Baruch College is a community of scholars, in which the faculty, students, and administrative officers each have legitimate and meaningful roles to play in the achievement of their common goals.

The Baruch College Faculty Senate (hereafter referred to as “the Senate”) represents the General Faculty in areas of faculty responsibility, interest, and concern. Its purposes are to (1) formulate an recommend policies to the Administration and other bodies of the College with regard to relevant aspects of college-wide planning and operation; (2) review and comment on policies contemplated or initiated by the Administration and other bodies of the College, and (3) to provide a channel of communication among the faculty, student organizations and the administrative officers of the College. The Senate shall not infringe on the rights of other bodies constituted by the Baruch College Governance Charter.

Section 1.

The Faculty Senate shall be responsible for the formulation and recommendation of policies, plans, and financing relating to the academic status, role, rights, freedoms, and responsibilities of the instructional staff, college-level education and instructional matters, and research and scholarly activities of College-wide impact.

Section 2.

The powers and duties of the Senate shall not extend to areas or interests which fall exclusively within the domains of the General Faculty, the President, the Professional Staff Congress, and authorized student governments, except that in appropriate cases the Senate may consult and advise.

Section 3.

In carrying out its responsibilities, the Senate shall be fully advised of, shall routinely receive, and shall be free to seek information from the College’s administrative officers on all matters germane to the policies, programs, and operations of the College. The Senate may initiate policy recommendations as well as review and comment upon changes in policy initiated by the Administration; and it shall routinely present faculty views to the administrative officers of the College before, as, and after matters of policy are considered and decided.

Section 4.

In particular, the Senate shall consult with and advise the College’s administrative officers in the making of decisions pertaining to:

• the allocation of resources for educational programs, for research and scholarly activities, and for the development and maintenance of the physical plant of the College;
• the appointment and retention of the principal administrative officers of the College; and
• the creation, restructuring, elimination, and location of academic units, schools, centers and institutes, including the physical location of the College itself; and the following principles and rules adopted by the General Faculty in November 1980 shall govern the above:

“The creation, restructuring, elimination, and location of academic and instructional-support units are considered a matter of major policy for the College. As such they are of concern to faculty, students, and administrators.

Therefore, changes of academic departments, schools, faculties, and instructional-support units such as the Grants office, except for purely internal reorganization within an academic unit, shall be governed by the following procedures requiring the Faculty Senate’s consultation with College administrative officers in the making of decisions relating thereto. However, the modifications of administrative units such as the Office of Business Affairs and the Office of Personnel shall be considered to fall under presidential prerogative and is exempt from these procedures. When there is doubt as to whether the unit being considered is either ‘instructional support’ or ‘administrative,’ it is recommended that the President consider it to be an ‘instructional-support’ unit.

• The President shall refer in a timely manner issues relating to the creation, restructuring, elimination, and location of departments, schools, centers, and institutes to the Faculty Senate.
• The Faculty Senate shall place such issues on its own agenda, and may request that these issues be placed on the agenda of other faculty bodies the Senate deems to be concerned.
• The results of these various deliberations shall be conveyed by the Senate to the President and, if the Senate deems it advisable, to the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees.”

Section 5.

The Senate shall regularly report to and advise the General Faculty.

Section 1.

To be a Senator, a person must hold the rank of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Instructor, Senior College Laboratory Technician, College Laboratory Technician, or be a member of the adjunct instructional staff.

Section 2.

No person holding the position of Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, President, Vice President, Provost, Associate Provost, Assistant Provost, Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, Higher Education Officer, Associate Higher Education Officer, Assistant Higher Education Officer, Registrar, Associate Registrar, Assistant Registrar, or whose duties are essentially administrative in nature, shall be eligible for election as a Senator or to vote in any senatorial election.

Section 3.

The membership of the Senate shall consist of four categories, as follows:

• Senators of the first category shall consist of four Department Chairs and one Coordinator, as follows: 1) two members elected by and from the chairs of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences; 2) two members elected by and from the chairs of the School of Business, and 3) one Coordinator elected by and from the coordinators of the School of Public Affairs. They will be elected for a two-year term and will serve only during their tenure as Chair or Coordinator, or until the election of a successor.
• Senators of the second category shall consist of eight faculty members: one from each of the eight academic departments having the largest number of full-time faculty members. They shall be elected by their respective departments for a one-year term, and serve until the election of a successor. Department Chairs or Coordinators cannot be elected to this category. In this second category, the Marxe School Of Public And International Affairs is considered to be a single academic department.
• Senators of the third category shall be nominated and elected at-large by the College’s faculty. Their total number shall range between twenty-two and twenty-six in order to accommodate fractions in the distribution of faculty members and ranks among the three Schools and the combined Independent Units. For this election, two sub-categories of faculty will be considered in each of the three Schools and the combined Independent Units: 1) those with the rank of full or associate professor, and 2) those with all other ranks and statuses, except adjunct. The number of faculty elected from each of these two subcategories shall be determined by the Senate, upon the recommendation of its Executive Committee, so as to reflect the total number of faculty in each subcategory. They shall be elected for a three-year term; and they shall hold their office until the election of a successor, even if a change in rank occurs during their term, but not if they are not reappointed as a faculty member or if they are appointed administrative officers of the College.
• Senators of the fourth category shall be members of the Adjunct instructional staff, nominated by any member of the full-time or part-time instructional staff, and elected by the Senate for a three-year term. They shall number three and shall hold their office until the election of a successor.

Section 4.

The Senate shall be the judge of the elections and qualifications of its members. The guidelines for nomination and election of candidates in the third category of Senators are as follows:

• The number and distribution of faculty titles will be in accordance with the records maintained in the Office of the College Director of Personnel.
• Faculty on all kinds of leaves of absence are eligible for nomination.
• Visiting professors, substitute faculty, and persons whose positions are essentially administrative are not eligible for nomination.
• Each of the eight subcategories is entitled to at least one category-three Senator, provided it has members. Other fractions will be rounded to the nearest whole number.
• Each of the three Schools and the combined Independent Units are entitled to at least two Category Three Senators.

Section 5.

The President, Vice Presidents, the full Deans of the College, the College Chapter Chair of the Professional Staff Congress, and the Presidents of the three student governments shall be ex-officio members of the Senate, with voice but without a vote. All members of the Baruch community may attend the plenary sessions of the Senate.

Section 6.

Interim vacancies in Senate membership for Categories One and Two shall be filled by the constituency represented. Interim vacancies in Category Three and Four shall be filled by nomination of the Senate’s Executive Committee with a faculty member of the same subcategory as the previous holder of the seat, subject to the approval of the Senate. Nominations may also be made from the floor of the Senate.

Section 7.

Whenever they are due, all elections for Senators shall be held in the Spring semester and completed by the end of the first full week in May, in advance of the Senate’s final meeting of the academic year when Senate officers shall be elected.

In the case of Category 3 Senators, the Secretary of the Senate will send a letter by March 1 to the College’s faculty, inviting them to send to that Secretary nominations for such Senators.
This letter will remind faculty members that, according to Section 3c) of Article II of these Bylaws, nominations are needed for two subcategories of Senators of the third category: 1) those with the rank of full or associate professor, and 2) those with all other ranks and statuses, except adjunct.

Nominators must certify in their letter that the nominee has been contacted in advance, and has expressed his or her willingness to serve as a member of the Senate.

Each eligible faculty member that received at least three properly completed letters of nomination shall be automatically listed on a written ballot to be mailed by the Senate’s Secretary to the College’s faculty. This ballot will specify: 1) the rank, school, department, or independent unit of each candidate, and 2) how many faculty to vote for in each one of the two subcategories described in Section 3c) of these Bylaws.

The result of the balloting will be communicated by the Secretary to the Senate’s Executive Committee by May 1 for certification. In the case of tie votes, a second balloting will be conducted according to the same procedures as soon as possible.

Section 1.

At its last meeting of the academic year, the Senate shall convene to organize itself for the following academic year.

Section 2.

The Senate shall hold regular monthly meetings during the academic year at dates fixed and announced in advance. The notice of each meeting shall include the agenda, the minutes of the previous meeting, together with a written statement regarding any policy matter to be presented at the meeting; and this notice shall be distributed at least five working days before the meeting.

Section 3.

Special meetings shall be held at the call of the Chair or at the written request to the Chair by at least ten Senators. The purpose of such meetings shall be explicitly stated in the notice of each meeting, and the agenda shall be limited to the issues stated in such notice.

Section 4.

The order of business at all meetings shall conform to the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order. The Chair shall decide all questions of parliamentary procedure according to these rules.

Section 5.

A quorum shall consist of a majority of Senators, excluding vacant positions, provided that the quorum shall be no fewer than twenty Senators, except in the case of amendments to the Senate Bylaws (Article VIII).

Section 6. Nothing herein provided shall prevent the Senate from convening and acting without the presence of ex-officio members.

Section 1.

A Chair of the Senate shall be elected by secret ballot for a two-year term at its last meeting in alternate years and shall preside at all meetings of the Senate and of its Executive Committee.

Section 2.

The Chair shall nominate chairs for other than standing committees of the Senate. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. All nominations shall be subject to approval by the Senate.

Section 3.

There shall be five Vice-Chairs of the Faculty Senate elected by secret ballot at the same time and for the same term as the Chair. In the absence of the Chair, the Executive Committee shall designate one Vice-Chair to fill the duties of the Chair. In the event of disability or resignation of the Chair, the Executive Committee shall designate one Vice-Chair to complete the Chair’s term of office, subject to approval by the Senate. (amended April 2015)

Section 4.

The portfolios of the Vice-Chairs shall be assigned by the Executive Committee, and each portfolio shall include chairing one of the three standing committees.

Section 5.

A Secretary of the Senate, elected by secret ballot at the same time and for the same term as the Chair, shall be responsible for 1) distributing meeting notices, their agenda, the minutes of previous meetings, and all significant materials received by the Senate; 2) recording the minutes of each meeting; 3) keeping all records of attendance and Senate business and communication. In the absence of the Secretary, the Chair shall appoint a Secretary pro tempore.

Section 1.

The Senate’s Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, the five Vice-Chairs, the Secretary, and five Senators to be elected at large by secret ballot at the same time and for the same term as the officers of the Senate at its last meeting in alternate years. No person shall be nominated without his or her approval. The Chair of the Senate shall serve as Chair of the Executive Committee. Interim vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled by Senators appointed by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Senate.

• The Executive Committee shall include a majority of non-chairpersons and non-coordinators.
• No person shall serve as Chair or Vice-Chair or as an at-large member of the Executive Committee for more than two consecutive two-year terms in the same position.

Section 2.

The Executive Committee shall review on a continuing basis the administrative operations of the College, confer with appropriate administrative officers of the College and with student government leaders, and make regular reports to the Senate.

Section 3.

a) After the last meeting of the academic year, the Executive Committee shall meet with the College’s President to determine the Senate’s budget for the next academic year. The Executive Committee shall have authority to disburse funds, to allocate released time to Senator and, on occasion and as needed, to other Baruch faculty members for purposes of conducting Senate business, to hire and assign staff for Senate functions, to raise supplementary funds, to retain counsel, and to otherwise implement Senate policies.

b) The Executive Committee shall transact such business of the Senate as may be necessary between its meetings, and shall exercise further duties as may be conferred upon it by the Senate.

• The Executive Committee shall keep minutes of its meetings, and shall report its actions regularly to the Senate.
• In the Fall semester preceding the triennial election for Senators of the third category, the Executive Committee shall establish an ad-hoc committee chaired by the Senate’s Secretary. This committee shall be responsible for 1) obtaining rosters of the faculty by rank for each school as well as for the Independent Units, and 2) determining the distribution of the Senators to be elected in accordance with Article II, Section 3. of these Bylaws.

Section 1.

The membership of these committees may be drawn from among all members of the faculty, students or administrators, subject to approval of the Senate. The Senate Chair, ex-officio, shall be entitled to attend meetings of all committees and to participate in their discussions. Committee members shall serve for a term of one year but may be reappointed.

Section 2.

Committees shall have the power to delegate specific tasks or functions to subcommittees whose members shall include one or more members of the parent committee.

Section 3.

Reports and communications by committees to the Senate shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for inclusion in the agenda of the next meeting.

Section 4.

Each Standing Committee shall include at least one faculty member from each of the Schools and from the combined Independent Units of the College.

Section 5.

Standing Committees of the Senate:

• Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility
  • The function of this committee shall be to protect and assure the rights of members of the academic community to freely study, discuss, investigate, teach, research, publish or administer, as appropriate to their respective roles and responsibilities. It shall consist of a Senate Vice-Chair as chair and of five or more additional faculty members approved by the Senate.
• Committee on Educational Policy
  • The function of this committee shall be to consider and make recommendations to the Senate on questions of educational policy, which are not wholly within the purview of the faculties of the various Schools and Independent Units. Such questions shall include but are not limited to the creation, restructuring, elimination, and location of departments, schools, centers, and institutes. It shall consist of a Senate Vice-Chair as chair, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, ex-officio but without a vote, the Vice President for Administration, ex-officio but without a vote, and five or more additional faculty members approved by the Senate.
• Committee on Planning and Finance
  • The function of this committee shall be to participate in 1) deliberations leading to the preparation of the budget submitted by the President to the Chancellor; 2) discussions prior to the allocation of the College budget once it has been received, and 3) deliberations of any other tasks assumed by the Vice President for Administration and associated with obtaining or utilizing resources for College purposes. It shall consist of a Senate Vice-Chair as chair, the Vice President for Administration, ex-officio but without a vote, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, ex-officio but without a vote, and five or more additional faculty members approved by the Senate.
• Enrollment Management Committee
  • The Enrollment Management Committee will participate in the formulation of policy related to graduate and undergraduate enrollment management, including qualifications and numbers of incoming students, the deployment of financial aid resources, and responses to Central Office enrollment management policies. The committee will report at the next available opportunity to the Baruch College Faculty Senate (BCFS) plenary at least once a semester.
• College-wide Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
  • The College-wide Undergraduate Curriculum Committee will review and approve college-wide curricular matters including the undergraduate core curriculum and curricular mandates imposed by NYS, NYC, or CUNY that have a broad impact on College curricula. The committee will report on its deliberations and actions at the next available opportunity to the Baruch College Faculty Senate (BCFS) plenary, or in any case, at least once a semester.