The Governance Plan of Queensborough Community College

The Governance of Queensborough Community College is the concern of all its members. All its constituencies — students, faculty, higher education officers, alumni, and administration — contribute to the maintenance and development of the College. Each has its own particular and mutual areas of concern.

Because each constituency has the right to concern itself in areas that are its responsibility, this document sets forth the organization of the various bodies within the College, and guarantees their autonomy on matters within their jurisdiction. Because the constituencies are interrelated, and because all must participate in the well-being of the College as a whole, this Governance document also provides for the organization of an Academic Senate which, as the policy making body of the College, shall adopt policies not inconsistent with BOT Policies and Bylaws, and shall include students, faculty, HEOs alumni, and administrators, which shall be the voice of the academic community of Queensborough Community College in all matters affecting the welfare of the institution.

The Bylaws of the Faculty of the College and the Bylaws of the Academic Senate shall not be inconsistent with this Governance Plan.

Sections

• Article I: ACADEMIC SENATE

• Article II: FACULTY

• Article III: DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE

• Article IV: COLLEGE COMMITTEE ON FACULTY PERSONNEL AND BUDGET

• Article V: ACADEMIC REVIEW COMMITTEE

• Article VI: COLLEGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

• Article VII: STUDENT SECTION

• Article VIII: AMENDMENTS

A. MEMBERSHIP

The Academic Senate shall be composed of faculty, CLT, HEO, student, alumni, and administrative representatives with full privileges and vote, and shall include: the President and five (5) administrators selected annually by the President; eight (8) officers of Student Government, designated by virtue of office one (1) alumni representative, to be selected annually in a manner prescribed by the Alumni Association.

The faculty senators shall be elected in April for three years and shall consist of the following: forty-one (41) faculty at large, elected by those who have been granted faculty rank, and shall not include members of the administration. The chairperson of each department shall also serve as a faculty senator. If a chairperson wishes to decline the office of senator, the department shall elect another representative to the Academic Senate. No more than five (5) faculty members totally shall be permitted to be from any one department. Two full-time CLT's shall be elected at large by the full-time CLT's to serve with vote. One adjunct shall be elected at large by the adjuncts to serve with vote. Two (2) representatives from the Higher Education Officer series (HEOs) shall be elected by the full-time HEOs to serve with vote.

The election of members-at-large to the Academic Senate and the filing of vacated seats shall be conducted by the Academic Senate in accordance with its bylaws.

B. ORGANIZATION

1. The Academic Senate shall elect a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a secretary of the Academic Senate, from among the elected members of the Senate, for a one-year term. These three elected members of the Academic Senate shall constitute a Steering Committee of the Senate. The Academic Senate shall also elect two members of the Senate; one to serve as Parliamentarian and one to serve as Senate Technology Officer. Nominations and elections for the Steering Committee of the Senate, the Parliamentarian, and the Senate Technology Officer and for the filling of vacated positions shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the Bylaws of the Academic Senate.

2. The Steering Committee of the Academic Senate shall represent the interest of and uphold the policies adopted by the Academic Senate when it is not in session. It shall report to the Senate, at its next regular meeting, such College actions that may have been implemented while the Academic Senate was not in session. If such action requires the immediate establishment of new policy, a special meeting of the Academic Senate shall be called.

3. The Steering Committee chair shall preside over regular meetings of the Academic Senate, or, in the chair's absence, another officer of the Steering Committee shall preside. The Steering Committee shall prepare the agenda after discussions with the President. The President and the chairperson of the Steering Committee, or their designees, shall be ex officio members, without vote, on all standing committees. The President shall open the special meeting. The first item on the agenda shall be the election of the chairperson for that meeting by the members of the Academic Senate.

4. The agenda of each Academic Senate meeting shall include a report by the President or a designee concerning matters of college and university interest and other items as are consistent with the bylaws of the Academic Senate.

5. Committees

   1. The Academic Senate may establish such standing and ad hoc committees as it determines. Each committee shall elect its own chairperson, secretary, and such other officers as may be appropriate.

   2. There shall be a Committee on Committees elected by the Academic Senate to draw up a proposed list of Committees to be presented for adoption to the Academic Senate. This Committee shall also be responsible for the nominations and elections to such Committees as established by the Senate. However, nominations and elections for the Steering Committee of the Senate and for the Committee on Committees shall be conducted directly from the floor at the duly convened May meeting of the Senate.

   3. There shall be one student, designated by Student Government from among the student members of the committee, to represent each of the committees on which there is student participation. He/she may attend meetings of the Academic Senate, and shall have speaking privileges without vote when his/her committee report is under discussion.

   4. Student representation on the list of committees shall be proposed to the Academic Senate by the Committee on Committees with the following specifications: that there be two student members on the Curriculum and Course and Standing Committees. Student representation on the Course and Standing Committee shall vote only on policy matters.

C. POWERS

Through its Steering and Standing Committees, the Academic Senate shall have the power to request and receive information appropriate to or necessary for the performance of its duties, from the President and members of the administration, from students and student organizations, and such other sources as may be appropriate. It may address communications to the Board of Trustees transmitted by the President in some document whether it be a Chancellor's Report or some other report in which the vote must be recorded. As the policy making body of the College, the Academic Senate shall adopt policies not inconsistent with BOT Policies and Bylaws and shall be the voice of the academic community of Queensborough Community College of The City University of New York in all matters which shall appropriately be brought before it, including:

1. Intercollegiate athletics and cultural, fine and performing arts programs.

2. Educational objectives of the College.

3. The establishment and location of new units of the College.

4. The periodic review of all departments of the College . The Senate shall have the power to recommend to the Board of Trustees the creation, deletion, or restructuring of departments of the College in consultation with the department(s) in question .

5. The formulation of the policy relating to the admission and retention of students, subject to the guidelines of the Board of Trustees, and curriculum, awarding of college credits, and granting of degrees. In granting of degrees student members of the Senate shall not vote.

6. The recommendation of search and evaluation procedures.

7. Such other areas as affect the welfare of the institution.

D. PRESIDENTIAL CONSULTATION

The President shall inform and discuss with the Academic Senate or with the Steering Committee when the Senate is not in session, prior to his recommendation to the Board of Trustees on all college-wide matters which fall within the purview of the Academic Senate where his recommendations will be in disagreement with the vote of the Academic Senate and in areas that could not have been presented to the Academic Senate because of the necessity of meeting a deadline.

E. MEETINGS

The Academic Senate shall meet regularly at least four (4) times each semester. Special meetings shall be called by the President, the chairperson of the Academic Senate, on the written request of any eight (8) senators, or by written petition from 100 faculty members who are eligible to vote for the academic senators. A quorum shall be a majority of the members of the Academic Senate. The chairperson of the Steering Committee or his designee shall preside at special meetings of this body.

F. BYLAWS

The Academic Senate may adopt its own bylaws consistent with this Governance document. (Until such bylaws are drafted, the present Bylaws of the Faculty Council shall be the bylaws of the Academic Senate except where otherwise provided in this Governance plan. Such new bylaws must be drafted and adopted within two months of the first meeting of the Academic Senate.)

G. VOTING

1. For the purposes of implementing the new charter of Governance and the rights and responsibilities granted therein, lecturers (full-time), instructors, and the persons in registrar series and all individuals in professorial titles who do not hold administrative positions shall have the right to vote for faculty representatives to the Academic Senate and to serve as faculty senators.

2. All full-time college laboratory technicians shall be permitted to vote for two (2) CLT representatives to the Academic Senate.

3. All full-time members of the Higher Education Officer series shall have the right to vote for two (2) HEO representatives to the Academic Senate.

4. Adjunct CLT's shall elect one representative from among their number who shall cast one vote in the election of the two full-time CLT representatives to the Academic Senate and any other college-wide positions to which CLT's are elected. For purposes of this document adjunct CLTs shall be defined as any person who is employed part-time as a CLT and who does not otherwise have voting rights as described in the appropriate sections of this document.

5. Adjunct faculty shall be permitted to vote for one (1) adjunct representative to the Academic Senate.

6. Persons having received notice of non-reappointment shall not have the right to vote for representatives to the Academic Senate or in the Academic Senate upon immediate receipt of such notice. Persons who have submitted a resignation shall not have the right to vote for representatives of the Academic Senate or in the Academic Senate immediately upon receipt of such resignation.

7. Persons on leave shall retain the right to vote for representatives to the Academic Senate.

A. FACULTY DEFINED

The faculty shall be defined as those full-time persons holding professorial titles; and lecturers, instructors, persons in the registrar series and college laboratory technicians.

B. MEETINGS

The faculty shall meet at least once each semester. Special meetings shall be called by the President, the chairperson of the Faculty Executive Committee, or on the written request of fifty (50) faculty members.

C. ORGANIZATION

1. The faculty shall elect a chairperson and six (6) other members of an Executive Committee for a three-year term. The committee shall designate one of its members to be secretary, and another to be treasurer of the faculty. The Faculty Executive Committee shall also elect one of its members to serve as parliamentarian.

2. The Faculty Executive Committee shall prepare the agenda for faculty meetings after discussion with the President. The chairperson of the Faculty Executive Committee shall preside at meetings of the faculty.

3. The Faculty Executive Committee shall propose to the faculty for its approval such standing and ad hoc committees as they deem necessary and the membership thereof.

4. The President shall meet at least once each semester with the Faculty Executive Committee to discuss items of concern to the faculty.

D. POWERS OF THE FACULTY

1. The faculty shall be responsible for the academic status, role, rights, obligations, and freedoms of the faculty, and such other matters that may affect the welfare of the faculty consistent with this document. The faculty through its Executive Committee may address communications to the Board of Trustees by the President in some document whether it be a Chancellor's Report or some other report in which the vote must be recorded.

2. Review of Academic Senate Actions

   The Faculty shall have the right to review any action of the Academic Senate. A special meeting shall be called by a petition of at least ten per cent of the faculty to discuss the issues involved. A majority of those present can initiate a referendum to be held no later than four weeks after the general meeting. If the majority vote is against a referendum, one may still be called by a second petition of one-third of the faculty. The actions of the Academic Senate shall be nullified by a two-thirds vote of the faculty voting by written poll (provided at least fifty [50] percent of the total faculty casts ballots).

3. Initiation of Academic Senate Agenda Items

   The faculty may initiate policy, bylaws, or regulations for consideration by the Academic Senate either by a simple majority of a faculty meeting or by a petition of ten percent of the faculty; such items shall be placed on the agenda of the next meeting of the Academic Senate in accordance with the Bylaws of the Academic Senate. The faculty may initiate policy, bylaws, or regulations directly through an initiative referendum by written poll; a special meeting shall be called by a petition of at least ten percent of the faculty to discuss the issues involved; a majority of those present can initiate a written referendum to be held no later than four weeks after the general meeting. If the majority vote is against a referendum, one may still be called by a second petition of one-third of the faculty. The item shall pass with two-thirds vote of the faculty (provided that at least fifty per cent of the total faculty casts ballots).

E. BYLAWS

The faculty may adopt its own bylaws consistent with this Governance Plan.

F. VOTING

All members of the faculty, as defined above, shall have the right to vote in all faculty meetings and general elections. Persons having received notice of non-reappointment shall not have the right to vote at faculty meetings or elections upon immediate receipt of such notice. Persons who have submitted a resignation shall not have the right to vote immediately upon receipt of such resignation. Persons on leave shall retain the right to vote at faculty meetings during the period of their leave.

A. The departmental structure and the present qualifications for voting for departmental chairperson and P & B shall remain as is mandated in Article IX of the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees with the following modifications:

1. Voting Rights

   1. Those who hold administrative positions shall not be permitted to vote within departments with the exception of the Chief Librarian and the Chief Student Affairs Officer.

   2. All persons who are employed full-time and hold professorial titles; and lecturers and instructors, shall have the right to vote in their respective departments including department elections for chairpersons and Department P & B Committees provided, however, that they have not received notice of non-reappointment, or submitted a resignation.

   3. At the same time as the election of the department chairperson, the full-time CLT's of each department shall elect a full-time CLT who shall sit with vote at department meetings when matters concerning CLT's (both full-time and adjunct) arise.

2. Conduct of Meetings

   1. The chairperson shall preside at department meetings, and such meetings shall be conducted according to the most recent revised version of Robert's Rules of Order.

   2. Upon petition of at least forty (40) percent of the voters within a department, the Faculty Executive Committee shall appoint a committee to conduct the elections of that department.

B. STUDENT PARTICIPATION

Students shall have the right through their Student Government to petition a department for a presentation on matters of personnel and educational policy.

C. VALUATION AND CONSULTATION

Every three (3) years the President shall consult with the faculty of the Department of the Library concerning the Chief Librarian, and consult with the faculty of the Department of Student Affairs concerning Chief Student Affairs Officer.

In the selection of department chairpersons where the terms 'confer' or 'consult' are utilized in this Governance Plan or in the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, these terms shall be understood to mean that a formal vote by secret ballot is to be taken and shall be forwarded to the Board of Trustees by the President in some document whether it be a Chancellor's Report or some other report in which the vote must be recorded.

D. DEPARTMENT P & B COMMITTEE

1. No more than one of the five regular members of the Department P & B may be non-tenured.

2. The Department P & B must approve by a majority decision all matters of personnel and budget.

3. Upon receipt of a request from Student Government, day or evening, the Department P & B will make itself available within ten (10) school days of written notification for an oral and/or written presentation on matters concerning faculty evaluation.

4. In departments of more than one discipline, an elected representative of each discipline shall serve as a sixth member of the department committee, if that discipline is not represented on the P & B Committee. This representative shall be present, participate, and vote only in actions affecting members and recruitment of members of that specified discipline. Discipline representatives shall be elected at the same time as other P & B members by the department faculty who are eligible to vote. The content discipline structure of the department shall be recommended by the department and approved by the Academic Senate.

5. A full-time CLT shall be elected by the full-time CLTs of the department to serve with vote as the sixth member of the Department P & B Committee to be present, participate, and vote only in actions affecting CLTs.

E. ENABLEMENTS

1. The faculty as defined in Article II, Item A, shall be enabled to reconsider and vote an alternative to Article III, Item D, No. 1, should Bylaw provisions mandated by the Board of Trustees be passed which affect the implementation of this structure.

2. The faculty as defined in Article II, Item A, shall be enabled, if it so desires, to create a provision concerning the recall of the department chairperson and members of the Department P & B.

A. The College Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget shall be constituted as at present and shall vote on appointments, reappointments, recommendations for tenure, or certificates of continuous employment, promotions, faculty fellowships, research grants requiring college approval, travel funds, matters relevant to salary, and other relevant budgetary items, except that no vote for reappointment shall be required for those serving in the Higher Education Officer Series. A CLT elected by the CLTs shall sit with a vote on the College Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget when personnel matters concerning CLTs are considered. The Registrar shall sit with vote on the College P & B when personnel matters concerning individuals in the registrar series are being considered. All members of the academic staff who are members of departments shall come before the Departmental and College P & B for reappointment and promotion. Deans who are not attached to departments shall come before the College P & B on questions of promotion.

All presidential personnel recommendations shall proceed through the College Personnel and Budget evaluation process, including consultation and vote by secret ballot, which shall be forwarded to the Board of Trustees by the President in some document, whether it be a Chancellor's Report or some other report in which the vote must be recorded.

B. The College Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget may establish a subcommittee on tenure and Certificates of Continued Employment, a subcommittee on promotions, and such other committees as it deems appropriate.

The purpose of the Academic Review Committee shall be to hear all appeals regarding personnel actions of Departmental and College P & B Committees. Consideration of an appeal may be requested by the affected individual or referred to the Academic Review Committee by the President.

The membership shall consist of the following: one (1) Chief Academic Officer chosen by the President annually to serve as chairperson without vote; five (5) tenured professors and/or associate professors elected at large annually with a sixth as an alternate.

Elections and service will take place in accordance with the Bylaws of the College Faculty.

No member of the Academic Review Committee may participate in review of an appeal by a member of the same department as the member of the committee.

Those members defined as faculty in Article II. A shall constitute the electorate in voting for members of this committee with the exception of administrators, who are not acted upon by the College P & B.

Positive decisions of this committee shall be forwarded directly to the President, or, in the case of negative departmental action, the Academic Review Committee may refer its positive recommendations initially to the College P & B. In the course of meetings, this Committee shall have access to all pertinent information available to the Departmental and College P & B Committees.

All meetings shall be conducted in a manner in accord with the Bylaws of the College Faculty.

The purpose of the College Advisory Planning Committee shall be to act as the primary planning body for Queensborough Community College. In this capacity, it is envisioned that the leadership of the various constituencies on campus will meet and discuss items concerning the state of the College and ways the College can best achieve its stated mission, goals, and objectives. Committee agenda items may be suggested to the Committee by any other constituency covered in the Governance Plan. The powers of this Committee shall not infringe upon the powers and authority of any of the constituencies, organizations or committees operating under either the Governance Plan of Queensborough Community College or the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees.

The membership of this Committee shall consist of the President as Chair, vice president(s), full dean(s), the Faculty Executive Committee, the Academic Senate Steering Committee, and four members of the Executive Board of the student government or their designees. The Committee shall meet at least twice a semester or when agenda items are proposed by or upon request of one of its constituent bodies.

A. PREAMBLE

1. The student's freedom to learn is a complement of the faculty member's freedom to teach. An academic community dedicated to its ideals will safeguard the one as vigorously as it does the other.

2. Free and open discussion, speculation, and investigation are basic to academic freedom.

3. Students receive their college education not only in the classroom but also in out-of-class activities which they themselves organize through their association with fellow students, the student press, student organizations, and in other ways. It is vital, therefore, that their freedom as campus citizens be respected and ensured.

4. Student government shall have as one of its chief functions the regulation of student-sponsored activities, organizations, publications, etc. In exercising this function, no Student Government should be permitted to allocate resources so as to bar or intimidate any campus organization or publication nor make regulations which violate basic principles of academic freedom and civil liberties.

5. Students should be free, without restraint by either the College administration or the Student Government, to organize and join campus clubs or associations for educational, political, social, religious, or cultural purposes. No such organization should discriminate on grounds of race, religion, color, or national origin. The administration should not discriminate against a student because of membership in any campus organization.

B. CONDUCT STANDARD DEFINED -- please see CUNY BOT BYLAWS section 15

C. STUDENT-FACULTY DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE -- please see CUNY BOT BYLAWS section 15

A proposal to alter specific provisions of this Governance document of Queensborough Community College may be initiated by the President or by a two-thirds vote of the Academic Senate. Such proposals shall be submitted to referendum in separate elections of the faculty (to include college laboratory technicians) and students as soon as possible. If a majority of at least fifty (50) percent of the eligible voters of the faculty agrees to the proposed amendment, it shall be deemed approved by the faculty. If a majority of at least fifty (50) percent of the eligible voters of the students agrees to the proposed amendment, it shall be deemed approved by the students. If approved by both parties and concurred to by the President, the amendment shall be adopted. If, however, one of the parties does not have at least fifty (50) percent of its members voting, the recommendation for adoption of the proposed amendment will be decided by the party which has at least fifty (50) percent of its members voting, and by the approval of the President. If neither party has fifty (50) percent of its members voting, the proposed amendment is deemed defeated.

NOTE: Adopted by the Board of Higher Education on November 22, 1976, Cal. No. 5.A. As amended by the Board of Trustees on June 23, 1980, Cal. No. 5.D.; on October 25, 1999, Cal. No. 6.A.; on June 25, 2012; and in June 2019.