Policies and Procedures

Introduction

The function of the Nominating Committee is to prepare slates of candidates for election to the standing and special committees of the Academic Senate. The following sections of Article VII of the Academic Senate Bylaws apply to the activities of the Nominating Committee:

Section 4

Voting members of Academic Senate Committees shall be duly elected by the Academic Senate, except where otherwise stipulated in these Bylaws. A person may not serve as a voting member on more than two Academic Senate Committees, of which only one can be a standing committee.

Section 5

The Nominating Committee established by Section 8, paragraph B of the Academic Senate Charter may present, at its discretion, one or more nominees for each position to be filled.

Section 6

Any member of the Academic Senate may recommend candidates for any committee by communicating the names of such persons to the Nominating Committee in writing. Such recommendations must contain the statement that those recommended know of the recommendation and are willing to serve if elected. The names of those so recommended may be identified at the discretion of the Nominating Committee as to their source when the nominations are presented for election. This mode of nomination shall not be construed as limiting or impairing the right of members of the Academic Senate to nominate from the floor at the election meeting only those candidates for whom a nominating petition has been turned in at the Senate Office at least one day prior to those committee elections announced in the call of the meeting. When the Nominating Committee presents candidates for committee elections that have not been announced in the call of the meeting, additional nominations may be made from the floor.

Section 7

The election of members to the Nominating Committee shall take place at the first meeting of the Academic Senate following the annual election, or at adjourned meeting thereof. An election shall be held as soon as practical to fill the balance of a term left vacant by resignation. All nominations for these positions shall be from the floor.

Section 8

The election of members to standing committees shall take place at the regular December meeting of the Academic Senate, or at an adjourned meeting thereof. The election of members to college-wide and special committees shall take place at the regular April meeting of the Academic Senate, or at an adjourned meeting thereof. Elections to fill the balance of terms on Academic Senate Committees shall be held as vacancies occur.

Section 9

Students elected to Academic Senate Committees must have a cumulative index of at least 2.0 and not be on probation at the time of their election.

The following Standing Rules of the Academic Senate Bylaws also apply to the activities of the Nominating Committee:

VII. Nominations from the Floor for Committee Membership

When nominations for membership on Academic Senate committees are made from the floor, the nominee or nominator shall indicate the nominee's department or major, class standing (if relevant), and shall provide a mailing address and phone number(s).

VIII. Nominations for Committee Membership for Nonmatriculated (Nondegree) Students

A. All proposed nominations of nonmatriculated students must first be reviewed by the Academic Senate Nominating Committee before they may be made on the floor of the Senate.

B. The Nominating Committee may only consider the proposed nomination of a nonmatriculated student if a majority of the Committee membership passes a resolution asserting that consideration of that student is in the best interests of Queens College.

C. The Nominating Committee shall, when making a nomination on the floor of the Senate, advise the Senate that a proposed nominee is a nonmatriculated student.

D. A nonmatriculated student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 at the time of nomination

IX. Eligibility for Academic Senate Committee Seats

A. Section VIII-A of the Academic Senate Charter shall be read to include Law School students and faculty and those graduate students who are registered at the CUNY Graduate Center if they are enrolled in or instruct any class at Queens College, or are conducting research under the guidance of a Queens College faculty member within the following limitations:

1. Law students and faculty are not eligible for Senate Committee seats that are limited to members of a particular Queens College division. Law students are not eligible for Senate Committee seats that are limited to undergraduate students.

2. Graduate Center students who are enrolled in or instruct any class at Queens College are eligible for Senate Committee seats at large and in the division in which the course they are enrolled in or instructing is offered. Graduate Center students are not eligible for Senate Committee seats that are limited to undergraduate students.

3. Graduate Center students who were elected while they were enrolled in or instructed any class at Queens College may complete their term of service on the Senate Committee that they were elected to even though they have completed the course or laboratory research in question, as long as:

a. The student remains a graduate student at the Graduate Center (this includes doing dissertation work), and

b. The student states, in writing to the Chair of the Committee, his/her continued interest in serving on the Senate Committee, and

c. The student does not miss more than two consecutive meetings of the committee. If more than two meetings of the committee are missed, the Chair of the Committee may declare the seat vacant and ask the Executive Committee to request that the seat in question be filled in accordance with regular Senate procedures.

Recruiting Nominees

In September the Academic Senate sends a letter from the chair of the Nominating Committee to the chairs of all Senate committees having members whose terms will expire in December of that year. The letter asks the chairs to recommend whether or not individual members should continue their positions on their committees.

In September the Academic Senate sends a letter from the chair of the Nominating Committee to all committee members whose terms will expire in December, inviting them to run for reelection. The letter reminds committee members that reelection is not automatic, and requires completion of an application form, including a statement of qualifications from the candidate. The letter also informs the committee member that the chair of the member’s committee has been asked for a statement from the chair of the committee that the member’s continuation on the committee would be appropriate.

In September the Academic Senate sends a letter from the chair of the Nominating Committee to all faculty, soliciting applications for committee memberships. The letter includes a list of all committee memberships for which terms are expiring.

All three sets of letters give a deadline for receipt of completed applications sometime late in October, which will give the Nominating Committee enough time to process all applications in time for the December meeting of the Senate, when elections are held.

The Nominating Committee prepares an article for publication in the September and/or October issue of FYI to publicize the application period and process to faculty.

The Nominating Committee prepares an article for publication in the September and/or October issues of the student newspaper(s) to publicize the application period and process to students.

Student members of the Nominating Committee contact the Freshman Council and president and vice-president of the Student Association, requesting them to publicize the nominating period and process to students throughout September and October.

If the pool of applicants is not sufficient to fill all openings, and/or if incumbents do not reapply by the deadline, members of the committee solicit applications by contacting deans and department chairs, making announcements to classes, and by general word of mouth. This process begins before the application deadline where possible.

Verifying Qualifications

In September, the Academic Senate’s administrative assistant checks the graduation status of all student members of committees and informs the Nominating Committee of student positions that need to be re-filled due to graduation.

The Academic Senate’s administrative assistant receives all applications, and verifies:

· Each student applicant’s GPA, declared major(s), and expected date of graduation, using the online registration system.

· Each faculty applicant’s department/division affiliation.

· Each applicant does not violate the regulations of the bylaws with regard to multiple committee memberships.

Selecting Nominees

Barring evidence of unsatisfactory performance, incumbents are automatically nominated for reelection provided they submit a complete application form and are endorsed by their committee’s chairperson.

The committee matches applicants to position openings on the basis of expressed willingness to serve, the set of openings to be filled, and letters of recommendation from committee chairs, when available. This process often involves direct contact with applicants to see if they would be willing to serve on committees for which they did not express an interest, but for which unfilled openings exist.

If a person applies for a position held by an incumbent, the Nominating Committee offers the person other committee nominations, if any exist. If the applicant wants to challenge the incumbent, the committee tells the applicant they have the option of standing for election from the Senate floor, and notifies the incumbent of the situation.

If two or more applicants decide to compete for the same membership, the Nominating Committee chooses the applicant it feels would be best qualified, and informs the other(s) that they have the option of standing for election from the Senate floor.

When committee vacancies occur at times other than normal (see Sections 7 and 8 of the Bylaws above), the Nomination Committee recruits candidates from any applications already on hand or by direct contact with student and/or faculty. Applicants for such vacancies must also complete an application form, and are also verified as indicated above.