Constitution
ARTICLE I: Membership
ARTICLE II: College Senate
ARTICLE III: Officers
ARTICLE IV: Removal and Replacement of Officers
ARTICLE V: Committees
ARTICLE VI: Executive Committee
ARTICLE VII: Amendments
ARTICLE VIII: Effective date
PREAMBLE
We, the Faculty and Professional Staff of Central Piedmont Community College, hereby establish this
Constitution in order to sustain professional ethics and academic standards, assure the quality of the
educational program, provide a communications link between Faculty/Professional Staff and administration,
speak with an official voice in the formation of College policy, and promote the general welfare of the College.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE I: Membership
Section 1: The College Senate is the representative body for full-time Faculty and Professional Staff. Faculty
shall be defined as full-time instructors who are not part of Administration, and who are required to teach a fullload as defined by the policy and procedures manual 4.12 A.1&2. Professional Staff shall be defined as fulltime, exempt, College employees who are not Faculty, Administration or Classified Staff . Questions of
membership shall be decided by the College Senate upon recommendation of its Credentials Committee.
Section 2: Proportion of membership:
Two-thirds of the senators will be Faculty and one-third will be Professional Staff. .
Faculty Membership:
Each academic department/division is entitled to Senate representation based on the following department
size:
1-10 full-time Senate-eligible department/division members: 1 senator
11-20 full-time Senate-eligible department/division members: 2 senators
21-30 full-time Senate-eligible department/division members: 3 senators
over 30 full-time Senate-eligible department/division members: 4 senators
Professional Staff membership:
The Credentials Committee will determine the number of Faculty senators ---based on the previous college
senate year, and then inform the Professional Welfare Committee of the number of Professional Staff members
to be elected. The Professional Welfare Committee will then administer the vote for Professional Staff senators
and report the results to the Credentials Committee.
Section 3: Faculty and Professional Staff shall have the right to vote for their representatives and to be eligible
for service on the College Senate.
Section 4: Faculty and Professional Staff shall decide by ballot whether this Constitution and any subsequent
amendments shall be adopted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE II: College Senate
Section 1: The deliberative body of the Faculty/Professional Staff shall be the College Senate.
Section 2: Each year the Credentials Committee shall review changes in eligibility due to increases or
decreases in staffing within academic departments or divisions for membership in the College Senate. For each
academic department/division, the Credentials Committee shall apportion representatives as described in
Article I, Section 2. Academic departments/divisions and Professional Staff areas shall be notified in advance of
the election the number of senators from their department or area to be elected.
Section 3: Whenever eligibility for membership or continuing membership in the College Senate may be in
doubt, the College Senate Executive Committee shall resolve all questions of credentials.
Section 4: Any department/division represented by a senator shall have the authority to petition for recall of that
senator. The petition shall specify complaints against the senator and shall contain the signatures of a majority
of the eligible voters. The petition shall be delivered to the President of the College Senate. The Senate shall
promulgate reasonable regulations of governing the recall process.
Section 5: Once each calendar year, the College Senate shall conduct orderly elections to fill vacancies in the
next College Senate. Through its by-laws the College Senate shall establish the timing and method of
elections.
Section 6: Senators shall be elected for a term of two years. However, all departments/divisions represented by
more than one senator shall have staggered terms established so that all the senators for the
department/division are not elected the same year. This staggered term shall be established by having at least
half of the senators elected to a two-year term and the remaining senator(s) elected to a one-year term at the
first election where the need for staggered terms arises. Thereafter, all senators from these departments will
serve two-year terms.
Section 7: Senators who will be absent from Senate meetings are expected to appoint a Senate-eligible proxy.
This proxy will have all the rights and responsibilities of regular membership while substituting for the absent
senator. More than three consecutive absences of the senator without representation by proxy will result in that
position being declared vacant.
Section 8: Regular meetings of the College Senate shall be held at least three times a semester (fall and
spring)at a time and place convenient to the members; special meetings may be called at the discretion of the
President, and shall be called upon petition in writing by one-fourth of the College Senate members.
Section 9: A majority of the members of the College Senate shall constitute a quorum to conduct business.
Section 10: The College Senate shall have the power to formulate by-laws to govern its procedures.
Section 11: All powers not specifically delegated shall be retained by the College Senate.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE III: Officers
Section 1: The officers of the College Senate shall be a President, a President-elect, and a Secretary. The
President's term shall be for one year. The president-elect shall succeed to the presidency upon completion of
the annual elections at which time a new president-elect shall be elected at large by absolute majority of a
popular ballot.
A candidate for president-elect must submit his/her declaration of intent to the Executive Committee no later
than two weeks before the announced election date. The Executive Committee shall endeavor to recruit
qualified candidates and to assure a contested election.
The Secretary shall be appointed by the President at the first meeting of the Senate following the annual
elections.
All candidates for the offices of President and President-elect shall have previously served a minimum of one
year on the Senate.
Section 2: The President shall:
Preside at all meetings of the College Senate.
Appoint the chairs of the permanent standing committees.
Moderate all meetings of the Executive Committee.
Call all special meetings of the College Senate.
Be an ex-officio member of all permanent committees of the College Senate.
Appoint all special committees.
Appoint a Parliamentarian.
Vote in College Senate meetings only in case of a tie.
Be the official spokesperson for the Faculty and Professional Staff between meetings of the College Senate.
Represent the College Senate on the Planning Council and at Deans' Council.
Transmit all records of office to his/her successor.
Section 3: The President-elect shall:
Assume all duties of the President in the event of absence or vacancy.
Attend all meetings of the Planning Council.
Serve on the Employee Recognition Committee.
Perform such other duties as the President may direct.
Section 4: The Secretary shall:
Keep an accurate record of all meetings.
Present meeting minutes to the College Senate for approval
Maintain official records in a place accessible to Faculty and Professional Staff.
Handle general correspondence.
Transmit all records of office to his/her successor.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE IV: Removal and Replacement of Officers
Section 1: Any officer of the College Senate may be removed from office when a specific complaint charging
dereliction of duty or willful misconduct has been submitted to the full membership, debate has taken place at a
special meeting called for this purpose, and two-thirds of those members present and voting agree with the
complaint. The accused officer shall be able to respond to the complaint.
In the event that a complaint is brought against the President, the President-elect shall preside during debate
over the complaint.
Section 2: In the event that an office is vacated, that office may be filled for the duration of that term by vote of
the College Senate.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE V: Committees
Section 1: The following shall be permanent committees of the College Senate: Academic Policies Committee
Student Welfare Committee
Curriculum Committee
Educational Resources Committee
Faculty Welfare Committee
Credentials Committee
Professional Staff Welfare Committee
Technology Committee
Part-time Faculty Welfare Committee
The Senate may establish additional permanent committees or reorganize existing committees as it deems
necessary and proper.
Section 2: Each senator will be required to serve on one of the Senate’s permanent committees. In addition,
any Faculty or Professional Staff certified as an eligible voter under Article II may serve as a member on any of
the Senate’s permanent committees. The chair of each committee must be a current Senate member. The
officers shall serve as a nominating committee for the selection of membership of permanent committees.
Section 3: The actions of permanent committees shall be subject to the approval of the College Senate. To
expedite curricular changes, the Curriculum Committee shall immediately report its findings to the Vice
President for Learning; but the College Senate retains the power to debate and take exception to Curriculum
Committee recommendations.
Section 4: The Academic Policies Committee shall recommend policies which promote academic procedures,
professional ethics, and academic standards.
Section 5: The Student Welfare Committee shall recommend policies which promote the welfare of students
attending Central Piedmont Community College.
Section 6: The Curriculum Committee shall recommend policies concerning curricula, degrees, diplomas and
certificates; it shall also reserve the right to review all proposals for the addition or revision of courses, curricula,
and requirements for degrees, –diplomas and certificates.
Section 7: The Educational Resources Committee shall recommend policies which promote the expansion of
the learning resources of the College and opportunities for professional and educational development of the
Faculty/Professional Staff.
Section 8: The Faculty Welfare Committee shall recommend policies which promote the general welfare of the
Faculty in areas relating but not limited to working conditions, educational resources, and Faculty grievances.
Section 9: The Credentials Committee shall make recommendations concerning faculty membership, Senate
representation, Constitutional changes, faculty titles and election procedures.
Section 10: The Professional Staff Welfare Committee shall recommend policies which promote the general
welfare of the Professional Staff in areas relating but not limited to working conditions, educational resources
and Professional Staff grievances. Professional Staff Welfare Committee shall make recommendations
concerning Professional Staff membership.
Section 11: The Technology Committee shall help facilitate communication of technology changes to Faculty
and Staff; make recommendations concerning Faculty, Professional Staff and student technology needs;
recommend current and future technology needs; identify and promote new technology initiatives with the intent
to develop long-term recommendations; and in order to ensure that the purposes of this committee are met, the
chair of this committee will serve on the College Tech Team.
Section 12: The Part-Time Faculty Welfare Committee shall recommend policies which promote the general
welfare of part-time faculty in areas relating but not limited to working conditions, benefits, and grievances.
Section 13: The Executive Committee shall establish additional committees when necessary to deal with
problems which are outside the jurisdiction of permanent committees. Such committees will receive a charge
from the Executive Committee and will cease to exist when that charge is fulfilled.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE VI: Executive Committee
Section 1: There shall be an Executive Committee composed of the President, the President-elect, the
Secretary, and the chairperson of each permanent committee. The President may ask other individuals to
serve on the Executive Committee as ex officio members. The previous College Senate President will be an ex
officio member.
Section 2: The Executive Committee shall advise the President on all Faculty and Professional Staff concerns
and deliberate appropriate Senate actions. It shall establish the agenda for Senate meetings; act for the Senate
between scheduled meetings and report all such actions at the next scheduled College Senate meeting; and
recommend that special meetings be called when necessary.
Section 3: The Executive Committee shall take care that all offices' duties and other Constitutional
responsibilities be faithfully executed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE VII: Amendments
Section 1: Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be submitted in writing to the College Senate, but
Senate approval shall not be given until the next scheduled meeting.
Section 2: If approved by the College Senate, the proposed amendment shall be submitted in writing to the
Faculty/Professional Staff by special election and shall require two-thirds of votes cast for ratification.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------ARTICLE VIII: Effective date
This revised Constitution shall take effect immediately upon its ratification in accord with the procedure for
Constitution amendment which is established above.