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Article I – Membership

Section 1. – Honorary Members.

Recommendations for honorary membership may be made during a regular Faculty Senate meeting. A majority vote of the Faculty Senate members present will be required for approval.

Section 2. – Dues and Voluntary Donations

Dues shall not be collected for membership or activity in the Faculty Association; however, the Faculty Senate may solicit voluntary donations by Faculty Association members to assist the Association in meeting financial needs.

Article II. – Faculty Senate Members

Section 1. – Designation of Instructional Divisions.

For the purpose of elections to the Faculty Senate, the following Instructional Divisions are recognized:

  1. Architectural Design & Construction
  2. Transportation
  3. Business / Logistics
  4. College Readiness
  5. Consumer Arts & Sciences
  6. Continuing Education
  7. Digital & Information Technologies
  8. Engineering
  9. English & Communications
    • (English, Communication, Interpreting/Sign Language, and Speech)
  10. Global Energy
  11. Health Sciences
  12. Liberal Arts, Humanities, & Education
    • (Child Development, ESL, History, Humanities/Interdisciplinary Studies, Philosophy, Library Sciences, Kinesiology & Exercise Science, Teacher Education, and World Languages)
  13. Life & Natural Sciences
    • (Agricultural Sciences, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Horticulture, and Physics)
  14. Material Science and Smart Manufacturing
  15. Mathematics
  16. Public Safety
  17. Social & Behavioral Sciences
    • (Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Government, Psychology, Sociology, and Student Success)
  18. Media, Visual & Performing Arts
  19. Libraries (not determined by contact hours)

As the institution modifies the divisions and division names in relatively small ways, a notice of those changes will be presented to the Senate. There will be no need for a vote unless a senator calls for one.

Should the institution make major changes to the academic structure of the institution, the Policies and Procedures Committee will be charged to study those changes, propose appropriate changes to this section, and bring them to the full Senate for a vote.

Section 2. – Duties of Faculty Senate Members.

The duties and responsibilities of Faculty Senate members are:

  1. to attend Faculty Senate meetings regularly;
  2. to represent the interests and concerns of faculty members by communication before the Faculty Senate and also before the faculty at regular Instructional Division meetings;
  3. To appoint a proxy, an alternate, or both to attend as their representative, when unable to attend Faculty Senate meetings;
  4. to make recommendations to the Faculty Senate President for committee appointments;
  5. to serve as part of the nominating committee which will oversee the election of new Faculty Senate members;
  6. to participate in discussions brought before the Faculty Senate and to vote as a representative of the faculty;
  7. to be available to serve on committees as assigned by the Faculty Association President

Section 3. – Election of Faculty Senate Members

Clause 1: Time of Election of Faculty Senate Members

All Faculty Senate seats shall be filled by annual election.

The Spring semester election process will start no later than February, so that all email validations are confirmed before Spring Break and the voting will begin just after the April Faculty Senate meeting

Results are intended to be available for announcement at the May Faculty Senate meeting.

Clause 2: Qualifications for Service on the Faculty Senate

All HCC faculty in the Academic, workforce, continuing education, and adult education divisions are eligible for a seat on the Faculty Senate.

The term “faculty” shall be defined as an HCC employee whose primary compensation at HCC is on a faculty pay scale without regard to their active role at HCC.

Clause 3: Apportionment of Faculty Senate Members

Subsection A. Enumeration of Faculty Senate Members.

The Senate shall consist of 80 Faculty Senate members, apportioned by Instructional Division, plus five (5) seats dedicated to adjunct faculty and three (3) librarians. The Faculty Senate President does not count towards this total and is a non-voting member of the Senate except in the case of a tie.

Subsection B. Minimum Representation.

Each Instructional Division shall be represented by at least one (1) Faculty Senate member.

Subsection C. Calculation of Faculty Senate Members.

The Vice President of the Faculty Senate will appoint an election committee of 4 members (immediate past vice president, chair of the Faculty Senate Policy and Procedures Standing Committee, one other Standing Committee Chair, and one other senator) and work directly with them to set an election schedule with flexibility built in to accommodate unforeseen circumstances or events.

This committee will work directly with the Faculty Senate president, the Chair Caucus, and a Talent Engagement representative to validate all faculty (adjunct and full time) emails, during the fall and spring semesters. It will also work with the Office of Institutional Records (OIR) to ensure that each division has accurate Faculty Senate seats as apportioned by contact hours in the previous year (the sole exception being Libraries, as they have no generated contact hours).

If the formula produces a non-whole number for the number of seats, the result will be rounded to the nearest whole number: below .5 will be rounded down, and .5 and above will be rounded up, given that each Instructional Division is represented by at least one Faculty Senate member.

Clause 4: Procedure for Election of Faculty Senate Members

To be valid, an election must have the following characteristics:

  1. The call for nominations for the election must be made in a public manner, in such a way that all faculty members, full-time and adjunct, will be informed of this call;
  2. All qualified faculty members according to Article II, Section 3, Clause 2, who desire to be nominated shall be placed on a ballot, which will be distributed to all faculty members, who shall be able to fill out the ballot in secret;
  3. The candidates receiving the most votes shall be elected to the Faculty Senate according to the number of seats allocated for the Instructional Division. Each Instructional Division may designate additional candidates as alternates so long as the number of alternates is announced during the call for nominations.

A second election shall be held such that it will bring the Faculty Senate to full strength.

Clause 5: Bringing the Faculty Senate to Full Strength

Subsection A. Filling unelected seats.

In the event that one or more Instructional Divisions elect fewer Faculty Senate members than their allocation, those remaining seats shall become available for an at-large election.

This election will occur in accordance with the characteristics prescribed in Article II, Section 3, Clause 4 except that the seats will not be specific to one Instructional Division and voting is open to all eligible faculty regardless of Instructional Division.

This election must include the election of five (5) adjunct faculty members to serve as an at-large, adjunct delegation.

Subsection B. Filling vacancies due to excessive absences.

In the event that an elected Faculty Senate member is consistently absent from Faculty Senate meetings, the following procedure shall be used:

  1. A letter from the Senate President shall be sent to the Faculty Senate member after three consecutive absences, requesting regular attendance or resignation.
  2. Should the Faculty Senate member elect to resign, the seat shall be vacated, and the procedure outlined in Subsection C. Other Vacancies shall be followed.
  3. Should the Faculty Senate member be absent from the next Faculty Senate meeting or three additional Faculty Senate meetings, the seat shall be vacated, and the procedure outlined in Subsection C. Other Vacancies shall be followed.

Subsection C. Other vacancies.

In the event a Faculty Senate member is unable to complete a full term, the following procedure shall be used:

  1. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes but not elected in the Instructional Division where the vacancy exists will be asked to serve.
  2. If a vacancy remains, an at-large candidate receiving the next highest number of votes will be asked to serve.
  3. Should a vacancy still remain, the Instructional Division with a vacant seat shall hold a new election in accordance with the characteristics prescribed in Article II, Section 3, Clause 4 with all due speed.

Article III. – Officers

Section 1. – Election of Officers.

Clause 1: Qualifications for elected office:

All candidates for elected office in the Faculty Senate shall be full-time faculty members.

Clause 2: Enumeration of elected officers:

Officers to be elected at the beginning of each academic year shall be:

  1. President-Elect
  2. Vice-President
  3. Secretary
  4. Treasurer

Clause 3: Timetable for election:

The election of the Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be held at the first Faculty Senate meeting of the academic year.

The election of the President-Elect shall be held at the second Faculty Senate meeting of the academic year. Nominations for this office shall be made at the first meeting of the academic year and shall remain open until just before voting at the second meeting.

Nominations for Faculty Senate officers may be made from the floor by any Faculty Association member present.

All nominees must indicate willingness to fulfill their duties as outlined in the constitution and bylaws. Voting for officers shall be by those Faculty Senate members present. The term of office will begin immediately upon election to office and will continue until the first Faculty Senate meeting of the subsequent academic year.

Clause 4: Officer Election Procedures:

After nominations for an office are closed, candidates will be afforded an opportunity to speak before the Senate prior to ballots being cast. Afterward, current members of the Senate will cast secret ballots for each contested office, with the candidate receiving a majority of the ballots being declared the winner. Ballots will be counted by the current Vice President and other such Senate members as designated by the Vice President, unless that person is contesting the position in question, in which case the current President may designate another Senate member to count the ballots.

In the event that a Senate office is contested by more than two candidates, the Senate will cast anonymous ballots to determine if any one candidate receives a majority of the votes. If no candidate receives a majority, the two candidates with the most votes will advance, and the Senate will again cast ballots to determine a winner.

In the event of an uncontested election, the candidate may be confirmed by acclamation.

Section 2. – Impeachment of Officers.

An officer of the Faculty Senate may be impeached by a petition signed by one-half of all Faculty Senate members, or by a petition of one-tenth of all full-time regular faculty. Petitions shall list the name of the officer, the stated reasons for impeachment, and legible printed names and signatures of the faculty signing the petition. Officers can be impeached and removed on grounds of malfeasance, neglect of official duties, and/or unprofessional conduct in violation of the HCC Faculty Handbook and recognized District policy. Impeachable offenses shall include those which represent sufficient serious actions as to justify this extreme measure.

Any Faculty Senate member may present articles of impeachment against any officer at any regular meeting, but no action will ensue until the next regular meeting or called meeting no sooner than fourteen (14) days after the articles are presented. The hearing shall be held as quickly as possible in order to return to normal Senate business.

Removal shall follow upon two-thirds vote of all the Faculty Senate after the officer has been accorded a hearing before the Senate. If the officer being impeached is the President, the Vice-President will preside over the hearing with the advice of the other officers. Voting on impeachment articles shall be by secret ballot.

The removal shall be binding only for the current academic year and shall not without further process disqualify the officer from voting in Senate elections or seeking election to the Faculty Senate or any of its offices.

Section 3. – Role of the Immediate Past President.

The Immediate Past President shall provide advice and counsel concerning the operation and the activities of the Senate and shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee. The Immediate Past President shall also serve as a member of and the Chair of the Past Presidents Caucus. The Immediate Past President must be a full-time faculty member or the office is vacated and left unfilled.

Article IV. – Standing Committees

Section 1. – Enumeration of Committees.

The following committees shall be standing committees of the Faculty Senate:

  1. Finance and Fundraising Committee: this committee will maintain liaison with Administration, review the Faculty Association’s financial position, and make recommendations for raising revenue to carry out the programs of the Faculty Senate, most notably the Bedichek-Orman Auction and similar fundraising activities. The Treasurer of the Faculty Senate shall be the chair of the Finance Committee. Recommended Subcommittee(s): Bedichek-Orman Auction Subcommittee.
  2. Compensation Committee: this committee will maintain liaison with faculty and the Administration in all matters of pay, benefits, workload and working conditions of all faculty and shall make recommendations to the Faculty Senate and the administration which will ensure competitive pay, workload, benefits and working conditions for full-time and part-time faculty.
  3. Policies & Procedures Committee: this committee will maintain liaison Administration and productively engage with Administration regarding HCC policies and procedures which impact faculty and instruction, making constructive recommendations with a focus on equitable, shared-governance roles and responsibilities.
  4. Professional Development and Conferences Committee: this committee will host and/or provide support for the major professional development programs of the Faculty Senate including Bedichek-Orman Professional Development Grant recipients (paid from the Bedichek-Orman Professional Operating Fund), recognizing teaching excellence via the Teaching Excellence Award, assisting with the Chancellor’s Eagle Award, and planning and executing the annual Bedichek-Orman Auction, Faculty Conference, and Faculty Retreat. In addition, this committee will liaise with all college professional development initiatives including but not limited to divisions/programs, COEs, and Center for Teaching and Learning. Recommended Subcommittee(s): Bedichek-Orman Professional Operating Fund Grant Selection Subcommittee, Bedichek-Orman Auction Planning Subcommittee, Teaching Excellence Award Subcommittee, Faculty Conference Subcommittee, and Faculty Retreat Subcommittee;
  5. Student Success Committee: this committee will maintain liaison with relevant administrative departments and review and recommend policy and procedures designed to help students achieve success during their college experience; make recommendations for the administration and funding of Faculty Association programs aimed at student success; create appropriate procedures and guidelines about the role(s) of faculty in advising HCC students; work with the Office of Institutional Research (OIR) to provide information about student success; and collaborate with the HCC Foundation in the promotion and administration of all Faculty-sponsored scholarships
  6. Educational Affairs Committee: this committee will maintain liaison with and between the Vice Chancellor of Instructional Services, the Academic and Workforce Deans, and Deans of Centers of Excellence to engage proactively in the oversight of HCC policies and procedures in order to assure excellence in education.
  7. Graduation Committee: this committee will maintain liaison with all relevant administrative departments and serve to represent the Faculty Association in the detailed planning and execution of HCC’s commencement exercises, be they in person or virtual; to be an active partner with the administration in this year-round endeavor; and, in particular, to work closely throughout this process with the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of Communications, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Student Services.
  8. Instructional Technology Committee: this committee will maintain liaison between all relevant administrative departments and faculty in matters relating to instructional technology. This committee will make suggestions and recommendations and advise administration on policy, procurement, and support for technology necessary for faculty to carry out their instructional mission.
  9. Parity, Advocacy & Belonging Committee: This committee, in its dedication to social justice, will maintain liaison with and advise the Administration regarding issues of accommodation, and belonging, and facilitate programs and services that meet the changing needs of faculty members and instruction in an evolving educational committee.

Section 2. – Governance of Committees.

The President shall appoint a facilitator for each committee at the beginning of the academic year, who shall hold a meeting of the committee between the first and second meetings of the Faculty Senate. At that meeting, a chair shall be elected by members of that committee.

Section 3. – Qualifications for Membership.

Any faculty member, full-time or adjunct, may serve on a Faculty Senate Committee, but the Chair of that committee shall be a Faculty Senate member.

Section 4. – Ad Hoc Committees.

The Senate, by a vote of Faculty Senate members, may establish ad hoc committees at any Faculty Senate meeting. The duration of an ad hoc committee shall not last beyond the academic year it was established.

Article V. – Caucuses

Section 1. – Definition.

A caucus shall consist of any group of HCC faculty sharing a common interest or assignment directly related to the mission of the HCC Faculty.

Membership in a caucus may be limited to those faculty sharing such an interest or job assignment, but not for any other reason.

Section 2. – Affiliation with the Faculty Senate.

Upon the vote of a majority of Faculty Senate members present and voting, the Senate may grant a caucus affiliation with the Faculty Senate. Caucuses affiliated with the Faculty Senate may occasionally be asked to report on their activities to the Senate.

Section 3. – Special Caucuses.

The Past Presidents Caucus is a special caucus that consists of former Faculty Senate Presidents regardless of their current status with HCC or the Faculty Senate. The caucus is chaired by the Immediate Past President. If the Immediate Past President vacates the office, the caucus may elect a new chair from its remaining members who are full-time faculty for that year. Only caucus members who are employed by HCC are eligible to chair the caucus or vote for the chair.

The Caucus serves as a resource for the sitting Senate President and functions in an advisory capacity to the Senate as a whole. The Caucus meets regularly and hosts receptions for the Board of Trustees.

Article VI. – Quorum

Section 1. – Definition.

One-third of the total number of Faculty Senate members shall constitute a quorum of the Faculty Senate, as long as at least one Faculty Senate member from each of one-third of the Instructional Divisions is in attendance.

The term ‘present’ shall be defined to include virtual and physical attendance.

Section 2. – Proxy Voting.

In the event that an elected delegate is unable to attend a meeting of the Senate wherein an amendment to the Bylaws or Constitution is being considered for final approval, or wherein the position of President-elect is being determined, that delegate may grant a right of proxy to any other duly elected member of the Senate, provided that written notice be given to the President, Vice President, and Secretary no later than twenty-four (24) hours prior to such meeting. It shall be the responsibility of the Vice-President to distribute and track such proxy ballots.

Article VII. – Amendments

An amendment to the Bylaws may be introduced in any session of the Faculty Senate but may not be voted on until the next meeting of the Faculty Senate. An amendment shall go into effect after a simple majority vote of those Faculty Senate members present and voting.

***

Appendix A: Standing Rules for Senate Meetings

(adopted May 2023)

NB “Senator” shall refer to either a Senator or their designated alternate

Quorum calls. The presence of a quorum shall be established by Vice President or Sergeant at Arms if the Vice President is unavailable at the beginning of the meeting. Thereafter, the continued presence of a quorum shall be determined by the online list of participating Senators and the physical presence of Senators (or alternates) in attendance, unless any Senator (or alternate) demands a quorum count by audible roll call.

Technical requirements and malfunctions. Each Senator is responsible for their audio and Internet connections; no action shall be invalidated on the grounds that the loss of, or poor quality of, a Senator’s individual connection prevented participation in the meeting.

Forced disconnections. The chair may cause or direct the disconnection or muting of an attendee’s connection if it is causing undue interference with the meeting. The chair’s decision to do so, which is subject to an undebatable appeal that can be made by any Senator, shall be recorded in the minutes.

Assignment of the floor. To seek recognition by the chair, a Senator shall raise their hand, and the chair may recognize that Senator. The Sergeant-at-arms shall assist the chair in this recognition.

Interrupting a Senator. A remote Senator who intends to make a motion (such as a point of order) or request that under the rules may interrupt a speaker shall type “POINT OF ORDER” in all capital letters in the meeting chat and shall thereafter wait to be recognized and unmuted.

Motions submitted in writing. A remote Senator intending to make a main motion, to offer an amendment, or to propose instructions to a committee, shall, before or after being recognized, post the motion in writing to the online area designated by the Secretary for this purpose.

Voting. Votes shall be taken by the raising of hands. In certain situations requiring secret ballots, appropriate electronic tools will be utilized (e.g., anonymous survey in Teams using MS Forms). The chair will announce the outcome of the vote. Any Senator who wishes to challenge the chair’s discernment of the vote may proceed as per Robert’s Rules (e.g. division of the house; roll call vote). Business may also be conducted by unanimous consent.

Transcripts: a transcript of the Chat shall be reviewed by the Sergeant-at-Arms, for the use of the Secretary and Executive Committee. It shall not be a part of the official recorded minutes of the meeting, excepting points of order and other parliamentary issues raised in the Chat.