Appendix A: Voting Procedures

Appendix A: Voting Procedures

Faculty Defined

The faculty consists of the president of the college, the academic dean, and faculty holding contracts described in Part II, Section 2 of the Simpson College Faculty Handbook.  Only full-time faculty holding contracts described in Section 2.1.1 have voting rights in full faculty meetings.  Voting rights at the department level are established by the department. 

Faculty Contracts with Voting Privileges

Full-time Regular Contract

Full-time Term Contract

Full-time Teaching Specialist Contract

Full-time Joint Contract in a Single Department

Full-time Contract in Multiple Departments

Count of Faculty: [to be supplied by the Office of the Academic Dean]

The faculty count for voting purposes is updated yearly without faculty vote.  Abstentions do not count as a vote, simple majority, or 2/3 of votes cast.  One-half of the members of the faculty present shall constitute a quorum. 

Amending Procedures for Faculty Handbook

Faculty Chair: The chair of the Faculty Council is the chairperson of the faculty.  The faculty chair will be elected by the full faculty.  [Part I, Constitution, Article IV, Section 1].

Voting thresholds for motions are based on Robert’s Rules of Order, which asssumes a simple majority unless otherwise noted.  [Part I, Bylaws, Article I, Section 4].  If a faculty member believes that action taken by the faculty is in violation of the constitution or bylaws and if an appeal of the decision of the chair was not upheld by a majority vote of the faculty, then any two faculty members may request the Handbook Committee to study the constitutional issues involved and to return with a recommendation to be acted upon at the next regularly scheduled faculty meeting.  [Part I, Constitution, Article IV, Section 5].

The faculty parliamentarian will be elected by the Handbook Committee amongst its faculty membership.  [Part I, Constitution, Article IV, Section 5].

A ballot vs. a voice vote is at the discretion of the faculty chair.  Any faculty member with voting privileges can move for a balloted vote. 

Only those defined by the constitution as members of the faculty in Article II, Section 1 may vote in faculty meetings, serve as voting faculty members of faculty committees, or vote in departmental meetings.  [Part 1, Constitution, Article 5, Section 3].

Elections for Committees and Roles in April

Faculty Secretary: The Faculty Secretary shall be nominated by the Handbook Committee at the March faculty meeting for a vote at the April faculty meeting.  [Part I, Constitution, Article IV, Section 3]. 

Election of committees requiring divisional representation, at large-members of the Faculty Council, and faculty chair shall be held in the April faculty meeting.  [Part I, Bylaws, Article II, Standing Faculty Committees and Organization, Section 2].

Elections for Committees and Roles in May

Marshalls: Two marshalls shall be nominated by the Handbook Committee from a list of full-time faculty members who will be teaching during the following academic year.  The nominations shall be presented at the April faculty meetings for a vote at the May faculty meeting.  [Part I, Constitution, Article IV, Section 4].

All elections of committee members other than those requiring divisional representation shall be held at the May faculty meeting.  [Part I, Bylaws, Article II, Faculty Standing Committees and Organization, Section 2].

Serving on and Voting in Committees:

Only those defined by the constitution as members of the faculty in Article II, Section 1 and 2 may vote in faculty meetings, serve as voting faculty members of faculty committees, or vote in departmental meetings.  [Part I, Constitution, Article 5, Section 3].

The President of the college and the Academic Dean or the Academic Dean’s designees are non-voting, ex officio members of all committees.  [Part I, Bylaws, Article II, Section 3].

Adding or Removing Parts of the Faculty Handbook

On rare occasions, entire parts of the Faculty Handbook may need to be added or removed.  In these cases, deletions of existing parts of the handbook require approval by a majority vote of the faculty equal to that required to amend that part.  Additions of new parts of the handbook require approval by a simple majority of the faculty.

Section Number Referencing

No vote is required for changes to the handbook that update numbering of sections or references to section numbers. 

Amending the Appendices

An individual faculty member or group of faculty members may propose an amendment to the Appendices.  Amendments must be approved by a majority vote of the faculty.  Amendments to the Appendices will become effective at the start of the next academic year, unless a different effective date is approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the faculty or if required by law.