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Rules & Procedures

Updated April 2021

The rules and procedures set out the way Faculty Council and its committees are supposed to operate. All council members should be familiar with the rules and procedures to ensure council is transparent, accountable and efficient. The executive committee reviews the rules & procedures periodically and recommends changes as necessary.

For committee mandate and membership information, please see our committees and select the specific committee of interest.

Download the Rules & Procedures of Council (PDF)

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This Faculty Council is established by Senate by means of a statute, which delegates the following powers and responsibilities to LA&PS’s Faculty Council:

  • Exercise other powers delegated to it by the York University Senate.
  • Communicate with, disseminate information to, and seek feedback from faculty, staff and students of the School;
  • Advise the York University Senate on academic matters, including but not limited to: the exercise of academic freedom, academic policy issues, revisions to the regulatory framework, and content of qualifications managed by the Faculty on behalf of York University; and matters related to prizes, scholarships and other awards;
  • Delegate, as appropriate, through the Faculty Council, to Chairs of Council Committees, Department Chairs and Program Directors, responsibility for program management within the regulatory framework of the University, including but not limited to the admission with equivalent status, recognition of prior learning, approval of waivers, courses of study, and examination results for individual students, and quality assurance of academic program delivery and student learning;
  • Establish standing committees, as listed below, to facilitate, support and oversee the implementation of the Faculty’s academic and research strategies, including review of curricula and expected learning outcomes, and the School’s teaching and learning strategy:
    • Executive Committee
    • Academic Policy and Planning Committee (APPC)
    • Committee on Teaching Learning and Student Success (CTLS)
    • Committee on Research Policy and Planning (CRPP)
    • Committee on Tenure and Promotions (T&P)
    • Committee on Student Academic Petitions & Appeals
    • Committee on Curriculum, Curricular Policy and Standards (CCPS)
    • Graduate Committee
  • Maintain rules governing the membership of Council. Any proposed change to these rules is to be reviewed by the Executive Committee for compliance with recognized principles and practices, and is to be formally approved by Senate.
  • The list of members of this Faculty Council shall by submitted for approval to the Executive Committee of Senate, this will be done by the Executive Committee on behalf of this Faculty Council.
  • Prepare and maintain, in concurrence with the University Procedures for Decanal Searches, a process for Decanal Searches for the School.

Council meets monthly to make decisions regarding academic governance of the Faculty. Together with its standing committees, it is responsible for Faculty policy development and implementation in areas such as curriculum, academic planning, academic petitions, research, tenure and promotions, academic honesty, and student success.

All faculty, staff, students and members of the public are welcome to attend LA&PS Council meetings, but only elected members can vote.

Council meetings are now taking place over Zoom. To receive links to LA&PS Council meetings and materials through our listserv or if you have any questions, please fill out the contact form.

Subject to approval of Senate, of which the Council is a sub-committee, the Council shall be composed of:

  1. The Dean, Vice Dean, and Associate Deans;
  2. Full-time members of the Faculty and cross-appointed members of the Faculty;
  3. Emeriti faculty (retirees) for the year during which they hold a teaching and/or administrative appointment;
  4. Six alumni representatives from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Alumni Association. The Alumni Associations will report to the Council on the names of the appointed members;
  5. Thirty representatives of contract faculty members including CUPE Unit 1, CUPE Unit II, and CUPE-Exempt Course Directors, during the year they hold a Course Directorship/Teaching Assistantship, or are on a leave for which they accrue applicable prior experience under the CUPE Unit II collective agreement;
  6. Thirty-five undergraduate students registered on October 15 of each year. The Student Council of the Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (SCOLAPS) will report to the Council on the names of the elected students including the process by which they were chosen;
  7. Five Professional and LA&PS Managerial staff (CPMs) and five members of the Faculty support staff (YUSA) to be elected annually by the respective constituencies. The YUSA and CPM groups will report to the Council on the names of the elected members including the process by which they were chosen.

Ex-Officio Non-Voting Members of the Council 

  1. The President, Vice-Presidents, and Associate Vice-Presidents of the University, the Deans and Principals of other Faculties of the University, the University Librarian, Chair and the Secretary of the Senate, and the Secretary of the Council. 

Eligibility for Council Committee, Senate and Senate Committee Membership  

  1. No individual shall serve simultaneously on more than one Council Standing Committee with the exception of ex-officio members.  

LA&PS Vacancies on Standing Committees of Council and Senate 

  1. Vacancies on Standing Committees of Council and Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Representatives on Senate are normally filled prior to July 1 each year.  Vacancies are established by membership terms expiring and resignations. 
  2. If a member goes on leave or is otherwise unable to complete their term, a normal vacancy shall exist and an election shall be called. 
  3. Term membership on Council, Standing Committees of Council and Senate normally begins July 1 and ends June 30. 
  4. Units will self-identify as one of the following:  humanities, social science, or professional studies, reported to the Council Office. 
  5. Each School/Department shall annually designate from among its full-time and contract faculty one or more delegates to the Council who, along with the Chair and Director of the Undergraduate Program of the School/Department, shall have the responsibility for attending meetings of the Council and reporting to the School/Department on Council business as appropriate. Names are to be reported each year to the Council Office by September 20. 

Non-Succession  

  1. Normally, elected at-large faculty members shall not serve for more than three consecutive years on the same Council committee or legislated sub-committee. Under extraordinary circumstances, the Executive Committee may request that the membership of one or more individuals be extended beyond three years. 
  2. Non-succession does not apply to Faculty Representatives on Senate, the Committee on Student Academic Petitions, the Committee on Tenure and Promotions. 

Conflict of Interest  

No individual shall serve on a legislated sub-committee at a time when they would be the subject of adjudication (e.g., for an award, tenure or promotion) by the sub-committees. 

Nomination Process  

  1. The Executive Committee shall establish and publish guidelines and procedures for nominations.
  2. The Executive Committee is responsible for developing and recommending to Council a slate of candidates for election to Council standing committees, sub-committees, Senate, and Senate Committees on which there is a Faculty designate.
  3. No individual shall be nominated for more than two Council committees. In the event that an individual is elected to both committees, the Executive Committee will assign the individual to the committee where there is the greatest need.
  4. Additional candidates not included in the recommendations made by the Executive Committee may be nominated by any members at Council meetings. Such candidates must be eligible for membership, willing to serve and available at the standing meeting time of the committee. Ideally, the names of individuals nominated from the floor shall be communicated to the Secretary of Council in advance of the meeting in order to determine if the prospective additional candidates are eligible. In the event that individuals are nominated from the floor during a Council meeting, they must be present at Council to attest to their eligibility.
  5. Election results shall be posted and reported on at Council.
  6. The election of members to Senate and Senate Committees is restricted to members of Council whose home Faculty is Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 

Chair  

  1. The outgoing Vice-Chair will normally assume the Chair in the following year. If the Vice-Chair is not able or prepared to do so, the Chair of the Council shall be elected from the members of the Council for a one-year term. 
  2. Should the position of Chair become vacant prior to the end of the normal term, the Vice-Chair shall assume the position and the Executive Committee shall hold an election for Vice-Chair as soon as possible.
  3. Should the Chair-elect resign prior to the beginning of her/his term of office, the Vice-Chair-elect shall normally become Chair-elect and the Executive Committee shall hold an election for Vice-Chair as soon as possible. 

Vice-Chair 

  1. The Vice-Chair of the Council shall be elected from the members of the Council for a one-year term. The Vice-Chair is the Chief Teller and Chief Returning Officer for all elections.
  2. The Vice-Chair normally assumes the Chair in the following year.
  3. Should the position of Vice-Chair become vacant prior to the end of the normal term, an election shall be called.
  4. Should the Vice-Chair-elect resign prior to the beginning of her/his term of office, an election for Vice-Chair shall be called.
  5. The Vice-Chair presides over meetings of the Committee of the Whole. 

Secretary of the Council 

The Secretary of the Council shall be appointed by the Dean of the Faculty. Duties include:

  1. To take charge of the records and papers of the Council and its committees and to keep the same properly arranged for convenient reference.
  2. To attend all meetings of the Council and Council committees and to keep regular minutes of all proceedings.
  3. To prepare all resolutions, reports or other papers, which the Council may direct, and all copies that may be required of any such documents or papers.
  4. To prepare and countersign all official documents, and generally discharge such other duties as may be assigned by the Council, the Dean, or when the Council is not in session, by the Chair of the Executive Committee.

Monthly meetings  

Meetings of the Council shall be held from 3 – 5 p.m., the second Thursday of each month, from September to June, if required inclusive. Notice of meetings shall be sent six days in advance.

Special meetings 

  1. At least three days’ notice must be given. The meeting may deal only with business specified in the notice;
  2. Special Council meetings may be called by:
    • The Dean of the Faculty; or
    • The Chair of the Council; or
    • At the request of no fewer than 25 Council members.

Quorum 

Fifty voting members of Council, the majority of whom are full-time faculty members, constitutes a quorum.  

The Chair shall conduct the proceedings of the Council in conformity with the Rules and Procedures enacted by the Council.

Order of Business 

  1. Chair’s Remarks
  2. Minutes of the previous meeting
  3. Business Arising from the Minutes
  4. Inquiries & Communications
  5. Dean’s Remarks
  6. Question Period
  7. Reports of Standing Committees
  8. Other Business for Which Due Notice Has Been Given

Notices of Motion and Meetings 

  1. Normally, notices of motion shall be deposited with the Secretary of the Council at least 14 days in advance of the meeting. 

Meeting Cancellation 

  1. If the Executive Committee determines that there is insufficient business ready for consideration by Council, it may agree not to hold a regular meeting. 

Motions 

  1. No motion introducing new matters other than matters of privilege shall be taken into consideration at any meeting of the Council unless notice in writing has previously been given to the Secretary for circulation with the notice of the meeting, or unless a motion to permit the introduction of a new motion has been approved by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. A motion so introduced must be submitted to the Secretary in writing for inclusion in the Council records.
  2. When a motion has been made and seconded it shall be disposed of, unless the mover and the seconder, with the consent of the Council, withdraw it.
  3. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received by the Chair except for one of the following:
    • a) To adjourn Council (Not debatable)
    • b) To recess Council (Not debatable)
    • c) Points of Order (Not debatable unless the Chair wishes; may be made while someone else has the floor.)
    • d) Appeal against a decision of the Chair (Only appellant and Chair may speak to the challenge.)
    • e) To amend (Debatable; the report of a Committee may be amended in Council.)
    • f) To withdraw a motion being considered (Not debatable; may be made only by the original mover and seconder.)
    • g) To suspend rules and procedures (Not debatable; requires agreement by two-thirds of the members present.)
    • h) To put the question (Not debatable)
    • i) To limit debate (Not debatable)
    • j) To refer back (Not debatable, but the mover of the motion and the Chair of the reporting Committee may speak briefly to the motion.)
    • k) To refer the matter to an appropriate committee (Debatable as to instructions and precludes amendments to the main question.)
    • l) To move into a Committee of the Whole (Not debatable.)
    • m) To rise and report (Not debatable; used to terminate a Committee of the Whole.)
    • n) To adjourn the debate (Not debatable)
    • o) To adjourn Council (Not debatable)
  4. There will not be any motions made from the floor to rescind or reconsider.

Voting 

  1. All questions that come before the Council shall be decided by a majority vote of the members present and voting unless otherwise indicated or specified;
  2. The Chair of the Council, the Chair of the Committee of the Whole, and the Standing Committee Chair while chairing a meeting may not vote;
  3. In the event of a tie, the motion will be defeated;
  4. A count of the vote may be recorded at the request of the Chair or any member on any motion except one to adjourn Council or to adjourn debate. 

General Authority 

  1. In cases not covered by the rules and procedures, meetings shall be conducted in conformity with the rules set by the University Senate Rules and Procedures. 

Openness of Council Meetings 

  1. The meetings of the Council shall be open to all members of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, with the following provisos:
    • That any member of the Council may recommend that any meeting or part of a meeting may be held in camera, with the approval of the majority present and voting; 
    • That only voting members of the Council shall be allowed to vote and introduce motions;  
    • That all members of the Faculty who are present at a Council meeting shall be permitted to speak when granted permission by the Chair to do so, and that such persons shall follow the Rules and Procedures of the Council.  
  2. The meetings of the Council of the Faculty shall be open to the general public (including the Press) except when the meeting is to be in camera or closed to the public, under the conditions specified in a. with the additional proviso that such observers shall not be permitted to speak unless a majority of the members present and voting agree. These observers may not vote. 

A motion to amend the Rules and Procedures shall be circulated with the notice of meeting. Approval of a motion to amend the Rules and Procedures requires a two-thirds majority of members present and voting

Annually, and as otherwise required by the Senate, the Faculty Council shall furnish to the Senate a report on its activities and the exercise of its delegations.