The Constitution and Bylaws of the Faculty Senate

The Constitution of the Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate of Jackson State Community College is the representative body elected by the faculty.

The Faculty Senate of Jackson State Community College facilitates the active participation of faculty in all matters of academic and administrative governance.

Purpose

The purposes of the Faculty Senate of Jackson State Community College are to:

serve as a forum for the expression of all matters related to faculty welfare, college governance, and academic interests;
advocate on behalf of faculty in all matters related to faculty welfare, college governance, and academic interests;
communicate faculty concerns and interests to appropriate administrators or areas of the college;
pass resolutions related to faculty welfare, college governance, and academic interests;
promote camaraderie and morale among the faculty.

Organization

Representation- The Faculty Senate consists of representatives of the faculty to be elected as indicated below. The term “Faculty” is defined in the TBR policy No. 5:02:01:00. As per this definition of “Faculty,” adjunct faculty members do not have elected or appointed representatives on the Faculty Senate.

Representation to the Faculty Senate will be proportional to the number of full-time faculty serving the institution. Each division will have a minimum of two (2) elected representatives, and divisions with more than twenty faculty will have a third elected representative.

In addition to the above, two (2) at-large faculty representatives are elected through a popular vote by the full-time faculty.

Each person elected to serve as a Senate member serves a term of office for two (2) years and is eligible for re-election without term limits. Newly elected members begin their term of service on the day after spring commencement. Once elected, a Senate member will fulfill their term of service even if the number of constituents in their respective division drops. Senate membership will never fall below 12 members. If, for any reason, the total number of representatives to be elected from academic divisions falls below 10, additional at-large representatives will be elected, such that the Senate’s total number of representatives equals 12.

The past Senate President will serve in an advisory, non-voting role in an ex-officio position for the year immediately following their term of office. If the outgoing Senate President still has a year remaining in their elected term of office, they will keep their voting privileges and will advise the current Senate President as needed.

Election of Senate Members– The following guidelines are observed in the election of Senate members:

The election for Senate members takes place during the first two weeks of April.
Representation is on a staggered-term basis.
Ballots are distributed by and returned to the Senate Vice President who tabulates the votes and announces election results.
During the April meeting, the Senate members elect the Executive Committee (Faculty Senate President, Faculty Senate Vice President, and Faculty Senate Secretary), which serves throughout the next academic year. Voting eligibility is restricted to Senate members and members-elect who serve during the upcoming academic year. The Senate President, Senate Vice President, and Secretary serve one (1) year terms and may be re-elected.
In the event that any duly-elected Senate member is unable to fulfill the duties of office for a semester or more, the Senate initiates the election of a substitute representative to serve until the original member is able to resume service or until the expiration of the term. The mode of election of a substitute representative is the same as the method observed in the election of the original member. Such a substitute is eligible for re-election to the Senate at the next regular election.
Any vacancy occurring on the Senate during the academic year with at-large representatives may be filled, upon recommendation of a qualified candidate, by the affirmative two-thirds (2/3) vote of Senate members.
Any Senate member may resign at any time by filing a resignation with the Senate President.
Any Senate member may be recalled by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of their constituency.
Senate-elect and officers-elect will begin their official term of service at the end of Spring Commencement exercises.
Eligibility: Given the sensitive nature of discussion during Senate meetings and in order to promote and encourage free discourse, faculty serving as deans are not eligible for election to the Faculty Senate.

TBR Faculty Sub-Council Representative– A full-time faculty member is elected to attend the quarterly TBR Faculty Sub-Council meetings in Nashville. This position serves in an advisory role to the Faculty Senate and is without voting privileges. The term of office is three (3) years, beginning on the day after spring commencement, and is eligible for re-election. The election of this representative follows the process described in section B. This representative may be recalled by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the faculty.

Meetings

The Faculty Senate meets monthly during the academic year. The Senate President has the authority to call a meeting of the Senate at any time of the year, including the summer months.

The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate meets with the Vice President of Academic Affairs monthly and as needed.

Officers and Their Responsibilities

The Executive Committee of Faculty Senate includes:

Faculty Senate President

It is the responsibility of the Senate President to:

preside over Senate meetings,
report the proceedings of Senate meetings directly to the Vice President of Academic Affairs,
serve as faculty marshal for the commencement exercises,
attend the President’s Cabinet meetings,
prepare an end-of-year report of any outstanding business items and submit it to the Faculty Senate,
attend the TBR Faculty Sub-Council meetings in Nashville if the elected faculty representative is unable to attend,
serve on the Foundation Board of Trustees and all other committee work as assigned.

Faculty Senate Vice President

It is the responsibility of the Senate Vice President to:

preside in the absence of the Senate President,
serve as the liaison to adjunct faculty,
attend the TBR Faculty Sub-Council meetings in Nashville if both the elected faculty representative and Senate President are unable to attend.

In the event that the Senate President’s position becomes vacant, the Senate Vice President will complete the Senate President’s term. An election for Senate Vice President will be held among the members of the Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Secretary

It is the responsibility of the Senate Secretary to:

keep accurate and complete minutes of each Senate meeting and post each set of minutes to jWeb after approval,
preside over Senate meetings in the absence of the Senate President and Senate Vice President.

Faculty Senate Duties

The duties of the Faculty Senate are as follows:

Hold regularly scheduled meetings, which are designated as an open session, closed session, or an executive session, depending on the nature of the business being transacted.
Inform both the administration and faculty of action taken by the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate has the power to require either written notice of administrative action taken or written notice of administrative refusal to act.
Act in the best interest of the faculty, a principle which governs all Faculty Senate actions.
Publish a proposed agenda of topics before each meeting.
Review and make recommendations for the revision of the Faculty Handbook and college policies. The Faculty Senate is empowered to oversee and approve any alterations to the Faculty Handbook.
Faculty Senate members elected as a division representative are expected to keep their division constituents aware of Senate proceedings.
Faculty Senate members elected as at-large members are responsible for representing and communicating with all faculty.
In questions of voting, it is the responsibility of each member to act in the best interests of their constituents.

Each Senate member is expected to attend all meetings. Any member who is unable to attend a regularly scheduled or special meeting must designate a proxy for that meeting and notify the Senate President that a proxy has been designated. In the event that the Senate member is incapable of appointing a proxy, the Senate President will request that the faculty in that division nominate a proxy to attend the meeting.

Senate members participate in college governance by ensuring faculty representation on all college standing and ad hoc committees.
The Senate President will appoint a committee to review the Faculty Senate Bylaw and Constitution for possible revisions/updates on an annual basis.

Faculty Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of each faculty member to:

contact a Senate representative to express any opinions and wishes concerning matters under Senate consideration;
abide by any Senate decision that is based on the majority will of the faculty.

Bylaws of the Constitution of the Faculty Senate

Purpose

The purpose of these By-Laws is to supplement the Constitution of the Faculty Senate and to provide procedural guidelines not available in the Constitution.

Meetings

The time and place of the meetings are designated by the Senate President.
A quorum to conduct business requires two-thirds (2/3) of the Senate members, with all recommendations made on the basis of a simple majority. In the summer months, the necessary quorum may be reduced upon consent of a simple majority of the Senate.
Faculty members may attend any Senate meeting unless it is designated closed by the Senate President, but they may not vote and may only address the Senate with the permission of the Senate President. Non-faculty guests will attend Senate meetings only with the Senate President’s approval.
Senate meetings are concerned with matters outlined in the Constitution.
All Senate meetings are announced, in writing, to Senate members and to the faculty-at-large at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled time of the meeting.
An elected member of Faculty Senate who misses three (3) consecutive meetings without designating a proxy and informing the Senate President of such designation may be subject to recall by action of the Senate.

Parliamentary Authority

All meetings of the Senate are conducted under the parliamentary procedure as outlined in Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised. It is the Senate President’s prerogative to appoint an official Senate parliamentarian, should it be deemed necessary.

Method of Action

In its transactions with the administration or with the faculty, through the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Senate places its recommendations in writing, insofar as possible, and the Senate may request a written response.
All questions pertaining to Senate authority are referred to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for clarification. The Vice President of Academic Affairs may refer the question to the administration or to the faculty if deemed necessary.

Committees

Senate members will serve on the college’s standing committees.
In the event that special committees are selected by the Senate or the administration has requested Senate representation on a special committee, the Faculty Senate President will appoint a representative from the Senate to serve on the special committee(s).
When selected to serve on a committee, the Faculty Senate member will report back to the Senate, and the report will be recorded in official minutes.
It is acceptable for a Faculty Senate member to serve on more than one committee. Every effort will be made to involve every member of the Senate in committee assignments.
Failure of a Senate member to attend two (2) consecutive meetings on the committee to which that member is appointed results in that member’s removal, by Senate action, from that committee.
Members of standing committees serve for a term of one (1) year, and they are eligible to succeed themselves.
The purpose, responsibility, and duration of an ad hoc committee is determined by the Senate.

Constitutionality

Any faculty member has the right to question the constitutionality of any By-Law. Objections are presented to the Senate President and to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Should a question arise pertaining to the constitutionality of the By-Laws, the faculty-at-large rules on said constitutionality by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those present at a special faculty meeting called for that purpose.

Additions or Changes of By-Laws and Constitution

Any request for additions or changes to the By-Laws or the Constitution should be submitted, in writing, to the Senate President by any member of the faculty.

Ratification

Amendments to the By-Laws and Constitution of the Faculty Senate must be ratified by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all faculty.

Finance

Faculty Senate expenditures require the same approval as the budget expenditures of separate divisions and other groups.

This documented was revised in the Spring 2023 semester and was ratified by the faculty on 7 February 2023.