Constitution

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Preamble

We hold that the governance of Mesa Community College is the joint responsibility of the Governing Board, District and College Administration, and the Faculty of the College. In order to assure the full participation of the Faculty in the determination of academic and professional matters, the adoption of this constitution establishing a Faculty Senate for Mesa Community College is hereby ordained.

Article XII – Officers’ Duties

Section 1
President: The President shall be the official spokesperson for the Senate, preside at all meetings of the Senate and perform all of the duties of Senate President, as detailed in the MCC Faculty Senate Best Practices Manual.

Section 2
President-Elect: The President-Elect shall preside in the absence of the President, serve as parliamentarian for all meetings and perform all of the duties of the President-Elect as detailed in the MCC Faculty Senate Best Practices Manual.

Section 3
Secretary: The Secretary shall keep, record, distribute and maintain the minutes of the meetings of the Senate and perform all of the duties of Secretary as detailed in the MCC Faculty Senate Best Practices Manual.

Section 4
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for recording and maintaining all financial and membership records, be responsible for conducting the annual membership drive and perform all of the duties of Treasurer as detailed in the MCC Faculty Senate Best Practices Manual.

Article XIX – Committees

Section 1
New Faculty Senate Committees may be established by majority vote of the Senate.

Section 2
Faculty Senate Committees will continue unless disbanded by a majority vote of the Senate by the first Thursday in October of each year.

Section 3
The purpose, size and membership of each Faculty Senate Committee shall be determined or modified by majority vote of the Senate. Membership on Committees shall be open to all faculty as defined in Article III of this Constitution. Non-Senate members shall have the right to vote in Committee.

Section 4
If a Faculty Senate Committee serves in an advisory capacity to a program, the Director(s) or Coordinator(s) of that program may serve only as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Committee.

Section 5
A Faculty Senate Committee shall not perform work for which an individual or individuals receive(s) any form of compensation.

Section 6
The Chair of each Faculty Senate Committee shall be appointed by the Senate President subject to the approval, by majority vote, of the Senate.

Section 7
Vacancies on Faculty Senate Committees shall be appointed by the Senate President subject to the approval, by majority vote, of the Senate.

Section 8
Faculty Senate Committees shall be responsible only to the Senate. The Chair of each Faculty Senate Committee and shall issue a brief written summary or copy of meeting minutes (either approved or unapproved) to the Faculty Senate President within a week of each Committee meeting held. The Chair of each Faculty Senate Committee will also issue an annual written report, as described in the Faculty Senate Best Practices Manual, to the Faculty Senate at least once during the academic year. A Chair of a Faculty Senate Committee shall make a report, in person, to the Faculty Senate if requested by either the Faculty Senate or the Faculty Senate President.

Section 9
The Chair of a Faculty Senate Committee may be replaced for failing to issue reports of Committee activities to the Faculty Senate President in a timely manner or for otherwise failing to meet the duties and/or responsibilities as Chair of the Faculty Senate Committee as described in the Senate Best Practices Manual.

Article XXII – Privileges and Responsibilities

Section 1
The Senate shall, of its own determination, concern itself with any academic and professional matters which it deems important to the welfare of the college, students, communities, or the enlightened self-interest of the faculty.

Section 2
The Senate shall be the exclusive negotiating representative of the Faculty with respect to all academic and professional matters as stated in the Residential Faculty Policies.

Section 3
The Senate, or its representatives, shall actively participate in the determination of non-salary benefits, sabbaticals, professional growth, and the general and professional conditions of employment for the Faculty of Mesa Community College.

Section 4
The Senate shall not be required to accept, represent, sponsor, or defend any action or grievance, or negotiate on behalf of any member of the Faculty who is not a member of the Faculty Association.

Article XXVI – Amendments, Ratification and Revision

This Constitution may be amended through the following procedure.

Section 1
A proposal for amendment shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Senate membership provided that the proposed amendment shall have been presented in writing to each member of the Senate at least five (5) full working days in advance of the meeting.

Section 2
An approved proposal for amendment shall be submitted to the members of the Faculty Association, as defined in Article IV of this Constitution.

Section 3
This Constitution shall become effective by a majority vote of the Faculty Association Members.

Section 4
This Constitution shall be reviewed, and revised as required, within five (5) years of its revision date. Revised by vote of the Faculty Senate, this sixth day of November, 2003. Revised by vote of the Faculty Senate, this seventeenth of April, 2008. Revised by process described in Article XXVI above, this thirtieth day of April, 2010.

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