The Faculty Constitution
Purpose of the Faculty
Definition of Faculty and Voting Privileges
The Authority of the Faculty
The Organization of the Faculty
Faculty Meetings
Amendments to the Faculty Constitution
Amendments to the Bylaws of the Faculty Constitution
Faculty Officers
The Faculty Executive Committee (FEC)
The Faculty Athletic Representative
Faculty Committee Composition
Faculty Committee Definitions and Procedures
The faculty of California Lutheran University will be primarily responsible for all curriculum matters within the University.
Purpose of the Faculty
The purpose of the University faculty is to enhance the programs of academic instruction for all students enrolled at the University. The faculty will give attention to the academic, spiritual, moral and physical needs of students. As a community, the faculty will search for ways to support and encourage individual faculty members, as well as all others who work at CLU, so that the highest standards of a church-related university may be maintained.
Definition of Faculty and Voting Privileges
The faculty consists of all individuals appointed for the instruction of students. The university faculty consists of three distinct groups: ranked faculty, special appointment faculty, and administrators with faculty status.
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Ranked faculty are full voting members of the faculty and have all of the rights and responsibilities of faculty as described in Sections Two. III. and IV. of this handbook.
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Special appointment faculty have no voting privileges in the conducting of faculty business.
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The following administrators have ex-officio voting membership in the faculty: University President, Vice Presidents, University Librarian, University Pastor, the Registrar, the Director of Athletics and the Director of Admission.
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Administrators with substantial teaching responsibilities (at least half of their regular assigned responsibilities) have the right to attend faculty meetings, with voice, but not vote, and may be appointed to committees by the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC).
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Voting in elections for membership on the Appointment, Rank and Tenure (ART) Committee is restricted to ranked faculty members.
The Authority of the Faculty
The authority of the California Lutheran University faculty is derived from Article III of the bylaws of the University and such authority as is delegated by the Board of Regents of California Lutheran University.
The Organization of the Faculty
The faculty is organized as follows:
All ranked members of faculty will be assigned to at least one departments within the divisions of the College of Arts and Sciences or to one of the professional schools.
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The College of Arts and Science
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The School of Management
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The School of Education
Faculty Meetings
Regular faculty business meetings will be held at regularly scheduled times, normally once each month during the academic year. One-third of the voting faculty (excluding faculty on leave) will constitute a quorum. Special business meetings may be called by the President or Vice President for Academic Affairs or by the faculty chair.
Special meetings may also be called upon request of 25% of the faculty. Special meetings require a written notice to all faculty members. One-third of the voting faculty (excluding faculty on leave) will constitute a quorum. An agenda will be prepared and distributed in advance by the presiding officer.
Additional meetings of the faculty for faculty forums may be scheduled at other times. Topics will be determined by the FEC.
Annual Schedule for Faculty Notices and Elections
- August Fall Faculty Retreat
For distribution:
- Preliminary schedule of proposed committee assignments prepared by the FEC for distribution
- Proposed schedule for faculty meetings during the academic calendar year
- September Meeting
- Approval of assignments to faculty committees
- Election of Convocators to three-year terms on the University Convocation (as needed to fill openings)
- April Meeting
- Faculty Executive Committee Elections: Two at-large members of the FEC are elected in the odd-numbered years.
- Faculty officers (chair, vice chair, and secretary) are elected in even-numbered years.
- Appointment, Rank and Tenure Committee Elections: Each year two faculty members are elected to serve three-year terms on the ART Committee. The slate consists of those who have tenure; at any one time, at least four members of the committee must hold the rank of full professor. Election is by Roman ballot, involving at least three ballots. (See Section One.III.A.2.)
- Faculty Affairs and Development Committee (FADC): As needed, the chair is elected directly by the faculty for a three-year term. The chair also serves on the Budget Committee. Nominations are brought by the FEC and other nominations may be made from the floor.
- Education Policies and Planning Committee (EPPC): As needed, the chair is elected directly by the faculty for a three-year term. Nominations are brought by the FEC and other nominations may be made from the floor.
- May Meeting
- Faculty Affairs and Development Committee: Two members of the FADC are elected each year to serve two-year terms, using a Roman ballot and the same election procedures that are in place for the ART Committee elections. Members of the committee will have been full-time members of the faculty for a minimum of three years. (The chair is elected in April to a three-year term.) (See Section One.III.A.4.)
Amendments to the Faculty Constitution
This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the faculty members present at any regular meeting and must be ratified by a second vote at the next monthly meeting. Proposals for constitutional changes must be submitted in writing for consideration at least one month before the meeting at which the proposal is to be enacted. Amendments to the faculty constitution become effective when they are approved by the Board of Regents.
Amendments to the Bylaws of the Faculty Constitution
The faculty may develop, adopt and amend bylaws for its operations as long as these do not conflict with the faculty constitution. The faculty may establish committees as needed to conduct its business.
The bylaws of the faculty handbook may be changed at any regular meeting of the faculty, provided that the proposed changes have been presented at the previous regular faculty meeting. A simple majority of the faculty members present and voting is required to change a bylaw. Changes in the bylaws that concern faculty personnel policies become effective when approved by the Board of Regents.
Faculty Officers
The faculty will, by majority vote, elect its presiding officers: the faculty chair, the vice chair, and the secretary, who will have chief responsibility for setting the agenda of the faculty meetings. If the chair is unable to complete her or his term, the vice chair will become chair. The FEC will then present a slate of candidates to the faculty for the election of a new vice chair to fill the unexpired term.
- The Faculty Chair
By majority vote of the faculty, a faculty chair will be elected from among the faculty to serve a two-year term as chair.
The FEC will submit a minimum of two names to the faculty at the April faculty meeting when the term of the chair is expiring. Other nominations may be made from the floor. The chair will be elected for a two-year term and is ineligible for re-election for two years.
The faculty chair will be relieved of all regular committee assignments. This officer will not serve as a dean and normally will not serve as a department chair while holding the position of faculty chair. The chair receives release time from one course or the equivalent each semester during her or his term.
The faculty chair will normally preside over faculty meetings. The chair serves on the FEC as vice chair, may represent the faculty at the fall meeting of the Association of Lutheran College Faculties, serves on the Budget Committee and is a member of the Board of Regents.
The faculty chair is responsible to the faculty for promoting the faculty’s attempt to strengthen and enhance its identity and concern for academic excellence. - The Faculty Vice Chair
By majority vote of the faculty, the faculty vice chair will be elected from among the faculty to serve a two-year term as vice chair.
The FEC will submit a minimum of two names to the faculty at the April faculty meeting when the term of the vice chair is expiring. Other nominations may be made from the floor. The vice chair will assume the responsibilities of the chair of the faculty in her or his absence.
The vice chair serves as chair of the FEC and in that capacity, oversees the work of all faculty committees. The vice chair receives all proposals for faculty action from various faculty committees and establishes the agenda for the faculty meeting in consultation with the FEC.
The vice chair and the FEC are responsible for seeing that new policies are communicated and implemented.
The vice chair receives release time from one course or the equivalent each year during her or his term. - The Faculty Secretary
By majority vote of the faculty, a faculty secretary will be elected from among the faculty to serve a two-year term.
The FEC will submit a minimum of two names to the faculty at the April faculty meeting when the term of the faculty secretary is expiring.
The faculty secretary keeps the minutes and records of the faculty meetings and the meetings of the FEC. An annual file will be kept of all minutes of the faculty and all major committee activities. Reference copies of all official documents will be collected and made available to the faculty.
The Faculty Executive Committee (FEC)
The three faculty officers, two members of the faculty elected at large, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President constitute the seven members of the FEC. They will meet at a regularly appointed time in advance of the monthly faculty meeting to plan the agenda and review matters that seem appropriate for faculty consideration.
The FEC must provide copies of the agenda and pertinent legislation that is to come before the faculty.
The Faculty Athletic Representative
The FEC will submit at least one faculty member's name to the faculty for recommendation to the President to fill the position of faculty athletic representative for a three-year term. This officer will receive release time from one course or the equivalent each academic year.
This officer will serve as chair of the Athletic Policies Committee and fulfill the duties of representative of the University in its conference, district and national associations concerned with intercollegiate athletic policies.
Faculty Committee Composition
All committees must consist of the number of members (faculty, student or administration) indicated in the individual committee descriptions.
When needed, a committee will select its own secretary or chair when not elected by the faculty. These actions will be reported to the chair of the FEC.
The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs are ex officio members of all faculty committees.
Faculty Committee Definitions and Procedures
- Ex officio/Advisory Members
An ex officio member has full privileges of voice and vote on committees. The purpose of ex officio members is to ensure that an administrative perspective will be a part of a committee deliberation as needed in particular situations. Normally the presence of an ex officio member is governed by the agenda.
An advisory member has voice but no vote and is part of a committee to provide specialized or requested information. - Length of Service on Committees
Normally, every faculty member who teaches one-half time or more and who does not have administrative responsibilities will serve for not more than three years on any committee and then have a year off before being re-elected to that committee. Committee elections will take place according to the calendar and schedule as prescribed by the committee descriptions. - Governance of Faculty Meetings and Committee Meetings
The rules as contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order will govern in all cases where they are applicable and when they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any specifically adopted rules of order. - Meeting Times
Normally, the FEC meets on the Monday or Tuesday of each month of the academic year two weeks prior to the faculty meeting.
Normally, the faculty meets on the second Monday of each month during the academic year for a formal business meeting at 4 p.m. All ranked faculty are expected to be present. Normally, classes and lab sessions will not be scheduled to conflict with the faculty meeting. Other open hearings or special meetings of the faculty may be scheduled at other times. Historically, the fourth Monday of the month has been a time when special hearings have been scheduled at 4 p.m.
In the event of pending business, the faculty may be called into session at 4 p.m. on the third Monday of the month by the faculty chair. - Ad Hoc Committees
The FEC will be responsible to the faculty for the approval of all ad hoc faculty committees and faculty membership on university and advisory committees or task forces of the University. Faculty membership on all ad hoc committees normally ends each May at the conclusion of the academic year. An ad hoc committee that wishes to retain faculty members for a longer period or that wishes to appoint new faculty members, either as replacements or as additions to a committee, will submit such a request to the FEC, along with copies of the agenda and minutes of the ad hoc committee. - Minutes and Annual Reports
Meeting minutes of all committees are submitted to the faculty secretary following each meeting. At the end of each academic year, each committee will file with the faculty secretary a summary of major activities reviewed during the academic year. - Review Procedures
Actions of faculty committees are subject to review by the entire faculty and may be subject to review by the FEC or the Board of Regents.