August 17, 2009

To:       Don Sloan, Convener

            Articles & By-laws Committee

From:   Becky LeDocq, Chair

            Faculty Senate

This memo is intended to serve as the initial charge letter to the Articles & By-laws Committee for the 2009-10 academic year. 

In an effort to better orient new committee members and to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of committee work, the Senate Executive Committee (SEC) is incorporating the following ideas.

1. The SEC will be holding a meeting of conveners at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1 in 325 Graff Main Hall.  Please plan on attending this meeting if possible.  If you are unable to attend, please send another representative from your committee. An agenda will follow.
2. The SEC will be holding a meeting of Chairs during the week before classes in January.  The purpose of this meeting will be for committee chairs to report on progress on charges to date and discuss any problems committees may be experiencing.

Per Faculty Senate Bylaw II. (s):  “Each faculty committee shall hold an organizational meeting and report the name of the chairperson to the senate office by October 1. (Joint Chairpersons are not permitted.)” 

Therefore, as the convener of the Articles & By-laws Committee, please arrange, as soon as feasible, an organizational meeting.  In addition to a chairperson, please also elect a secretary.   

 Primary responsibilities of the chairperson include:

·         promptly informing the Senate office (5-8018) the results of the election of officers and any changes in committee membership.*

·         organizing and conducting meetings.

·         completing a year end report on the Articles & By-laws Committee activities to be submitted to the Senate Office no later than May 31, 2010.

*The committee chairperson should carefully review Faculty Senate Bylaw II, “Faculty Standing Committees” for information on committee attendance and the role of alternates.

Primary responsibilities of the secretary include:

·         recording minutes of each meeting.

·         promptly sending meeting minutes to Sibbie Weathers (weathers.sylv@uwlax.edu) so that the minutes can be posted on the faculty senate website. 

In the event the committee chooses to rotate secretarial duties, please designate one person to be responsible for e-mailing the meeting minutes to Sibbie Weathers.

In addition to the committee's normal duties, I ask that the committee consider and report on the following special charges:

• Review the IAS-CPC Report and develop by-law changes as necessary. (This is a repeat of a charge from last year since major changes in this report are likely during summer 2009, as indicated in last year’s final report from the committee.) Please plan to provide a report to faculty senate at the October 29, 2009 meeting.

• Review departmental compliance with the UW-L By-law Template [4-1-08] Final and deadlines as approved by Faculty Senate on 4-24-08. 

“Each academic college will have a webpage where all departmental by-laws are posted by August 2008.  All by-laws will include the date of the last modification.  As of August 2008, the by-laws on file (and on the web) with the college office will represent the official by-laws for the departments should any form of dispute arise.  Departments have until June 1, 2009 to develop their by-laws in line with the recommended changes.  As of August 1, 2009 all departmental by-laws will reflect the recommended format and be posted on-line via the college webpage.”

 Report any non-compliant departments to the SEC by December 1, 2009.

If you have any questions about the charges, please feel free to contact me.

Finally, if the Senate Executive Committee or I can assist your committee in any way during the year, please do not hesitate to ask.

saw

cc:        Articles & By-laws Committee Members