CONSTITUTION OF THE LIMA CAMPUS FACULTY ASSEMBLY

(Adopted March 29, 1967, revised September, 1983 and June 2001)

PREAMBLE

The traditions of the academic community demand that the faculties of the colleges and schools of The Ohio State University and their academic equivalents participate fully in the governance and development of the University. It is recognized that authority to guide and regulate the University is vested by the Ohio Legislature in the Board of Trustees and the President. The Lima Campus faculty acknowledges responsibility to communicate to those exercising authority over the institution its views on matters bearing upon the educational program, the welfare of the students, the faculty, and the institution-at-large. This Constitution is thereby established to facilitate communication, to assist in developing policy for this campus, and undertake the responsibilities of an academic community.

ARTICLE I

Section 1. Membership

a. Membership of the Assembly shall include all members of the OSU Lima Faculty with a "regular appointment" and the following categories of instructional personnel holding a "special appointment": 1 Those having an annual appointment of 50% or more, or 2 Those having a quarterly appointment of 100%.

b. Librarians with faculty rank, for purposes of determining eligibility to membership, shall be considered as members of the instructional staff with full privileges of the Assembly.

c. Membership of the Assembly shall include the Dean and Director, the Associate Dean, and the Coordinator of the Learning Center.

Section 2. Functions of the Assembly

a. The Assembly shall operate under the Constitution and By Laws and shall be the official forum and voice of the Lima Campus faculty.

b. The Assembly shall be concerned with the general welfare of the faculty and students and shall advise the Dean and Director in the operation of the regional campus, help form policy, and initiate and conduct programs.

c. It shall communicate through appropriate channels its concerns, findings, and decisions.

d. It shall, when appropriate, assist in the development and/or execution of University College policies and programs.

e. It shall elect and instruct its University Senate representatives).

f. It shall elect representatives to appropriate local and intercampus University college boards, commissions, and committees including the Regional Campus Faculty Council.

g. It shall urge individual members to use regular channels available to them as members of The Ohio State University faculty when such a course of action is appropriate.

Section.3. Faculty Executive Committee

The Faculty Executive Committee shall consist of the Dean and Director, the elected officers of the Faculty Assembly, the university senator, the regional campus faculty council representative, and the chairmen of the Academic Planning curriculum and budget committees. The faculty executive committee shall be chaired by the Dean and Director or designee.

Section 4. Meetings of the Assembly

a. Regular meetings of the Assembly shall be held monthly from October to June. The October meeting shall be called by the President of the Assembly (hereafter, the President), as soon after the beginning of the Autumn Quarter as is feasible to permit attendance by a quorum of the members. At this meeting the members shall choose their regular meeting time.

b. Special meetings of the Assembly shall be called by the President at the initiative of the President or within a week after receiving a written request of 10% of the members.

c. From July to September, the Faculty Executive Committee shall conduct the business of the Assembly. In the absence of the Faculty Executive Committee, the President shall appoint an interim committee. Any actions taken by the Faculty Executive Committee (or by an interim committee) shall be promptly reported by mail to the members of the Assembly. Such actions shall be subject to the review and final approval of the Assembly at the October meeting.

d. Minutes of the meetings shall be kept and shall be filed in the regional campus library.

Section 5. Notices and Agenda of Meetings

a. The Faculty Executive Committee shall promulgate an agenda for all regularly scheduled meetings of the Assembly at least seven days before the meeting date. Reports from standing and special committees shall be included on the agenda for each regular meeting.

b. The notices of all meetings shall be sent by the Secretary to the members currently on campus via the campus mail service at least three days before that meeting.

Section 6. Presiding Officer

The President of the Assembly shall serve as presiding officer at the meetings of the Assembly. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall serve as the presiding officer. In the absence of both from the chair, the President shall appoint a temporary presiding officer for that meeting only. No executive duties shall be performed by this temporary officer, other than presiding.

Section 7. Procedure for the Meetings

The President shall appoint a Parliamentarian. The meetings shall be conducted according to standard parliamentary procedure such as found in Robert's Rules of Order Revised.

Section 8. Quorum

A quorum shall consist of an absolute majority of the members, less any members having an excused absence at the time of the meeting.

Section 9. Dues, Fines, Assessments, and Expenditures

The Assembly may levy dues, fines, or assessments on its regular members by a two-thirds vote of those present at the meeting where such action is taken. Expenditures shall be appropriated by a majority vote.

ARTICLE II - Officers and Elections

a. The officers elected by the Assembly shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

b. Each officer shall be a member of the Assembly.

c. The Officers shall serve for the academic year.

d. Duties of the Officers:

a. - The President shall call and preside at meetings of the Assembly, represent the Assembly in meetings with the Dean' and Director, inform the Dean and Director of the business and recommendations of the Assembly, appoint committees, and carry out business as instructed by the Assembly. The President, as any other member, may-vote once on any question but usually votes only when a ballot is used or to make or break a tie.

b. The Vice-President shall act in the absence of the President and carry out special duties assigned by the President.

c. The Secretary shall notify members of the time and place of each meeting, keep a record of the meetings and of all action and correspondence of the Assembly, keep an up-to-date list of Constitutional By Laws to reflect current practice of the Assembly, and provide each member with a current list of committee assignments.

d. The Treasurer shall collect dues and assessments, keep a record of income and expenditures, and pay bills of the Assembly. The records shall be available for inspection by any member. A committee, appointed by the President in April, shall audit the financial records prior to the close of each academic year and shall report to the Assembly.

e. Additional officers may be named by the action of the Assembly.

Section 2. Elections

The officers shall be elected by a secret ballot after nomination from the floor at the regular meeting in May each year: a majority shall elect. A second ballot will be conducted if no candidate receives 50% plus one of the votes cast. The second ballot will be restricted to the two candidates who have received the highest numbers of votes.

Section 3. Recall

Any officer may be removed from office upon the presentation to the Assembly of a petition signed by one-fourth of the members, and after the officer has at least seven days notice of the specific charges, and, at the officer's request, after a hearing by the Assembly in which the charged officer has adequate opportunity to present a defense. The vote to remove any officer shall require two-thirds approval of the members of the Assembly.

Section 4. Vacancies Vacancies which occur during the academic year shall be filled at the next regular meeting of the Assembly.

ARTICLE III - Committees

Committees shall be of three types: constitutional committees, standing committees, and special committees.

a. Constitutional committees are those committees whose composition and responsibilities are provided for in this constitution.

b. Standing committees are those established to study matters of continuing and recurring interest to the Assembly and shall include four uniform standing committees. The uniform standing committees are:

1. A Faculty Executive Committee which shall advise the Dean and Director in the development and change of policies pertaining to programs and functions of the regional campus, aid the President in preparing the agenda for Assembly meetings, and conduct the business of the Assembly from July to September.

2. An Academic Planning Curriculum Committee which shall advise the Dean and Director or designee concerning course offerings, and develop recommendations for long-range curricular and faculty staffing plans.

3. A Budget Committee which shall advise the Dean and Director in the allocation of resources in the annual budget, inform faculty about the budget, and communicate faculty input on the budget to the Dean and Director.

4. A Promotion and Tenure Committee which shall prepare written evaluations for required reviews for promotion and tenure and for candidacy for promotion and tenure, and transmit these evaluations to the Dean and Director of the regional campus and to the chairman of the appropriate academic department or school.

c. Special committees may be established for the study of specific problems that do not properly come within the purview of a standing or constitutional committee or that warrant the consideration of faculty members with special qualifications.

Section 2. Creation of Committees Standing and special committees shall be established during regular or special meetings of the Assembly.

a. A committee may be established by the motion of any member and the approval of a majority vote of the members present.

b. The Assembly's instructions to the committees will be as specific as circumstances permit.

c. Standing committees will be elected or appointed by the Assembly as provided in the By Laws.

d. Special committees will be dissolved when their final report has been approved by the Assembly.

e. Special committees may be established by the President with the concurrence of the other members of the Faculty Executive Committee on urgent matters that are appropriate for committee action but cannot practicably be delayed to await action by the Assembly.

f. Committee vacancies shall be filled promptly by the procedure specified in the Constitution or its By-Laws.

Section 3. General Authority of Committees

Committees shall not exceed the authority delegated to them by the Assembly and shall report regularly to the Assembly.

Section 4. Committee Personnel

All committee members elected by the Assembly must be members of the Assembly; however, non-members may be invited to participate in committee or sub-committee activities. Committee meetings shall be convened by the Chairman of the committee.

ARTICLE IV Amendments

Section 1. Proposals

a. Any member may submit a proposed amendment by filing copy with the Secretary.

b. The Assembly must act upon the request no later than regular meeting following such filing.

Section 2. Publication

Every proposed amendment shall be distributed by the Secretary to the members currently on campus via the campus mail service at least seven days before the next regular meeting.

Section 3. Discussion

Opportunity for debate at a regular or special meeting shall be provided for every proposed amendment.

Section 4. Ratification

Amendments shall be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the membership.

ARTICLE V - Adoption

This Constitution shall be adopted by the assent of two- thirds of those who are defined by this Constitution as members.