Bylaws

Last Amended: April 1, 2020

SECTION 1. In order to accomplish the objectives of organizing the faculty, the Faculty Senate shall be divided into committees. The basic functions of the committees shall be to investigate and make recommendations on matters pertaining to the academic affairs of the University. They may do this on instruction from the Faculty Senate. These committees shall not operate in an administrative capacity. They shall report only to the Faculty Senate, and the report must be written. Recall of a chair of a standing committee shall be by two-thirds of the committee membership.

(2) The initial composition of the standing committees of the Faculty Senate shall be the Executive Committee, the Welfare Committee, the Admissions and Academic Progress Committee, the Policies Committee, the Elections Committee, and the Faculty Honors Committee.

(3) The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers of the Faculty Senate and chairs of the standing committees. The President of the Faculty Senate shall be the chair of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall name the members of all committees, standing and ad hoc, of the Faculty Senate. It may serve as an ad hoc committee on issues that cannot be directed to a standing committee. It may appoint ad hoc committees with the approval of a Senate majority. It shall determine the time and location of all regular meetings of the Faculty Senate for the year. It shall recommend, when requested, faculty members to serve on committees and commissions appointed by the President of the University.

(4) The Welfare Committee shall be concerned with policies which directly affect the individual faculty member. This committee shall review such policies as tenure, qualification for promotion, retirement, research, teaching loads, service requirements, creative and scholarly activity, extracurricular assignments, summer employment, non-University employment, salaries, leaves of absence, professional development leaves, travel, merit pay, cost-of-living raises, dissemination of information to and from the faculty, and such other related policies as affect faculty welfare and morale. The chair will be a member of the committee and will be elected by a simple majority of the committee members.

(5) The Admissions and Academic Progress Committee is concerned with policies pertaining to individual students as they progress through their academic career. Such policies include, but are not limited to, academic standing requirements, graduation requirements, class attendance regulations, student counseling placement, and registration criteria. The chair will be a member of the committee and will be elected by a simple majority of the committee members.

(6) The Policies Committee shall maintain a continuing study of the future academic requirements of the university, both for development and expansion, and consider such problems as space needs and utilization, admission and retention of students, curricula, budget requirements, and the allocation of special funds. The chair will be a member of the committee and will be elected by a simple majority of the committee members.

(7) The Elections Committee shall consist of a Senator from each undergraduate college and the library. This committee shall conduct a full investigation of all contested elections herein stated, including the election of Senators. It shall make written recommendations to resolve such elections to the Faculty Senate. The Elections Committee shall notify departments in February of expiration of Senators’ terms and that departments should hold elections for new Senators by the final regular meeting of the Faculty Senate in April. Although it is the responsibility of the Faculty Senate President to follow up with the heads of departments who fail to respond in a timely fashion to a call for the election of new Senators for their departments, this committee shall provide written notification to the Executive Committee before the regular meeting of the Faculty Senate in April of all new Senators and their alternates elected and of all Senate seats still needing new Senators elected to them. This notification shall include the names and departments represented of each Senator and alternate. If requested by the Faculty Senate President, this committee shall solicit the faculty to find members who are willing to serve on university-level committees or commissions appointed by the President of the University, the Provost, or other university officials,  and shall forward the names to the Executive Committee for consideration. Beginning in the spring semester, this committee shall solicit Senators who are willing to serve as Faculty Senate officers during the following academic year if elected, and will make every effort to have at least one candidate in place for each office by the time officers are to be elected at the final regular meeting of the Faculty Senate in April. Every three years, this committee shall carry out, before February, the enumeration of the faculty of the university required in Article 1, Section 2. (2) of the JSU Faculty Senate Constitution for determining the apportionment of Senators among the departments of Jacksonville State University. The chair will be a member of the committee and will be elected by a simple majority of the committee members.

(8) The Faculty Honors Committee shall develop, implement, and periodically review criteria and attendance procedures relating to nominations for the award of Emeriti Faculty, Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding Scholar, and Faculty Development Award. The committee shall serve as the formal body of review in the award of all categories of faculty honors. The chair shall be a member of the committee and elected by a majority vote of the committee members.

SECTION 2. The officers of the Faculty Senate shall consist of a president, a vice president/president-elect, a secretary, and a historian elected by the Faculty Senate from among its members.

(1) The President shall have the following responsibilities:

  1. preside at all meetings,
  2. serve as chair of the Executive Committee,
  3. announce the schedule of meetings for the year,
  4. inform Senate members of meeting times,
  5. give timely notice of called meetings,
  6. serve to represent the interest of the faculty to the administration of the University,
  7. represent the faculty at the University Board of Trustees meetings,
  8. announce the membership of all committees to the Faculty Senate,
  9. prepare the agenda for Senate meetings,
  10. serve as or designate the Marshal and/or Mace Bearer for Faculty functions,
  11. name, if needed, a parliamentarian for the Senate for a one-year term,
  12. attend meetings of the Academic Council,
  13. report action taken by the University on matters submitted by the senate,
  14. maintain the archives of the Senate, and
  15. perform such other duties as directed by the Faculty Senate.

The President shall have the following privileges:

  1. receive a three semester-hour course load reduction for both Fall and Spring semesters of service, and
  2. receive clerical assistance provided by a student worker from the Office of the Provost.

(2) The Vice President/President-elect shall have the following responsibilities:

  1. execute the duties of the President when the President is absent or incapacitated,
  2. execute the duties of the President when directed by the President,
  3. be an ex-officio member of all standing committees of the Senate, and
  4. perform such other duties as directed by the President.

(3) The Secretary shall have the following responsibilities:

  1. maintain the record of attendance,
  2. keep the minutes at all meetings,
  3. distribute to the Senate members a written copy of the minutes of each meeting,
  4. circulate to the general faculty a copy of approved minutes, and
  5. perform such other duties as directed by the President.

(4) The Historian shall have the following responsibilities:

  1. research the Senate archives so the Senate can conduct its deliberations with as much relevant information as possible,
  2. maintain the Senate's archives for ease of future use,
  3. make periodic and timely depositions from the Senate archives to the University Library,
  4. perform such other duties as directed by the President.

SECTION 3. For purposes of determining representation in the Faculty Senate, any undergraduate school not divided into departments shall be considered the same as an academic department. Each academic department with one to fifteen members and the library shall elect one senator. An additional senator will be elected for every fifteen additional faculty, thereby giving each academic department and the library the maximum number of senators consistent with Article 2, Section 2(3), of the Constitution.

(2) The term of office for Faculty Senators will be three years beginning in April of the year elected. Senators are permitted to succeed themselves for one consecutive term. If a Senator resigns before the completion of his or her term, his or her replacement will serve out the remainder of that term.

(3) The term of office for Faculty Senate officers will be one year. Faculty Senate officers can be reelected for subsequent terms, except for the President in the case that the Vice President/President-elect is willing and able to be the next President. The President must be tenured or have received official notice of tenure before serving as President.

(4) Departments shall hold elections before the final regular meeting of the Faculty Senate each year for any vacancies. Results of departmental elections shall be reported in writing to the Elections Committee.

(5) Each department will also elect annually an alternate Senator, either as the runner-up in the regular election for Senator or in a separate election. An alternate must be elected for each Senator elected.

(6) Faculty Senators may be removed either by the department or by the Senate for good cause. A recall petition specifying the cause or causes in writing and signed by at least two-thirds of the departmental faculty will be sufficient to begin the removal process. Should a Faculty Senator be removed for cause or resign before the term is completed, the department shall conduct a special election to select a replacement to serve the remainder of the term.

The election must be held within thirty days of the removal/resignation and the results reported promptly to the Elections Committee.

SECTION 4. The initiation of officers of the Faculty Senate shall be held at the first meeting after organization. Elections thereafter shall come at the regular Senate meeting held in April of each year.

(2) Elections of officers shall be by a simple majority vote. No officer may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

(3) Officers may be recalled for good cause such as dereliction of duty or failure to uphold the Constitution and Bylaws. Such recall shall be by two-thirds vote of the Senate membership.

(4) In case an officer resigns or withdraws, the Faculty Senate shall elect, at the next regular meeting, a successor for the unexpired term.

(5) The outgoing officers shall serve at the April meeting until the new officers are elected.

SECTION 5. The Faculty Senate shall conduct all meetings in accordance with Roberts' Rules of Order. The first regularly monthly meeting shall be held in September at a time and place to be designated by the Executive Committee.

The schedule for all Senate meetings for the year shall be announced at or as soon after the first meeting as possible.

A copy of the minutes of each meeting shall be distributed to each Senate member at least one week prior to the next meeting of the Senate.

SECTION 6. All Senators or their alternates shall attend all meetings, regular and called, of the Faculty Senate. When a Senator is unable to attend a Senate meeting, the alternate Senator will attend and participate with full debating and voting privileges.

(2) A quorum at regular Senate meetings shall be that number of members deemed necessary by the presiding officer. No lack of quorum may be declared if at least fifty percent of the Senate members are present.

(3) Quorums at special meetings of the Senate called by the Senate President shall be at least fifty percent of the members.

SECTION 7. The proposed order of business for Faculty Senate meetings is:

(1) call to order and approval of minutes,

(2) committee reports,

(3) unfinished business, and

(4) new business. This order may be modified, as necessary, by the President of the Faculty Senate.

SECTION 8. The Faculty Senate may amend these bylaws at any regular meeting by a simple majority vote of the members present. A proposal for amendment must be recommended by at least seven members of the faculty holding faculty appointment in at least four different colleges, the proposal must be submitted to the Faculty Senate at a regular meeting of that body, and the vote by the Faculty Senate must be at their next regular meeting.