The name of this organization shall be the Foothill College Classified Senate.

The Foothill College Classified Senate shall represent and include all classified staff who choose to participate, regardless of classification, who are not management or certificated, as defined by Education Code Section 72400 and Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board Policy 2224.

Article II: Mission & Purpose
Section 1. Mission
It shall be the mission of the Classified Senate to work in partnership with faculty and administrators to provide students with the support needed to achieve excellent educational experiences and learning opportunities by promoting excellence in all aspects of support provided to the college community, and especially to staff.

Section 2. Purpose
It shall be the function of the Classified Senate to participate in the governance of Foothill College; to actively collect, evaluate, and disseminate information for the classified staff; and to represent the collective interests of the classified staff before or on any governance or college committee.

The Classified Senate is organized to:

1. participate in the Foothill College governance structure;
2. provide a body representing the needs, concerns, and viewpoints of the classified staff;
3. provide a centralized means of communication between classified staff and the rest of the college community;
4. appoint from its membership representatives to serve on governance and college committees;
5. articulate the professionalism of the classified staff so that it is properly recognized and valued;
6. provide an opportunity for enhancing the democratic process of governance at Foothill College;
7. provide an opportunity to develop individual leadership among the classified staff, as well as increase the professional standards of its members;
8. promote and support activities that develop or increase the skills; productivity and professionalism of the classified staff;
9. promote the interests of the classified staff in the initiation, development, implementation, and evaluation of policy and practice related to but not limited to the following that have significant impact on staff:
   • The selection and retention of administration
   • In-service education
   • Facilities and services
   • Student classified, faculty classified relations, and management classified
   • Finance and budget

Section 3. Scope of Responsibility
The Classified Senate may make recommendations and take action for the classified staff.

The Classified Senate shall request and obtain information and/or recommendations on policies and procedures made by the college administration, or governance system, being sent to the Board of Trustees, in time to effectively consider the issues in those recommendations.

The Classified Senate will consider and may take official positions on the recommendations made to the college president.

The Classified Senate may select a designee to appear before the Board of Trustees to express the views of the Classified Senate issues relating to policy, procedures or governance.

Article III: Organization
Section 1. Membership

1. Administration
2. Admissions & Records / Student Outreach
3. Academic Division 1A: Adaptive Learning; Physical Education & Human Performance; and Fine Arts & Communication
4. Academic Division 1B: Biology & Health Sciences; Business & Social Sciences; Computers, Technology & Information Systems; Language Arts; and Physical Sciences, Math & Engineering
5. Campus Center: Bookstore / Health Services / Police / Psychological Counseling / Student Activities
6. International Students / Marketing
7. KCI / Apprenticeship / Distance Learning
8. Library
9. Middlefield / NASA Centers
10. Student Services: Assessment / Career Center / Counseling / Financial Aid / EOPS / Transfer Center

Section 2. Composition of the Classified Senate
The executive and legislative power of the Classified Staff shall be vested in the Classified Senate, which is composed as follows:

1. The president, president-elect/vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.
2. The appointed chairs of the Classified Senate standing committees.
3. One representative or an elected alternate from each segment as defined in Section 1.
4. The past president of the Classified Senate, ex-officio.
5. Non-voting chief steward of the classified collective bargaining unit or his/her designee.

Section 3. Autonomy
The Classified Senate shall be distinct from any other classified organization.

Section 4. Representation
The Classified Staff shall seek full representation on all college committees and councils deemed important for its purposes by the Classified Senate. The appointments to those committees and councils will be reported by the President to the Classified Senate.

Section 5. Committees
The Classified Senate, representing the Classified Staff, shall have the power to form committees and to provide for their membership.

Section 6. Recognition
The Classified Senate shall be an official body promoting the interests of the classified staff of the College. The individual staff member or representative of other classified organizations retains the right to address the Board of Trustees.

Article IV: Duties and Terms of Office of Classified Senate Members
The Classified Senate shall elect a President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, plus one representative and one alternate from each segment defined in Article Ill, Section 1. Any member of the electorate shall be eligible for elective office in the Classified Senate.

The Classified Senate President shall conduct meetings out of which decisions and recommendations shall be made. The Classified Senate President is authorized to express publicly the Senate’s position on issues and recommendations relating to governance. The Classified Senate President, or the President’s designee may appear before the Board of Trustees to express the views of the Classified Senate on policies, procedures and governance.

A vacancy may occur through resignation or through leave of absence. If such a vacancy occurs, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by the Classified Senate or by special election. Notice of vacancy must be submitted in writing.

Section 1. The Segment Representatives shall:

1. Attend regular Classified Senate meetings.
2. Confirm all appointments made by the President of the Classified Senate.
3. Hold informational meetings for their constituencies at least once each quarter.
4. Be responsible for polling their constituencies on items designated by the Classified Senate.
5. Report to the Classified Senate on matters from their segment related to the Classified Staff concerns.
6. Post minutes of Classified Senate meetings.
7. Perform other duties as required by their office.

Section 2. The Segment Representative Alternates shall:

1. Act as the Segment Representative in his/her absence.
2. Perform other duties as may be required by the office.

Section 3. The President of the Classified Senate shall:

1. Preside at meetings of the Classified Senate and of the Executive Committee.
2. Have the power of appointment and removal of committee members (subject to the consent of the Classified Senate).
3. Be an ex-officio member of all Classified Senate committees.
4. Serve as a Classified Senate representative on the College Roundtable and the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee.
5. Attend all Board of Trustees meetings or designate a representative from the executive board.
6. Build the agenda for all Executive Committee and Classified Senate meetings.
7. Perform other duties as may be required by the office.

Section 4. The President-Elect/Vice President shall:

1. Attend the State Classified Leadership to receive training or receive an acceptable alternate training to be approved by the President of the Classified Senate.
2. Act as president in the absence of the President.
3. Become the president of the Classified Senate upon the expiration of the incumbent president’s term of office.
4. Coordinate the reports and recommendations of all Classified Senate committees for presentation to the Classified Senate.&
5. Be an ex-officio member of all Classified Senate committees.
6. Serve as a Classified Senate representative on the College Roundtable.
7. Assist in building the agenda for all Executive Committee and Classified Senate meetings.
8. Perform other duties as may be required by the office.

Section 5. The Secretary shall:

1. Be responsible for preparation, publication and distribution of the minutes and agenda of all Classified Senate and Executive Committee meetings.
2. Maintain and file all Classified Senate records.
3. Act as president in the absence of the President and President-Elect.
4. Assist in building the agenda for all Executive Committee and Classified Senate meetings.
5. Perform other duties as maybe required by the office.

Section 6. The Treasurer shall:

1. Disburse funds, maintain financial records, and submit financial reports to the Classified Senate during the calendar year, as requested by the Executive Committee, but not less than twice per year.
2. Set up the budget for the Executive Committee and Classified Senate approval.
3. Act as president in the absence of the President, President-Elect, and Secretary.
4. Assist in building the agenda for all Executive Committee and Classified Senate meetings.
5. Perform other duties as may be required by the office.

Article V: Meetings
The Classified Senate shall meet a minimum of twice a month during the year, and once a month during the summer. Special meetings may be held as needed. Announcements of Classified Senate meetings shall be publicly posted.

General meetings of the Classified Staff shall be held a minimum of twice per year.

Official minutes of each Executive Committee and general Classified Senate meeting shall be kept and made available to all classified staff, the president of the classified collective bargaining unit, the president of the Academic Senate, and the president of the college.

Article VI: Committees
Section 1. The Staff Development Committee shall be a standing committee of the Classified Senate to obtain and allocate funds, and conduct programs for staff development within guidelines established by the Classified Senate.

Section 2.  The Nominating Committee shall be a special committee of the Classified Senate to receive and solicit names of candidates to be chosen as officers and shall supervise the election of those candidates.  Nominations shall be by written petition. Members shall be appointed by the President-Elect with the chair appointed from its membership. 

Section 3. The Classified Senate shall establish both permanent and, when appropriate, Ad Hoc Committees to assist in the development and implementation of policies and procedures relating to classified staff and to the operational and educational matters of the college.

Section 4. Ad Hoc Committees may be established by the President of the Classified Senate, upon the advice and consent of the Classified Senate. Such committees shall be formed for special purposes and shall be of short duration.

Section 5. Each Committee Chair shall:   

1. File with the President of the Classified Senate a schedule of committee meetings.
2. Report its activities to the President-Elect after each of its meetings.
3. Prepare recommendations relating to its functions for review and approval by the Classified Senate.
4. Perform other duties as determined by the Classified Senate.

Article VII: Parliamentary Authority
The consensus method of decision-making shall be used to elicit open communication and channel energies into working collaboratively together. This method will be used to formulate solutions or recommendations which do not compromise any strong conviction or need.

In the event that consensus is not applicable to the situation; or cannot be reached, then the President-Elect will serve as the parliamentarian or the Senate may elect to use other rules for voting which are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

Article VIII: Multi-Campus Organizations
Nothing in this constitution shall be construed to prevent the Classified Senate from forming joint committees with any other Foothill-De Anza Community College District organization(s).

Article IX: Adoption, Amendments
Section 1. Adoption
This Constitution shall take effect August 24, 2008 upon approval by a simple majority of the quorum of the electorate of Foothill College.

Section 2. Amendments to the Constitution
The Constitution shall be amended by a simple majority of the electorate. Amendments may be proposed by 10% of the electorate or 25% of the Classified Senate. The proposal, when initiated by the electorate, will be filed with the required number of signatures with the Secretary of the Senate. The Secretary will validate the signatures and their number within 5 working days of the receipt of the proposed amendment and present the proposal to the President. The President shall call an election within 15 days of the receipt of the validated amendment and announce the results of the election within 24 hours.

Bylaw I: Quorums

Section 1. A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of voting members for regular Classified Senate meetings.

Section 2. A quorum shall consist of at least 33 percent of the electorate for a general meeting. 

Section 3. Elections by written ballot shall require a simple majority of those voting to carry the issue.

Bylaw II: Terms of Office

Section 1. The term of office for segment representatives shall be one (1) fiscal year. A segment representative shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms and will again become eligible for election after one (1) year.

Section 2. The President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall serve annual terms of office from July 1 to June 30.  

Section 3. The Secretary and Treasurer may serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office.

Section 4. Standing committee chairs shall serve annual terms of office from July 1 to June 30.

Bylaw Ill: Procedure and Operation of Meetings

Section 1. The time and place of regular meetings of the Classified Senate will be determined at the first meeting of the newly elected Classified Senate.

Section 2. Special Classified Senate meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the voting members of the Classified Senate.

Section 3. Members of the electorate may attend any Classified Senate meeting and may speak with the consent of the President or a majority of the quorum; however, they may not vote. A majority of the quorum or the President, with the approval of a majority of the quorum, may invite any persons to attend and speak at an Classified Senate meeting.

Section 4. Minutes and agenda of regular Classified Senate meetings and General Electorate meetings will be made available.   

Section 5. General Meetings of the Classified Staff:

1. Final executive and legislative power of the Senate may be assumed by the body of the electorate when it is assembled in a general meeting.
2. General meetings of the Classified Staff shall be scheduled at such times as to assure maximum attendance by the electorate.  
3. The President of the Senate shall notify the electorate at least five working days prior to any general meeting.  
4. General meetings of the electorate shall be called in any one of the following ways:
   • The President of the Classified Senate may convene a general meeting with at least five working days’ notice. 
   • A majority of the Classified Senate may convene a general meeting with at least five working days’ notice by
     • Petition to the President of the Classified Senate. 
     • Vote at a meeting of the Classified Senate.
   • Ten percent of the electorate may convene a general meeting with at least five working days’ notice by signed petition to the President of the Senate.
5. Any motion relevant to an agenda item may be carried by a simple majority of the quorum. A procedural motion proposed at a general meeting requires a simple majority vote of the quorum to carry. A substantive motion proposed at a general meeting shall be presented to the Classified Staff as a written ballot after the general meeting, and shall require a simple majority of an election quorum to carry.

Section 6. Emergency General Meetings of the Classified Staff: 

1. Emergency meetings of the Classified Senate may be called on two hours’ notice by:
   • The President of the Classified Senate with approval of a simple majority of the Classified Senate, or
   • A 2/3 majority of the Classified Senate by:
     Vote at a meeting of the Classified Senate, or
   • Twenty-five percent vote of the total membership of the Classified Staff Senate by signed petition to the President of the Classified Senate.
2.  A simple majority of the quorum shall be required to carry a procedural motion, or a substantive motion at an emergency meeting of the Classified Staff. 

Bylaw IV: Elections
Section 1. Elections shall be conducted during May of each school year. 

Section 2. Election to a Classified Senate office shall be by the highest number of votes for that office.

Section 3. Vacancies.

1. The President or President-Elect, Vice-President may declare a vacancy when a Classified Senate member has been absent, unexcused, from more than three consecutive meetings.
2. When a vacancy is declared by the President or President-Elect, that vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of the Classified Senate in the case of executive officers and by the same method and constituency which chose segment representatives in that case.

Section 4. Removal from Office.

1. Any appointee may be removed from his/her position by a 2/3 majority vote of the Classified Senate as a whole. 
2. Any elected official of the Classified Senate may be removed from office by a 2/3 majority of votes cast within his/her electorate.

Bylaw V - Amendments

Additions to and/or changes in the Bylaws may be effected by a simple majority vote of the Classified Senate and ratification by a simple majority of the quorum at the next general meeting following the proposal.

Last updated September 8, 2008