Adopted May 2001
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Preamble

We, the faculty of Skyline College do hereby establish the Academic Senate, in order to promote the best interests of higher education at Skyline College and the San Mateo Community College District.

Article I : Name

The name of this organization shall be the Skyline College Academic Senate (herein referred to as the Senate). The Senate shall elect a Governing Council from its membership, herein referred to as the Council.

Article II: - Purpose

The Academic Senate has been established in accordance with Education Code Section 70902(b)(7), which calls on the Board of Governors to enact regulations to ensure the right of faculty to participate effectively in district and college governance. It further ensures the right of Academic Senates to assume primary responsibility for "making recommendations in the areas of curriculum and academic standards."

The Board of Trustees shall ensure the right of the Senate to assume primary responsibility with respect to academic and professional matters, including exercise of the authority to appoint faculty to committees or groups dealing with academic and professional matters as specified in Title 5, Section 53203(f), and full participation in collegial consultation processes. Academic and professional matters as defined in Title 5, Section 53200, include the following:

• Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites

• Degree and certificate requirements

• Grading policies

• Educational program development

• Standards or policies regarding student preparation and success

• College governance structures, as related to faculty roles

• Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes

• Policies for faculty professional development activities

• Processes for program review

• Processes for instructional planning and budget development

• Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon

Article III : Membership and Dues

Section 1. "Member of the Academic Senate": The Academic Senate shall include any employee of Skyline College who is employed in academic positions that are not designated supervisory or management.

Section 2. Consistent with the California Education Code, the Academic Senate may call upon its members for the payment of professional dues. However, professional dues are not to be a condition for eligibility to membership in the Senate, and no sanctions are to be imposed upon those members who do not pay such professional dues. Collection of dues payments may be accomplished under the District's payroll deduction arrangements or through receipt from the members of personal checks made payable to Skyline College Academic Senate.

Article IV : Powers and Responsibilities

Consistent with this constitution, all powers and responsibilities of the Senate shall be exercised by and through the Council .

Article V : Governing Council of the Academic Senate

Section 1.The Governing Council shall be the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, past-president, Chair of the Curriculum Committee, Chair of the Educational Policy Committee, Chair of the Professional Personnel Committee, and Chair of the Research Committee elected from the entire membership.. In addition, each Division of the College may elect from its members a Division Representative with the following exceptions:

1. Divisions that include 6 or fewer full-time faculty may join another by mutual choice for purposes of representation.

2. Faculty that are not members of a clearly defined division may join a Division by mutual choice for purposes of representation.

Section 2. The term of office for all the elected members of the Governing Council shall be from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Article VI : Meetings

Section 1. A quorum for a meeting of the Senate shall be 20% of the members of the Senate.

Section 2. A quorum for a meeting of the Council and all Academic Senate Committees shall consist of a simple majority.

Section 3. All Council meetings and Senate meetings will be open meetings, consistent with applicable State laws.

Article VII : Amendments

Section 1. This Constitution may be amended by a 60% affirmative vote of the Senate members who vote in the election, provided notice in writing of a proposed amendment has been filed with the Senate secretary and copies have been made available to the members of the Senate at least two weeks preceding the election.

Section 2. The By-laws may be amended by a simple majority affirmative vote of those Senate members who vote in the election, provided notice in writing of a proposed amendment has been filed with the Senate secretary and copies have been made available to the members of the Senate at least two weeks preceding the election.