Adopted on December 4, 1990
Amended on November 7, 2000, September 3, 2002 , October 2004, October 2005, February 2006 and October 2007
The Faculty Senate of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology exists to set policy relating to academic matters, including admissions, academic standards, curricula and graduation requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate programs, and to recommend the conferral of earned degrees to the Board of Regents. An additional role of the Faculty Senate is to promote communication among teaching faculty, researchers, and administrators.
I. Membership
A. Members of the Faculty Senate shall be:
1. All persons paid regularly from the funds of the College Division and assigned the title of instructor or any of the professorial ranks.
2. The President of the Institute, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, the Dean of Students, the Graduate Dean, the Registrar, the Director of Admission, the Director of the Library and the Director of Distance Education, or EODI (even if they fail to meet the criteria listed below).
3. Emeriti who qualified under provisions 1 and 2 above prior to their retirement.
4. Full-time employees of the Institute who are currently teaching courses which fulfill degree requirements.
5. Adjunct faculty who are full- or part-time employees of the Institute.
6. The following students: The President of the Student Body (or equivalent title), an undergraduate selected by the Student Senate (or equivalent body), and a graduate student selected by the Graduate Student Association (or equivalent body). In the event that student organization changes make this selection process ambiguous, the Dean of Students shall determine the method of selecting student members.
B. Membership Status:
1. A current membership roster shall be compiled each semester by the Vice President for Academic Affairs for distribution by the second meeting of the semester.
2. Challenges to membership status shall be resolved by a majority vote of the members present.
II. Officers
A. The officers of the Faculty Senate shall be the Chair, the Vice Chair, and the Parliamentarian. The Nominating Committee will nominate two nominees for each office and present the names at the first Faculty Senate Meeting of the year. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the first meeting. Election of officers shall
occur at the second meeting of the academic year.
B. The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall provide a secretary or some other person to record the minutes of the Faculty Senate meetings.
C. The Chair shall set the agenda for all Faculty Senate meetings and p reside at those meetings unless he/she delegates that responsibility to the Vice Chair. The Chair shall communicate with the administrative officers of the Institute regarding matters of concern to the Faculty Senate and shall perform other duties as required on behalf
of the body. He/She shall serve as the voice of the Faculty Senate in the governance of the Institute, a responsibility which might include attendance at cabinet . Cabinet meetings and Board of Regents meetings when invited and will include other duties as required by the Senate .
D. The Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair.
E. The Parliamentarian shall advise the Chair and the Faculty Senate on matters of parliamentary procedure. He/She shall perform the duties of the Chair when both the Chair and the Vice Chair are absent.
F. If the Chair should become vacant, the Vice Chair shall take his/her place.
G. A vacancy in any other offices shall be filled for the remained of the term of office by a special election at a regular or a special meeting of the Faculty Senate .
III. Meetings
A. Regular meetings of the Faculty Senate shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month during the academic year except during graduation month when the meeting shall occur on the day before graduation.
B. Special meetings may be called by the Chair or his/her authorized representative, or by petition by one-third of the membership.
C. A quorum for a regular or special meeting of the Faculty Senate shall be 25% of the membership (excluding Emeritus and faculty on leave).
D. Provision shall be made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her representative to ensure that Faculty Senate members are notified at least seven d ays in advance of regular meetings and receive an agenda and the minutes of the previous meeting. Special meetings shall be announced at least three days in advance.
E. In the event that no business is slated for the agenda, the Chair on concurrence with the Vice Chair shall have the authority to cancel up to 2 regular meetings per academic year.
IV. Conduct of Business
A. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern unless modified or amended as provided for in this document.
V. Amendments
A. The Faculty Senate may revise or repeal existing rules, or enact additional rules pertaining to organization and procedure, by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting.
VI. Records
A. The Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her representative shall permanently record this document and, all subsequent repeals or revisions and all minutes of the Faculty Senate . In addition, hard copies must be kept in a notebook.
VII. Committees of the Faculty Senate
A. Standing Committees
Members who remain on a committee for a second year should meet to designate a chair, and to forward the names of all chairs to the Office for Academic Affairs for posting on its web site.
1. Academic Standards and Admissions Committee
The Academic Standards and Admissions Committee shall judge all applicants for readmission, all appeals from students relating to academic problems, and all appeals relating admission of new or transfer students. The committee shall also address policy matters relating to academic procedures and regulations, good standing, readmission, academic probation, and academic suspension. The Academic Standards and Admission Committee consists of five faculty members (2-year terms, with a 2/3 rotation), and ex-officio members including but not limited to the Registrar and the Director of Admission.
2. Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee nominate members for Faculty Senate standing committees and representatives to non Senate committees or groups. The committee shall complete the slate of nominees for Faculty Senate officers
mentioned in section II.A. The Nominating Committee consists of three faculty members (2-year terms, with a ½ rotation).
3. Student Discipline Committee
The Student Discipline Committee shall conduct its business as outlined in the New Mexico Tech Student Handbook. This is a responsibility shared with the Student Association Senate and the Graduate Student Association, which shall also have members on this committee. The Student Discipline Committee consists of five faculty members (2-year terms, with a 2/3 rotation) and a student representative as indicated in the Student Handbook.
4. Financial Aid and Scholarship Committee
The Financial Aid and Scholarship Committee shall hear student appeals and also address policy matters relating to financial aid and scholarship administration. This is a responsibility shared with the Institute Senate and the Student Senate, which shall also have members on this committee. The Financial Aid and Scholarship Committee consists of three faculty members (2-year terms, with a ½ rotation), and ex-officio members including but not limited to the Director of Financial Aid, and a student representative.
5. Computing on Campus Committee
The Computing on Campus Committee makes policy recommendations to the Faculty Senate on issues pertaining to instructional and research computing and the campus computing network. The Committee prepares the Academic Computing Plan and acts as an advisory committee for the Tech Computing Center. The Computing on Campus Committee consists of six faculty members (2-year-terms, with a 3/3 rotation), and ex-officio members including but not limited to the Director of Academic Computing, the Dean of Students, and a student representative.
6. Assessment and Retention Committee
The Assessment and Retention Committee works with academic programs to implement the Assessment
Program in order to improve student learning and to increase retention. The Committee requests, reviews, and coordinates annual assessment reports from academic programs, keeps the Assessment Program updated, works with the President to implement the Assessment Program, and recommends how institution-wide assessment outcomes will be incorporated. The Committee performs annual assessments of student retention, by year, including the assessment of degrees awarded, by developing appropriate metrics to track student success. Members work with the Department of Higher Ed Data Coordinator to define the data needed, and works with the Director of the Advisory Resource Center to assist with assessment of the Freshmen `Experience Program. The Committee consists of seven faculty members (2-year terms, with a 3/4 rotation), a student representative, and ex-officio members including but not limited to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Director of the Advising Resource Center, the Director of Admission, and the Registrar, who is also the Department of Higher Ed Coordinator.
7. Honorary Degrees and Awards Committee
The Honorary Degrees and Awards Committee solicits nominations for honorary degrees. They review the nominations for merit and then make a decision to present them to the Faculty Senate . The committee solicits nominations for the following awards: Langmuir Award, Founders Award, and Brown Medal Award. The Honorary Degrees and Awards Committee consists of three faculty members (2-year terms, with a ½ rotation). The deadline for nominations for Honorary Degrees and Awards is November 1. Supporting letters and other data concerning the nominees are due December 1. The Board of Regents shall act on the recommendations of the President no later than the first Board meeting of the spring semester. March 15 is the deadline for nominations for the Langmuir Award, By April 1, all successfully nominated papers and support material will be made available on the university's web site.
8. Distance Education Committee
The Distance Education Committee works with the administration and faculty to encourage and facilitate the exchange of instruction into and out of the Institute using a variety of media. An important aspect of the Committee's work involves (a) evaluating the suitability of current and near-term future technologies for instruction and promoting those technologies most likely to be effective, and (b) investigating collaborations with
outside groups. The Distance Education Committee consists of five faculty members (2-year terms, with a 2/3 rotation), and ex-officio members including but not limited to the Director of Education Outreach and Distance Instruction/Distance Education , Registrar, Director of Information Services, Director of Academic Computing, and ITV Coordinator.
9. Faculty Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee
The committee will serve according to the rules governing academic freedom and tenure, or in matters relating to policy in this area. The committee will serve as a source of information and advice to Faculty Senate members during informal grievance procedures. The Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee consists of five members (2-year terms, with a 2/3 rotation).
10. Faculty Sabbatical Leave Committee
The committee will review and make recommendations on sabbatical leave applications and policy matters relating to sabbatical leave for Faculty Senate members. The Sabbatical Leave Committee consists of five members (2-year terms, with a 2/3 rotation).
11. Space Utilization and Campus Planning Committee
The committee will review and report on policy relating to space utilization and campus planning. The Space Utilization and Campus Planning Committee consists of five members (2-year terms, with a 2/3 rotation), and ex-officio members including but not limited to the Director of Facilities Planning and a student representative.
12. Budget and Research Committee
The committee will review and report on budget allocations, research policy, and priorities, based on the zero-based open budgeting process recommended in the Strategic Plan of 2005. The Budget and Research Committee consists of six members (3-year terms, with a 2/2/2 rotation).
13. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Committee
The Committee shall consist of 5 members serving 2-year terms (2/3 rotation). The Committee shall assess the status of New Mexico Tech's compliance with this federal law and will make recommendations to the Faculty Senate regarding measures to achieve full compliance.
14. Ombudspersons
Ombudspersons function as confidential, impartial, independent mediators in employment-related problems of individuals. An ombudsperson can be requested by a member of administration or by any individual to intervene in the early stages of a conflict and to attempt to resolve issues informally before they proceed to more formal processes. (2-year term, one representative from the faculty, one from staff).
B. Special Committee
1. Special committees may be appointed by the Chair when deemed necessary.
C. Committee Membership
1. All member s of the Faculty Senate shall be eligible to serve on regular and special committees.
2. Special Faculty Senate committees may include individuals who are not members of the Faculty Senate .
D. Annual Committee Meetings
The following committees shall meet at least once annually and will present brief written and oral reports to the Faculty Senate at least once per academic year: Computing on Campus Committee, Assessment and Retention Committee, Distance Education Committee, Space Utilization and Campus Planning Committee, Budget and Research Committee, ADA Committee. Reports shall include 1) a description of the current situation and 2) recommendations.
Page last updated 10/03/07 |
