CONSTITUTION
CONSTITUTION OF THE GAVILAN COLLEGE ACADEMIC SENATE
ARTICLE I: NAME AND AUTHORITY
This organization shall be known as the Gavilan College Academic Senate, and it functions by the authority of the Gavilan College Board of Trustees and the State of California statutes.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization shall be to:
1. Represent the interests and concerns of the faculty in academic and related professional matters through recommendations to the administration and governing board of the college.
2. Promote excellence in teaching and learning.
3. Promote communication, collegiality, and mutual understanding within the institution and the community.
4. Provide representation to the Academic Senate of California Community Colleges.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: "Faculty" shall be defined as full-time and part-time classroom/non-classroom personnel whose positions do not require an administrative or supervisory credential, and/or whose salaries are determined by the faculty salary schedule.
Section 2: Senators who are part-time must be under faculty contract during their tenure on the senate.
Section 3: Any member of the faculty is eligible to be elected to the Academic Senate.
Section 4: Academic Senate Representatives
4.1 The Academic Senate shall consist of a minimum of fourteen elected members. Additional members may be added in accordance with the bylaws.
4.2 The Academic Senate shall include at least one full-time at-large representative elected in accordance with the bylaws.
4.3 The Academic Senate shall include at least one part-time at-large representative elected in accordance with the bylaws.
Section 5: Other members
5.1 The Gavilan College Faculty Association (GCFA) President shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Academic Senate.
5.2 The Past President shall serve the Academic Senate in an ex-officio capacity for one semester subsequent to his/her term as President.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS
Section 1: The officers shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and such other officers as the Academic Senate deems necessary.
Section 2: The officers of the Academic Senate shall be compensated during their tenure in office in accordance with the GCFA contract and as set forth in the bylaws.
ARTICLE V: ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICE
Section 1: Senators
1.1 The election of senators shall be in accordance with Academic Senate bylaws. Each year one half of the senate membership will be elected in order to maintain staggered terms.
1.2 The terms for senators, including at-large senators, shall be two years with no term limits.
Section 2: Officers
2.1 The election of officers shall be held in accordance with Academic Senate bylaws.
2.2 New officers shall assume their positions on July 1st.
2.3 The terms of office for officers shall be two years. An officer may not serve in the same position for more than two consecutive terms, after which s/he must skip a term before running for the same office again.
Section 3: Senate vacancies shall be filled in accordance with Academic Senate bylaws.
ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS
Section 1: The President of the Senate shall hold as many regular meetings of the Academic Senate as are necessary to conduct the business of the senate.
Section 2: Special Meetings
2.1 The President of the Senate may call special meetings of the senate as necessary.
2.2 The President of the Senate shall call a special meeting if requested by four or more senators.
2.3 The President of the Senate shall call a special meeting if petitioned to do so by ten percent or more of the faculty.
Section 3: All Academic Senate meetings shall be open to the public in accordance with the Brown Act.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
Section 1: Academic Senate committees shall be formed to conduct business that falls within the jurisdiction of the senate in accordance with its bylaws.
Section 2: Duties, responsibilities and organization shall be determined when committees are established.
Section 3: Faculty appointments to college committees, panels, councils or other body requiring faculty participation in shared governance, except in the area of negotiations, shall be made by the Academic Senate in accordance with its bylaws.
Section 4: All appointees shall bring matters of concern promptly to the Senate and report regularly.
ARTICLE VIII: ORDER OF BUSINESS AND PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
Except for the stipulation of the GCFA President as a non-voting member, the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the authority on the order of business and parliamentary procedures in both regular and special meetings.
ARTICLE IX: RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
This constitution shall be ratified by a two-thirds majority of all faculty exercising their right to vote. Voting shall be by ballot with written or e-mailed proxies accepted. The Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees shall be notified at the earliest possible board meeting upon ratification of the constitution.
ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS
Amendments to this constitution may be proposed at any regular or special meeting of the faculty called by the Senate. The proposed amendments must be filed with the Senate Secretary and be distributed to the faculty no later than ten days before voting. Voting shall be by ballot with written or e-mailed proxies accepted. Amendments to the constitution shall be ratified by a two-thirds majority of all faculty exercising their right to vote. The Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees shall be notified at the earliest possible board meeting upon ratification of amendments.
Constitution approved by the Academic Senate on March 21, 2017