CONSTITUTION of Faculty Governance at King's College as ratified 28 February 2005

Preamble to the Constitution of the King's College 
Faculty Council Adopted by the Board of Directors

The governance of King's College is the responsibility of the entire academic community with special roles for the Board of Directors, and administration, the faculty, and the student body as well as other interested members of the Community at large. Any particular governance instrument must, therefore, take into consideration the larger context of that broad responsibility and must be considered as a basis for the kind of cooperation that will allow the College to follow its established mission and to achieve its goals.

The Constitution of the King's College Faculty Council provides, with the approval of the Board of Directors, an instrument for faculty participation in the governance of the College, not only so that the faculty may have a voice in the decisions that affect it and its welfare, but more particularly so that its expertise, experience, and wisdom may be lent to the accomplishing of the goals and mission of the College. The primary responsibility of the faculty and of its agent, the Council, is the effective service of such goals and mission.

The present Constitution does not describe with any completeness the roles played by the Board of Directors, the administration, and the student body in the governance of the institution, and it presumes that those elected or appointed to positions on the Council and its committees have the obligation to foster the kind of cooperative effort that will lead to the continued development of the College in the pursuit of its mission and goals. This Constitution is adopted with the understanding that appropriate consultation among the various affected parties should take place at the earliest stages of development of a particular proposal, and preferably no later than one month before the anticipated closure of its consideration. It is adopted with the understanding, also, that even where the faculty or the Council have primary responsibility for action or judgment, they will not fail to invite the participation of administration and student representatives nor fail to listen to their views. Effective governance, of course, requires that these parties, too, share with the Faculty and the Council appropriate information, give timely response to their inquiries, and respect their special competence. Regardless of which party initiates a proposal or has responsibility for its closure, it is anticipated that all affected parties shall participate in a spirit of authentic collegial cooperation in which their distinct, respective contributions are committed to advance rather than impede the effort to achieve what is best for the institutions.

It is a matter of particular concern that the President of the College continue to exercise appropriate initiative and leadership within the institution. It is his responsibility to see to it that the standards and procedures in operational use within the College conform to the policy established by the Board and to the standards of sound academic practice. In carrying out this charge he, and his administration, must depend upon the cooperative effort of the Faculty and the Council as well as their timely response to his request for advice in those matters in which it is his obligation to take the initiative.

It is also a matter of concern that the student body find proper hearing where their welfare is involved. It is important not only that they be heard but that their appropriate right of initiative also be recognized by the faculty and by the administration and that special care be given to the redress of their grievances whether in matters related directly to the academic life or in those broader matters closely related to their life at King's College. If the procedures and governance instruments presently in place are not sufficient to assure this, appropriate procedures and instruments should be developed and adopted.

Finally, the authority and responsibility of the Board of Directors is in no way limited by this Constitution. The obligation to act as final determiner of the mission of the College and final judge of the means appropriate to achieving its goals remains with the Board, although always in a context in which this authority and this responsibility are shared with and, in part, delegated to other parties within the College community.

I. Purpose

These structures established by the ratification of this document shall be the King's College Faculty Governance. They shall serve as the agencies of the Faculty in submitting to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the President, and the Board their decision on policies regarding academic, professional, and curricular matters. The Faculty Meeting shall, through its committees and organizations of the Faculty (e.g., Faculty Council, advisory boards, committees, etc.), and in cooperation with appropriate administrative offices, assist in the implementation of policy decisions. Faculty Governance operates with approval of the Board of Directors, which has final authority over all its decisions.  On any issue that directly involves another constituency of the college (e.g. students, staff, administration), the faculty through its governance and committees shall make every effort to invite and consult representatives of those constituencies during its deliberative processes.  

Certain structures, such as Schools and Departments, serve specific functions concerning academic programs, majors and the CORE curriculum, which should be described elsewhere. They have no defined role in faculty governance here. 

II. Faculty Meeting

The Faculty Meeting is the body that unites and represents the faculty as a whole, and serves as a forum for communication, deliberation and resolution of important matters from and concerning various policies, institutions and offices of the College.  It serves as a convenient forum through which the Faculty communicates its concern and recommendations to the various institutions and offices of the College, and in turn is informed by these institutions and offices, concerning academic and other important matters. 

While this Constitution and the organizations it establishes are based on the premise that the academic training and professional experience of the faculty give it and its agencies primary competence to decide academic and professional questions, few decisions do not have influence on and are not influenced by broad institutional considerations (e.g., questions relating to the goals and mission of the College, legal or financial questions, etc.). 
Thus the Faculty Meeting and its Committees base their policy decisions on academic or professional grounds and recognize the authority of the Board of Directors and its agents, and the President of the College. The Board and the President exercise this authority when broad institutional considerations dictate. Ordinarily, they should explain their actions in such instances to the Faculty Meeting. 

A. Regular Faculty Meetings shall be scheduled at least once per semester, excluding the Faculty Social. A tentative agenda established by the Faculty Council shall be distributed to each faculty member at least three days before each meeting. 

B. Dates of the regular Faculty meetings shall be established and published by the Faculty Chair at the beginning of the school year. The Faculty Chair shall be empowered to schedule additional sessions whenever the need arises. 

C. Although attendance should be a mandatory obligation of each faculty member, a quorum shall be defined as 33% plus one of all full-time faculty members holding at least the rank of Instructor.

D. If a quorum is not established, the Faculty Chair may constitute those present as a Committee of the Whole. 

E. Part-time faculty, lecturers and adjuncts may attend and participate in the deliberations of the Faculty Meeting but shall not have a vote. 

F. The Faculty Chair shall appoint a faculty member as Secretary for each meeting, whose duty is to provide minutes for general distribution to the faculty after approval by the Faculty Council. 

G. The Faculty Chair shall request a report to the faculty from the various College and Administrative bodies as the need arises. 

H. The Faculty Meeting shall create whatever ad hoc committees it deems essential. 

I. A petition by ten faculty members, a majority vote by those present at the meeting itself, or a request by a member of the Faculty Council may place an item on the agenda. 

J.  The Faculty Meeting may ask for a revision of a policy decision by the Faculty Council with a majority vote by those present at the Faculty Meeting.  Then full-time faculty members holding at least the rank of Instructor shall vote on the issue by paper ballot, to be completed within one week after the Faculty Meeting. A majority of that ballot, defined as 50% plus one of all legitimate votes cast, shall confirm the revision.

K.  A majority vote by those present at the Faculty Meeting can obligate the Faculty Council to solicit a response from Administration on specific issues.

L.  A majority vote by those present at the Faculty Meeting can obligate the Faculty Council to deal with specific issues.

III. Faculty Council  

A. Methods of Operation

The Faculty and the Administration share the responsibility to formulate and to implement the public academic policy of the College. To assure that this may be done in a most effective way, the Faculty Council, as agent for the faculty as a whole, shall assume the faculty's responsibility of formulating policy decisions in academic and professional areas. The Faculty Council shall serve as a committee on committees and shall strive to insure competent faculty service on the various committees of the College and to insure an equitable distribution of committee work among faculty members. The Faculty Council through the various committees shall consult fully in its deliberations with the appropriate programs, offices, and departments, particularly in those academic and professional matters substantively affecting them or in which they have responsibility and expertise.

The Faculty Council shall be called to its initial meeting by the Chairperson-elect at the earliest convenient time. The Council may decide on its bylaws and Rules of Procedures, or meeting times, quorums, etc. The Faculty Council should normally meet biweekly and these meetings shall be open to the College Community. The Faculty Council may call special or executive meetings. Although the Faculty Council normally decides its own agenda, a petition signed by twenty (20) faculty members or a letter to the Chair signed by the President of the College can call a special meeting or can require inclusion of a special topic on this agenda.   

B. The Faculty Chair and Faculty Chair-elect

The Faculty Chair is the chief elected representative of the faculty.  The Faculty Chair-elect shall assist the Faculty Chair, and serve in his/her place in any capacity or function when necessary or requested by the Faculty Chair or Faculty Council.  The Faculty Chair shall preside at the Faculty Meeting, in which capacity, he/she shall report the activity of the Council and shall fulfill all the responsibilities of that office. In his/her capacity as Chairperson of the Faculty Council, he/she shall call and preside at all regular and special meetings of the Faculty Council and accept responsibility for publication of its acts.  The Faculty Chair and the Faculty Chair-elect shall serve as the liaison between the Faculty Meeting and the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and other members of the administration. As such they should be involved with the decision-making process of senior staff on all issues that pertain to faculty interests. The Faculty Chair will serve as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and the college's Institutional Planning and Resource Committee. He/she shall ensure the Faculty Handbook is both regularly revised to reflect decisions by Administration and Faculty and distributed to faculty members. He/she shall perform all other functions normally expected of a presiding officer.  The Faculty Chair and Chair-elect shall serve as resources and support for faculty.  

The Faculty Chair and Faculty Chair-elect shall be elected to staggered two year terms, so that the latter succeeds the former.  Thus, each year the Faculty votes for a Faculty Chair-elect, the elected candidate serves one year as Chair-elect, and the next as Chair.  Candidates shall be eligible for reelection. The Chair shall be compensated by release time equivalent to one course per semester;  Chair-elect shall be compensated by release time equivalent to one course per academic year.  

C. Nomination and Elections

1. Nominations
In February of each school year the Faculty Chair shall solicit nominations for the position of Faculty Chair-elect, and Chairs-elect of Curriculum & Teaching and Academic & Professional Affairs. The faculty shall have five (5) school days to submit nominations. A candidate shall be a full-time member of the faculty who shall be in at least the fifth year of service at the college, consent to the nomination, and receive the endorsement of seven (7) full-time faculty members. The Chair and Chair-elect may not be elected from the same Division. 

2. Election
One school day after nominations have been completed the Faculty Chair shall prepare and distribute a ballot for the election. The Faculty shall have five (5) school days to return their ballots. A plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient for elections. 
The Faculty Chair shall select two members from Faculty Council who are not candidates for positions on the ballots being counted to serve as an Election Committee. The Election Committee will count the ballots after the conclusion of the election, and announce the winners to the faculty. 

D. Membership of Faculty Council

Faculty Council shall consist of eleven (11) voting members, as follows:  

a.  The Faculty Chair and Faculty Chair-elect (2 members).

b. The Chairs and Chairs-elect of the Academic and Professional Affairs Committee and the Curriculum and Teaching Committee (4 members).

c. Four (4) Divisional Representatives, one from each Division, elected according to Article IV, section A.

d. One (1) At-large Representative.

E. Policy Decisions of the Faculty Council

1. Areas of Competence

At the suggestion of a member of the Faculty or Administration, the Faculty Council may, or, by a majority vote by those present at the Faculty Meeting, it must consider and, if it deems wise, formulate policy decisions on academic (e.g., admissions policies, curriculum, degree requirement, the academic calendar, academic departments and divisions, the library, etc.) and professional (e.g., promotion, tenure, academic freedom, sabbatical leave, leaves of absence, etc.) matters.  

2. Procedure for Policy Decisions among the Faculty

The Faculty Council may delegate the task of investigation and deliberation to an appropriate Standing or Other Committee of the Faculty Meeting, an ad hoc committee, or the Faculty Meeting as a whole. 
After a delegated committee shall have come to a resolution of an issue, it shall submit that resolution in writing to the Faculty Council for deliberation and implementation. The Faculty Council shall communicate all of its policy decisions to the Faculty. 

3. Procedure for Policy Decisions interacting with the Administration

Resolutions as approved and adopted by the delegated committees through the Faculty Council are submitted by the Faculty Chair and Faculty Chair-elect to the President of the College. He should, within one month or another mutually agreed upon specified time, either: 
a) approve the decision thereby making it part of the public policy of the College
b) suggest alterations to Faculty Council;
c) forward the decision to the Board of Directors for its consideration;
d) veto the decision;
e) or advise the Faculty Council of the need for a reasonable extension of time to reach a decision.

Should the President exercise option d), he should base his actions on broad institutional considerations and explain his action to the Faculty. 
If after the President's exercise of options b) or d), and after he has explained his reasons for that action, the Faculty Council does not accept his judgment, the Faculty Council can, by a majority vote, send the decision directly to the Board. The Board has the final authority over all questions sent to it by the President or the faculty. 

IV. Representatives to Standing Committees

The Faculty Chair shall organize and supervise elections to be held every March. Two weeks before election the Faculty Chair should solicit nominees, but anyone may be nominated up to the actual vote. Nominees must be full-time members of the faculty who shall be in at least the second year of service at the college.  All positions are open for reelection. All elections are held by unanimous acclamation of a single candidate or secret ballot if two or more candidates seek election for a position. In any election, a plurality of votes cast is sufficient for election. Should an election result in a tie, a coin toss shall determine the winner. 

Should the Faculty Chair or Chairs of A&P, C&T and Faculty Benefits be unable to fulfill the functions of the office (due to resignation, illness, etc.) as determined by Faculty Council, the Chair-elect shall assume the position of Chair for the remainder of that year's term, remaining as Chair for the second year of his/her elected term. Then Faculty Council shall conduct a special election which shall choose another full-time member of the faculty to serve out only the remainder of the Chair-elect's term in that year (although that person may run for Chair-elect at the regularly scheduled election). Should a Chair-elect be unable to fulfill the functions of the office (due to resignation, illness, etc.) as determined by Faculty Council, it shall conduct a special election which shall choose another full-time member of the faculty to assume the Chair-elect's regular term as Chair-elect then Chair. 

In the case of vacancies on committees (due to illness, resignation, etc.) the Faculty Chair shall appoint a replacement to fill the term, who as near as possible fits eligibility criteria. He/she shall choose first from among the Alternates Pool, then, if none are available or willing, from among the faculty. 

Unless otherwise arranged, representatives to Standing Committees (Faculty Council, A&P, C&T, Tenure and Promotion, Senior Promotion, Faculty Benefits) shall be compensated by credit bank equivalent to teaching an independent study course.

For the purposes of nomination and representation to various Faculty Committees, the faculty shall be divided into two representative modalities:

A. Divisions
The four Divisions serve as meeting and voting groups. They are based on departmental or program membership, as follows: 

The Faculty Council shall be authorized to alter the membership of these Divisions if necessary to maintain a reasonable numeric and academic balance among the groups, especially whenever a department is created or eliminated. 

B. At-large Representatives

At-large representatives are voted on by all full-time faculty. For each of the Curriculum & Teaching and Academic & Professional Affairs Committees, the entire faculty shall elect two representatives of the rank of (Clinical/Technical) professor, one of the rank of associate (Clinical/Technical) professor, and one of the rank of assistant (Clinical/Technical) professor. 

For faculty-wide elections, the Faculty Chair shall solicit nominations and prepare the ballots. The Faculty Chair shall select two members from Curriculum & Teaching and/or Academic & Professional Affairs who are not candidates for the positions on the ballots being counted to serve as an Election Committee. The Election Committee will count the ballots after the conclusion of the election, and announce the winners to the faculty. 

C. Alternate Pool

The Alternate Representatives form a stand-by pool of five (5) elected faculty who may be chosen by the Faculty Council to serve on some committee when a conflict of interest, inability to serve, or other necessity arises. Four alternates are full-time faculty, elected from each Division; the fifth is a part-time faculty member elected by part-time faculty and adjuncts who may serve on ad hoc committees. 

D. Division Meetings

Division Meetings shall be scheduled at least once per semester. Dates of the regular Divisional and Faculty meetings shall be established and published by the Faculty Chair at the beginning of the school year. The Faculty Chair shall be empowered to schedule additional sessions whenever the need arises. Members of a division can call for an additional Division Meeting when 33% plus one members request a meeting in a written petition to the convener.  A tentative agenda established by the elected representatives to Faculty Council, A&P and C&T shall be distributed at least three days before each meeting. The meeting will be convened and chaired by the division's Faculty Council representative, or a delegated divisional representative to C&T or A&P.  Administrators and staff may address the Division. 

Meetings are to provide a chance for faculty to receive pertinent information, especially from elected delegates, to discuss college and curricular issues, to frame and delegate proposals and issues for the Faculty Meeting or Faculty Council, and to conduct elections. 

V. Other Committees of the Faculty Meeting

The Faculty Meeting and the Administration share the responsibility to formulate and to implement the public academic policy of the College. The Faculty Council through the various committees shall ensure full deliberations with the appropriate programs, offices, and departments, particularly in those academic and professional matters substantively affecting them or in which they have responsibility and expertise. 

No member of the faculty shall normally serve on more than one Standing Committee, except the Chairs and Chairs-elect. 

Any member of the faculty or Administration whose department or office is affected by the actions of a Standing Committee or any appropriate representative of the student body shall have the right to propose subjects for a Committee's consideration and shall have the right to speak at that Committee's meeting while it considers a subject affecting his/her department, office, or legitimate interests. Standing Committees shall consider those matters referred to them by the Faculty Council, the Faculty Meeting and/or Divisions. 

A. The Academic & Professional Affairs Committee

1. Membership (10) 
The Committee shall consist of ten (10) voting members selected as follows: 

a) The Chair and Chair-elect shall be elected to staggered two year terms, so that the latter succeeds the former.  Thus, each year the Faculty votes for a Chair-elect,  the elected candidate serves one year as Chair-elect and the next as Chair.  The Chair and Chair-elect may not be elected from the same Division. Candidates shall be eligible for reelection. The Chair-elect shall assist the Chair, and serve in his/her place in any capacity or function when necessary or requested by the committee.   The Chair shall be an ex officio representative to the college's Personnel Policies Committee.  The Chair shall be compensated by release time equivalent to one course per semester;  Chair-elect shall be compensated by release time equivalent to one course per academic year. 

b) One representative from each of the Divisions of the Faculty as described in Article IV, Section A. 

c) Four representatives elected at large as described in Article IV, Section B. 

2. Procedures

The Committee is convened and chaired by the Chair or the Chair-elect acting in his/her place. Ties on any issue may be broken by the acting Chair.    

3. Responsibilities

This Committee has the responsibility to study and suggest policies in all areas of general academic concern and professional questions such as academic freedom, policies about sabbatical leaves or leaves of absence, general policies on promotion and tenure, academic calendar, faculty organization and governance, institutional resources, etc.
It shall apply established public policy on professional conduct to individual cases brought to its attention and make recommendations to appropriate administrative officers.

Normally, no member of A&P should serve on more than one subcommittee per year.  

4. Subcommittees

a) The Procedural Review Committee
The Procedural Review Committee is dormant until activated because of an appeal submitted in writing to the Co-chairs from the Academic and Professional Affairs Committee. The Procedural Review Committee shall consist of four faculty members drawn from the Academic and Professional Affairs Committee, and three drawn from the Alternate Representative Pool. None of the members may be in the same department as the appellant, or on a Tenure and Promotion or Senior Promotion Committee with which the appeal is connected. 
Otherwise it shall operate according to the guidelines in the current Faculty Handbook.

b) The Academic Grievance Board
The Academic Grievance Board is dormant until activated because a student submits a grievance according to the guidelines in the current Faculty Handbook. The faculty representation to the Academic Grievance Board shall consist of two faculty members elected by and from the Academic and Professional Affairs Committee, neither of whom may be in the same Department or CORE Project Team as the faculty member against whom the student has a grievance. 
Otherwise it shall operate according to the guidelines in the current Faculty Handbook.

c) Summer Research Grant Committee
The Summer Research Grant Committee will operate according to the guidelines in the current Faculty Handbook, except that the faculty representation shall be four tenured, promoted professional specialist, or academic appointment faculty from each of the four Divisions who are not candidates for a summer stipend elected by and from the Academic & Professional Affairs Committee. 

B. Committee on Curriculum & Teaching

1. Membership (12) 

The Committee shall consist of ten (10) voting members and two (2) advisory member selected as follows: 

a) The Chair and Chair-elect shall be elected to staggered two year terms, so that the latter succeeds the former.  Thus, each year the Faculty votes for a Chair-elect,  the elected candidate serves one year as Chair-elect and the next as Chair.  The Chair and Chair-elect may not be elected from the same Division. Candidates shall be eligible for reelection.  The Chair-elect shall assist the Chair, and serve in his/her place in any capacity or function when necessary or requested by the committee.  The Chair shall be compensated by release time equivalent to one course per semester;  Chair-elect shall be compensated by release time equivalent to one course per academic year. 

b) One representative from each of the Divisions of the Faculty as described in Article IV, Section A. 

c) Four representatives elected at large as described in Article IV, Section B. 

d) One administrator, appointed by the President of the College, and one student, appointed by the Student Government as advisory members to this Committee. These members shall have all the privileges of membership except the right to vote. 

2. Responsibilities

The Committee is convened and chaired by the Chair or the Chair-elect acting in his/her place. Ties on any issue may be broken by the acting Chair.  This Committee is charged to suggest curricular policies and to assist in the implementation of established policies in such areas as the approving and identifying courses in the CORE Curriculum, changing and supervising the CORE Curriculum, maintaining the quality and coherence of the CORE Curriculum, adding or deleting all academic programs (majors, minors, concentrations, certificates, etc.), developing and evaluating experimental teaching methods and experimental academic programs, aligning admissions policies and degree requirements, serving as liaison with the library, etc. 
On a bi-annual rotation, CORE Project Team Leaders should meet with the committee. 

3. New Courses

The approval of a new requirements for major curricula shall be the primary responsibility of the department offering the course. Departmental chairs should submit notice of any such changes to the Committee. Approval requires the notification to C&T and approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

C. The Committee on Senior Promotion

1. Membership (8) 
The Committee on Senior Promotion is composed of eight tenured Professors, two from each Division and no more than one from any department. Division representatives are as described in Article IV, Section A, for two-year staggered, overlapping terms. In the event that a Division cannot provide an eligible candidate, that representative to the Committee on Senior Promotion will be elected by the Faculty from the Professors of the Faculty at large by ballot under the supervision of the Faculty Chair. If a professional specialist applies for promotion to Clinical or Technical Professor, the faculty shall elect two full-time professional specialists of the rank of associate or above to serve on the Committee for that year. These representatives shall enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of that committee in deliberating, voting and writing reports on the Professional Specialist candidates. 

2. Recommendations to the President
In accordance with the public policies of the College this Committee will make recommendations based on academic and professional considerations for the granting of promotion to the rank of Professor. It shall provide the President with the reasons for its recommendations. (See Procedural Guidelines, in the current Faculty Handbook).

3. Role of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
Before the Committee evaluates any of the candidates, it shall meet with the Vice President for Academic Affairs to discuss the standards of performance expected for the various ranks. 
Though the Vice President for Academic Affairs will not serve as a member of this Committee, he/she shall provide it with all documents necessary for its work. In particular, he/she shall make available copies of all official correspondence between the applicant and the College. The Academic Vice President may be called by the Committee to provide information and advice. The President of the College should consider the Academic Vice President's recommendations on Promotion along with but separately from those of this Committee. 

4. Appeals of the Committee's Recommendation
A candidate for promotion shall be informed of the Committee's recommendation before the President reaches his decision. The candidate may appeal a negative recommendation according to the guidelines on the Procedural Review Committee. 

D. The Committee on Tenure and Promotion

1. Membership (8) 
The Committee on tenure and Promotion shall be composed of eight tenured faculty members who are elected by the faculty. The membership of the Committee shall be composed of: 

a) Four professors who are members of the Committee on Senior Promotion, one from each Division of the College, to be elected annually by and from that committee during the fall semester to a one-year term. A Division representative to the Committee on Senior Promotion who has been elected from the faculty at large shall not serve on the Committee on Tenure and Promotion, unless both Division representatives have been elected at large. A member of the Committee on Senior Promotion shall not serve on the Committee on Tenure and Promotion if another member of his/her same department is already serving on that committee.

b) Four Associate Professors are to represent each of the Divisions as described in Article IV, Section A. Two candidates are to be elected each year to staggered, overlapping two-year terms of office. 

c) If a professional specialist is up for promotion to Associate Clinical or Technical Professor, and there is no professional-specialist on the committee, the faculty shall elect two full-time professional specialists of the rank of associate or above to serve on the Committee for that year. Those representatives shall enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of that committee regarding decisions of promotion in deliberating, voting and writing reports on the Professional Specialist candidates.

d) The Committee shall elect its own chairperson.

2. Recommendations to the President
In accordance with the public policies of the College this Committee will make recommendations based on academic and professional considerations for the granting of tenure and for all promotions except to the rank of Professor. It shall provide the President with the reasons for its recommendations. (See Procedural Guidelines, in the current Faculty Handbook).

3. Role of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
Before the Committee evaluates any of the candidates, it shall meet with the Vice President for Academic Affairs to discuss the standards of performance expected for the various ranks. Though the Vice President for Academic Affairs will not serve as a member of this Committee he/she shall provide it with all necessary documents for its work. In particular, he/she shall make available copies of all official correspondence between the applicant and the College. The Academic Vice President may be called by the Committee to provide information and advice. The President of the College should consider the Academic Vice President's recommendations on tenure and promotion along with but separately from those of this Committee. 

4. Appeals of the Committee's Recommendation

A candidate for tenure or promotion shall be informed of the Committee's recommendation before the President reaches his decision. The candidate may appeal a negative recommendation according to the guidelines of the Procedural Review Committee. 

E. Faculty Benefits Committee

1. Responsibilities 

The Faculty Benefits Committee reviews annual faculty benefits programs (e.g. personnel policies, salary scales, merit pay, market supplements, health insurance, retirement, life and disability insurance, government related insurance programs, education benefits for spouses and dependent children) and makes recommendations for change. The Committee consults with the faculty and the Faculty Council to gain input and support for proposed changes; meets with the President and/or other administrators to review budgetary data, enrollment projections, and other matters impacting the benefits program. 

To remain properly informed, the Committee shall appoint two of its members each year to serve on the College’s Institutional Planning and Resource Committee. 

The Committee shall, as informed by proposals and consultation with other faculty and the Faculty Council, make suggestions to the President for improvements in current benefits or the addition of such other benefits as from time to time are considered useful and possible. 
Before the administration may make any changes or delays to current benefits, it must provide such changes in writing to and consult with the committee, which may share and discuss the information at the next Faculty Meeting.

These recommendations, as endorsed by the Faculty Meeting shall be given serious consideration before the determination of the final draft of the budget. The response of the Administration to these recommendations shall be reported to the Faculty Benefits Committee and the Faculty Meeting. 

The Faculty Benefits Committee shall continue to function during the Spring semester by conducting a retrospective evaluation of the recently finalized budget and by securing data relevant to the prospective agenda for the following year's Faculty Benefits Committee. 

2. Membership (6)

The Committee shall consist of six (6) voting members and one (1) advisory member selected as follows: 

a) The Chair and Chair-elect shall be elected to staggered two year terms, so that the latter succeeds the former.  Thus, each year the Faculty votes for a Chair-elect,  the elected candidate serves one year as Chair-elect and the next as Chair.  The Chair and Chair-elect may not be elected from the same Division. Candidates shall be eligible for reelection.  The Chair-elect shall assist the Chair, and serve in his/her place in any capacity or function when necessary or requested by the committee. Ties on any issue may be broken by the acting Chair.   

b) One representative from each of the four Divisions of the Faculty as described in Article IV, Section A. They shall serve staggered two-year terms, with elections from Divisions A and B alternating with elections from Divisions C and D. 

c) One administrator, appointed by the President of the College. This member shall have all the privileges of membership except the right to vote. 

3. Procedures

The Committee shall have the right to meet without the presence of the administrative member in certain instances when professional matters or conduct are considered. This determination will be made by the Faculty Chair on an issue by issue basis when making topic assignments or upon the request of the Committee Chair. 

F. Ad hoc Committees

The Faculty Meeting may establish ad hoc committees to investigate and suggest policy recommendations. These ad hoc committees should be given a clear charge, will normally be limited in their scope and duration, and be responsible to the Faculty Meeting. 
Their membership should be a combination of members of the Alternate Pool chosen by Faculty Council, members of C&T and A&P selected from and by those committees, faculty volunteers, and those appointed by the Administration. 

G. Advisory Boards

When administrative officers or student groups seek sustained faculty participation in the performance of the functions of their office or group, they should petition the Faculty Council through its Chair or Chair Elect to secure such participation. The Faculty Council should seek to keep the number and membership of these auxiliary groups as small as possible and should seek to distribute this type work equitably among the members of the Faculty. Normally no member of the Faculty should be expected to serve on more than one advisory board at a time.

H. Coordination

Especially important is communication between and among all the vested interests of the College. As new committees and structures are created, whether by the Faculty Meeting or Faculty Council, the Administration, or others, every effort should be made to ensure that the purposes, activities and resolution of any such committees are coordinated with and communicated to faculty governance structures in this Constitution. 

VI. Amendments to this Constitution

Assessment:  During the third year after the ratification of this constitution, the Academic and Professional Affairs Committee shall conduct a review of faculty governance.  It shall present its findings and any recommendations for improvements, including amendments, to the Faculty Council which shall in turn inform the Faculty Meeting.  The Academic and Professional Affairs Committee will conduct similar reviews every five years thereafter.  

This Constitution may be amended in two ways. 

1. When two-thirds of the Faculty Council approve an amendment, it will be forwarded to the Faculty Meeting. It shall require the approval of a majority of the faculty members participating in a written ballot to send a proposed amendment to the President or Board of Directors. 

2. An amendment signed by 20 percent of the full-time faculty members and approved by two-thirds of the faculty participating in a written ballot shall send a proposed amendment to the President or Board of Directors. 

VII. Ratification

This Constitution shall be ratified with the approval of two-thirds of the full-time faculty participating in a written ballot and the subsequent approval of the Board of Directors. 

It shall replace in its entirety the Constitution of the King's College Faculty Council and the By-Laws of the King's College Faculty Meeting preceding it. In the transition to the new representative structures, initial elections and terms shall be organized by the outgoing Faculty Council Chairperson and Faculty Council, so as to meet the description as soon as feasible (such as one-year terms for the newly structured Chairs). 

Principle of Continuity: Policy positions affecting academic and professional matters already approved by the All College Senate, Faculty Council and accepted by either the President or the Board and policy positions accepted in official King's College publications (e.g., catalog, Faculty Handbook, etc.) not directly altered by the ratification of this document shall continue in force, nor shall they be changed, nor new positions adopted without appropriate consultation of the Faculty Council and the President or Board.