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Senate of the Whole vs. Representative Senate

Senate of the Whole vs. Representative Senate. SMCCCD District Academic Senate Spring 2016. Definitions. Requirements of Academic Senates.

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Senate of the Whole vs. Representative Senate

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  1. Senate of the Whole vs. Representative Senate SMCCCD District Academic Senate Spring 2016

  2. Definitions

  3. Requirements of Academic Senates • All Academic Senates are subject to California’s Open Meetings Laws(Bagley-Keene Act of 1967 specifies rules for governing bodies; Brown Act of 1953 specifies rights of citizens to attend open meetings). • Among others, some key rules within these acts are: • A meeting is said to have occurred at any time a quorum of the senate is achieved (quorum defined in bylaws) • Agendas of all meetings must be posted 72 hours in advance • All votes must be recorded and publishedaccording to who voted (names) and how • Minutes of each meeting must be taken, approved, and adopted by the body

  4. Why This Matters to SMCCCD • All three college senates, and the district senate, were formed as Senates of the Whole, which means the Open Meetings Acts can be unintentionally violated in the following situations: • Each time a significant number of senators (all faculty) convene (Opening Day events, campus forums, campus-wide meetings and events) • Violation: Requirement to post an agenda 72 hours in advance • Violation: Minutes must be taken, approved, and adopted by the body • Elections of officers by electronic ballot or elections of representatives by divisions • Violation: All votes must be recorded and published according to who voted and how

  5. What Needs to Happen Because it is exceedingly difficult to avoid violating the Open Meetings laws, • the DAS recommends that the senates of all three colleges, and of the district, convert from Senates of the Whole to Representative Senates • This requires a vote by EACH OF THE THREE COLLEGES OF THE SAN MATEO COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

  6. What Will Change in becoming Representative Senates? • Elections • Senate officers will still be elected from the entire faculty, and by the entire faculty, but without violating Open Meetings Act rules • Senate representatives will still be elected/appointed/chosen, but without violating Open Meetings Act rules • Names of voters in elections, and how they voted, will not require publication • Meetings • Senate meetings will still be posted 72 hours in advance • All minutes will still be taken and approved, but by the elected body • Only elected members with voting status will vote at senate meetings • All votes in meetings will continue to be recorded and published according to who voted and how

  7. Please Vote! Participatory Governance Depends on it! • Contact your local senate members if you have any questions or concerns about this very important vote. • The vote will take place in Fall 2016. All faculty will be notified of the vote with the DAS president’s letter prior to Opening Day. • Bylaws will be revised and presented as part of the ballot. THANK YOU FOR ACTING IN ORDER TO BETTER FACILITATE FACULTY PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE!

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