CECI Faculty Council (FC) is a deliberative and representative forum that exists to consider the activities of the College of Education and Community Innovation (CECI) in all of its facets, with particular attention to educational objectives, strategic initiatives, and those matters that affect the common interests of faculty and students within the college. Faculty have the primary responsibility for fundamental areas such as curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, research, faculty status, and those aspects of student life which relate to the educational process. The FC is also empowered to request information from university administration through appropriate channels.

1. Charge

   a. The FC will serve as a liaison between the CECI faculty and the Dean. The FC shall seek to represent the general interests of the CECI faculty collectively. The FC should represent faculty interests first and foremost.

   b. On matters presented to the FC from CECI faculty or the Dean, the FC will review, discuss, and advise the Dean of the consensus of the faculty. FC may also initiate the request of documents from the Dean’s office, including, but not limited to CECI policies and budget, strategic planning, reports, and the organization and function of existing college committees.

   c. The FC will create standing and/or ad hoc committees as needed, including faculty forums or town hall meetings.

   d. The FC will administer faculty committee elections (both university and college committees). The FC may use appropriate procedures to replace any governance committee member who is consistently absent from meetings upon notification by the chair of the committee.

   e. The FC serves as an advocate for faculty in the college. The FC brings attention to issues of concern within the CECI community. Any faculty within the college can contact any FC representative to express concern and trust that they will remain confidential. If the issue is not within the purview of FC, the faculty member will be appropriately referred.

   f. The FC will create a regular communication system to inform faculty of various governance committees and other matters impacting faculty of the college (e.g., e-newsletter). Faculty representatives are also responsible for communicating agenda topics with their constituents at least a week prior to any scheduled meetings.

   g. The FC will oversee the college and university awards for regular faculty.

   h. The FC will solicit annual feedback from faculty regarding topics/issues of concern.

2. Membership

   a. The FC will have seven (7) regular faculty members, composed of one (1) member from each academic unit, and one regular faculty member serving as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) representative. The DEI representative will be elected from the College at large. This individual is charged with attending to structural bias and antiracism in the work of the FC. Regular faculty members are nominated by the faculty or unit head. Each unit will elect their representative, and a broad representation of all faculty is encouraged. The Dean, or designated representative of the Dean, will serve as an ex officio member. Unit heads are not eligible to serve on the FC.

   b. Nominations for the DEI representative position may occur either by colleagues, or self-nomination. The nominee(s) for the DEI representative will be responsible to identify and share any DEI-focused interest, training, background, and expertise in support of their nomination. The DEI advocate will be selected prior to the end of the Winter semester every three years. It is the responsibility of the outgoing chair(s) to make sure that nominations are collected and selection occurs.

   c. A chair of the FC, or their appointee, will have the additional responsibility of serving on the Dean’s Leadership Team.

   d. The chair(s) will be elected by the members of the FC.

3. Operations

   a. Meetings and Attendance

      i. The FC shall meet once a month during the academic year. The meeting schedule will be determined at the beginning of each regular academic semester and publicly available. Meetings can be canceled as needed, and additional meetings can be added as needed.

      ii. GVSU faculty, staff, and students may attend meetings.

      iii. The FC members should make all efforts to attend all committee meetings. If a committee member cannot attend a meeting, they may designate an alternate. Inability to attend and designated alternates should be communicated to the chair(s) beforehand.

      iv. Alternates will come from the represented unit.  In the case of a prolonged absence involving several meetings, the represented unit should designate the alternate.

      v. Meetings will be in person. In situations where meetings cannot be held in person, a remote meeting is acceptable.

      vi. The process for voting during meetings will be determined by the members of the FC committee.

   b. Length of Terms

      i. The standard term on the FC is three (3) years; terms will be staggered among members to promote continuity. Members may be elected to terms of shorter lengths to fill vacancies. Standard terms begin the Monday of finals week of Winter semester.

      ii. The chair(s) of the FC will be selected prior to the end of the Winter semester each year. It is the responsibility of the outgoing chair(s) to make sure the election occurs. Whenever possible, rank and experience should be taken into consideration in choosing chair(s).

      iii. Faculty may not serve on the FC while on sabbatical leave (or any leave lasting a semester or longer) and thus must yield their seat to an elected substitute for the term of the sabbatical or leave.

4. Internal Bylaws of Committees

   a. The FC may develop internal bylaws and procedures separate from CECI Bylaws to describe the selection of officers, procedures to handle responsibilities, and other matters. Internal bylaws must be consistent with university policy and CECI bylaws. Internal bylaws must be approved by FC voting members.  All internal bylaws, once approved, shall be publicly available.

   b. Changes to the governance policies contained in the CECI Bylaws are subject to approval as outlined in the Faculty Handbook under Shared Governance.

1. Charge

   a. The College Personnel Committee (CPC) will review and make recommendations to the Dean on all contract renewals, tenure, and promotion decisions, dismissal for adequate cause, personnel policies and issues, and other requirements (see Faculty Handbook).

   b. The CPC will make recommendations to the Dean and/or the FC concerning other personnel matters or policies, upon its own initiative, or upon the request of the Dean or the FC.

2.  Membership

   a. There are seven (7) voting members on the CPC. Membership of the CPC will consist of six (6) regular, tenured faculty members, to include one representative from each CECI unit. Representatives should be nominated and elected within each Unit to ensure equal representation across the College. One (1) additional tenured faculty member will be elected by the college to serve as a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) representative. Nominations for the JEDI representative position may occur either by colleagues, or self-nomination. The nominee(s) for the JEDI representative will be responsible to identify and share any/all JEDI-focused interest, training, background, and/or expertise in support of their nomination.

   b. Regular, tenured faculty members are nominated by the faculty or unit head. Each unit will elect their representative, and a broad representation of all faculty is encouraged. The Dean, or designated representative of the Dean, will serve as an ex officio member. Unit heads are not eligible to serve on the CPC.

   c. The standard term for a CPC representative is three years; terms should be staggered among members to promote continuity. Faculty may be elected on an ‘as-needed basis’ to terms less than three years to fill vacancies. Terms begin the Monday of finals week of Winter semester.

   d. The Chair of the CPC will be selected by incoming CPC membership prior to the end of the Winter semester for the upcoming academic year. It is the responsibility of the outgoing Chair to make sure the selection occurs.

   e. At the start of each fall semester, the CPC must select its University Sabbatical Review Committee representative for that academic year. It is the responsibility of the Chair to make sure the selection occurs.

   f. Faculty may not serve on the CPC while on sabbatical leave (or any leave lasting a semester or longer in duration) and thus must yield their seat to an elected substitute for the term of the sabbatical or leave.

   g. Membership during the CECI transition.

      i. All members of the 2021-22 CPCs of the COE and the CCPS will form the CECI CPC for 2022-23. All members will have their terms extended by one year. Thus, no terms will expire at the end of 2021-22.

      ii. An election in the Winter 2022 semester will be held to elect the JEDI member for 2022-2023.

      iii. At the conclusion of 2022-23, faculty would rotate off the committee per usual at the end of their four-year term; new representatives would be elected and begin serving on the committee for three-year terms, following the policy recommended above. LEFT and SPNHTM will initially each have two representatives on the CPC, continuing from their previously separate units. Once all members’ terms from LEFT or SPNHTM have ended, that unit will elect one representative to the CPC.

      iv. If the current at-large COE or CCPS member is no longer able to serve, this position will not be filled.

3. Operations

  a. Role of the Dean

      i. At the first meeting of each fall semester, committee members will vote on whether the Dean (or an Associate Dean) will serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the college personnel committee. The results of the decision shall be reported to the Chair of the University Academic Senate.

      ii. If the Dean is not serving as an ex-officio member, the chair of the committee will meet with the Dean to discuss the committee’s recommendations. The Personnel Committee will issue an annual report at the close of the Winter semester to the [Name of committee/council TBD] concerning its activities for the academic year, which includes the number of portfolios reviewed, but not vote outcomes. A copy of this report will be distributed to the Dean, and sent to the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Senate as described in BOT 4.2.10.

   b.  Meeting Attendance & Voting

      i. The CPC meets as necessary to 1) review personnel actions, 2) discuss and address personnel policy, 3) attend to other business as necessary.

      ii. CPC members should make all efforts to attend every committee meeting. If a committee member cannot attend a meeting, they must inform the Chair in advance. No substitutes or alternates are allowed in such instances.

      iii. To support the Unit recommendation, the CPC vote must be carried by a majority of voting members present.  A quorum (at least two thirds of the members of the CPC) must be present for a valid vote on a motion regarding a personnel action. In the event of a tie, the Unit recommendation will not be supported. The committee will follow additional procedures as described in BOT 4.2.10.2.

   c. Changes to Bylaws

      Changes to the governance policies contained in the CECI Bylaws are subject to approval as outlined in the Faculty Handbook under Shared Governance 1.04.

1. Charge

1. To review and advise the Dean on all curricular matters, including proposals for new courses, programs, majors, minors, general education, prospective and final plan proposals, and other university documents and criteria for program admission.
2. The CCC will review proposals for potential overlap with, or effect on, other disciplines, Units, or Colleges.
3. The CCC will inform the Dean’s Office of requests to assist with communication or coordination among affected disciplines, Units, and Colleges.
4. The committee will monitor and review curricular consistency with competencies and objectives required for accreditation, state approval, and specialty program approval.

2. Membership

1. Membership consists of nine (9) members. The committee makeup will include six regular faculty members, one from each academic unit, elected by closed ballot at the unit level, two at large regular faculty members, elected by closed ballot at the college level, and one affiliate faculty member, elected by closed ballot at the affiliate/visitor committee level.
2. In the event that an affiliate faculty member is not nominated, the CCC committee may appoint a regular faculty member.
3. The UCC representative and Dean or designated representative of the Dean, will serve as non-voting ex officio members of the CCC.
4. Committee members will elect their own chair and vice chair annually and will meet as workload dictates.
5. Length of Terms: The standard term of the CCC is three years, and terms will be staggered amongst members to promote continuity. Members may be elected to terms of shorter length to fill vacancies. Standard terms begin the Monday of finals week of Winter semester.
6. Prior to the first day of Spring/Summer semester each year, the Committee must choose its Chair for the following academic year. It is the responsibility of the outgoing Chair to make sure the election occurs. Whenever possible, rank and experience should be taken into consideration in choosing a Chair.

3. Operations

1. All curricular proposals will move from the initiating faculty member to the initiating unit for discussion, vote, and recommendation to the unit head and be available for unit member review for a minimum of two weeks before committee action. Proposals will then be forwarded for review to the College Curriculum Committee (Committee can elect to divide work as the committee sees fit), then to the Dean, then to the university curriculum committee.
2. Membership during transition: Voting for all members of the combined CCC will occur spring 2022. Initially each unit, at large positions, and affiliate position will be randomly assigned a 1-, 2-, or 3-year term for purposes of staggering terms across membership. The randomized initial length of term for each position will be shared prior to soliciting nominations.
3. There are no limits on the number of terms an individual can serve.

The College Advisory and Communication Committee (CACC) is a collaborative and broadly representative forum that exists to advise the other standing committees and the Dean of the College of Education and Community Innovation (CECI). The purpose of the CACC is to identify gaps in processes and address needs that intersect units across the college.

1. Charge

   a. The CACC will assess and foster regular communication to inform units about awards, programs, opportunities, meetings, and events (e.g., e-newsletter, Discord, messaging).

   b. The CACC will identify gaps in the organization and function of the college and propose recommendations.

   c. The CACC will work with the Dean’s office and the standing committees to coordinate the biannual faculty/staff college meetings (e.g., agenda, location, food).

   d. The CACC will make recommendations to the Dean and/or the standing committees upon its own initiative, or upon the request of the Dean or other standing committees.

   e. The CACC will coordinate college awards by ensuring that the appropriate standing committee is involved to the extent possible.

   f. The CACC will identify and promote opportunities for community building within the college.

   g. The CACC will meet with officers of student organizations at least once per semester.

2. Membership

   a. The CACC may have up to eleven (11) voting members. Three (3) members are staff, each representing their respective nonacademic units. Six (6) members come from each academic unit and can be regular faculty, affiliates, visitors or staff. In the case where no tenure-track faculty are serving on the committee, the CACC will request that the FG Committee appoint a regular faculty member to serve.  Additionally, if there are no affiliates or visitors that have been elected to serve, the CACC will request an appointee from the AVC Committee. The Dean, or the designated representative of the Dean, will serve as an ex officio member.

   b. The CACC will attempt to have two student representatives, including one undergraduate and one graduate. The chair will elicit self-nominations at the beginning of Fall to serve a one-year term.

   c. The chair will be elected by the members of the CACC.

3. Operations

   a. Meetings and Attendance

      i. The CACC shall meet once a month or as needed during the academic year. The meeting schedule will be determined at the beginning of each regular academic semester.  Meetings can be canceled as needed and additional meetings can be added as needed.

      ii. The CACC members should make all efforts to attend all committee meetings. If a committee member cannot attend a meeting, they may designate an alternate. Inability to attend and designated alternates should be communicated to the chair beforehand.

      iii. Alternates will come from the represented unit.  In the case of a prolonged absence involving several meetings, the represented unit should designate the alternate.

      iv. Meetings will be in person. In situations where meetings cannot be held in person, a remote meeting is acceptable.

      v. The criteria for voting will be determined by the members of the CACC committee.

   b. Length of Terms

      i. The standard term on the CACC is three (3) years; terms will be staggered among members to promote continuity. Members may be elected to terms of shorter lengths to fill vacancies. Standard terms begin the Monday of finals week of Winter semester.

      ii. The chair of the CACC will be selected prior to the end of the Winter semester each year. It is the responsibility of the outgoing chair to make sure the election occurs.

      iii. Faculty may not serve on the CACC while on sabbatical leave (or any leave lasting a semester or longer) and thus must yield their seat to an elected substitute for the term of the sabbatical or leave.

4. Internal Bylaws of Committees

   a. The CACC may develop internal bylaws and procedures separate from CECI Bylaws to describe the selection of officers, procedures to handle responsibilities, and other matters. Internal bylaws must be consistent with university policy and CECI bylaws. Internal bylaws must be approved by CACC voting members. All internal bylaws, once approved, shall be publicly available.

   b. Changes to the governance policies contained in the CECI Bylaws are subject to approval as outlined in the Faculty Handbook under Shared Governance.

1. Charge

   a. The Affiliate/Visitor Committee (AVC) will provide a professional forum for its members to support each other;

   b. AVC will identify and coordinate professional development related to current teaching strategies;

   c. AVC will identify themes among AVC faculty and work collectively to elevate successes and address concerns; and

   d. AVC will discuss matters that impact their positions in the College of Education and Community Innovation (CECI) and propose solutions.

2. Membership

   a. All Affiliate and Visiting Faculty of the CECI shall comprise the membership.

   b. Six (6) members will serve as the executive committee of the AVC.

   c. From the membership, Affiliates and Visitors will nominate and elect one representative to serve on the College Advisory and Communications Committee (CACC) when needed. 

3. AVC Executive Committee

   a. The executive committee will consist of one (1) Affiliate or Visiting Faculty member from each academic unit. If one is not available or interested in serving, an additional member from another academic unit can fill the position.

   b. Nominations for the AVC executive committee will be submitted to the outgoing chair prior to the Winter faculty/staff college meeting.

   c. The executive committee will be elected by a simple majority vote of the Affiliate and Visiting Faculty present at the Winter faculty/staff college meeting.

   d. The Dean, or their appointee, will maintain an ex officio membership.

   e. The standard term for an AVC executive committee member is three years; terms should be staggered among members to promote continuity. Terms begin the Monday of finals week of Winter semester.

4. Operations

   a. The AVC executive committee should hold two full membership meetings a year on the same days as the biannual faculty/staff college meetings.

   b. The AVC executive committee shall determine the executive committee meeting schedule at the beginning of each regular academic semester and will share the meeting schedule with AVC members. Meetings can be canceled as needed, and additional meetings can be added as needed.

   c. The AVC executive committee will oversee the charge of the AVC committee and determine the agenda for the biannual membership meetings.  Draft agendas will be developed collaboratively and emailed at least one week prior to executive and membership meetings.

   d. AVC executive committee should make all efforts to attend all committee meetings. If a committee member cannot attend a meeting, they must inform the chair beforehand.

   e. Meetings will be in person, remote, or a hybrid format.

   f. When advising the Dean on issues that impact Affiliates or Visiting Faculty, the AVC executive committee will make every effort to include the full AVC membership in the recommendations (e.g., survey, emails, forums).  Decisions made by the full membership will be determined by a simple majority of those that vote.

5. Bylaws

   a. The AVC executive committee may develop internal bylaws and procedures separate from CECI Bylaws to describe the selection of officers, procedures to handle responsibilities, and other matters. Internal bylaws must be consistent with university policy and the CECI Bylaws for the AVC.  All internal bylaws, once approved, shall be publicly available.

   b. Changes to the governance policies contained in the CECI Bylaws are subject to approval as outlined in the Faculty Handbook under Shared Governance.

1. SC Executive Committee – Charge 

   a. To discuss staff concerns and recommend college policies and procedures to the Dean and college governance.

   b. The SC executive committee, or designees, will recommend staff for awards and university and college committee representation when available, and create    standing and ad hoc committees as needed

c. The SC executive committee will assist in developing and implementing the strategic plan of CECI. 

2. SC Executive Committee - Membership

1. The executive committee will consist of ten (10) members, (1) Administrative Professional (AP) staff or Professional Support Staff (PSS) member from each unit and the Dean's Office.
2. Each unit will elect their representative prior to the annual all-staff college meeting.
3. The Dean, or their appointee, will maintain an ex officio membership.
4. The standard term for an SC executive committee member is two years; terms should be staggered among members to promote continuity. Terms begin the Monday of finals week of Winter semester. Members may be elected to terms of shorter lengths to fill vacancies.
5. The chair(s) of the EC will be selected prior to the end of the Winter semester each year. It is the responsibility of the outgoing chair(s) to make sure the election occurs.

3. SC Executive Committee – Operations

   a. The EC shall meet once a month during the academic year. The meeting schedule will be determined at the beginning of each regular academic semester. Meetings can be canceled as needed, and additional meetings can be added as needed.

   b. The EC meeting schedule will be publicly available. GVSU faculty, staff, and students may attend meetings.

The EC members should make all efforts to attend all committee meetings. If a committee member cannot attend a meeting, they may designate an alternate. Inability to attend and designated alternates should be communicated to the chair(s) beforehand.

   c. Alternates will come from the represented unit.  In the case of a prolonged absence involving several meetings, the represented unit should designate the alternate.

   d. Meetings will be in person. In situations where meetings cannot be held in person, a remote meeting is acceptable. 

   e. The process for voting during meetings will be determined by the members of the EC committee.

   f. The EC will hold an annual all-staff meeting

4. Bylaws

   a. The SC executive committee may develop internal bylaws and procedures separate from CECI Bylaws to describe the selection of officers, procedures to handle responsibilities, and other matters. All internal bylaws, once approved, shall be publicly available.

   b. The SC operates in accordance with the CECI and GVSU Bylaws. PSS union-negotiated rights will always take precedence over any decisions recommended in the Staff Committee.

   c. Changes to the governance policies contained in the CECI Bylaws are subject to approval as outlined in the Faculty Handbook under Shared Governance.

1. Governing Practices

    a. Prior to language being proposed, faculty governance committees will engage with faculty for feedback/input (e.g., department meetings, Faculty Governance Committee meetings, organized Faculty Forums, college-wide discussion boards, and/or direct communication with co-chairs). Feedback from these opportunities will be incorporated into policy draft language.  

2. Operations

    a. Items requiring faculty vote will be distributed by email and/or written documentation to faculty; this will act as a motion. Faculty will have a 2-week window for discussion and deliberation. At the conclusion of the 2-week window, voting language will be distributed by email and/or written documents to faculty prior to the vote (i.e., calling the question). 

        i. If a friendly amendment is required (i.e., clarification of wording), the vote would include both a vote on the friendly amendment and then a vote on the amended policy language.  

    b. Decisions are made by a majority of those voting (e.g., university committee representation), except for changes in governance bylaws (e.g., personnel standards), which require a two-thirds vote of all eligible faculty.   

    c. For electronic votes (CECI’s default voting mechanism), all eligible faculty will vote within the determined voting window, even those on university approved leave.  

        i. For in-person voting, absentee ballots may be cast by faculty on university-approved leave or by those with scheduled teaching assignments. These must be received in writing by the chair prior to the vote to be valid. Amendments to a motion will make prior absentee ballots null and void.