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Columbia College

Academic Senate

Resolution Guidelines & Procedures

I. Resolution Writing

a. Resolutions are designed for the senate to urge or recommend policy or action to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, the President, the District or College Councils, the Office of Instruction, the Office of Student Services, college committees or the State Academic Senate. They are designed to solicit a rapid response in writing.

b. Resolutions may be drafted by Senate Council, in committee, or by individual Columbia College faculty.

c. Resolutions submitted must correspond to an identified agenda item. The form “Call for Agenda Items” should be completed and submitted with the Resolution Form to ensure inclusion on the agenda.

d. Resolutions for action will be attached to the Academic Senate Meeting Agenda and distributed to the faculty body five days prior to the scheduled meeting.

II. Resolution Amendments:

a. Resolutions may be amended for further clarification/addition/deletion. Amendments may be declared verbally when the resolution us under discussion at the Academic Senate Meeting.

b. Resolutions may be substituted with another resolution on the same topic. A substituted resolution must be submitted in writing.

c. Resolution amendments and substitutions are considered before the original resolution.

III. Resolution Discussion/Voting

a. Discussion on resolutions, amendments and substitutions have a set time limit of 15 minutes.

b. Any attendee at the Academic Senate Meeting may engage in the debate.

c. The President will alternately recognize pro and con arguments related to the resolution. When there is no speaker on the side of the motion, debate on the question is closed.

d. Only the electorate of the Academic Senate may vote on a resolution.

e. A resolution is passed by receiving a majority of the voting members present.

IV. Dispensation

a. Resolutions will be forwarded to the appropriate parties by the Senate President or designee with a cover letter requesting a written reply. The written reply will be shared with the voting body.

b. Resolutions passed or failed will be written into the official minutes of the Academic Senate Meeting where the action was taken.