II. USC-UNION FACULTY ORGANIZATION BYLAWS

ARTICLE I. PURPOSE AND POWERS

The University of South Carolina Union Faculty Organization is a body created to facilitate, subject to administrative review, those policy-making decisions stipulated by the Regional Campuses Faculty Manual.

It will propose, through its Regional Campuses Faculty Senators, matters of interest to the Regional Campuses and will determine the manner in which Regional Campuses Senate policy decisions are implemented at USC Union.

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1

All full – time faculty, professional librarians, and such others as that faculty shall designate by a two-thirds majority vote shall have voting membership.  (Rev. 12/8/00)  Adjunct faculty members shall be considered for annual membership at the first regular faculty meeting in the fall. The Dean of the campus shall be a voting member of the Faculty Organization.

Any voting member of the organization may present motions.

ARTICLE III. OFFICERS

Section 1.

The officers of the organization shall be a Chair, Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and such other officers as the organization may establish from time to time. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these by-laws and by the parliamentary authority and rules adopted by the organization.

Section 2.

The Chair (1) presides over all meetings, (2) supervises the work of other officers and committees, (3) votes only in the event of a tie, (4) represents the organization, and (5) conducts the annual administrator evaluations. (Rev. 10/4/02)

The Vice-chair assumes the duties of the Chair when the Chair is unable to fulfill those duties and assumes other duties at the discretion of the Chair.

The Secretary (1) notifies members of scheduled meetings, (2) keeps and posts the minutes, (3) files copies of committee reports, (4) handles correspondence, and (5) maintains the official written and electronic copy of the USC Union Faculty Handbook and the USC Union Faculty Organization By-Laws. (Rev. 12/6/02)

Section 3.

The officers shall serve one- year terms and shall not be elected to more than three consecutive terms. (Rev. 12/6/02)

Section 4.

Officers shall be elected by the organization at the last regular meeting in the spring and shall assume their duties immediately thereafter.

ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS

Section 1.

Regular meetings shall be held monthly during the academic year unless otherwise ordered by the organization.

Section 2.

Special meetings of the organization can be called by the Chair and shall be called upon request of one-fifth of the voting membership of the organization. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. (Rev. 10/4/02)

Section 3.

A majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum. (Rev. 11/5/02)

ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS

Section 1.

In the case of positions to be filled by the Faculty Organization, nominations shall be made from the floor. Voting shall be by secret ballot, and a majority is required for election. (Rev. 10/4/02)

Section 2.

If no candidate receives a majority on the first ballot, the candidates receiving the highest and next highest number of votes shall be the nominees for a second vote.

Section 3.

Calendar of elections:

ARTICLE VI. REPRESENTATION TO USC COLUMBIA AND REGIONAL CAMPUSES FACULTY SENATES

Section 1.

Representatives in the number stipulated by the Regional Campuses Faculty Manual are to be elected for three-year terms on a rotating basis.

Section 2.

The spokesperson shall be the Regional Campuses Faculty Senate Executive committee member.

Section 3.

An alternate (one-year term) shall be elected each year.

ARTICLE VII. FACULTY COMMITTEES

Section 1.

Standing committees—The Faculty Organization shall accept as standing committees the following, which shall act in an advisory capacity to the Faculty Organization:

a. Faculty Advisory Committee

The Faculty Advisory Committee performs the following functions:

1.  Considers matters related to the general welfare of USC Union and related to faculty governance including assigning items to be addressed by standing committees. The assignments will be made through a process of advance planning for the upcoming year.

2.  Considers unforeseen issues of a general nature not clearly related to the charges of any one standing committee as they arise during the year and advises the Dean and the appropriate standing committee regarding policy, planning, strategies, and tactics in relation to these issues.

3.  Initiates assessment and effectiveness activities and evaluates the results of those activities on campus. Also, the committee makes recommendations concerning the improvement of assessment and effectiveness processes.

4.  Makes recommendations in the areas of campus facility development and public relations.

Members of this committee include the Faculty Organization Chair (who serves as Chair of the committee), and the Chairs of the other standing committees.

b. Academic Affairs Committee

The Academic Affairs Committee performs the following functions:

1.  Considers academic programs and standards, library policy, advisement procedures, class scheduling, the Distinguished Teaching Award program, admission standards, and other matters related to scholarship and/or the curriculum. (Rev. 10/4/02)

2.  Considers ethical problems associated with the use of human subjects in research and/or testing.

The committee includes as members one freshman SGA senator and one sophomore SGA senator. The Academic Affairs Dean may serve as an ex officio member of this committee. (Rev. 5/10/99)

c. Student Affairs Committee

The Student Affairs Committee performs the following functions:

1.  Reviews student activities.

2.  Reviews and make recommendations regarding policies related to student rights and responsibilities.

3.  Handles all student grievances and student discipline matters (see student grievance procedures).

4.  Considers any admission or readmission requiring special attention in the judgment of the Dean of Academics and Student Affairs and the Chair. (Rev. 10/4/02)

5.  Considers all petitions for grade changes.

6.  Makes recommendations in the area of student enrollment.

The Student Government Association President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer are included as members of this committee. The Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs may serve as an ex officio member of this committee. (Rev. 5/10/99; 10/4/02)

d. Financial Affairs Committee

The Financial Affairs Committee performs the following functions:

1.  Advises the administration in the preparation of the annual budget.

2.  Helps organize the annual Family Fund campaign and oversees the disbursement of those funds; the Staff Organization representative assists with Family Fund decisions.

3.  Advises the USC Educational Foundation/Union-Laurens Partnership in obtaining scholarship money.

4.  Reviews scholarship requests and makes recommendations about awards; the Associate Dean assists with scholarship decisions.  (Rev. 12/8/00)

e. Faculty Welfare Committee

The Faculty Welfare Committee performs the following functions:

1.  Considers matters concerning faculty rights and responsibilities, including faculty grievance and discipline (see faculty grievance procedure).

2.  Distributes requests for service on faculty committees and makes recommendations regarding this service.

3.  Organizes special faculty activities.  (Rev. 2/11/00)

NOTE:

A faculty member normally serves on only one standing committee, except for committee chairs who also serve on the Faculty Advisory Committee.  (Rev. 11/12/99)

Section 2.

Special committees—The Faculty Organization recognizes the following special committees:

a. USC Union Tenure and Promotion Committee

The committee shall review tenure and promotion applications of faculty members and will make recommendations to the Dean of the campus. The committee shall consist of five tenured faculty members elected by secret ballot by the Faculty Organization. The member receiving the greatest number of votes shall act as Chair and call the first meeting at which a Chair shall be elected. (Rev. 10/4/02)

b. Regional Campuses Tenure and Promotion Committee

The faculty at USC Union shall elect each year two tenured full-time faculty members above the rank of Assistant Professor to serve on this committee, which reviews all applications for tenure and/or promotion from faculty members in the Regional Campuses.

c. Peer Review Committee

This committee will conduct peer review of all full-time and onsite part-time faculty. The committee shall consist of five faculty members elected by the Faculty Organization at the last spring meeting. (Rev. 10/6/02)

For the procedure and forms, see USC Union Faculty Handbook—Regulations and Policies — Administrative policies — Evaluation of Faculty — Peer — Full and Part-Time Faculty. (Rev. 5/10/99)(6/6/03)

d. Faculty Senate

This committee consists of a Regional Campuses Faculty Senate delegation based on enrollment (with a minimum of three senators), one Regional Campuses Executive Committee member, and an appropriate number of representatives to the USC Columbia Faculty Senate. The representatives are responsible for representing the interests of USC Union in these senates and for informing the Faculty Organization of the activities of these senates.

Section 3. Committee membership

a. Faculty representation on and chairpersonship of all standing committees shall be recommended by the Faculty Welfare Committee based on previously determined faculty preference.

b. Committee membership shall be determined at the last Faculty Organization meeting in the spring.

c. For the purposes of these bylaws, "ex officio" members of committees shall be non-voting members. (Rev. 9/17/99)

Section 4.

Other special committees may be established as the Organization deems necessary with the members to be selected as directed by the Organization.

ARTICLE VIII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be used in all cases in which it is not inconsistent with the bylaws or special rules which the Organization may adopt.

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS

The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote provided the proposed amendment was submitted in writing at the previous meeting.

STANDING RULES

Rule 1. The first meeting of each academic year will be called by the chair and the calendar for the year will be discussed and set at that time. (Rev. 11/5/02)

Rule 2. Order of Business

1. Corrections to and approval of the minutes

2. Elections

3. Reports of Standing Committees

4. Reports of Special Committees

5. Reports of Administrators

6. Unfinished Business

7. New Business

8. Announcements

9. Adjournment

(Rev. 12/6/02)

Rule 3. Agenda

Section 1.

The agenda shall be distributed to members of the Organization by the Chair and Secretary at least two days prior to a regular meeting. Failure to place an item on the agenda does not bar it from consideration, but priority will be given to those topics on the agenda.

Section 2.

The Organization shall not give final consideration to any substantive legislative matter not included in the published agenda unless by a two-thirds vote the Organization agrees to consider them.

Rule 4. Voting

Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot, and other voting will be by voice or by show of hands, unless a voting member of the Organization makes a request to the Chair for a secret ballot.

Rule 5. Visitors

Under special circumstances, when time precludes a vote by the Organization, the Chair may assume the responsibility of allowing visitors to visit and/or address the Faculty Organization.

Rule 6. Executive Session

The Organization may, in extraordinary circumstances and by a majority vote, go into executive session for the conduct of any business. While in Executive session, only voting members of the Organization may be present.