Standing Rules of the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty Council, 2022

(Replaces OSU-Cascades Faculty Bylaws, 2019)

Objective:

To assume shared responsibility with the administration for the creation, maintenance, and protection of a university environment conducive to the full and free development and preservation of scholarly learning, teaching, and research.

To accomplish these objectives the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty Council, representing the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty, shall have responsibility to make recommendations to the OSU Faculty Senate or administration for OSU-Cascades or OSU with respect to academic policies, educational standards, curricula, and academic regulations; study and prepare recommendations to the OSU-Cascades or OSU administration concerning the welfare of the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty; provide the means through which any matter of general interest to the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty or pertaining to the institution and its purpose may be brought to the OSU Faculty Senate or administration for OSU-Cascades or OSU for discussion and appropriate action.

Faculty:

The Academic Faculty (hereinto referred to as “Faculty”) is defined as:

Members of the OSU-Cascades Unclassified Academic Staff who hold one of these academic ranks: Instructor, Senior Instructor I, Senior Instructor II, Faculty Research Assistant, Senior Faculty Research Assistant I, Senior Faculty Research Assistant II, Senior Research Associate, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Assistant Professor of Practice, Associate Professor of Practice, Professor of Practice, Assistant Professor (Clinical), Associate Professor (Clinical), and Professor (Clinical). Professional Faculty with academic program management and/or teaching component of their assigned duties are also considered part of the Faculty.  Program Directors, or those who have faculty supervisory duties should not serve on AFC, due to their conflict of responsibilities around supervision.

Members of the Faculty who are participatory members of the OSU-Cascades Vice President Leadership Team are welcome at Academic Faculty meetings but are not eligible to vote on Council items.  All other Faculty as defined above are eligible to vote on action items brought to the full Academic Faculty. 

Academic Faculty Council Officers:

The officers of the Faculty shall be elected from members, of the vote-eligible Faculty and consist of the following: (a) Faculty Chair, who has served as Faculty Chair-Elect during the preceding election term, (b) Faculty Chair-Elect, an elected member of the Faculty, and (c) Past-Chair. 

Chair: Shall be the elected representative of the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty (elected by a simple majority of the entire faculty that participate in the scheduled and advertised vote).  Shall preside at meetings of the Academic Faculty.  Shall solicit nomination from the vote-eligible Academic Faculty membership for at least one, preferably two or more, candidates for election to positions on the Council.  Shall represent the OSU-Cascades Faculty in discussions with the OSU-Cascades administration, and where applicable, the OSU administration and the OSU Faculty Senate. Shall represent the faculty in discussions with other organized groups inside and outside the University. Shall be the faculty representative member of the OSU-Cascades Leadership Team.  Shall determine, in consultation with the Faculty officers, agenda for meetings of the Council.  Shall administer the office of the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty Council and oversee retention of the records of the Faculty. The term of service for this role will be one year.  For 9- and 12-month faculty, serving as the Chair will meet all service requirements between Sept 15 and June 16. As needed, a summer stipend or professional development funds will be provided (as per an MOU with the OSU-Cascades Leadership) and the Chair will be expected to be actively engaged in Academic Faculty Council work on campus during the summer.

Chair Elect: Shall represent the Council in the absence of the Faculty Chair or by request of that officer. Shall preside at meetings of the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty in the absence of the Faculty Chair upon request. Shall, with the Faculty Chair, establish agenda for meetings of the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty. Shall be sufficiently involved in the workings of the Council to prepare adequately for future duties as Chair. The term of service for this role will be one year.

Immediate Past Chair: Shall provide advice and leadership to the Council regarding past practices and other matters to assist the Council. The Immediate Past Chair supports the Chair and the Chair-Elect on an as-needed basis. The Immediate Past Chair performs the duties of the Chair in the absence or disability of the Chair and Chair-Elect.

Council Membership:

Membership: The Council shall consist of:

• the Faculty Chair, 
• the Faculty Chair-Elect, 
• the Immediate Past Faculty Chair, 
• elected representative from each of the OSU-Cascades academic units, including a unit to represent Associated Faculty
• OSU-Cascades Faculty Senator or OSU-Cascades representative to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee who is not concurrently serving a separate role on the AFC, as a non-voting Ex-officio member

Duties: The Council shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Academic Faculty, fix the hour and place of meetings, and perform such other duties as are specified in these Rules or as may be assigned to it by the Academic Faculty. Shall appoint the members, including any student members who may be authorized by the Standing Rules, determine the tenure, and may designate the Chair of all Academic Faculty Council committees and task forces. Shall oversee the Faculty Marshall Nominations. 

Regular meetings of the Council shall be held at least once each month, from October through May inclusive. Special meetings may be called by the Faculty Chair or at the request of three members of the Council. During the summer period, June 16 through September 15, the three Faculty Chairs shall have complete authority to act for the Academic Faculty in matters of urgent necessity.

Election Procedure for Elected Members of the Academic Council: The AFC Chair shall solicit nomination from the vote-eligible Academic Faculty membership for at least one, preferably two or more, candidates for election to positions on the Council. The Chair shall report the names of nominees to the regular November meeting of the Academic Faculty Council. Additional nominations may be made from the floor and the nominations shall be closed. The Academic Faculty Council shall cause to be published the names of nominees for the Council in a faculty newsletter no later than the third week in November.

The election shall take place the first week of December and shall be conducted electronically or in a manner designated by the Council. Each OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty member shall be entitled to vote for candidates representing their unit. Those candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. Tie votes shall be resolved by written ballot in a run-off election at the regular January meeting of the Academic Faculty. If a nominee running for both Chair-elect and an open Council position is elected Chair-elect, then the second highest vote nominee for the open position will fill the open unit position, or a unit-specific election will immediately be held to fill the open position if there was only one nominee.

Term of Office and Vacancies. Faculty elected to open positions on the Council shall be installed at the first regular Academic Faculty Council meeting of each Calendar year and shall serve a term of two years or until a successor has been duly installed. To allow for continuity of the Council, approximately half of the open positions shall be elected each year, with the remaining continuing, with the Council maintaining adequate records to identify units eligible for the current election. An elected member who, at the completion of his/her/their term, will have served on the Council for more than eighteen (18) months, is recommended to wait two years before being reelected.

The position of a Council member shall become vacant by: (1) Resignation, on the effective date specified in a letter of resignation to the Faculty Chair; (2) Leave of Absence, on the effective date of a leave from the campus in excess of one academic term, exclusive of Summer Term; (3) Termination or resignation, on the effective date; (4) election to Chair-elect; (5) Recall or Rescind; or (6) non-participation due to non-attendance of meetings (specifically, a member missing three meetings during the term, unless deemed an excused absence by vote of the Council).

Procedure for Changes to Standing Rules of the Academic Council. Any change to the standing rules must be passed via a majority vote by the vote-eligible members of the AFC.  

Committees and Taskforces:

The OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty Council shall, from time to time, by a simple majority vote, create new standing committees and task forces, discharge, consolidate, or divide others. It shall establish Ad Hoc Committees as the need arises and as directed by the provisions of the motions that it adopts.

All Council committees and task forces dealing with academic policy matters, and all standing committees authorized by the OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty Council for carrying out its Objects shall be responsible to the Academic Faculty Council. These shall include such standing committees and task forces as:

1)    Standing Committees and Task-Forces:
a.    Research Excellence Committee
b.    Teaching Excellence Committee

Academic Faculty Council Meetings:

Shall be held once per month, beginning in October and finishing in May. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Council in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Rules.  

Quorum:
Academic Faculty Council Quorum: a minimum of 5 of the 9 voting members of the Council with at least two open position representatives.

Academic Faculty Meetings:

Shall be held at least once per term (summer excepted). The meeting and agenda shall be set by the Faculty Chair and the Council. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern faculty meetings in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Rules. Voting items can be brought to the Academic Faculty by the Council and the Academic Faculty can, during meetings, develop and vote on items related to Faculty business, including charging the Council with tasks.

Quorum:
Academic Faculty Meeting Quorum: a passing vote will be a simple majority of the voting faculty. Voting will be held electronically. 

Unit Membership Table:
The Unit Membership Table represents groupings of OSU-Cascades academic programs. The Table will be updated at the start of each fall term by the Council.
 

OSU-Cascades Academic Faculty Council Unit Membership Table

The units represent loose alignment of programs and supporting disciplines to ensure the diversity of our faculty are represented on the executive committee and do not reflect administrative lines at OSU-Cascades. This table is reviewed annually and revised as needed and as directed by the Rules.