Bylaws of the University Faculty Council of Indiana University

Policy Statement

1. Rules of Order. The current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of the meetings of the Council except insofar as the bylaws make express provision to the contrary.
2. Meetings. Meetings of the Council shall begin at 1:30 P.M. and adjourn at 4:30 P.M. unless a later adjournment is agreed to unanimously. The Executive Committee may also fix a different time for a regular meeting or call a special meeting--providing due notice to the faculty.
3. Quorum. The presence of a majority of voting members of the Council shall constitute a quorum.
4. Elected UFC Members. The University Faculty Council Office shall determine for each IU administered campus the number of elected representatives to which it is entitled from the lists submitted by campus officers, as required in Section 1.3 of the Constitution of the Indiana University Faculty. The Faculty Council Office shall forward this determination to the faculty head of each such campus legislative body by October 15. The University Faculty Council Office shall also determine for IPFW the number of elected representatives to which it is entitled from lists submitted by IPFW campus officers. This date may be later than October 15th if IPFW (Purdue) continues to conduct its faculty census later than that date. The faculty head on each campus shall certify to the Co-Chairs of the University Faculty Council no later than April 15th the names of the elected and ex-officio faculty members who will represent the campus on the University Faculty Council for the ensuing year. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty head of each campus legislative body to select campus representatives sufficiently early in the year that the April 15th deadline can be met. 
   
   An affected faculty member or the Agenda/Executive Committee head of the faculty organization of an affected campus may request the Council's Executive Committee to change a faculty member's allocation to a campus for purposes of determining the number of representatives to which a campus is entitled. After giving affected campuses an opportunity to make submissions on the matter, the Executive Committee will report its determination to the Council. 
5. Ex Officio UFC Members. Pursuant to Sections 4.1.C.1 and 4.1.C.2 of the Constitution of the Indiana Faculty, The President of the University and “the faculty chairs of the Agenda or Executive Committee of the campus-wide institution of faculty governance on every campus” are voting ex-officio members of the UFC. The faculty head on each campus shall certify to the Co-Chairs of the University Faculty Council no later than April 15th the names of heads of faculty governance on their campus who shall so serve on the UFC in the coming year. Pursuant to Section 4.1.E of the Constitution of the Indiana University Faculty, the Executive Vice Presidents of the university are ex-officio, non-voting members of the University Faculty Council.
6. Attendance at Meetings / Alternates. Elected and voting ex-officio Council members and student representatives may appoint alternates to serve in their place at any meeting. Any member of the Council who must be absent for a semester or longer or becomes unable to perform the duties of UFC members shall be replaced during that period in accordance with procedures specified by the unit of the University from which the absent member came.
7. Terms of Office: The term of office of newly elected members of the University Faculty Council shall begin July 1st and end July 30th of the following year.
8. Officers of the UFC The Co-Chairs of the UFC shall be selected, by July 1st of each year, as follows:
   1. 1. The Presidents of the Bloomington Faculty Council (BFC) and the IUPUI Faculty Council (IFC), pursuant to the election procedures and terms of office specified in the Constitutions of those campuses, serve as the Co-Chairs of the UFC from IU- Bloomington and IUPUI.
      2. The Regional Campus Co-Chair of the University Faculty Council is chosen by the members of the Regional Faculty Caucus (RFC). Caucus members nominate candidates, who are then elected by majority vote of the caucus. Candidates may self-nominate. Only current members of the RFC may be elected. The RFC co- Chair must be the faculty head of a regional campus legislative body. The Co- Chair shall serve a term of one year, from July 1 in the year of his or her election until June 30 of the subsequent year. No individual who has served as Co-Chair for two consecutive years may be reelected. In case of a vacancy, the RFC shall immediately elect a new Co-Chair to complete the term.
      3. The BFC, IFC and RFC shall inform the University Faculty Council of the results of their elections not later than July 1st of each year.
9. Executive Committee of the UFC: The three Co-Chairs of the UFC and the heads of the faculty governance legislative bodies at all campuses from which a Co-Chair does not come shall automatically serve as members of the Executive Committee of the Council. Prior to July 1st each year or another date set by action of the UFC, the voting members of the Council, as it will be constituted in the ensuing year, shall elect the remaining members of the Executive Committee by mail or electronic ballot using the following procedure. Members of the Council representing Bloomington shall nominate and elect two of their number to the Executive Committee. Members of the Council representing Indianapolis shall nominate and elect two of their number to the Executive Committee. Members of the Council representing the other campuses, in a fashion determined by the Regional Faculty Caucus, shall collectively nominate and elect one of their number to the Executive Committee. The term of office of the Co-Chairs and of members of the Executive Committee shall be one year, commencing July 1st of the year of their election and concluding June 30th of the following year. Co-Chairs and members of the Executive Committee can serve repeated terms if that is allowed under the Constitution and/or Bylaws of the campus from which they come.
10. Duties and functions of the Co-Chairs: The duties and functions of the Co-Chairs, with support from the Faculty Council Office where appropriate, shall be as follows:
    1. To provide for comprehensive transcripts of the proceedings and actions of the Council. An audio or video (with audio) recording of each UFC meeting must be made and retained for 12 months by the Faculty Council Office for reference by any interested member of the faculty.
    2. To prepare a summary of the activities of the Council each year and to distribute it to the general faculty.
    3. To serve as Co-Chairs of the Executive Committee.
    4. To report in the transcripts the names of those present at a Council meeting. In addition to absences, names of alternates present shall be reported.
    5. To make available, in a timely fashion, to all Council members, members of the faculty and librarians who request them, the President and Vice Presidents of the University, the Chancellor of campuses not headed by a Vice President of the University, the main library on each campus, IU Communications (or any successor organization in charge of University press relations) and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Indiana University, all council documents and circulars including agendas announcing the time, place and intended business of UFC meetings and transcripts of completed meetings. All University Faculty Council minutes, documents, and circulars shall be made electronically available to the University community in a timely manner for at least three years. The Co- Chairs shall also distribute to the above individuals and institutions information pertaining to any actions the UFC Executive Committee takes on behalf of the UFC as is allowed under Section 10.C of these bylaws.
    6. To serve as administrators of the University Faculty Council.
    7. To serve as Co-Chairs of the Indiana University Faculty (Section 3.1, Constitution of the Indiana University Faculty).
    8. To call meetings of the faculty (Section 3.3, Constitution of the Indiana University Faculty).
    9. To represent the Indiana University faculty in meetings with the Trustees, the President, other officers of Indiana University, and their administrative committees, including any academic and administrative cabinets or subgroupings.
    10. To convene, together with the appointing officer (normally the President), review committees for Indiana University administrators.
11. Duties and functions of the UFC Executive Committee: The duties and functions of the Executive Committee, with support from the Faculty Council Office where appropriate, shall be as follows:
    1. The Executive Committee shall determine the Council's agenda and communicate the agenda to all Council members not less than two weeks prior to a Council meeting. All communications--including those from individual faculty members-- requesting Council action, study, or advice shall be placed on the agenda or referred to an appropriate body or committee for consideration. In the latter case, the Executive Committee shall report its action to the Council which may--with the concurrence of a simple majority vote--request the Executive Committee to place a referred item on the agenda.
    2. The Executive Committee shall prepare the final draft of any new legislation approved by the Council.
    3. The Executive Committee may take any action that falls within the authority of the UFC on behalf of the full Council, and the action shall have the same authority as an action approved by the UFC itself; provided that:
       1. Notice of the action that the Executive Committee proposes to take on behalf of the Council shall have been given to Council members at least seven calendar days before the Executive Committee acts;
       2. There is unanimous consent of the Executive Committee and agreement of the President to the proposed action;
       3. The Executive Committee action is communicated to the Council and no more than four members of the Council notify the Co-Chairs of their objection to the action within seven calendar days of such notice being sent and;
       4. The action is not subject to section 2.4.C.4 of the Constitution and does not amend the Faculty Constitution or the Bylaws of the UFC.
    4. Emergency items should be referred to the Executive Committee before being given precedence on the agenda.
    5. The Executive Committee at any time may request the Council to determine the implementation and the effect of any past legislation or action or to reconsider any past legislation.
    6. Any faculty member on request prior to a meeting shall be invited by the Executive Committee to participate without vote in the meeting, subject-- however--to the exercise by the Executive Committee of its responsibility for taking varied points of view into account and for the efficient management of the Council's time. On its own initiative, the Executive Committee may invite any non-member to participate in the discussion of matters of particular interest. Faculty members, students, members of the university staff, and members of the press are welcome to attend meetings of the Council--subject to the adequacy of available space. The Executive Committee may invite the general faculty to participate in special meetings of the Council to be governed by ad hoc rules adopted by the Executive Committee.
    7. The Executive Committee shall serve as the University Faculty Council’s Nomination Committee.
    8. At the request of the President or by action of the Executive Committee on its own motion, the Council may meet in Executive Session.
12. Committees: In addition to the Nomination Committee (section 10.G of these bylaws), the UFC shall have the following committees.
    1. 1. Honorary Degrees Committee:
          The Honorary Degrees Committee and the standards and procedures for awarding honorary degrees are governed by Indiana University Honorary Degree Policy adopted by the University Faculty Council on November 10, 1992 (with duly adopted amendments, if any).
       2. Other Committees:
          The Executive Committee may create and appoint ad hoc committees and task forces and may make recommendations of faculty members to serve on administratively appointed committees.
13. Retention and disposition of Faculty Council files:
    1. Definition and principles:
       1. All records and files created or received by the Co-Chairs of the UFC as administrator of the Council and relating to Faculty Council business are defined as the official records of the UFC.
       2. Records and files created or received by the chairpersons of UFC committees are defined as UFC committee files and are therefore excluded from the provisions of these rules.
       3. The maintenance of official UFC records and files shall be in accordance with general Indiana University rules for maintenance of official records of the University.
       4. For records or files created or received by June 30, the period of maintenance shall commence on the following first of July.
    2. Maintenance of UFC records and files: Official UFC records and files shall be maintained in the Faculty Council Office for the minimum periods specified:
       1. Incoming and outgoing correspondence relating to UFC business and incoming correspondence log: three years.
       2. Audio or video recordings of UFC meetings: one year.
       3. Election ballots or other data relating to elections and committee assignments: one year.
       4. Tabulations by name of votes in Council meetings: one year.
       5. File copies of agendas, minutes, circulars, and each year's Summary of the Year: indefinitely.
    3. Disposition of UFC records and files:
       1. Subject to space limitations, official UFC records and files may be retained in the UFC office for longer periods than those specified in Bylaw 12.B, at the discretion of the Co-Chairs.
       2. Audio or video recordings of minutes, ballots, and other election materials relating to elections and committee assignments may be erased / discarded after one year, at the discretion of the Co-Chairs.
       3. Other official UFC records and files shall be offered to the University Archives upon expiration of the period specified in Bylaw 12.B.
       4. Surplus copies of items listed under Bylaw 12.B.5 shall be offered to the University Archives at the end of the Council year in which they have been created.
    4. Exceptions:
       1. The records and files of UFC committees, while not subject to these rules, are an important resource for the efficient administration of Council activities and a potentially valuable historical record. Chairpersons are encouraged to pass UFC committee records and files on to their successors at the conclusion of the Council year and/or to offer them to the University Archives at an appropriate time.
       2. Files maintained by the UFC staff for their own use and containing unofficial materials shall not be subject to the provisions of these rules.
    5. Rules in this section shall become effective as of July 1, 1984.
14. Effective Date of Bylaws and Amendments: Bylaws and amendments to them are effective as of the date of their adoption by the UFC. As amendments are adopted, the UFC staff shall promptly revise the published versions of the Council’s bylaws to incorporate amendments.

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History

Adopted by the University Faculty Council:
April 16, 1974;

Amended by the University Faculty Council:
February 8, 1977;
April 26, 1977;
October 14, 1980;
December 8, 1981;
November 30, 1982;
March 8, 1983;
November 27, 1984;
March 26, 1985;
April 23, 1991;
February 9, 1993;
November 12, 1996;
October 14, 2003; 
March 27, 2012;
February 24, 2015.

Previous Versions: 

Effective Dates: 03/27/2012 - 02/24/2015

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