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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I - WEST O'AHU FACULTY SENATE CHARTER PREAMBLE In order to provide both an organizational structure and formal procedures by which the faculty of the University of Hawai'i -West O'ahu can carry out its collective responsibilities with administrative colleagues in determining, recommending and advising, as appropriate, matters of academic policy for the campus as a unit of the University of Hawai'i system, while promoting and improving communications and mutual understanding among faculty, students, administration and community, the University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu Faculty Senate is hereby established. ARTICLE I Purpose and Functions of the Faculty Senate SECTION 1. The Faculty Senate shall function as the policy-recommending and advisory body of the West O'ahu faculty. It has the responsibility on behalf of the faculty of recommending academic policy to the Chancellor of University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu. SECTION 2. "Policy," under this charter, means a general rule for the conduct of the campus, its faculty, student body, or administration as it affects the following areas: A. General educational and academic policy that affects the campus and/or its functions as a unit of the University system, including primary responsibility for curriculum content, subject matter, methods of instruction and research. B. Policy determining the initiation, review, and evaluation of proposed or authorized research, instructional and academic programs. C. Budget planning and implementation policy. D. Student-faculty relations policy. E. Policy for the evaluation of faculty and campus academic and academic support administrative positions. F. Policy concerning evaluation and selection procedures of candidates for campus academic and academic support administrative positions. G. The establishment and implementation of a canon of professional ethics and an effective means of professional maintenance of those ethics, including faculty self-discipline. H. Other academic matters referred to it by the Chancellor or other appropriate sources. SECTION 3. The Senate may accept such other responsibilities as the Chancellor, the President and the Board of Regents may delegate to it. SECTION 4. In exercising the aforementioned functions Senate shall make such rules, regulations, bylaws as it may deem necessary for the fulfillment of its responsibilities. ARTICLE II Membership in the Faculty Senate SECTION 1. The University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu Faculty Senate shall be made up of all BOR appointed faculty and librarians. Faculty and librarian BOR appointees shall be voting members of the Senate. Each half-time appointee will be allotted one vote. Lecturers may participate in all Senate meetings; however, lecturers in attendance will be limited to three (3) votes in total. If the number of lecturers present exceeds three, the lecturers shall collectively determine how their three votes are to be cast. SECTION 2. The Dean of Student Services and the Director of Administrative Services shall be ex-officio, nonvoting members of the Senate.
ARTICLE III Elections and Terms of Office SECTION 1. All BOR appointed faculty and librarians are de facto members of the Senate and their membership shall extend over their period of employment with West O'ahu. SECTION 2. The positions of Chair and Vice Chair/Recorder will be held on an annual basis, with officers holding office during the academic year and throughout the following summer. New officers shall be elected during the last Senate meeting of the previous Spring semester. A. The Chair and Vice Chair must be full-time BOR appointed faculty members or librarians, elected by the Senate. B. Office holders may serve for two consecutive years after which they cannot be re-elected to the same office for a period of at least one year. Duties of Senate Members SECTION 1. The Chair of the Senate shall: A. Prepare the agenda for meetings by securing input from all members of the faculty and administration. B. Conduct the meetings. C. Report subject conclusions and recommendations of the meetings to the Chancellor. D. Report back to the Senate the outcome of communications with the Chancellor. The Vice Chair/Recorder of the Senate shall: A. Take minutes of meetings. B. In the absence of the Chair, assume the Chair's duties and appoint a senator to take minutes at such meetings. C. Keep a file of all minutes and memoranda. D. Distribute minutes of meetings to members of the Senate and other organizations as appropriate. SECTION 3. Whenever there is a vacancy in the position of Chair, the Vice Chair/Recorder shall become Chair for the remainder of the term. Whenever there is a vacancy in the position of Vice Chair/Recorder, the Chair shall appoint a Senate member to serve as Vice Chair/ Recorder for the remainder of the term. If both positions are vacant before the term is over, the Faculty Senate shall hold a special election to fill the two positions for the remainder of the term. ARTICLE V Meetings SECTION 1. Meetings of the Faculty Senate shall be called by the Chair of the Senate. The Senate can be convened at any time, but shall meet no less than once every eight weeks during the regular school year. All general meetings must be open to all voting and nonvoting members of the Senate SECTION 2. At the Chair's request or upon a majority motion of the faculty present, the Senate may convene in executive session for all or part of a scheduled meeting. Such sessions shall be open only to voting members of the Senate and those whom the Senate may deem advisable to invite. However, no official action may be taken by the Senate during such sessions. ARTICLE VI Committee Membership SECTION 1. All committee recommendations are subject to review and ratification by the Senate. Committees must submit written reports to the Senate of all recommendations and of all actions taken. Committees will be constituted as follows:A. Committee members shall volunteer for committees of their choice, making sure that each division is represented. In the absence of volunteers, members may be appointed by the Senate Chair. B. All Senate voting members are eligible for standing, ad hoc, and subcommittee membership. C. Standing committees shall have no fewer than three voting members of the Senate, at least one from each Academic Division. D. Subcommittee members may be appointed by committee chairs. E. Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Faculty Senate Chair. F. Students may serve on any of the committees, when appropriate, and at the discretion of the committee chairs. G. Other individuals may serve on the committees, when appropriate, and at the discretion of the committee chairs. ARTICLE VII Standing Committees SECTION 1. Curriculum Committee A. Functions: To review course and program proposals, and recommend their approval, modification or disapproval. B. Membership 1. No fewer than three voting members of the Senate. 2. The Dean of Student Services may serve as nonvoting member at the discretion of the committee chairperson. 3. One or two representatives of ASUHWO may serve as nonvoting members at the discretion of the committee chairperson. 4. Other individuals may serve on the committee as nonvoting members at the discretion of the committee chairperson. 5. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (ex-officio) SECTION 2. Academic Affairs and Resources Committee A. Functions: 1. To review and make recommendations concerning student admissions, testing, counseling policies and procedures, retention policies, student grievance procedures, and related matters. 2. To make recommendations involving faculty and staff positions related to academic programs; to review and make recommendations concerning academic and related programs undertaken outside the traditional framework of classroom activity, including a system of review and evaluation of such activities 3. To develop policy, suggest methods of implementation, and set out evaluation procedures for academic matters listed under Article I, Sections 2A, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G and 2H. For example, to make recommendations concerning student admissions and activities, to review and recommend policies regarding faculty matters such as ethics, travel, evaluation, team teaching, sabbatical leaves, release time, etc., and to oversee and evaluate faculty programs. 4. To carry out activities falling under Article I Section 2C. For example, to participate with administration in the development of budgets affecting the academic programs at the campus, and to make recommendations on the distribution of campus fiscal resources. This committee will act as liaison to the Chancellor's Budget/Resource Ad Hoc Committee. B. Membership 1. No fewer than three voting members of the Senate. 2. The Dean of Student Services may serve as a nonvoting member at the discretion of the committee chair. 3. One or two members of the student body may serve as nonvoting members at the discretion of the committee chair. 4. Other individuals may serve on the committee as nonvoting members at the discretion of the committee chair. SECTION 3. Educational Effectiveness Committee A. Functions: To compile, analyze and make recommendations on various issues related to academic excellence, such as program reviews, assessment, learning outcomes, teaching effectiveness, accreditation, and institutional research. B. Membership 1. No fewer than three voting members of the Senate. 2. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (ex-officio). 3. One or two members of the student body may serve as nonvoting members at the discretion of the committee chair. 4. Other individuals may serve on the committee as nonvoting members at the discretion of the committee chair.
Amendment of Charter All amendments to this Charter must be approved by two-thirds majority of the Senate members present for the vote and if approved shall be sent to the Chancellor. Amendments shall become effective upon approval by the Chancellor. The Chancellor~will notify the Faculty Senate Chair regarding decisions on the amendments. ARTICLE IX Relation of This Charter to Collective Bargaining Agreement and Other Legal Decisions Any agreement negotiated by the Board of Regents with a duly authorized bargaining agent under Act 171, Chapter 89 of the Hawai'i Revised Statutes and policies/statutes/procedures of the State of Hawai'i, BOR, U.H. System, shall supersede any conflicting provisions of this Charter. BYLAWS SECTION 1. Parliamentary procedure shall be governed by Roberts' Rules of Order., revised. A quorum of the Faculty Senate shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting membership of the Senate. SECTION 2. Voting Procedures A. Any voting member shall be allowed to move for a vote on any issue being discussed. B. A majority of those votes cast on any motion shall constitute acceptance or nonacceptance by the Senate and shall be duly recorded as such. C. Those items of an advisory nature voted upon by the Senate shall be presented to the Chancellor by the Chair. The Chancellor will notify the Faculty Senate Chair regarding decisions on such matters. |