BYLAWS OF THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY CALUMET SENATE

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1.00 Composition of the Purdue University Calumet Faculty. The voting members of the Purdue University Calumet faculty shall be faculty as defined in Article I of the Constitution.

2.00 Powers of the University Senate. The Purdue University Calumet Senate is the governing body of the Purdue University Calumet Faculty. It exercises the legislative and policy-making powers that have been delegated to the Faculty by the Board of Trustees subject only to the review and check by the Purdue University Calumet Faculty as defined in Article VIII of the Constitution approved by the President of the University on March 5, 1998.

The Bylaws are designed to implement the provisions of the Constitution of the Faculty of Purdue University Calumet.

The Senate delegates to the various schools the authority to establish school curriculum bodies. The membership and structure of these bodies shall be determined by the respective schools. These school curriculum bodies shall provide copies of all proposed curriculum documents to the Curriculum and Ecucational Policy Committee and to the other school curriculum bodies.

COMPOSITION OF THE SENATE

3.00 Membership. The membership of the Senate shall be in accordance with Article V. A. of the Constitution.

3.01 Academic Unit. Academic Units are defined as academic departments, or when a School is comprised of a single department, the School shall be considered an academic unit. The Library is an academic unit.

3.02 Eligibility. Members of the Faculty shall become eligible for service on the Senate at the beginning of the third year of full-time appointment to the University Faculty.

3.03 Election of At-Large Senators. The Senate Nominating Committee shall determine the number of at-large senators to be elected. Nominations shall be solicited from the faculty and published no later than March 1. The election for at-large senators shall occur before March 15.

3.04 Replacement of a Senator. Academic units shall be responsible for filling the vacant unexpired terms of their senators. The Senate Nominating Committee shall conduct a mid-year election to fill the vacant unexpired terms of at-large senators.

COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE

4.00 Committee Structure. The Senate establishes the following committees:

A. Standing Committees. The following shall be the standing committees of the Senate:

Agenda Committee

Curriculum & Educational Policy Committee

Faculty Affairs Committee

Nominating Committee

Student Affairs Committee

Academic Support Services Committee

B. Subcommittees. A standing committee can appoint subcommittees, which are responsible to and report to the standing committee. Subcommittees must consist of members of the standing committee, except when otherwise authorized by the Senate.

C. Subordinate Committees. The Senate may establish subordinate committees whose duties, responsibilities, and membership shall be defined by the Senate. Subordinate committees authorized by the Senate shall continue in existence no longer than four years, unless reestablished by the Senate.

D. Ad Hoc Committees. Ad hoc committees of the Senate may be created according to Article VI. G. of the Constitution. The membership of an ad hoc committee may include Senators, faculty members, staff, and students. No ad hoc committee shall be appointed to perform any regular duties already specifically asigned to a standing Senate committee.

E. Standing Committees. All standing committees shall initiate development projects for matters under their purview and shall undertake the necessary study and research needed to present such projects to the Senate for further action and implementation.

All standing committees shall study and research all matters referred to them by their subcommittees, by any other committees under their purview, or by the Senate.

F. Findings and Recommendations. The findings and recommendations of subcommittees and ad hoc committees shall be reported to the standing committee that appointed them. This standing committee shall incorporate such findings in its own action on the matter being considered.

 

4.01 Membership. All voting Senators, except the Chair of the Senate, shall serve on at least one of the standing committees of the Senate. The student senator shall serve on the Student Affairs Committee. All committee assignments, with the exception of service on the Agenda Committee, shall be for the duration of a senator's term on the Senate.

If a member of a standing Senate committee should become dissatisfied with the committee, that member may ask the Nominating Committee to poll members of the standing committees to ascertain if any other senator would be willing to change committee assignments. If no such change can be arranged, the member must serve the committee assignment for the duration of the academic year before another request for change be made. Committee membership, except for the Agenda Committee, shall be determined from lists of nominees presented by the Nominating Committee to the Senate for final approval no later than the last Senate meeting of the academic year. Additional nominations may be made from the floor of the Senate.

In order to serve the needs of the Senate, committees may include the student senator or other students of Purdue University Calumet, selected through the student government of Purdue University Calumet, as voting members.

The normal term of student members of standing committees will be the school year for which they are selected, with the provision that no student shall serve more than two consecutive years.

4.02 Chairpersons of the Senate Committees. Each committee shall select a chairperson, prior to the last regular Senate meeting, who shall hold that office for a one-year term starting on July 1. Chairpersons may succeed themselves. No student member may be elected chairperson. Each departing chairperson of a Senate Committee shall inform the following of the name of the incoming chairperson: The Secretary of the Senate, the Chairperson of the Agenda Committee, and the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee. No chairperson of a standing Senate committee shall also be chairperson of a Senate committee which reports to, or is under the purview of, that standing Senate committee, unless the reporting committee is temporary.

4.03 Reporting of the Senate Committees. Each Senate committee shall report to the Senate at the Senate's request or at the request of the Agenda Committee. A Senate Committee may give information, as it sees fit, to any other organ of the University and to any committee of the Senate or of the Faculty.

4.04 Agenda Committee.

A. Membership. The Agenda Committee shall consist of the Chair of the Senate; the chairpersons of all standing committees of the Senate; and the Secretary of the Senate who serves without vote. Only the chairpersons of the standing committees of the Senate shall be eligible to chair the Agenda Committee.

B. Duties and Responsibilities.

1. The Agenda Committee shall propose the agenda for every session of the Senate. It shall insure the distribution of the agenda to every member of the Senate at least five school days before each regularly scheduled meeting.

2. The Agenda Committee shall schedule an annual report of the Senate's standing committees to the Senate and to the Faculty.

3. The Agenda Committee shall receive communications from any faculty member or group of faculty members who wish to present any proposal before any meeting of the Senate. The Agenda Committee shall:

 a. Place such a proposal on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Senate which follows receipt of the proposal by fifteen or more days, or if the agenda is full, on the agenda of the next regular Senate meeting, or

b. Place the proposal before a special session of the Senate called according to Article VI. A. of the Constitution, or

c. Refer the proposal to one or more of the Senate committees for study.

If a proposal is referred to a Senate committee for study, that committee shall submit its recommendations concerning the proposal, together with the proposal in its proposer's original or amended form, to the Agenda Committee within thirty days of referral. The Agenda Committee shall be required, unless the proposer desires otherwise, to place the proposal and any committee recommendations regarding the proposal on the agenda of the Senate meeting which is to convene fifteen or more days thereafter.

4. The Agenda Committee shall enable representatives of the student government to present to the Senate at appropriate times recommendations on matters of concern to the student body.

5. The Agenda Committee shall arrange for any person or persons, who may have special resources or insights that might aid the Senate in its deliberations on specific agenda issues, to be in attendance at appropriate Senate meetings.

6. The Agenda Committee shall serve as coordinator of the activities of Senate committees on common, related, or interdependent matters. This coordination may be achieved by allocation of the matters coming before the Agenda Committee to the appropriate one or more committees, by calling for joint committee meetings and reports, or by requesting joint Senate and committee sessions.

7. The Agenda Committee shall route to the appropriate Senate committee or committees, documents, proposals of an individual or groups of individuals, and papers on any matters pertaining to the Senate's affairs.

8. The Agenda Committee may, on its own initiative, refer to the appropriate standing Senate committee matters of overall interest to the University or the Senate. It may request committees of the Senate to make studies and reports on subjects of concern to the Senate.

9. The Agenda Committee and the Chancellor shall establish the agenda for regularly scheduled faculty convocations and shall assure the issuance and distribution of these agendas to each member of the faculty at least five school days prior to the scheduled convocations.

10. The Agenda Committee shall have only the powers enumerated in the Constitution of the Faculty of Purdue University Calumet and these Bylaws and nothing contained in the powers granted to it shall be interpreted to mean that it has any legislative authority.

11. The Agenda Committee shall function as an "Interim Committee" authorized to act for the Senate during the period from the official end of an academic year to the official start of a new one. This "Interim Committee" may act for the Senate only on such matters requiring an immediate response and permitting no delay until the first regular session convenes or until a special session could be called. A minimum of three voting members must be present to conduct business. Should it become apparent at the time of the last regular session of the Senate that fewer than four voting members will be available during the summer, any available Senate member or members with vote may be elected at this time to serve on the "Interim Committee" for the summer. The Chair of the Senate shall report on the actions of the "Interim Committee" at the first Senate meeting in September.

12. The Agenda Committee shall review the Constitution and Bylaws of the Senate and recommend corrections or amendments in order to keep them consistent with organizational practices and in harmony with Purdue University Calumet's programs and activities; draft or place before the Senate its recommendations concerning the text of all amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws; consider other matters referred to it by the Senate and report its findings and recommendations as appropriate; review all newly adopted policies of Purdue University faculties and its Board of Trustees for their implications on organizational structure within the Purdue University Calumet Senate.

13. The Agenda Committee shall appoint a committee to advise the President of the Purdue University system and the Board of Trustees in filling the office of the Chancellor of Purdue University Calumet when such need occurs.

4. 05 Nominating Committee.

A. Membership. The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least three, but always an odd number, of Senators who are not chairpersons of other standing Senate committees.

B. Duties and Responsibilities.

1. The Nominating Committee shall nominate annually, one meeting prior to the last Senate meeting of the academic year, members for all standing committees of the Senate and circulate the names of nominees with the agenda for the meeting at which the election is to take place. Additional nominations may be made from the floor of the Senate.

2. The Nominating Committee shall solicit, within the first three weeks of every Spring Semester, by mail questionnaire, information concerning faculty preferences for committee assignments. It shall respect faculty preferences as much as possible in arriving at nominations.

3. The Nominating Committee, following consultation with the appropriate Senate committees, shall nominate, one meeting prior to the last Senate meeting of the academic year, faculty members for appointment to the various Senate committees.

4. The Nominating Committee shall conduct the election of the Chair of the Senate as outlined in Section 5.01. A. of these bylaws.

5. The Nominating Committee shall nominate, when requested by appropriate authority, faculty members for appointments to committees not reporting directly to the Senate.

6. The Nominating Committee shall nominate, in the event of a mid-year vacancy on a Senate committee, as soon as practicable, a replacement to stand for election.

7. The Nominating Committee shall recommend, consistent with the bylaws, the size of each of the standing committees. This must be done one meeting prior to the last Senate meeting of each academic year. The Senate must approve all changes in the size of standing committees.

4.06 Student Affairs Committee.

A. Membership. The Student Affairs Committee shall consist of at least four faculty Senators, the Vice Chancellor For Student Services, and the student Senator, but always an odd number, to be selected by the Senate from the list of nominees provided by the Nominating Committee. The student Senator shall serve on the Student Affairs Committee.

B. Duties and Responsibilities. The Student Affairs Committee shall adopt policies, regulations and procedures needed to achieve the educational objectives and promote the general welfare of the students of Purdue University Calumet. These matters are understood to encompass, but are not limited to:

1. Establising policies for Purdue University Calumet’s participation in inter-collegiate athletics,

2. Establishing policies governing student-group extra-curricular activities, including student participation in athletics,

3. Considering and acting upon any action of the Purdue University Calumet student governance body whenever it receives the request to do so from that body,

4. Advising on policies governing the conduct and dismissal of students at Purdue University Calumet.

4.07 Faculty Affairs Committee.

A. Membership. The Faculty Affairs Committee shall consist of at least seven, but always an odd number of Senators, to be selected by the Senate from the list of nominees provided by the Nominating Committee.

B. Duties and Responsibilities. The Faculty Affairs Committee shall be concerned with those matters which pertain primarily to the responsibilities, rights, privileges, opportunities, and welfare of the Faculty, collectively and as individuals. These matters are understood to encompass, but are not limited to:

1. Advising on policies affecting the general welfare, privileges, tenure and responsibilities of the Purdue University Calumet Faculty, standards for appointment, and procedures for academic promotion of members of the Faculty,

2. Advising on all proposed changes in the academic organization of Purdue University Calumet.

4.08 Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee.

A. Membership. The Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee shall consist of at least six faculty Senators to be selected by the Senate from the list of nominees provided by the Nominating Committee and the Vice Chancellor For Academic Affairs. The Nominating Committee shall construct the list of nominees. which is composed of one Senator from each of the Schools of Purdue University Calumet.

B. Duties and Responsibilities. The Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee shall be concerned with those campus matters related to the plans, functioning, objectives, and accomplishments of the educational processes followed by Purdue University Calumet. All curricular changes or initiatives must first be approved by one or more of the school curriculum committees and only then proceed to the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee prior to full Senate review

1. These matters are understood to encompass, but are not limited to:

a. Providing oversight of the curriculum process so as to insure that information on any new development in a school is furnished to all other school Deans/Heads and school Curriculum Committee chairs.

b. Reviewing and approving the undergraduate academic degree titles conferred by Purdue University Calumet,

c. Reviewing and approving the general requirements for the curricula of Purdue University Calumet leading toward undergraduate degrees,

d. Approving curricula and course content, except when the interests of Purdue University Calumet as a whole or other institutions within the Purdue University system are affected,

e. Developing instructional and examination procedures where responsibility does not lie with one of the schools of Purdue University Calumet,

f. Advising on the educational policies of Purdue University Calumet, including policies and criteria for admission to degree programs,

g. Advise on all new programs and degrees to be introduced at Purdue University Calumet.

 

2. When an unresolved curriculum issue occurs among or within schools, the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee will form a six member ad hoc subject committee defined in a. and b. below. The issue will be considered resolved by a two thirds majority vote of this committee. Only issues not resolved by the ad hoc subject committee will be resolved by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee or Senate. During this entire process, the chair of the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee will attempt to mediate the issue.

a. Each representative of a department involved in a conflict over a specific curriculum document or proposal. When the conflict is within a school, each department concerned with the issue will provide a member.

b. Four representatives from other departments with related expertise. These committee members should be chosen for their perceived neutrality with respect to the issue under discussion. All four members must be mutually acceptable to the departmental representatives. When difficulty in selecting the neutral members occurs, the Chair of the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee will assist in the process.

4.09 Academic Support Services Committee.

A. Membership. Academic Support Services Committee shall consist of at least four faculty Senators who are not chairpersons of other standing Senate committees and the Vice Chancellor For Administrative Services.

B. The Academic Support Services Committee shall be concerned with scheduling, and advising on the policies and administration of university support services. These responsibilities are understood to encompass, but are not limited to:

a. Establishing Purdue University Calumet’s academic calendar and the polices for scheduling classes and meeting days for the Senate.

b. Advising on the policies and administration of:

• the library,

• audio-visual services,

• academic computing, and

• telecommunication resources and services of Purdue University Calumet.

c. Evaluating, helping to plan, and making recommendations concerning support facilities and equipment for the academic programs of Purdue University Calumet.

MEETINGS OF THE SENATE

5.00 Meetings. The Senate shall schedule at least eight regular meetings during the academic year. The meeting dates shall be set and distributed by the Nominating Committee. A Regular meeting date will be established for each month, September through May inclusive. The date of the regular meeting may, under unusual circumstances, be displaced by not more than seven days by action of the Agenda Committee. The new date must be announced by the Agenda Committee at least seven days in advance of the actual date of such a meeting.

The Senate may be convened for special sessions by the Chancellor or when a written petition signed by 20% of the members of the Senate is submitted to the Chairperson of the Agenda Committee. Members of the Senate shall be given notice of the special session by the Agenda Committee at the earliest possible date and not less than three school days before the meeting. Only subjects specifically listed in the proposed agenda for a special meeting may be considered at that meeting.

The Chancellor or, in the absence of the Chancellor, a representative, or the Chairperson of the Agenda Committee may convene a special emergency session of the Senate. In the event that Purdue University Calumet confronts an emergency which -- in the well-considered judgment of the Chancellor -- seriously threatens the welfare of the University and requires an immediate response and decision by the Senate, the Chancellor may convene a special emergency session on the same day, but not sooner than two hours following the completion of individual telephone calls to the members of the Senate, informing them of the event.

5.01 Officers of the Senate. Officers of the Senate shall be as specified in Article V. B. of the Constitution. The Secretary shall be provided with clerical assistance by the administration.

A. Election of the Chair of the Senate will take place according to the following procedure:

1. In March of each academic year, the Nominating Committee will circulate a list of Senate members with at least one subsequent year of service remaining in their term on the Senate. Those who do not wish to serve as Chair of the Senate may exclude themselves from consideration.

2. At the April Senate meeting, the Senate, by means of a secret ballot administered by the Nominating Committee, shall, by simple majority, elect the Chair of the Senate for the following year.

5.02 Quorum. Two-thirds of the voting members of the Senate shall constitute a quorum. No substitute shall be permitted to serve during the absence of a senator. The presence of a quorum shall be determined by the Secretary at the beginning of each meeting and at other times only at the request of a senator from the floor. Upon instruction from the presiding officer or upon request from any senator, the Sergeant-at-Arms may attempt to secure the attendance of additional senators needed to complete a quorum.

5.03 Attendance at Meetings. Meetings of the Senate shall be open to all faculty members, staff, students, and members of the press, as observers, and to other persons invited to attend by the Agenda Committee or the presiding officer.

5.04 Executive Sessions. At any meeting, the Senate may declare itself in executive session by a majority vote of the voting senators present, and thereby exclude all observers designated as such in Bylaws Section 6.03. Observers explicitly designated by majority vote of the voting senators present may remain in attendance. The purpose of the executive session is for discussion only, and no decisions of the Senate shall be made while in executive session.

5.05 Order of Business. The normal order of business at each regular meeting of the Senate shall be as follows:

A. Call to order

B. Approval of the agenda

C. Acceptance of minutes of the previous meeting

D. Chancellor's Report

E. Chair of the Senate’s Report

F. Special business of the day

G. Unfinished business

H. Reports of Committees

I. Other new business

J. Adjournment

5.06 Agenda. The agenda for a regular meeting of the Senate, as prepared by the Agenda Committee, as well as appropriate documents when possible, shall be distributed to members of the Senate at least five school days before that meeting. In the case of special meetings, the agenda shall be available to members of the Senate at least three school days before the meeting.

The agenda shall indicate what Senate documents are to be dealt with, what committees are to report, and what petitions are to be presented. Allotments of time for presentation of reports or documents may be indicated.

The agenda of regular meetings as prepared by the Agenda Committee is subject to acceptance or modification by the Senate as the second order of business during each meeting by consent or majority vote. After the agenda for a meeting has been accepted by the Senate, the order in which items are dealt with, and specific allotments of time, shall be changed only by majority vote.

5.07 Numbering Documents. The Secretary of the Senate shall assign an identifying number to all documents which are placed on the agenda of a Senate meeting.

5.08 Documents "For Discussion Only." When documents to be considered by the Senate represent major policy recommendations, or when the committee originating the document requests it, the Agenda Committee shall place such documents on the agenda of a meeting "For Discussion Only." At this meeting the Senate may take final action on these documents only in unamended form, and by two-thirds majority of those voting members present. Otherwise, and as normal procedure, the document shall be placed on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Senate "For Action."

As implied in Bylaws Section 5.06, other agenda items may be converted to "For Discussion Only" by consent or majority vote.

5.09 Amendments to Documents "For Discussion Only." When a document is on the floor, "For Discussion Only," amendments to that document may be proposed and discussed but not passed; discussion may be terminated by consent or by postponing temporarily. Substantive amendments to documents which have been considered "For Discussion Only" by the Senate must be submitted to the Agenda Committee for distribution to senators five days before the meeting when the document is to be submitted for action.

5.10 Voting.

A. Decisions of the Senate shall be determined by a majority of voting members present, unless contrary requirements are specified elsewhere in the Bylaws or in the Constitution.

B. Upon all occasions when a majority vote is not apparent after viva voce voting, the presiding officer shall call for a vote by show of hands.

C. Any member of the Senate may request that the Secretary of the Senate call the roll of senators for the purpose of recording individual votes. The entire record of the roll-call votes shall be incorporated in the minutes of the meeting. This request shall be granted without debate. The roll-call vote shall supersede any other vote on the same motion. This roll-call rule shall apply except in cases where secret written ballots are specified by the Constitution or when two or more persons have been nominated for the same elective position. Secret written ballots shall be used in the latter case.

D. When, as specified in the Constitution or the Bylaws, decisions of the Senate shall be determined by a percentage or fraction of its members, rather than by majority vote, that percentage or fraction shall always be defined in whole numbers, with point five or above being considered the next highest number.

5.11 Advice of Faculty. By two-thirds vote of those voting senators present, the Senate may seek the advice and counsel of the faculty on any issue through a mail ballot. The Agenda Committee shall make appropriate arrangements for the handling of the mail ballot.

5.12 Implementation of Senate Actions. The Chair of the Senate shall be responsible for taking the appropriate actions called for by decisions of the Senate.

5.13 Minutes. The minutes of each meeting shall be prepared for distribution to members of the Faculty, to the Secretary of the Student Government, and to the editor of the student paper no less than ten days prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. They shall be written and published by the Secretary of the Senate and shall consist of a summary of events that have occurred in the meeting. Tape recordings of all meetings shall be kept on file by the Secretary for two years. These meeting tapes shall be available to anyone who was authorized to attend the meeting or session involved, but their review shall be under the supervision of the Secretary of the Senate or the Secretary’s designee.

LEGISLATIVE POWERS OF THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY

6.00 Review of Senate Actions. Senate actions are subject to review and check by the Purdue University Calumet Faculty through the following procedures:

A. If any Convocation of the Purdue University Calumet Faculty rejects a previous action of the Senate, the Agenda Committee shall give due notice to all members of the Senate of this action and arrange for appropriate committee consideration of the matter. This appropriate committee shall present its recommendation at the next regular meeting of the Senate.

B. Article VIII. 2. of the Constitution describes the procedure whereby the Faculty can force the immediate reconsideration of the Senate's action. In such a case, a meeting of the Agenda Committee shall be held as soon as possible. The Agenda Committee shall determine the most effective method for consideration of the objections contained in the petition. It shall schedule the petition for consideration by the Senate at the earliest regular meeting (after due consideration of the petition by an appropriate committee, if necessary) or at a special meeting of the Senate called for at an earlier date.

C. If, in either of the above two procedures, the Senate reaffirms its original action, the issue must be submitted by means of a mail ballot, along with appropriate documents, summarizing the two opposing views, to a vote by the Purdue University Calumet Faculty. The issue to be decided by vote is whether to accept or reject the Senate's reaffirmed action. The Agenda Committee shall allow the presentation of a variety of views if proponents of these views present them in appropriate documents. The mail ballot must be sent out within two weeks of the Senate's reaffirmed action or at least five school days before the date of the Spring Commencement, whichever is earlier. The decision of a simple majority of the Faculty returning such a ballot shall be final.

 

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

7.00 Business of the Senate. Business of the Senate shall be transacted according to Robert’s Rules of Order except when these are in conflict with the Constitution or the Bylaws.

7.01 The Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian shall be selected according to Article V. B. 3. of the Constitution.

AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

8.00 Amendments. An amendment to the Bylaws of the Senate may be presented at any regularly scheduled Senate meeting. At that meeting it must be treated as a document "For Discussion Only" . The text of the proposed amendment must be distributed with the agenda for that meeting. The earliest time that such a document may be moved to action is the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate. For approval, the proposed amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote of those voting members present.