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Bylaws

PennWest Clarion OF PENNSYLVANIA
FACULTY SENATE
BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I
Officers

Section 1.

The Senate shall, annually or when a vacancy exists, elect by secret ballot a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary from among its elected members in a manner prescribed by the Senate's Standing Rules of Order. Their term of office shall be for one year, provided that when an election is held to fill a vacancy, their period shall be for the unexpired part of the original term of office. These officers shall be eligible for re-election.

Section 2.

The Chair shall be the presiding officer of the Senate and shall be an ex officio member of all committees. The Chair shall appoint a Parliamentarian from the University's Faculty to serve during the term of office but the Parliamentarian shall not vote in the Senate unless a member. It is the stated policy of the University to make an equitable adjustment in the Chair's academic schedule during an individual's incumbency and to provide needed secretarial assistance and office facilities.

Section 3.

The Vice Chair shall serve, ex officio, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Committees and Rules. The Vice Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair when the Chair is absent, shall be responsible for supervising the Senate elections, and shall perform other duties appropriate to the office.

Section 4.

The Chair shall, in consultation with the Senate Policy Committee, propose to the President of the University a nominee for appointment as a salaried clerk. The clerk is subject to removal upon motion by the Senate Policy Committee addressed to the President of the University.
The Secretary of the Senate, under the supervision of the Chair and with the assistance of the clerk, shall keep the official roll; shall prepare, publish and distribute notices, agenda, and minutes of the Senate meetings; shall maintain appropriate files for the retaining Senate records; and shall perform other assigned duties appropriate to the office.

ARTICLE II
Election of the Senate

Section 1.

The Vice Chair, with the assistance of the clerk, shall be responsible for preparing, during the month of February, an official list of faculty members eligible to vote, as of the beginning of the second semester. The official list shall be certified by a representative of the Office of the President and shall be arranged alphabetically by department.
Not later than one week before the date for casting nomination ballots, the Vice Chair shall furnish each Faculty member, as defined in Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution, a copy of the official voting list. Attached thereto shall be a statement indicating the number of nominees to be chosen and specify that, for a nomination ballot to be valid, the voter must enter from the official list the number of names equal to the number of nominations to be made.

Section 2.

Nominations shall be conducted on the first Tuesday of April provided that this date does not conflict with the spring vacation. Should this occur, the Faculty Senate shall designate an alternate date.

A ballot box suitable for receiving written and secret ballots shall be placed in one central location on each campus. A copy of the voting list shall be placed nearby and voters shall, upon voting, sign it opposite their names. The Vice Chair shall have the responsibility for carrying out the above procedures.

The number of nominees shall be twice the number of offices to be filled in each election and those receiving highest number of votes shall be nominated, provided that if the number of nominees is less than twice the number of offices to be filled, such list of nominees shall be valid for the purpose of the election.

The Vice Chair shall collect the ballot boxes, and the ballots shall be counted under the direction of the Committee on Committees and Rules which for this purpose shall act as a canvassing committee, but with any member of the Senate eligible to participate in this counting. The Vice Chair of the Senate shall certify the results and cause the names of the nominees to be sent by E-mail to all "Faculty' (as defined in Article I, section 1 of the PennWest Clarion Faculty Senate Constitution) but without indicating the votes received by each one.

Nominees shall be notified directly and may withdraw, upon immediate return notice to the Vice Chair, whereupon the person next highest in the number of votes, and not withdrawing, shall be moved up on the list of nominees. In case of tie votes at the bottom of the list, the Vice Chair of the Senate and the special canvassing committee shall break the tie by casting lots.

A withdrawal received after the official nominating ballots have been prepared shall create a vacancy to be filled as provided in Section 4 below, in case such a nominee is elected.

Section 3.

Elections shall be held on the third Tuesday of April. Uniform ballots carrying the names of the nominees shall be prepared under the direction of the Vice Chair. The position of names on the ballot should be determined by lot. The election shall follow the same procedures as set forth in Sections 1 and 2 above.

The ballots shall contain printed instructions that votes must be cast for the number of nominees equal to the number of offices to be filled for the ballot to be valid. The ballot boxes shall be collected and counted in the same manner as prescribed in Section 2 above including the provision for breaking tie votes. The Vice Chair shall certify the results and cause them to be sent by E-mail to all "Faculty" (as defined in Article I, section 1 of the PennWest Clarion Faculty Senate Constitution) but without indicating the votes received by each one.

Section 4.

Vacancies in the Senate membership shall be filled for the unexpired period by the person who received the next highest number of votes in the previous Senate election.

ARTICLE III
Committees

Section 1.

The Senate shall determine its committee structure, composition, and authority subject to the following provisions:

  1. Any member of the University staff, academic or non-academic, or any full-time student of the University may be appointed to a committee.
  2. Any member of a committee who is not a Senator shall have non-voting privileges on the floor of the Senate on issues of concern to one's committee.
  3. Chairs of standing committees must be elected members of the Senate.
  4. Assignments of responsibilities specified in the Constitution shall be controlling.

Section 2.

The Committee on Committees and Rules shall consist of three members including the Vice Chair of the Senate, who shall serve as chair of this committee. The two other members shall also be elected annually by the Senate.

Section 3.

The other standing committees of the Senate shall consist of six members, exclusive of its Chair. The members, with the exception of the members of the Committee on Courses and Programs of Study (CCPS), shall be appointed by the Senate upon the recommendation of the Committee on the Committees and Rules. Members shall serve for three years, with the selection of two members each year.

The six faculty members of CCPS shall be elected by the members of the Bargaining Unit according to the rules governing bargaining unit elections. The Student Senate may name two students to the CCPS and the Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs shall represent the Administration. The Chair of CCPS shall be a Senator who is a member of the Bargaining Unit, jointly appointed by the Chair of the Faculty Senate and the President of the Bargaining Unit (APSCUF).

These committees include Academic Standards, CCPS, Faculty Affairs, Institutional Resources, Student Affairs, Venango Campus and University Budget.

Section 4.

Standing committees of the Senate shall function through standing subcommittees as specified in Section 8. Each subcommittee shall consist of six faculty members appointed by the Senate upon the recommendation of the Committee on Committees and Rules. Members shall serve for three years, with the selection of two members each year. The subcommittee will elect a chair from its members. The chair of the standing committee shall serve as a member ex officio on all its subcommittees and will vote only in case of a tie.

Section 5.

The total membership of a committee or subcommittee shall be increased by the addition of
student representatives as specified in Section 8.

Section 6.

In all cases, persons on leave of absence or sabbatical leave, may be replaced during the time of leave by appointment by the Senate after consultation with the Chair of the Committee.

Section 7.

The Committee Chair shall submit to the Chair of the Faculty Senate a written year-end report which shall be turned in two weeks prior to the last scheduled Faculty Senate meeting in the Spring Semester. The out-going Chair of the Faculty Senate shall be in charge of distributing the reports to the general faculty and shall also include a report reviewing the Senate action for the year.

Section 8.

The standing committees and subcommittees of the Faculty Senate shall be those listed below:

  1. Committee on Academic Standards
    The Committee shall advise the Faculty Senate on matters relating to academic achievement, grading systems, standards of scholarship both for entering and remaining in the University and in specific colleges and programs of the University, graduation, and terms and conditions of academic probation and reinstatement. It shall investigate any of these areas and initiate policies or changes in policies relating to them.
    It shall have the authority to act on individual problems of admissions, readmission, and reinstatement referred to it by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, faculty members, or students.
    The Committee shall have the authority to investigate, on its own initiative or as directed by the Faculty Senate, matters relating to general standards of admission to the University and standards of admissions to specific colleges or areas of the University.
    The Committee shall have the authority to make recommendations to the Faculty Senate on those matters related to the various aspects of the athletics programs of the University, including, but not limited to, such matters as student eligibility, athletic budget review, five year reviews/plans, gender equity, athletic scholarships, athlete recruitment and retention, schedules for athletic contests, and participation in post season play. It shall approve revisions to the Athletic Handbook and it shall act as the faculty committee on athletic scholarships.
  2. Committee on Committee and Rules
    The Committee, in consultation with the Chair of the Senate, shall have the responsibility for making standing committee and subcommittee nominations upon its own initiative, subject to approval by the Faculty Senate. It shall use its discretion in determining individual preferences of the Faculty for committee assignments. It shall review and make recommendations on committee structure and organization. Nominations for student representatives on the various committees of the Senate shall be proposed only after consultation with appropriate student officers.
    All proposals for amending the Constitution, the By-laws, and the Standing Rules of the Senate shall be referred to the Committee for analysis and clarification, provided that its recommendations shall not alter the basic intent of the proposals referred to it.
    The members of the Committee shall be responsible for election duties referred to in Article II.
    The Vice Chair of the Senate shall be the ex officio Chair of the Committee. The Parliamentarian of the Senate shall be a member ex officio and shall not vote unless elected to the Committee by the Senate.
  3. Committee on Courses and Programs of Study
    The committee on Courses and Programs of Study (CCPS) shall function as a joint Bargaining Unit - Faculty Senate Committee as indicated in Article III, Section 3. The Committee shall review all proposals relating to courses and programs of study, evaluate them in the context of the curriculum of the entire University, and make recommendations thereon to the Faculty Senate. To facilitate the task, it shall prepare standard forms and procedures for use in receiving proposals and shall conduct hearings open to all members of the Faculty and student body. The Senate may refer other curricular matters to this committee.
    It is the stated policy of the University to make an equitable adjustment in the academic schedule of the Chair of this Committee and to provide needed secretarial assistance and office facilities.
    Revisions to the General Education Program of the University, beyond course placement decisions, shall be initiated by the Faculty Senate based upon assessment data received by the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate shall appoint a select committee to craft the changes for submission to CCPS which will in turn send a recommendation to the full Faculty Senate.
  4. Committee on Faculty Affairs
    The Committee shall advise Senate on matters concerning faculty affairs and shall make recommendations, except as modified by the collective bargaining agreement, on general policy and specific criteria for promotion, tenure, salary, leaves, and professional development. Its concern extends to all matters relating to the cultural, social, and material welfare of the faculty and to the maintenance and improvement of its professional standards.
  5. Committee on Institutional Resources
    The Committee shall serve as the advisory body of the Faculty Senate on all matters affecting the growth and development of the physical and academic facilities of the University, including planning for the future. It shall have the responsibility to initiate conferences with the appropriate planning, budgetary, and general administrative officers of the University relating to the use and development of institutional recourses. It shall evaluate issues relating to the assignment of space, facilities, and personnel in terms of the stated goals of the University.
    The Committee shall recommend such policies or changes in policies that it determines are needed to enhance the value of technology-related resources to the academic functions of the University.
    The Committee oversees the library as a University resource and considers matters which affect the usefulness of the library to Faculty and students. It shall be responsible for reviewing and evaluating developments in the acquisition and dissemination of information through the library.
  6. Committee on Student Affairs
    The Committee shall be concerned with policies involving student life at the University. It shall have jurisdiction over general rules and regulations pertaining to student affairs, subject to confirmation by the Senate. It acts as liaison with the Student Senate.
    The Committee shall have two student representatives selected by the Student Senate and it shall have at least one faculty member from the Office of Student Affairs.
    The Committee considers issues related to the extra-curricular, cultural, and entertainment matters such as concerts, art shows, etc., that are made available to students. It shall serve as a nominations committee for the student recognition awards. The applicants for the awards shall be gathered by the Office of Student Affairs.
  7. Committee on Venango Campus
    The Committee shall serve as the advisory body to the Faculty Senate on matters unique to Venango Campus in all areas covered by specific committees on the Clarion Campus, except the Committee on Courses and Programs of Study.
    The Committee shall have one student representative selected by the Student Senate of Venango Campus.
  8. Committee on the University Budget
    The Committee shall advise the Faculty Senate on matters concerning the University budget. The Committee shall examine trends in University expenditures, the process of allocating and decision making concerning the budget, and on other aspects of the University budget process as deemed appropriate by the Faculty Senate. It shall evaluate issues of budget policy in terms of the stated goals of the University.

ARTICLE IV
Meetings

Section 1.

Regular meeting of the Senate shall be held on Monday fourteen times during the academic year. The meeting shall take place according to a calendar established by the Chair of the Senate, except that members present at any meeting may, by a majority vote, change the date for any subsequent meeting and/or call for a special meeting.

Section 2.

The Chair, upon request of the President of the University, shall convene the Senate to receive information deemed of concern to the Faculty. No motion can be received or acted upon at this meeting regarding any matters presented by the President of the University.

Section 3.

The Chair shall convene the Senate upon written petition signed by ten members of the University Faculty or by resolution of the Student Senate for the purpose of considering specific proposals.

Section 4.

During the period between academic years, a Temporary Policy Committee, consisting of all elected officials of the Senate, i.e., the Chair, the Vice Chair, the Secretary, and two other members of the Committee on Committees and Rules, may be convened by the Chair of the Senate, or if unavailable the Vice Chair, to determine whether an extraordinary meeting is necessary. A majority of the Temporary Policy Committee shall prevail.
If such a meeting is convened, rules for determining a quorum as specified in Article V below are not changed. However, if a quorum does not appear, the assembly may discuss the reason for the meeting and, acting as an ad hoc committee, make a recommendation to be brought before the Faculty Senate at the next meeting at which a quorum is achieved.

Section 5.

Attendance at Faculty Senate Meetings is expected. If a Senator exhibits a pattern of absenteeism or misses three consecutive meetings, he/she will be given the opportunity to resign before the matter is brought to the Senate floor for action. Senators with an exclusively online teaching load, and residing more than fifty (50) miles from PennWest Clarion may, upon request, attend Faculty Senate Meetings via a conferencing technology.

ARTICLE V
Quorum

Section 1.

A quorum for transacting business shall consist of one half the Senators except as specified otherwise in the Constitution and the By-laws.

ARTICLE VI
Referenda

Section 1.
The Senate may conduct referenda of the Faculty.

ARTICLE VII
Rules of Procedure

Section 1.

The Senate shall establish its rules of procedure.

ARTICLE VIII
Induction of New Officers

Section 1.

The first meeting of each newly constituted Senate, following each annual election, shall be held not later than May 7. The meeting shall be called and chaired by the chair of the outgoing Senate for the purpose of electing officers and establishing a new Committee on Committees and Rules.

Section 2.

The Temporary Policy Committee referred to in Article IV, section 4, shall also act as the
Advisory committee to the president during the period between academic years. The
Temporary Policy Committee will be dissolved when the regular Policy committee is
confirmed by the Senate at the first Faculty Senate Meeting the fall semester.

ARTICLE IX
Faculty Assemblies

Section 1.

Assembled meetings of the Faculty shall be called by the President of the University upon written petition signed by at least twenty-five members of the Faculty stating reasons for the Assembly.

ARTICLE X
Amendments to the By-laws

Section 1.
Subject to the approval of the Council of Trustees, amendments to the By-laws may be adopted at any meeting of the Senate by a two-thirds vote of those present, provided that the amendments shall have been presented in writing at a preceding regular meeting.

Official signed version

Last Updated 8/22/22