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FUNCTION

The College Council is the forum in which all proposed broad-based College practices and procedures are discussed collegially before they are acted on or implemented by the College President. The College Council is charged with the responsibility of upholding participatory governance principles through consultation with the Academic Senate, Peralta Federation of Teachers, Classified Senate, Administration and Associated Students of Merritt College. Note: Policy concerns and/or recommendations are referred through proper District groups that are addressed by the Chancellor and the Board.

CHARGE

The College Council will receive and review college recommendations from all college committees and senates, obtain constituent opinions, advise the President as to recommendations, and provide a means of communication within the college community.

 

MEMBERSHIP

The membership of the College Council will include 19 representatives from the following four Merritt College constituent groups (i.e., faculty, classified staff, administration and students):

Voting (12)

  • Three (3) administrative representatives (Vice President of Instruction, Vice President of Student Services and one Instructional Dean selected by the College President) •
  • Four (4) faculty representatives (the Academic Senate President, one appointed by the Academic Senate, one appointed by the PFT and one selected jointly by the Academic Senate and the PFT),
  • Four (4) Classified Senate representatives (the Classified Senate President and three selected by the Classified Senate, including at least one from Local 1021 and one from Local 39)
  • Associated Students of Merritt College President (or designee)

Ex-Officio, Voting (4) 

  • Co-Chair of Institutional Effectiveness Committee
  • Co-Chair of Budget Committee
  • Co-Chair of Technology Committee
  • Co-Chair of Facilities Committee

Ex-Officio, Non-Voting (3)

  • Chair of the Accreditation Committee
  • College President
  • Vice President of Administrative Services

APPOINTMENT, VACANCIES, & ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSONS

  1. The representatives to the College Council will be selected through their constituency group senates {i.e., Academic Senate for faculty, ASMC for students and Classified Senate for staff), except as noted above under “administrative representatives”. A constituency group may replace its representatives at any time during the year; however, the replacement must be appointed to serve out the remainder of the annual term.
  2. Election of co-chairpersons will be selected among the College Council voting membership. The term of office shall be one year, but officers can be re-elected for a like term.

 

DUTIES OF CO-CHAIRPERSONS

The co-chairpersons are to perform all duties listed in the College Council constitution, Article III.

 

PROCEDURES

  1. Motions cannot be made if a quorum is not present.
  2. Regular meeting will be held at least once a month during the academic year. If a holiday falls on that day, the meeting will be rescheduled. Emergency meetings may be called by the College President and/or by the College Council Chairpersons. The co-chairpersons may call extra meetings if required.

 

ACTION ITEMS

Any action items brought to the College Council for consideration shall be submitted in written form. Any member of the campus may present or speak on behalf of the action item.

After review of any substantiating materials and discussion, the College Council will take action in one of the following ways:

  1. To concur by consensus or majority vote with an item and recommend it to the College President.
  2. To modify a recommendation and forward the item to the College President by consensus or majority opinion. Written minority opinions may be submitted at the same time.
  3. To refer an item to a constituent group or committee for further work or consideration. In this case the College Council does not forward the item to the President and remains mute on the item.
  4. To use other parliamentary motions in Robert’s Rules of Order such as to table or postpone an item.

The President shall accept, reject or make alternative recommendations to those of the College Council. Within twenty (20) working days of receipt of written recommendations from the College Council, the College President shall communicate with the Council his/her decision in writing. If the President’s decision is affirmative, the recommendation becomes College practice and/or is referred to any corresponding District committee. If the President does not support the recommendation, the President shall provide a written justification to the College Council within the twenty (20) working days.

Those items not accepted by the College President will be on the next College Council agenda for the College Council’s consideration of the President’s written justification or alternate proposal. The Council may consider making a new recommendation to the College President. In all instances, the College President retains the right and duty to make final decisions on items after Council consideration.

 

AMENDMENTS

Amendments to these by-laws may be proposed by any member of the College Council. To be adopted, proposed amendments must receive a 2/3 affirmative vote by the Council members present.

*Approved by the College Council 5/26/21