Ch2a

Chapter II

Governance of the University

Assigned Time for Academic Governance

(Senate: 5/21/68; President: 7/17/68, Editorial Amendment: 9/90, 9/03)

The members of the Executive Committee are each assigned to one of the four major committees of the Academic Senate -- Educational Policy, Faculty Policy, Fiscal Policy, and Student Policy Committees. All members of the Executive Committee not otherwise receiving assigned time shall be granted three or four quarter units of assigned time, depending upon what is consistent with each individual assignment. When circumstances dictate, the Executive Committee shall request the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs to grant assigned time to the Chair of the Committee on Academic Freedom and Professional Ethics.

Assigned time will not be granted to faculty members serving in full time administrative positions. The Senate may request additional time on an ad hoc basis for specific functions.

Proxies

(Senate: 2/24/66, 7/24/73; President: 3/9/66, 7/27/73)

The use of proxies on the Academic Senate and university-wide committees is prohibited.

Alternates for Presidential appointees and for ex officio members on the Academic Senate and university-wide committees are prohibited, except that Executive Secretaries of committees may designate alternates as needed.

Student Participation in Academic Governance

(Senate: 2/29/72; President: 3/3/72; Editorial Amendment: 9/00, 8/01, 9/03)

Students participate in academic governance by holding membership with full voting privileges in the Academic Senate, as provided for by the Faculty Constitution, and on all university-wide committees, except for instances when a personnel matter involving a member of the faculty is being considered.

Under the same conditions, students may serve on college-level and department/division/school-level committees whenever a majority of the faculty of a college or department/division/school agree to their participation.

Students may not serve on the university-wide Nominations Committee, the Committee on Academic Freedom and Professional Ethics, and on other committees a major portion of whose work requires that committee membership be limited to tenured faculty, department/division chairs, school directors and academic administrators, as prescribed by the Administrative Code, Title 5, section 42701. None of the above is intended to restrict student participation on student grievance committees.

Recognition of Student Participation in Academic Governance

(Senate: 7/20/71, 8/26/75; President: 7/30/71, 9/8/75; Editorial Amendment: 9/00, 8/01, 9/03, 9/23)

A notation is made on the permanent record of every student member of an academic governance body for participation in academic governance, provided that the student so recognized has maintained a minimum of 70 percent attendance during each such appointment.

Participation in academic governance is defined as membership in any recognized university, college, or department/division/school committee; college assembly; or the Academic Senate, its four standing committees, their subcommittees, or any ad hoc committee established by the Senate or the President.

At the end of each semester, the Associated Students, Inc., Vice President for Academic Governance shall submit a list of participating students to the appropriate chair; after verification by the chair and the designated student activity adviser, the lists will be forwarded to the Vice President for Student Affairs for final recording.

Procedures for Placing Faculty Members on Student Committees and Student Members on Faculty Committees

(Senate: 10/8/68; President: 11/18/68; Editorial Amendment: 9/03)

Faculty Members on Student Committees. If the Board of Directors of the Associated Students, Inc., requests that faculty members serve as representatives of the faculty on any committees of the Associated Students, Inc., the procedures shall be as follows:

  1. The Board of Directors will indicate any specific criteria for faculty members who serve on a given Associated Students, Inc., committee.
  2. The request will be submitted to the Academic Senate for its approval.
  3. If the Senate approves, the Nominations Committee will be asked to designate the faculty member or members to serve.

Any faculty member who is invited by the students to serve on a student committee has the right to do so, but such individual membership shall not constitute faculty representation.

Student Members on Faculty Committees. If the Academic Senate requests that student members serve as representatives of the student body on any of its committees, the procedures shall be as follows:

  1. The Senate will indicate any specific criteria for students who serve on a given committee.
  2. The request will be submitted to the Board of Directors for its approval.
  3. If the Board of Directors approves the student membership on the faculty committee, it will designate the student to serve.

Senate committees that desire student representation on ad hoc subcommittees do not need Senate approval. The chair of the committee may request such representation directly from the Board of Directors.

Any student who is invited by the faculty to serve on a faculty committee has the right to do so, but such individual membership shall not constitute student body representation.

Relation of Administrative Committees to the Senate

(Senate: 4/14/66; President: 4/14/66)

The President shall inform the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate whenever an administrative committee has been appointed. Within three months of the time that the committee is appointed, there shall be consultation between the President and the Executive Committee concerning the future of the committee. If it is established that the work of this committee is relevant to the instructional program, then arrangements shall be made immediately to bring this committee under the Academic Senate committee structure.

Relation of Membership on University-Wide Committees to Administrative Appointments

(Senate: 4/14/66, 7/15/75; President: 4/14/66, 7/28/75; Editorial Amendment: 9/00)

Any faculty members who are appointed or elected to a committee of the Academic Senate, and who subsequently accept an administrative position within a college at the level of associate dean or higher or any position in central university administration, shall submit a resignation to the electing or appointing body. The electing or appointing body may accept or decline the resignation as it sees fit. This policy does not apply to Presidential appointees to committees.

College and Department/Division/School Advisory Committees

(Senate: 3/31/71; President: 4/21/71; Editorial Amendment: 9/00, 8/01)

Establishment. Advisory committees may be established at the discretion of colleges and departments/divisions/schools.

Membership. The selection, eligibility, and terms of service of the members of a college or department/division/school advisory committee shall be proposed by the college or department/division/school concerned to the respective college dean for approval. When approved and filed by the college dean, the procedures shall become the official policy for the selection of committee members.

Charge. The general function of advisory committees is one of consultation and advice. Specific functions of these committees shall be determined by the colleges and departments/divisions/schools concerned. However, advisory committees shall not make policy, evaluate personnel, or engage in internal fiscal affairs. Final decisions on all matters made by advisory committees shall be the responsibility of the faculty concerned.

Policy for Committees that Make Awards to Individual Faculty Members

(Senate: 1/6/66, 11/26/75, 10/17/06; President: 1/7/66, 12/8/75, 11/20/06)

The determination of policy and the function of making awards shall be separated. To ensure such separation, the following procedures apply:

  1. Members who serve on committees that make awards shall be ineligible to receive awards granted by the committee during the period in which they serve.
  2. The criteria to be followed by these committees in granting awards shall be set by the appropriate policy committee.

Formation of Subcommittees

(Senate: 10/6/66; President: 10/14/66; Editorial Amendment: 9/03)

In the formation of subcommittees, an ad hoc committee shall be used whenever it is not clear that a standing committee would be preferable because of the enduring nature of the task. The effort shall be made to keep subcommittees small; university committees shall be urged to utilize the services of the Nominations Committee in the formation of subcommittees. The formation of joint subcommittees shall be considered where issues overlap functions of two or more university-wide committees.

Subcommittees of Standing Committees

(Senate: 5/11/67, 3/26/68, 10/31/79, 1/5/82, 10/24/23; President: 5/15/67, 4/2/68, 12/5/79, 1/18/82, 12/19/23; Editorial Amendment: 9/03)

Subcommittees of standing committees of the Academic Senate report to their respective standing committee.

Each standing committee is responsible for determining procedures for the implementation of Senate policy for all of its subcommittees.

All recommendations made by subcommittees of standing committees of the Academic Senate are forwarded to the respective standing committees for official action.

[CSULA Organizational Map]

The Academic Senate

Information on the responsibilities, functions, and membership of the Academic Senate appear in the "Constitution of the Faculty, California State University," Appendix C.

The Executive Committee

Information on the responsibilities, functions and membership of the Executive Committee appear in the "Constitution of the Faculty, California State University," Appendix C, Article IV, Section 7.

The Awards and Leaves Committee

(Senate: 1/5/82, 3/6/90, 5/20/03, 6/29/04, 10/17/06; President: 1/18/82, 4/5/90, 9/5/03, 8/16/04, 11/20/06; Editorial Amendment: 9/99; 9/00, 11/07)

Charge. The Awards and Leaves Committee recommends award of institutional grants, grants-in-aid and recommends faculty for research and creative leaves. The Committee will develop a campus plan, procedure and schedule, that provides for the allocation of awards based upon the review of proposals, consistent with campus and systemwide policy. The Committee is guided by the statements in the section titled "Policy for Committees that Make Awards to Individual Faculty Members." Recommendations for individual awards are made to the appropriate administrative officer. All members of the Awards and Leaves Committee must agree to refrain from applying for grants or awards to be made by the Committee during their membership.

The Awards and Leaves Committee also is responsible, on an interim basis, for reviewing and making recommendations concerning CSU Innovative Improvement Proposals originating on or off campus which require commitment of campus resources. These recommendations are made to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The head of the administrative unit under which the award or leave is assigned, or a designee, will serve as a non-voting member. A faculty member from the Cal State L.A. University Auxiliary Services, Inc. Board of Directors will be appointed only if the award or leave is administered by the University Auxiliary Services, Inc.

Membership. The membership of this committee shall be composed of the following:

  1. Membership shall be for two year staggered terms, and shall include one member from each college elected according to procedures approved by a majority vote of the college faculty. Alternate members shall also be elected by these procedures. Faculty members in the Library and Student Affairs are considered the same as a college for this purpose.  Faculty members must have at least two years of service at this University in order to be eligible for election to this committee.
  2. One classified graduate student member, who has participated in faculty-mentored scholarly or creative activity, selected annually by the Board of Directors of the Associated Students, Inc.  The criteria for the student member are the same as those specified for student members of the Academic Senate (Constitution of the Faculty, Section 3h, Appendix C of the Faculty Handbook).
  3. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee who serves ex officio as executive secretary, is a non-voting member.

Quorum. A quorum shall be a majority of the voting members of the committee.

Officers and Duties.

  1. The officers of this committee are chair and vice chair who shall be elected by the committee at the first meeting of each academic year.
  2. The chair shall call regularly scheduled meetings of the committee and shall set the agenda.
  3. The chair shall determine by the second week of the spring quarter the faculty replacement needs for the following year and shall so notify the Academic Senate.
  4. The executive secretary shall call a meeting of the entire committee no later than the second week of the fall quarter for the purpose of electing the officers and establishing a regular meeting time until such time as a permanent meeting time is set. The meeting time established in the fall quarter shall also be followed in winter and spring quarters.

Selection Committee for Innovative Instruction Awards

(Senate: 6/25/96; President: 10/7/96; Editorial Amendment: 9/00; 09/03)

Charge.  The Selection Committee for Innovative Instruction Awards, convened annually by the Chair of the Academic Senate and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, reviews proposals, makes awards, and ranks alternates based on criteria established by the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate in consultation with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Awards shall be announced to applicants before the end of the spring quarter.

The record of applications and awards for each cycle will be kept in the Center for Effective Teaching and Learning.

Members of the Innovative Instruction Awards Selection Committee are ineligible to apply for these awards during their service on the Committee.

The expenditure ceiling will be established annually by the President in consultation with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Chair of the Academic Senate.  Subject to approval by the President, unexpended funds for any given year will be rolled over to be used for Innovative Instruction Awards for the following year.

Membership.  The membership of this committee shall be composed of the following:

  1. Five faculty members from different colleges will be appointed annually during the winter quarter by the Nominations Committee.  The term of membership for faculty is one award cycle.  Elections will take place in the winter quarter.
  2. The Director of the Center for Innovative Excellence in Teaching and Learning who serves ex officio as executive secretary, non-voting.

Quorum.  All members of the committee must be present during deliberations and voting.

Officers and Duties.

  1. At the first meeting, convened by the Chair of the Academic Senate, the committee shall elect its chair from among committee members.
  2. The chair shall call meetings of the committee and set the agenda.
  3. The chair shall report the committee's decisions to the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate for review before awards are announced.

The Outstanding Professor Awards Selection Committee

Information on responsibilities, functions and membership of the Outstanding Professor Awards Selection Committee appear in the section titled "The Outstanding Professor Awards Program," Chapter VIII.

The Nominations Committee

(Senate: 10/11/67, 10/12/71, 7/3/84, 3/6/90, 8/17/99, 5/2/03; President: 10/30/67, 10/15/71, 8/15/84, 4/5/90, 9/17/99, 9/5/03; Editorial Amendment: 9/00, 11/07, 1/27/16 [EA])

Charge. The Nominations Committee has the following responsibilities:

  1. To appoint members to all other standing committees of the Academic Senate as provided for in the Constitution, and to such other committees as the Academic Senate may stipulate.
  2. To ensure more effective faculty governance by overseeing committee assignments.
  3. To prepare a slate of nominees for those university-wide committees, for which candidates are not nominated by the colleges. Nominations also may be made by the faculty directly.
  4. To distribute committee assignments broadly, being mindful of the University's commitment to equity and diversity, and always seeking to develop new leadership from among the new faculty.

Membership. The Nominations Committee shall be composed of the following:

  1. One member from each college elected by the Academic Senate for staggered three-year terms. Initial nominations are made by the Academic Senate. Additional nominations may be made to the Senate on the petition of ten full-time faculty members. Alternate members shall also be elected by these procedures. Faculty members in the Library and Student Affairs are considered the same as a college for this purpose.
  2. The Vice Chair of the Academic Senate who serves ex officio as executive secretary.

Officers and Duties.

  1. The officers of this committee are chair and vice chair who shall be elected annually at the last meeting of the spring quarter by the members of the following year's committee.
  2. The chair shall call regularly scheduled meetings of the committee and shall set the agenda.
  3. The chair shall determine by the third week of the spring quarter the faculty replacement needs for the summer quarter and for the following year and shall notify the Executive Committee to conduct the necessary elections.

Meeting Time. The Nominations Committee meets weekly on Thursdays from 10:50 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.

The Educational Policy Committee

(Senate: 4/15/69, 8/1/72, 3/28/79, 2/10/81, 11/11/81 [EA], 1/5/82, 3/6/90, 2/6/96, 5/20/02; President: 4/21/69, 8/22/72, 4/24/79, 1/18/82, 4/5/90, 5/7/96, 9/5/03; Editorial Amendment: 9/00, 11/07, 1/27/16 [EA])

Charge. The Educational Policy Committee has the following responsibilities:

  1. To recommend policy to the Academic Senate on all instructional matters. These include but are not limited to the following:
     
    1. review and approval of new major programs, options, minor/credential programs and certificates and resolution of unresolved challenges
    2. critical thinking/written and oral communication/quantitative reasoning/information competency
    3. general education
    4. undergraduate study
    5. graduate study
    6. teacher education
    7. continuous study of the improvement of instruction
    8. technologically mediated and other non-traditional instruction
    9. international education
    10. admission, probation and disqualification of students
    11. programs for superior students
    12. student petitions which pertain to instructional problems arising from the application of university rules and from regulations of the Education Code
    13. special academic needs of particular segments of the student body
    14. credit for work-study
    15. special sessions and extension
    16. calendar
       
  2. To establish processes for continuous evaluation and review of instructional programs.
    1. Academic Master Plan: The committee shall review the Academic Master Plan and advise the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs concerning the interpretation and execution of established policy.
    2. Long Range Planning: The committee, in cooperation with such other long range planning bodies as may exist, shall develop ideas for long range plans, and review and recommend long range planning proposals for the University. Review of long range planning proposals shall include all resource implications of the proposals and shall be conducted in the context of the impact of the plans on the academic program and mission of the University.
    3. New Courses and Programs: The committee shall establish guidelines for development, approval and implementation of new courses and programs, recognizing that the prime responsibility for these matters rests with the colleges. In those cases in which there is extensive overlap of proposed courses or programs in two or more colleges, the issue should be resolved by the college deans, with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee negotiating any differences.
    4. Review of Programs: The committee shall be responsible for program review to determine program effectiveness. Results are reported to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and college deans as a means of assuring quality control of programs. University procedures are developed for evaluating both quality of education and the determination of student needs. Particular attention is also paid to general education courses, service courses and pre-service teaching credential programs. The committee shall recommend procedures for terminating instructional programs. Administration of such procedures is achieved through the college deans.

Membership. The Educational Policy Committee shall be composed of the following:

  1. One or more members from each college on the basis of one member for each 100 full-time faculty members or major portion thereof elected for staggered three-year terms according to procedures approved by a majority vote of the college faculty. Alternate members shall also be elected by these procedures. Faculty members in the Library and Student Affairs are considered the same as a college for this purpose. No college shall have fewer than one member on this committee.
  2. Two members from two different colleges appointed by the Nominations Committee for staggered three-year terms.
  3. One member from the Executive Committee of the Senate as the liaison member.
  4. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee who serves ex officio as executive secretary, non-voting.
  5. Two students to be selected annually by the Board of Directors of the Associated Students, Inc. One of the student members must be an undergraduate student and the other student member must be an enrolled classified graduate or postbaccalaureate credential student. The criteria for student members are the same as those specified for student members of the Academic Senate (Constitution of the Faculty, Section 3h, Appendix C of the Faculty Handbook).

Quorum. A quorum shall be a majority of the voting members of the committee.

Officers and Duties.

  1. The officers of this committee are chair and vice chair who shall be elected annually at the last meeting of the spring quarter by the members of the following year's committee.
  2. The chair shall call regularly scheduled meetings of the committee and shall set the agenda.
  3. The chair shall determine by the third week of the spring quarter the faculty replacement needs for the committee for the summer quarter and the following year and for its subcommittees for the following year. The committee chair shall notify the colleges to conduct necessary elections for both the committee and its subcommittees.
  4. The chair is responsible for monitoring the performance of the committee's subcommittees.

Subcommittees. Subcommittees of the Educational Policy Committee include those on Academic Advisement; Academic Information Resources; Curriculum, General Education; Library; and Program Review.

Meeting Time. The Educational Policy Committee meets weekly on Wednesdays from 1:40 to 2:55 p.m.

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