. This procedure provides for
an orderly discussion of the issues within the
allotted time, enables the President to terminate
discussion when no one appears to speak further
in support or in opposition, and generally eliminates
redundant comments. Your senate may wish to consider
a similar arrangement.
(4) Strategies for
Voting on Agenda Items
Procedures for voting during a
meeting should be determined locally, particularly
if the goal is to keep the meetings progressing
in an orderly fashion.
Some items on an agenda may be
handled by what is known as approval by consent.
If there is no perceived opposition to items such
as approval of the minutes of the previous meeting,
approval of the agenda, and acceptance of reports
from various committees that do not require action
by the senate, the president may list them on
the agenda under the "consent calendar,"
and declare them passed by general consent. Should
any senator wish to discuss, amend or vote on
such items, the party should ask to have the item
removed from the calendar for separate consideration
after the bulk of the consent items has been approved.
You should always honor such a request to have
an item removed.
Voting on action items must take
place publicly, (see Brown Act 54953 (c)), but
the methods used will depend upon the issues being
discussed and the need to determine which side
has achieved a majority. When the senate votes
on a resolution, for example, a simple voice vote
may be sufficient; on the other hand, because
of the magnitude of some resolutions, senate bylaws
may call for a roll call vote. A president can
very often easily determine the majority vote
by voices alone. However, in cases where the
voice vote is perhaps too close to call without
controversy, the president or any member of your
senate may request a show of hands or a “division
of the house,” in which each side stands
in turn to show its support or opposition. If
the president rules on a simple voice vote when
it appears to be close, any member of the senate
should be able to question the ruling and call
for a show of hands or other public method of
determining majority. It is wise to have more
than one person count hands or votes. In addition,
parliamentary procedures permit any member of
the body to request a roll call vote on an action
item; the minutes will then record, by name, each
aye, nay or abstention.
Balloting for officers, for candidates
for committee seats or other appointments, especially
if there is competition, is slightly more difficult
within the context of the law. Your senate may
decide that uncontested elections can be held
by voice vote (including acclamation) or by a
show of hands. However, the law did not anticipate
the complexities of voting for individual office
seekers--especially when such votes, if taken
publicly, might adversely affect the voters' security
in the workplace. To protect the sanctity of
the ballot box, the elections held by the Academic
Senate model an acceptable compromise that guarantees
anonymity of the voter, while recording who cast
votes and providing a measure of security. Under
the Academic Senate's procedures, any ballot for
the election of an officer is placed inside a
blank envelope, which is sealed and then placed
inside a second, outer envelope on which the voter
(whether a senator or a any faculty in a campus-wide
election) has printed his or her name and affixed
his or her signature. The Academic Senate Office
can be contacted for additional information about
such election procedures.
It should be noted however, that
a few colleges have academic senates of the whole
(rather than representative senates). In these
cases, even voting in elections must be conducted
in public. Either votes must be taken by a show
of hands or voice in the meeting, or if by written
ballot, the ballots must be signed, and be kept
available for public inspection.
Regardless of the method used,
the results should be announced or posted, although
the decision of how to publicize the outcome of
elections should take into account the emotional
reaction of participants in the election. An
elections committee (including at least one officer),
whose membership is determined well in advance
of an election, can help determine appropriate
logistics, provide necessary security, and can
supervise the counting of ballots. Their neutral
presence ensures the integrity of the process
and enables you to announce the results at the
same meeting or within a reasonable time if the
election is being conducted on a campus-wide basis.
d. Adapting the Resolution
Process for your Local Use
The Academic Senate conducts its
business using the resolution process (described
in Appendix K), and recommends that local senates
do likewise; many senates, however, reserve resolutions
only for the most urgent of their statements and
recommendations. Resolutions are designed for
local senates to urge or recommend policy or action
to the Board of Trustees, chancellors or college
presidents, other local groups, or the Academic
Senate for California Community Colleges. Resolutions
differ significantly from motions made on the
floor of a senate meeting. Consider the following
points of contrast:
Motions
Made by elected representatives/officers
Made orally on the floor
May be acted upon at that time
May be enacted by a simple majority
Does not retain the force of the
arguments made on their behalf
Resolutions
Presented by committee, senators
or officers
Presented in writing prior to
meeting as part of agenda, and shared broadly
with all faculty
Generally receive first reading
and adopted at a subsequent meeting
Retain the force of the argument
in the "whereas" clauses of the argument
Make clear the actions to be carried
out
May require a roll-call vote
The suggestions below and the
appendices associated with them illustrate how
resolutions may become an effective implement
for your senate.
Writing Resolutions: (See
Appendix L, "Sample Resolution Form for Use
by Local Senates" and "Sample Resolution,
Annotated explaining what a resolutions typically
contain).
A. Though resolutions should
be submitted for first readings and then for action
at a following meeting, this process may be altered
by calling for a "suspension of the rules"
to accommodate urgent circumstances.
B. Resolutions should receive
wide distribution prior to being acted upon; additional
copies should be available at the senate meeting
at which it will be discussed.
C. Resolutions should be represented
as a separate agenda item under the appropriate
agenda category.
Revising Resolutions:
A. Resolutions may be amended
for further clarification/addition/deletions.
B. Preferably, this amendment
should be submitted in writing, although verbal
submissions are possible depending upon the desire
of the local senate and its bylaws or standing
rules.
C. Resolutions may be substituted
with another resolution on the same topic; however,
this should be submitted in writing before considering
the original resolution for action.
D. Resolution amendments/substitutions
will be considered prior to the original resolution.
Discussing and Adopting Resolutions
A. Discussion on resolutions
or any amendments should have a pre-set time limit.
B. Any attendee at the meeting
should be permitted to engage in the debate.
C. The president may recognize
pro and con arguments alternately. When there
is no speaker on one side of the motion, debate
on that question is closed.
D. Only official senate representatives
may vote. The nature of the voting itself (voice,
ballot, roll-call votes--see "Strategies
on Voting" above), as well as determination
of what constitutes a successful or a failed vote,
should be spelled out by the local senate bylaws.
Disposition of the Resolution
A. Resolutions should be forwarded
to the appropriate parties by the local senate
president or designee with an expectation of a
written reply that can be shared with the voting
body.
B. The official record of the
senate meeting should indicate the status of the
resolution, and, if required by bylaws or constitution,
the nature of voting itself.
C. Compilations of resolutions
adopted by the local senate can be submitted as
part of a year-end report and widely disseminated
among governance groups as your statement of accomplishment
as well as evidence of your philosophy. (See
Appendix M.)
D. All resolutions, including
their justifying "whereas" clauses,
should be archived, perhaps in a single binder,
as well as included as attachments to minutes
and within related "topic" files.
3. Keeping the Faculty Informed
An informed faculty is more likely
to become involved in the work of the academic
senate. The electronic convenience of email and
the limitless possibilities of the World Wide
Web enhance face-to-face communication and can
increase faculty participation within the college
community. Many of the suggestions below encourage
use of these electronic opportunities, often in
tandem with more traditional means of communication.
Create a Website for Your Local
Senate
A senate Website on your college
server, with appropriate links to other campus
and state governance groups, is the most efficient
mechanism to promote your work, publicize your
meetings and accomplishments, and provide resources
to your faculty. The Academic Senate Website
provides a template you may use to build your
own local website. To aid the campus community
in building and using Websites, you may wish to
approach your campus public information officer
for electronic photographs of the campus or campus
events that can be electronically archived and
made accessible for use by the senate and its
faculty. While the senate Website can be maintained
by staff assigned to your senate, local senates
without such support can create a senate officer
for this important communication function, can
seek a stipend for a faculty member to do so,
or can offer flex credit or other incentives to
ensure that the necessary postings are timely
and complete.
Use Campus Email
Email is an effective tool for
communicating issues and soliciting input on senate
concerns. Work to ensure that all faculty--full
and part-time--have access to electronic mail;
then encourage them to use the state Academic
Senate Website as a means for keeping informed
about state issues. The objective is to make senate
business and faculty involvement in campus and
system-wide governance a very public and noticeable
enterprise.
Create a Senate Logo and Letterhead
Use a senate letterhead and perhaps
a specific paper color for your correspondence.
These techniques readily identify senate information
and communication among numerous documents in
college mailboxes.
Publish a Newsletter
A regular senate newsletter can
include summaries of meetings of the senate, the
governing board and college council; photographs
of senators and senate activities; department
and individual faculty news; a forum for editorials;
announcements of grants, workshops or other opportunities;
and information on senate issues and concerns.
This newsletter can also be electronic in its
format to save printing and publication costs.
Develop a Senate Events Calendar
At the beginning of each year
or semester, publish a calendar of all meetings
and activities with times, dates and locations.
Regular meeting times lend a predictability that
makes it easier for faculty to attend and participate.
Write a Column for the Campus
Newspaper
A regular senate column in the
campus newspaper will communicate the role, views
and activities of the senate to the entire campus
and illustrate for students the vital roles their
faculty assume on their behalf. Smaller community
newspapers may also consider running a weekly
or monthly column featuring the activities of
your college faculty.
Publicize the Names of Senate
Representatives
If all faculty know the names
of their senate representatives, they will have
increased opportunity for communication and involvement.
Publish a roster of senators, senate officers
and senate-appointed faculty members of campus
and/or district committees and include campus
phone numbers and/or email so that all faculty
members may contact them for more information
or to contribute to ongoing discussions. This
roster can easily be included as part of your
senate Website, perhaps with convenient email
links.
Publicize Senate Meetings
Try to inform the faculty twice
about each upcoming senate meeting. The first
notice should be published about one week ahead
of the meeting, or within the time frame required
by the Open Meetings Act. The second notice should
be occur 24 hours prior to the meeting time. Voice
mail messages or email messages are an excellent
way to remind faculty, saving paper and avoiding
the notice getting lost in the paper crush. A
posted notice of the meeting located by the faculty
mailboxes will also serve as a last-minute reminder.
These notices, also posted on your senate Website,
are important whether your campus is small (where
the questionable assumption is that all faculty
already know the dates and agenda matters) or
large (where communication is more difficult and
faculty are more likely to feel disinterest or
disengagement from governance work).
Publish Senate Agendas and
Minutes
Publishing the agenda and minutes
of each senate meeting in advance and making them
available to faculty at least one week in advance
of the meeting can generate interest in the issues
and increase attendance. The agenda should provide
readers enough information on the items to be
discussed. If large agendas are sent to representative
senators, send a one-page agenda with short, informative
paragraphs on the issues to be discussed to each
faculty member. Equally effective is an email
message sent to all faculty and campus staff,
as well as to other senate presidents in your
district. If these messages contain links to
the agenda posted on the Website, all may have
immediate access to the information and may respond
or download it as needed.
Use the Resolution Process
A local senate resolution process
can recommend or direct a particular action and
provides the rationale for that action. Include
the wording of the proposed resolutions in the
agenda distributed before the meeting. Distribute
draft and approved resolutions in the minutes
to serve as an effective educational tool. Section
III c.2.in this handbook provides you with additional
information about the resolution process, while
Appendices L-N offer samples, though their formats
may not be consonant with the resolution format
adopted for use by the Academic Senate at its
plenary sessions.
Maintain Senate Bulletin Boards--Electronic
and Physical
Your senate Website might also
offer an electronic bulletin board where faculty
may post comments pertinent to senate deliberations
or announcements of interest to the general college
community. In addition to a senate Website, a
conveniently located bulletin board in each division
or area is another good way to publicize senate
events and issues. The bulletin board is an effective
place to post copies of state correspondence and
reports, senate agendas and minutes, grant and
conference opportunities, and even relevant cartoons,
photographs and articles. Certainly you will
want to publish committee reports to keep faculty
informed of the governance efforts that are taking
place in senate, campus, and/or district committees.
Ask a senator in the division or area to be responsible
for the bulletin board and to remind faculty of
the importance of perusing the materials.
Develop a Governance Handbook
The handbook should include governance
committee memberships, policies, and committee
responsibilities. The policies and procedures
in such a handbook will be somewhat dynamic and
subject to formal alteration after appropriate
consultation. However, an historical record and
explanation of how and why processes occur, will
persist beyond changes in personnel and the inevitable
erosion of institutional memory. The creation
of such a handbook is even more crucial if your
institution currently enjoys a healthy climate
of participatory governance: the whims of one
individual can change that atmosphere overnight.
Having such a published governance handbook will
provide clear evidence of past practice and consensus.
Several current examples appear on the Leadership
page of the Academic Senate Website. The handbook
might readily be posted on your senate's Website.
4. Faculty Participation
a) Soliciting Faculty Participation
Soliciting participation will
be an easier task with an informed faculty that
realizes the need for and value of participation.
However, some recruiting efforts are still needed
to get the desired level of broad-based participation.
Leaders' mettle is evidenced by their ability
to include and accommodate those with alternative
views and approaches, by their ability to showcase
the talents of others, and by their ability to
elicit constructive contributions from many.
Among the worthy colleagues you
may wish to invite explicitly are the part-time
faculty whose teaching experience, professional
training, and sense of commitment to our students
may be highlighted in the academic and professional
work we all share. Many local senates have devised
strategies to increase the participation of their
part-time faculty, and the sample constitutions
and bylaws available on the Leadership page of
the Academic Senate Website indicate how those
senates formally give voice to their part-time
colleagues. The Academic Senate has also adopted
many resolutions urging local senates to consider
ways to involve part-time faculty in our academic
and professional work; we want to echo that request
here.
Below are some techniques recommended
by other senate leaders for soliciting wider faculty
participation. As you review each point, consider
how you and your senate might apply these suggestions
to address the needs of your full- and part-time
colleagues across the campus.
Meet Personally With the Faculty
The personal touch is the most
effective means of communicating, particularly
when making a request. Some senate leaders set
the goal of visiting several faculty members each
week. Remember that people need to be asked to
participate and acknowledged when they do serve!
Listen to Opinions
The individual interests and skills
of faculty members will be revealed in their comments,
and these faculty members who speak out can be
a valuable source of expertise for senate activities.
Electronic bulletin boards, for example, can ensure
that even the most disgruntled are afforded an
opportunity to be heard and their views responded
to by an even broader constituency.
Conduct Faculty Opinion Polls
Formal or informal opinion polls
allow faculty members to indicate their opinions
on issues. Polls can be used to identify faculty
concerns, establish senate priorities, and develop
senate positions. While you will want to be careful
not to include collective bargaining issues in
senate polls, you may wish to collaborate with
your bargaining unit as, in response to labor
law, it seeks the local senate advice about issues
the senate wishes to see addressed prior to entering
into negotiations. It is important to communicate
the polling results to the faculty so that they
are included in the entire process.
Turn the Suggestion Box Into
a Volunteer Recruiting Center
Faculty leaders frequently hear
suggestions and complaints from colleagues on
a variety of issues. Faculty members who care
enough to talk about their concerns can also be
the faculty members who are willing to develop
a solution to the issue raised. A volunteer can
be recruited with a simple comment such as this:
"Thanks for bringing your concern to my attention.
Could you get two other faculty members to work
with you and present a resolution at the next
senate meeting?" The faculty member is thereby
encouraged to become involved, and valuable contributions
may emerge. Comments that are ignored may breed
ill will that is difficult to overcome for years
thereafter.
Provide an Orientation for
New Faculty
Too frequently, faculty orientation
is seen as an administrative function with the
senate being given five minutes to present "an
overview of its role." However, orientation
to the academic and professional obligations--both
as they apply to the larger profession and to
the specific campus culture--are arguably more
appropriately conducted by the faculty themselves.
Title 5 53200 specifically notes that the academic
senate shall be responsible for "policies
for professional development." If you have
not reached a formal agreement, and particularly
if you are excluded from such orientations, ask
to consult collegially on a process for this important
orientation and professional development function.
Several faculty orientation models
are used on campuses throughout California:
Arrange for an orientation session, or several
brief orientation sessions for new faculty members
on an individual or small group basis. In the
session, senators encourage involvement and
provide basic introductory information about
the work of the senate and faculty within the
larger governance structure. Past senate leaders
and campus administrators can be invited to
present their perspectives.
Consider a semester-long or yearlong orientation
process that may be awarded flex credit, committee
assignment-status, or reassigned time. Meeting
regularly with faculty members of a senate committee,
the faculty new to full-time status at the college
would discuss the campus' educational climate
and educational philosophy, the general education
model, and the academic and professional roles
of faculty, the governance structure, and the
student and instructional support services available
to them and their students.
Build into the probationary period opportunities
for these same faculty to have appropriate and
meaningful participation in senate activities,
including the orientation of new faculty in
subsequent years.
Obviously any such orientation
program should also be open to your part-time
faculty who need to understand our shared professional
responsibilities and the options they have to
become more involved in the on-going governance
work of faculty.
Create a Faculty Governance
Flex Activity
Flex activities can be an effective
way to highlight specific faculty governance issues
and other local senate activities. For example,
consider sponsoring a forum composed of senate
leaders and administrators where faculty can ask
tough questions; explain the role of the senate
and senate committees; or survey the faculty to
find topics or speakers of interest to them.
Hold a Senate Retreat.
Setting aside a day or two for
a senate retreat is a good way to gain perspective
about issues and ideas as well as train senators
and generate enthusiasm for the work of the senate.
By including faculty members who are not senators,
new people who might become valuable resources
can be introduced to senate activities.
Make Committee Opportunities
Known
Publicize a general request for
volunteers, and, at the same time, ask individuals
to volunteer for specific senate-appointed committee
assignments. A variety of involvement opportunities,
some with short-term responsibilities, will allow
faculty members to match their interests and time
commitments with senate needs. Remember to invite
volunteers and committee applicants from diverse
disciplines and ethnicities to ensure broad representation
and a plurality of views. Review the opportunities
afforded to part-time faculty as well, including
appointments on campus and district committees;
part-time faculty across the state serve on staff
development, part-time hiring, and curriculum
committees.
Invite State Academic Senate
Representatives to Speak to Faculty
Extend invitations to your Academic
Senate Area Representative, to members of the
Relations with Local Senates Committee, and to
other members of the Executive Committee of the
Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
to visit your campus, address specific needs,
or bolster faculty enthusiasm for governance work.
Take Faculty to Academic Senate
Sessions and Leadership Training
The annual fall and spring sessions,
Area meetings, and the summer Leadership Institute
of the Academic Senate are all excellent opportunities
to involve and train faculty. Your campus' Staff
Development funds should be available for this
purpose; most college presidents and chancellors
understand the need for well-trained faculty leaders
and can help you identify appropriate local funds
to enable your senate's full participation in
these essential training opportunities.
b. Maintaining Faculty Participation
Once faculty members have become
active, senate leaders need to reward and nurture
that participation to enhance faculty's commitment
to and enjoyment of senate and governance involvement.
Develop Professional Recognition
of Faculty
Publicly recognizing the achievements
of faculty is an important and effective element
of building morale in any organization. You may
use memos, campus and local newspaper articles,
award ceremonies, and Board and Foundation presentations
to highlight faculty accomplishments.
Give Credit Where Credit Is
Due
A genuine "thank you"
goes a long way towards acknowledging faculty
members who work on senate and participatory governance
assignments. Print the senate logo on thank you
cards, and send a note to faculty members (and
other college staff) who have helped further the
work of the college. Remember that participation
includes a host of division, area, department
and other campus activities which may not be directly
perceived as being the work of the local senate;
however faculty who serve on hiring committees,
on college-wide and district-wide committees,
or as advisors for student organizations are indeed
furthering the senate obligations for effective
participation in governance.
Make Senate Involvement an
Evaluation Criterion
Often forgotten in tenure and
post-tenure evaluations is the obligatory, professional
responsibility faculty have for participation
in governance activities. The senate should consult
with the collective bargaining unit to include
and use involvement in governance as a criterion
in the evaluation process to reinforce the importance
of this serious professional responsibility.
Discuss Governance Participation
in the Hiring Interview
Develop an expectation of involvement
with each new faculty member by discussing it
as a professional responsibility both in the hiring
interview and during new faculty orientation.
Suggest senate and other governance activities
that the new faculty member may choose for participation.
Sponsor a Breakfast, Lunch
or Coffee Hour
Food is a successful inducement
to encourage faculty to attend an event. The event
can then be used to inform, engage in discussion,
train, acknowledge and/or thank those who participate.
Provide Incentives for Participation
Consult with the collective bargaining
unit to develop incentives such as overload banking
credit, professional growth step credits, etc.
for participation in senate activities.
5. Resources Available
in Your Senate Files
On the following page appears
a checklist of essential materials. In the left-hand
column are items you should find readily in your
senate files, while in the right-hand column are
analogous materials available to you at the Academic
Senate Website.
Key Resources for Senate Officers,
Senators and Committee Chairs
Local Resources
List of email and phone numbers
of all senators (including home numbers, if willing
to share)
Local Senate Website
Constitution and By Laws
Agendas and Minutes
Local Senate Goals
College Mission Statement
and Goals
Committee Assignments, Reports
Communications
Local faculty newsletters
Copies of local reports from task
forces, planning committees
Regulations
Governance Agreement
Full-time Faculty Hiring Agreement
Part-time Faculty Hiring Agreement
Peer Evaluation Process
Administrative Retreat Rights
Administrative Evaluation
FSA's
Disciplines List
Equivalency Determination Procedure
Board Policies and Regulations,
particularly for: Governance, Program Review,
Tenure, Curriculum Approval
Models for:
Curriculum Approval
Policy Committees and
Objectives
The Brown Act
Student Equity
Planning and Budgeting
Faculty Internships
State-wide Resources
The Academic Senate statewide
directory of:
Executive Committee Members
Local Senate Presidents/President-elects
/Vice Presidents
Academic Senate Website
http://www.asccc.org
Bylaws and Rules
List of the Academic Senate publications
Agendas and Minutes of Executive
Committee
Committee Descriptions and Rosters
Communications
Rostrum (statements, articles
of official positions on issues and topical matters)
The Academic Senate Legislative
Report
Updates (President's messages)
Forum (collection of faculty
artistic expression)
Regulations
Consultation Process
Minimum Qualifications and Equivalencies
Strengthening Senates
Role and Staff and Students in
Governance
[Links to Title 5 and the Education
Code are contained on the Academic Senate Website]
Interpretations of Regulations
“Participating Effectively
in District and College Governance” Academic
Senate and CCLC, Fall 1998.
Chancellor's Office Web Site
http://www.cccco.edu/
BOG & Consultation Council
agendas minutes,
MIS data (e.g., total apportionment
dollars for each district,
Legal opinions and advisories
Grant information
Links to all the units and CO
personnel
D. Institutionalizing
Your Senate's Effectiveness:
Seeking Technical Assistance
to Ensure Compliance
This document and the rich resources
of the Academic Senate, including its elected
Executive Committee and office staff, its institutes
and publications, are dedicated to ensuring your
success as a local senate president. Despite
your best efforts, occasionally, laws and regulations
concerning participatory governance need further
clarification, or perhaps a particular academic
and professional issue has seriously divided faculty
from administrators or trustees. Sometimes, regrettably,
a local senate may experience serious discord
with administrators or trustees concerning the
appropriate roles of the faculty in governance
or an interpretation of compliance issues. At
other times, the college or district would profit
from a workshop or presentation on a single feature
of the governance process.
In such instances, the Academic
Senate is prepared to assist your senate, your
faculty and staff, students, administrators, and
trustees understand their appropriate roles in
effective participatory governance. The Academic
Senate partners with the Community College League
of California (CCLC) to send representatives to
meet with local personnel on the campus. Often
called "technical assistance," there
are actually four kinds of assistance available
to you through the collaborative efforts of these
two organizations. To identify which option is
best suited for your particular needs, review
with your college or district administrator the
options. Appendix N describes the variety of
technical assistance offerings and concludes with
an Assistance Request Form you may copy and submit
if your senate seeks these services. Remember
that
requests must be signed by representatives
of both the local senate and the college president
or chancellor, as appropriate; AND
colleges or districts must underwrite the
travel costs incurred by the visiting team.
Beyond that, your local senate
is linked to the larger body of faculty through
the Academic Senate's formal relationship with
the American Association with University Professors
(AAUP). Appendix O outlines this relationship
and indicates how additional technical assistance
and review may be possible through association
with this national professional organization.
