Article I – Membership

Sec. 1: Membership areas will include:

1.  Each academic division shall be represented by a minimum of three senators, consisting of:
   1. Two senators are elected by the full-time faculty of that division.
   2. One senator appointed by the President of the College from among the full-time faculty of that division.
2. Academic units or full-time faculty not represented by an academic division shall also receive representation under the same structure (two elected and one appointed).
3.  Additional representation shall be determined by the total number of full-time, board-appointed faculty members within each Academic Community, using the following scale:

• 1–18 faculty members = 2 elected senators + 1 appointed senator (minimum)
• 19–30 faculty members = 3 elected senators + 1 appointed senator
• 31–42 faculty members = 4 elected senators + 1 appointed senator
• 43–54 faculty members = 5 elected senators + 1 appointed senator
• 55–66 faculty members = 6 elected senators + 1 appointed senator
• For each additional 12 full-time faculty members beyond 66, one additional elected senator shall be added.
• Current distribution of the communities is as follows:
  • 6 representatives from Liberal Arts/Creative Arts/Education
  • 3 representatives from Business/CIS
  • 5 representatives from STEM
  • 5 representatives from Technical Education/Public Service
  • 6 representatives from Health Sciences

4.  Larger memberships will have staggered terms to ensure continuity of representation.

Sec. 2: To preserve continuity and staggered terms:

1. Elected senators shall serve two-year terms.
   1. In divisions with an odd number of elected senators, approximately half shall be elected in odd-numbered years and the remainder in even-numbered years.
   2. In divisions with an even number of elected senators, half shall be elected in odd-numbered years and half in even-numbered years.
   3. No elected senator may be re-elected until two years after the completion of their previous term, in accordance with state law.
2. Appointed senators shall serve one-year terms, renewable annually for up to six consecutive terms, as provided by state law.

Sec. 3: If a new membership area is created or there is a reorganization within the college, initial terms shall be determined by lot so as to maintain staggered elections thereafter.

Sec. 4: If a faculty senate election results in a tie, the Election Committee shall conduct a runoff election at the earliest convenient time, no later than the last Friday in April.

Sec. 5 - Advisory Role: The Faculty Senate serves in an advisory capacity only and shall not have decision-making authority on any matter.

Article II – Nominations, Election and Recommendations for Officers

Sec. 1: Timing and Eligibility of Nominations and Elections

1. During the last regular meeting of the spring semester, the Faculty Senate (both outgoing and incoming members) shall convene to nominate and elect recommended candidates for the offices of President, Vice President / President-Elect, Secretary, Parliamentarian, Historian, and any other internal officer positions deemed necessary by the Senate.
2. Outgoing senators may not vote in these recommendation elections. Newly elected senators may vote and be nominated, but may not vote on procedural matters until their terms officially begin.
3. To be eligible for nomination as Vice President / President-Elect, a candidate must have at least one full year remaining in their Senate term at the conclusion of the election.

Sec. 2: Elections Subcommittee and Method of Elections (Recommendations)

1. The Elections Subcommittee of the Faculty Senate shall have full authority over all nominations and elections conducted for officer recommendations. Duties include:
   1. Verifying candidate eligibility.
   2. Preparing and distributing ballots.
   3. Publishing candidate information to all senators prior to voting.
   4. Counting ballots and reporting results to the Senate.
   • Nominations for Vice President / President-Elect shall be conducted first. After nominations close, a secret ballot shall be held under the supervision of the Elections Subcommittee.
   5. A candidate receiving a majority of votes cast becomes the recommended candidate to the President of the college.
   6. If no candidate receives a majority, a run-off election shall occur between the top two candidates. In the event of a tie, additional run-offs shall continue until a majority is obtained.

2. After the Vice President / President-Elect's recommendation is determined, nominations and elections for Secretary shall follow the same procedure.
3. Nominations and elections for Parliamentarian shall follow the same procedure as for other officers, with the understanding that the Parliamentarian serves as an internally elected officer and is not subject to presidential appointment.

Sec. 3: Appointment by the President with Advice and Consent

1. The President of the college shall appoint the President, Vice President / President-Elect, Historian, and Secretary from among the elected and appointed members of the Faculty Senate, with the advice and consent of the governing board, in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Texas Education Code, Section 51.3522. 
2. While the President is not obligated to appoint the recommended candidate(s), recommendations from the Faculty Senate shall be given serious consideration, and the President shall provide a written response to the Faculty Senate within 14 days of receiving recommendations, indicating the appointee(s) or rationale for non-appointment.
3. The term of each appointed officer shall correspond with their Senate membership term unless otherwise defined in these bylaws.

Sec. 4: Internal Officer Roles, Continuity, and Rule-Making Authority

1. The Senate may elect additional internal officers (e.g., Parliamentarian, Historian) to oversee procedural integrity, parliamentary guidance, and internal governance.
2. Internal officers shall serve terms concurrent with their Senate membership.
3. The Faculty Senate shall adopt and maintain internal rules governing elections, committees, and procedural operations, subject only to compliance with Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Texas Education Code, Section 51.3522, and applicable law.
4. The Elections Subcommittee shall include at least one senator with prior service to ensure continuity and institutional memory.

Sec. 5: Vacancies

1. If a vacancy occurs in any officer position before the end of the term, the Faculty Senate, through the Elections Subcommittee, may hold an internal election to recommend a replacement.
2. The President shall appoint the replacement from among Senate members, subject to the advice and consent of the governing board.

Article III – Committees

Sec. 1: Appointment of Committees

1. The Senate President, with the consent of the Faculty Senate, shall appoint chairpersons of Senate committees.
2. Each member of the Senate shall serve on at least one Senate committee.
3. The Faculty Senate may establish, restructure, or dissolve standing or special committees by majority vote, except as otherwise required by these bylaws.

Sec. 2: Executive Committee

1.  The Executive Committee shall consist of the Senate President, Vice President / President-Elect, Secretary, Parliamentarian, and Historian. 
2. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to conduct Senate business when the entire Senate cannot be convened or when it is necessary to expedite a decision or ruling.
3. The Senate shall be informed of any action taken by the Executive Committee at the next Senate meeting and may, by majority vote, veto any such action.

Sec. 3: Professional Standards and Relations Committee (PSRC)

As the Professional Standards and Relations Committee, the Faculty Senate shall review faculty grievances and make recommendations according to the following procedures:
Faculty grievances shall be accepted by the Senate according to the guidelines set forth in the Faculty Handbook and only after the grievance has gone before the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

1. The Senate President shall convene the Senate within five (5) working days following the receipt of the grievance.
2. The portion of the Senate meeting dealing with the grievance shall be a closed meeting. All interested people shall be notified of the date and time of the Senate meeting. The Senate may request that these people be available on campus should the Senate deem necessary to communicate with them for clarification of any issue.
3. Following the presentation of the grievance and discussion by the Senate, recommendations regarding the grievance shall be presented as motions. Senate approval of these motions shall be by majority vote.
4. If the Senate is unable to formulate a recommendation, the Senate shall request an extension of no more than five (5) additional working days from the petitioner. If the request for an extension is denied, the Senate may forward the grievance without a recommendation to the College President.
5. The minutes of the Senate meeting dealing with the grievance shall state that a grievance regarding a specific issue was presented and discussed and that the grievance was forwarded to the College President with or without a recommendation.
6. The PSRC shall provide advisory input to the College President on issues reviewed, in alignment with Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Texas Education Code, Section 51.3522.

Sec. 4: Questions Committee

1. The Questions Committee shall be a standing committee of the Faculty Senate, charged with receiving, reviewing, and responding to questions submitted by faculty.
2. Faculty may submit questions to the Questions Committee through any current Faculty Senator or directly to the Committee Chair. Questions may be signed or submitted anonymously; the identity of the questioner shall be preserved if anonymity is requested.
3. Upon receipt, the Questions Committee shall review and discuss all questions in a separate meeting from the full Faculty Senate to ensure confidentiality and protect anonymity. The Committee may edit questions only to remove identifying information or perceived personal attacks.
4. The Questions Committee shall prepare a summary response for presentation at the next Faculty Senate meeting. This summary shall include the question and response, but shall not reveal the identity of the questioner.
5. Procedures for question handling:
   1. Senators receiving questions shall forward them unaltered to the Committee Chair.
   2. The Committee Chair will share the questions with Committee members for review and discussion within 1–2 business days.
   3. Committee members may consult with relevant faculty or administrators as necessary to provide accurate answers.
   4. The Committee will aim to provide a response within 3–4 business days. If additional time or clarification is needed, the Committee may invite relevant parties to the next Faculty Senate meeting while preserving anonymity.
   5. All questions, deliberations, and responses shall be recorded in the Committee’s internal records. Only the sanitized summary will be included in the Faculty Senate minutes.
6. The Faculty Senate shall receive and act only on the sanitized summary prepared by the Questions Committee, ensuring the confidentiality of all questioners.

Sec. 5: Special Committees

1. Special committees of faculty who are not members of the Senate may be appointed by the Senate President with the consent of the Faculty Senate.
2. Special committees shall have authority only as delegated by the Faculty Senate and shall report directly to the Senate.

Sec. 6: Committee Authority and Transparency

1. All standing and special committees are advisory to the Faculty Senate, except as noted for the PSRC, and shall report findings, recommendations, and actions at the next regular Senate meeting.
2. Committees may adopt internal operating procedures, subject to approval by the Faculty Senate.
3. The Faculty Senate retains final authority over all committee actions, recommendations, and reports, except where authority is specifically granted to a committee (e.g., PSRC).

Article IV – Referendum

Sec. 1: A referendum may be held upon the order of the Faculty Senate for any purpose the Senate deems necessary. A referendum shall be called by an affirmative vote of a majority of all Senate members.

Sec. 2: All faculty eligible to vote in a referendum shall receive timely notice and a clear explanation of the issue. Procedures for voting shall be determined by the Elections Subcommittee to ensure confidentiality and fairness.

Article V – Filling of Vacancies

Sec. 1: If a vacancy occurs on the Faculty Senate:

1. If the vacancy is a Senator appointed by the College President, the President may appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the term.
2.  If the vacancy is a Senator elected by a faculty division or area, a special election shall be called in the affected area. The election shall be conducted according to the procedures established by the Elections Subcommittee.

Sec. 2: A Senator elected or appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the term of the Senator being replaced.

Article VI – Absence of Senators and Expulsion

Sec. 1: Senators may select a substitute to attend a meeting. The substitute shall be accorded the same privileges and voting rights as the elected Senator.
Sec. 2: The office of a Senator may be declared vacant if neither the Senator nor a substitute attends two consecutive regular or special meetings without prior notification to the Senate President.
Sec. 3: The Senate may, by majority vote, declare a vacancy in extraordinary circumstances beyond absences, in order to maintain effective representation.
Sec. 4: Immediate Removal for Misconduct:

1. A faculty member serving on the Faculty Senate or any faculty council may be immediately removed for:
   1. Failing to conduct the member’s responsibilities within the council’s or Senate’s parameters;
   2. Failing to attend council or Senate meetings consistently; or
   3. Engaging in other similar misconduct.
2. Removal under this section may occur upon recommendation of the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and approval by the institution’s president.

Article VII – Called Faculty Senate Meetings

Sec. 1: The President of the Faculty Senate may call a special meeting whenever deemed necessary.
Sec. 2: A special meeting may also be called upon the written request of at least three Senators. The President shall schedule the meeting within five (5) working days of receiving such a request.
Sec. 3: Notice of all special meetings shall be provided to all Senators at least 48 hours in advance, including the agenda and purpose of the meeting.

Article VIII – Suspension of the Bylaws

Sec. 1: Any bylaw may be suspended in a particular case only by unanimous vote of all seated Senators.
Sec. 2: Suspension shall apply only to the specific case or meeting for which it was approved and does not constitute a precedent for future actions.

Article IX – Parliamentary Procedure

Sec. 1: The President, with the assistance of the Parliamentarian, shall conduct meetings according to the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Sec. 2: The Parliamentarian shall advise the President and the Senate on matters of order and procedure and may temporarily overrule any Senator, including Senate officers, to maintain proper order.
Sec. 3: Any Senator may appeal a ruling of the Parliamentarian. The Senate shall decide the appeal by majority vote, which is final.
Sec. 4: Quorum:

1. A quorum for the transaction of official Senate business shall consist of a majority of seated Senators.
2. No official votes or binding decisions may be taken without a quorum present.
3. If a quorum is not present at a meeting, the Senate may adjourn, schedule a new meeting, or conduct a discussion only, with no binding votes until a quorum is achieved.

Sec. 5: Broadcast of Meetings:

• The Faculty Senate shall broadcast over the Internet live video and audio of each open meeting if more than 50% of the members are in attendance, in compliance with Texas Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Texas Education Code, Section 51.3522.

Sec. 6: State Law Adherence:

• To the extent any provision of these by-laws conflicts with Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Texas Education Code, Section 51.3522, that law shall control and the by-laws shall be updated to conform to state law when necessary.

Article X – No Confidence Vote

Sec. 1: Introduction: The purpose of this document is to outline the procedure for initiating a motion for a vote of no confidence against a leader within Amarillo College. This procedure aims to ensure transparency, fairness, and adherence to democratic principles in the decision-making process.

1. Initiation of Motion:
   1. The person submitting the motion must obtain signatures from the affected body, equivalent to at least 51% of the faculty members under the accused person's leadership.
   2. Signatures must be gathered in person, through a petition outlining the grievance and identifying the leader against whom the vote of no confidence is proposed. The time frame for gathering signatures is 60 days or less. The grievance must include the dates on which signatures were collected.
   3. The signed petition is to be submitted to the Faculty Senate Secretary.
2. Verification of Signatures:
   1. The Faculty Senate Secretary will verify the signatures to ensure they constitute 51% petition of the affected body.
   2. In the case a majority (51%) cannot be gathered, faculty members are directed to the grievance policy outlined in the Faculty Handbook.
3. Notification to Parliamentarian:
   1. Once signatures are verified, the Faculty Senate Secretary will notify the Faculty Senate Parliamentarian that a motion has been filed.
   2. The Parliamentarian will only be provided access to the group grievance statement, not the individual signatures.
4. Motion Filing and Review:
   1. The Parliamentarian files the motion and reads the group grievance statement during the next Faculty Senate meeting.
   2. The affected leader shall receive written notice outlining the motion for the vote of no confidence. This notice shall be delivered via hard copy and an email with an electronic read receipt. The notice will be delivered by the Faculty Senate President within three (3) business days from the date the motion was read before the Faculty Senate. 
   3. The leader has fifteen (15) business days from the date of the written notice to provide a written response to the motion. The written response should be addressed to the Faculty Senate officers (President, Vice President, Parliamentarian, Historian, and Secretary), who will distribute it to the Faculty Senate.
   4. Once the written response is received, a special Faculty Senate Meeting will be scheduled, with the leader present.
   5. At least 85% of the elected Faculty Senate members (not proxy’s) must be present at the special meeting. All decisions regarding the motion require a two-thirds majority vote by the Faculty Senate members present.
5. Opening the Floor for Discussion: 
   1. The Faculty Senate President will open the floor for discussion following the presentation of the no-confidence motion and the leader's response.
   2. Senators will have the opportunity to express their opinions, ask questions, and seek clarification on any aspects related to the motion.
6. Parliamentary Procedures:
   1. The Faculty Senate will adhere to established parliamentary procedures to ensure an orderly and fair decision-making process.
   2. The Faculty Senate President or designated presiding officer will guide the proceedings, ensuring that all senators have an opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
7. Amendments and Clarifications:
   1. Senators may propose amendments to the original motion after seeking clarifications on specific points.
   2. Amendments will be voted upon separately, and their acceptance requires a majority vote.
      • By permitting amendments, this clause acknowledges that the initial motion may not fully capture the complexities or nuances of the issue at hand. It allows senators to suggest modifications or revisions to better address the concerns raised by the grievance.
8. Additional Information:
   1. Senators may request additional information or evidence related to the motion.
   2. The Parliamentarian will facilitate the acquisition and presentation of relevant information, ensuring a comprehensive and informed discussion. 
      • The special closed meeting of the Faculty Senate will convene outside the regular schedule to address a no-confidence motion against a college leader. Chaired by the Senate President, the meeting will be composed of only senators and invited guests, including the leader under scrutiny. Held in a confidential setting, the session will begin with the presentation of the motion and an opportunity for the leader to respond. Deliberations can follow, providing senators with a structured forum to discuss the motion's merits. Emphasizing the sensitive nature of the proceedings, a closed vote will be conducted if needed. The decision, reached through a democratic process, will be communicated discreetly, adhering to the confidentiality protocols established by the Faculty Senate. The meeting will conclude with a reminder of the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality among participants.
   3. The affected leader will be given an opportunity to respond or present their perspective during the special meeting.
9. Voting Procedure:
   1. A formal vote will be conducted to determine the Faculty Senate's stance on the motion.
   2. The voting process should be conducted by secret ballot. The Elections Committee will be responsible for tallying the votes.
10. Decision Outcome:
    1.  If the majority of the Faculty Senate (two-thirds of members present) supports the no-confidence motion, the Faculty Senate will proceed, and communicate the vote of no confidence to the College President, the Board of Regents, and Cabinet along with a written response to the motion.
    2. If the majority opposes the motion, the Faculty Senate will communicate its decision to the leader in question and the aggrieved party, and provide reasons for the decision.
    3. If the motion is denied or a determination of no action is decided by the Faculty Senate, the aggrieved party must wait at least 90 days before filing the motion again, must obtain a new petition with signatures, and present their case to the Faculty Senate again. The decision will be communicated by the Secretary to the original grievance petitioner.
11. Recording the Decision:
    1. The Faculty Senate Secretary will document the decision, including the vote count and any significant points raised during the discussion.
    2. The record will be maintained as part of the official Faculty Senate records and may be made available to relevant stakeholders within the Faculty Senate, in accordance with confidentiality and privacy policies.
12. Review of the Process:
    1. The Faculty Senate may conduct a post-evaluation of the decision-making process, considering feedback from senators and identifying areas for improvement in future proceedings.
    2. Any necessary adjustments to the procedure will be made to enhance transparency, fairness, and efficiency in future no-confidence motions.
13. Confidentiality:
    1. The confidentiality of individual signatures and discussions will be maintained throughout the process to protect the privacy and professional reputation of all involved parties.

Article XI – Amendments

Amendment I – New Faculty Senate Officer Position

Sec. 1: Purpose: The Faculty Senate Historian shall assist with the continuity and transition of the Faculty Senate by maintaining records, documenting proceedings, and supporting incoming and outgoing Senate members.
Sec. 2: Appointment: The Historian shall be appointed by the College President. Term: The Historian’s term shall be one year and may be renewed annually, not to exceed six consecutive years.
Sec. 3: Duties: The Historian shall:

1. Maintain accurate records of Faculty Senate actions, resolutions, and proceedings.
2. Assist with orientation and transition processes for new Faculty Senate members.
3. Preserve historical documents and facilitate institutional memory for the Faculty Senate.
4. Perform other duties as assigned by the Faculty Senate or the College President. Non-voting Status: Unless otherwise specified, the Historian shall serve as a non-voting member of the Faculty Senate.

Revised: Spring 2026