System Faculty Council 2012-2013

The USF System Faculty Council, (SFC) constitutes the principal, representative faculty governance body with System-wide responsibilities. As such, it advises the President, and the Executive VicePresident for the USF System, and coordinates communications among the constituent Faculty Senates within the USF System. The SFC provides a mechanism to discuss issues of importance to faculty across the constituent institutions, and to provide specific recommendations to USF administration on all system-wide academic policies, including approval of new proposals or changes to existing policies and procedures. The SFC will also bring forward its own proposed policies and procedures on academic matters that pertain to all constituent institutions

The president of the SFC sits on the USF Board of Trustees, as the elected representative of the entire System faculty.

SFC Executive Committee:

Members:

Meeting Schedule, 2012-2013 (revised March 6, 2013):

Thursday August 30th 0930-1200 USF Saint Petersburg
Thursday September 20th 0900-1130 USF Tampa
Friday October 19th 0930-1200 USF Saint Petersburg
Thursday November 15th 0930-1200 USF Sarasota-Manatee
Friday December 14th 0930-1200 USF Tampa
Friday January 18th 0930-1200 USF Sarasota-Manatee
Wednesday February 20th 0930-1200 USF Saint Petersburg
Thursday March 28th 0930-1200 USF Tampa
Thursday April 18th 0930-1200 USF Sarasota-Manatee

Please note 9:00am start for our meeting on Thursday September 20th

Bylaws of the USF System Faculty Council

Purpose

The USF System Faculty Council, (SFC) constitutes the principal, representative faculty governance body with System-wide responsibilities. As such, it advises the President, and the Executive VicePresident for the USF System, and coordinates communications among the constituent Faculty Senates within the USF System. The SFC provides a mechanism to discuss issues of importance to faculty across the constituent institutions, and to provide specific recommendations to USF administration on all system-wide academic policies, including approval of new proposals or changes to existing policies and procedures. The SFC will also bring forward its own proposed policies and procedures on academic matters  that pertain to all constituent institutions.

Membership and Duties

The voting membership of the council shall comprise full time (defined as 9-month at 100%, or 12-month at a minimum of 75%) USF general faculty (all ranks of instructor, professor, or librarian). The membership will be distributed equitably across the constituent institutions such that no single campus holds a majority vote. Each institution shall have three members plus one additional member for every 100 full-time general faculty to a maximum of ten (10) additional members. The President of each institution’s Faculty Senate shall always serve on the SFC; each respective Faculty Senate shall elect its additional SFC members using any method of its choosing, with the terms of office to be determined by the SFC.

Duties of the members include at a minimum:

  1. Attend and participate in meetings of the SFC, or ensure that an alternate will attend.
  2. Maintain understanding of the concerns of their campus constituents and represent their interests, while prioritizing the academic functioning of the entire system.
  3. Maintain communication between the SFC and their campus Faculty Senates.
  4. Represent all USF faculty on system-wide Councils and Committees as recommended by the SFC and appointed by the Executive Vice President of the USF System.

Each Faculty Senate may appoint alternate members from its membership to attend a meeting with full voting privileges in the event that the regular member is absent.

The Executive Vice-President for the USF System (or designee), as well as the Associate Vice-President for System Initiatives shall have standing invitations to attend SFC meetings. The SFC reserves the right to restrict attendance as appropriate.

Officers

The council shall elect a President and Vice-President as officers from among its membership. The two officers shall not be from the same USF campus. The incoming president must represent a different USF system institution from that represented by the immediate predecessor. The President will also serve as faculty trustee on the University Board of Trustees. The Vice-President will preside at meetings of the council when the President is absent, but may not stand in for the President as trustee.

The President and Vice-President will be voting members of the State University System’s Advisory Council of Faculty Senates (ACFS). Their travel costs to attend ACFS meetings will be reimbursed from the SFC budget, which is managed by the USF System Office. The term of office for both positions shall begin on August 1 following an annual election to be held no later than May 1. The annual election of officers will be conducted by secret ballot and in a manner which ensures all members are able to participate.

The President will serve a one-year term, and may be re-elected to a second one-year term. The immediate past-president will continue as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the council for one year, provided they remain full time faculty members of the university and are not appointed by their campus Faculty Senate to continue serving as a voting representative. Any former president may not run for that position again for at least two years following the conclusion  of the previous term of office.

The Vice-President will serve a one-year term, and may be re-elected to a second one-year term. The Vice-President may not run for that position again for at least one year following the conclusion of the previous term of office.

In the event that the President resigns, the President-elect (or if none, the Vice-President) shall become the President for the remaining term of office. If the Vice-President resigns, a new election will be held to fill the vacant office.

The President shall receive one course release (or equivalent assignment reduction) for each semester in the academic year (Fall and Spring). The Vice-President shall receive one course release (or equivalent assignment reduction) for each academic year, in whichever semester is most convenient. The home departments of the President and Vice-President will be compensated at the appropriate adjunct faculty rate, the funds to be drawn from the SFC budget, which is managed by the USF System Office.  

An Executive Committee of not more than six (6) members will consist of the SFC President and VicePresident, and the elected presidents (or designee) of the constituent Faculty Senates. In the case where one of the Faculty Senate presidents is an elected officer of the SFC, the Executive Committee will have fewer than six members. The Executive Committee will be responsible for setting the meeting agendas in consultation with the SFC members. If more than 2/3 of the SFC members request an item be placed on the agenda, the Executive Committee shall include that item on the agenda within three (3) regular meetings.

SFC Representation on System Councils and Committees

The President will be a member of the Academics and Campus Environments (ACE) Workgroup of the Board of Trustees. The President and Vice-President will serve as members of the Academic and Campus Environments Advisory Council (ACEAC). The ACE Advisory Council (ACEAC) will have two additional members from the SFC, who will be the Faculty Senate presidents (or designees) from those campuses not already represented by the President and Vice-President. The Vice-President or designee will serve on the Academic Program and Policy Coordinating Committee (APPCC). The SFC will also recommend four faculty representatives to serve on the Finance & Audit Advisory Council and the Health Sciences & Research Advisory Council. In order to ensure appropriate expertise among faculty representatives on any system-wide council or committee, the SFC President will consult with the Executive Vice President of the USF System as well as the SFC membership to make the recommendations. The SFC will also recommend one faculty representative for appointment on the USF Information Technology Management Council (ITMC) and on faculty representative on the USF Technology Standards Board.

Meetings

Once the bylaws have been approved, the council will meet at least once per month. The Executive Committee will determine whether to meet face-to-face, or to use technology in order to facilitate participation. The Faculty Senate President of the institution hosting the meeting is responsible for securing a location, arranging for remote access if needed, and providing a staff member to take minutes and forward them to the SFC President.

Voting Practices and Quorum

For all business matters, a quorum shall consist of 50% of the SFC membership plus one. Votes taken at meetings will be decided by a simple majority vote of those present. However, to pass, a motion must receive at least one vote from a USF-Tampa member, and at least one vote from a member from the other constituent institutions.

The SFC president must be elected by a majority of the membership plus one. Tie votes will be recorded as such if not resolved by a second vote; there is no casting vote.

Amendments to the Charter or Bylaws will require a 2/3 vote of the SFC membership.

The SFC may conduct voting by open voice vote, secret written ballot, or secret electronic ballot, according to the wishes of the body on the particular measure.

Action on Recommendations and Resolutions

All recommendations and resolutions approved by the SFC will be forwarded to the President, and the Executive Vice-President of the USF System. Any dissenting or “minority opinion” will be included in any recommendations forwarded. All proposed recommendations and resolutions may be forwarded to system administrators and must be taken to the constituent campus Faculty Senates for approval before final approval by the SFC and forwarding to the system administrators.

Revised October 1, 2011