Academic Senate

Role of the Academic Senate

SECTION 53200 DEFINITIONS

Academic Senate means an organization whose primary function is to make recommendations with respect to academic and professional matters.

Academic and Professional matters means the following policy development and implementation matters:

1. Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites.
2. Degree and certificate requirements.
3. Grading policies.
4. Educational program development.
5. Standards or policies regarding student preparation and success.
6. College governance structures, as related to faculty roles.
7. Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes.
8. Policies for faculty professional development activities.
9. Processes for program review.
10. Processes for institutional planning and budget development.
11. Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon.

Consult Collegially means that the district governing board shall develop policies on academic and professional matters through either or both of the following:

1. Rely primarily upon the advice and judgment of the academic senate, OR
2. The governing board, or its designees, and the academic senate shall reach mutual agreement by written resolution, regulation, or policy of the governing board effectuating such recommendations.

Members

Excerpted from the Constitution and Bylaws of the Academic Senate of Miramar College:

Section 1.
All contract faculty are members of the Academic Senate. A contract faculty member is any full-time instructional or non-instructional faculty member assigned to Miramar College for at least 50% of their contract assignment. Any contract faculty member may attend and/or address the regular Academic Senate meeting. However, only voting members (Senators) may make motions and vote on questions that are before the body. Robert’s Rules of Order shall prevail..

Section 2.
All adjunct faculty are members of the Academic Senate. An adjunct faculty member is any hourly or part-time instructional or non-instructional faculty member currently teaching at least one class or six non-instructional hours assigned at Miramar College. Any adjunct faculty member may attend and/or address the regular Academic Senate meeting. However, only voting members (Senators) may make motions and vote on questions that are before the body. Robert’s Rules of Order shall prevail.

Section 3.
The following Advisory Representatives shall be selected as defined in the Bylaws:

A.    One student representative, in an advisory capacity, will be recognized by this Senate.
B.    One classified professional representative, in an advisory capacity, will be recognized by this Senate.
C.    One administrative representative, in an advisory capacity, will be recognized by this Senate.
D.    The Faculty Coordinator for Educational Equity, in an advisory capacity, will be recognized by this Senate.

Section 4.
Voting members of the Academic Senate are Senators.

A.    Departments shall elect one Senator for each 4 contract faculty members. (Example: a Department with 5 will have one Senator, 7- still one, 8- two Senators.) The election of the Senators representing each department shall be as prescribed in the Bylaws. The term of office for these Senators will be for one year, starting on July 1st of the election year and concluding on June 30th, prior to the next academic year of service. It is recommended that Senators not be in their first year as a contract faculty member.
B.    All members of the Executive Committee of this Senate, as defined below, are “Senators.” Members of the Executive Committee represent faculty as a whole, not their departments.
C.    The adjunct faculty of Miramar College shall elect seven (7) of their peers as “Senators.” Adjunct Senators represent adjuncts as a whole, not their departments.

All Senators shall be elected or appointed as defined below or in the Bylaws.

Regardless of the designated positions held, no Senator shall have more than one vote. The Academic Senate membership precludes redundant positions; thus, a positional member cannot also be a department Senator. This prevents any member from having more than one vote.

Section 5.
When a Senator cannot attend a regular scheduled meeting of the Academic Senate, that Senator should identify a proxy as a substitute. That Senator should email both the person willing to serve as proxy and the Academic Senate Administrative Assistant. The faculty member willing to serve as proxy must confirm their willingness to serve by replying to all parties on the original email. This documentation can also be completed on paper. When doing so, that paper must be given to the presiding officer or Academic Senate Administrative Assistant before the meeting commences.

A.    The proxy will speak for the Senator and cast votes in the Senator’s name.
B.    All proxies must be received before the meeting is called to order.
C.    No faculty member shall hold more than one proxy at any given meeting.