Constitution of the Faculty of McPherson College
(As amended 13 March 2013)
Preamble : McPherson College faculty desire a shared governance structure informed by the college’s mission statement and the traditions of the Church of the Brethren. In particular, faculty want a governance structure that embodies:
1. simplicity – by clearly delineating channels of authority, responsibility, and representation;
2. community – by ensuring a free flow of information and respect for diversity of opinion, and
3. stewardship of faculty resources to promote teaching and scholarship – by distributing administrative tasks evenly and appropriately, in so far as possible, while considering individual interests and abilities.
To establish such a structure, Faculty Meeting does hereby ordain and establish this constitution for the faculty of McPherson College.
Article I: Membership
Section 1 : Voting members shall include all faculty members teaching at least one-half time holding the rank of instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor and full-time college personnel holding academic rank.
Section 2 : Non-voting members shall include the President of the College and all other administrative personnel, campus minister, visiting instructors, and emeriti faculty. All non-voting members of the faculty may attend Faculty Meeting and discuss matters of interest to them.
Section 3 : Either voting or non-voting membership may be extended to any individual by majority vote of Faculty Meeting.
Article II: Meetings
Section 1 : Generally, Faculty Meeting will be held twice per month during the regular school year.
Section 2 : Meetings and other business of the faculty shall be conducted according to the latest revised edition of Robert – s Rules of Order.
Section 3 : Meetings may be called by the President, Chief Academic Officer, or by the Faculty Executive Committee. Individual members may submit requests for special meetings to the Faculty Executive Committee for consideration.
Section 4 : The Faculty Executive Committee assumes responsibility for Faculty Meeting agendas. Agendas posing items of business must be distributed to faculty at least 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) prior to the scheduled meeting. Informational meetings may be called on shorter notice and without distribution of an agenda.
Section 5 : A simple majority of voting members constitutes a quorum.
Section 6 : A simple majority of members present is required for passage of business items unless a higher percentage is stipulated by action of Faculty Meeting.
Section 7 : Any member may move that the specific faculty meeting move to a Closed Instructional Faculty session for discussion on any topic. With the approval of one third of the votes cast, the discussion will only be open to faculty holding academic rank and teaching half-time or more. During closed session, any member may move that the session be opened. With approval of two-thirds of votes cast, the session will be opened to both Instructional Faculty and Administrative Faculty.
Article III: Officers
Section 1 : Faculty Meeting officers are the Chair, the Secretary, and the Divisional Chairs.
Section 2 : The Faculty Chair presides at all regular and special Faculty Meetings and at all meetings of the Faculty Executive Committee. The Faculty Chair is elected for a one-year term. Re-election is not barred.
Section 3 : Divisional Chairs preside at their respective divisional meetings and serve on the Faculty Executive Committee. Chairs are elected by the voting faculty members of their respective divisions. Minimum qualifications for serving as Division Chair shall be tenured faculty at the Associate Professor or Professor level. Terms of service are three years, the divisions holding elections different years in order to preserve a rotation. Re-election is not barred. New division chairs shall be elected each spring at least one month prior to the date for full faculty elections.
Section 4 : Faculty Secretary keeps minutes of Faculty Meeting proceedings and distributes such minutes to all faculty members not later than 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) prior to the next meeting. Faculty Secretary is elected for a one-year term. Re-election is not barred.
Article IV: Committees
Section 1: Faculty Executive Committee shall consist of the Faculty Chair, Divisional Chairs, and the Chief Academic Officer.
Section 2 : Faculty Meeting shall provide standing committees to care for the principal responsibilities of the faculty – the curriculum and educational policies, the library and classroom instructional resources, and matters related to faculty personnel, including evaluation and promotion.
Section 3 : Faculty Executive Committee coordinates nominations and elections to standing committees and appointments to ad hoc committees or task forces. It oversees and evaluates all aspects of faculty governance.
Section 4 : A set of Bylaws shall detail the purposes, procedures, and charges of each standing committee.
Article V: Amendments
Section 1 : This Constitution may be amended by Faculty Meeting provided the amendment has been submitted to Faculty Executive Committee in writing and that it has been distributed at the previous Faculty Meeting.
Section 2 : A two-thirds vote of all voting members present is necessary to adopt an amendment.