bylaws

A. Each of the following representational areas may select a minimum of one Senator. Groups are entitled to one Senator for every ten full-time faculty members or portion thereof, to a maximum of four.

See Section III of this Article for selection procedures.

Business Science

Counseling Services and Special Programs

Emeritus Institute

Fine Arts and Communications

Health Sciences and Human Services

Learning Resources

Liberal Arts

Mathematics, Science and Engineering

Physical Education & Athletics

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Technology and Applied Science

Ex Officio - Classified Senate representative; student representative for Associated Student Government

B. The Associate Faculty representational area may select four Senators. See Section III of this Article for selection procedures. C. The Academic Senate President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, and Academic Senate Past President, and any faculty member currently holding office in the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate of Saddleback College, represent the Faculty at large and are seated in addition to those members of the Academic Senate mentioned in A and B. SECTION III. Selection of Senators

Each representational area, as defined in Section II of this Article, shall select its Senators according to the guidelines established within the area. Newly-selected Senators shall be seated at the Fall In-Service Academic Senate meeting, or at the first Academic Senate meeting after their selection.

To be eligible to be selected as a senator, the faculty member’s schedule must permit attendance at Senate meetings.

SECTION IV. Academic Senate Vacancies

The Academic Senate President will declare vacant the seat of any Senator who is unable to complete his/her term of office, or who misses two consecutive meetings or three meetings in a semester without sending a designee, or who becomes ineligible to hold membership in the Academic Senate. Vacancies will be immediately filled in the manner described in Section III of this Article.

SECTION V. Recall, Removal, and Replacement of Senators

The Academic Senate may remove a Senator by a two-thirds vote. The Academic Senate President shall notify the affected representational area of the vacancy.

A representational area may select, recall, and replace its Senator. The newly-selected Senator shall complete the remaining original term of office.

SECTION VI. Designated Representatives

Representational areas whose Senator cannot attend a meeting may be represented by another member of the area. This representative will have full rights and privileges of a Senator during that Academic Senate meeting. The designee(s) must inform the Academic Senate Secretary/Treasurer upon their arrival.

SECTION VII. Duties of Senators

Senators shall attend and actively participate in all regular and special meetings of the Academic Senate. It is the Senator’s responsibility to develop a work schedule around the Senate’s regularly scheduled meeting time as defined in Article III.

All Senators shall be eligible for and should anticipate appointment to at least one Academic Senate standing committee or ad hoc committee per academic year.

Senators shall be the liaison between their representational areas and the Academic Senate.

ARTICLE II

ACADEMIC SENATE OFFICERS

SECTION I. Election of Officers

The President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer and Past President are the elected officers. The President-Elect and Secretary/Treasurer are elected yearly by a vote of all full-time and associate faculty. Each part-time faculty member has a one-half vote and each full-time faculty member has one vote. All candidates for the Academic Senate office should make their candidacy known to the current Secretary/Treasurer by the first Academic Senate meeting in February.

An Academic Senate Election Committee should be approved by the Academic Senate at the second Academic Senate meeting of the spring semester. The duties of this committee include presenting the slate of officers and planning and supervising the election. After the slate is presented, additional nominations will be accepted from the floor. The Election Committee is also responsible for printing and distributing ballots in a timely manner to all faculty.

The election of officers will take place during the month of March. Faculty should be given two weeks to cast their ballots at a secure place determined by the Academic Senate Election Committee. An unmarked ballot or abstention will not be counted as a vote. In the event a candidate is not selected by a majority of the votes cast on the first ballot, the top two candidates will participate in a run-off election during the first week in April. In the event there is only one candidate for a particular office, a majority of the votes cast is required.

Special Elections:

Should a vacancy occur before regular elections are scheduled, or should regular elections not be possible for any reason, special elections may be held upon approval of the senate. Such elections shall maintain the same voting and announcement procedures as regular elections.

The retiring President-Elect shall assume the office of President. The Past President position is reserved for the retiring President.

SECTION II: Eligibility of Officers

A. All tenured faculty are eligible to run for the office of President-Elect. All faculty, full-time or part-time, are eligible to run for the office of Secretary/Treasurer.

B. No faculty member can run for or hold more than one office simultaneously.

SECTION III: Term of Office A. Newly elected officers shall take office at the close of the commencement ceremony ending the academic year.

B. If there are no newly elected Academic Senate officers, the current Academic Senate officers will stay in office until new elections are held.

C. The term of office shall be for one year.

SECTION IV: Duties of the Officers A. Duties of the President:

The President shall prepare the agenda of all regular and special meetings of the Academic Senate, post each agenda in compliance with the Brown Act, and distribute each agenda to all Senators at the time of public posting.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Senate. The President or a designated Senator shall represent the Academic Senate at all Board of Trustees meetings, as well as relevant district and college meetings. The President, in consultation with the Academic Senate, shall appoint faculty members to represent the faculty in college-wide committees. The President shall oversee all income and expenses incurred by the Senate.

The President or the President’s designee shall attend Fall and Spring meetings of the California Community College Academic Senate and regional Community College Academic Senate meetings.

The President shall chair all meetings of the Executive Committee.

B. Duties of the President-Elect:

The President Elect shall act as President in his/her absence and assume the presidency in the event that the President cannot complete his/her term of office.

The President-Elect shall attend all meetings of the Executive Committee.

C. Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer:

The Secretary/Treasurer shall prepare and keep a permanent record of all regular and special meetings. The Secretary/Treasurer shall distribute the minutes of the previous meeting at least 72 hours before all regularly scheduled or special meetings of the Academic Senate (in compliance with the Brown Act). The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep an account of all the income and expenses incurred by the Academic Senate.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall attend all meetings of the Executive Committee.

D. Duties of the Past President

The Past President, shall provide support and expertise to the President.

The Past President, acting as parliamentarian, shall recommend parliamentary procedures as prescribed in the most current version of Robert’s Rules of Order. In the event that the Past President’s position is vacant, the President-Elect shall assume the above responsibilities.

With the approval of the Senate, the President may appoint any former President to this position if the current Past President cannot serve.

SECTION V. Removal and Replacement of Officers A. An Academic Senate officer may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Academic Senate.

B. The Academic Senate President may declare vacant the seat of any officer who is unable to complete his/her term of office, who is absent for three consecutive meetings, or who becomes ineligible to hold membership in the Academic Senate.

C. A vacancy in the office of President-Elect or Secretary/Treasurer shall be filled pro tem by election at the next regular Academic Senate meeting after the vacancy occurs. Proper notification in compliance with the Brown Act will occur. A special election to fill any such vacancy permanently will be held six weeks after the vacancy occurs. The election shall be governed by the general procedures set forth in Article II, Section I of these ByLaws.

D. The presidency shall be assumed by the President-Elect.

ARTICLE III

MEETINGS AND SENATE PROCEDURES

SECTION I. Regular Meetings of the Academic Senate and Executive Committee

A. A regular meeting of the Academic Senate shall be held every other week. The Academic Senate shall approve a calendar of meeting dates and times that shall be proposed at the first senate meeting of the academic year.

B. The Executive Committee shall meet in the contractual week preceding each regular meeting of the Academic Senate in due time to ensure compliance with all provisions of the Brown Act. The Senate shall approve a calendar of Executive Committee meeting dates at the same time it approves regular Academic Senate meetings.

SECTION II. Ralph M. Brown Act

A. Notice of the agenda shall be posted in a public place at least 72 hours before any meeting, except in an emergency. All emergency meetings shall comply with the notice requirements for an emergency meeting under the Ralph M. Brown Act.

B. All meetings of this organization shall be public meetings. No meeting, or executive session of this organization, or any committee or sub-committee meeting of this organization shall be closed to the public except to discuss a personnel matter, or to discuss litigation in which the Academic Senate is involved, or may be involved.

C. All Votes shall be taken in accordance with the Provisions of the Brown Act, in the manner described in Section V of this Article. at any reasonable business hour.

SECTION III. Special Meetings

A. The President may call a special meeting at his or her own discretion

B. The President must call a special meeting within one week of receiving a written petition of a meeting, if signed by at least five Senators. Paper notification of special meetings shall be given to all Senators at least 48 hours prior to the meeting and shall contain a general statement of the business to be discussed.

SECTION IV. Quorum and Attendance at Academic Senate Meetings

A majority of the Academic Senate shall constitute the quorum necessary to conduct official business. Members of the faculty, administrators, students, community members and other resource personnel may attend all open meetings of the Academic Senate. The President may put the meeting into executive session as prescribed in The Ralph M. Brown Act.

SECTION V. Meeting Procedures

A. The Academic Senate may adopt Standing Rules to implement the intent and purposes of these Bylaws.

B. Standing Rules shall be adopted by a majority vote of the Academic Senate.

C. Except as otherwise provided, the most recent Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern meeting procedures.

C. All votes shall be taken by voice, roll call or a signed ballot. All ballots shall be held for one year and be available for public inspection at any reasonable business hour. The Senate shall not tke any action by secret ballot, whether preliminary or final.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

SECTION I. Committee Membership Eligibility

All faculty are eligible to serve on Academic Senate committees.

SECTION II. Standing Committees

The Academic Senate shall approve membership on standing committees by a majority vote. The standing committees are:

Calendar

Constitution/Bylaws

Cross-Cultural Studies

Curriculum

Faculty Development

General Education

Honors Board

Full-Time Faculty Hiring Committee

Program Review

Standards and Ethics

Women's and Gender Studies

SECTION III. Ad Hoc Committees

The Academic Senate may establish committees to accomplish specific tasks. Upon completion of these tasks, these committees may be dissolved or approved as a standing committee.

SECTION IV. Committee Chairpersons

Committee chairpersons may be recommended by the Academic Senate President or by the committee and approved by the Academic Senate. Chairpersons of standing committees shall be appointed for one academic year.

SECTION V. College/District Committee Membership

A. Any college or district committee that deals with academic and professional matters, as defined in sections 53200-53204 of Title 5 of the Administrative Code of California, shall have faculty representation approved by the Academic Senate.

B. Any faculty member serving on a college or district committee must be approved the by Academic Senate.

SECTION VI. Removal of Committee Members

An Academic Senate committee member may be removed at any time by a two-thirds vote of the Academic Senate.

ARTICLE V

AMENDMENTS

With previous notice, the Academic Senate can propose, change, and amend its bylaws by a two-thirds vote of the
Academic Senate.

Questions or comments about this page may be sent to:
Acadsenate@saddleback.edu, Academic Senate Office

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