Article I - Membership

Sec. 1: Membership areas will include:

1. Member(s) elected from full-time faculty of each division according to C.
2. Member(s) elected from full-time faculty not represented by an academic division according to C.
3. Senate representation will be determined by the number of full-time board appointed faculty: 1-18 = 1 ; 19-30 = 2 ; 31-42 = 3 ; 43-54 = 4 ; 55-66 = 5 members.
4. Larger memberships will have staggered terms.

Sec. 2: To preserve continuity and staggered terms, membership areas with only one Senator will elect a new Senator every third year. Membership areas with two Senators will elect one new Senator each year with no election being held the third year. Membership areas with three Senators will elect one new Senator every year. Membership areas with four Senators will elect two new Senators the first year and one senator each of the following years.

Sec. 3: If a new membership area is created or there is a reorganization within the college, staggered terms will be determined by lot.

Sec. 4: If 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.

Article II - Nominations and Election of Officers

Sec. 1: The candidates for Vice President / President-elect, Secretary, and Parliamentarian of the Faculty Senate of Amarillo College shall be nominated and elected at the last meeting of the spring semester, when all Senators (including outgoing and incoming) meet for transitional purposes. Outgoing Senators may not vote in these elections. Newly elected Senators are eligible for office and may vote in these elections; however, they may not vote on procedural matters until their terms officially begin at the conclusion of the May transitional meeting. To be nominated for Vice President / President-elect, the candidate must have two years remaining as Senator.

Sec. 2: The order of nominations and elections shall be as follows:

1. Nominations for the office of Vice President / President-elect shall be made first. When all candidates for the office of Vice President / President-elect have been nominated, the Secretary on the Faculty Senate shall distribute to each Senator a sheet of paper upon which the Senator shall write his choice for the office of Vice President / President-elect. The Secretary of the Faculty Senate and two Senators appointed by the outgoing President shall count the ballots. If it is determined that a candidate has received a majority of votes cast, the Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall inform the outgoing President, who shall then announce the outcome of the election. If it is determined that no candidate has received a majority of the votes, the Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall inform the outgoing President; and the President shall then order a run-off election between the two candidates receiving the greater number of votes. A run-off election shall be continued in the same manner as mentioned previously. In the case of a tie-vote, run-off elections shall continue to be held until such time as a Vice President / President-elect has been elected.
2. When a Vice President / President-elect has been elected, the President shall call for nominations for the office of Secretary. The nominations shall be made and the election carried as prescribed above.
3. When a Secretary has been elected, the President shall call for nominations for the office of Parliamentarian, with election carried as prescribed above.
    

Article III - Committees

Sec. 1: The Senate President may appoint chairmen of Senate committees.

Sec. 2: Each member of the Senate shall serve on at least one Senate committee.

Sec. 3: The Executive Committee shall consist of the Senate President, Vice President / President-elect, and Secretary.

1. 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.
2. 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. 4: 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.

Sec. 5: Questions from the Faculty may be submitted through the Questions Committee or individual senators. The Faculty Senate will accept questions submitted to the appropriate official for a response according to the following procedures:

1. The Senate prefers signed questions, but questions may also be submitted anonymously to a Senator. The identity of the questioner need only be known by the Senator, who shall, at request, preserve the questioner’s anonymity.
2. Question(s) brought to any Faculty Senator must be submitted to the Questions Committee Chair unaltered. The Questions Committee may only edit submitted questions to conceal the identity of the person asking the question, or if the question involves a perceived personal attack.
3. The Questions Committee will send an answer to the questioner as soon as it is available. At the next Faculty Senate meeting, the Questions Committee will report the question, answer, and action taken.
4. Procedure for addressing and responding to questions brought to Faculty Senate:
   1. Questions will be accepted by any current Faculty Senator.
   2. Senator will send question(s) to Questions Committee Chair, who will then share it with the members of the Questions Committee. The contributing Senator will notify the person posing the question that it is being addressed.
   3. Questions Committee Chair will confer with the Committee via e-mail, text, phone or face-to-face within 1-2 business days. The question(s) will be CC’d to all Senators to allow them to respond to the Question Committee Chair with helpful and relevant information.
   4. Questions Committee will attempt to provide an answer within 3-4 business days, with CC notification to all Senators.
   5. If an answer cannot be obtained within 3-4 business days, the Questions Committee Chair will invite the individual(s) with relevant knowledge to the next Faculty Senate meeting.
   6. All questions and answers will be recorded in the following Faculty Senate Minutes.

Sec. 6: Special committees of faculty who are not members of the Senate may be appointed by the Senate President with the consent of the Senate.

Article IV - Referendum

Sec. 1: A referendum may be held upon order of the Amarillo College Faculty Senate for any purpose the Faculty Senate may deem necessary. Such referendum may be called by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Faculty Senate.

Article V - Filling of Vacancies

Sec. 1: If a vacancy occurs on the Faculty Senate, a special election shall be called in the area unrepresented.

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 as the elected Senator.
Sec. 2: The office of a Senator may be declared vacant if neither the Senator nor a substitute attends two successive meetings.

Article VII - Called Faculty Senate Meetings

Sec. 1: The President of the Faculty Senate may call a special meeting of the Faculty Senate whenever deemed necessary.
Sec. 2: A special meeting of the Faculty Senate may be called if as many as three members of the Faculty Senate desire such a meeting and the request is made in writing to the President.

Article VIII - Suspension of the Bylaws

Sec. 1: Any bylaw may be suspended in particular case upon unanimous agreement by entire Senate membership.

Article IX – Parliamentary Procedure

Sec. 1: The President shall, with the assistance of the Parliamentarian, conduct meetings according to the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Sec. 2: The Parliamentarian may overrule any Senator, including Senate officers, in matters of prescribed order.

Article X – Vote of No Confidence Procedure

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 in 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 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, 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.

Decision Outcome:

3. 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.
4. 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.
5. If the motion is denied or a determination of no action is decided by 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.

Recording the Decision:

6. The Faculty Senate Secretary will document the decision, including the vote count and any significant points raised during the discussion.
7. 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.

Review of Process:

8. 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.
9. Any necessary adjustments to the procedure will be made to enhance transparency, fairness, and efficiency in future no-confidence motions.

10. 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.

Approved: August 20, 1991
Revised: Spring 2024