Academic Senate of the California State University Bylaws
ATTACHMENT TO AS-2296-95/EX
Bl-1 Definitions and Amendment Procedures
a. Definitions
The rules and regulations of the Academic Senate, beyond those already
specified in the Constitution and its amendments, shall be designated by
Bylaws, Rules of Order and Standing Rules.
(1) Bylaws are those rules and regulations pertaining to
organization (including officers, major committees, and other agencies authorized
to conduct business in and for the Senate), duties of said officers or agencies,
and other such matters as may be specifically required by the Constitution
and its amendments.
(2) Rules of Order are such rules and regulations concerning parliamentary
procedures not covered in Robert's Rules of Order (Revised) or direct
amendments thereof.
(3) Standing Rules are those rules and regulations which cover all
other matters pertaining to the conduct of the business of the Senate. (Robert's
Rules of Order provides for such temporary changes of procedure.)
b. Amendment Procedures
(1) Bylaws shall be amended by presentation of the text
of the proposed amendment at one meeting and approval by an affirmative
vote of a majority of those present at the next regularly called meeting.
(2) Rules of Order shall be amended by presentation of the text of
the proposed amendment at one meeting and approval by an affirmative vote
of a majority of those present at the next regularly called meeting.
(3) Bylaws and Rules of Order may also be amended by prior written
notice and by a two-thirds affirmative vote of those present at a regularly
called meeting.
(4) Standing Rules shall be amended by affirmative vote of a majority of
those present at a regularly called meeting.
Bl-2 Officers, Duties and Procedures for Nomination and Election
a. Officers
The Senate annually shall elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and a Secretary.
The officers of the Senate shall serve until regularly succeeded.
b. Duties of the Officers
(1) The Chair shall preside at meetings of the Senate and the Executive
Committee. He or she shall be responsible for communications with the faculties
of the colleges. He or she shall have the authority to convene regular and
special meetings of the Senate. Requests for expenditures of State Funds
in connection with the Senate activities shall be subject to the approval
of the Chair or his or her designee.
(2) The Vice Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair, when the Chair
is unable to serve. He or she shall be responsible for carrying out such
other duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Senate, the Executive
Committee, or the Chair.
(3) The Secretary shall keep the minutes and the records of the Senate and
shall carry out such other duties as may be delegated to him or her by the
Senate, the Executive Committee, or the Chair.
(4) An individual designated by the Executive Committee shall be responsible
for the regular production and distribution of a newsletter for all the
faculties of The California State University.
c. Time of Election
The election of officers shall be held annually at the first meeting
of the new Senate. The duly elected officers of the Senate shall assume
their duties on June 1 following their election, except that the new Executive
Committee may meet earlier than June 1 in order to begin the organization
of Senate assignments and responsibilities for the coming year.
d. Election Procedures
(1) Offices shall be filled, starting with the office of Chair,
in successive order with nominations and election by secret ballot.
(2) Every senator shall have the opportunity to make nominations.
(3) All nominees shall be listed on the first and subsequent ballots alphabetically.
Those having the highest number of votes, and whose votes, when added together,
constitute a majority of the votes cast, shall appear on the next ballot.
Voting shall continue in this manner until one candidate receives a majority
of votes cast.
(4) In the event that a new representative has not been elected in time
to participate in the election of Senate officers at the first meeting of
the new Senate, the outgoing representative shall be entitled to vote in
such elections.
e. Vacancies in Elected Positions
(1) When the Chair's position is vacated due to resignation or
other reasons, the Vice Chair shall assume the title and responsibilities
of the Chair.
(2) When the position of Vice Chair, Secretary, or Member-at-Large on the
Executive Committee is vacated, the position shall be filled by election
at the next regular Senate meeting after the vacancy occurs, according to
the election procedures stated in Bl-2,d.
(3) When the position of Immediate Past Chair is vacated on the Executive
Committee, the position shall remain vacant.
Bl-3 The Executive Committee
a. Membership
The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, the Immediate
Past Chair and two Members-at-Large. The Members-at-Large shall be elected
annually at the time of the election of officers and in accordance with
section Bl-2,d.
b. Duties and Authority
(1) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for preparing
the agenda, for advising the Chair regarding the conduct of the Senate business,
and for such additional duties as the Senate may assign.
(2) The Executive Committee shall have the authority to act for the Academic
Senate of The California State University between meetings on items requiring
action before the next meeting of the entire body.
(3) The Executive Committee shall appoint the members of the standing and
special committees of the Senate, and consultants to the Senate, including
specialists.
(4) A majority of the Executive Committee may direct the Chair to call a
meeting of the Senate.
(5) The standing and special committees shall appoint their own subcommittees,
subject to the approval of the Chair of the Senate, who shall consult with
the Executive Committee.
Bl-4 Committees and Specialists
a. Standing Committees
The Senate shall have, but not be limited to, the following standing
committees:
(1) The Academic Affairs Committee,
(2) The Faculty Affairs Committee,
(3) The Fiscal and Governmental Affairs Committee, and
(4) The Committee on Teacher Education and K-12 Relations
b. Special Committees
The Senate may establish special committees as needed.
c. Specialists
The Senate may have specialists, with designated duties, as shall be
determined by the Executive Committee each year.
d. Appointment of Chairs
The Chairs of the standing and special committees, and the specialists,
will be appointed annually by the Chair of the Senate, with the approval
of the Executive Committee.
e. Membership
Members of the standing and special committees shall be appointed annually.
At least two-thirds of the members of each committee of the Academic Senate
shall be appointed from the members of the Senate. Chairs of the committee
shall be members of the Senate. No member of the Senate shall be appointed
to more than one standing committee. Appointees who are not senators shall
be appointed only after consultation with the senators of the campus from
which they are appointed.
f. Responsibilities of the Committees
(1) The Academic Affairs Committee:*
The Committees shall make recommendations to the Academic Senate on matters
of statewide concern, including but not limited to, the following areas:
(a) systemwide aspects of academic planning;
(b) general or liberal arts education;
(c) criteria for state approval of specific curricula, programs or degrees;
(d) accreditation;
(e) statewide requirements for admission, retention, and graduation of students;
(f) credit by evaluation;
(g) minimum conditions for the award of certificates to students;
(h) academic standards;
(i) grading standards and symbols;
(j) systemwide aspects of program review;
(k) new program allocation;
(l) joint doctoral programs;
(m) systemwide aspects of the basic directions of academic support programs;
(n) library development;
(o) research related to educational programs;
(p) academically related fiscal matters;
(q) systemwide aspects of student services;
(r) policies governing the awarding of honorary degrees;
(s) matters relevant to statewide and international programs;
(t) research, planning, formation, allocation, and delivery of programs
outside traditional campus service areas;
(u) extended education, campus-based study abroad, faculty participation
in international programs, faculty exchange, student exchange, and activities
between and among campuses;
(v) statewide and international programs and the resources to serve non-traditional
as well as international students;
(w) such other matters as may be brought before it by the Executive Committee
or the Academic Senate CSU.
The committee shall maintain liaison with the Advisory Committee on International
Education, the Academic Council on International Programs, the Commission
on Extended University, and other committees and commissions as designated.
(2) The Faculty Affairs Committee:
The committee shall make recommendations to the Academic Senate on matters
of statewide concern, including but not limited to, the following areas:
(a) criteria and standards for the appointment, retention,
promotion, evaluation and tenure of academic employees as well as preservation
of the principle of peer review and evaluation through the direct involvement
of appropriate faculty in these decisions;
(b) professional development, including minimum criteria and standards to
be used for programs designed to enhance and maintain professional competence
such as the awarding of sabbaticals and other academic leaves;
(c) systemwide policies governing the appointment and review of presidents
and academic administrators;
(d) policies governing the appointment and review of systemwide executive
officers and academic administrators;
(e) academic freedom and responsibility;
(f) professional matters not collectively bargained;
(g) other professional matters which may overlap items being collectively
bargained where such matters have substantial academic or educational effects;
(h) the role of faculty in institutional governance;
(i) such other matters as may be brought before it by the Executive Committee
or the Academic Senate.
Fiscal and Governmental Affairs Committee:
The functions of the committee will be:
(a) to monitor, evaluate, and make recommendations on system budgets including
strategic and academic initiatives;
(b) to evaluate plans and make recommendations to achieve adequate funding
for the cost of instruction;
(c) to monitor and make recommendations on the assessment of faculty productivity
and its relationship to the budget planning process;
(d) to evaluate and make recommendations on current and evolving measures
of accountability as they relate to the budget planning and evaluation process
(e) to work closely with the Chair of the Academic Senate to provide support
for Academic Senate positions and policies before the Legislature and other
governmental bodies;
(f) to propose legislation and policies for consideration by the Legislature
and other governmental bodies consistent with Academic Senate policy;
(g) to work closely with the Chair of the Academic Senate to provide support
for Academic Senate positions and policies before the Legislature and other
governmental bodies;
(h) at the direction of the Chair, to represent the Academic Senate before
governmental bodies;
(i) to assist the Chair in determining the timeliness and accuracy of Academic
Senate resolutions directed to the Legislature;
(j) to work with standing committees of the Academic Senate in researching
resolutions directed to the Legislature;
(k) to develop a cooperative working relationship with the Office of the
Chancellor and the Trustees so that the CSU can, whenever possible, present
a unified approach to the Legislature;
(l) to inform the Executive Committee and the Academic Senate of relevant
matters pending before the state government.
(4) The Committee on Teacher Education and K-12 Relations:*
The committee shall evaluate and make recommendations on matters regarding
the CSU’s relationship with K-12 and shall maintain liaison with appropriate
K-12 representatives on matters of teacher education. The committee shall
also make recommendations to the Academic Senate on matters of statewide
concern, including, but not limited to, the following areas:
(a) CSU policies and statewide activities affecting campus
teacher education and other credential programs;
(b) state legislation and regulations concerning the requirements for credentials
under the jurisdiction of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing;
(c) state legislation having potential impact on the CSU responsibility
to educate school personnel;
(d) intersegmental efforts to improve teaching at all levels; and
(e) such other matters as may be brought before it by the Executive Committee
or the Academic Senate CSU.
g. Reporting Procedures
All standing and special committees, unless otherwise specifically directed
by the Senate, shall report to the Senate. Their recommendations shall not
be considered policy statements until formally approved by the Senate.
Bl-5 Establishment of the Official Roster of the Senate
The alternates from the several campuses shall at each meeting at which
they are official delegates present to the Secretary of the Senate their
names and the names of the senators whose places they are taking.
Bl-6 Voting on Substantive Motions
(1) Voting on substantive motions may take place at any meeting
of the Academic Senate CSU when the reports giving rise to the motions have
been distributed to all senators at least two weeks in advance.
(2) Substantive motions based on reports which have not been distributed
to all senators at least two weeks in advance shall take place only after
a second reading of the motion at a meeting subsequent to the meeting at
which it was first introduced, except that the Academic Senate CSU, by three-fourths
vote of those present, may waive this requirement. The motion to suspend
the rules to waive this requirement shall be debatable.
Bl-7 Establishment of Faculty Newsletter
(1) There shall be established a faculty newsletter coming from
the Academic Senate CSU and sent to all CSU faculty at appropriate times.
(2) Funds shall be provided for this newsletter from the Senate budget.
Bl-8 Session of the Academic Senate
The session of the Academic Senate CSU shall be from June 1 through
May 31.
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