Faculty Senate Bylaws

Constitution

As professional educators, we recognize that the operations and quality of education at State Technical College of Missouri can be more effectively administered through the collective experience and expertise of the faculty and administration in a working partnership with the Board of Regents.

We recognize the legal power and authority that resides in the Board of Regents delegated through the College President’s Office and the various administrative offices and departments of the College. Further, we endorse the ideals of collegiality, shared authority and responsibility, and hereby propose to establish the Faculty Senate as a working partner with the administration in the governance of the College.

Name

The name of the organization shall be the State Technical College of Missouri Faculty Senate.

Purpose

The purpose of the organization shall be:

• To build professionalism among the faculty for the solution of problems of institutional concern.
• To provide a collective voice for the faculty in forming policy that governs the College.
• To provide opportunities for leadership and stimulate professional enthusiasm and high ethical conduct.

Membership

Membership shall be limited to full-time faculty and instructional staff whose contractual duties include at least 50 percent classroom instruction.

Representation

The Faculty Senate shall consist of eight senators. One senator will be elected from each of the institutional divisions by the faculty of that division. As institutional divisions evolve, the Faculty Senate constitution shall reflect the same representation as the institutional divisions.

Arts & Science Division

• Communications (COM)
• Mathematics (MAT)
• Social Science (PSC/HST)
• Science (PHY)

Civil Technology Division

• Civil Engineering Technology (CVT)
• Commercial Turf & Grounds Management (CTG)
• Design Drafting Technology (DDT)
• Heavy Equipment Operations (HEO)

Computer Technology Division

• Business System Specialist (BUS)
• Computer Programming (CPP)
• Networking Systems Technology (NST)
• Telecommunications Option (NST-1)

Health Science Division

• Dental Assisting Technology (DAT)
• Medical Radiologic Technology (MRT)
• Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)
• Practical Nursing Technology (PNT)

Industrial Technology Division

• Electrical Distribution Systems (EDS)
• Electric Power Generation Technology (EPG)
• Electronics Engineering Technology (EET)
• Industrial Electricity (IEL)
• Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning Technology (HVT)
• Machine Tool Technology (MTT)
• Nuclear Technology (MNT)
• Welding Technology (WLT)

Transportation Technology Division

• Aviation Maintenance (TAM)
• Automotive Collision Technology (ACT)
• Automotive Technology (AMT)
• CAT Dealer Service Technician (CAT)
• Heartland International Dealers Assoc. (INT)
• Heavy Equipment Technology (HET)
• Medium/Heavy Truck Technology (MHT)
• Powersports Technology (PST)

 

Two senators will be elected at-large from the faculty. Each of the aforementioned divisions has the right to submit nominations. If any division fails to elect a senator, that position will be elected at-large.

Officers, Their Duties, and Terms of Office

The officers of the Faculty Senate (President, Vice President, and Secretary) will be elected by the senate annually at the first meeting following the election of the senators.

The President of the Faculty Senate shall:

• Preside over all Faculty Senate meetings.
• Prepare an agenda for each meeting and distribute it to each senator at least one day prior to each regularly scheduled meeting.
• Establish committees as required by the Faculty Senate in carrying out its purpose.
• Represent the Faculty Senate to the College President, Cabinet, and the Board of Regents.
• Vote only in case of ties.

The Vice President of the Faculty Senate shall:

• Work closely with the Faculty Senate President on all business of the Faculty Senate.
• Perform duties of the President when the President is unable to do so.
• Preside over Faculty Senate meetings in the absence of the President.

The Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall:

• Keep a careful record of the proceedings of each meeting.
• Be responsible for the official correspondence of the Faculty Senate.
• Preside over the meetings in the absence of the President and Vice President.

Terms

The terms of all elected members shall be two years beginning with their election.

The first members elected to the Faculty Senate shall be divided by lot or by choice into one-year and two-year terms, and thereafter each position as defined by this division shall be vacated every two years.

Each area will have the right of recall of their respective senators. Fifty percent of the area faculty members can petition the Faculty Senate for an election of a new senator. The new senator will complete the term of the former senator.

The faculty shall have the right of recall of the senators elected at-large. Fifty percent of the faculty can petition the Faculty Senate for the election of a new senator. The new senator must be elected by a two-thirds majority of those voting. The newly elected senator will complete the term of the former senator.

Vacancies in the elected membership of the Faculty Senate shall be filled by normal election procedures initiated by the Faculty Senate within three calendar months after a vacancy occurs. The person elected shall serve for the balance of the term.

Senators are encouraged to attend all Faculty Senate meetings. If unable to attend, a senator may designate another eligible faculty member to attend on his or her behalf with full voting privileges. Senators who do not attend or send a representative for three consecutive meetings may have their position termed “vacant” and a new senator elected in their place.

Regular Faculty Senate elections will be held in August at the Fall Workshop during the Faculty portion of the workshop.  Nominations will be taken from April through August, through the time of the workshop, prior to the election.

All Faculty Senator elected terms shall run from September 1^st year of election, through August 31^st of the second year of the term.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Faculty Senate shall be to ensure a meaningful faculty voice in the governance of the College. The Faculty Senate shall accomplish the following to carry out these responsibilities.

• Serve as a channel of communication between the College President and the faculty, or the Board of Regents and the faculty.
• Create, charge, and dissolve Faculty Senate committees as it deems necessary.
• Keep a record of its proceedings and make minutes of all Faculty Senate meetings available to the faculty, staff, College President, and the Board of Regents.

Jurisdiction

The Faculty Senate may act as advisors to the Board of Regents and the College President, and actively participate in the governance of the College. This service may include, but is not necessarily limited to the following:

• To initiate and participate in formulating general educational policies and academic plans of the College.
• To exercise advisory responsibility in the areas of curriculum development and improvement of instruction.
• To participate in the formulation and revision of capital and operating budgets.
• To establish standards concerning professional competence, ethics, and academic freedom.
• To participate in the development of the academic calendar of the College.
• To participate in the formulation of plans for campus building and physical facilities.
• To recommend policies and regulations that impacts the general welfare of faculty and students.
• To have input in the selection process of the College President and other administrative staff of the College.

Meetings

The Faculty Senate will meet as regularly as it deems necessary. Any person may attend Faculty Senate meetings, and by invitation of the Faculty Senate President, may speak to an issue.

Quorum

A quorum for all meetings of the Faculty Senate shall consist of five of the members. A quorum for committee meetings shall consist of a majority of the committee members.

Amendments

This document may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any meeting of the faculty or by a two-thirds vote by electronic ballot. The Secretary of the Faculty Senate will file, publish, and distribute the proposed amendment two weeks preceding the meeting of the faculty or two weeks before the electronic ballot deadline. After passage, the amendment will be submitted to the Board of Regents asking them to add the amendment to the Faculty Senate Constitution already established.