Stamford Faculty Council By-laws

The Council approved these by-laws by unanimous vote of those attending on 7/14/20

  1. Role of the Stamford Faculty Council
    1. The charge of the Stamford Faculty Council is to advocate for the Stamford faculty in key areas, including, but not limited to: Academics, Faculty Working Conditions, Campus Space Planning, Student/Faculty Matters, and Advising.
  2. Membership
    1. Members of the Council are elected from full-time, part-time, adjunct, tenured, tenure-track, in-residence and clinical track faculty from ALL UConn schools with a presence on the Stamford campus. Terms are for two years. Terms will be staggered so that approximately 50% of the Council seats are up for election each year. Elections for the Council will be held every Spring semester.
    2. The number and source of members of the Council is as follows, up to: 4 full time members from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS); 2 full time members from the School of Business (BUSN); 1 full time member from the School of Engineering; 1 full time member from the School of Fine Arts (including the Digital Media and Design program, or DMD); 1 full time or part time member from the School of Nursing; 3 members from Adjunct faculty-all schools; 1 member at large (any school or adjunct).
    3. The above distribution of membership will be used whenever feasible, depending in part on the source and number of nominees available. If there are no nominees from the same source of a departing Council member, the seat shall remain vacant until the next election.
    4. If there are four or more vacant seats, the Council may call a special election.
    5. Members shall not serve more than 2 consecutive terms. After 2 terms, a member must step down for at least one term, after which they can run again and serve again.
  3.  Organizational Leadership
    1. Co-chairs of the Council
      1. There will be two Co-Chairs of the Council. Co-Chair terms will be staggered, over-lapping by one year. Therefore, the co-chairs will NOT serve simultaneously for the same two years. At the first meeting of Fall, 2020, 1 Co-Chair will be elected for two years, and 1 Co-Chair will be elected for 1 year. At the end of Spring 2021, the 2-year team seat will have 1 year left, and the 1-year term will be vacant. The first meeting of fall 2021, or the last meeting of spring 2021, 1 2-year seat will be filled by election. From then on, every year there will be a Co-Chair vacancy to be filled by a 2-year term. The election for the new Co-Chair will take place at the end of the spring semester.
      2. The Co-Chairs will be responsible for running meetings, maintaining schedules, maintaining email lists, and general organizational purposes and functions. The Co-Chair role is administrative in nature, not legislative.
        1. The Co-Chairs will rotate administrative duties from meeting to meeting. The Co-Chairs shall be responsible for securing a meeting location once the meeting schedule has been established.
        2. The Co-Chairs shall create meeting agendas within the framework of Meeting Order of Business Protocol, stated below in IV C.
        3. The Co-Chairs will be responsible for collecting new agenda items from the members of the Council and also will collect new agenda items from members of the Stamford faculty. Agenda items must be received 48 hours before the meeting.
        4. The Co-Chairs shall be responsible for ensuring technology needs are met for members who wish to call in to the meeting if they are unable to be at the meeting in person.
        5. Co-Chairs shall serve purely as administrators. They do not have multiple votes, make policy, or act in an executive capacity. They do not serve as the “spokespeople of the Council.” They are not first among equals. Their purpose is to provide structure.
    2. Secretary of the Council
      1. At the last meeting of the spring semester, an election of the members on the Council will take place to determine a Secretary of the Council.
      2. This person shall be responsible for taking the minutes of each meeting.
      3. This person shall be responsible for disseminating the minutes in a reasonable and agreed-to time frame after each meeting.
      4. If the person holding this position is unable to attend a meeting, the Co- Chairs will ask for a volunteer.
      5. This position shall have a one-year term.
  4.  Meeting Structure
    1. Attendance at meetings All sessions of the Council shall be open to all current faculty without primary administrative appointments (over 50% administrative duties) and to anyone specifically invited to be present. By majority vote of the members present and voting at any session, the Council may declare the meeting closed to all except members of the Council and anyone specifically invited to be present.
    2. Quorum
      A quorum must be in attendance, either in person or virtually, in order to conduct official Council business. For a quorum to exist at each meeting at least a majority (50% rounded up + 1) of seated Council members must be present.
    3. Meeting Schedule
      1. Meetings will occur on the same schedule throughout the semester.
      2. The date and time of meetings will be decided by polling the full Council prior to the beginning of each semester. These meetings will occur no more than twice per month, preferably at different days and times that best accommodate all members.
    4. Meeting Order of Business Protocol
      1. Approval of previous meeting’s minutes – minutes from previous meeting will be distributed to the Council in a reasonable and agreed-to time frame after each meeting.
      2. Committee Reports
      3. Old Business
      4. New Business
  5. Committees
    1. Committees may be created, as needed, by a majority vote of the Council.
  6. Council Membership Seat Vacancies.
    1. If a vacancy occurs within the Council membership, the seat shall remain vacant until the next Council election (as per Section II A).
  7. Communication
    1. Official Council statements and positions require a majority vote of the Council. These statements and positions will be communicated to the faculty.
  8. Responsibilities of Council Members.
    1. The first and foremost responsibility of a Council member is to attend meetings. Meeting attendance is important, and meetings are scheduled in advance to accommodate members' schedules. A Council member who is not able to regularly attend Council meetings should consider resigning their seat.
    2. Council members should stay knowledgeable about faculty conditions, needs, and concerns on the Stamford Campus, especially from their constituent group.
    3. Council members are expected to act in accordance with all university policies and procedures concerning conduct.
    4. Individual Council members do not represent or speak for the Council. The Council will not be bound by commitments, statements, or opinions made by individual Council members. Council members may communicate as individuals representing themselves.
  9. Approval and Modification of By-Laws
    1. By-Laws approved by the Council will not take effect until they are submitted to the entire University of Connecticut-Stamford faculty for a vote of ratification. The By-Laws will be considered ratified when approved by a simple majority of those who vote on ratification.
    2. By-Laws may be reviewed from time to time by the SFC. Any changes to the By- Laws will need to be approved by majority vote of the Council.