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College of Professional Studies - Bylaws

Section 1: Goal and Principles

1.1  Goal: The goal of the College of Professional Studies is to promote strong programs that serve our students and faculty well and that are connected to practice in meaningful ways. We promote and understand the central role that human resources play in shaping the social, economic and environmental condition; and in doing so, encourage our students and faculty to make an impact on the world around us.

1.2  Principles: Under the leadership of the Dean and the various unit administrators, Department Chairs, and Program leaders, the following general principles shall guide the governance of the College:

1.2.1  The members of the College shall observe the canons of mutual respect for the unique attributes and integrity of each of the units within the college and recognize the independent prerogatives of each unit.

1.2.2  The work of the faculty and staff shall be conducted in an attitude of service to students, to the university and to the broader community, and to their professions.

1.2.3  The consultative process shall be a governing principle of the College.

1.2.4  Active participation in the College and unit governance is important. Faculty and staff shall accept the responsibility to serve on standing and ad hoc committees and to participate actively in the process of collegial evaluations.

1.2.5  Contractual agreements between the Board of Trustees of the California State University, the California Faculty Association, and other appropriate unit(s) shall take precedence in cases in which this constitution and the contract(s) differ.

When changes in the contract(s) affect this constitution a mandated review and revision will occur. The review and revision shall be undertaken by an ad hoc committee convened by the Dean for such a purpose. Changes proposed shall be approved according to Section 4.6 of this constitution.

Section 2: Organization: Plan for Administration

2.1  The chief administrator of the College shall be the Dean.

2.2  The Dean shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost after consultation with the faculty.

2.3  The Dean's Advisory Council (DAC) shall be the primary mechanism for the Dean to consult with the faculty and staff in the various administrative units. Membership in the DAC shall include at least one representative from each administrative unit including: academic departments and programs, the Indian Teacher Educational and Personnel Program, and the Office of Teacher Preparation. The representative will generally be the chair or director of the unit.

2.4  The appointment of unit chairs shall be elected and recommended by the administrative unit faculty to the Dean. Selection and approval of the chair shall be in accordance with the CBA, the HSU Faculty Handbook and unit By-Laws. Chairs shall function under the general direction of the Dean. An individual may serve as Chair of more than one administrative unit. The Chair is responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

2.4.1  Allocate and oversee department personnel and financial resources.

2.4.2  Adhering to the retention, tenure and promotion process.

2.4.3  Complete periodic program reviews.

2.4.4  Complete curriculum reviews.

2.4.5  Establish as needed department committees and selecting representatives to college and university committees.

2.4.6  Complete articulation agreements with other institutions.

2.4.7  Initiate processes for hiring faculty and staff.

2.4.8  Provide for the unit's participation in the University General Education Program.

2.4.9  Arrange for unit participation in orientation, registration and commencement.

2.4.10  Complete the scheduling of classes, instructors, and rooms for each semester’s offerings.

2.4.11  Oversee the fulfillment of faculty Weighted Teaching Unit obligations.

2.4.12  Oversee the planning and conducting of unit meetings.

2.4.13  Prepare the description of unit programs for all public relations materials.

2.4.14  Establish faculty and staff office assignments.

2.4.15  Assign advisees to advisors and monitor unit advising program.

2.4.16  Delegate administrative tasks to other faculty members.

2.5  Associate Dean of Teacher Preparation shall be appointed by the Dean with the approval of the Academic Vice President/Provost.

2.5.1  The Associate Dean, who reports to the Dean of Professional Studies, serves as liaison to the campus on all Teacher Preparation compliance items emanating from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Chancellor's Office, and the State Department of Education. The Associate Dean of Teacher Preparation has oversight responsibilities for the following areas:

2.5.1.1.1  Serves as liaison to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC).

2.5.1.1.2  Is responsible for overseeing implementation of CCTC policies at HSU

2.5.1.1.3  Provides oversight for the writing and submission of documents for program approval by the CCTC. Serves as a resource for programs/departments that have credential programs.

2.5.1.1.4  Serves as a liaison with local K-12 schools in terms of curriculum development, faculty and staff development, and grant writing.

2.5.1.1.5  Serves as Director of Liberal Studies/Elementary Education program; hires, supervises, and evaluates faculty; manages the budget for the program in allocating resources to faculty and program development.

2.5.1.1.6  Manages budget received from the Teacher Recruitment Grant. Hires, supervises, and evaluates peer advisees; allocates resources to staff and program.

2.5.1.1.7  Assists the College Dean and departments with teacher education program reviews.

2.5.1.1.8  Develops articulation agreements with community colleges.

2.5.1.1.9  Management of integrated teacher education programs. Develops parallel cohort undergraduate program. Hires and supervises faculty; allocates resources for faculty and programmatic needs.

2.5.1.1.10  Management of year-round operation resources for teacher education. Hires and supervises faculty; allocates resources and year-round operations funding.

2.5.1.1.11  Manages accreditation issues including preparation for on-campus visits by the CCTC.

2.5.2  The Associate Dean coordinates the scheduling of courses and student advising for the Liberal Studies Multiple Subjects baccalaureate program. As coordinator, the Associate Dean works with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

2.6  The Standing Committees of the college shall include the following:

2.6.1  The Academic Computing and Technology Committee

2.6.2  The Curriculum and Library Committee

2.6.3  The Personnel Committee

2.7  Each of the standing committees, with the exception of the Personnel Committee shall provide opportunity for student representation.

2.7.1  One student representative may be selected from the college to be on each committee

2.7.2  Students will have voting status on each committee.

2.7.3  Student representatives must be majors in the college.

2.8  Membership on standing committees shall consist of all personnel appointed at 0.4 level or above for at least one full semester and be for two-year, staggered terms.

2.8.1  The units of the college shall be alphabetized and numbered. Representatives shall be elected from even numbered units in the spring of even numbered years; and from odd numbered units in the spring of odd numbered years. Representatives will take office in the Fall of the next academic year.

2.8.2  Vacancies which occur during any term of office shall be filled by the affected department. The replacement will fill the remaining portion of the term. Members of the College who are on sabbatical leave, difference-in-pay leave, or on leave without pay are eligible, but not required, to vote and to serve on committees.

2.8.3  Committee members may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms on a given standing committee. Should this restriction impose a hardship upon a unit, the unit may appeal annually to the Dean's Advisory Council for a one-year extension of its representative's membership on the committee.

2.9  Ad Hoc Committees may be established by the College

2.10  The non-academic employees of the college shall serve under the general direction of the dean and the specific direction of the unit chair or others assigned administrative responsibilities.

Section 3: Governance, Organization and Responsibilities of Standing Committees

3.1  The Academic Computing and Technology Committee (ACTC). The purpose of the ACTC is to assess the computing and technology needs of the College and to pursue ways and means of satisfying those needs. Computing and technology needs may include administrative, instructional, research and support services. The ACTC may recommend and/or implement in-service training for faculty and staff.

3.1.1  The ACTC membership consists of an elected representative from each administrative unit. Smaller departments may chose not to be represented on this committee

3.1.2  The ACTC will select a Chair from its membership.

3.1.3  The ACTC will select from its membership a college representative to serve a two-year term on the University Media Services Committee.

3.1.4  The ACTC shall be responsible for: consulting with the academic units on their computing and media needs; preparing long-range planning documents; submitting college-level documents to the Campus Information Resource Plan (CIRP); seeking and preparing grant proposals to secure funding for instructional technology and computers; prioritizing college technology needs to be consistent with the long-range plan.

3.1.5  The College Instructional Computer Consultant (ICC) shall be responsible for the following: attending ACTC meetings; drafting documents, recording meeting notes and maintaining files; and supplying comparative data on issues to be reviewed by the committee members. The ICC shall act as an advisor to the committee.

3.1.6  The ACTC shall give an annual written report by May 1 highlighting its activities/accomplishments to the dean and to the administrative units.

3.2  The Curriculum and Library Committee (CLC). The purpose of the CLC shall be to review curriculum and library needs of the college's academic units and forward its recommendations to the Dean.

3.2.1  The CLC will review all unit curriculum proposals (including minor course changes, new course proposals, Diversity and Common Ground courses, new majors both undergraduate and graduate, and new program options) and academic unit self-studies. The CLC reviews curriculum with reference to the University's and College's mission and goal statements. The CLC reviews both content and pedagogy of curriculum proposals, and communicates strengths and weaknesses to the submitting unit with an effort to minimize duplication, to encourage cooperation and to enhance integration.

3.2.2  The CLC will select a Chair from its membership.

3.2.3  The CLC will select from its membership a college representative to serve a two-year term on the University Library Committee.

3.2.4  The College's elected representative to the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) is encouraged to attend and engage in the CLC deliberations as a non-voting UCC Liaison.

3.2.5  The CLC will review only those documents that have already been reviewed and approved via signature by initiating units' curriculum committees and unit chairs.

3.2.6  The CLC shall regularly update the Diversity and Common Ground criteria and shall encourage and support academic units in meeting those criteria in new and revised course offerings. The CLC will review all approved Diversity and Common Ground Courses every three years.

3.2.7  The CLC will meet annually in the fall with the University librarian or designee to receive an orientation to the library acquisition process. The CLC will regularly review library collections and services and make recommendations to ensure their adequacy for the academic units within the College.

3.2.8  The CLC will work with the University Librarian or designee to establish priorities for library acquisitions for the academic units.

3.2.9  The CLC shall submit an annual report by May 1 to the Dean and academic units highlighting its accomplishments and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the library collections and services related to the College.

3.3  The Personnel Committee (PC). The purpose of the PC is to institute at the college level a process of collegial review for all retention, tenure and promotion decisions of the college. The PC will forward its recommendations on all personnel matters to the candidate, the initiating unit, the dean and, when appropriate, to the University Personnel committee. Only tenured and probationary faculty are eligible to elect members to the PC.

3.3.1  The PC will select a Chair from its membership. The Chair must hold the rank of full professor.

3.3.2  The PC membership consists of 5 members, all of whom must be tenured with associate rank or above. At least three members must be full professors. No more than two members of the committee shall be from the same department.

3.3.3  The PC shall follow the principles and procedures of the current CBA the HSU Faculty Handbook appendices G and J, and the University Faculty Personnel Committee when reviewing personnel files and making its recommendations.

3.3.4  By mutual agreement between the PC and the Dean, the Dean may attend committee meetings as a non-voting participant.

3.3.5  The Dean of the College is designated by the President as custodian of the PAF. These files are permanently housed in the Dean's office.

3.3.6  The PC will review the Working Personnel Action File (WPAF) of all candidates.

3.3.6.1  The WPAFs are stored within the department where they can be constructed and reviewed by the Initiating Unit Personnel Committee (IUPC). Security and oversight of the files rests with the academic unit chair

3.3.6.2  The WPAFs are constructed with original materials (i.e., evaluative material, student evaluation summaries, letters from colleagues, etc.) from the Personnel Action File (PAF) located in the Dean's office (custodian). The original materials must be retrieved by the candidate and in the company of an IUPC member. The original materials must be logged and the log remains in the PAF.

3.3.6.3  The IUPC will ensure that the candidates receive copies of all evaluative materials that are to be included into the file and assure a five-day limit before placement in the WPAF

3.3.7  The PC shall submit an annual report by May 1 highlighting its activities/accomplishments to the dean and to the administrative units.

Section 4: Voting and Revisions

4.1  The Dean shall hold at least one College faculty meeting per semester. A College faculty meeting may be called by any standing or ad hoc College committee or by petition to the Dean signed by three College faculty members who are eligible to vote.

4.2  Those eligible to vote in the College elections include all tenured and probationary faculty as well as temporary faculty (with the exception of Personnel Committee elections) with at least a .40 academic year appointment in the College. Other temporary faculty may participate in College meetings but may not vote.

4.3  Those eligible to vote in academic unit elections shall be determined by the tenured and probationary faculty in the unit by written unit policy.

4.4  College nominations and elections shall be organized, conducted, and reported by the FAC. Office of the Dean under the direction of a DAC-approved faculty appointee.

4.4.1  All faculty shall be notified of College elections and the purpose of the elections in writing by the Dean’s Office at least five working days prior to a College election.

4.4.2  College elections shall be held on two consecutive weekdays during the academic year.

4.4.3  Ballots shall be delivered by the Dean's office to each academic unit office for voting to take place. The ballots will then be counting by the Dean’s office and designated faculty member.

4.4.4  A majority of votes cast shall be needed for all elections with the exception of constitutional changes.

4.5  Revisions to this constitution shall be handled by written ballot and shall require at least a two-thirds majority vote of the ballots cast.

4.6  Revisions to this constitution due to changes in the CBA are mandatory. Faculty may approve the phrasing of such changes in the constitution by a two-thirds majority vote of the ballots cast.