Faculty Senate Bylaws

Effective 10/21/2025

Article I. Name

The Faculty Senate of Florida Southwestern State College is the faculty governing agency of its administrative unit, formed under the provisions of Section 03-1109 of the College Operating Procedures of the Board of Trustees of Florida Southwestern State College

Article II. Definitions

For the purpose of these Bylaws, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

President: The President of the College.

Executive Committee: The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate President/Chair: The principal facilitator and representative of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, elected by the college-wide faculty. The Faculty Senate President shall be a continuing contract faculty member.

Faculty Senate President-Elect: A faculty member elected by the college-wide faculty who shall assume membership on the Executive Committee immediately following the confirmation vote in February.

Faculty Senate Vice President: A faculty member elected by the college-wide faculty. The Vice President shall be a continuing contract faculty member.

Executive Committee Membership: The Executive Committee shall consist of the Faculty Senate President, the Faculty Senate Vice President, and the Faculty Senate President Elect. In addition, membership shall include one faculty representative from each of the following:

1. School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
2. School of Business and Technology
3. School of Education
4. School of Allied Health
5. School of Nursing
6. School of Pure and Applied Sciences
7. Charlotte Campus
8. Collier Campus
9. Hendy-Glades Center
10. Lee/Edison Campus
11. The FSW Libraries

Parliamentarian: A faculty member voted from the ranks of the Executive Committee, or nominated and approved by the Committee, responsible for ensuring that all activities of the Committee comply with these Bylaws and Robert’s Rules of Order.

Secretary: A faculty member voted from the ranks of the Executive Committee, responsible for recording and distributing minutes, reports, and other documents deemed essential for communication and transparency.

Terms of Office: Members of the Executive Committee, other than the Faculty Senate President, Vice President, and President-Elect, shall serve one-year terms. The Faculty Senate President, Vice President, and President-Elect shall serve three-year terms. Members may be nominated for additional consecutive terms.

Voting Members of the Faculty: All persons holding regular, full-time academic appointments in the constituent faculties of Florida SouthWestern State College, including library faculty.

Article III. Purpose and Functions

Recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs The Faculty Senate shall make recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for consideration and transmittal to the Board of Trustees concerning policies governing:

1. Standards of curricula and content of degree programs;
2. Standards and facilities of research and scholarship;
3. Establishment, discontinuance, merging, or transfer of departments within constituent faculties, with consultation from the Faculty Senate;
4. The College academic calendar and modifications thereto.

Recommendations to the President The Faculty Senate shall make recommendations to the President for consideration and transmittal to the Board of Trustees concerning policies governing:

1. Admission standards and academic requirements for students;
2. Awarding of degrees in course;
3. Awarding of honorary degrees;
4. New degrees and modifications to existing degrees.

Advisory Functions The Faculty Senate shall advise and consult with the Vice President for Academic Affairs regarding:

1. Appointment of major academic officers outside the constituent faculties;
2. Formulation of the budget and allocation of resources and facilities;
3. Long-range planning and matters of similar concern to the faculty.

Program and Policy Review The Faculty Senate shall review current programs, policies, and organizational structures for effectiveness and shall propose development and introduction of new programs, policies, and structures as appropriate.

Amendments The Faculty Senate may recommend amendments to these Bylaws.

Article IV. Membership and Privilege of Attendance

1. The Secretary shall maintain attendance records for the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and report, in February of each year, members who have missed more than half of all regular and special meetings. The Chair shall designate a member to inquire into the circumstances of such absences.
2. Members without extraordinary circumstances shall be notified in writing that they are ineligible to serve on the Executive Committee for the remainder of their term.
3. Special elections shall be held within 30 days of removal.
4. Privilege of Attendance: Members of the Board of Trustees, the President or designee, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, vice presidents, deans, and other academic officers may attend meetings by invitation of the Faculty Senate President, request of the faculty, or recommendation of the Executive Committee.

Article V. Officers

1. In March of each academic year, the Executive Committee will solicit volunteers for standing and ad hoc committees, as needed.
2. In January of each academic year, nominations for Senate President, Vice President, and Executive Committee members will be open for two weeks, collected by an election supervisor not seeking office.
3. Electronic ballots will be sent to all full-time faculty for the offices of President and Vice President. Electronic ballots will be sent to all full-time faculty in the relevant schools, campuses, and locations for Executive Committee Elections. Electronic voting will be open for a two-week period.
4. Additional offices may be created or dissolved by majority vote of the Executive Committee as needs arise.
5. Terms for newly elected officers begin at the start of the following fall semester.

6. Vacancies In the event that an elected officer or representative is unable to complete their term, the vacancy shall be filled as follows:

   1. If the Faculty Senate President is unable to complete the term, the Vice President shall assume the office of President, and a special election shall be held to fill the office of Vice President within 30 days of the vacancy.
   2. If the Faculty Senate Vice President is unable to complete the term, a special election shall be held to fill the office of Vice President within 30 days of the vacancy.
   3. If any elected representative member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee is unable to complete the term, a special election shall be held to fill the vacant position within 30 days of the vacancy.

Meetings

1. Regular Meetings The Faculty Senate shall hold at least three (3) regular meetings from September through December and at least three (3) from January through May. The interval between successive meetings shall normally be no less than one month. Meeting dates shall be determined by the Executive Committee in consultation with the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
2. Special and Emergency Meetings Special or emergency meetings may be called by the Faculty Senate President, by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, or upon a written petition signed by at least twenty percent (20%) of Faculty Senate members. Such petitions shall be delivered to the Faculty Senate President, who shall schedule the meeting. The Executive Committee may allow electronic attendance and voting at such meetings.
3. Notifications and Agenda The Faculty Senate President shall notify all members at least five (5) days prior to regular meetings.
4. Presiding Officer and Rules The Faculty Senate President, or in their absence, the Vice President, shall preside over meetings. All meetings shall follow the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, except as otherwise specified in these Bylaws.

5. Order of Business - Regular Meetings

   1. Adoption of agenda
   2. Approval or correction of minutes from previous regular and special meetings
   3. Information items and discussion
   4. Consideration of motion items
   5. Reports of standing committees
   6. Reports of ad hoc committees
   7. Faculty announcements
   8. New business
   9. Adjournment
6. Order of Business - Special or Emergency Meetings The order of business shall be limited to matters for which the meeting was called.
7. Reports, Motions, and Amendments All committee reports shall be submitted in writing. Motions and amendments shall be added to new business to allow proper notification to all faculty.
8. Voting Procedure Voting at all meetings of the Faculty Senate shall be conducted by voice, show of hands, or secret ballot, including confidential and verifiable electronic balloting. When meetings are conducted via videoconferencing platforms (e.g., Zoom), voting may be conducted electronically or through platform-supported features (e.g., polling, raised-hand functions), provided that confidentiality and accuracy are maintained.
9. Minutes The Secretary shall prepare and maintain minutes of each meeting.

10. Quorum

    1. A minimum of 30 voting members shall constitute a quorum at any regular Faculty Senate meeting.
    2. If a quorum cannot be established, non-voting items may proceed, and the meeting may be adjourned afterward.

Article VII. Committees

1. Executive Committee

   1. The Executive Committee shall consist of thirteen members, including one representative from each geographic location, one from each School, and one from the libraries. A faculty member may satisfy more than one representation requirement simultaneously on a temporary basis.
   2. Members may be asked to volunteer for special projects during summer sessions; supplemental contracts shall be provided as per CNA requirements.
   3. Faculty Senate and FSW Faculty Union members shall not hold the office of President or Vice President in both units simultaneously.
   4. The Executive Committee shall consult with the College President and Vice President for Academic Affairs and may act on emergency matters between Senate meetings. The Senate President shall advise the President and Vice President for Academic Affairs in the selection of academic officers.
   5. The Senate President shall set the agenda for Faculty Senate meetings.

2. Standing Committees

   1. All standing committees report to the Faculty Senate.
   2. All standing committees operate in accordance with College Operating Procedures and CNA guidelines.

   3. Per the Collective Negotiation Agreement between the Florida Southwestern State College Board of Trustees and the Florida Southwestern State College Faculty Federation, Standing Committees are defined as follows:

      1. Academic Standards Committee
      2. Academic Technology Committee
      3. Curriculum Committee
      4. General Education Advisory Council
      5. Learning Assessment Committee
      6. Professional Development Committee

   4. Ad Hoc Committees

      1. Ad hoc committees may be established by the Executive Committee or majority vote of the Faculty Senate. Committee chairs shall submit proposed charges to the Senate President for approval by the Executive Committee. Terms shall not exceed twelve months unless extended by the Executive Committee.
      2. Ad hoc committees may include members of the College community who are not Faculty Senate members, at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Article VIII. Amendments

1. Amendments may be proposed by majority vote of the Faculty Senate and require a simple majority (50% +1) for approval. Proposed amendments shall be discussed in a meeting, with electronic ballots sent for voting.
2. The Faculty Senate shall review all Bylaws at least once every five (5) years and recommend amendments as appropriate.
3. Approved amendments shall take effect immediately.
4. Copies of amended Bylaws shall be posted on the College’s Senate webpage.