01 April 2003

University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is a global shared-governance teaching institution, dedicated primarily to the education of working adults in the State of Maryland and elsewhere around the world. As one of the primary influences in the character and development of this institution, the faculty has a voice in its governance. Faculty enter into shared governance with the understanding that no faculty member will experience any negative effects to their employment circumstances or employer-employee relationships as a result of their performing shared governance duties or exercising shared governance rights. This document establishes the official shared governance framework for faculty, the Faculty Advisory Council.

A. Purpose:
1. The Faculty Advisory Council (FAC) seeks to facilitate communication among the global faculty and between the global faculty and the administration, with the purpose of representing faculty interests and fulfilling faculty responsibilities within the university. The cooperation between administration and the council assumes timeliness and fairness from both sides. FAC expects that administration will inform the council of responsibilities and issues in as timely a manner as possible and the administration may expect FAC to react as quickly as possible to calls for action.

2. The administration shall ensure the feasibility of FAC members to devote adequate time and effort to fulfilling their duties consistent with the bylaws.

B. Authority:

With this purpose in mind, the FAC shall have the responsibility and right to:

1. Consider and advise the President and Provost of UMUC, using a method deemed appropriate by FAC, on goals, policies and their implementation and assessment as well as on other matters related to UMUC as provided in the USM Shared Governance policy, with respect to:

2. Be advised, informed and consulted in a timely and regular fashion by the President or Provost on any matters identified in I.B.1 that are under consideration or review by
UMUC.

3. Consider any matter brought before it by a member of FAC, by a petition signed by 10 or more UMUC faculty, or by the President or Provost, recognizing that FAC shall consider such matters in a timely fashion as the circumstances shall require.

4. Consult with the President, Provost and appropriate UMUC administrators and communicate with the UMUC faculty as a whole.

5. Conduct periodic elections to select representatives to FAC and have access to resources reasonable and necessary to carry out its business.

6. Recommend representatives from among its members to represent UMUC and its faculty on selected external committees and councils.

1.The FAC shall consist of UMUC faculty persons selected in accordance with the FAC Bylaws.

2. Membership shall ensure representation of collegiate faculty (including Professors of Practice), adjunct faculty, and librarians. It shall ensure representation of both graduate and undergraduate faculty, as well as faculty from all geographic divisions, as elaborated in the Bylaws.

3. Terms of members shall be determined in accordance with the Bylaws.

1. The officers of the FAC shall be four in number and shall make up the executive board. This board shall hold the responsibilities and carry these out as described in the bylaws.

2. The FAC shall meet as specified in the Bylaws, but not less than once in the fall and once in the spring of each year.

1. The FAC shall develop Bylaws consistent with this Constitution to define further its structure and procedures.

2. Bylaws shall be adopted by an absolute majority vote of the FAC.

3. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by any member of the faculty and will be considered in accordance with the Bylaws.

4. The procedures for adoption of an amendment are: