Article II. PURPOSE

The Faculty Senate shall be the principal agency through which the Faculty participates in the governance of SUNY Rockland Community College and shall speak and act as elected representatives of the total Faculty to:

1. study issues and recommend policies to the Chief Academic Officer of SUNY Rockland Community College,
   
2. participate in the development of the educational, curricular, research, and service components of the College.

A. Composition and Election

The Faculty Senate shall consist of:

Prior to the solicitation of names for nominations for the incoming Faculty Senate, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee will assure that the representation of the Academic Divisions on the Faculty Senate proportionally reflects the current organizational structure of the College. Next, this distribution of the Academic Divisions' representation will be presented to the full Faculty Senate for approval. The Library and the Director of the Tutoring Center, for these purposes, shall be considered part of the Humanities Division.

Student Development shall have one representative and the Adjunct Faculty shall have two representatives.

All full-time tenure-track faculty representatives shall be elected by a plurality vote in a secret ballot of the full-time tenure-track faculty within each of the divisions prior to the April meeting of the Rockland Community College Forum in odd-numbered years. It is appropriate that representation shall be as broad as possible within the division.

Adjunct Faculty representatives shall be elected by a plurality vote in a secret ballot of the full adjunct faculty for the current semester, prior to the April meeting of the Rockland Community College Forum in odd-numbered years.

2. Representatives-at-Large

Representatives-at-Large, the number of which will exceed by one the number of Division Representative seats, shall be elected by a plurality vote. Nominations for the Representatives-at-Large will be made at the April meeting of the SUNY Rockland Community College Forum in odd-numbered years. Election shall be by written ballot within 2 weeks of the Forum. Those eligible to serve and vote are full-time tenure-track faculty and full-time administrators below the rank of dean. This excludes from eligibility individuals in management exempt/management confidential/fiduciary positions.

B. Terms of Office

The Division Representatives and the Representatives-at-Large shall serve for terms of twenty-four consecutive calendar months beginning on September 1st of the odd-numbered year in which elected.

C. Re-election

There shall be no restrictions on the re-election of members of the Faculty Senate.

D. Absences

The elected members of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate may make a recommendation to the full Faculty Senate to warn any member of the Faculty Senate who has two unexcused absences in the academic year and to expel any member of the Faculty Senate on the basis of three unexcused absences in the academic year. Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote of the members present and eligible to vote.

E. Vacancies

In the event that a Division Representative resigns, is not attending meetings, or is to be on leave of absence, the appropriate faculty will hold another election to fill the unexpired term in the same manner as the original election. In the event that a Representative elected at-Large resigns, is not attending meetings, or is to be on leave of absence, the members of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate will appoint a Representative-at-Large from a list of candidates solicited from the full Faculty Senate to fill the unexpired term.

Article IV. ADMINISTRATIVE LIAISONS

The Chief Academic Officer, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the Vice-President of Student Affairs shall be administrative liaisons to the Faculty Senate with voice.

Article V. OFFICERS

A. President

1. Election
   The Faculty Senate-elect shall elect by a plurality vote of members voting one of its members as President-elect of the Faculty Senate Election shall take place at a special meeting, to be held in May of odd-numbered years, of the newly elected Senators-Elect. This meeting shall be convened by the sitting President of the Faculty Senate. The sole purpose of this meeting shall be to elect the officers and Executive Committee to take office at the beginning of the following fall semester.
   
2. Term of Office
   The President shall serve for a term of two years, the term of office to begin on September 1st of odd-numbered years and run until September 1st of the next odd-numbered year when the new President takes office. The President shall serve for no more than two consecutive terms of office but may be re-elected after an interval of at least two years.
   
3. Responsibilities
   The President of the Faculty Senate shall preside at all meetings of the Faculty Senate and shall exercise such other powers and duties as may be vested in that office by the Bylaws of the Faculty Senate. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all Faculty Senate committees.
   
4. Vacancy
   In the event that the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice
   President/Secretary shall assume the Presidency to fill the unexpired term.
   
5. The President-Elect shall be invited to Faculty Senate and Executive Committee meetings with voice prior to taking office.

B. Vice President/Secretary

1. Election
   Election shall be as specified in section V A 1 above.
   
   
2. Term of Office
   The two-year term of office shall begin September 1st of the odd-numbered year elected.
   
3. Responsibilities
   The Vice President/Secretary shall record and maintain minutes and shall exercise such powers and duties as the President shall designate. The Vice President/Secretary shall serve as Acting President of the Faculty Senate during that Officer's absence or inability to fulfill the duties of office.
   
   
4. Vacancy
   In the event that the office of Vice President/Secretary becomes vacant or the Vice President/Secretary assumes the Presidency, the members of the Faculty Senate shall elect an individual to fill the unexpired term in the same manner as the original election.
   
5. The Vice-President/Secretary-Elect shall be invited to Faculty Senate and Executive Committee meetings, with voice, prior to taking office.
   

Article VI: MEETINGS

A. Regular Meetings
The Faculty Senate shall meet at least once each month during the academic year at such times and places as shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

B. Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Faculty Senate may be called by the Executive Committee, or by the President or Acting President of the Faculty Senate, and must be called when so petitioned by one-fourth of the full time ranked College faculty or by one-fourth of the total membership of the Faculty Senate. Special meetings shall be held at times and places designated by the Executive Committee.

Article VII. PROCEDURES

A. Agenda
The Executive Committee shall prepare the agenda for all regular meetings of the Faculty Senate. Any individual may ask to address the Faculty Senate by applying to the Executive Committee to be placed on the Faculty Senate Agenda.

B. Special Meetings
The agenda for special meetings shall be prepared by the individual or group calling the meeting.

C. Parliamentary Authority
The most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority at all meetings, except where there is a conflict between them and these Bylaws, in which case these Bylaws shall prevail.

D. Quorum
A Quorum shall consist of a majority of the Faculty Senate membership, including three elected members of the Executive Committee. The total membership of the Faculty Senate shall be the total number of Division Representative seats filled plus the total number of Representatives-at-Large.

E. Voting Procedure
Voting shall be by show of hands, except that any voting member may require a closed, written ballot as a point of order. Unless otherwise mandated by Robert's Rules of Order, motions shall carry by a majority of those present and eligible to vote. If a two-thirds vote is required by Robert's Rules, then it shall be two-thirds of those present and eligible to vote.

F. Minutes
The minutes of all Faculty Senate meetings shall be distributed to the Faculty Senate and all members of the Faculty, Administration, and the Student Senate Executive Committee. Under special circumstances, the Faculty Senate may instruct the President of the Faculty Senate to transmit all or any portion of its proceedings to the Board of Trustees, with or without comments, and to report back to the Faculty Senate.

G. Recommendation Process
All formal recommendations will be made by the President of the Faculty Senate in writing to the Chief Academic Officer. The Chief Academic Officer must communicate with the Faculty Senate within thirty calendar days about the disposition of the recommendation.

1. If the Chief Academic Officer accepts the Faculty Senate recommendation, the Chief Academic Officer is charged with monitoring action on implementation of the recommendation and keeping the Faculty Senate apprised.
   
2. If the Chief Academic Officer denies the recommendation, this must be communicated to the Faculty Senate in writing, stating reasons for denial. The Faculty Senate may appeal any denial by the Chief Academic Officer to the President of the College.
   
3. If there are minor changes or negotiated issues to be settled, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and the Chief Academic Officer will meet to facilitate consensus. It will be the decision of the Executive Committee whether or not the changes requested by the Chief Academic Officer can be accepted or must be returned to the Faculty Senate for a vote.
   

Article VIII. COMMITTEES

A. Executive Committee

1. Membership
   There shall be an Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate which shall be composed of the officers of the Faculty Senate and six other members of the Faculty Senate, who, in odd-numbered years shall be elected by the Faculty Senate as specified in section V A 1 above. The elected members shall serve for one academic year beginning September 1st. In even-numbered years they shall be elected in the first Faculty Senate meeting of the Fall semester. Members of the Executive Committee shall be eligible for re-election. The President of the Faculty Senate shall serve as the Chair of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall exercise such powers and duties as may be conferred upon it by the Faculty Senate. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month at such times and places it so designates.
   
2. Vacancies
   In the event that a member resigns or is to be on leave of absence, the Faculty Senate, at the next Faculty Senate meeting, shall hold an election to fill the unexpired term.
   
3. Administrative Liaisons
   The President, Chief Academic Officer, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Vice-President of Student Affairs shall be administrative liaisons to the Executive Committee with voice.
   

B. Other Committees
The Faculty Senate may establish such other committees as it deems advisable. The Executive Committee shall select the members of these committees from the entire college community, prescribe the function of such committees, and determine their duration, except that all committees shall automatically expire with the Faculty Senate that created them.

At its first meeting of the Fall semester, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee shall review and modify the allocation of Academic Division representatives on the Faculty Senate Committees to assure proportional representation, where appropriate.

C. Reports
All committee reports shall be addressed and made to the Faculty Senate. All committee reports shall be available to the Faculty.

1. The Faculty Senate shall, at its first Fall meeting, when required elect a Faculty member and alternate Faculty member to represent the Faculty on the Faculty Council of Community Colleges for a three-year term.
   
2. The Faculty Senate elects three members to serve on the Board of Directors of the SUNY Rockland Community College Association. At the first Fall meeting, one of these three Directors shall be elected to serve a three-year term. The three-year terms overlap and run concurrently and are staggered.
   
3. Vacancies
   In the event that a member of a Faculty Senate-related organization resigns or is to be on leave of absence, the Faculty Senate, at the next Faculty Senate meeting, shall hold an election to fill the unexpired term.
   

Article IX. AMENDMENTS / REVISIONS

All amendments or revisions to the Bylaws must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the full-time ranked faculty voting provided that a copy of the proposed change(s) has been circulated by e-mail or in writing to all members at least two weeks in advance of the vote.  Members will be encouraged to comment on the amendment or revision via e-mail.  The vote may be taken via e-mail or at a special meeting convened by the full-time ranked faculty.