United Faculty Senates

Preamble

The mission of the faculty of the Alamo Colleges District is to facilitate learning. The atmosphere in which this takes place requires a commitment to excellence. Fostering learning and excellence necessitates cooperation and communication among the trustees, administration, support staff, faculty and students. The Alamo Colleges District United Faculty Senates was founded as an advisory body to examine issues of concern to the faculty across the District, and we are committed to promoting and maintaining the mission and values of the colleges and District.

ARTICLE I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Alamo Colleges District United Faculty Senates and will be referred to as United Faculty Senates or UFS.

ARTICLE II: Purposes

Section 1. To create an organizational structure to address the common issues and concerns of all members of the faculty across the Alamo Colleges District.

Section 2. To create a forum to facilitate communication between the faculty of the Alamo Colleges District, for the exchange of ideas and information, to discuss problems and propose solutions.

Section 3. To promote professional growth and development of senates’ leadership.

Section 4. To advise in the planning, policy-making and decision-making processes of the colleges and of the Alamo Colleges District

Section 5. To make constructive recommendations about matters of concern to the faculty.

Section 6. To bring appropriate issues of concern to the ACCD administration.

Section 7. To make recommendations about faculty welfare and professional ethics.

ARTICLE III: Membership of the United Faculty Senates

Section 1. The United Faculty Senates' members comprise Faculty Senate Presidents from each of the colleges and the Chairperson of the District Council of Chairs (Chair of Chairs) if the Chair of Chairs has faculty status.  The Chair of Chairs serves in a non-voting capacity.  If a Chair of Chairs does not have faculty status, they will not serve as a member of the United Faculty Senates during their term as Chair of Chairs.

ARTICLE IV: Leadership of the United Faculty Senate

Section 1. All Faculty Senate Presidents from the colleges are eligible to serve as United Faculty Senates President.

ARTICLE V: United Faculty Senates Elections

Section 1. The current and incoming United Faculty Senates members will meet each summer to introduce the incoming membership. By the end of summer, incoming United Faculty Senates members will vote for the UFS President.

Section 2. The UFS President is nominated from within the United Faculty Senates. All eligible, interested candidates will express their intention to run for UFS President. Once all candidates are identified, a vote is conducted to determine the UFS President and the President is determined by majority decision of the United Faculty Senates members.

Section 3. In the event that a Faculty Senate President must be absent from a meeting, the absentee may designate a college Faculty Senate representative as an alternate.

Article VI: Guidelines of United Faculty Senates Meetings

Section 1. The United Faculty Senates will meet monthly during the year for the purpose of creating an agenda for the United Faculty Senates/Administration meeting and to discuss relevant topics of interest to the faculty of the colleges.

Section 2. Once a month, the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, a College President, and the EFC Faculty Fellow will join the United Faculty Senates meeting for a United Faculty Senates/Administration meeting.

Section 3. The United Faculty Senates Bylaws will govern the parliamentary procedures of the official business of the United Faculty Senates. The president and present members will conduct the official business of the United Faculty Senates. Eighty percent of the college Faculty Senates’ Presidents will be considered a quorum.

Section 4. Agendas for United Faculty Senates meetings will be made available at least two business days prior to every meeting. The agenda items will include only matters that a majority of the United Faculty Senates agrees to or affect a majority of the colleges.

Section 5. The United Faculty Senates President will facilitate the United Faculty Senates and United Faculty Senates/ Administration meetings. An administrative assistant will be present to take formal notes during the United Faculty Senates/Administration to be provided two weeks prior to the next United Faculty Senates/Administration meeting. Formal notes will be distributed to members via email.

Article VII. Powers, Duties and Responsibilities of President

Section 1. The President of UFS will edit and approve all formal communications and statements of proposed or existing policy issued in the name of the United Faculty Senates and electorate. The President will request agenda items from all UFS members, and distribute the agenda for all members two business days prior to the meeting. The UFS President will attend each Board of Trustee Committee of the Whole Meeting and Regular Board of Trustee meeting. The UFS President will provide a summary of meetings attended with any district administrator related to faculty matters to the United Faculty Senates. The UFS President is available to visit with each college faculty and to attend a faculty senate meeting of each college.

Section 2. One of the college Faculty Senate presidents shall preside over UFS meetings in the absence of the President. At the request of the President, the United Faculty Senates membership will represent the President and the UFS at appropriate external and internal meetings.

Article VIII. Powers, Duties and Responsibilities of UFS members

Section 1. Each member of the UFS is responsible for obtaining input from faculty regarding matters related to the United Faculty Senates.

Section 2. Each member of the UFS is responsible for communicating topics discussed amongst the United Faculty Senates to their respective college senators, as well as the District Council of Chairs (by the Chair of Chairs).

Section 3. All of the United Faculty Senates members should either attend or watch the recording of both the monthly Committee of the Whole meeting and the Board of Trustees meeting.

Section 4. The United Faculty Senates will identify relevant trainings for incoming United Faculty Senates members and communicate those offerings to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources.