Article I – Name
Article II – Object
Article III – Membership
Article IV – Officers
Article V – Meetings
Article VI – Executive Committee
Article VII – Committees
Article VIII – Senator Vacancies
Article IX – Selection of Representatives on Search Committee for a College President
Article X – Amendments
Article XI – Referendum
Standing Rules
Article I – Name
Section 1.
The name of this body shall be the Academic Senate of Queens College.
Article II – Object
Section 1.
The Academic Senate shall have the following responsibilities as provided in the Queens College Academic Senate Charter (Section I):
- the formulation of policy relating to admission and retention of students, curriculum, granting of degrees, and campus life;
- the establishment of rules governing the use of the college name by organizations and clubs; and
- conducting the educational affairs customarily cared for by a college faculty.
Article III – Membership
Section 1.
Seats in the Senate shall be apportioned as provided in the Queens College Academic Senate Charter (Section II).
Section 2.
Any person having knowledge of an irregularity or impropriety in the election of a candidate for the Academic Senate may, prior to the convening of the first meeting subsequent to the annual election, challenge the election of that candidate. Such challenge shall be in writing, specifying the grounds for the challenge, and shall be sent to the Holder of the Chair of the Elections Committee. The Committee on Elections shall then investigate the charge and present its findings in summary form, together with its recommendations, to the newly convened Academic Senate. In such cases, the Academic Senate shall make the final decision as to whether the candidate shall be seated. No candidate shall be deemed duly elected until all challenges presented prior to the first meeting following the annual election have been decided by the Senate. If in the event that a charge is made involving the Elections Committee itself, the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate shall appoint an ad hoc committee to investigate this.
Section 3.
Members-elect assume their seats at the first meeting of the Academic Senate following the annual election. If, after this first meeting of the newly elected Senate, a challenge be made against the election of any member, the Committee on Elections shall investigate the charges, and report its findings, together with its recommendations, to the Academic Senate. The Senate may then make whatever disposition of the matter it deems proper, including the voiding of the election of the member in question. However, members once seated retain their membership until such time as his/her status is altered by action of the Academic Senate.
Section 4.
No member or alternate member of the Academic Senate may also be a member of the Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee, nor will simultaneous candidacies be permitted that could result in such simultaneous membership. Members of one group wishing to become candidates for membership in the other group must, prior to announcing such candidacy, resign from their present group; such resignation to take effect at the time they would, if elected, accede to their new membership.
Article IV – Officers
Section 1.
The officers of the Academic Senate shall be a Holder of the Chair, Deputy Holder of the Chair, and Secretary.
Section 2.
All officers shall be elected for a term of one (1) year at the first meeting after the elections.
Section 3.
The method of nomination and election of the Holder of the Chair, Deputy Holder of the Chair, and Secretary shall be the same as that for members of standing committees with the exception that all nominations shall come from the floor.
Section 4.
The Holder of the Chair of the Senate shall also serve as Holder of the Chair of the Executive Committee.
Section 5.
The Holder of the Chair shall make all arrangements necessary to assure that Senate meetings are carried out in an orderly manner.
Section 6.
The Holder of the Chair shall act as the liaison between the Executive Committee and the Administration of the College.
Section 7.
The Holder of the Chair may appoint a Parliamentarian who does not necessarily have to be a member of the Senate.
Section 8.
The Holder of the Chair shall assume any other powers assigned to her/him by the Senate or the Executive Committee which are not in conflict with the Queens College Academic Senate Charter or these Bylaws.
Section 9.
The Deputy Holder of the Chair shall, at all meetings at which the Holder of the Chair is not present, or upon consultation and with the permission of the Holder of the Chair, chair the meetings of the Senate.
Section 10.
Upon the incapacity of the Holder of the Chair, or upon his resignation, the Deputy Holder of the Chair shall assume the position of Holder of the Chair with all powers and responsibilities thereof.
Section 11.
An election to fill the vacant office of Holder of the Chair shall be held at the next scheduled meeting of the Senate.
Section 12.
The Deputy Holder of the Chair of the Senate shall also serve as Deputy Holder of the Chair of the Executive Committee.
Section 13.
The Secretary shall keep a record of all proceedings of the Senate, and shall have the responsibility of communicating meeting times, minutes, reports, and any other documents which members of the Senate may need or request.
Section 14.
The Secretary, upon the election of new members to the Senate, shall immediately make a copy of these Bylaws available to each newly elected Senator.
Article V – Meetings
Section 1.
The Academic Senate shall meet regularly as prescribed in the Queens College Academic Senate Charter (Section IV.C.). In the event that the Executive Committee finds it impossible for the Senate to meet on the prescribed day, the Committee may schedule a meeting for another day, giving advance notice of said meeting three days before the meeting is to be held, to all Senators and alternates.
Section 2.
Special meetings held as prescribed in the Queens College Academic Senate Charter (Section IV.E.) may be initiated in the following ways:
a) The Executive Committee may by a majority vote issue at any time a call for a special meeting, limited or unlimited. If such a meeting is requested by the President or acting President of the College, the Committee must meet with dispatch and act on the President’s request.
b) The members of the Senate may at any time by a majority vote of the members present at a regular or special meeting require the Executive Committee to issue a call for a special meeting, limited or unlimited.
c) The members of the Senate may by a petition to the Executive Committee signed by one third or more of the members require the Committee to call a special meeting, limited or unlimited.
Section 3.
A special meeting may be limited to a certain subject and/or in attendance to Executive Session, or it may be unlimited. In the case that the Executive Committee initiates the special meeting it shall decide by a majority vote whether to limit the meeting or not, and any limitation shall be published as part of the call for the meeting. If the membership initiates the meeting either at a previous meeting or by petition, the motion to initiate or the petition shall state the subjects to which the special meeting shall be limited or the limitation to Executive Session. A motion to suspend the rules to make a limited meeting unlimited shall not thereafter be in order. The Executive Committee shall notify the members of a special meeting not less than three days before the meeting is to be held. However, if two thirds of the Executive Committee decides that a situation of great urgency exists which warrants an emergency meeting of the Academic Senate, it may reduce the normal three day notification period to one full day before the meeting is to be held.
Section 4.
Regular meetings of the Senate shall be open to all members of the Queens College Community as prescribed in the Queens College Academic Senate Charter (Section IV). Special meetings shall be open under this same provision unless it has been decided under the procedures described above to meet in Executive Session. The Senate may go into Executive Session at a regular meeting, or at a special meeting unlimited by a declaration in the call, or by a two thirds majority vote of those present and voting.
Section 5.
The Executive Committee shall prepare a tentative agenda for each regular meeting and distribute the agenda at least one week before the meeting. The Executive Committee shall distribute an agenda for any special meeting along with the call for the special meeting.
A. Every regular meeting shall begin with the adoption of an agenda by majority vote.
B. The agenda for a regular meeting shall have the following form:
1. Adoption of agenda.
2. Approval of minutes of previous meetings.
3. Announcements, Administrative Reports, and Memorials.
4. Special Motions.
5. Committee Reports:
a. If a committee report includes a motion which was not distributed with the tentative agenda, a majority vote of the Academic Senate is required for consideration of the motion.
6. Unfinished Business:
a. A main motion on which the final vote was not taken at a previous meeting.
b. Items requiring Notice of Intent, for which notice was properly given during a previous meeting.
c. Items postponed to this meeting.
d. Items from a previous agenda which were not introduced.
7. New Business – all other items.
C. Prior to adoption, only the following agenda changes may be made by majority vote:
1. Addition of a committee report to the section Committee Reports.
2. Addition of an item to the section New Business.
3. Change in the order of items listed within a section.
4. Transfer an item listed in the section Special Motions to either the section New Business or the section Unfinished Business.
D. Prior to adoption, only the following agenda change may be made by 2/3 vote:
1. Addition of an item to the section Special Motions.
E. An adopted agenda may be amended in any manner by 2/3 vote.
Section 6.*
Alternates for Senators may vote, and will be counted as part of the quorum, only when their principals are not present. At the time of election, alternates will be ranked in order of the number of votes they received, the higher number of votes having the higher rank. In the absence of a principal the highest ranking alternate present will serve in that person’s place. Alternates should not consider themselves bound to support the views of their principals. Upon resignation or termination of office of any delegate, the highest ranking alternate in that representative category shall fill the vacant seat until the next regular election. Upon the occurrence of an alternate vacant seat in a department, the department in question shall elect an alternate to fill that vacant seat. In all other cases, the delegates and alternates from the constituency in which the vacant seat occurs shall elect an alternate to fill the vacant seat until the next regular election. In the event a delegate vacant seat is created by a faculty member who chooses not to serve in the Senate while taking a sabbatical leave or a leave of absence, the alternate for that seat will become the delegate for the period of the leave. The alternate vacant seat will then be filled in accordance with the procedures described above in this section.
Section 7.
Voting shall be by show of hands. There shall be no secret ballot in any vote of the Senate except in the case of elections. Any member may move a roll call vote. If one third of the Senators present and voting signify themselves in favor of the motion for the roll call vote, the motion for such vote shall be considered to have passed. Alternates shall signify in the roll call the name of the delegate for whom they are alternating. The vote of each member shall be recorded in the minutes.
*See Standing Rule XIII
Article VI – Executive Committee
Section 1.
An Executive Committee shall be constituted as prescribed by the Queens College Academic Senate Charter (Section VI). The members of the Executive Committee other than the officers shall be elected each year at the same meeting that the officers are elected. Nominations shall be made from the floor. After nominations are closed, there shall be a vote by secret ballot. All committee members must be elected by an absolute majority of votes cast on a given ballot at the election meeting, a quorum being present. If no nominee receives an absolute majority of votes cast on the first ballot, then subsequent ballots shall be cast in the following manner: the names of those receiving votes shall be arranged in order of the number of votes received, the higher number preceding the lower; the next ballot shall then contain, counting from the head of the list, as many of the names of the nominees as may be necessary for their combined votes to equal or exceed an absolute majority of votes cast on the preceding ballot; if no nominee is elected by an absolute majority of votes cast on this ballot, then subsequent ballots shall be cast in the same manner until one nominee received an absolute majority of votes cast.
Section 2.
A vacancy on the Executive Committee shall be filled by election at the next meeting of the Senate by the same procedures outlined for electing the Holder of the Chair of the Senate.
Section 3.
The Executive Committee shall prepare a draft of the agenda for all meetings. (see Article V, Section 5.B)
Section 4.
The Executive Committee shall submit to the President an annual proposal for a Senate budget, and shall have the responsibility for administering said budget.
Section 5.
When the Committee is acting to carry on the business of the Senate during vacations, it shall receive reports of other committees, publish them when desirable, publish prior actions of the Senate, and authorize investigations of matters in which the Senate is involved. It shall publish minutes of all meetings where decisions are made. Though it is empowered to carry on all the business of the Senate during vacations, it shall submit all decisions to the body, as a whole, for review at the next regular meeting.
Article VII – Committees
Section 1.
The term “Academic Senate Committee” shall apply to all standing committees, college wide committees, and special committees created by the Academic Senate. Faculty seats on these committees are open to Adjunct faculty who teach at Queens College.
Section 2.
Academic Senate Committees shall have the responsibilities specified in these Bylaws and such other responsibilities as they may be assigned by the Academic Senate.
Section 3.
When a matter falls within the purview of an existing standing committee, the Academic Senate may not refer that matter to another standing committee nor create an ad hoc committee to deal with it. The determination of challenges shall be left to the Executive Committee.
Section 4.
Voting members of Academic Senate Committees shall be duly elected by the Academic Senate, except where otherwise stipulated in these Bylaws. A person may not serve as a voting member on more than two Academic Senate Committees, of which only one can be a standing committee.
Section 5.
The Nominating Committee established by Section 8, paragraph B of the Academic Senate Charter may present, at its discretion, one or more nominees for each position to be filled.
Section 6.
Any member of the College Community may recommend candidates for any committee by communicating the names of such persons to the Nominating Committee in writing. Such recommendations must contain the statement that those recommended know of the recommendation and are willing to serve if elected. The names of those so recommended and by whom shall be included when the nominations are presented for election. When a committee election is noted in call of the meeting, members of the Academic Senate may, at the time of the election to such committees, nominate from the floor only those candidates who have had a nominating petition turned in at the Senate Office at least 7 days prior to the meeting. When the Nominating Committee presents candidates for committee elections that have not been announced in the call of the meeting, additional nominations may be made from the floor by members of the Academic Senate without regard to nominating petitions.
Section 7.
The election of members to the Nominating Committee shall take place at the first meeting of the Academic Senate following the annual election, or at adjourned meeting thereof. An election shall be held as soon as practical to fill the balance of a term left vacant by resignation. All nominations for these positions shall be from the floor
Section 8.
The election of members to standing committees shall take place at the regular December meeting of the Academic Senate, or at an adjourned meeting thereof. The election of members to college wide and special committees shall take place at the regular April meeting of the Academic Senate, or at an adjourned meeting thereof. Elections to fill the balance of terms on Academic Senate Committees shall be held as vacancies occur.
Section 9.
Students elected to Academic Senate Committees must have a cumulative index of at least 2.0 and not be on probation at the time of their election.
Section 10.
a. The election of Academic Senate Committee members must be by secret ballot whenever there are more nominees than positions to be filled. Academic Senate Committee members must be elected by majority of votes cast on a given ballot at the election meeting.
b. In Academic Senate Committee elections where the number of candidates does not exceed the number of vacancies, the Secretary of the Academic Senate shall be empowered to cast one vote in the name of the full Academic Senate to elect those candidates.
c. All Academic Senate Committee members must be elected by an absolute majority of votes cast on a given ballot at the election meeting, a quorum being present. If no nominee receives an absolute majority of votes cast on the first ballot, then subsequent ballots shall be cast in the following manner: the names of those receiving votes on the preceding ballot shall be arranged in order of number of votes received, the higher number preceding the lower; the next ballot shall then contain, counting from the head of the list, as many of the names of the nominees as may be necessary for their combined votes to equal or exceed an absolute majority of the votes cast on the preceding ballot; if no nominee is elected by an absolute majority of the votes cast on this ballot, then subsequent ballots shall be cast in the same manner until one nominee receives an absolute majority of the votes cast.
d. Separate elections shall be held for those seats on a given Academic Senate Committee that are:
i. From designated Schools or units of the College, and
a) Students elected to Academic Senate Committees as representatives from the Education School may be either co-majors in Elementary and Early Childhood Education or minors in Secondary Education and Youth Services, or be matriculated in a graduate program in the School.
ii. For terms of different lengths.
e. Balloting for different Academic Senate Committees shall be held sequentially, unless by a vote of one third of the members present the Academic Senate chooses to complete one election before the next one begins.
Section 11.
The term of office of any Academic Senate Committee member continues until that member’s re election or until the election of a successor.
Section 12.
a. After the Committee elections, the Chairperson of the Academic Senate will appoint a convener from among the elected members of each committee, who will convene a meeting and may invite a member of the Executive Committee to attend. If the Chair invites a member of the Executive Committee to attend, this member of the Executive Committee will act as chairperson, pro tempore, for purposes of conducting the election of the committee chairperson, and following the election, shall leave the meeting. The Chair shall invite a member of the Executive Committee to act as chairperson pro tempore upon the written request of at least two members of the Committee.
b. In Academic Senate Committees, whenever the office of the Chairperson becomes vacant the Academic Senate Chairperson shall appoint a convener and shall instruct the convener of the date by which the next meeting must be called.
c. The convener shall be appointed in time to insure that the Committee will, where practicable, hold its next meeting not later than one month from the occurrence of the vacancy.
d. The convener’s responsibility shall be to convene the Committee giving not less than one week’s written notice to all Committee members, and to preside over the election of the regular Holder of the Chair for that Committee.
Section 13.
All officers of Academic Senate Committees must be elected annually by a majority of the members present at a meeting called for the purposes of such an election, except where otherwise stipulated in these Bylaws. This election shall take place immediately after the December Academic Senate committee elections. No business may be transacted by a committee until the Holder of the Chair and all its officers have been duly elected. No officer may be regarded as elected until all challenges to his election have been resolved as provided for in the Bylaws.
Section 14.
The normal term of office of Academic Senate Committee officers shall be one year. Academic Senate Committee officers shall remain in office until replaced or re elected.
Section 15.
a. The call for a meeting of an Academic Senate Committee shall be by written notice of the time and place of that meeting to all members at least one week in advance, unless another method of notification is agreed upon by all members at a meeting at which a quorum is present. A notice of all Academic Senate Committee meetings shall be sent to the Secretary of the Academic Senate.
b. Two or more of the voting members of an Academic Senate Committee may petition the Holder of the Chair, in writing, to call a meeting, provided that a copy of the written petition is immediately forwarded to the Secretary of the Academic Senate. If the Holder of the Chair does not call a meeting within two weeks of receipt of the petition, the Executive Committee shall call a meeting of that Committee.
Section 16.
All Academic Senate Committee meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition) whenever possible except where these rules are in conflict with the Bylaws of Board of Trustees, the Queens College Academic Senate Charter, or these Bylaws.
Section 17.
A quorum of an Academic Senate Committee shall be a majority of the voting members duly elected to that Committee, except where otherwise stipulated in these Bylaws. In the event of vacancies due to resignation or removal of voting members, a quorum shall be a majority of those voting members remaining.
Section 18.
Upon determination by the Executive Committee that a student member of an Academic Senate Committee did not have a 2.0 cumulative index or was on probation at the time of election to the committee that member’s seat shall be declared vacant in accordance with Section 9 of these Bylaws and the Nominating Committee shall be immediately notified of this vacancy.
Section 19.
a. When a committee member misses two consecutive meetings, the Holder of the Chair of that committee or the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate may petition the Executive Committee, in writing, to declare that member’s seat vacant.
b. Before a faculty member of an Academic Senate Committee goes on leave, the member must give written notice to the Holder of the Chair of that committee and to the Executive Committee whether the member intends to continue to serve on that committee. In the absence of this written notice, if a faculty member of an Academic Senate Committee misses one meeting while on leave, the Holder of the Chair of that committee or the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate may petition the Executive Committee to declare that member’s seat vacant.
c. The Secretary of the Academic Senate shall, upon receipt of the prescribed written petition to declare an Academic Senate committee member’s seat vacant, immediately notify the committee member, in writing, that the committee seat is in jeopardy of being declared vacant.
d. The committee member shall have the right to appear before the Executive Committee to explain the absence, subject to the time limitation set forth in paragraph e.
e. The Executive Committee shall, no sooner than one week nor later than one month after the original notification from the Holder of the Chair of the committee or the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate, determine whether or not the seat should be declared vacant.
f. If the Executive Committee votes to declare an Academic Senate Committee seat vacant, the committee member shall have the right to appeal this decision to the Academic Senate for final determination. The issue of the vacant seat shall be placed as a special motion on the next regular Senate agenda.
Section 20.
The Holder of the Chair of each Academic Senate Committee shall submit to the Secretary of the Academic Senate, not later than one month following a meeting, provisional minutes to include the date and place of the meeting, the time of the call of the meeting, when it was called to order, members present and voting, and actions taken. Called meetings for which a quorum was not present shall also be reported. Provisional minutes shall also include amendments and approval of previous provisional minutes.
Section 21.
Each Committee of the Academic Senate shall submit the minutes of its meetings to the Executive Committee. The minutes shall be sent to the Executive Committee as soon as they are adopted by the Senate Committee in question. Ad hoc committees shall submit minutes of their meetings in the same manner as Academic Senate Committees. The minutes of all Senate and ad hoc committees shall be available in the Academic Senate office for review by all members of the College community.
Section 22.
Any member or group of members of an Academic Senate Committee may submit a Minority Report. The Secretary of the Academic Senate shall see that this report is presented along with the committee’s Majority Report to the Academic Senate and that the Minority Report receives the same distribution and publication as the committee’s Majority Report.
Section 23.
A member who believes any action of an Academic Senate Committee or of any member of an Academic Senate Committee, either in connection with the election of its officers, the call or conduct of meetings, or any other function to be in conflict with the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, the Queens College Academic Senate Charter, these Bylaws or Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition), may challenge that action. The member shall first make known this challenge to the Holder of the Chair of the committee. If the alleged irregularity constituting the basis for the challenge is not corrected to the member’s satisfaction, the member may then present this challenge to the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate, which at its discretion may try to resolve the matter by informal consultation with the parties involved or by presenting the matter to the Academic Senate for final decision. In the former instance, the Executive Committee shall report the results of its efforts to the members presenting the challenge as soon as possible. If the Executive Committee fails to report to the members within a reasonable time or if the action is not acceptable to the committee member as a remedy, the member shall have the right to place this challenge on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Academic Senate either through the Executive Committee or from the floor. The decision of the Academic Senate in such cases shall be final.
Section 24. Duties and Composition of Standing Committees:
A. Admissions and Re-entry Standards, Committee on Undergraduate
B. Campus Affairs, Environment, and Graduation Advisory Committee
C. Curriculum Committee – Graduate
D. Curriculum Committee – Undergraduate
E. Elections Committee
F. International Student Affairs
G. Nominating Committee
H. Policy Board on Administration
I. Scholastic Standards Committee – Graduate
J. Scholastic Standards Committee – Undergraduate
K. Committee on Teaching Excellence and Evaluation
A. Admissions and Re-entry Standards, Committee on Undergraduate
1. Duties:
a) To maintain liaison with College and University personnel responsible for developing special programs which might affect admission and external course work policies.
b) To maintain liaison with University personnel responsible for developing or changing admission, matriculation, and transfer credit criteria on a University-wide basis, and to report any proposals for such changes to the Academic Senate.
c) To review and recommend to the Academic Senate College-wide policies for undergraduate admission procedures and requirements.
d) To review and recommend to the Academic Senate College-wide policies concerning the matriculation of non-degree students.
e) To review and recommend to the Academic Senate College-wide policies on the acceptance of external course work towards a Queens College Baccalaureate Degree.
f) In consultation with all appropriate parties, to hear and act only upon those student appeals which result from the College-wide Academic Senate policies set forth in the areas of paragraphs c, d, and e.
i. When a committee member fails to review two groups of appeals, the Holder of the Chair of the Committee or the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate may petition the Executive Committee, in writing, to declare that member’s seat vacant in accordance with the procedures stated in Article VII Section 19 c-f.
2. Administration:
a) The responsibility for preparing and recording student appeals to College rulings on undergraduate admissions for matriculated and non-degree students, and on external course work evaluation is assigned to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Such preparation shall include:
1. Collecting supporting material for student appeal cases.
2. Presenting appeal cases to the Committee for decision.
3. Reporting Committee decisions to students.
4. Maintaining records of appeals and decisions and preparing summary reports as required.
5. Advising students of their right to appeal admissions and re-entry (including Fresh Start) decisions directly to the Committee. This appeal right is subject to the Committee’s determination that such an appeal not be heard.
b) The Executive Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions and Scholarship Services or her/his designees shall be responsible for the administrative services required by the Committee. Such responsibility shall include:
1. Working with the Committee and its Chairperson to see that College policy is clear, appropriate in substance and form and applied fairly and equitably.
2. Drafting new or revised proposed policies for the Committee’s consideration as required.
3. Carrying out other Committee directives, e.g., interviews as appropriate.
3. Membership: ten voting, six nonvoting.
a) Faculty: one from each of four Schools, one at large Students: one from each of four Schools, one at large
b) Ex officio nonvoting: Dean of Institutional Research and Effectivness; Registrar; Vice President of Enrollment and Retention; Director of Academic Support Center and CESL
B. Campus Affairs, Environment, and Graduation Advisory Committee
1. Duties:
a) The committee shall review proposals to name campus buildings or parts of buildings and the creation of memorials and shall make its recommendations to the Academic Senate.
b) To foster and stimulate interactions with the community at large in such areas as student work-study programs, joint fund raisers, cultural programs. Committee shall endeavor to maintain open communication and exchanges among student, faculty, staff and administrators.
c) To review, suggest and make recommendations on any aspect of life concerned with the campus grounds within the understanding that major reconstructions are an administrative duty. This is to include plantings, landscaping and renovations of buildings as it pertains to external areas, entrance foyers and/or lobby (e.g. color scheme and accessories selection).
d) To develop policies related to non-instructional matters of campus life not already delegated to other committees.
f) To advise the College on all matters relating to the Graduation ceremony.
2. Membership: eight voting, eleven (11) nonvoting
a) Four instructional staff – one from each School at least two must be faculty
b) Four students- one from each of the four Schools
a) Ex officio nonvoting: Vice President for Student Affairs; Vice President for Finance and Administration; Director of Facilities Planning, Management, and Construction; Director of Student Union; Designee of College President; Representative of QC Retirees; Representative of QC Women’s Club; Campus Horticulturist, 2 Graduation Coordinators designated by the College President.
C. Curriculum Committee – Graduate
1. Duties: To make recommendation to the Academic Senate in all matters of graduate curriculum.
2. Membership: eight voting, three nonvoting
a) Faculty: one from each of the four Schools Students: one graduate student from each of the four Schools
b) Ex officio nonvoting:Provost or designee
D. Curriculum Committee – Undergraduate
1. Duties: To make recommendations to the Academic Senate in all matters of undergraduate curriculum.
2. Membership: ten voting, three nonvoting
a) Faculty: one from each of the four Schools; one at large Students: one from each of four Schools; one at large
b) Ex officio nonvoting: Provost or designee; Registrar; Director of Academic Advisement
3. Subcommittee for Honors “H” designation
i. Courses that are intended as Honors classes fulfilling the curricular needs of students in various CUNY, College, or School wide Honors programs shall have course numbers with an added “H” designation.
ii. The subcommittee for “H” designation shall have the following responsibilities:
a. Administer and maintain standards for assigning an “H” designation to courses.
b. Recommend courses to the UCC for approval by the Senate as having an “H” designation.
c. Propose a list of “H” courses in each semester which will be offered in the following semester.
iii. Membership shall consist of one faculty representative of each school wide honors program and one Queens College representative of the CUNY Honors Program. The Director of Honors, the Director of Scholarships and a representative from the Provost’s Office shall be ex-officio non-voting members.
E. Elections Committee
1. Duties:
a) To establish procedures and supervise the election of the Academic Senate and Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee, subject to approval by the Academic Senate.
b) To present to the Academic Senate for approval and/or amendment, not later than the regular February meeting, a procedure for conducting elections and a schedule including the nominating and balloting periods.
c) To establish procedures for and supervise Academic Senate referenda, subject to approval by the Academic Senate.
d) Upon request and with appropriate compensation, to administer the elections and/or referenda of the student government. Procedures for conducting such elections shall be established in cooperation with the student government.
*2. Membership: eight voting, one nonvoting
a) Ex officio nonvoting: Vice President for Student Affairs
* No member of the Elections Committee may run for an election that is under Committee supervision. No one who is currently campaign manager, student government president or vice president or has held one of those titles within the prior two years from the record date of the next election may serve as a member of the Elections Committee.
N.B. See Standing Rule IV (Administration of Elections)
F. International Student Affairs Committee
1. Duties:
a) To review policies pertaining to foreign students in all areas of academic life, and to make recommendations for changes in these policies to the Academic Senate.
b) To advise the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Director of International Student Services Office, and other appropriate administrative officers of the College in matters pertaining to international students.
2. Membership: eight voting, five nonvoting.
a) Four faculty.
Four students – at least three of whom shall be international (fee code 4) students.b) Ex officio nonvoting: Director of CESL Program; Director of International Student Services Office; Registrar; Liaison for International Student Services; Provost or designee
G. Nominating Committee
1. Duties:
a) To submit nominations for committees to the Academic Senate.
b) To notify all members of Senate Committees, at least two months prior to the termination of their committee membership, so that committee members are given the opportunity to apply to the Nominating Committee for consideration for re-election.
2. Membership: ten voting.
a) Faculty: one from each of the four schools; one at large
Students: one from each of the four schools; one at large
1. Duties:
a) To advise on all major policy decisions, monitor performance, and hear complaints. Office, Buildings and Grounds, Data Processing, Records Management, Registrar, Security, Parking, Central Mail Services, Telephone, Office and Reprographic Services, Campus Planning, Space Management, Management Information Services, and the selection and allocation of office machines.
2. Membership: six voting, three nonvoting.
a) Ex officio nonvoting: Vice President for Finance and Administration or designee; Provost or designee; Assistant Vice President for Planning and Operation
I. Scholastic Standards Committee – Graduate
1. Duties:
a) To review policies and procedures of graduate programs and make recommendations to the Academic Senate.
b) To receive and act upon in consultation with the appropriate academic department or program, those matters referred to it by the Provost or designee and QC Scholastic Standards Executive Officer.
c) To receive and act upon, in consultation with the appropriate academic department or program, student appeals from the decisions relating to academic matters of the Provost or designee and QC Scholastic Standards Executive Officer.
2. Administration
a. The QC Scholastic Standards Executive Officer shall be a member of the instructional staff, preferably a member of the faculty and shall be elected by the Academic Senate for a term of two (2) years and until a Executive Officer takes office. The term of the Executive Officer shall begin officially on the first day of classes in the spring semester of odd numbered years following the election. Appropriate release time shall be provided.
b. The Committee shall have its own offices in the immediate proximity of the Office of Registrar.
c. The office of the Committee shall function out of the Office of the Provost. The Office of the Provost shall be responsible for supplying the Committee with adequate secretarial and supporting staff.
3. Membership: eight voting, three nonvoting.
a) Faculty: one from each of the four schools
Students: one graduate student from each of the four schoolsb) Ex officio nonvoting: Provost or designee; Vice President of Enrollment and Retention or designee; QC Scholastic Standards Executive Officer
J. Scholastic Standards Committee – Undergraduate
1. Duties:
a) To review policies and procedures concerning undergraduate scholastic standards, including grades and grading policy, and to make recommendations to the Academic Senate regarding policies and procedures.
b) To apply the academic standards of the College to individual students from time of admission until the granting of the Bachelor’s Degree.
c) To receive and act upon in consultation with the appropriate academic department or program student appeals relating to academic matters.
d) To submit at least one nomination for Executive Officer at the December meeting of the Academic Senate in even numbered years.
e) To supervise the Permit Policy as adopted by the Academic Senate.
2. Administration:
a) The QC Scholastic Standards Executive Officer shall be a member of the instructional staff, preferably faculty, elected by the Academic Senate for a term of two (2) years, or until a new Executive Officer takes office. The term of the Executive Officer shall begin officially on the first day of classes in the spring semester of odd numbered years following the election. Appropriate release time shall be provided.
b) The Committee shall have its own offices in the immediate proximity of the Office of the Registrar.
c) The office of the Committee shall function out of the Office of Provost. The Office of the Provost shall be responsible for supplying the Committee with adequate secretarial and supporting staff.
d) The QC Scholastic Standards Executive Officer shall serve as an Ex officio (nonvoting) member of the Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Re-entry Standards.
3. Membership: ten voting, seven nonvoting
a) Faculty: one from each of the four schools; one at large
Students: five undergraduate students at largeb) Ex officio (nonvoting): QC Scholastic Standards Executive Officer; Registrar; Provost or designee; Vice President for Student Affairs or designee; Chairperson of Committee on Undergraduate Admissions & Re-entry Standards; Chairperson of SEEK Committee on Scholastic Standing; Vice President of Enrollment and Retention or designee.
K. Committee on Teaching Excellence and Evaluation
1. Duties: To meet by the end of October of each year and regularly thereafter to accomplish the following:
a) To revise or construct as necessary and to submit to the Academic Senate for approval or amendment before or during March a College wide course and faculty evaluation questionnaire.
b) To propose at the same time to the Academic Senate the format and manner of tabulation of the results of the questionnaire.
*c) To supply this material to the Provost in sufficient time so that the questionnaire may be administered every third semester, and subsequently published by the College.
d) To report to the Academic Senate, in sufficient time, the schedule of administration and publication anticipated by the Provost or his deputies.
e) To adjudicate cases where circumstances make the evaluation of individual instructors inappropriate.
f) To submit to the Academic Senate, for whatever action it deems appropriate, a list of faculty and courses not evaluated.
g) To submit to the Academic Senate recommendations that promote excellence in teaching, including but not limited to:
i. Creating videos, presentations and seminars giving examples of excellence in teaching;
ii. Working with the College Administration to organize and operate programs, such as peer mentoring, to provide training in the best aspects of teaching;
iii. Ascertaining and recommending where further institutional support is essential for excellence in teaching;
iv. Ascertaining and recommending means of rewarding excellence in teaching.
h) To provide oversight of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence.
*See Standing Rule VI
2. Membership: eight voting, three nonvoting
a) 4 Faculty (at large)
4 Students (at large)b) Ex officio (nonvoting): Dean of Institutional Research and Effectiveness; Provost or designee; Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning
Section 25. Special Committees
A. Special Committee on Governance
1. Duties:
a) To review all materials pertaining to the Charter, Bylaws, and Standing Rules of the Academic Senate.
b) To submit to the Academic Senate for its consideration any proposed changes or additions to the Senate’s Charter, Bylaws or Standing Rules.
2. Membership: eight voting
B. Committee on Academic Technology
1. Duties
a) To serve as the Academic Senate’s liaison with the units at Queens College that support academic technology.
b) To review the policies regarding access to and use of academic technology and advise the Senate as needed.
c) To advise the appropriate college units in matters concerning the adoption and use of academic technologies as they pertain to instruction and research including technologies for in-class and online instruction, technologies for internal and external communication, technologies for student data, and technologies for archiving academic and governance materials.
d) To provide input to the strategic plan for academic technology at Queens College.
e) To have its student and faculty members serve on the Queens College Technology Fee Committee.
2. Membership: six voting, consisting of four (4) faculty and two (2) students.
a) Faculty: one from each of the four schools
Students: two students from different schools with at least one graduate and undergraduate student representative. If no graduate student member runs for a seat, it may be filled by an undergraduate student.
b) Ex officio nonvoting: Chief Librarian or designee; Assistant Vice President for the Office of Technology or designee; Vice President for Finance and Administration or designee, Director for Center for Teaching and Learning.
C. Executive Committee
1. Duties: In accordance with Section VI, part B, of the Academic Senate Charter:
a) Shall be responsible for proposing agenda for all Senate meetings in accordance with Article V, Section 5, of the Senate Bylaws.
b) Shall act for the Academic Senate between regular meetings subject to review by the full Senate.
c) Shall be responsible for planning, obtaining, and allocating the Senate budget.
d) Shall have authority to declare vacancies on Senate Committees in accordance with Article VII, Sections 18 and 19 of the Senate Bylaws. When Article VII, Section 18 or 19 applies to a member of the Executive Committee, either the chairperson or deputy chairperson may initiate the petition.
e) Shall resolve challenges pertaining to Senate Committees in accordance with Article VII, Sections 13 and 23 of the Bylaws.
f) Shall review all committee reports prior to placing them on the agenda and shall return to committee such reports as it deems necessary.
g) Shall make such recommendations as it deems necessary to the Academic Senate.
2. Membership: nine voting, two nonvoting. Voting membership shall be in accordance with Section VI of the Charter.
a) Ex officio nonvoting: Parliamentarian; P&B Executive Committee Chair
A. Committee on Athletic Policy (CAP)
1. Duties:
a) To maintain academic, financial and compliance. integrity in the intercollegiate athletics department;
b) To maintain the academic and compliance protocol of intercollegiate athletic program at Queens College;
c) To serve as a resource for the Director of Athletics and/or the Sports Allocation Board (SAB) on matters of athletic policy and administration;
d) To update the Academic Senate changes in athletic policies and new NCAA legislation;
e) To monitor Title IX and strategic plan processes in the intercollegiate athletics office; and
f) To participate in NCAA related campus visits and reviews, as deemed necessary.
2. Recruitment of Athletes:
a) Recruitment of athletes shall fall within the guidelines of the CUNY Board of Trustees, and the NCAA. Tax levy money may not be used for the recruitment of athletics.
3. Subsidization of Athletes: (Grants in Aid)
a) Coaches may recommend subsidization based upon availability of their budgets funds allocated to scholarships. The department’s compliance representatives must ensure NCAA initial or continuing eligibility prior to seeking approval from Director of Athletics.
b) Grant-in-aid Awards shall be limited to tuition, fees, housing, books, and board as per NCAA bylaws. The Office of Financial Aid is required to approve, dispense, and monitor subsidization; moreover, adjust accordingly to prevent over awarding of Cost of Attendance.
c) Students receiving subsidization must continuously maintain “normal progress” (as defined by the NCAA) each year of their subsidization. Failure to comply with this regulation may result in the loss of the student’s eligibility and aid.
d) Further criteria for subsidization of teams and athletes must adhere to NCAA, Queens College and CUNY guidelines.
e) As per the NCAA, the Office of Financial Aid shall serve as the sole body of appeals for students who have been denied a renewal of their grants in aid.
f) As per NCAA, students who lose academic eligibility may also lose eligibility for subsidization. Coaches are permitted to submit recommendations of non-renewal for reasons other than academic ineligibility (school violations, falsification of information, voluntary relinquishment of aid, etc.) but a justification letter to present to the office of Financial Aid.
g) Students who lose and then later regain academic eligibility must meet NCAA guidelines for restoration of subsidization. Restoration is not automatic, and will be recommended by the Head Coach and approved at the discretion of the Director of Athletics and/or compliance designee subject to both the availability of funds and to a re-evaluation of the student’s qualifications.
4. Membership: 9 voting, 2 nonvoting
a) Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), Chair
b) Director of Financial Aid
c) Registrar
d) Vice President of Enrollment Management
e) Chairperson of SAB
f) One Faculty member nominated by the President and elected by the Academic Senate for a two-year term.
g) A slate of three students nominated by the SAB, and ratified by the Academic Senate at the April Senate meeting, for a one-year term. This includes two student athletes (one male, one female). The Senate may ratify the nominations or return them in full or part. The SAB shall submit additional nominations for any seat the Senate does not fill, until all the seats are filled.
h) Ex officio (nonvoting): Athletic Director (or designee); Vice President for Student Affairs (or designee).
B. College Committee on Honors and Awards
1. Duties:
a) To select recipients for existing College-wide honors and awards.
b) To recommend to the Academic Senate criteria including minimum grade-point averages for the award of College-wide honors.
c) To evaluate all proposals for new College-wide awards honoring academic excellence, and in consultation with the appropriate persons and agencies, to make recommendations to the Academic Senate.
d) To stimulate recognition and appreciation of high academic achievement at the College.
e) To consider and pass upon waivers of requirements for graduation with an Honors degree.
f) To work with the College administration and other appropriate individuals and agencies regarding the establishment, criteria and award of non College-wide honors and prizes.
2. Membership: eight voting, one nonvoting.
a) Eight faculty, 2 from each of the four schools, elected at the April Senate meeting as follows:
1. Any member of the College community may recommend the nomination of any faculty member or themselves by submitting their name to the Nominating Committee of the Academic Senate.
2. The Nominating Committee shall review all applications and nominations and shall recommend the appropriate number of candidates to the Academic Senate for its consideration.
3. The Academic Senate shall vote on candidates submitted by the Nominating Committee. No additional nominations shall be permitted on the floor of the Academic Senate.
b) Ex officio (nonvoting): Associate Provost for Innovation & Student Success
3. Term of Service
a) The term of service shall be three years beginning on September 1, following the April election.
b) The Chair of the Honors and Awards Committee shall serve a one-year term and be elected by the members of the Committee at its September meeting.
4. Subcommittee on Honorary Degrees
a) Duties: To recommend candidates for honorary degrees.
b) Membership: Eight (8) voting; one (1) nonvoting
Faculty: Four (4) committee members elected by the Honors and Awards Committee for a two-year term – one from each of the four schools.
Students: Four (4) students elected by the Nominating Committee for a two-year term – one from each of the four schools.
Ex officio (nonvoting): Provost
Section 27. Delegation of Seat by Ex officio (nonvoting) Members.
Ex officio (nonvoting) members of Senate Committees may appoint a designee to serve in their place on the Committee. For such a designation to be effective, it must be in writing and be delivered to the Chair of the Committee in question.
Article VIII – Senator Vacancies
Section 1. Senator Vacancies
Between regular annual elections, vacant Academic Senate seats for which there are no Alternates shall be filled for their unexpired term as follows:
Section 2. Departmental Faculty Senators
Departments shall hold special elections as required to fill vacant Senator seats. The department chairperson shall serve as Senator, pro tempore, with full rights, until the department fills the vacancy.
Section 3. School-wide At-Large Faculty Senators
a) Vacancies in the four school at large faculty category shall be filled by a vote of the school and departmental faculty Senators from that school at a meeting called for the purpose of such an election or by mail ballot if so ordered by the Executive Committee.
b) The Chairperson of the Academic Senate shall designate a Senator from the school wide at large faculty category to serve as convener of the election meeting if the Executive Committee orders an election.
c) If the Executive Committee orders an election, the convener shall call a meeting within ten class days after notification by the Chairperson of the Academic Senate and shall preside at the election meeting. The meeting shall be valid if a majority of those eligible to vote is present, or a majority of those not present concur in writing with the decision of those in attendance. The convener shall report the results of the meeting to the Chairperson of the Academic Senate.
d) If the faculty Senators fail to act within one month of the Chairperson’s call for the election meeting or mail ballot, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to fill the vacancy in the school-wide at-large category.
Section 4. College-wide At-Large Faculty Senators
a) Vacancies in the College wide at large faculty Senator category shall be filled by a vote of the remaining College wide at large faculty Senators at a meeting called for the purpose of such election or by mail ballot if so ordered by the Executive Committee.
b) The Chairperson of the Academic Senate shall designate a Senator from the College-wide at large faculty category to serve as convener of the election meeting if the Executive Committee orders an election.
c) If the Executive Committee orders an election, the convener shall call a meeting within ten class days after notification by the Chairperson of the Academic Senate and shall preside at the election meeting. The meeting shall be valid if a majority of those eligible to vote is present or a majority of those not present concur in writing with the decision of those in attendance. The convener shall report the results of the meeting to the Chairperson of the Academic Senate.
d) If the faculty Senators fail to act within one month of the Chairperson’s call for the election meeting or mail ballot, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to fill the vacancy in the College-wide at large faculty category.
Section 5. Student Senators
a) Vacancies in the Student Senator category shall be filled by a vote of the remaining Student Senators at a meeting called for the purpose of such election.
b) The Chairperson of the Academic Senate shall designate a Student Senator to serve as convener of the election meeting.
c) The convener shall call a meeting within ten class days after notification by the Chairperson of the Academic Senate and shall preside at the election meeting. The meeting shall be valid if a majority of those eligible to vote is present or a majority of those not present concur in writing with the decision of those in attendance. The convener shall report the results of the meeting to the Chairperson of the Academic Senate.
Section 6. Student Senator Vacancies when there are no Delegates or Alternates in that category
a) Vacancies in a Student Senate category where there are no Student Senators or Alternates in that category shall be filled by a vote of the remaining student members of the Academic Senate at a meeting called for the purpose of such election.
b) The Chair of the Student Senate shall serve as convener of the election meeting.
c) The convener shall call a meeting within ten class days after notification by the Chairperson of the Academic Senate that such vacancies exist. The meeting shall be valid if a majority of those eligible to vote are present. The convener shall report the results of the meeting to the Chairperson of the Academic Senate.
Section 7. Removal of Habitually Absent Senators
a) When an Academic Senator misses four consecutive meetings the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate or any member of the constituency represented by that Senator may petition the Executive Committee, in writing, to declare that member’s Senate seat vacant.
b) Before a faculty Senator goes on leave, the faculty Senator must give written notice to the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate as to whether the Senator intends to continue to serve. In the absence of this written notice, if the Senator misses two meetings while on leave, the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate or any member of the constituency represented by that Senator may petition the Executive Committee to declare that Senate seat vacant.
c) The Secretary of the Academic Senate shall, upon receipt of the prescribed written petition to declare an Academic Senate seat vacant, immediately notify the Senator, in writing, that the Senate seat is in jeopardy of being declared vacant.
d) The Senator shall have the right to appear before the Executive Committee to explain the absence, subject to the time limitation set forth in paragraph e.
e) The Executive Committee shall, no sooner than one week nor later than one month after the original notification from the Holder of the Chair of the Academic Senate or a member of the constituency of the absent Senator, determine whether or not the seat should be declared vacant.
f) If the Executive Committee votes to declare an Academic Senate seat vacant, the Senator shall have the right to appeal this decision to the Academic Senate for final determination. The issue of the vacant seat shall be placed as a special motion on the next regular Academic Senate agenda.
g) A Senator whose seat has been declared vacant by the Executive Committee may not vote on the appeal of the Executive Committee’s decision when it goes to the full Senate.
Article IX – Selection of Representatives on Search Committee for a College President
Section 1.
Upon receipt of a request from the Board of Trustees, the Chair of the Academic Senate will proceed as follows:
a) Coordinate the nomination procedure with the Chair of the Executive Committee of the College Personnel and Budget Committee (P and B). The P and B have an election at the next meeting of the Academic Senate. The Chair of the P and B Executive Committee will forward the names to the Chair of the Academic Senate for inclusion on a formal ballot.
b) Prepare an individual nomination ballot which will have:
i. Place for printed name and signature of the nominee indicating willingness to serve if elected.
ii. Spaces for 25 signatures (no more than 12 of which can be from the nominee’s own department).
iii. Statement of a deadline by which all ballots must be received in the Academic Senate office.
c) Distribute the nomination ballots to all members of the faculty.
d) Have the Nominations Committee review all ballots for compliance with 1-b above.
e) Prepare and distribute to all faculty members of the Academic Senate an alphabetical listing, divided by school, of the names of all nominees. Those names designated by the P and B will be followed by the letter P. Those names derived by nomination ballot will be followed by the letter B.
f) Prepare and have ready for the Academic Senate meeting, a printed ballot containing names (and departments) of all nominees (divided into columns by schools). No designation as to source of the nomination will be on the printed ballot.
g) Conduct an election at the next meeting of the Academic Senate using the printed ballots. There will be no nominations from the floor. Only faculty Senators may vote and a simple majority will elect.
h) Transmit the election results to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.
Articles X – Amendments
Section 1.
Revisions of the Bylaws shall be by 2/3 majority vote, a quorum being present, according to the following procedures:
a) Written Notice of Intent shall be given at least one week prior to formal introduction of the Bylaw revision.
b) Notice of Intent can be given either by:
i. Distributing the proposed Bylaw revision with the call of the meeting, or
ii. Distributing the proposed Bylaw revision at a meeting along with oral notification on the Senate floor.
c) Proposed Bylaw revisions may be amended on the Senate floor. Any proposed Bylaw revision so amended may not come up to a final vote for at least one week after the last amendment has been accepted.
d) A Bylaw revision on which debate has been closed without a final vote being taken shall be a special order as the first item of business at the following week’s meeting. The proposed Bylaw revision can then be reopened for further amendment and/or debate by majority vote.
e) A proposed Bylaw revision that is not amended on the day it is formally introduced can be called to a final vote that day.
Article XI – Referendum
Section 1.
Any action by the Academic Senate, or any proposition related to any matter acted on by the Academic Senate, may be presented to the constituencies of the Queens College Academic Senate in the form of a referendum. Such referendum may be initiated by an affirmative vote of one third of the faculty members present and voting and one-third of the student members present and voting at any meeting, a quorum being present, or by petition of one-third of the duly elected faculty and one-third of the duly elected student members of the Academic Senate.
Section 2.
In order for the referendum to be regarded as binding, a simple majority of voting faculty and a simple majority of voting students must cast ballots in favor of the resolution, provided only that the number of faculty and students, counted separately, voting in the referendum must equal at least one half of the number of ballots cast by faculty and students, counted separately, in the last annual election of the Academic Senate.
Section 3.
The results of said referendum shall be binding upon the Academic Senate and shall be regarded as a motion duly passed by it.
Section 4.
The Executive Committee shall nominate, to the Senate, the members of an ad hoc committee to conduct the referendum, taking care to include representation of all points of view in connection with the subject of the referendum. This shall not impair the right of Senators to nominate from the floor.
Section 5.
If no funds are available for such a referendum, those requesting it must defray its cost.