Constitution – Faculty Senate

Article 1. Name and Purpose

Section 1. Name:

A body of college faculty shall be known as the Bossier Parish Community College Faculty Senate.

Section 2. Purpose:

The purpose of the Bossier Parish Community College Faculty Senate (herein after referred to as the Senate) shall be to promote the general welfare of the College; to discuss and express views on matter of general concern to the faculty; to effect communication between the faculty and other entities within the College; to initiate policy proposals; to make recommendations on policy proposals submitted to the Senate by administrative officials of the College; to represent faculty in discussions of controversial issues; and to request from the administrative officials of the College information which might influence policies and recommendations.

Article II. Membership

Section 1. Eligibility:

Only full-time faculty, including librarians, shall be eligible for membership in the Senate.

Section 2. Membership:

Members of the Senate are eligible faculty who have paid dues for the current year.

Article III. Officers of the Senate

Section 1. Officers and Election:

Only members may hold office.
The officers of the Senate shall be President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Parliamentarian.
All Senate officers constitute the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.
Elections shall be held prior to the last Senate meeting of each spring. Each officer will serve a two-year term. In odd-numbered years, elections will be held for the following officers: President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, and the Assistant Treasurer. In even-numbered years, elections will be held for the following officers: Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian.The election process shall by overseen by the election committee. Members of the election committee shall be appointed by the President.
1. The duties of the election committee are:
  1. To set the election calendar
  2. To prepare, distribute, and collect all election ballots and forms.
  3. To tabulate results.
2. The election process will begin with nominations no later than one month prior to the end of the spring semester.
  1. Faculty may send their nominations to the election committee.
  2. Nominations are open for a period not to exceed one week.
  3. No nominations can be accepted after the close of nominations.
  4. All faculty receiving at least one nomination for an office are eligible to run for that office.
3. All nominees are contacted.
  1. All nominees have one week to accept or decline their nomination.
  2. Nominees may accept only one nomination.
  3. Should the nominee fail to respond, the election committee will assume that the nomination is declined.
4. Election ballots shall be provided to all members.
  1. The ballot will include all qualified nominees.
  2. Winners will be determined by a simple majority of those voting.
  3. A run-off ballot shall be distributed in the case of ties.
If a vacancy occurs by resignation, or otherwise, during a term of office, the Executive Committee may temporarily appoint a replacement for the membership until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate, at which time there may be an election.

Section 2. Duties:

The duties of the officers noted in Article III, Section 1 will be those that normally pertain to the office held:

It is the duty of the President:
1. To open the meeting at the appointed time by taking the chair and calling the meeting to order.
2. To announce in proper sequence the business that comes before the Senate or becomes in order in accordance with the prescribed order of business, agenda, or program, and with existing orders of the day.
3. To recognize members who are entitled to the floor.
4. To state and put to vote all questions that legitimately come before the Senate as motions or that otherwise arise in the course of proceedings, and to announce the result of each vote; or, if a motion that is not in order is made, to rule it out of order.
5. To protect the assembly from obviously frivolous or dilatory motions by refusing to recognize them.
6. To expedite business in every way compatible with the rights of the members.
7. To authenticate by his or her signature, when necessary, all acts, orders, and proceedings of the Senate.
8. To declare the meeting adjourned when the Senate so votes or—where applicable at the time prescribed in the program, or at any time in the event of a sudden emergency affecting the safety of those present.
9. To serve as Ex-Officio member of standing faculty committees.
10. To serve as a delegate to the Planning Council.
It is the duty of the Vice President:
1. To serve in the stead of the President in the case of his or her absence.
2. To perform other duties assigned by the President.
It is the duty of the Recording Secretary:
1. To write and distribute minutes of the Senate and Executive Committee meetings.
2. To document attendance at each meeting and inform the President of the presence of a quorum.
3. To perform other duties assigned by the President.
It is the duty of the Corresponding Secretary:
1. To initiate and write correspondence as directed by the President.
2. To perform other duties assigned by the President.
It is the duty of the Treasurer:
1. To authorize and oversee the spending of monies.
2. To be responsible for keeping records of dues paid and a current list of members.
3. To perform other duties assigned by the President.
It is the duty of the Assistant Treasurer:
1. To assist with the collection and dispersion of monies and to assist with record keeping.
2. To perform other duties assigned by the President or Treasurer.
It is the duty of the Parliamentarian:
1. To enforce the rules relating to debate and those relating to order and decorum within the meeting.
2. To decide all questions of order, subject to appeal.
3. To respond to inquiries of members relating to parliamentary procedure or factual information bearing on the business of the meeting.
4. To advise the Senate and the President on points of order in accordance with the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order except where these rules have been superseded by the Constitution.
5. To perform other duties assigned by the President.

Article IV. Meetings

Section 1. Attendance:
- Meetings are open to all eligible faculty members.
Section 2. Voting:
- Only members may have voting privileges.
Section 3. Frequency:
- The Senate and Executive Committee shall conduct at least two regular meetings, during the academic year. The time and place of such meetings shall be determined by the President.
Section 4. Quorum:
- Twenty percent of the voting membership of the Senate shall constitute a quorum. A quorum shall be necessary to hold meetings and to conduct business of the Senate.
Section 5. Minutes:
- Minutes of the proceedings of the Senate will be distributed to each faculty member and archived in a central location.
Section 6. Meeting Procedures:
- Meetings of the Senate shall be conducted according to parliamentary law as set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition will prevail) unless a contrary rule is provided by this Constitution. The Senate may agree upon certain rules to act as guidelines for conducting business.
Section 7. Electronic Meetings
- Business may be conducted via electronic means such as email or a learning management system. The president, or someone designated by the president, may send a communication to the Executive Committee or members for consideration. This communication shall describe the issue being decided and define a specific period of time for discussion and voting. The result of the voting shall be valid providing that over twenty percent of the membership voted. A simple majority of those members who cast a vote is required for an issue to be approved. This shall constitute a meeting of the Faculty Senate. Minutes for electronic meetings will be recorded in the same manner as regular meetings.

Article V. Amending the Constitution

An amendment to this constitution may be proposed by any member of the Senate who presents the amendment in writing to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will present the proposed amendment and the Executive Committee’s recommendation concerning the amendment to the Senate at a meeting. The proposed amendment must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the faculty voting. Voting on the amendment must occur at a subsequent meeting and can be performed by a physical count; alternatively, the subsequent meeting and/or voting can be conducted by an electronic format.

Revisions approved on October 31, 2016 by the membership.