The name of this organization shall be Mission College Academic Senate, herein referred to as the Senate.

Section 1: Membership

A. The Senate shall consist of voting members herein referred to as Senators.

B. The Senate shall be composed of:

i. Full-time faculty representatives from each Division.

The full-time faculty representatives shall be elected according

to the following schema:

Divisions with 1-12 full-time faculty elect one faculty representative from the Division ; Divisions with 13 or more full-time faculty elect a maximum of two faculty representatives from the Division.

ii. Two Associate Faculty Representatives elected by the Associate Faculty.

C. The number of full-time faculty in each Division or Service Unit shall be based upon the number of full-time faculty who are actually employed at the time of the election.

D. All members of the Senate shall serve on the District Academic Senate

Section 2: Term of Office

A. Senators shall serve for two years with staggered terms for Senators elected from a Division or Service Unit entitled to two or more Senators.

B. The Senate shall declare vacant and by such action terminate the office and term of office of any Senator who shall resign, be terminated, or who shall be absent from three consecutive regular meetings of the Senate without such prior excuse as shall be deemed reasonable by the majority of the Senate.

C. Vacancies will be filled immediately by special election within represented areas.

D. The term of officers other than the President shall be for one academic year beginning the first day of the fall semester. The President shall serve for twelve (12) months, beginning June 1 of the year of his/her election and ending May 30 of the following year.

E. If the President of the College Senate is unable to complete his/her term of office, the Vice-President shall assume the presidential responsibilities until another election by full-time faculty can be held.

F. If a Senator no longer has a teaching assignment during his/her term of office, an election will be held for a replacement to complete the term.

Section 3: Officers

A. President

1. The President of the College Senate shall be elected from those full-time faculty members who are past or present Senators at Mission College, and who are willing to serve in this capacity, by a vote of a simple majority of all full-time Mission College faculty members who vote. The Senate President shall be responsible for this election.

2. If the elected President is serving as a Senator, that division will elect another representative.

3. The election shall take place in April of each year.

4. The Senate President shall preside and be a voting member at all Senate meetings.

5. The President shall serve as co-chairperson of the District Academic Senate.

6. The President shall attend and represent the Mission College Academic Senate at the District Board of Trustees' meetings.

B. Vice-President

1. The Academic Senate will elect one of its own members to the office of Vice-President no later than the third Senate meeting.

2. The Vice-President shall substitute for the President in his/her absence and assist in the duties/responsibilities of the President.

C. Secretary

1. The Senate shall elect one of its own members to the office of Secretary.

2. The Secretary is responsible for the taking of minutes, their publication and distribution, and for maintaining the archives of previous Senates.

E. Vacancy

If any officer of the Senate shall be unable to complete his/her term of

office, the vacancy shall be filled immediately.

Section 4: Meetings

A. The Senate shall hold regular meetings, not less than once a month on a fixed day and time, from the beginning of the academic year until the end of the academic year.

1) The President may also call for meetings as necessary during the period from June to August.

2) Special meetings may be called by the President or by written request of two Senators.

B. The Senate is hereby empowered to make rules governing its own internal organization and procedure, subject to the following:

1) Quorum consists of a simple majority of the Senate.

2) All actions or recommendations shall be made by a majority vote of the quorum. Proxy votes shall not be honored.

3) In the case of an unresolved tie vote, the issue shall be submitted to the representative groups for review and advise.

4) Matters for the Agenda shall be submitted to the Vice-President.

5) Senate meetings shall be open to the public. Upon request and approval of the President, faculty, staff, students, and administrators may speak on matters under consideration.

SECTION 1: Committees and Duties

A. The Senate shall act as the coordinating body for the formation of goals and tasks for all Senate committees. The Senate shall establish and appoint members to all such committees.

B. The Senate shall establish such standing, special or ad hoc committees it deems necessary to adequately participate in the formation of college policies on academic and professional matters.

C. The Senate shall have the duty to appoint and/or approve the appoint-ment of all faculty members serving on committees requiring faculty participation.

Section 2: Standing Committees

A. All standing and special committees are responsible to the Senate. Minutes of all meetings shall be filed with the Vice-President of the Senate.

B. Each standing committee shall have one representative from each of the groups represented on the Senate.

C. Term of office is for a staggered two years.

D. Typical charges of the standing committees are listed in this section. The Senate has the ultimate responsibility of assigning work to the committees. The channel of communication for all actions of the committees shall be through the Senate to the college President or to the Board of Trustees, or both, via the District Senate.

1) Curriculum Review Committee

a) Reviews those recommendations which come from the Curriculum Review Committee representatives from each Division or Service Unit.

b) The Curriculum Review Committee will review program changes, additions, and deletions to determine the impact on the total curriculum and make recommendations to the Senate.

c) Checks the accuracy and completeness of submitted data and its

compliance with institutional procedures.

d) Monitors curriculum evaluation and assumes responsibility for dissemination of accurate and up-to-date information on curriculum matters, state-wide, and locally.

e) Reviews and makes recommendations to the Senate concerning the general education requirements, certificate and degree program requirements, and requirements for graduation from the college.

f) Carries on a regular review of the entire college curriculum and makes recommendations to the Senate.

2) Planning/Budget Committee

a) Recommends to the Senate college-wide curriculum priorities in relation to financial consideration.

b) Reviews, at the college level, program development and evaluation and makes recommendations to the Senate on advisability of same.

c) Shall act as a resource to the Senate in matters of instructional research.

d) Makes recommendations to the Senate concerning educational policy, such as academic standards, probation, disqualifications, re-admissions, and such.

3) Professional Standards

a) Encourages the faculty to participate in professional and social events.

b) Considers questions of professional ethics.

Section 1: Enactment

A. These by-laws shall become effective following adoption by a simple majority vote by the full-time Mission College faculty.

Section 2: Amendments

A. The Constitution may be amended by a simple majority affirmative vote of the full-time faculty, providing written notice of a proposed amend-ment has been filed with the Senate Secretary at least four weeks preceding the balloting.

Revised and Adopted March 1995