University System of Georgia Faculty Council Bylaws

Proposed:  March 14, 2008

Drafted By:

Russell Porter (Clayton State University), Elizabeth Combier (North Georgia College and State University), Craig Turner (Georgia College & State University),  Thomas Hancock (Georgia Gwinnett College), Rose Metts (Savannah State University), & Juone  Brown-Johnson (Fort Valley State University)

Section I:  Name

The name of the body hereby constituted is the University System of Georgia Faculty Council (USGFC).

Section II:  Mission

The purpose of the University System of Georgia Faculty Council is to promote and foster the welfare of system faculty, in non-collective bargaining issues, through the combined creativity and expertise of faculty representatives from system institutions.

Section III:  Responsibilities and Functions

The USGFC will participate in the process of University System of Georgia governance by advising, recommending, and consulting with the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee(s) concerning the establishment of rules and regulations deemed necessary or appropriate for the promotion of the general welfare of the University System of Georgia.

The USGFC will formulate and recommend to the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee(s) University System of Georgia policies and procedures related to but not exclusive to system faculty.

The USGFC will develop principles for system institutions relevant to the formulation of faculty representative bodies.  These bodies will strive to address issues of a local nature and forward to the USGFC issues of system-wide concern.

The USGFC will develop and maintain a system-wide communications network to provide for efficient transmission of relevant information to system faculty.

All USGFC business will be decided by a simple majority of the voting membership.

Section IV:  Membership

Membership of the USGFC will be comprised of two representatives (one voting member, one non-voting) from each participating system institution.  The representatives for a participating institution must be members of that institution's faculty body and selected by a process determined by the faculty governance unit of that institution.

Section V:  Officers of the USG Faculty Council. 

The officers of the USG Faculty Council shall be chair, vice chair, and secretary.

At the first meeting of the newly created Council (annual or other determined period of meetings), the outgoing Council chair shall convene the Council for the purpose of electing a chair, vice chair and secretary from the membership of the Council.  The chair shall be elected first. Officers of Faculty Council shall be elected from the voting members. Election is by majority vote of those present and voting presuming a quorum.  The chair, vice chair and secretary shall serve for one year. There is no limit on total years of service as chair, vice chair or secretary, but no individual shall serve as chair, vice chair or secretary for more than two consecutive years. The primary duty of the chair, vice chair and secretary will be to communicate with the USG Chancellor or Chancellor’s designee and attend the BOR meetings to distribute meeting outcomes to the USG Faculty Council members. The chair, vice chair and secretary will help create the USG Faculty Council meetings in coordination with the USG Faculty Council members.

Section VI: Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended or repealed at any regular meeting by an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the voting membership, provided, however, that any proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall be submitted to the USGFC in writing at least 30 days prior to any regular meeting of the USGFC and shall be voted on at that regular meeting of the USGFC. Any Bylaw may be suspended at any regular or special meeting for that meeting only by the unanimous consent of all voting members present, provided that not fewer than two-thirds of the voting membership is present.