Faculty Council Constitution

Section 1

The Faculty Council of the College of Education shall have the following functions:

A. Legislative Function: To serve as the sole legislative body representing the College faculty as a whole. Its actions shall be authoritative on all matters that pertain to the educational interests of the College (graduate and undergraduate instruction, research, and continuing education) and on all educational matters that concern the faculty of more than one department, subject to policies and procedures of the University Faculty Senate and the Graduate Council and to the approval of the Dean of the College. The matters within the legislative jurisdiction of the Faculty Council are the following:

(1) instructional program

(2) courses and programs of study

(3) academic admissions standards

(4) retention and graduation requirements

(5) scholarships and honors

(6) research policy

(7) undergraduate and graduate student and faculty concerns

B. Advisory and Consultative Function: To act as a consultative and advisory body to the Dean, both corporately and through any of its constituent parts, on any matter that may affect the attainment of the educational objectives of the College, including:

(1) the establishment, reorganization, or discontinuation of organizational units and areas of instruction or research

(2) policies concerning the planning and use of physical facilities when these may affect the attainment of the educational objectives of the College

(3) policies and administration of the libraries and other information resources of the College

(4) policies affecting College development and utilization of resources

(5) matters pertaining to the general welfare of the College

(6) overall educational policy and planning, including program balance

(7) faculty affairs, including academic, research, and continuing education personnel

(8) student affairs

(9) general admissions policy

(10) other appropriate matters

C. Monitoring Function: It shall endeavor to monitor the actions of College administrators and faculty members, to ensure that their duties and responsibilities are faithfully executed and that the spirit, as well as the letter, of the principles of consultation are an integral part of the decision-making process within the College.

D. Forensic Function: To serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas among the members of the College faculty. Members of the College faculty who are not members of the Council shall have the right to attend meetings as observers and may be granted the privilege of the floor in accordance with rules established by the Council.

Section 2

The Faculty Council shall interpret its legislation.

Section 3

In case of a question of legislative jurisdiction, the power of decision shall rest with the Dean of the College.

Section 4

The authority of the Faculty Council shall not prevent departments from regulating their affairs. Action by departments shall not be inconsistent with College-wide policy as enacted by the Council.

Section 1

For the purpose of defining the electorate of the Faculty Council, the term College faculty shall mean all persons in the College of Education holding an academic rank as described in AC 21. Questions of interpretation shall be ruled on by the Elections Commission.

Section 2

The Faculty Council shall be elected by the College faculty from among its members, except for the Dean, the Dean’s appointee and student-elected members.

Section 3

The Faculty Council shall consist of voting and non-voting members, as follows:

(1) Each formally designated department will elect two (2) voting representatives, at least one of whom must be tenured.

(2) Faculty Council Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past-Chair (all elected at-large by the College of Education faculty) will serve as voting members.

(3) The Dean and Dean’s Representative shall be ex-officio, non-voting members.

(4) The College of Education Undergraduate Student Association shall elect one (1) non-voting representative. The College of Education Graduate Student Association shall elect one (1) non-voting representative.

Section 4

The normal term of an elected faculty member of the Faculty Council shall be two (2) years. As nearly as possible, one-half (1/2) of the total number of elected faculty members of the Council shall be elected each year. A faculty member shall not be eligible for election to membership for more than two (2) consecutive terms. A new member filling in for a resigned Faculty Council member (whether the new member is appointed or elected) shall not have this service count as one of the two (2) consecutive terms.

Section 5

If an Executive Secretary, who may be a College of Education staff member, is to be appointed by the Executive Committee of Faculty Council to aid the Council in the performance of its duties, then the appointment should be for a period of one year and made in April. The Executive Secretary shall be nonvoting but shall have the privileges of the floor.

Section 6

In the event that the number of formally designated departments in the College of Education changes, duly elected voting representatives shall be permitted to complete their normal terms. Consolidated departments shall not be compelled to hold new elections mid-term for their voting representatives, but any future elections shall be for a total of only two (2) voting representatives from among the consolidated faculties. Newly created departments shall hold elections, as soon as practicable, to elect two (2) voting representatives from among the departmentally constituted faculty, one of whom shall be elected for a term of one (1) year that shall not count toward the allowed consecutive terms and the other for a normal term of two (2) years beginning with the semester of their election.

Amendments to the CONSTITUTION consistent with University policy may be adopted at any meeting of the Faculty Council by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present, provided that the amendment shall have been presented in writing at the preceding regular meeting. The College faculty shall be informed of any proposed amendments before they are adopted. Such amendments shall not be in effect until they have been approved by three-fourths (3/4) of the faculty voting at a regular meeting of the College faculty and by the Dean, communicated to the Executive Director of the University Faculty Senate, and approved by the University Faculty Senate. It is clarified here that electronic voting or another alternative balloting procedure can be held in lieu of a voting at a physical meeting.

In the event that action taken by the Council appears contrary to the interests of the faculty, the faculty may petition the Council to conduct a referendum for the issue under consideration. Upon receipt of a petition from 20 percent of the faculty, the Council is obligated to conduct a referendum of the faculty for the issue under consideration.

3/1/77, Article II, Sec. 4

4/15/76, Article II, Sec. 4

8/16/78, Article II, Sec. 5(8)

3/20/80, Article II, Sec. 3,4

9/16/83, Article II, Sec. 6

1/20/83, Article II, Sec. 6

11/8/90, Article I, Sec. 1

11/8/90, Article I, Sec. 4

11/8/90, Article II, Sec. 4

4/21/94, Article II, Sec. 6

5/2/95, Article II, Sec. 2

5/2/95, Article II, Sec. 3

5/2/95, Article II, Sec. 4

12/9/99, Article II, Sec. 3

3/18/04, Article II, Sec. 3

2/21/13, Article II, Sec. 3, 6

2/21/13, Article III

11/16/17, Article I, Sec. 1

11/16/17, Article II, Sec. 1

11/16/17, Article II, Sec. 3

11/16/17, Article III, Sec. 1