back                          2005-2007 edition

 

[includes revisions approved by the Board of Trustees in June 2008]

 

Appendix B

Constitution of the Faculty of Western Washington University

 

Constitution:

    Article I:         Name and Purposes

    Article II:        Membership

    Article III:       Faculty Senate

    Article IV:       Officers of the Faculty Senate

    Article V:        Executive Council

    Article VI:       Amendments

    Article VII:      Ratification

 

Bylaws:

     BL1    Quorum

     BL2    Rules of Order

     BL3    Vacancies

     BL4    Representation Before the Board of Trustees

     BL5    Voting Procedures in Faculty Senate Meetings

     BL6    Removal from Office for Absenteeism

     BL7    Committees, Councils, and Commissions (Ombuds)

     BL8    Publication of Agenda and Minutes

     BL9    Released Time for President of Faculty Senate

     BL10  Meetings

     BL11  Agenda

     BL12  Senate Elections

     BL13  General Faculty Assembly

     BL14  Faculty Referendum

     BL15  Summer Session

     BL16  Faculty Senate Members on Leave

 

Constitution

 

     Article I:  Name and Purposes

 

     I.1        The name of this organization is the Faculty of Western Washington University.

 

   I.2     The purpose of this organization is to provide the Faculty of Western Washington University with a governance system empowered to speak and act for the Faculty in University affairs not covered by the contract between Western Washington University and the United Faculty of Western Washington.

 

     Article II:  Membership

 

     II.      Voting members of the Faculty are those holding appointment at .5 FTEF (annual average) or greater at Western Washington University.

 

     Article III:  Faculty Senate

 

  III.1   The Faculty Senate is empowered to speak and act for the Faculty in University affairs that are not covered by the contract between Western Washington University and the United Faculty of Western Washington with particular responsibility in the areas of curriculum, academic programs, scholarly activities, the education of students, and the mission of the University.

 

     III.2   The Faculty Senate is limited to 30 voting members elected by the Faculty, and the President of the University, the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University, a college dean appointed by the Provost serving as Provost’s Council representative and the President of the United Faculty of Western Washington as ex-officio non-voting members.

 

   III.3   Terms of Office.  Elections are held yearly in Spring Quarter.  Voting members of the Senate serve for two years or until the installation of a new Senate.  Senators may not be elected for more than three consecutive terms.

 

     III.4   Meetings.  The Senate shall meet within ten days after the yearly election and during the first or second full week of classes of Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters and at other times.

 

   III.5   Committees.  The Faculty Senate may create any and all subordinate bodies, define their duties, designate their composition, and appoint their Faculty members.

 

   III.6   Appeals.  When the President of the University refuses to accept or implement any act of the Faculty Senate authorized by this constitution, the University President shall do so in a written statement transmitted to the Faculty Senate setting out the refusal and the reasons.  The Faculty Senate may vote to appeal this matter to the Board of Trustees directly or submit the matter to the Faculty of the University for referendum vote, or it may vote to do both.  A majority vote of the total voting membership of the Faculty Senate, or in the case of a referendum vote, a majority of those voting, is sufficient to bring an appeal to the Board of Trustees at its next meeting.  A motion to appeal to the Board of Trustees will take precedence over all other business and all other motions at a Faculty Senate meeting.  When the Faculty Senate, by two-thirds vote, rejects any action, decision, or policy of the President of the University, this rejection will be presented for resolution to the Board of Trustees at its next meeting.  The President of the Faculty Senate shall represent the Faculty in this proceeding.

 

     Article IV:   Officers of the Faculty Senate

 

     IV.1 Officers. The officers are President, President-elect, Secretary, and Appointments and Elections  Officer.

 

     IV.2   Duties.  Faculty Senate officers perform the duties normally associated with these offices in addition   to those assigned by this Constitution and Bylaws, and by the Faculty Senate.

 

   IV.3   Election.  Officers are members of the Faculty Senate.  They are nominated from the floor and    elected by secret ballot, majority vote, of the Faculty Senate voting members at the first regular meeting held after the May Faculty Senate election. 

 

     IV.4   Term of office.  The term of office for the Secretary, and Appointments and Elections Officer will run for one year from the date of election to the office.  The President-elect will be elected at the May Faculty Senate election but will not officially assume his/her duties until the first day of summer quarter.  The President-elect will serve for one year. On the first day of summer quarter of the year following his/her election the President-elect will assume the position of President. The status of the President after the Senate election will change to President pro tem. The President pro tem will fulfill all of the duties of the Presidency until the beginning of summer quarter. If the term of the President-elect coincides with the second year of his/her term, his/her position on the Senate will be extended without election to cover his/her term as President of the Senate. The number of Senate seats will not be affected by this policy.

 

   IV.5   Voting privileges of the officers.  All officers are voting members of the Senate except in the instance where the President pro tem is no longer a member of the Senate. In this special instance, the President pro tem will serve as a non-voting member of the Senate.

 

   IV.6   President of the Faculty Senate.  The President of the Senate presides over the Faculty Senate, schedules the meetings of and chairs the Executive Council, and attends all meetings of and represents the Faculty Senate before the Board of Trustees.

 

   IV.7   President-elect of the Faculty Senate.  The President-elect presides over General Faculty Assemblies and presides over the Faculty Senate and the Executive Council in the absence of the President of the Faculty Senate.

 

     IV.8   Secretary of the Faculty Senate.  The Secretary of the Faculty Senate presides over the Faculty Senate and the Executive Council in the absence of the President and Vice President of the Faculty Senate.

 

    IV.9    Appointments and Elections Officer. The Appointments and Elections Officer presides over the Faculty Senate and Executive Council in the absence of the President, President-elect, and Secretary of the Senate and during the election of Senate officers.

 

Article V:  Executive Council

 

   V.1    Membership.  The Executive Council consists of the officers of the Faculty Senate, one Faculty Senate member, the Faculty Legislative Representative, as voting members; the Chair of the Academic Coordinating Commission, the Chair of the University Planning Council, and the past President of the Faculty Senate as non-voting members.  (revised 12/2004)

 

   V.2    Election.  The Faculty Senate member is nominated from the floor and elected by secret ballot, majority vote at the first regular meeting held after the May Faculty Senate election.  He/she serves for one year or until the installation of the new Executive Council.

 

     V.3    Duties.  The Executive Council reports to the Faculty Senate, schedules its meetings, prepares its agenda, meets on a regularly scheduled basis with the President and/or Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University and the President of the United Faculty of Western Washington, and performs such other duties as may be delegated to it by the Faculty Senate.  The Executive Council is to establish and maintain communications between the Faculty Senate and the University administration, and between the Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees.  [June 2008]

 

              If the Faculty Senate President brings a written complaint from a faculty member in accordance with Appendix E.IV.C., the Executive Council shall decide whether there is sufficient evidence that a grievable action has occurred.      [June 2005]

 

   V.4    In situations or instances in which decisions by the Faculty Senate are not possible, the Executive Council may act for the Faculty Senate subject to review by the Senate at its next regularly scheduled meeting or at a special meeting called for this purpose.  All Executive Council actions taken in behalf of the Faculty Senate will be stated in writing and submitted to the Faculty Senate for a vote at its next meeting.

 

     V.5    All Executive Council actions will be entered in the minutes of the next Faculty Senate meeting under the heading "Executive Council Actions".

 

   V.6    The Executive Council transmits all actions taken under this Constitution through the President of the Faculty Senate to the President of the University, the Board of Trustees, and other interested and affected persons as the Executive Council may decide.

 

   V.7    The Executive Council nominates and submits to the Faculty Senate for its approval chairpersons and faculty members of the committees, commissions, and councils operating under the authority of this Constitution and the Faculty Senate in accordance with the Bylaws.

 

     V.8    Decisions of the Executive Council are by majority vote.

 

     V.9    A meeting of the Executive Council may be called by the President of the Faculty Senate or by two of its members.

 

Article VI:  Amendments

 

     VI.1   Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by majority vote of the Faculty Senate voting members or by petition of 30 members of the Faculty.

 

   VI.2   This Constitution may be amended by majority of the Faculty voting in an election held for this purpose.

 

     VI.3   Amendments will take effect upon acceptance by the Board of Trustees.

 

     VI.4   Bylaws to this Constitution may be adopted, amended, or repealed by majority vote of the total voting membership of the Faculty Senate provided that they are proposed in writing at one meeting of the Faculty Senate, are posted on the Faculty Senate website and delivered to the faculty through an email; flyer; or by publication in FAST as proposed, and are voted on at a subsequent regular meeting of the Faculty Senate. (2008)

 

Article VII:  Ratification

 

     VII.1    This Constitution is ratified by the Faculty when accepted by a majority vote of the Faculty voting in an election held for that purpose.

 

     VII.2     This Constitution is ratified by the Board of Trustees when accepted by that body.

 

Bylaws

 

     BL1      Quorum

 

     BL1.1    A quorum of the Faculty Senate is a majority of the voting Faculty Senate members excluding vacancies.

 

     BL2      Rules of Order

 

     BL2.1    Except where provisions of this Constitution or By-laws provide otherwise, the rules of order are Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure.

 

     BL3     Vacancies

 

     BL3.1    Vacancies on the Executive Council are filled by nominations from the floor and election by secret ballot, majority vote, of the Faculty Senate voting members.

 

     BL3.2    Vacancies in the Faculty Senate are filled by nominations of the Executive Council, with the opportunity for nominations from the floor, and election by secret ballot, majority vote, of the Faculty Senate voting members.

 

     BL3.3    When there is only one nominee to fill a vacancy, the secret ballot may be dispensed with by unanimous consent of the voting members.

 

     BL4      Representation Before the Board of Trustees

 

     BL4.1    When the President of the Senate is unable to represent the Faculty Senate at a meeting of the Board of Trustees, the President of the Senate must designate the President-elect or in absence of the President-elect, the President of the Senate must designate another Faculty Senate member in his/her place.

 

     BL5     Voting Procedures in Faculty Senate Meetings

 

     BL5.1      Votes are ordinarily taken by asking for the "ayes" and "nays."

 

     BL5.2      When the presiding officer, or any Faculty Senate voting member, requests a show of hands, the vote will be counted and recorded in the minutes.

 

     BL5.3      The presiding officer or any Faculty Senate voting member may request a roll call vote, and when the request has been seconded by two other Faculty Senate voting members, the vote of each Senator will be recorded in the minutes.

 

     BL5.4      The presiding officer or any voting Senator may request a secret ballot, which, when seconded by two other Senators, will be taken.

 

     BL5.5      When both a secret ballot and a roll call vote have been requested, the decision on the voting method to be used will be decided by a vote of the voting members present. 

 

     BL6     Removal from Office for Absenteeism

 

     BL6.1    Upon a motion from the Executive Council and by majority vote, the Faculty Senate may expel a voting member for absenteeism and declare the seat vacant.

 

     BL6.2    Any Faculty Senate voting member who is absent from four consecutive Faculty Senate meetings, or with a high rate of absenteeism, is liable for expulsion.

 

     BL6.3    The President of the Faculty Senate must notify the member in advance of the Faculty Senate meeting where the Executive Council intends to move the expulsion of that member.

 

     BL7    Committees, Councils, and Commissions

 

    The Committees, Councils, and Commissions in this Bylaw act under the authority of the Faculty Senate, report to the Faculty Senate, and are subject to review by the Faculty Senate.  Minutes of Commissions, Councils, and Committees of the Faculty Senate shall be forwarded to the Senate.  The Committees, Councils, and Commissions of the Senate are authorized to establish subordinate bodies in carrying out their duties and to perform such other duties as the Faculty Senate may direct.  Faculty members on these Committees, Councils, and Commissions may be reappointed by the Faculty Senate provided that only in exceptional cases will any faculty member serve on any Committee, Council, or Commission for longer than two consecutive terms.

 

     Chairs of Committees, Councils and Commissions of the Faculty Senate shall be members of the faculty of Western Washington University, unless approved by motion of the Executive Council.  Chairs shall be invited to the Executive Council on a quarterly basis and as circumstances warrant.

 

     BL7.1  Appointments and Elections Officer

 

                 The Appointments and Elections Officer sits on the Faculty Senate Executive Council. S/he serves a one–year renewable term and reports to the Executive Council.  The Appointments and Elections Officer recruits Faculty to serve on all bodies which report to the Faculty Senate and oversees all referendums and elections, maintains the voting list, counts the ballots, and reports the results of elections to the Faculty Senate.  The Appointments and Elections Officer may make interim appointments (less than 1 year) to Faculty Senate committees subject to review and approval of the Senate.

 

  BL7.1.1    At the first meeting of the Faculty Senate held after the May election, the President pro tem presides over the Faculty Senate for the purpose of installing newly elected Faculty Senate members and for the election of Faculty Senate officers and members of the Executive Council.

 

  BL7.1.2    At the installation of new Faculty Senate members, the President pro tem takes the roll call of all continuing voting Faculty Senate members and newly elected voting members.  Upon completion of this roll, if a quorum is present, the chairperson declares the Faculty Senate in session.

 

  BL7.1.3    The President pro tem then proceeds to the election of officers of the Faculty Senate in the order of President-elect, Secretary, Appointments and Elections Officer, and one member of the Executive Council, announcing the result after each ballot and continuing to ballot for each office before proceeding to the next until one person has a majority and is elected. 

 

 BL7.1.4     The Appointments and Elections Officer shall review, annually and in a timely manner prior to elections, the distribution of Senate seats within and among the Colleges, in order to determine whether representation is on an approximately proportional basis.  When it is determined to be necessary, the Appointments and Elections Officer shall recommend to the Faculty Senate changes in the distribution of representation on the Faculty Senate.  However, each College shall have a minimum of one Senate Seat.

 

*   Area Representation: The thirty (30) Faculty Senate positions for the Spring 2005 election were assigned as follows:  6 representatives from Natural and Physical Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering Technology, Geology, Mathematics, Physics/Astronomy); 4 representatives from Social Sciences (Anthropology, PEHR, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Communication Sciences and Disorders); 6 representatives from Humanities (Communication, English, Modern and Classical Languages, History, Journalism, Liberal Studies, Philosophy);  3 representatives from the College of Fine and Performing Arts (Art, Art History, Music, Theatre Arts including Dance); 3 representatives from the College of Business and Economics  (Accounting,  Economics, Finance/ Marketing and Decision Sciences, Management); 1 representative from Fairhaven College;     1 representative from Huxley College (Department of Environmental Studies: Policy, Planning, Education and Geography, Department of Environmental Sciences); 4 representatives from Woodring College of Education); and 1 representative from Wilson Library.  At its February meeting the Senate voted to make the 30^th seat an At-Large position for 2005-2007.

 

 BL7.2        Senate Legislative Representatives  (revised 12/2004)

 

BL7.2.1       In the Spring Quarter of each year the Faculty Senate shall elect a Faculty Legislative Representative, and a Deputy Faculty Legislative Representative.

                  The Faculty Legislative Representative shall have the special responsibility to represent the Faculty of Western Washington University in relations with the Legislature and individual legislators.  He or she shall be guided by policies approved by the Faculty Senate upon recommendation from the Executive Council. The Deputy Faculty Legislative Representative shall assist the Faculty Legislative Representative in his or her duties. 

                  The Faculty Legislative Representative shall serve as a voting member of the Senate Executive Council.

                  The Faculty Legislative Representative shall receive released time of 0.5 FTE for two quarters or equivalent release from other duties to carry out the responsibilities of his/her office.

 

BL7.2.2        The Faculty Legislative Representative, the Deputy Legislative Representative, and the President-elect of the Faculty Senate shall constitute the delegation of the Faculty of Western Washington University to the Council of Faculty Representatives. 

 

BL7.2.3        The Executive Council represents the interests of the faculty before the state legislature, its committees, and individual legislators.  The Executive Council, through the Faculty Legislative Representative will establish and maintain an effective rapport with selected legislators, their respective staffs, and the legislature as a whole.  The Executive Council will monitor legislative issues of interest to Western and report to the Faculty Senate on its findings and recommendations.  In order to avoid duplication of effort, the Faculty Legislative Representative will seek to coordinate his/her legislative activities with those of Western's administration and the Council of Faculty Representatives.

 

 BL7.3         Salary and Welfare Committee

 

 BL7.3.1       The Salary and Welfare Committee consists of four (4) faculty members.  Members serve for four years and are appointed during Spring Quarter.  The members of the committee will elect a chair each spring after the appointment of new members. The Committee shall recommend to the Faculty Senate on matters of faculty salary, salary schedule, welfare and fringe benefits, including insurance options, within the biennial operations planning and budgeting decision process. (See Appendix D)

 

 BL7.4       Academic Coordinating Commission

 

                  The Academic Coordinating Commission shall have jurisdiction over all matters relating to the University's academic program such as curriculum, and teaching load.  It shall consist of eighteen (18) members:  12 faculty including at least one from each area specified in BL 7.1.4, four students, the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, ex officio, and the Catalog Coordinator, ex officio.  The faculty members of the Academic Coordinating Commission are appointed by the Faculty Senate.  At least two of the faculty members appointed shall be voting Facul