Bylaws and Processes
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PREAMBLE
Boise State University Faculty Senate Bylaws
The Constitution from which these Bylaws ensue is the document embodying the principles of organization and rule governing the Boise State University Faculty. The delegation of authority to the Faculty Senate (hereafter “Senate”) is based upon the Constitution of the Faculty. Because that is the fundamental document, a two-thirds majority vote of the Faculty voting in favor of an amendment is required to alter it. Stability is guaranteed by this protection. Flexibility, however, is required in the day-by-day performance of routine and emergency tasks. Hence, the Bylaws of the Faculty serve as the instrument of the Senate in its execution of its assigned mission. Any Bylaw material found by experience to be of a constitutional nature may be incorporated into the Constitution proper by following Article VI, Section 2. Any Constitutional matter found by experience to be unworkable may be eliminated or transferred to the Bylaws by the same procedure. Stability and flexibility are both preserved thereby.
BYLAWS
BL I: Meetings of the Senate
1. Regular Meetings: Scheduled meetings of the Senate shall be held during the academic year on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at a time and place to be announced. Meetings that would typically be scheduled under this pattern but fall on the Tuesday after a holiday break will not be held. Occasional conflicts (such as holidays or special University functions) may require rescheduling of Senate meetings by Senate resolution.
2. Special Meetings: The President of the Senate may call a special meeting of the Senate during the calendar year by a majority vote of the Senate or by any five members of the Senate through petition to the President of the Senate.
BL II: Committees of the Senate:
The Senate shall, as it deems appropriate, create committees for the investigation of issues germane to the interests of the Faculty.
1. Committees shall be established by a simple majority of the Senate.
2. Initial tasking for new committees shall be the responsibility of the Steering Committee with approval by a simple majority of the full Senate.
3. Committees shall be subject to regular review by the full Senate (see below)
4. Committees shall be of either of two types –
a. Ad Hoc (see below)
b. Standing (see below)
5. The Steering Committee shall be responsible for maintaining an up to date list of active committees and their membership.
BL II.1 Format for the Standing Committees of the Senate:
Except as otherwise provided, Standing Committees of the Senate shall be committees with one representative from each College/Unit/Division/Library. The President of the Senate shall serve as a nonvoting ex-officio member of all Senate Standing Committees.
1. The committees shall be organized as follows:
a. One member from the Senate (Liaison Officer)
b. One Faculty member from each College/Unit/Division/Library, except the Graduate College, the Honors College, and the College of Innovation and Design (CID), except where the CID is deemed to require representation per the committee list addendum to the bylaws.
c. One student voting member.
d. This structure shall be referred to as ‘Standard’ (see Senate Committee List).
e. Nonvoting, ex-officio members are added as necessary and are listed in individual committee descriptions.
2. Appointment:
a. The Vice President of the Faculty Senate will work with committee liaisons to determine vacancies and with the Deans to fill vacancies on standing committees.
b. The President of the Senate shall appoint the Senate Liaison Faculty member of each committee.
c. The student member of the committee shall be appointed by the President of the ASBSU.
3. Term of Office:
a. Appointment of Faculty members to a standing committee shall normally be for two years or until the work of the committee is complete – as judged by the Senate.
b. Terms will be so arranged that approximately half of the members’ expiration dates should occur in any year.
c. New appointments shall normally become effective by the first September Senate Meeting.
d. Senators that must leave before their term is completed should, to the best of their ability, work with the Steering Committee and the Dean of their College to find a suitable replacement.
4. Committee Liaison Responsibilities: The Senator appointed as Liaison to each committee shall be responsible for calling an organizational meeting of the committee by September 15. He or she may serve as committee Chairperson pro tem, but normally should not accept a permanent Chair position. The Senate Liaison’s main role is to facilitate cooperation and communication between the committee and the Senate.
5. Registration: The names of all committee and subcommittee members and their length of term shall be registered with the Nominating Committee. The committee membership lists will also be posted electronically to the official Senate website by the Provost’s office.
6. Meetings: The time, place, and agenda of meetings of all standing committees shall be published electronically prior to these meetings on the official Senate website. All committee meetings shall be open to the Boise State University Faculty except when such open meetings would be an infringement of individual rights.
7. Reporting: A written summary of the activities of each committee (prepared by the Committee chair or their designee) shall be submitted to the Senate once a year.
a. This summary shall be called the ‘annual report’.
b. The annual report shall be submitted to the President of the Senate by the Liaison two weeks in advance of the Senate meeting at which it is to be reviewed.
c. Review dates for committees shall be determined in consultation between the Steering Committee of the Senate and the Chair of the relevant committee.
d. Reports should include accomplishments and unfinished business. After consideration by the Senate (and given Senate approval – simple majority) the reports may be made available for electronic posting to the official Senate website as an addendum to the meeting at which they are presented.
i. Written or verbal reports (by the Senate Liaison to the committee) may also be presented as required by the business of the committee or as requested by the President of the Senate.
ii. Recommendations for Senate action may also be submitted to the Senate by the committee. Such recommendations shall (typically) be distributed to the members of the Senate prior to the Senate meetings at which they will be presented. Each committee recommendation shall be made as a report in the following form: the recommendation, the rationale, a summary of the committee discussion including arguments pro and con, results of votes and polls, and appendices.
8. Review: At the meeting in which a committee’s annual report is presented the Senate shall:
a. Discuss each committee’s annual review with the relevant committee Liaison.
b. The Senate shall provide initial tasking for the subsequent academic year
9. Tasking: Committees shall receive tasking from the Senate –
a. Upon formation;
b. As part of the committee’s annual review (see 8c above);
c. As required by the Senate or the committee’s needs.
10. Standing Committee Dissolution: There may be changes in the campus cultural environment that would negate the need for a Standing Committee.
a. Upon recommendation by the Committee and reported by the Liaison, the Senate should consider dissolving a Standing Committee;
b. If, as determined by a ⅔ majority vote of the Senators present, a Standing Committee has served its purpose, then it shall be dissolved.
BL II.2 Format for the Ad Hoc Committees of the Senate:
Ad Hoc committees of the Senate shall be structured and operate just as Standing committees do (See BL II.1) with the following exceptions:
1. Initial Tasking for Ad Hoc committees shall include a date by which the Ad Hoc committee should have completed its work.
2. Review: At the meeting in which an Ad Hoc committee’s annual report is presented the Senate shall:
a. Discuss each Ad Hoc committee’s annual review with the relevant liaison officer.
b. Determine if there remains work for the Ad Hoc committee to undertake.
i. If (as determined by a 2/3 majority vote of the Senators present) the Ad Hoc committee has further work to do, then it shall as determined by the Senate (simple majority) either
1. Have its term extended.
2. Be converted into a Standing Committee.
3. If the Ad Hoc committee is not disbanded the Senate shall provide initial tasking for the subsequent academic year.
BL III Supplemental Voting Regulations:
Ballots submitted to the Faculty by campus mail or through electronic mail must specify the time period allowed in which votes may validly be cast. As a general rule, ballots should be returned and in the hands of the Secretary to the Faculty by 5 p.m. the fourth business normal day from the mailing/sending date.
BL IV Vacancies:
1. College/Unit/Division/Library Vacancies: Supplying interim replacement for any Senate seat vacated during the school year shall be the responsibility of the remaining elected Senate representative from the College/Unit/Division or, in the case of the Library or CID where there is only one member, by the Dean of that unit. The replacement shall be by appointment or, if the period involved is more than one semester, replaced by special election.
2. Committee: The Senate Liaison to each Standing Committee shall inform the Vice President of the Senate whenever a vacancy occurs on the Standing Committee involved. The Vice President of the Senate will work with the Deans to fill these vacancies.
BL V Timeline:
1. Senators serve for two years, beginning and ending at the first meeting of the fall semester.
2. Elections will be held during the second week following Spring Break each year.
a. The Junior Senator(s) from each College/Unit/Division/Library shall conduct an election to fill the seat(s) to be vacated by the Senior Senator(s) at the end of the current Senate year.
i. In the event that a constituency has a single Senator, that Senator shall be deemed both the senior and junior Senator for that constituency and (as a result) shall conduct the election for their own replacement. If that Senator is nominated to the ballot, the election must be carried out by a neutral party, such as the Dean or Dean’s designee. In the case of the Adjunct Faculty Senator election, should the sitting Adjunct Faculty Senator wish to run, the election will be carried out by the Vice President.
b. The election for these seats will be conducted by the Junior Senator(s) in the following manner:
i. In the week prior to Spring Break, the Junior Senator(s) will send a written or electronic communication to each member of the College/Unit/Division/Library for the purpose of soliciting nominations or self-nominations.
ii. In the second week after Spring Break, but no later than the first full week of April, the Junior Senator(s) will conduct an election among all relevant faculty (see Article II, Section 1 of the Faculty Constitution) in the College/Unit/Division/Library containing the names of candidates willing to serve. The election may use either paper or electronic ballots, provided security precautions are observed.
c. In the second week of April, the Junior Senator(s) will inform the Vice President in writing or electronically concerning the results of this election. The person(s) receiving the most votes shall be the new Junior Senator(s) for the College/Unit/Division/Library. Deviations from the above procedures will be allowed only by a vote of the Senate.
d. Teaching and Research Faculty Senators will be elected by the constituency of Teaching and Research Faculty, through the procedures established in BL VI.2 (a-c) and BL VI.3
e. Clinical Faculty Senators will be elected by the constituency of Clinical Faculty, through the procedures established in BL VI.2 (a-c) and BL VI.3.
3. To improve continuity in Senate succession:
a. At the first March meeting, committees will be reviewed (reports shall be made, evaluations and tasking undertaken).
b. At the last April meeting
i. Provisions shall be made for conducting the business of the Senate over the summer.
ii. The President-elect and Vice President-elect will be identified.
iii. As the last items on the agenda, Senators-elect shall be welcomed and introduced.
BL VI Conflict of Interest:
Faculty serving in more than one College/Unit/Division/Library shall be considered a member of that College/Unit/Division/Library to which he or she owes prime responsibility when representation and election to the Senate is being questioned.
BL VII Processes: Senate Representation and the Committee Structure of the Senate are detailed in the Processes Addendum.
[Revised Spring 2019]
BL VII. Boise State University Faculty Senate Processes:
I. Colleges and Schools Represented.
Given that the terms “Colleges,” “Schools,” “Divisions,” and “Units” are used inconsistently in describing the organizational structure of the University, here we detail the constituencies represented in the Senate.
A. Represented by a minimum of two Senators each, and beyond that at a ratio of 1:25, are the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Economics, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, the College of Health Sciences and the School of Public Service.
B. Clinical Faculty and Teaching and Research Faculty are represented at a ratio of 1:50.
C. Two Senators represent the Graduate College.
D. Represented by one Senator are the College of Innovation and Design, the Library, Adjunct Faculty, and ASBSU.
II. Divisions within Units.
Senators from units typically serve at large, representing all faculty within their unit. However, faculty of units may decide that having Senators represent a specific subset of that unit will make representation more manageable, provide for better communication between Senators and faculty, and better reflect disciplinary or other considerations. Units wishing to apportion Senators to specific internal divisions within the unit may make a proposal to the Senate. Said proposal must be endorsed by two-thirds of the Senate present and voting.
A. The College of Arts and Sciences has elected to apportion its Senators between each of three groups of departments: (1) Anthropology, Art, Design and Visual Studies, History, Music, Theatre, Film and Creative Writing, and World Languages; (2) Communication, English, Philosophy, Psychological Science, and Sociology; and (3) Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geosciences, Mathematics, and Physics.
B. All other units select Senators at-large.
III. Committee Structure of the Faculty Senate:
A. Steering Committee
1. Status: [Standing]
2. Membership: The current Vice President and four senior (i.e., have served a minimum of 1 year on the senate) members of the Senate, plus the President of the Faculty Senate as an ex- officio member.
3. Functions:
a) Aid the President of the Faculty Senate.
b) Determine all questions of appropriate jurisdiction.
c) Works with the Vice President, Committee Liaisons, and Deans to fill seats on University committees or other positions requiring representation of the Faculty
d) Appoint Ad Hoc committees as needed, including ad hoc committees to review and, if appropriate, revise the Faculty Handbook, Constitution, and Bylaws. This should occur at least once every 5 years.
B. Undergraduate Academic Policy and Standards Committee (UAPSC)
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard (see BL II. 1.). The Registrar or his/her designee, the Director of the Foundational Studies Program or his/her designee, the Library Dean or his/her designee, and the Director of the Honors College or his/her designee each serve as nonvoting, ex-officio members.
3. Functions: This committee shall be responsible for all matters of policy governing undergraduate academic standards, including the Foundational Studies Program, the Honors College, and the Albertsons Library.
C. Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC)
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard, plus a voting representative from the College of Innovation and Design. The Registrar and the Director of the Foundational Studies Program or their designees serve as nonvoting, ex-officio members. All Committee persons shall normally be current members of their college/divisional curriculum committees, except the Liaison from the Faculty Senate. As needed, the UCC Chair may grant exemptions to those serving on other curriculum committees.
3. Function: This committee shall supervise all undergraduate offerings of the University, including recommendations made by the UAPSC and the General Education Committee (GEC), and shall determine if curricular changes are compatible with existing programs, feasible under given circumstances, and consistent with the educational objectives of Boise State University under state and federal law.
D. Diversity Committee
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard. The Director of the International Programs Office and the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Faculty Associate for Inclusive Excellence or their designees serve as non-voting, ex-officio members.
3. Functions: This committee shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to diversity in educational programs and policies including but not limited to diversity and difference and enhancement of diversity and difference on campus.
E. Faculty Financial Affairs
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard. The Associate Vice President for Human Resources or his/her designee, the Associate Vice President for Budget and Planning or his/her designee, and the Provost or his/her designee each serve as non-voting, ex officio members.
3. Function;
a) Advise the Administration and Faculty on:
i. Priorities related to budget preparation and allocation of appropriated funds after meeting with appropriate administrators.
ii. Designing and monitoring policies pertaining to reduction in force and program phase-outs.
b) Make recommendations regarding faculty salaries and fringe benefits.
c) Advise faculty members of the Executive Budget Committee of faculty fiscal priorities and coordinate the flow of information between the Faculty members of the Executive Budget Committee and the Faculty.
F. Faculty Professional Standards Committee
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard, omitting student representation, plus a voting member from the College of Innovation and Design. The Provost or his/her designee and the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee serve as nonvoting, ex-officio members.
3. Function:
a) Responsible for all matters of policy regarding Faculty professional standards (e.g., Rank, Promotion, Evaluation, Tenure, Emeritus status).
b) Ensure opportunities for faculty development.
G. Sabbatical Committee
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard, with the caveat that only tenured or tenure-eligible faculty may serve. The Provost or his/her designee serves as a nonvoting, ex-officio member.
3. Function: This committee shall be responsible for all matters of policy regarding sabbaticals, including the recommendation for which Faculty should be awarded sabbaticals.
H. Graduate Council (GC)
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard. The Library Dean or his/her designee and the Graduate Dean both serve
as nonvoting, ex-officio members.
3. Function:
a) This committee shall be responsible for all matters of policy governing graduate academic standards
b) The GC shall supervise all graduate offerings of the University determining that curricular changes be compatible with existing programs, feasible under given circumstances, and consistent with the educational objectives of Boise State University under state and federal law. The Council shall be concerned with all matters of policy and procedures of the Graduate College.
I. Student Affairs
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard. The Director of Financial Aid or his/her designee, the Registrar or his/her designee, and the Dean of Extended Studies or his/her designee, each serve as nonvoting, ex-officio members.
3. Functions: This committee shall be responsible for matters of policy regarding the registration, orientation, and advising of students; for policies pertaining to the awarding of student scholarships, grants and loans and overseeing the process of selecting scholarship recipients; and for policies, procedures, and coordination of prior learning.
J. Faculty Grievance Committee
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard, omitting student representation.
3. Functions: This committee shall conduct hearings to resolve individual Faculty grievances within the guidelines of Boise State University Grievance Policy. This committee shall be responsible for recommending desirable and/or necessary changes in the Boise State University
Grievance Policy and Procedures.
K. General Education Committee (GEC)
1. Status [Standing]
2. Membership: Standard, plus a faculty representative for each of the Foundations of the Disciplines areas and a faculty representative from each of Foundations of Writing, Foundations of Oral Communication, and Finishing Foundations. The Registrar or his/her designee, the Director of the University Foundations or his/her designee, the Associate Director of University Foundations or his/her designee, and the Dean of Extended Studies or his/her designee are each included as non-voting, ex-officio members.
3. Functions: This committee shall be responsible for those matters of policy governing undergraduate general education, as determined by the Faculty Senate, including those academic programs that are unaffiliated with a college, or lack Faculty Senate representation. The GEC shall evaluate and approve any proposed modifications or articulations of ULOs and University Foundations (UF) courses, including Foundations of the Discipline (FD), Foundations of Oral Communication (FC) and Finishing Foundation (FF) course applications and proposed modifications to existing FD, FC or FF courses. All GEC decisions regarding ULOs will be submitted to the UCC for final approval.