University of Maryland University College

Faculty Advisory Council

BYLAWS

[2005]
 

ARTICLE I: Purpose and Authorization

1. In accordance with Article IV.1 of the Constitution of the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Faculty Advisory Council (FAC), these Bylaws of the FAC ("Bylaws") define further its structure and procedures.

2. In accordance with Article IV.2 of the Constitution of the FAC, these Bylaws have been adopted by an absolute majority vote of the FAC and are subject to amendments as provided by Article VIII herein.

ARTICLE II. Membership

1. Voting members of the FAC are those UMUC faculty members elected to the FAC by the UMUC faculty.

2. Non-voting ex-officio members of the FAC include the UMUC President and Provost and/or their designees.

3. The total membership shall equal at least 15 members.

4. In accordance with Article II.2 of the Constitution,  there shall be:

(a) Four Collegiate Faculty members from Adelphi (two from Undergraduate Programs; two from Graduate Programs)
(b) Two Collegiate Faculty members from the European Division
(c) Two Collegiate Faculty members from the Asian Division
(d) Three Adjuncts (representing the three geographic divisions)
(e) One Librarian (f) Three at-large members. These members shall be those faculty who received the next largest number of votes in any category.
5. Faculty members who serve as FAC representatives do so as service to UMUC.  However, consistent with Article I.A.2 of the FAC constitution, it is the responsibility of UMUC to ensure that FAC members are given adequate time and flexibility to participate in FAC fully and effectively.  That means that the supervisor(s) of any FAC representative needs to make accommodations for the additional time demands that serving in this position imposes, including, but not limited to, providing time for participation in synchronous meetings as well as working asynchronously, communicating with members of the faculty and participating in discussions with UMUC administrators.  Accommodations may take the form of release time, schedule flexibility, administrative leave, or any other form which can be agreed upon between the FAC representative and his or her supervisor(s).  Any problem in reaching such accommodation should be raised by the FAC representative with the FAC Chair and be settled with the Provost.
 

ARTICLE III. Elections

1. Ordinary elections for the FAC shall be held in October for terms that begin on 1 January of the following year.

(a) A request for nominations will be publicized at least 6 weeks prior to the beginning of voting.
(b) The nomination process will take place on the shared governance pages of the UMUC website, where a nomination form will be available.
(c) Candidates failing to complete this form by the close of nominations will NOT be included on the ballot. It is the responsibility of the candidate to complete this form.
2.  A ballot shall be created listing all vacancies on the Council. All nominees shall be listed according to their faculty category. The ballot shall appear 3 weeks prior to the beginning of voting.

3.  Voting shall be open for a period of two weeks. Voting shall be primarily electronic. A telephone voting mechanism will be set up for those who will be without connectivity during the voting period. This must be requested in advance by a deadline prescribed on the election web pages. The window for telephone votes will consist of one eight-hour workday during the electronic voting period and shall be set up in three locations: Adelphi, Heidelberg, and Yokota. This sub-section is subject to availability of technology and Administration agreement.

4. The voting shall be  supervised by an election committee approved by FAC.

5. The FAC, by absolute majority vote, may select a faculty member to fill a seat that has been vacated during a term of membership. The selected faculty member should be the one who received the next highest vote in that category in the previous election. The selected faculty member shall occupy the vacated seat until the next election for that position.
 

ARTICLE IV. Term of Members

1. The term of office of FAC members shall be for two years.

2. FAC members may be re-elected for two additional terms.

3. Approximately one half of the members will be elected each year.

4. Any FAC member may be removed for cause from the FAC by absolute majority vote.

5.  Status of elected FAC members is to be determined by their faculty ranking at the time of their election, and no member should be forced to resign his/her seat by virtue of a change in ranking during his/her term of office.
 

ARTICLE V. Officers, Executive Committee, Term of Officers, and Duties

1. The FAC shall elect four officers to participate in its Executive Committee. These four members shall form the Executive Committee.

2. The Officers shall be elected by FAC members.

3. Elections for Officers shall take place annually following the October FAC elections.

4. The Officers shall be elected for a term of one year.

5. Officers are eligible for re-election.

6. Duties of Officers.

(a) The Executive Committee shall preside over FAC meetings and officially represent the faculty and its views to the President and the other officers of UMUC.
(b) The Executive Committee shall oversee the taking of minutes, reporting of FAC activities to the President, and maintaining an archive of reports and minutes.
(c) The Executive Committee shall facilitate the organization of task forces and committees within FAC in consensus with the remaining FAC members.
(d) The tasks described in V.7.a-c shall be distributed among the members of the Executive Committee as they see fit. FAC and UMUC administration shall be clearly informed as to the distribution of tasks decided upon by the Executive Committee.
(e) For the sake of clarity and the convenience of senior administrators, one member of the Executive Committee shall be deemed the official liaison to the Provost's Office. Should this FAC member be absent or incapable of performing these duties, an alternate will be named.
(f) The Chair of FAC shall be one of the four representatives of FAC on the University Advisory Council.
ARTICLE VI. Meetings

1. Synchronous meetings of the FAC shall be held no less frequently than once in the Fall and once in the Spring of each year.

2. The FAC shall make all effort to meet as necessary, using all means at its disposal. Meetings will consist of ongoing online conferencing, synchronous audio conferences, global and/or regional face-to-face meetings of FAC representatives, and video conferencing as physically possible and as supported by the FAC budget.

3. Records shall be kept of FAC activities. In the case of synchronous meetings, these will consist of minutes. In the case of ongoing FAC activities, these records will consist of periodic reports, composed and published by the Executive Committee.

4. FAC members in attendance at a meeting shall vote there. Members not in attendance may give their proxy in writing to another member.

5.  Sixty percent of the FAC members present shall constitute a quorum.

6. Voting Procedures.

(a)  Voting may be either electronic, audio, or face-to-face, as required. In the case of an anonymous online vote, an ex-officio member will be asked to receive, tally, and announce the vote.
(b) Votes (with the exception of Executive Committee elections) will take place in the WT classroom. A voting issue must be announced by the parties holding the vote. The announcement period shall be 3 days. This information must appear in class announcements and be sent by email.
(c) A voting period begins with the announcement and will consist of 3 working days beyond the end of the announcement period.
(d) The votes will be cast in a designated area within the WT classroom. An email confirmation of the vote will be sent (by forwarding function in the WT classroom) to the Secretary at the time of voting, so that there will be a second confirmation that the vote has been cast.
(e) Votes cast after the end of voting will not be counted.
(f) FAC members may contest a voting result if a vote has not been properly administered or counted. This challenge must be made to the Executive Committee within 48 hours of the results being announced.


ARTICLE VII. Committees

1. The FAC may have additional committees beyond the Executive Committee as necessary.

2. A permanent committee of the FAC may be created or abolished by absolute majority vote.

3. Committees of limited duration may be created by the Executive Committee or by majority vote.
 

ARTICLE VIII. Amendments to Bylaws

1. Bylaws can be amended whenever the FAC deems necessary. Suggestions for changes will be considered when submitted by the Provost or a minimum of 15 faculty members.

2. Amendments must be announced to UMUC faculty and open for comment for a reasonable period, after which the amendment may be ratified by absolute majority vote.