Section III.D.4: Article IV: Meetings of the Faculty
Section 1. Regularly Scheduled Meetings
- Regularly scheduled meetings of the Faculty shall be held at least two times each fall and spring semester for the purpose of transacting pertinent business.
- The schedule and agenda for regular faculty meetings are prepared and distributed by the Clerk of the Faculty after they are set by the Dean of the College, the chairs of standing committees, and the Faculty Council. The agenda shall include reports from the President, the Dean of the College, and the Standing Committee Chairs.
- Other items to be included on the agenda requiring faculty action may be submitted by any voting member of the Faculty. Matters requiring faculty action should be in writing and in the hands of the Clerk of the Faculty at least seven days prior to the faculty meeting, and shall be circulated with the agenda to each member in the call to the meeting, which should be distributed to the faculty at least three days previous to the meeting.
- The conduct of Faculty Meetings shall be according to the parliamentary procedures set forth in the latest version of Robert’s Rules of Order. The Dean of the College shall appoint a parliamentarian from the ranks of the voting faculty.
Section 2. Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called by the Dean of the College, or at the written request of five members of the voting Faculty, stating the purpose for which the meeting is called. Unless an emergency is declared by the Dean of the College, the call to the special meeting shall be distributed not less than three days in advance, and shall state the purpose of the special meeting. The agenda of a special meeting shall be limited to the specific purpose as stated in the call to the special meeting.
Section 3. Access to the Floor
Except as provided in Section 5 below, all members of the Faculty, voting and nonvoting, shall have access to the floor at meetings of the Faculty.
Section 4. Guests
Except as provided in Section 5 below, all members of the Lewis & Clark community—faculty from other schools within the College, students, administrators, staff—are welcome to attend faculty meetings. Access to the floor for any guests can be gained only through a member of the Faculty after his or her recognition by the Clerk.
Section 5. Executive Session
At the direction of the Clerk, or by a majority vote, the Faculty shall meet in Executive Session. Attendance at an Executive Session is limited to voting members of the Faculty.
Section 6. Quorum
A quorum shall consist of 50 percent plus one of the voting Faculty. If the calculation of the quorum results in a fractional number, the fraction shall be disregarded in setting the required quorum. Faculty on sabbatical or other official leave or excused from a particular meeting by the Dean of the College are not counted in determining the quorum.
Section 7. Important-Business Rule
Any piece of business designated as “important business” by the Clerk of the Faculty or by a majority vote of the Faculty cannot be both introduced and voted on at the same meeting. Important business can be voted on only at or after a second regular or special meeting of the Faculty.
Section 8. Rule for Extending Discussion
- The Clerk shall attempt to end the meeting by the time stated on the agenda. Should it prove useful or even essential to continue discussion of an item during the same meeting, however, then the Clerk may allow the meeting to extend beyond the end-time stated on the agenda but shall not allow motions on business (other than adjournment) to come to a vote after the end-time stated on the agenda. The item of business then rolls over to the next faculty meeting or is discussed at a special faculty meeting.
- If applying this rule prevents a motion to be made on business being discussed at the last faculty meeting of the academic year, then the Clerk shall ask for a motion to amend the rules so that discussion of the issue may continue as old business during the next academic year. This motion must pass by the meeting end-time stated on the agenda.