Faculty Association & Senate

Preamble:

The accomplishment of the goals of any educational institution depends on the successful interaction of the administration, the faculty and the students.  It is the faculty which carries out the institution’s primary function, the education of students, and it is the proximity to both students and administration which puts the faculty in an advantageous position to assess student and institutional needs.  Therefore, it is prudent and necessary that the faculty play a role in planning, policy-making, and decision-making processes of that institution.

In order to best address the needs of the students, the faculty and the administration of the institution, it is essential that faculty members be involved and informed.  In order to promote faculty participation in the planning, policy-making and decision-making processes of the institution, a constitution is herein established for a Faculty Association.

ARTICLE I – Name:

• The name of this organization shall be Kilgore College Faculty Association, hereinafter referred to as the “Faculty Association.”

ARTICLE II – Purposes:

• The purposes of the Faculty Association shall be to represent the interests of the faculty in their relations with the college administration and the Board of Trustees; to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and information; to provide opportunities for professional growth and development among the faculty; and to provide for active participation in the planning, policy-making and decision-making processes of the institution.

ARTICLE III – Membership:

• Section 1.  Regular.  All full-time faculty and professional support staff as defined in the by-laws will be regular members in the Faculty Association.
• Section 2.  Honorary.  Person who have contributed significantly to the Faculty Association, but who are not eligible for regular membership may be voted honorary membership by majority vote of the Faculty Senate.  An honorary member will be entitled to all privileges of membership except those of voting and of holding office.

ARTICLE IV – Dues:

• Section 1.  Regular Members.  No dues will be assessed for purposes of membership in the Faculty Association.
• Section 2.  Honorary Members.  No dues will be assessed for honorary members.

ARTICLE V – Meetings:

• There will be a minimum of two called Faculty Association meetings during each school year.  The first meeting will be called within the first week following the beginning of the Fall semester, the time and place to be designated by the President.  A second meeting will be called in the Spring semester at a date, time, and place to be designated by the President.

ARTICLE VI – Faculty Association Senate:

• Section 1.  Name.  The name of the council of representatives of the Faculty Association will be the Faculty Association Senate, hereinafter referred to as the “Senate.”
• Section 2.  Purposes.  The purpose of the Senate is to provide the means by which Faculty Association members can participate in the planning, policy-making and decision-making processes of the college.

ARTICLE VII – Faculty Association Senate Members:

• Senate members will be elected by the members of the Faculty Association according to the procedure described in the by-laws.  The duty of the Senators is to represent the members of the Faculty Association.
• In the event that a Senator must be absent from a Faculty Association Senate meeting, the Senator will designate a representative as an alternate.

ARTICLE VIII – Officers:

• Section 1.  Definition.  The officers of the Faculty Association shall be the President, President-Elect, Secretary, and the Immediate Past President. These officers constitute the Executive Committee.
• Section 2.  Election.  The President-Elect will be elected by all members of the Faculty Association.
• Section 3.  Term.  Officers’ terms of office shall be for one twelve-month academic year.  A President-Elect who succeeds to the presidency will serve for the remainder of the term vacated and will thereinafter serve as President for one full term.  The President and President elect shall take office at the end of the spring semester.
• Section 4.  Vacancies.  In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, or should the President no longer qualify as a Faculty Association member, the President-Elect will succeed to the presidency.  In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-Elect, or should the President-Elect no longer qualify as a Faculty Association member, the Senate by majority vote shall fill the vacancy from its membership until a special election can be held.  This special election will be held within two months.  In the event that both offices of President and President-Elect are vacated, the Immediate Past President shall preside until a special election can be held.  Such a special election will be held within two months.  In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary, the President shall appoint and individual to fill the vacancy, in the office of the Immediate Past President shall remain unfilled.

ARTICLE IX – Powers, Duties, and Responsibilities of Officers:

• Section1.  President.  The President will prepare the agenda and preside at all meetings of the Faculty Association and Senate, oversee appointment of all committee members, with consent of the Senate, and shall enforce parliamentary procedures at all meetings pursuant to Robert’s Rules of Order.  The President will be the spokesperson of the Faculty Association and will be the official liaison with the Administration and Board of Trustees.  The President will approve all formal communications and statements of policy issued in the name of the Faculty Association and the Faculty Senate.
• Section 2.  President-Elect.  The President-Elect will preside over the meetings of the Senate, and of the Executive Committee in the absence of the President.  The President-Elect will assist the President as needed.  The President-Elect will direct his/her efforts toward the development of an adequate understanding of the activities of the Faculty Association in order to provide continuity of those activities during his/her term as President.  The President-Elect will automatically assume the duties of the President for the next year.  The President-Elect will interact with the Administration and the Board of Trustees as directed by the President or the Executive Committee.
• Section 3.  Secretary.  The Secretary will be responsible for maintaining accurate minutes of the meetings and for distributing copies of the minutes or other records of the official proceedings of the Senate and/or the Executive Committee.  The Secretary will maintain a file of minutes, correspondence, policy decisions, committee reports and other records of the Faculty Association and Senate for the duration of his/her term of office and turn over these files to archives at the end of his/her term of office.  The Secretary will interact with the Administration and the Board of Trustees as directed by the President or the Executive Committee.
• Section 4.  Immediate Past President.  The Immediate Past President will provide advice and counsel concerning the operation and the activities of the Faculty Association and Senate and will serve as a member of the Executive Committee.  The Immediate Past President will interact with the Administration and the Board of Trustees as directed by the President or the Executive Committee.
• Section 5.  Appointed Officers.  The President may appoint any officer he/she deems necessary for the organization and management of the Faculty Association and Senate, subject to the approval of the Senate.  Appointed officers will serve a term corresponding to that of the President who appointed them.  Appointed officers may come from any member of the Faculty Association regardless of whether they are a Senate member or not.  With the exception of the Secretary, appointed officers are not members of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE X – Committees:

• Section 1.  Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee will consist of the elected officers of the organization and will exercise general managerial authority and responsibility over the activities of the Faculty Association.  The Executive Committee will establish policies of the Senate consistent with the Constitution, and the By-laws, and will carry out any responsibilities as may be directed by the membership of the Faculty Association.
• Section 2.  Standing Committees.  Memberships on Standing Committees will be by appointment from the general membership of the Faculty Association.  Faculty Association members are limited to service on two committees at one time.  The President will examine and direct issues to the proper standing committee(s) of the Faculty Association.  If an issue does not fall under the duties and responsibilities of any of these committees, then an ad hoc committee may be formed by the President with the consent of the Senate.  Standing committees are defined in the by-laws.
• Section 3.  Committee Liaisons.  A Senator will be selected by the President, with the consent of the Senate, to serve as liaison and ex-officio member of all committees of the Faculty Association.
• Section 4.  Committee Chairs.  Each committee will select a chair and or officers from its membership.
• Section 5.  Committee Reports.  Timely reports shall be presented to the Senate by each committee chair.

ARTICLE XI –  Faculty Senate Meetings:

• The first regular Faculty Senate meeting will be called within the first four weeks following the beginning of the Fall semester, the time and place to be designated by the President of the Senate.  At least one week’s notice will be given for regular Senate meetings.  All other Faculty Senate meetings will be held at times and places to be announced by the President.  Emergency meetings may be called by the President, as needed, with at least a 24-hour notice.
• Faculty Senate meetings are open to all members of the Faculty Association, however, voting privileges are reserved for Senate members only.  Amendments to the Constitution are an exception to this rule and are considered the business of the entire Faculty Association membership.

Article XII – Amending the Constitution:

• Section 1.  Petitions to Amend.  An amendment to this Constitution will be proposed by written petition of at least 25 Faculty Association Members, which must be submitted to the President.  The proposed amendment will be printed and distributed to the Faculty Association membership.
• Section 2.  Passage of Amendments.  For Purposes of discussion, debate, or revision, the proposed constitutional amendment will be considered at a called meeting of the Faculty Association to be held at least two weeks following initial printing and distribution to the Faculty Association membership.  Passage will be by a 2/3 vote of the Faculty Association members present and voting.

ARTICLE XIII – By-laws:

• The Faculty Senate shall have the authority to make its own by-laws for the conduct of its business.  By-laws will be voted on by Senators at regular Senate meetings, and a two-thirds vote of the entire Senate will be required for passage of revisions.