College Council

This agency will be composed of one delegate chosen by the electorate of each degree-granting department/school/discipline of the College; since chairs/directors already serve in a significant advisory body (the Council of Chairs), they are not eligible to serve on this council. Terms of office will be three years; an individual may serve two consecutive terms, but no more than six consecutive years, after which she/he is ineligible to serve on the council for two years. A degree-granting department/school/discipline of the College may select a replacement as its council delegate whenever its council seat is vacated for any reason. The chair of the College Council will be elected to a one-year term by delegates from the ranks of council members; the chair may serve for two consecutive one-year terms, provided that she/he is eligible to serve on the council and that she/he is elected to a second consecutive term by the council.

The College Council will serve

to make recommendations to the Dean on any matter she/he brings to the council;
to advise the Faculty Assembly, either on its own initiative or by request, on matters which arise before that body;
to advise other College agencies/officials on matters pertaining to the College as requested by them;
to recommend to the Faculty Assembly any additions to or changes in College policies, procedures, bylaws, or handbook provisions that it deems appropriate;
to recommend to the Faculty Assembly proposals for new undergraduate degrees or majors, the deletion of existing undergraduate degrees or majors, and proposals for changes in graduation requirements of the College;
to hear appeals concerning departmental/school election outcomes and decisions from any College governance agency other than the Faculty Assembly and the Tenure, Promotion and Appeals Committee, and to affirm, reverse, or modify those outcomes as the council finds appropriate;
to supervise all elections for the College through appointment of the College Elections Commissioner, who will certify annually membership in the College's electorate, in conjunction with the Fairmount College Dean’s Office;
to coordinate a College review of the Dean three years after each five-year evaluation conducted by the provost and senior vice president; however, in the case of a newly appointed Dean, the College Council will conduct its first review in the third year following the initial appointment;
to call a meeting of the Faculty Assembly upon presentation of a petition signed by at least six members of the College's electorate, provided that the signatories represent at least three different degree-granting departments/schools/disciplines of the College;
to function, in coordination with the Dean’s Faculty Advisory Council, as the College Retrenchment Committee, in coordination with the Fairmount College Dean’s Office, with the responsibility of determining staffing priorities following a declaration of financial exigency.

The College Council will establish and publicize a routine meeting time and place and conduct its affairs publicly except when the issues before it concern specific personnel cases. Agendas for council meetings will be developed and circulated prior to the meeting by the council chair in consultation with the executive committee A Council secretary, appointed by the council from among its members to serve a one-year term, will take minutes at these meetings. The council will circulate its minutes in timely fashion to members and to degree-granting departments/schools/disciplines of the College. Individuals who are not members of the council may participate in the council’s discussions only to the extent and in the form authorized by the council, executive committee, or council chair.

The Dean, a non-voting ex officio member of the council, should not be present during the coordination of the College's review of the Dean nor during hearings on appeals on degree-granting departmental/school/discipline/divisional elections or decisions of other College governance agencies. However, once the council has completed those tasks, it will report to the Dean and discuss its findings and recommendations with her/him.

The College Council will create from ranks of its members three committees with rotating responsibilities, as well as an executive committee. The executive committee consists of the council president, council secretary, and chairs of the three council committees. Committee representation will consist of each of the three College divisions.

The committees will be assigned tasks on a rotating basis unless new business falls within their existing remit. Issues and functions of the committees may include

advising the council on budgetary matters;
receiving, reviewing, amending if necessary, and making recommendations to the College Council concerning proposals for new undergraduate degrees or majors, the deletion of existing undergraduate degrees or majors, and proposals for changes in graduation requirements of the College; however, changes in curricular requirements for majors and minors in existing programs are the province of the College Curriculum Committee;
advising the Admissions and Exceptions Committee on the interpretation and application of academic requirements and policies of the College and its degree-granting departments/schools/disciplines.
In extraordinary circumstances, additional support committees may be created from the College electorate and chaired by a council member. The charges of any support committee will be provided by the council.

Amended and approved by the Faculty Assembly, May 9, 2019.