CONSTITUTION OF THE RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARTICLE I. NAME AND MISSION Section 1. The name of the representative organization hereby established shall be the Academic Senate for the Riverside Community College District, hereafter called the District Academic Senate. Section 2. Mission of The District Academic Senate: A. The District Academic Senate operates pursuant to Title 5, Subchapter 2, Sections 53200 - 53206, California Code of Regulations and Education Code Sections 70900-70902. B. The District Academic Senate is the duly elected official voice of the Academic Senates of the Riverside Community College District, and is comprised of representatives from each of the College Academic Senates within the District. It is an official vehicle for communication between the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees, the Riverside Community College District Administration, and College faculties. It is recognized as a body through which dialog necessary to the formulation of District policy and recommendations in academic and professional matters may take place, particularly in the following areas (Title V, Section 53200): 1. curriculum, including establishing prerequisites and placing courses within disciplines; 2. degree and certificate requirements; 3. grading policies; 4. educational program development; 5. standards or policies regarding student preparation and success; 6. district and college governance structures, as related to faculty roles; 7. faculty roles and involvements in accreditation processes, including self study and annual reports; 8. policies for faculty professional development activities; 9. processes for program review; 10. processes for institutional planning and budget development; 11. other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon between the Board of Trustees and the District Academic Senate. ARTICLE II. POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES The powers of the District Academic Senate shall be: Section 1. To provide coordination among the faculties and Academic Senates of the Colleges within the Riverside Community College District. Section 2. To participate in the formation of policies and procedures in academic and professional matters. Section 3. To coordinate the academic and professional development of a multi-college district. Section 4. To facilitate communication between the Board of Trustees, the Administration, faculty, and students in all matters relating to community college education. Section 5. The District Academic Senate is recognized by the Board of Trustees as a consultant body to the Board of Trustees and to the Chancellor. Section 6. The District Academic Senate may accept any powers and responsibilities delegated to it by law and by the Board of Trustees. Further, it is recognized as a partner in developing the policies of participatory governance for the District. Section 7. The District Academic Senate may accept any powers and responsibilities delegated to it by joint resolution of the Academic Senates of the Colleges. Section 8. The President of each College Academic Senate shall have a recognized chair at all formal meetings of the Board of Trustees. The District Academic Senate President shall be empowered to speak to the items under consideration. Section 9. The Academic Senate of a College within the District may present views and recommendations to the Chancellor for inclusion in the Board Agenda as information items. The Board of Trustees shall consider and respond to such views and recommendations (Title 5, Section 53200). Section 10. Initiate research relating to policies and procedures on academic and professional matters. Section 11. Participate in Board of Trustees Subcommittees with governing board representatives in the development of key institutional policies, including but not limited to minimum qualifications, equivalencies, and hiring procedures; and collaborate with the bargaining agent, in the development of personnel policies (e.g., tenure review, evaluation procedures, and faculty service areas). Section 12. Provide a mechanism for the selection of the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. ARTICLE III. LIMITATION OF AUTHORITY Section 1. The District Academic Senate is comprised of representatives from the Academic Senates from the Colleges of the District, and must provide a forum for the expression of concerns from these separate entities. Constituent Academic Senates shall enjoy equality in the deliberative process, and through the District Academic Senate be heard as one voice. Section 2. District decisions may only be made by the District Academic Senate. It is expected that a culture of collegiality will prevail and consensus will be reached. However, when consensus is not reached, a majority vote may be used. When no agreement exists, a joint session of the College Senates may be called by two out of three College Academic Senate presidents or two out of three College Academic Senates. Section 3. If a joint session of the College Senates does not produce consensus, a College Academic Senate President may demand that a majority vote be taken. At the discretion of the dissenting College Academic Senate, a minority report may be presented to the Board of Trustees. ARTICLE IV. REPRESENTATION Section 1. The voting members of the District Academic Senate shall consist of the Academic Senate President or designee from each of the Academic Senates from the Colleges of the Riverside Community College District. Section 2. The District Academic Senate will also include a non-voting chairperson from each of the Standing Committees established by the By-laws of the District Academic Senate and the Chancellor's designee. Section 3: All meetings of the District Academic Senate, and all committees authorized under District Academic Senate auspices, shall be open to all members of the faculty, the Administration, staff, students, and the public. Section 4. When the membership of the District Academic Senate does not include a faculty member from a vocational area, the District Academic Senate shall appoint a faculty member to serve in a non-voting capacity for one academic year. Section 5. The District Academic Senate shall hold regular meetings not less than once a month during the full semesters of the academic year. The time and place of regular meetings shall be determined by the District Academic Senate. A quorum of the District Academic Senate will be the three College Academic Senate Presidents or designees. ARTICLE V. OFFICERS Section 1. Officers for the District Academic Senate shall include a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary. Section 2. The office of the District President shall rotate annually among the Presidents or designees of the College Academic Senates next in alphabetical order according to the names of the Colleges. Section 3. The incoming President shall designate the Vice-President and Secretary, subject to the agreement of those nominated. Appointments take effect immediately upon agreement of those serving. Section 4. The officers of the District Academic Senate shall serve terms of office of one year. Section 5. The President and Vice President of the District Academic Senate may not hold the office of the President or Vice President of RCC-CTA concurrently. Section 6. The officers of the District Academic Senate serve for the fiscal year (July 1-June 30.). Section 7. The District Academic Senate President shall: A. develop agendas and conduct meetings of the District Academic Senate; B. regularly meet with the District Chancellor, with other administrators and staff as needed, and report to the District Academic Senate on relevant issues; C. represent before the Board of Trustees any faculty matter within the purview of the District Academic Senate; D. represent the District Academic Senate on any District-wide and/or administrative council; E. represent the District Academic Senate in consultation with RCC-CTA, CSEA, and the District Student Senate; F. upon approval of the District Academic Senate, register District Academic Senate endorsement of documents sent to relevant federal, state, and regional authorities; G. address academic and professional aspects of regulatory issues in the Education code and Title 5, and organize a District Academic Senate response in a timely manner; H. make appointments not otherwise provided for in this Constitution, such appointments to be ratified by agreement of the District Academic Senate. Section 8. The District Vice-President shall: A. act in the capacity of the President in any case where the President is unable to serve; B. participate with the District Academic Senate President in monthly meetings with the Chancellor of the District, and with others as needed. Section 9. The District Secretary shall: A. keep minutes of the District Academic Senate meetings, keep minutes of any general faculty meeting called by the District Academic Senate, make these records available to the entire faculty following District Academic Senate approval, maintain a file of all minutes and official documents (e.g. dated copy of Constitution and By-Laws of the District Academic Senate, expiration dates of all terms of office of officers and committee members); B. ensure that all written material be prepared in a timely manner for dissemination at general sessions of the District Academic Senate; C. participate with the District Academic Senate President in monthly meetings with the Chancellor of the District, and with other administrators and staff as needed; ARTICLE VI. DISTRICT ACADEMIC SENATE COMMITTEES Section 1. The District Academic Senate shall create such District Standing Committees as it deems necessary for the fulfillment of its role in the governance of the District. Standing committees shall be listed, their functions and their membership described, and their membership selection processes explained in the District Academic Senate By-Laws. With the exception of the Curriculum Committee, Standing Committees shall be composed of two members from each of the Colleges in the District, designated in a fashion determined in the Constitutions and Bylaws of the College Academic Senates. Section 2. The District Academic Senate shall create ad hoc committees as needed to conduct the business of the District Academic Senate or to fulfill any of its governance responsibilities. Membership on ad hoc committees may come from the District Academic Senate or from the faculty at large or from a combination of sources as the District Senate determines. The District Academic Senate President shall name members of ad hoc committees contingent upon the approval of the District Academic Senate ARTICLE VII. BY-LAWS AND AMENDMENTS Section 1. Upon the consent of the College Academic Senates in the District, any article or section of this Constitution may be amended. Section 2. Amendments may be proposed by any College Academic Senate in the District. Section 3. The By-Laws of the District Academic Senate shall be enacted or amended by the District Academic Senate in accordance with the Constitution of the Senate. ARTICLE VIII. EFFECTIVE DATE Section 1. This District Academic Senate Constitution will take effect upon the approval of the faculty of the Riverside Community College District. Until such time as the Riverside Community College District is composed of separately accredited colleges, the District Academic Senate President shall represent all faculty, organized on campuses of the District. To the extent possible, the principles embodied in this document will be honored as the District works toward separate accreditation for its colleges. Section 2. This District Academic Senate Constitution shall be re-authorized by each of the College Academic Senates upon the Re-Accreditation of the Riverside Community College District as a multi-college district, whichever comes later. BYLAWS OF
THE RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARTICLE I. COMMITTEE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Section 1. The purpose of Standing Committees is to facilitate the work of the District Academic Senate in the areas described in I.2.B of the Constitution. Each Committee shall, at its first meeting and under the supervision of the President of the District Academic Senate, elect a chairperson to serve for one year and to represent the committee on the District Academic Senate. Each committee shall meet regularly, but not less than once monthly during the fall and spring semesters. The chairperson of each Standing Committee shall represent the Committee on the District Academic Senate. With the approval of the committee, the chairperson may delegate this duty to any willing member of the committee. Chairs of the Standing Committees shall rotate annually among the Colleges on an alphabetical basis. Section 2. Each Standing Committee will be composed of six members serving staggered two-year terms. Two faculty members shall be chosen from each College in a fashion designated by the Constitutions/By-Laws of the College. Section 3. The primary purpose of District Standing Committees shall be to discuss and inform the College Academic Senates in order to empower them to make decisions in academic and professional interests of their faculty. Where a District Standing Committee believes a change in District Board Policy is needed, its members shall recommend changes to and through their College Academic Senates. Section 4. Each Standing Committee of the District Academic Senate shall identify an Administrator to serve as non-voting co-chair and to provide a liaison to the Administration. ARTICLE II. STANDING COMMITTEES Section 1. The Curriculum Committee A. The District Curriculum Committee shall be the coordinating voice of faculty in the District with regard to Title V, Section 53200.1, "Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites and placing courses within disciplines" B. The District Curriculum Committee shall be made up of faculty representatives from each College, in the manner determined by the Constitution and By-laws of the College. C. All curricular matters of relevance to a single College shall be resolved by the curriculum committee of the College affected. D. All curricular matters which impact two or more Colleges must come before the District Curriculum Committee. The District Curriculum Committee shall have the power to recommend resolution of curricular conflicts between Colleges to the District Academic Senate. The chairperson of the District Curriculum Committee shall represent the District Curriculum Committee to the District Academic Senate, which shall make the final decision in areas of curricular conflict. Section 2. The Professional Growth and Sabbatical Leave Committee A. The District Professional Growth and Sabbatical Leave Committee shall be the coordinating voice of faculty in the District with regard to Title V, Section 53200.8, "policies for faculty professional development activities" Section 3. The Strategic Planning and Budget Committee A. Section 1. The Strategic Planning and Budget Committee shall be the coordinating voice of faculty in the District with regard to Title V, Section 53200.10, "processes for institutional planning and budget development." B. The Strategic Planning and Budget Committee shall establish a liaison with both RCC-CTA and the District Chief Financial Officer. Section 4. Academic Standards Committee A. The Academic Standards Committee shall be the coordinating voice of faculty in the District with regard to Title V, Sections 53200.2 and .3, "degree and certificate requirements" and "grading policies" Section 5. Assessment and Accreditation Committee A. The District Assessment and Accreditation Committee shall be the coordinating voice of faculty in the District with regard to Title V, Sections 53200.5 and .7, "standards or policies regarding student preparation and success" and "faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes, including self study and annual reports" Section 6. Program Review Committee A. The District Program Review shall be the coordinating voice of faculty in the District with regard to Title V, Sections 53200.9, "processes for program review." Section 7. Part-Time Faculty Committee A. The District Academic Senate shall establish a Part-Time Faculty Committee to report on issues relating to part-time faculty. B. The Part-Time Faculty Committee shall establish a liaison with CTA. ARTICLE III. THE FACULTY LECTURE Section 1. The District Academic Senate shall designate the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. The Faculty Lecturer shall not normally come from the same college in any two subsequent years. The District Academic Senate may delegate the means of selecting the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer to a College in the District. |