Faculty Senate

Seminole State College's Faculty Senate represents members of its full-time and adjunct faculty, providing faculty recommendations to the Seminole State administration on issues of importance, such as faculty load, salary and contract concerns and campus reorganization plans. Members are involved in several campuswide committees as faculty representatives.

Purposes

The Faculty Senate is mandated to:

• Represent the faculty in matters concerning College policies and programs.
• Serve as a channel of communication for the faculty in its relations with the Board of Trustees, administration and student body.
• Act for the faculty in matters pertaining to faculty standards and welfare, professional ethics and public relations.
• Exercise initiative and leadership in fostering the professional growth of the faculty and in encouraging cooperative efforts toward that end.
• Promote the continued development of the educational programs of the College.

Officers

Officers are elected by senate members for one-year terms. The immediate past president serves as a non-voting member of the Executive Committee and the Faculty Senate. Officers who are elected in the spring take office at the first general faculty meeting of Term I. In the event the president of the Faculty Senate relinquishes his or her duties, the first vice president will assume that office for the remainder of the term.

Membership

The Faculty Senate consists of elected faculty members who meet one of the following classification requirements:

• Full-time teaching faculty, including department chairs
• Certified library personnel with no administrative duties
• Counselors with no administrative duties

One Faculty Senate representative is elected by members within each of the following departments:

• Adult Education
• Adult High School
• Biological Science
• Business Administration
• Construction Trades
• English
• Fine and Performing Arts
• Health Technologies
• Humanities

• Information Processing
• Library Services
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Trades
• Physical Education
• Physical Science
• Public Services
• Social Science
• Student

A maximum of 15 members-at-large are eligible for Faculty Senate membership and are elected by the entire full-time faculty by ballot in Term II (spring).The term of office for Faculty Senate representatives and members-at-large is two years and until successors take office. Department representatives are elected in odd years and members-at-large in even years.

Committees

• Standing Committees and Councils: Faculty members who serve on college-wide standing committees or councils will be asked to report out on topics relevant to the faculty at our monthly meetings.
• Ad hoc College Issue Committees: This committee is composed of Faculty Senate members who are appointed by the senate president. As directed by the senate, the committee reviews or studies issues that are brought to the Faculty Senate's attention; makes recommendations to the Faculty Senate; and will act only as charged by the Faculty Senate.
• Elections Committee: This committee is composed of elected Faculty Senate members. It supervises and conducts the elections of committee members-at-large and officers.

Special committees, as deemed necessary or useful to carry out the work of the Faculty Senate, can be appointed by the president or the executive committee.

Meetings

Regular Faculty Senate meetings are held once a month during the fall and spring semesters. Anyone may attend Faculty Senate meetings.  Only senators or designated proxies may vote.

Upcoming Meetings

Minutes

The second vice president is responsible for the distribution of meeting minutes to the faculty.