Bylaws

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THE FACULTY SENATE
KAPIʻOLANI COMMUNITY COLLEGE

BYLAWS

May 2, 2022

These Bylaws provide procedures and specific information deemed necessary for fulfilling Senate responsibilities. They are a supplement to the Kapiʻolani Community College Faculty Senate Constitution (“The Constitution” hereafter), which was ratified on: May 15, 2016.

ARTICLE I. COMPOSITION OF THE SENATE

Section 1. Membership of the Senate

A.  A representative from each instructional Unit:

    1. Arts & Humanities
    2. Business, Legal, & Technology
    3. Culinary Arts Program
    4. Emergency Medical Services
    5. Health Sciences
    6. Hospitality & Tourism
    7. Language, Linguistics, & Literature
    8. Math/Sciences
    9. Nursing
    10. Social Sciences

B.  A representative from each support Unit:

1. Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching & Technology (CELTT)/Library & Learning Resources

2.  Institutional Support Faculty, including Honda International Center, Institutional Support, and Office of Continuing Education & Training (OCET)

3.  Maida Kamber Center for Career Exploration, Transfer, and Graduation Services

4.  Student Affairs

C.  An elected chair or co-chair from each Standing Committee (defined in Article II Section 5), serving as a non-voting ex-officio member, having all the privileges as a regular member except they cannot vote, cannot substitute a proxy, and are not counted in quorum.

Section 2. Selection of Senators

A.  Candidates for Senator must be eligible to represent their Unit as per the Constitution, Article III Section 1, regarding Eligibility and Determination of Unit Affiliation.

B.  Units shall select representatives before the last Senate meeting in May to enable the election of the incoming Executive Committee.

C.  Units shall determine the method for selecting their Senators.

Section 3. Responsibilities of Senators

A.  Attend all Senate meetings or send a substitute. The substitute must be a faculty member of the same unit eligible to represent the unit as its faculty senator as defined in Constitution Article III Section 1 regarding Eligibility and Determination of Unit Affiliation.

B.  Review, provide input, and vote on Senate actions reflecting the collective views of their Units.

C.  Report in a timely manner Senate actions and information to their Units.

D.  Serve on Ad Hoc Committees when asked by the Senate Chair.

E.  Provide assistance to the Executive Committee as requested.

Section 4. Term of Office

A.  A term of office shall be two (2) academic years.

B.  A term begins in May with the special meeting to elect the incoming Executive Committee.

C.  A Senator shall not serve more than two (2) full consecutive terms without approval of the Senate.

D.  A former Senator may be selected to serve again after an absence from the Senate of two (2) years.

E.  If a Senator is unable to complete a term, a replacement shall be selected by the Senator’s Unit to complete the term.

Section 5. Removal of Senators

A.  Reasons:

1.  A consistent pattern of:

a.  Behavior that is discourteous to other members, presenters, and guests;

b.  Behavior that interferes with the orderly conduct of Senate business;

c.  Failure to perform responsibilities;

2.  Missing three (3) Senate meetings, without representation, in an academic year;

3.  Misrepresenting the Senate, its mission and purpose; or

4.  Violating any College or University policy.

B.  Procedures:

1.  Removal shall be proposed by a petition of at least a majority (>50%) of the Senate.

2.  The petition shall be transmitted by the Chair to the Senate for discussion in a special closed session.

3.  The Senator in question shall be given an opportunity to provide a written response to the petition, which will be distributed before the special session.

4.  The Senator in question shall not be present during the discussion of and voting on the petition.

5.  Voting shall be by secret ballot.

6.  Removal shall be deemed official and binding if approved by a supermajority (≥66%) of the Senate.

7.  The results shall be communicated in writing to the Senator in question and the Senator’s Unit Chair.

ARTICLE II. ORGANIZATION OF THE SENATE

Section 1. Senate Officers

A.  The Chair shall have the following responsibilities:

1.  Schedule and preside at all meetings of the Senate and Executive Committee.

2.  Prepare the agenda with necessary background material for each meeting of the Senate.

3.  Make all Senate documents available to the faculty, including but not limited to: approved minutes, action requests, resolutions, and the Chancellor’s correspondence with the Senate.

4.  Monitor and report status of recommendations and resolutions to the Senate.

5.  Report the status of all matters brought before the Senate as per Constitution Article V, Senate Actions.

6.  Serve as an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees.

7.  Represent the Senate at regular and special meetings called by the Administration.

8.  Represent the Senate in any group or body organized to coordinate the various Senates of the University of Hawaiʻi System.

9.  Write requested letters of acknowledgment to Senators citing their fulfillment of responsibilities and any exceptional performance or service.

B.  The Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect) shall have the following responsibilities:

1.  In the absence of the Chair, assume the office of the Chair with all the responsibilities of said office.

2.  Facilitate the election of Senators and committee members by the first Senate meeting in May.

3.  Convene the initial meeting of Standing Committees and Standing Committee chairs to inform them of their responsibilities.

4.  Serve as Senate liaison with all Standing and Ad Hoc Committees.

5.  Serve as an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees.

6.  Compile and maintain all Senate and committee membership and term information.

7.  Communicate monthly with each committee and report on their progress at each Faculty Senate meeting.

8.  Ensure standing committee’s post minutes and final reports to the official Faculty Senate designated site.

9.  Write requested letters of acknowledgment to Committee Chairs citing their fulfillment of responsibilities and any exceptional performance or service.

C.  The Secretary shall have the following responsibilities:

1.  Record the minutes of the Senate meetings, consult for accuracy with the Executive Committee; and prepare minutes for distribution.

2.  Record the minutes of the Executive Committee meetings and prepare minutes for distribution.

3.  Record all votes cast by Senators during general meetings.

4.  Organize all incoming action request correspondence and distribute them to the Executive Committee at least three (3) days before its meeting.

5.  Compile a year-end report to include all votes cast by Senators during the academic year.

6.  Maintain and preserve copies of all official documents for transmittal to the next Senate including but not limited to any outstanding action requests or responses from the Chancellor and Ad Hoc committees with unfinished business.

7.  Maintain the chronological list of amendments as a permanent addendum to the Bylaws document.

8.  In the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect), assume the office of the Chair with all the responsibilities of said office.

9.  Collaborate with facilitators of any Senate sponsored event to record and distribute minutes.

D.  The Members-at-Large shall have the following responsibilities:

1.  Support and provide input to the Chair, Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect), and Secretary with all responsibilities of the Executive Committee.

2.  Advocate for the Senate and the electorate.

Section 2. Executive Committee

A.  Membership

1.  The Committee shall consist of the following officers elected from the Senate: Chair, Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect), Secretary, and two (2) At-Large Members.

2.  The term of membership is one (1) year.

3.  If a member is unable to complete a term, a replacement shall be nominated by and elected from the Senate to complete the term.

B.  Election

1.  The election for the incoming Executive Committee shall occur as a separate meeting immediately following the adjournment of the last Senate meeting in May.

2.  Members of the incoming Senate shall nominate candidates for the Committee offices from the incoming Senate.

3.  Members of the Elections Committee shall prepare the ballots for the offices of Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect), Secretary, and two (2) At-Large Members. If the Chair-Elect declines to take the chair position, a ballot for Chair shall also be prepared.

4.  The election shall be by secret ballot.

5.  Only members of the incoming Senate are eligible to vote.

6.  In the case of a tie, the Elections Committee shall ask the nominees to make a statement about how they plan to fulfill the responsibilities of the office, and another vote shall take place.

7.  Immediately following the election, the new Executive Committee shall assume responsibilities for the Senate, and the previous Executive Committee will serve in an advisory capacity during the summer transition.

C.  Responsibilities

1.  Advise the Senate Chair on agenda items for each meeting of the Senate.

2.  Review incoming action requests and recommend to the Senate the appropriate course of action (e.g. consideration for a vote, referral to the appropriate Committee or body).

3.  Assist the Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect) as necessary with responsibilities relating to Senate committees.

4.  Conduct inquiries and investigations as needed between Senate meetings.

5.  Report the status of all matters brought before the Senate as per the Constitution Article V, Senate Actions.

6.  Manage the process of transmitting recommendations/resolutions, which includes:

a.  Writing the recommendations/resolutions and submitting them to the Chancellor or other entities;

b.  Consulting with the action request proposers or other stakeholders where appropriate;

c.  Publicly distributing all correspondence to the electorate;

d.  Reporting status to the Senate;

e.  Facilitating any request for further justification or clarification from the Chancellor regarding the Chancellor’s Response to a recommendation/resolution as per Constitution Article V, Section 4.

7.  Assist the Chair in writing requested letters of acknowledgment to Senators citing their fulfillment of responsibilities and any exceptional performance or service.

8.  Provide orientation and training to incoming Senators and Executive Committee members on existing processes, procedures, and pending matters requiring follow-up.

Section 3. Elections Committee

A.  This committee, composed of at least four (4) members of the Senate, shall be appointed by the Senate Chair.

B.  This committee shall:

1.  Conduct Executive Committee elections;

2.  Ratify votes on amendments;

3.  Report election and related constitution results to the Senate;

4.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Senate.

Section 4. General Education Committee

A.  This committee, composed of eight (8) members as enumerated below, shall be recommended to the Senate Chair by the General Education Committee for final approval and appointment.

1. Arts & Sciences Representative (1)

2.  CTE Counselor (1)

3.  CTE Representative (1)

4.  Curriculum Committee Representative (1)

5.  MKC Counselor (1)

6.  SLOA Committee Representative (1)

7.  Student Affairs Representative (1)

8.  Student Congress Liaison (1, non-voting)

B.  This committee shall:

1. Review policies, practices, and procedures related to General Education and make recommendations to the Senate;

2.  Oversee course-based designations: Foundations, Diversification and Oral Communication;

3.  Oversee section-based designations: Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Issues, Writing Intensive, Research Intensive and Sustainability;

4.  Fulfill other duties as assigned by the Senate;

5.  Consult with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, as needed.

Section 5. Standing Committees

A.  These Committees exist to help the Senate carry out its purpose and are tasked by and report directly to the Senate.

B.  Members

1.  The term of office shall be two (2) consecutive years.

2.  Members must be eligible to represent their Unit as per the Constitution, Article III Section 1 regarding Eligibility and Determination of Unit Affiliation.

3.  Units shall select their committee representatives and submit their names to the Vice Chair before the last Senate meeting in May.

4.  If a member is unable to complete a term, their Unit shall select another representative to fill the remainder of the term.

5.  Responsibilities:

a.  Attend all Committee meetings or send a substitute.

b.  Review, provide input, and vote on Committee recommendations reflecting the collective views of their Units.

c.  Report in a timely manner Committee recommendations and information to their Units.

d.  Serve as a resource to their Unit on Committee matters.

6.  A member may be removed from a committee by a supermajority vote (≥66%) of the committee. The Senate Chair shall inform the affected Unit regarding the need to select another representative. Reasons for removal shall include:

a.  A consistent pattern of:

i.  Behavior that is discourteous to other members, presenters, and guests;

ii.  Behavior that interferes with the orderly conduct of Senate business;

iii.  Failure to perform responsibilities;

b.  Missing three (3) Committee meetings, without representation, in an academic year;

c.  Misrepresenting the Senate, its mission and purpose;

d.  Violating any College or University policy.

C.  Chairs

1.  Chairs shall be elected by the committee members during their initial meeting at their last meeting in May or the first meeting in the Fall for a one (1) year term. They may be re-elected for additional terms. In the event that a committee fails to elect a Chair, the Senate Vice Chair, with consultation from the Executive Committee, shall appoint one.

2.  Responsibilities include:

a.  Convening and facilitating committee meetings;

b.  Submitting minutes and recommendations to the Faculty Senate designated location within seven (7) calendar days of approval by the committee

c.  Serving as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Senate, with all the privileges as a regular senator except committee chairs cannot vote, cannot substitute a proxy and do not count in quorum;

d.  Writing and posting year end reports to the Faculty Senate appointed location;

e.  Attending Senate meetings upon request;

f.  Transmitting official communications between the committee and the Vice Chair;

g.  Writing requested letters of acknowledgment to Committee members citing their fulfillment of responsibilities and any exceptional performance or service.

h.  Fulfilling other responsibilities as assigned.

3.  Upon failure to carry out their responsibilities, Chairs may be removed by a supermajority vote (≥66%) of its members or by the Senate Executive Committee. The Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect) of the Senate shall work with the Committee to elect a new Chair. In the event that the Committee fails to elect a Chair, the Senate Vice- Chair, with consultation from the Executive Committee, shall appoint one.

D.  Frequency of Meetings

1.  Committees shall meet a minimum of once per month during the academic year.

E.  Creation and Dissolution of Committees

1.  A proposal to create or dissolve a committee shall be made in the form of a petition by a majority (>50%) of the Senate.

a.  The petition must include justification and specify the responsibilities and tasks of the new committee or specific reasons for dissolution of the existing committee.

b.  The petition shall be presented to the Executive Committee for placement on the agenda of the next appropriate general meeting in accordance with Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution.

2.  The Senators shall distribute the petition to their Unit members for discussion.

3.  For proposed dissolutions, the Chair of the Committee in question or a designated representative shall be given an opportunity to address the petition before the Senate.

4.  A supermajority vote (≥66%) of the Senate shall constitute approval of the petition.

F.  Standing Committees and Responsibilities

1. Academic and Institutional Policy and Procedures Committee shall:

a.  Review policies, practices and procedures concerning academic standards related to admissions, registration and graduation.

b.  Review policies, practices and procedures related to academic grievance and student conduct.

c.  Invite a Student Congress representative to serve as an ex-officio member.

d.  Fulfill other duties as assigned by the Senate.

2.  Budget Committee shall:

a.  Review the campus budget annually;

b.  Advise the Senate regarding budget development and fund allocations;

c.  Review policies, practices, and procedures related to budget and make recommendations to the Senate;

d.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Senate.

3.  Curriculum Committee shall:

a.  Regularly update curriculum procedures in alignment with curriculum-related policies as approved by the Senate;

b.  Submit curriculum procedures to the Senate for review and approval;

c.  Review curriculum according to established procedures and practices, and make recommendations to the Senate on course, certificate, and degree proposals and modifications;

d.  Assist the Chair in the orientation and training of incoming members;

e.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Senate.

4.  Distance Education Committee shall:

a.  Review policies, practices, and procedures related to distance education and make recommendations to the Senate;

b.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Senate.

5.  Evaluation Committee shall:

a.  Review policies, practices, and procedures related to evaluation of faculty and administration and make recommendations to the Senate;

b.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Seante.

6.  Professional Ethics, Rights, and Responsibilities Committee shall:

a.  Review policies, practices, and procedures related to professional ethics, rights and responsibilities and make recommendations to the Senate;

b.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Senate.

7.  Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee shall:

a.  Review policies, practices, and procedures related to assessment of student learning outcomes and make recommendations to the Senate;

b.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Senate.

8.  Sustainability Committee shall:

a.  Review policies, practices, and procedures related to sustainability and make recommendations to the Senate;

b.  Fulfill other related duties as assigned by the Senate.

Section 6. Ad Hoc Committees

A.  The purpose of these Committees is to conduct research and render recommendations on matters that are beyond the scope of existing Standing Committees.

B.  Creation, Extension, and Dissolution

1.  The creation of a Committee can be proposed by any Senator via a motion.

2.  The creation of a Committee must be approved by a majority vote (>50%) of the Senate.

3.  The Senate shall determine the initial charge and duration of a Committee.

4.  The Senate shall have the option to extend the duration of a Committee to complete its charge.

5.  The Senate shall dissolve a Committee upon completion of charge, upon reaching designated duration, or for other reasons.

C.  Members

1.  The Senate Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint the members of a Committee.

2.  Members serve until the Committee is dissolved.

3.  If a member is unable to complete their term, the Senate Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall select a replacement.

D.  Responsibilities of members

1.  Attend all Committee meetings.

2.  Participate in research and discussion of issues under consideration.

3.  Review, provide input, and vote on Committee recommendations.

E.  Chairs

1.  The Senate Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint Committee Chairs.

2.  The Chair serves until the Committee is dissolved.

F.  Chair Responsibilities:

1.  Convene and facilitate committee meetings.

2.  Submit minutes and recommendations to the Senate within seven (7) calendar days after their approval by the committee.

3.  Provide meeting minutes and year-end reports to the Senate.

4.  Attend Senate meetings upon request.

5.  Provide status update reports to the Senate upon request.

6.  Transmit official communications between the committee and the Vice Chair.

7.  Write requested letters of acknowledgment to Committee members citing their fulfillment of responsibilities and any exceptional performance or service.

8.  Fulfill other responsibilities as assigned.

G.  Removal

1.  Members may be removed from a committee by a supermajority vote (≥66%) of the committee. Reasons for removal shall be:

a.  A consistent pattern of:

i.  Behavior discourteous to other members;

ii.  Behavior that interferes with the orderly conducting of the Committee’s business;

iii.  Failure to perform responsibilities;

b.  Missing three (3) Committee meetings.

c.  Misrepresenting the Senate, its mission and purpose; or

d.  Violating any College or University policy.

2.  Upon failure to carry out their responsibilities, Chairs may be removed by a supermajority vote (≥66%) of its members or by the Senate Executive Committee. The Senate Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint a new Chair.

Section 7. Guest(s) at Committee Meetings

A.  As determined by committees, appropriate members of the campus or Administration may be invited to attend committee meetings to provide resource information.

B.  All committee meetings are open to the campus.

ARTICLE III. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Faculty Senate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this constitution, bylaws and the special rules of order titled “Kapiʻolani Community College Faculty Senate Special Rules of Order” that this Faculty Senate has adopted.

CERTIFICATION

These Bylaws were adopted as amended on May 2, 2022 by the Faculty Senate as required in Faculty Senate Constitution Article II, Section 1.D and Section 2.C.

These Bylaws were approved by Richard Halverson, Jr., Faculty Senate Chair, and by Chancellor Louise Pagotto on the dates indicated.

Chancellor, Louise Pagotto Date
Faculty Senate Chair, Richard Halverson, Jr. Date