FSU FACULTY SENATE RULES OF ORDER:

      I.   The Executive Committee, established within the Senate, shall be composed of the President of the Senate, who shall be its chairman; the Vice President of the Senate; the Senate Secretary who shall be its secretary, and three elected senators, who shall be chosen by the Senate. These three members shall be elected for a term of one year, and no elected member may serve more than three consecutive terms. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to:

          A.    arrange the agenda for Senate meetings;

          B.    serve as a channel through which any member of the Faculty may introduce matters for consideration by the Senate;

          C.    assist in carrying into effect the rules, regulations, and actions of the Senate;

          D.    act for the Senate on an emergency basis between meetings of the Senate, such action to be reported for confirmation at the next Senate meeting;

          E.     recommend formation of such ad hoc committees within the Senate as may seem desirable;

          F.     recommend to the Senate rules of procedure and interpretation of the Faculty Constitution;

          G.    prepare and submit reports on the work of the Senate to the college President and the Faculty.

     II.   Any matter introduced in the Senate will be classed as either major or minor legislation. This classification will be made by the executive committee for items placed on the agenda and by the chair for items introduced from the floor. However, a classification may be changed by a majority vote of the Senators present.

           An item classed as minor may be discussed, amended and disposed of at the meeting in which it is introduced.

           An item classed as major will require two meetings for final disposition.

           A.    At the first meeting the item may be discussed but not amended. Discussion shall be terminated by a majority vote to pass the item to a "second reading" at the next meeting.

           B.    At the next meeting (either regular or special), the item may be discussed, amended, and moved to inal disposition.

   III.   Any duly elected member of the Senate, who is temporarily appointed to an acting administrative position, should not be removed from Senate membership unless the acting position of the title is made permanent. If said Senate member is a member of the Senate Executive Committee, he/she shall resign his/her Executive Committee position.       

   IV.   Rules, Procedures and Membership for Faculty Senate Standing Committees:

            A.      Academic Appeals Board. [1]   The Academic Appeals Board shall be composed of fifteen [2]  faculty members, named by the President of the College each year from a list of fifteen nominees submitted by the Student Government and a list of fifteen nominees submitted by the Faculty Senate. These nominees are not to include School or departmental chairpersons. This Board shall judge all student grade appeals within the jurisdiction of the calendar year beginning September 1. At the start of each case both the student and the instructor are entitled to dismiss two Board members from hearing their particular case. Board members may dismiss themselves from hearing a particular case, with permission of the Board Chairperson. At least five Board members, after dismissals, must be present for a formal meeting of the Board.

The Academic Appeals Board will choose its Chairperson who shall preside at appeals during the year except where he/she is challenged by one of the parties to the appeal, or is himself/herself a party to an appeal, or is otherwise unavailable. In such cases the Board shall elect a temporary Chairperson. Consonant with the rules of good order, the Board shall determine its own order of procedure and may call advisors if it desires. These rules allow the instructor the opportunity to respond to all charges made against him/her. In an appeal case both student and instructor shall submit a written statement to the Board no later than five class days in advance of the hearing. Each statement shall be made available to the other party. Each party may have one advisor (faculty or student) from the college community and may call witnesses to present information directly related to the appeal case.

The Academic Appeals Board shall conduct its hearing and deliberation in private. The Board shall keep an audio tape of information presented by the parties involved. This tape shall then be submitted to the President of the College to be stored in a secure place until final resolution.

The written decision of the Academic Appeals Board shall be sent to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, instructor, and student involved.

           B.     Curriculum Committee. [3]   The Curriculum Committee shall consist of one member from each School, except the School of Education/Health and Human Performance will have two members; one from Education and one from Health and Human Performance. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs shall serve as an ex-officio member. Each academic unit at its last meeting of the academic year shall elect its members to the committee for a two-year term to begin the following semester. At the beginning of each academic year the President of the Senate shall convene and preside over the first meeting of this committee, the purpose of said meeting to elect a chairperson from the membership to serve a one-year term.

           C.     Faculty Grievance Committee. [4]   The Faculty Grievance Committee shall consist of fifteen faculty members. [5]   The Grievance Committee shall (1) hear faculty grievances, (2) investigate the legitimacy and fairness of their nature, and (3) make recommendations to the appropriate decision-making authorities.

                    Committee Procedure

                    1.         The Faculty Grievance Committee will hold closed meetings. The Grievance Committee may interview the complaints, each witness, and the respondents privately. The Committee may interview persons appearing before them in order to clarify points and secure data relevant to the issue at hand.

                    2.         Before the hearings on a particular grievance start, the complainant may disallow one member of the committee from hearing the proceedings. In addition, a member of the Grievance Committee shall be disqualified from hearing a grievance if the complainant is a member of his/her School. Provision shall be made for alternates to serve in place of disqualified members.

                    3.         During the meeting the faculty complainant shall present his/her grievance to the committee. A written statement of the salient points in his/her presentation as well as any supporting documents or data, prospective witnesses and testimonials relevant to his/her grievance must be in the hands of the chairperson of the Grievance Committee seven days prior to the meeting.

                    4.         Witnesses for the complainant may appear before the Grievance Committee to give oral testimony regarding the matter under consideration. If witnesses are to appear, written resumes of the salient points in their testimony must be in the hands of the committee chairperson seven days prior to the meeting.

                    5.         The President of the College, the Vice President, the appropriate Dean, the chairperson of a School or department, or a representative of the body against whom the complaint is made may be requested to appear before the Grievance Committee to make a statement in response to the complaint and to answer questions which will reveal the rationale for the respondent's stand on the grievance. A written statement on the salient points in the response to the complaint as well as the rationale for the stand must be in the hands of the chairperson of the Grievance Committee seven days prior to his/her appearance before the Committee.

                    6.         All testimony shall be regarded as confidential. No written statements regarding committee discussion shall be issued. No recording of committee discussion shall be permitted. No attorney representing the interest of any individual or group shall be present since the proceedings are entirely investigative.

                    7.         The Committee shall give consideration to whether any of the following have been violated:

                                a.      Higher Education Policy Commission Policy

                                b.     Administrative Policy already in effect

                                c.      Senate Regulations

                                d.     Academic Freedom of Individual

                    8.         The Grievance Committee shall hear and study the grievance and any evidence relevant to it, formulate a recommendation regarding resolution of the question, and forward that recommendation and supportive reasons to the complainant, the respondent, and the President of the College.

                    9.         To insure that all faculty have fair and equal rights to grievance hearings, the grievance committee will consider no more than two consecutive grievances from any one faculty member during any academic year if other faculty grievances are pending.

                  10.         If in any given year excessive grievances are filed with the grievance committee, the President of the Senate may be requested to appoint additional committee members so that all grievances may be completed in the same academic year.

                  11.         The Faculty Grievance Committee shall consist of regularly appointed members, plus two appointed alternates.

           D.     Faculty Personnel Committee.  The Faculty Personnel Committee shall consist of five members and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (ex-officio). Only tenured faculty holding the rank of Professor shall be eligible to serve on the Faculty Personnel Committee.

           E.     Student Hearing Board.  The Student Hearing Board shall consist of fifteen members of the faculty appointed by the Senate and one member designated by the Faculty Assembly. The Student Hearing Board, in hearing a case, shall consist of the chairperson of the Student Hearing Board or a substitute,

two faculty members from the Student Hearing Board, and two students appointed by the Student Government. [6]

           F.     International Education Committee.  The International Education Committee shall consist of faculty, the Coordinator for International Student Advising, the Coordinator for International Education, the Director of Multicultural Affairs, the Director of English as a Second Language Program, one member designated by the Faculty Assembly, one student chosen by the Student Government, one international student chosen by the Coordinator for International Student Advising, and the Director of Admissions (ex-officio). [7]

           G.     Library Committee. [8]   The Library Committee shall consist of one member from each AcademicSchool; except the School of Education/Health and Human Performance shall have two, one from Education and one from Health and Human Performance. The Director of the Library and the Director of Media Services shall serve as ex-officio members.

           H.     Faculty Development Committee. [9]   The Faculty Development Committee shall consist of one member from each School, except the School of Education/Health and Human Performance will have two members; one from Education and one from Health and Human Performance. The Committee shall also include one member designated by the Faculty Assembly. Faculty development Committee members will be appointed to serve two-year terms. In the event a committee member is unable to complete the two-year term the Faculty Senate Executive Committee will appoint a replacement to fill the unexpired term. At the beginning of each academic year the President of the Senate shall convene and preside over the first meeting of this committee for the purpose of electing a chairperson to serve a one-year term of office. In the event a committee member applies for a Faculty Development grant, the Senate Executive Committee shall appoint a substitute from that School during the period of deliberation. The Professional Development Coordinator shall serve as an ex-officio member.

 

            I.      Legislative Advocacy Committee.  The Legislative Advocacy Committee shall consist of faculty appointed by the Senate. The representative to the Advisory Council of Faculty shall serve as an ex-officio member. [10]

            J.      Institutional Testing and Research Committee. [11]   The Institutional Testing and Research Committee shall consist of at least five members to include one representative from Social Science, Science, Mathematics, and Health Careers, Language and Literature, and one member designated by the Faculty Assembly. The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs shall serve as an ex-officio member. [12]

            K.     Faculty Harassment Complaint Committee. [13]   The Faculty Harassment Complaint Committee shall consist of five faculty members drawn from a panel of fifteen faculty in accordance with the committee procedures that follow. This committee shall (1) conduct a formal hearing in accordance with the Institutional Harassment Policy and (2) make recommendations to the President of the College.;

                    Committee Procedure

                  1.             The President of the College shall strike six faculty members from the panel of fifteen members and then furnish the complainant and the faculty member who is respondent a list of nine faculty

members with instructions that each strike two names and return the list to the President within ten days.                              

                   2.         If for any reason the faculty member and the complainant fail to strike or strike the same faculty, the President shall, within five days, strike a sufficient number to reduce the members to five, who shall constitute the formal hearing committee.

                    3.         The President shall promptly notify the five members in writing that they have been selected to constitute a formal hearing committee and that they are responsible for selecting one of their membership to be chairperson. The President shall designate a time and place for their meeting to make such selection and to set a date for the hearing.

                    4.         The chairperson shall give timely notice by certified mail to the concerned persons of the   time and place for the hearing.

                    5.         The hearing shall be conducted with as little delay as possible.

                    6.         The hearing committee shall hear such proof of facts as may be deemed proper and reasonable. The complainant and the faculty member shall have the opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint.

                    7.         Witnesses shall be examined under oath in the manner and form and in the order designated by the Committee.

                    8.         The complainant and the faculty member shall have the right to have an advisor or legal counsel at their own expense.

                    9.         Formal rules of evidence shall not apply in such hearings.

                   10.         Testimony shall be recorded.

                   11.         As soon as practical after the hearing, the hearing committee shall deliver to the President the audio tape of the testimony, the summary of the hearing, and the findings and recommendations of the committee.

                   12.         If the claim of harassment is considered to have been verified, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall recommend an appropriate sanction or sanctions to the President.

                   13.         Faculty grievance procedures set forth in the Faculty Handbook may be used to appeal imposed sanctions.

           L.     Admissions and Credits Committee.  The Admission and Credits Committee shall include one member designated by the Faculty Assembly.

           M.     The Financial Aid Committee.  The Financial Aid Committee shall include one member designated by the Faculty Assembly.

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[1] Amended by Faculty Senate, 1978

[2]  Amended by Faculty, February 20, 1997

[3] Approved by Faculty, February 27, 2001

[4] Amended by Faculty Senate, 1978

[5]  Amended by Faculty, February 20, 1997

[6] Amended by Faculty, February 20, 1997

[7] Amended by Faculty, February 20, 1997

[8] Approved by Faculty, February 27, 2001

[9]  Approved by Faculty, February 27, 2001

[10] Amended by Faculty, February 20, 1997

[11] Approved by Faculty, November 29, 1991

[12] Amended by Faculty, February 20, 1997

[13] Approved by Faculty, April 19, 1994