9.005 Constitution of the Senate of Delta College
Article I. Name and purpose
Section 1. The name of the organization is the Senate of Delta College.
Section 2. The purpose of the Senate is to initiate, recommend, and facilitate policies and procedures and to provide communication.
Article II. Membership of the Senate
Section 1. The Senate membership will include the Senate Executive Board, Senators elected from Faculty, and the three elected Student Senators.
Section 2. The Senate Assembly consists of all full-time Faculty:
a. Employees of the Faculty group
b. Students, as defined above.
Article III. Election of senators
Section 1. All Senate Assembly members will be candidates in the election of Senators from their division unless an individual member requests not to be a candidate.
Section 2. Except for students, each division defined in the Senate Assembly membership roster will elect one Senator for each five full-time Senate Assembly members or major fraction thereof. Units having four or more Senators will elect, when possible, one Senator who has been a Senate Assembly member for three years or less. (Revised by Senate vote May 5, 1997)
Section 3. Prior to November 20, elections must be held, the winners announced to the unit, and results forwarded to the Senate President by the person holding the election.
Section 4. Special elections will be held to fill vacated positions.
Section 5. The term of a Faculty or a Student Senator will be for one calendar year, beginning in January.
Section 6. The Student/Senate Liaison Committee will be responsible for conducting the annual election of three Student Senators.
Article IV. Selection of senate alternates
Section 1. Each division will elect alternates. The number of alternates and the election procedure are to be determined by the division.
Section 2. A Senator absent from any Senate meeting will be represented by an alternate. The alternate will assume full rights and responsibilities of a Senator.
Article V. Removal of senators
Any Senator failing to attend two successive regular Senate meetings without being represented by an official alternate will be removed from the Senate roster and the quorum reduced until the vacancy is filled.
Article VI. Senate officers
Section 1. The Senate officers consist of the Senate Vice President, the Senate President, and the Senate Past President. The regular term of a Senate officer is one year, beginning in January. The office of Senate President is assumed by succession. The person assuming the office will first be elected and serve as Senate Vice-President and will assume presidential duties in January of the following year or immediately if a vacancy occurs. The Senate President becomes the Senate Past President at the conclusion of his or her term.
Section 2. The Senate Vice-President will be elected by a majority of the votes cast by the Assembly prior to the end of the Fall Semester and will become the Senate President as outlined in Section 1. The Senate Assembly member elected to the office of Senate Vice President will be a Faculty member. If the office of Senate Vice-President becomes vacant, an election will be called by the Senate Executive Board within 30 days.
Article VII. Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings of the Senate will normally be held once a month, with the exceptions of the months of July and August.
Section 2. Special meetings will be called at the request of one officer or any three Senate Executive Board members. The dates of the regular meetings will be incorporated in the College Calendar of Events.
Section 3. The rules of procedure in meetings, unless otherwise specified, will be those presented in Robert's Rules of Order.
Section 4. The Senate may enact such by-laws as it will deem appropriate and necessary.
Article VIII. Quorum
Two-thirds of the members of the Senate will constitute a quorum.
Article IX. Senate Executive Board
Section 1. The Senate Executive Board will consist of the Senate President, the Senate Vice-President, the Senate Past President, the College President (or a designee) as an ex officio non-voting member, and five members elected by the Senate for two-year terms from the Faculty.
Section 2. Election of Senate Executive Board members will take place at the January Senate meeting as necessary. A person must be a Senator when elected to the Senate Executive Board. If a vacancy occurs among the elected members during the first 18 months of a term, a special election will be held to select a replacement. The procedures for nominations and elections to the Senate Executive Board will be determined by the Senate President.
Section 3. The Senate Executive Board will normally meet two weeks prior to each regularly scheduled Senate meeting. It may meet more often at the request of any Senate officer or any three Senate Executive Board members.
Section 4. Six members of the Senate Executive Board will constitute a quorum.
Article X. Committees
Section 1. Those committees deemed by the Senate to be of continuing importance will be designated as standing committees. Each committee so designated will serve until the Senate votes to terminate it. A current list of standing committees and their respective charges will be maintained in the Senate Handbook.
Section 2. The Senate Executive Board will be responsible for appointments to all standing committees except the Faculty Executive Committee. Appointees will serve for a period of one year and may be reappointed. Normally they will be chosen from the Senate Assembly.
Section 3. Each year the Senate President, with the advice and consent of the Senate Executive Board, will appoint chairs of all standing committees from the Assembly except for the Faculty Executive Committee. Chairs may be reappointed, but no person may serve as chair of the same standing committee more than three consecutive years.
Section 4. The Senate Executive Board will periodically review the work of each standing committee, assess the need for its continuation, and make recommendations to the Senate concerning such continuation.
Section 5. Ad hoc committees may be created by Senate or Senate Executive Board action.
Section 6. The Senate Executive Board will be the channel through which all standing and ad hoc committees will receive charge(s) from the Senate and through which they will report to it. Ad hoc committees may receive their charge directly from the Senate.
Article XI. Amendments
This Constitution may be amended or repealed by two-thirds vote of those Senate Assembly members voting. Written notice of any proposed modifications must be sent to each Senate Assembly member at least five College class days prior to the Assembly meeting at which the changes are to be moved. A vote by secret ballot will be taken within 18 College class days of the Senate Assembly meeting at which the proposed changes are made.
Article XII. Challenges
Section 1. Ten percent of the Senate Assembly can, by signed petition, request a vote of the Senate Assembly concerning any action taken by the Senate or the Senate Executive Board or propose items for consideration and possible adoption by the Senate. A signed petition challenging an action taken by the Senate must be received by the Senate Office within 18 College class days of the Senate meeting at which the action took place. (Revised by Senate Assembly vote March 3, 1997)
Section 2. Upon receipt of the properly signed petition, the Senate President will, within five College class days, call a meeting of the Senate Assembly for the purpose of discussion. A Senate Assembly meeting called to consider a petition received after March 31 may be delayed until the start of the following Fall semester. Any action proposed at the meeting must be supported by a majority of the full Senate Assembly, voting by a secret mail ballot in order to be implemented. The ballot will be taken within 18 College class days. (Revised by Senate Assembly vote March 3, 1997)
Board Action 5350 – November 17, 2020
Board Action 4846, Revisions to Article II, Section 2; Article II, Section 2.B.; Article
III, Section 5; Article III, Section 6; Article IX, Section 2; Article XI; and Article
XII, Section 2 – October 5, 2010
Board Action 4769-Inclusion of Support Staff – May 12, 2009
Board Action 1504 – March 8, 1977