Revised on: August 20, 2008
Revised February 25, 2011 (approved by the Chancellor designee in August 2011)
Revised November 5, 2011 (Approved October 27, 2012)

Article I. Name

The name of the body hereby constituted is the University System of Georgia Faculty Council (USGFC).

Article II. Mission

The purpose of the University System of Georgia Faculty Council is to promote and foster the welfare of system faculty through the combined creativity and expertise of faculty representatives from system institutions.

Article III. Responsibilities and Functions

The USGFC will participate in the process of University System of Georgia governance by advising, recommending, and consulting with the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee(s) concerning the establishment of rules and regulations deemed necessary or appropriate for the promotion of the general welfare of the University System of Georgia. The USGFC will formulate and recommend to the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee(s) University System of Georgia policies and procedures related to but not exclusive to system faculty. The USGFC will develop and maintain a system-wide communications network to provide for efficient transmission of relevant information to faculty.

Article IV. Membership

Membership of the USGFC shall be composed of one voting representative from each USG institution and that representative must be a member of that institution’s faculty and selected by a process determined by the faculty or faculty body (council, senate, assembly, etc.) of that institution.

Article V. Meetings and Voting

V.1. Meetings.

V.1.1. Frequency. Meetings normally take place once each fall and spring.

V.1.2. Tier Voting. There shall be an institutional tier voting system. The list of USG institutions and their respective tier for voting purposes shall be maintained by the council. The list may be amended as needed with approval of the council. The voting on any proposal to amend this list shall be conducted in compliance with Article V.

V.1.3. Quorum. At least 50% of the voting membership from each institutional tier shall constitute quorum.

V.1.4. Proxy. A voting member should designate an alternate to a meeting that the member cannot attend.

V.1.5. Participation. In addition to attending meetings in person, members or their alternates may also participate remotely.

V.2. Voting.

V.2.1. Voting Representation. Each institution within the USG shall have one vote on any matter brought before the USGFC and that vote shall be cast by the voting representative or designated alternate.

V.2.2. Methodology. Voting may take place synchronously during a meeting of the USGFC or asynchronously by electronic communication or other means as determined by the officers in consultation with the membership of the USGFC.

V.2.3. Threshold.

V.2.3.1 Synchronous Threshold. Any decisions or recommendations by the USGFC using synchronous voting must receive majority approval of those voting from each institutional tier.

V.2.3.2 Asynchronous Threshold. Any decisions or recommendations by the USGFC using asynchronous voting must receive majority approval of those eligible to vote from each institutional tier.

Article VI. Officers and Duties

VI.1. Officers. The officers of the USGFC shall be a Chair and a Chair-Elect, who shall become Chair the following year. The officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the USGFC.

VI.2. Eligibility. Only individuals who have served at least one academic year as a voting member are eligible to serve as officers.

VI.3. Nomination and Election. Only current members may nominate a person to serve as an officer (self-nominations permitted). The voting for officers shall be conducted in compliance with Article V.

VI.4. Terms of Service. The term of service of an officer of the USGFC shall begin at the conclusion of the meeting at which (s)he is elected and end when his/her successor is named, and shall typically be one academic year.

VI.5. Duties. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the USGFC. The Chair-Elect shall prepare minutes of each meeting. The primary duty of the officers shall be to communicate recommendations and decisions to the USG Chancellor or Chancellor’s designee. The Chair and Chair-Elect shall prepare the agenda in consultation with the USGFC members.

Article VII. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the USGFC in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the USGFC may adopt.

Article VIII. Amendments

Any proposal to amend or repeal these Bylaws shall be submitted to the officers in writing at least 30 days prior to the meeting of the USGFC at which they will be discussed. The voting shall be conducted in compliance with Article V.