A campus of The California State University

Office of the Academic Senate • One Washington Square • San Jose, California 95192-0024 •408-924-2440  Fax: 408-924-2451

                        S04-10

At its meeting of May 10, 2004, the Academic Senate passed the following Policy Recommendation presented by Sally Veregge for the Organization and Government Committee.

POLICY RECOMMENDATION:  PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE BY-LAWS

PROVISIONS FOR FILLING STUDENT VACANCIES ON THE SENATE POLICY AND OPERATING COMMITTEES WHEN THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS, INC. HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO

WHEREAS,   Students provide valuable input to the Academic Senate and its policy and operating committees; and

WHEREAS,  Participation in the Senate and its committees gives a voice in University policies to all students who attend San José State University; and

WHEREAS,  The Trustee’s policy allows for (but does not limit) the nominations of student representatives to serve on campus-wide governance committees, campus-wide task forces, or other campus-wide advisory groups by the officially recognized associated student body organization, but leaves appointments to the University President; and

WHEREAS,  The approval of student appointments to Senate committees has historically been delegated by the University President to the Academic Senate; and

WHEREAS,  It is to the benefit of all students at San José State University that students have representation on Senate committees, and leaving student seats on policy and operating committees vacant because the Associated Students, Inc. has not been able to find or recommend candidates to fill those seats does not serve the student body of the University; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That By-law 5.5 be amended as follows.

         5.5         Recommendation of students for membership on operating committees shall be made according to the appointment recommendation procedures of the Associated Students, Inc. and should be transmitted to the Secretary of the Senate by the first meeting of the new Academic Senate for final approval by the Senate.  The Associated Students, Inc. should give student appointments to the Student Fairness Committee a high priority.

         Recommendations for appointment to policy committees of student members of the Senate and student policy committee representatives shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the Senate by the Associated Students, Inc. Board of Directors, acting in accordance with the appointment rules and nomination procedures of that organization.  The recommendations should be transmitted to the Secretary of the Senate by the second meeting of the new Academic Senate.

         When appointments have been approved by the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate shall notify those appointed.

5.5.1    A vacancy in an at-large Student Senator seat shall be declared in the event that a student senator misses four meetings of the Senate or its policy committees over the course of a single term of office, or in the event that Associated Students, Inc. fails to fill the seat in its regular elections, or in the event of a formal resignation.

5.5.1           Should the Associated Students, Inc. Board of Directors not transmit recommendations of students for membership on senate operating committees or policy committees by the fourth week of instruction, the following shall supercede the rules of the Associated Students, Inc. for nomination of students to policy and operating committees: student seats shall become university student-at-large seats for the balance of the academic year. These seats may be filled by any student in good standing at the university who self nominates or who is nominated by a member of the Academic Senate, and who is recommended by the elected members of the Executive Committee and approved by the Senate (subject to Senate bylaw 5.2).  All student nominees shall submit a statement of purpose to the Executive Committee.

                  5.5.2     Should a vacancy occur, the President of Associated Students, Inc. shall appoint select a replacement to fill out the remainder of the term.  This appointment selection must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the total membership of the Board of Directors of the Associated Students, Inc..  The name of the appointee nominee should be transmitted to the Secretary of the Senate within 30 days of the time that the vacancy occurred for final approval by the Senate.  When the appointment has been approved by the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate shall notify the appointee.  If a nomination is not received within 30 days, the seat will be declared a student-at-large seat for the balance of the academic year and will be filled as per 5.5.1.

Approved:        April 5, 2004

Present: Dresser, Quintanar, Desalvo, Miura, Hilliard, Park, Baba, Liu,Veregge

Absent: Choo

Vote: 9-0-0

Financial Impact: None

Action by University President:  Approved by Interim President

                                                             Joe Crowley on 5/12/2004