Bylaws of the SUNY Brockport College Senate

Effective May 2022 - May 2025

ARTICLE ONE – Purpose and Definitions

Section A: Name

This organization shall be called the SUNY Brockport College Senate, hereinafter referred to as the “Senate,” and is authorized by the POLICIES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, ARTICLE X.; wherein it is established (§3) that the “voting faculty of each college shall be composed of […] [m]embers of the academic staff of the college having academic rank and term or continuing appointments” as well as “such other officers of administration and staff members of the college as may be specified by the bylaws of the college.”

Section B: Purpose

The Senate shall have the obligation to participate significantly in the initiation, development, and implementation of the educational program of the College. This includes primary and shared responsibility for the matters listed in Article THREE, Section A.

Section C: Definitions

  1. Faculty and Professional Staff: Members of the academic or Professional Staff of the College as defined by the SUNY Board of Trustees, holding an appointment of at least 0.5 annualized full-time equivalent (FTE). The collective body of individuals comprising the “voting faculty” in the Board of Trustees provision above. Thus, the collective body of individuals represented by the Senate, eligible to vote for and serve as representatives in the Senate, to engage with any Senate concern, and to vote on all matters requiring approval by the entire “voting faculty,” including changes to these bylaws. These individuals are part of the Professional Services Negotiating Unit and are eligible to be represented by UUP.
    1. Adjuncts who are teaching during the current semester and including those credits have taught a total of at least 12 credits in the past year.
    2. Graduate assistants (inclusive of graduate Teaching Assistants) appointment are not included in the Senate’s definition of Faculty and Professional Staff.
    3. Emeriti shall be included in the Senate’s definition of Faculty and Professional Staff by serving on any of the Standing Committees or by applying in writing to the Senate President.
  2. Teaching Faculty: Members of the academic or Professional Staff with the primary responsibility of instruction in one or more academic departments or programs (including those with typically primary teaching loads granted course releases or alternate assignments for chairing or other academic service to the College).
  3. Contingent Faculty: A member of Teaching Faculty who is not eligible for continuing or permanent appointment. SUNY refers to these positions as Qualified Academic Rank. SUNY Brockport refers to these positions as Lecturers or Visiting Assistant Professors.
  4. Senator: An elected or duly appointed representative of the Faculty and Professional Staff who attends Senate meetings and votes on Senate business. See Section F.
  5. Alternate Senator: An individual elected to act for a specified Senator in the event that Senator cannot attend a Senate meeting and/or fulfill other senatorial responsibilities.

Section D: Composition

  1. The Faculty and Professional Staff shall be represented by an assembly called the Senate.
  2. The Senate shall be composed of elected members of the Faculty and Professional Staff who are eligible by the provisions of these Bylaws and who have served at least six (6) months holding an appointment of at least 0.5 annualized full-time equivalent (FTE), as defined by the SUNY Board of Trustees, and such ex-officio and non-voting members as hereinafter may be specified.

Section E: Units of Representation

  1. Academic departments shall be recognized as units of representation if they have:
    1. A separate personnel roster;
    2. A separate operating budget; and
    3. A designated chairperson, director, or other administrative head.
    4. And such recognition is consistent with the historical balance of composition of the Senate.
  2. Administrative units shall be recognized as units of representation if they have:
    1. At least five (5) members who are full-time employees of the College according to a current personnel roster;
    2. A separate operating budget; and
    3. A designated director or other administrative head.
  3. Administrative units of fewer than five (5) members may combine with other units to achieve a size equal to or greater than five (5) members.
  4. Combining units shall normally be by functional relationship but may also be achieved through spatial proximity.
  5. If an academic unit of representation is merged or eliminated, the former unit shall be entitled to representation through an additional Senator-at-Large for a new appointment through the next bylaws revision cycle. This would not reduce the number of Senators-at-Large eligible for election or appointment.

Section F: Senators

  1. Each unit of representation shall elect their own Senator and Alternate Senator. (Terms of Offices are described in Article 3, Section F). No senator may represent two (2) or more units of representation.
  2. Only individuals having served more than six (6) months as a member of the Faculty and Professional Staff may be elected or appointed Senator.
  3. Individuals who are appointed to multiple Units of Representation must vote within their home department as defined by Human Resources.
  4. Six (6) Senators-at-Large shall be elected from the Faculty and Professional Staff, three (3) of whom shall be elected each year to serve 2-year terms.
  5. One (1) additional Senator-at-Large shall be elected from the Contingent Faculty provided they meet the criteria in ARTICLE TWO, Section A. This Senator shall be charged with consulting and representing collective perspectives of Contingent Faculty, including Adjunct faculty, regardless of their representation as voting Faculty and Academic Staff within their given departments or programs.
    1. In the event of there being an insufficient number of Senators-at-Large candidates, or in the event of a vacancy, the Senate President may, upon consultation with the Executive Committee, appoint a Senator to serve in that capacity until the next election.
    2. In the event of a vacancy for the Contingent Faculty Senator-at-Large, the President may appoint a full-time member of the Faculty and Professional Staff with the same responsibilities for representing Contingent Faculty as outlined above.
  6. In the event of there being an insufficient number of Senators-at-Large candidates, or in the event of a vacancy, the Senate President may, upon consultation with the Executive Committee, appoint a Senator to serve in that capacity until the next election.
  7. The number of Senators-at-Large appointed by the Senate President shall not exceed four (4).

Section G: Changes in Representation

  1. New academic departments or administrative units, or departments or units whose representation is affected by personnel changes, may petition to have such changes recognized by the Senate through the Senate President-elect.
  2. The President-elect, with the approval of the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE FIVE), shall publish annually, by February 1, recommendations on units of representation.

ARTICLE TWO – THE FACULTY AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Section A: Purpose

  1. The Faculty and Professional Staff shall elect the President-elect of the Senate, the representatives to the University Faculty Senate, and the Senators-at-Large.
  2. The Faculty and Professional Staff shall vote on amendments to these Bylaws and on all referenda and recall actions.

Section B: Meetings

  1. The Faculty and Professional Staff shall meet at least once each semester during the academic year prior to the end of the regular course schedule.
  2. The Faculty and Professional Staff shall also meet when convened by the Chancellor, the Chief Administrative Officer of the College, or the President of the Senate, or upon petition of ten (10) percent of the Faculty.
  3. All items to be considered shall be placed on the agenda, which shall be distributed to the Faculty and Professional Staff at least one (1) week prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE THREE – THE SENATE

Section A: Purpose

  1. The Senate shall recommend policy in the academic and professional spheres, and on any other matters not subject to contractual agreement. The Senate is concerned primarily with:
    1. Institutional mission
    2. The curriculum
    3. Teaching/Librarianship
    4. Scholarship and creative activity
    5. Service to the academy
    6. Standards for faculty appointments, promotion, tenure and evaluation
    7. Setting of degree requirements
    8. Budgeting priorities that affect educational programs to the Dean’s, Provost’s or Joint Planning and Budget Committees purview.
    9. Enrollment policies
    10. Appointment, promotion, and evaluation of Deans, Vice Presidents and President
    11. Other matters of primarily academic import.
  2. With other units of the College, the Senate shares responsibility to formulate, review, revise, and adopt for recommendation to the Chief Administrative Officer, policies having to do with:
    1. Students
    2. Physical facilities
    3. Budgeting priorities that do not directly affect educational programs
    4. Appointment, promotion, and evaluation of Deans, Vice Presidents and President
    5. Other matters of primarily administrative nature that also have significant academic import.
  3. The Senate shall, through its President, inform the Chief Administrative Officer of the College of its recommendations. In making its recommendation to the College Council, the Chancellor, and/or the Board of Trustees, the Senate shall act through the Chief Administrative Officer of the College. The Senate shall be the sole voice of the Faculty and Professional Staff in its recommendations on these matters to the Chief Administrative Officer of the College, to other administrative officers, and to other faculties and groups.

Section B: Meetings

  1. The Faculty and Professional Staff shall meet at least once each month during the academic year and shall consider an agenda prepared by the Senate Executive Committee in accordance with these Bylaws. The Senate shall also meet on call of its President, the Chief Administrative Officer of the College, the Chancellor, or ten (10) percent of its membership. One (1) more than one-half (1/2) of the voting Senate membership shall constitute a quorum. By motion, the Senate may set quorum as a fixed number at the beginning of the academic year.

Section C: The Agenda for the Senate

  1. The agenda shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and shall be made available electronically to all Senators in advance of regular meetings.
  2. Significant action items shall be presented to the Senate for discussion two (2) weeks prior to a vote on the item. Items involving only slight changes may be announced to the Senate and discussed without vote, on the presumption of unanimous consent.
    1. The Executive Committee will determine the significant vs. slight nature of action items on the Senate’s agenda considering the nature of the item, the recommendation of a standing committee, if any, and the tradition of the Senate.
    2. Standing committees may define the characteristics of significant and/or slight changes for the benefit of the Senate. The Senate may adopt such definitions as standing rules, whose interpretation would rest with the Executive Committee.
    3. The slight change designation does not prohibit any member of the Senate from stating objections for the record. A voting member may request a full vote of the Senate on such an item. A motion to take a vote at the following Senate meeting requires a second, may be discussed, and passes with a one-third (1/3) of those present and voting casting a vote in the affirmative.
  3. Should circumstances require, significant action items may be presented to the Senate directly and without notice upon the approval of two-thirds (2/3) of those present and voting.
  4. The agenda shall include at least the following items:
    1. Approval of Minutes
    2. Approval of Agenda
    3. Announcements (This section shall be restricted to informational items not requiring action and may include a report from the President or designee.)
    4. Old Business (This section shall be restricted to unfinished business and to previous agenda items not acted upon.)
    5. Report of the Executive Committee (This section shall include all actions taken by the Executive committee and all items recommended by the Executive Committee for action by the Senate.)
    6. New Business (This section shall be restricted to motions from the floor for referral to the Executive Committee. Such motions shall be returned to the Senate for action in a timely manner.)
    7. Reports of the Standing and Ad hoc Committees.

Section D: Emergency Procedures

If urgent business should come before the Senate during times other than the College’s regular fall or spring semesters, the Executive Committee shall be authorized to act for the Senate with the following provisos:

  1. All actions taken by the Executive Committee shall be advisory only and presented to the Senate for ratification at its next scheduled meeting.
  2. The Executive Committee shall inform all concerned parties, in writing, of the advisory nature of such actions.

Section E: Membership

  1. The membership of the Senate shall consist of the following:
    1. Senators, or elected alternate Senators chosen from the Units of Representation indicated in ARTICLE ONE, Section E.
    2. An adjunct faculty elected or appointed to represented adjunct faculty who shall be a non-voting member of the Senate.
    3. The President, the President-elect and the immediate Past-president, who shall be ex-officio, and voting members of the Senate.
    4. The Chief Administrative Officer of the College who shall be a non-voting member of the Senate.
    5. The University Faculty Senators who shall be non-voting members of the Senate, unless also elected as Senators representing units.
    6. The President or designee of the legal bargaining agency for the Teaching Faculty and professionals who shall be a non-voting member of the Senate.
  2. An Alternate Senator is entitled to vote and to be counted for a quorum only when the Senator from their unit is absent.
  3. The President of the Brockport Student Government, or their designee, shall be invited to attend each meeting of the Senate and to participate in a non-voting capacity.
  4. Student representatives shall be invited to attend each meeting of the Senate and to participate in a non-voting These students shall be selected and appointed each year in the following manner:
    1. In each School of the College, the dean shall select one undergraduate and one graduate student representative from nominations made by respective department chairs.
    2. This selection process shall take place no later than April so the names of the student representatives for the following year may be published prior to the last meeting of the Senate.

Section F: Terms of Office

  1. The term of office for elected Senators shall be for two (2) years, unless otherwise specified. Approximately one-half (1/2) the Senate shall be elected each year.
  2. The beginning and ending dates of terms of office for all elected members of the Senate and its officers shall coincide with the beginning of the first meeting of the fall semester and the completion of the last meeting of the spring semester respectively.
  3. No Senator shall be elected to, or serve, more than three (3) consecutive terms. Completion of a term to which another person was elected will not count toward this limit.
  4. When the President of the Senate has received written notice that a Senator will be on leave or otherwise separated from the College for a length of time exceeding one (1) academic semester, or if an elected Senator subsequently becomes President-elect of the Senate, or if a seat becomes vacant for any other reason, the President shall notify the appropriate unit of representation to conduct a special election in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. The newly elected Senator shall assume office upon notice from the President and shall serve until the return of the original Senator or end of the term.
  5. The President-elect shall be installed as President during the last meeting of the Senate in the spring semester, to be effective upon the completion of that meeting.

Section G: Attendance

The elected Senator or Alternate shall attend all meetings. Should a unit not be represented by a duly elected Senator or Alternate for more than three (3) consecutive meetings of the Senate, the Senate President shall inform the home unit, which may appoint a new Senator from that unit to serve until the next election.

Section H: Duties of the Senators

  1. Attend meetings of the Senate with any technology devices required by the Senate for participation.
  2. Serve on at least one (1) standing or ad-hoc committee of the Senate or as Senate representative on one college-wide committee requiring Senate representation.
  3. Consult with colleagues in their unit of representation on matters that significantly affect them.
  4. Report to colleagues in their unit of representation on matters that significantly affect them.

ARTICLE FOUR – OFFICERS OF THE SENATE

Section A: Officers

  1. Officers of the Senate shall be the President, the President-elect, and the Past-president.
  2. Eligibility to serve as these officers shall be limited to Faculty and Professional Staff who do not hold management confidential appointments.

Section B: Elections and Terms of Office

  1. The President of the Senate shall serve a term of one (1) year and shall not serve successive terms.
  2. The President-elect shall be elected by the Faculty and Professional Staff, shall serve a term of one (1) year and shall succeed to the Presidency for a term of one (1) year.
  3. The Past-president shall serve a term of one (1) year, that immediately succeeding the term as President.
  4. The professional administrative Senate Secretary shall act as the Recording Secretary. In the absence of the Senate Secretary, the President may appoint, with the approval of the Senate, a Recording Secretary, from the Faculty and Professional Staff, including the Senate ranks.

Section C: Duties of the Officers of the Senate

  1. President
    1. The President shall convene and preside over all meetings of the Senate, of the Executive Committee of the Senate, and of the Faculty and Professional Staff, except those meetings of the Faculty and Professional Staff convened by the Chief Administrative Officer of the College.
      1. The President may, upon due notice to the members, call a meeting of the Faculty and Professional Staff, of the Senate, or of the Executive Committee.
      2. The President shall, on petition of ten (10) percent of the Faculty and Professional Staff, convene a meeting of the Faculty and Professional Staff, or on petition of ten (10) percent of the Senate, convene a meeting of the Senate.
    2. The President shall be the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Senate.
    3. The President shall be a non-voting member of all standing committees of the Senate, but shall not serve as chairperson of these standing committees.
    4. The President shall appoint members from the Faculty and Professional Staff to serve on College-wide committees and shall require reports from these committees to be made to the Executive Committee and the Senate in a regular and timely manner.
    5. The President may concurrently serve as Alternate University Faculty Senator if elected as such.
  2. President-elect:
    1. The President-elect shall, in the absence of the President, preside over meetings of the Senate, of the Executive Committee of the Senate, and of the Faculty and Professional Staff, as provided for in these Bylaws.
    2. When the President chooses to enter debate, the President-elect shall assume the Chair.
    3. The President-elect shall be a non-voting member of all standing committees of the Senate, but shall not serve as chairperson of these standing committees.
    4. The President-elect, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall oversee Faculty elections. Each year, in accordance with these Bylaws (ARTICLE ONE, Sections E and F), the President-elect shall determine if changes in the Senate representation are warranted. The President-elect shall annually receive petitions from units desiring to be recognized as units of representation and shall make recommendations thereupon to the Senate. The President-elect shall conduct elections of the Faculty and Professional Staff in accordance with these Bylaws.
    5. The President-elect may serve as Alternate University Faculty Senator if elected as such.
    6. See Article III, Section F.
  3. Past-president:
    1. The Past-president shall assume the duties of the President when neither the President nor the President-Elect is available.
  4. Secretary:
    1. The Secretary shall be responsible for recording the minutes of each Senate and Executive Committee meeting and shall arrange for them to be distributed to the members of the Senate and the Executive Committee.

Section D: Vacancies

  1. If a vacancy in the office of President occurs, the President-elect shall serve as acting-president as long as that vacancy shall exist without vacating the office of the President-Elect.
  2. A vacancy in the office of President-Elect shall be filled by a special election. Special elections may be held only during the fall and spring semesters.
  3. In the absence of a President-Elect, the President will continue to serve as Interim President until a President-Elect has been elected.

ARTICLE FIVE – THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE

Section A: Composition

The Executive Committee of the Senate shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Past President, the chairpersons of the standing committees, and the University Faculty Senators. The President may invite others to be present and participate in a non-voting capacity.

Section B: Purpose

  1. The Executive Committee of the Senate shall be the official liaison of the Senate, and in this capacity shall be charged with making the opinion of the Senate known to the Faculty and Professional Staff, and to the Chief Administrative Officer of the College. For such purposes the Executive Committee shall meet with the Chief Administrative Officer of the college as often as deemed necessary, but no less than once each month of the regular spring and fall semesters.
  2. The Executive Committee shall prepare an agenda for each meeting of the Senate and the Faculty and Professional Staff in accordance with these Bylaws.
  3. The Executive Committee shall submit proposals made by the standing committees and the Senate ad hoc committees, to the Senate, with or without recommendations.
  4. The Executive Committee shall assign to standing committees such work as is within the charge of each committee. Committees shall receive requests from, and make reports to, the Administration only through the Executive Committee of the Senate.
  5. The Executive Committee shall review the actions of the Senate and their subsequent implementation and shall report to the Senate accordingly.
  6. In consultation with Office of Accountability and Assessment, the Executive Committee shall advise on, review and recommend policies and procedures pertaining to curricular assessment.

Section C: Terms of Office

The members of the Executive Committee shall serve from the time of their confirmation until the last Senate meeting of the following academic year, with the exception of the chairpersons of standing committees, who serve at the pleasure of the Senate President.

ARTICLE SIX – STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE

Section A: Meetings

  1. Committees or any of their sub-committees shall meet in executive sessions unless otherwise specified by the Chair
    1. On call of their chairpersons
    2. When two-thirds (2/3) of the committee members so petition their chairperson
    3. Upon request of the Senate or its Executive Committee, as determined by a majority vote of either body.
  2. Committees shall establish and publicize a schedule of their meetings and shall keep records of their proceedings and their activities through the Senate Secretary.

Section B: Terms of Office

  1. The President shall appoint Senators to standing committees for a term of one (1) year, keeping in mind both the need for appropriate balance on each committee and the personal preferences of the Senators.
  2. When appropriate, the President of the Senate may appoint members of the Faculty and Professional Staff who have not been elected as Senators or Alternate Senators to Senate standing committees, for a term not to exceed one (1) year. These individuals will have voting rights in their respective committees, but not in Senate.

Section C: Chairpersons

Unless otherwise specified by these Bylaws, committee chairpersons, after appropriate consultation, shall be confirmed by the Senate at the last regular meeting of the academic year prior to their terms of appointment. Appointments shall be made by the person who is to be President of the Senate during the academic year of the committee chair’s appointment. After confirmation, chairpersons will serve at the pleasure of the President of the Senate. The Senate President may not appoint anyone whom they supervise or is their supervisor.

Section D: Purpose

Committees shall conduct continuous studies in the areas of their responsibilities and shall make recommendations and annual reports based upon their findings to the Senate through the Executive Committee. All committee recommendations shall contain a report on their budgetary implications and provide necessary supporting documentation. Further they shall, upon request of the Senate Executive Committee, conduct special investigations in those areas which are properly within their jurisdiction. Annual reports shall be submitted in writing to the President no later than the end of the spring semester.

Section E: Membership

  1. All voting Senators except the President, the President-Elect, the Past President, and the Secretary shall serve on standing committees of the Senate. Senators shall serve on only one (1) standing committee of the Senate, unless otherwise specified. Senators may serve on an ad-hoc committee of the Senate in addition to or in lieu of a standing committee of the Senate. Senators may serve as Senate Representatives on university-wide committees in addition to or instead of serving on a standing or ad-hoc committee of the Senate. Student representatives shall be invited to participate as deemed appropriate by each committee but shall not be counted in the numbers specified below.
  2. Unless otherwise specified, each committee shall consist of a minimum of five (5) members and shall include at least three (3) Senators. The chairperson of each committee shall be either a Brockport Senator or a University Faculty Senator elected by the Brockport Faculty. Maximum committee size may be determined by the chairperson, subject to the approval by the Executive Committee.
  3. The President of the Senate, with approval of the Executive Committee may appoint additional Faculty and Professional Staff members to any of the Senate’s committees or subcommittees.

Section F: Vacancies

If a member of a committee becomes unable or ineligible to serve for any reason, the chairperson of the committee shall be empowered to appoint a temporary member to the committee, until such time as the member’s inability or ineligibility ceases, or their term expires, whichever comes first. The temporary member shall be chosen from a list of interested and qualified Faculty and Professional Staff members compiled by the President. If the chair becomes vacant, the President of the Senate, after consultation with the remaining members of the committee, shall appoint a new chairperson from the Senators among them. The appointment shall be submitted to the Senate for ratification at the next regular meeting of the Senate.

Section G: Committee on Engagement and Enrollment Planning and Policies

  1. Membership: Shall include, as voting members, at least there (3) Teaching Faculty and two (2) Professional Staff spanning Schools and Divisions of the College involved with student recruitment and retention and applied and engaged learning. Shall include, as consulting, but non-voting members, the current Registrar or representative.
  2. The chair of this Committee shall also serve on any College-wide enrollment strategies committee.
  3. Purpose: This Committee shall act for the Senate in the continuing study and review of College policies and procedures in the areas of recruitment, admissions, retention, and applied and engaged learning. Specifically, the Committee shall make recommendations to the Senate on such concerns as:
    1. Admission and readmission of all undergraduate students, with specific reference to previous academic records, SAT or ACT scores, advanced placement and transfer credit
    2. Retention of all undergraduate students, including grade-point averages and probation/dismissal policies.
    3. Recruitment and admission of all graduate students.
    4. Definitions, guidelines for development, tagging, coordination and review of applied and engaged learning activities.
  4. This Committee shall:
    1. Report annually to the Senate regarding student admission profiles, admission selectivity, enrollment trends, retention rates by student cohorts, and graduation rates by student cohorts, e.g., native and transfer students.
    2. Review and bring forward to the College Senate for a vote of all new policies and procedures related to the delineation of, application for and approval of applied and engaged learning designations.
    3. Regularly report to the College Senate any data reported out to SUNY in collaboration with relevant committees, departments, programs and offices across campus.
    4. Receive and review any relevant research and assessment reports on applied and engaged learning at the College to make informed decisions on recommendations and resolutions forwarded to the Senate regarding the development and coordination of applied and engaged learning.
    5. Collaborate with other College Senate Standing Committees on Undergraduate, Graduate, and General Education Curriculum and Policies to ensure compliance with current policies and procedures in programmatic curricular revisions involving credit-bearing and engaged learning activities and/or non- credit bearing applied and engaged learning requirements for completion of a major, minor, certificate, or certification.

Section H. Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

  1. Purpose: This Committee shall act for the Senate on matters related to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, including but not limited to the following:
    1. Promote curriculum and co-curricular programming that is inclusive of underrepresented individuals, defined widely to include Black, Indigenous and People of Color, members of the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) community, people with disabilities, neurodiverse people, and other groups who have been oppressed by those in positions of power.
    2. Liaise with campus committees, task forces, and working groups
    3. Advocate for and propose policies and programs to ensure equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all areas of college life
    4. Pursue anti-racist policies, programming, and training that remediate historical racisms and promote a climate of well-being for all
    5. Provide updates to the Senate on the status, progress, and challenges involved in EDI work
    6. Advise the Senate, via the Executive Committee, on matters related to EDI that exist within the Senate’s bylaws, membership, procedures, customs, and culture.
    7. Develop Senate proposals and review proposals to be sent to the Executive Committee and the full Senate to meet needs it identifies based on sections a through f above.
  2. Membership:
    1. Chair: Shall be a Senator or University Faculty Senator appointed by the College Senate President.
    2. Membership:
      1. At least 5 of the Committee members shall be Senators. Membership shall include:
      2. 1 representative from each School
      3. 3 representatives of Professional Staff
      4. 3 representatives from Affinity groups (e.g., Faculty and Staff of Color Interest group, International Faculty and Staff Association, and Committee on Accessibility)
      5. 3 open Seats
      6. up to 2 graduate students
      7. up to 2 undergraduate students
      8. The Chief Diversity Officer shall serve on the committee ex-officio, non-voting.
  3. The Senate President and Committee Chair shall endeavor to recruit committee members with scholarly or experiential expertise in diversity work (see section 1a above) and a vested commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
  4. Membership Term: members will serve two-year terms, with no more than half the committee each year consisting of new members

Section I: Committee on Faculty and Professional Staff Policies

  1. Membership: Shall include at least two (2) Teaching Faculty and two (2) Professional Staff.
  2. Purpose: This Committee shall act for the Senate in the continuing study and review of all aspects of the College environment that affect the ability of the faculty and Professional Staff to operate effectively. This Committee shall conduct a review of each senior administrator (Dean-level and above) at least every five years. This Committee shall also recommend policy and procedures to implement the consultation required under the POLICIES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES on personnel actions. Specifically, the Committee shall make recommendations to the Senate on such concerns as:
    1. Academic freedom
    2. Appointments, promotion and tenure
    3. Faculty and Professional Staff development and evaluation
    4. Faculty and Professional Staff workload
    5. Full and equal employment opportunity practices
    6. Improvements to buildings and grounds to increase the quality of campus life
    7. Improvements to academic settings to enhance instruction and learning
    8. Professional conduct
    9. Review of research policies and procedures including efforts at procurement of outside sponsored research funds and the development of a favorable and equitable research climate
    10. Services in support of academic programs
    11. Senate review of administrators
    12. Shared governance practices of academic units.

Section J: Committee on General Education Curriculum and Policies

  1. Membership: At least one-half (1/2) the membership of this Committee shall be Teaching Faculty, including at least one (1) member from each School of the College. This committee shall be chaired by a Teaching Faculty member. The General Education Program administrator shall be a non-voting member of the Committee but shall not chair the Committee.
  2. Purpose: This Committee shall act for the Senate in the continuing oversight of all aspects of the General Education Program and make recommendations for maintaining the quality of General Education at Brockport. Its responsibilities shall include reviewing GEP courses, and making recommendations to the Senate on such concerns as:
    1. GEP course registration procedures,
    2. Approval of new GEP courses,
    3. Recertification of GEP courses on a regular basis,
    4. Creation and review of GEP implementation and assessment policies and procedures (developed in collaboration with and clearly communicated to GEP administrators, GEP assessment committees or coordinators, and Teaching Faculty engaged with the GEP)
    5. Evaluation on a cyclical basis of all GEP components and the Program as a whole.

Section K: Committee on Graduate Curriculum and Policies

  1. Membership: At least one-half (1/2) the membership of this committee shall be Teaching Faculty, including one (1) Teaching Faculty member from a department with a graduate program in each School of the College with such a program. This Committee shall be chaired by a Teaching Faculty member from a department with a graduate program. The Director of the Center for Graduate Studies shall be a non-voting member of the Committee but shall not chair the Committee.
  2. Purpose: This Committee shall act for the Senate in the continuing study and review of all phases of the graduate curriculum, and academic standards. Specifically, the committee shall make recommendations to the Senate on such concerns as:
    1. Approval and revision of graduate programs
    2. Removal of graduate programs
    3. Criteria for graduate degrees
    4. Continuing review and revision of graduate student policies.

Section L: Committee on Student Policies

  1. Membership: Shall include at least two (2) Teaching Faculty and one (1) Professional Staff.
  2. Purpose: This committee shall act for the Senate in the continuing study and review of College policies and procedures relevant to students’ pursuit of academic programs. Specifically, this committee shall make recommendations to the Senate on such concerns as:
    1. General College requirements
    2. Course load
    3. Grading
    4. Academic honors
    5. Academic honesty
    6. Registering, dropping and withdrawing from classes
    7. Attendance
  3. This Committee shall also be an advisory body for such concerns as housing, financial aid and co-curricular activities.

Section M: Committee on the Undergraduate Curriculum and Policies

  1. Membership: At least one-half (1/2) the membership of this Committee shall be Teaching Faculty, including at least one (1) member from each School of the College. This Committee shall be chaired by a Teaching Faculty member.
  2. Purpose: This Committee shall act for the Senate in the continuing study and review of all phases of the undergraduate curriculum and related academic policies, except for the General Education Program. Specifically, this Committee shall make recommendations to the Senate on such concerns as:
    1. Approval and revision of undergraduate programs,
    2. Removal of undergraduate programs,
    3. Criteria for granting baccalaureate degrees,
    4. Continuing review and revision of undergraduate academic policies.

ARTICLE SEVEN – AD HOC COMMITTEES

Ad hoc committees of the Senate may be established by the Senate to perform specific tasks not within the purview of any standing committee. Such ad hoc committees and their chairs shall be appointed by the President of the Senate. Ad hoc committees may also be appointed by standing committees of the Senate to perform specific tasks within their function.

ARTICLE EIGHT – ELECTION PROCEDURES

Section A: Responsibility for Elections by the Faculty

  1. The President-elect shall be responsible for the preparation of slates and the administration of elections to those positions decided by the Faculty.
  2. The President-elect shall publicly solicit each February petitions for candidacy for the positions which need to be filled, i.e., President-elect, Senators-at-Large, University Faculty Senator, and Alternate University Faculty Senator. Only candidates whose petitions contain twenty-five (25) or more signatures of Faculty members are eligible to have their names appear on the election ballots. Three (3) weeks from the initial call for petitions shall be allowed for submission of petitions to the President-elect. The President-elect must have the consent of the nominee before her/his/their name may be included on an election ballot.
  3. At a regular semester meeting of the Faculty, the President-elect shall present to the Faculty the slate of qualified candidates for each office specified above. At this meeting, candidates for these offices shall have the opportunity to address the Faculty.
  4. Faculty shall vote separately for the Office of the Senate President-elect, University Senator, and University Senator Alternate. Senators-at-Large shall be elected by joint ballot. Elections shall be resolved by a majority of the votes cast by at least one-fourth (1/4) of the Faculty.
  5. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, a run-off election shall be held within two (2) weeks of the regular election between those two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes cast. Elections shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast.
  6. In the event of uncontested candidacies, ballots shall be marked “Endorse” or “Do Not Endorse.” The candidate must receive a majority endorsement of those votes cast in a qualified election. In the event the candidate does not, a new election will be held consistent with these Bylaws.
  7. The POLICIES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, ARTICLE VII specify requirements for University Faculty Senators, their Alternates, and the circumstances under which these offices may be deemed vacated.

Section B: Voting for President-elect, Senators-at-Large, and University Senators

  1. Voting for all candidates from the Faculty shall be conducted by secret ballot.
  2. Only those candidates whose names officially appear on the ballot shall be eligible for election.
  3. Ballots shall be returned to the President-elect who shall allow at least five (5) full working days from the date of original distribution for return of ballots. The President-elect shall announce election results to the Senate at its next regular meeting.
  4. In the event of a vacancy in the office of University Senator Alternate only, a meeting of the Faculty may be called to call for nominations and conduct a special election by secret ballot to serve the remainder of the corresponding term. A majority of those present and voting shall be required to so elect an Alternate. If no candidate receives a majority after one ballot, a run-off election between the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes cast shall occur.

Section C: Voting for Senators

Voting for Senators from various units of representation shall be held during the month of March. Each unit shall conduct its own elections among qualified candidates. The names of elected Senators and Alternates shall be forwarded to the Senate office by the end of March.

Section D: Announcement of Election Results

The results of the Faculty-wide elections shall be announced by the President-elect as soon as possible. The results of unit elections for Senator shall be published prior to the last meeting of the Senate in the academic year.

ARTICLE NINE – RECALL

Section A: Office Holders Elected by the Faculty

  1. Any office holder elected by the Faculty shall, upon petition signed by ten (10) percent of the Faculty, be subject to procedures for recall.
  2. Upon receipt of the said petition, the President of the Senate shall submit the recall proposal to each member of the Faculty two (2) weeks before a special meeting of the Faculty called to discuss the proposal. Voting on the recall proposal shall take place within one (1) week by secret ballot, and a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those responding shall be necessary to effect recall of the named office holder.

Section B: Senators

A Senator shall be liable to recall by members of their Unit of Representation according to procedures determined by that unit.

Section C: Relinquishment of Office

A recalled Senator or office holder shall immediately vacate their elective position, but shall again be eligible for election at the next regular election.

Section D: Replacement

If an elective position is vacated by recall, the Faculty or the appropriate unit of representation shall hold a special election within thirty (30) days during the fall or spring academic semesters, to fill the vacated position, except where otherwise provided for in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE TEN – REVIEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SENATE

Senate recommendations that do not gain the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer of the College or which receive no action within thirty (30) days of their receipt by the Chief Administrative Officer of the College, and College policy recommended by the Senate which is rescinded or substantially altered by the Chief Administrative Officer of the college, shall come before the Senate Executive Committee for review.

ARTICLE ELEVEN – REFERENDUM AND INITIATIVE

Section A: Referendum

  1. Any recommendation or action of the Senate may be referred to the Faculty for referendum.
  2. A referendum pertaining to a recommendation or action of the Senate shall be initiated by a petition signed by at least fifty (50) members of the Faculty as of the date of Senate action and submitted to the President of the Senate within thirty (30) calendar days of the recommendation or action of the Senate.
  3. The President of the Senate shall call a Faculty-At-Large meeting to discuss the referendum prior to the ballot deadline. Copies of the proposed referendum shall be circulated with the agenda.
  4. Voting on a proposed referendum shall be conducted by secret ballot within thirty (30) days of its submission; if this deadline occurs outside the faculty obligation period (/academics/calendar/), however, the deadline shall be within thirty (30) days of the start of the next faculty obligation period. A majority vote shall determine the recommendation or action to be taken.

Section B: Initiative

Any member of the Faculty may submit any initiative to the Senate Executive Committee. An initiative signed by at least 50 Faculty and submitted to the Executive Committee of the Senate shall be placed on the agenda for action at one of the next two Senate meetings.

ARTICLE TWELVE – RULES OF ORDER

Section A: Rules

  1. The President of the Senate may limit debate to two (2) minutes per speaker.
  2. The President of the Senate may permit any member of the Faculty to speak on a matter before the Senate.
  3. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, conduct of meetings shall be governed by the provisions of the current revision of ROBERT’S RULES.

Section B: Parliamentarian

  1. The President of the Senate shall appoint, by the first Senate meeting of each academic year, a Faculty Parliamentarian who will meet when requested with the Senate and Executive Committee to advise the President, the Executive Committee and/or the Senate. The Parliamentarian shall not be a voting member of the Senate.
  2. The President shall appoint an Alternate Parliamentarian who shall serve when the Parliamentarian is absent. If no Parliamentarian is present, the Senate shall act as a body on parliamentary questions in accordance with ROBERT’S RULES.

ARTICLE THIRTEEN – INTERPRETATION OF THE BYLAWS

  1. The President of the Senate shall rule on interpretation of the Bylaws subject to procedures for appeal as specified in ROBERT’S RULES.
  2. In certain extraordinary circumstances, provisions of these Bylaws may be disregarded on two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Senate. Such variance shall not set precedence and shall be limited to the specific exigency.

ARTICLE FOURTEEN – AMENDMENT TO THE BYLAWS

Section A: Proposals to Amend the Bylaws

A proposal to amend these Bylaws may be introduced by one of the following:

  1. By any member of the Faculty. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in written form to the President of the Senate. The proposal must be accompanied by a petition containing the signatures of at least fifty (50) members of the Faculty. The President shall then submit the proposed amendment to the Executive Committee no later than its next regularly scheduled meeting for initiation of the ratification procedure. Proposed amendments must be editorially consistent with these Bylaws.
  2. By approval of the Senate upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, a standing committee, or a duly appointed ad hoc committee of the Senate for review of the Bylaws. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the Senate shall be necessary for submission of the proposed amendment for initiation of the ratification procedure.
  3. By the Bylaws Revision Committee. At three-year (3) intervals the Senate, acting through the Executive Committee, shall appoint, by the third (3rd) regular meeting of the Senate, an ad hoc committee of the Senate for review and revision of these Bylaws. This committee shall make proposals for revision and/or amendment of these bylaws after a thorough study of the document. These proposals shall be submitted through the Executive committee to the Senate. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the Senate shall be necessary for initiation of the ratification procedure.

Section B: Ratification Procedures for Amendments to these Bylaws

  1. In the event that the proposal is typographic in nature (e.g., a name change of an entity, or a word is misspelled), the Senate may choose to ratify the amendment without a campus-wide vote. Then, the President of the Senate shall announce the change to the College.
  2. The Executive Committee shall distribute copies of the officially proposed amendment(s) to each member of the Voting Faculty at least two (2) weeks prior to Faculty-At-Large meeting called for discussion of the amendments. The ratification procedure shall be initiated and completed only during faculty obligation period (/academics/calendar/).
  3. Voting on the proposed amendment(s) shall take place by secret ballot of the Faculty under the same procedures as govern the election of the President-elect. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of those voting on the amendment(s) shall be necessary for ratification. The President-elect shall count votes and report the findings to the Senate. Each amendment shall specify the date upon which it is intended to become operative.

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