VCOM Faculty Handbook

VCOM Faculty Assembly and Faculty Senate Overview To function effectively, the College needs input from a variety of groups that represent a diversity of interests. The Campus Faculty Assemblies, Campus Faculty Senates, and College-wide Faculty Senate provide an accessible mechanism for voicing and proposing faculty ideas for the College. The Campus Faculty Assemblies, Campus Faculty Senates, and College-wide Faculty Senate exist to foster a community of mutual respect and cooperation within the College, and to promote an open forum to develop positive methods to communicate matters of faculty concern to VCOM’s administration. Each VCOM campus shall have a Campus Faculty Assembly and Campus Faculty Senate. The Campus Faculty Assembly exists to provide faculty members the opportunity to freely exchange ideas and concerns. The duties of the Campus Faculty Senate are to vet comments from the faculty assembly and to represent faculty on their campus on matters that affect the campus faculty to the Campus Dean. A College-wide Faculty Senate exists to represent the faculty to the Provost and the President on institution-wide decisions and policies that affect the college faculty. Campus Faculty Assembly The Campus Faculty Assembly exists to provide faculty members the opportunity to freely exchange ideas and concerns. Membership of the Campus Faculty Assembly All contracted faculty members (full-time or part-time) at the level of Instructor or greater constitute the Faculty Assembly on each campus. VCOM’s officers and senior administrators (President, Provost, Campus Deans, Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, and Associate Deans) are not considered members of the Faculty Assembly. Meetings of the Campus Faculty Assembly The Campus Faculty Assembly meets at least annually and is encouraged to meet twice per year. Meetings may be called by the Chair of the Campus Faculty Senate or Campus Dean. The Provost and President should be invited to attend the meeting to address the assembly. a. In the case where the Campus Dean calls the meeting, the Campus Dean will set the agenda for the meeting. When the Chair of the Campus Faculty Senate calls the meeting, the Chair will set the agenda. b. The Chair of the Campus Faculty Senate will preside over the meetings of the Faculty Assembly on each campus. Any member of the Campus Faculty Assembly, Campus Faculty Senate or administration may suggest agenda items for each meeting. c. The Campus Dean will generally address the Campus Faculty Assembly at the beginning of each meeting. Campus Faculty Senate The duties of the Campus Faculty Senate are to represent the faculty on their campus on matters that affect the campus faculty to the Campus Dean and Associate Deans. The responsibilities and powers of the faculty remain with the faculty as a whole. Membership of the Campus Faculty Senate The Campus Faculty Senate shall consist of seven voting representatives (Campus Senators) elected from the ranks of the Campus Faculty Assembly. Members of the Campus Faculty Assembly will elect their own Campus Senators. Campus Senators will serve two-year terms and may not serve more than three consecutive terms. Representation

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