From the Cornell Assemblies

UA: February 3, 2010 Bylaws Draft

Article 1: Ex-Officio Membership

The Vice President of Student and Academic Services, Vice President of Human Resources, and Dean of the Faculty shall be members of the Assembly ex officio without vote.

Article 2: Approval of Presidential Nominations for Certain Administrative Offices

2.1 Criteria to Request Reconsideration of Search Committee Member Selection

If the UA by majority vote feels the President’s selections to search committees do not promote reasonable balance or representation, the UA may ask the President to reconsider these selections. The UA should specify how the balance or representation is inadequate.

Article 3: Protections

3.1 Suspension of Assembly Actions Appealed to the University Ombudsman

By majority vote, the Assembly may suspend any of its actions related to the appeal until the Ombudsman makes a final ruling on the appeal.

Article 4: Procedures

4.1 Meetings

At the first meeting of the academic year, the UA shall adopt a schedule of meetings for the remainder of the year. These meetings shall be referred to as the regular meetings.

4.2 Special meetings

Special meetings of the Assembly may be convened to consider issues of immediate and pressing concern. The Chair of the Assembly, the President or in the President’s absence, the Acting President, may call a special meeting of the Assembly. The Chair shall call a special meeting of the UA when requested to do so by any eleven of its members.

4.3 Quorum

A quorum shall consist of a majority of the seated members of the Assembly.

4.4 Roberts rules of order

The procedure for debate and general conduct of business of the Assembly in all matters not specifically described in this document shall be that of Roberts Rules of Order (latest edition).

4.5 Executive session

With the concurrence of a majority of the voting members present, the Assembly or any of its committees may go into executive session to discuss confidential matters. The Assembly must enter into its minutes the purpose of an executive session. No policy decisions shall be made in executive session.

4.6 Speaking privileges

Speaking privileges may be obtained by any member of the Cornell community by notifying the Chair of a desire to speak on a specific agenda topic at least 24 hours prior to a meeting. Consultants invited to a UA meeting by the Chair shall be granted speaking privileges in regard to the particular topic on which they were invited to present information or answer questions. During the course of the meeting the Assembly may establish additional procedures for granting speaking privileges.

4.7 Organizational meeting

As soon as possible after completion of the elections in the spring, the newly-elected UA shall hold an organizational meeting to elect a Chair and a Vice Chair. Immediately after the completion of the spring elections the Vice Chair of the outgoing UA shall solicit nominees for the position of Chair and Vice Chair from members of the new UA. The names of the nominees together with short vitae shall be circulated to all members of the new session of the Assembly not less than seven days before the spring organizational meeting.

4.8 Agenda

The President of the University or any member of the Assembly may ask the Executive Vice Chair to place of an item of business on the agenda. The Executive Board should place the item at the earliest possible time that is practical or refer the item to appropriate committees for further review. The Executive Vice Chair must make the agenda of the Assembly available to members no less than twenty-four hours prior to a meeting of the Assembly.

Except where explicitly stated by the Executive Board, agendas and associated documents are presumed to be public documents that may be shared with the campus community.

4.9 Minutes

The minutes of the Assembly meetings and those of its committees shall be available to all members of the University, except for those meetings conducted in executive session.

4.10 Bylaws

The Assembly may establish bylaws and other procedural rules as are necessary for the exercise of its authority. The adoption of such rules shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of those voting.

4.13 Annual report

The Chair of the Assembly, in consultation with members of the Assembly, presents an annual report to the President of the University. The report includes a summary of the Assembly’s work during the year and describes any outstanding issues or items of business that are expected to arise in the future. The Assembly must make the report available to all members of the University.

4.14 Timing of Regular Meetings and Notice of All Meeting Times and Locations

Regular meetings occur during the academic year only. The Executive Board must publicize and allow the campus community to attend and observe all open meetings of the Assembly and its committees .

4.15 Attendance Policy for Elected Members Not Yet Seated

Newly elected UA members shall make every effort to attend the remaining meetings of the outgoing UA.

4.16 Attendance Policy for Seated Members

Attendance by voting members is required at all regular meetings of the UA. Members must:

  1. notify the Chair of the Assembly at least twenty-four hours prior to any scheduled meeting they are unable to attend, if possible; and,
  2. not miss more than two regular meetings in any session of the Assembly.

If the Chair determines a member has failed to meet any of these requirements, he or she must call for a vote on removal of the member at the next regular meeting of the Assembly.

4.17 Reporting Responsibilities of Members of the Assembly

Presiding officers of each constituent assembly will serve as liaisons between the Assembly and their respective constituent assemblies, reporting the activities of the Assembly to their constituent assemblies and the activities of the constituent assemblies to the Assembly.

4.18 Sense-of-the-Community Referendum

The UA may call for a Sense-of-the-Community Referendum:

  1. The referendum voting must occur before any members terms expire.
  2. The referendum must be on matters of concern to the entire University community, and all employees, faculty, and students must therefore be eligible to vote.

Article 5: Committees

5.1 Ad hoc committees

The Assembly standing committees may establish such ad hoc committees as are necessary for the proper performance of their functions. If such ad hoc committees are to include one or more non-members of the standing committees, the standing committees must request the Assembly to establish the ad hoc committee. The standing committee may recommend a specific prescription as to the membership of the ad hoc committee.

No ad hoc committee may have fewer than three voting members. Each ad hoc committee must disband at the end of a session of the Assembly.

5.2 Standing committees

5.2.1 Standing committee responsibilities

All standing committees must:

  1. hold and publicize at least one meeting open to the campus community to receive and discuss items of business relevant to their charges;
  2. submit minutes of each meeting to the Vice Chair for Operations;
  3. submit, before May 1, an annual report to the Vice Chair for Operations including a summary of unfinished business of the committee;
  4. make every reasonable attempt to insure that members of the University community affected by a committee’s recommendations are informed of the agenda of committee meetings and of committee recommendations;
  5. place on file in a timely manner with the Assembly the minutes of all meetings and an annual report summarizing activities;
  6. request that the Chair of the Assembly place on the agenda of the Assembly those matters which, in the opinion of the particular committee, are of such significance that they require discussion by the Assembly; and,
  7. respond to any requests from the Assembly for information or reconsideration of recommendations.

5.2.2 Standing committee composition and terms

Except where otherwise provided, each standing committee consists of the following voting members:

  1. two members of each constituency who serve staggered, two-year terms spanning consecutive sessions of the Assembly; and,
  2. a Chair who must be a voting member of the Assembly and may participate in any vote where his or her participation will alter the outcome.

The Assembly may provide for additional voting or non-voting members to assure the committee has adequate representation of expert opinion and relevant administrative units.

5.3 Staffing of committees

Except where otherwise provided, the Vice Chair for Operations may appoint and remove members from ad hoc committees in consultation with the Executive Board.

Except where otherwise provided, constituent assemblies will staff positions of in each committee of the Assembly that are assigned to their constituency in the same manner that they staff their own standing committees.

The Vice Chair for Operations, in consultation with the appropriate officers of the the corresponding constituent assembly, may staff both standing and ad-hoc committee positions that remain or become vacant after September 1. Such appointments may not continue beyond the current session of the Assembly.

Article 6: Charges of Standing Committees

8.1 General

6.1 Codes and Judicial Committee

The Codes and Judicial Committee (the Committee) serves to assist the Assembly in fulfillment of its role in overseeing the Campus Code of Conduct (the Code) and the University Hearing and Review Boards.

6.1.1 Responsibilities

The Committee:

considers the substantive and procedural rules of the Campus Code of Conduct and makes recommendations concerning changes in these rules to the Assembly;

recommends slates of qualified candidates for the Hearing and Review Boards as needed to assure efficient and adequate operation of hearing and review panels; and,

reviews other policies relevant to community standards of conduct and discipline for consistency and compatibility with the standards provide in the Code.

6.1.2 Composition

The following are members of the committee ex-officio without vote:

  1. the Chief of the Cornell Police or a designee;
  2. the Judicial Administrator or a designee; and,
  3. the Judicial Codes Counselor or a designee.

6.2 Committee on Diversity and Inclusion

The Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (the Committee) shall be composed of the SA and UA with 14 voting members, consisting of five undergraduates (four of whom shall be the two SA Minority Liaisons, the SA International Student Liaison, and the SA Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/ Transgender/ Questioning Liaison), three graduate/professional students, four employees, and two members of the faculty. The Vice Provost for Diversity and Faculty Development shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Committee. All members shall be appointed as appropriate by the SA and UA for one-year terms beginning May 1 and may be reappointed. A quorum shall consist of one-half of the seated members. Co-chairs shall be one of the four SA liaisons and the UA liaison to the Committee.

8.3.1

The mission of the Committee is to promote the awareness of multicultural issues at Cornell, encourage cultural interaction and dialogue within the Cornell community, make recommendations to central administration on issues of concern to the Cornell community, and monitor the University’s implementation of those recommendations. JAMIC shall aim to be a collective voice of the diversity of cultures, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, lifestyles, races, religions, and sexual orientations represented at Cornell.

8.3.2

JAMIC shall have the authority to create subcommittees for multicultural issues of concern to the Cornell community, and will serve as an advisory board for these subcommittees.

8.3.3

Each subcommittee will be chaired by a member of the Committee or at least have a member of the Committee serve on the subcommittee. All interested members of the Cornell community may serve as members of a subcommittee. The SA and UA encourage subcommittees to seek nominations from the Minority Faculty/Staff Forum, Office of Minority Educational Affairs (OMEA), International Student Programming Board, Minority Greek Letter Council, and Program House governments. Subcommittees shall consult with the Committee and are responsible for reporting their activities to the Committee.

8.3.4

It is recommended that the Committee meet monthly throughout the academic year (September-May). the Committee will provide the SA and UA with written minutes from their meetings, as well as a summary report of all subcommittee activities at before the end of each academic year.

6.3 Campus Planning Committee

The Campus Planning Committee (CPC) shall consist of four presidential appointments, eight position appointments, eight additional members, and ex-officio members. The presidential appointments are made by the President of the University, and those individuals are to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis. The position appointments consist of the Chair of the Department of Architecture or a designee, the Chair of the Department of Natural Resources or a designee, the Director of Plantations or a designee, and the Vice President for Facilities and Campus Services or a designee, the Coordinator of the Landscape Architecture Program or a designee, the Chair of the Department of City and Regional Planning or a designee, the Chair of the Art Department or a designee, and the Director of the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation or a designee.

The position appointees or designees should be individuals with professional and technical expertise in a design related field. The eight at large members consist of one graduate/professional student, two undergraduate students, two employees, and two faculty members, each named by his or her respective Assembly for a two-year term, and one UA liaison. The ex-officio members are added by virtue of their administrative positions at the University and their interest in planning at the University.

The Committee’s charge is to review and make recommendations to the President regarding physical planning for the Ithaca campus including landscape planning and design, circulation and parking, and new construction and renovations as they relate to the overall planning and character of the Ithaca campus. Furthermore, it shall review in consultation with (with the consultation of) the Transportation Advisory Committee, all plans for alterations of or additions to roads and parking lots on the Ithaca campus of the University. The CPC shall seek advice and comments from non-members while discussing a specific issue or design.

6.4 Committee on Family Services

The committee is charged to identify needs of non-academic staff, academic staff, graduate/professional students and undergraduate students with family responsibilities and to address issues related to work/study/life balance, to study proposals brought by members of the university community or administration to meet those needs, and to advise the assembly, Vice President of Human Resources, and other senior members of the university administration concerning such proposals.

The Committee on Family Services consists of fifteen voting members. The constituent assemblies appoint a total of eight voting members from their respective constituencies in the following number: Student Assembly may appoint one, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly may appoint two, the Employee Assembly may appoint three, one employee representative who is part of a Cornell University collective bargaining agreement, and the Faculty Senate may appoint three. The President may appoint up to five voting members who shall be community or university experts in subjects related to family issues and the charge of the committee.

The following serve as non-voting members of the committee: one liaison appointed by the assembly from its members and up to three appointed by the President of the university to serve as liaisons from related administrative units.

Student members shall serve terms of one year in duration, and all other members shall serve staggered, two-year terms.

6.4.1 Subcommittee on Childcare Services

The committee is charged to identify needs of the university community concerning childcare services, to study proposals brought by members of the university community or administration to meet those needs, and to advise the Family Services Commitee, the assembly, the Vice-President of Human Resources, and other senior members of the university administration concerning such proposals.

The subcommittee consists of thirteen voting members. The constituent assemblies appoint a total eight voting members from their respective constituencies in the following number: Student Assembly may appoint one, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly may appoint two, the Employee Assembly may appoint three, and the Faculty Senate may appoint two. The President may appoint a total of five voting members who shall be local community experts in subjects related to childcare, childhood development, and the charge of the committee.

The following serve as non-voting members of the committee: one liaison appointed by University Assembly from its members and up to three appointed by the President of the university to serve as liaisons from related administrative units.

Student members shall serve terms of one year in duration, and all other members shall serve staggered, two-year terms.

6.5 Board on University Health Services

The Board on University Health Services (BOUHS) shall consist of four faculty members chosen by the faculty, two employees appointed by the EA, two graduate/professional students appointed by the GPSA, five undergraduates (two of whom may be seniors) appointed by the SA, and two members of the Cornell community chosen by the professional staff of the University Health Services (UHS).

All members shall serve three-year staggered terms with the exception of the undergraduates who shall serve two-year terms and the seniors who may serve one-year terms. The non-voting ex-officio members shall be the Director of UHS, the Health Center Administrator, the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, and their designates, and the UA liaison. In addition, three undergraduates, two graduate/professional students, one employee, one faculty member, and one Cornell community member shall serve as “alternates.” Alternates will represent their constituencies and be full voting members of the Board when the full complement of each constituency is not present at any given meeting. One-half of the voting membership, with at least two students and two non-student voting members present shall constitute a quorum for voting purposes. In the absence of a quorum, an oral vote of the seated membership will be supplemented by mail ballots to absent members to achieve the quorum when required.

The Board’s charge shall be to advise, consult, and communicate on matters related to the development and implementation of UHS policies and programs. The Board shall offer advice and counsel to the UHS administration that originate from its membership and the Cornell community at-large and shall provide consultation to the UHS when requested. The Board shall independently research and distill issues of concern and importance to the Cornell community and develop concepts for policy and program development and management for discussion with and consideration by the UHS administration. Board members will provide communication to and from their respective constituencies in fulfillment of the aforementioned obligations. Further, it shall review the UHS Program Documents, UHS budgets, and fee structure. To these ends, the Board shall be adequately informed by the UHS staff on aspects of policy, programs, and budget germane to its charge by the Director of UHS.

The Board shall maintain regular and timely communication with the UA through the Office of the Assemblies. Copies of minutes of regular meetings as well as of other working documents generated by it in fulfillment of this charge shall be filed with that office. As indicated, the Board shall report important issues within its purview to the UA for deliberation and guidance. Policies and policy changes shall be recommended to the UA for deliberation, endorsement, and transmittal to the President for approval.

6.6 Transportation Advisory Committee

Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) shall consist of thirteen voting members. Eight are community members: two undergraduates, two graduate/professional students, two employees, and two faculty members, appointed by their respective Assemblies to serve two-year terms on a staggered basis. Two presidential appointments shall be made from the following administrative departments: Cornell Police; Facilities Management; Environmental Health and Safety; Planning, Design and Construction; Student and Academic Services; and University Relations, two presidential appointments from the following academic departments: Civil and Environmental Engineering, City and Regional Planning, Natural Resources, Landscape Architecture (the academic appointees should be individuals with professional and technical expertise in transportation or a related field), and one presidential appointment from the Office of Budget and Financial Planning. Each are made by the President of the University upon recommendation from the Vice President of Facilities and Campus Services and will serve three-year terms on a staggered basis. Three ex-officio members shall be the Director of Transportation and Mail Services, a liaison from the Transportation Hearing and Appeals Board, and a liaison from the UA.

The committee’s charge is to provide a conduit for community input regarding policies and services related to safe, comprehensive, economical and efficient transportation programs. These include parking, transit, circulation, pedestrian, motorist and cyclist safety and education, and services that meet the transportation access needs for persons with disabilities. The committee shall make policy and program recommendations to the UA and the Senior Vice President. Furthermore, the committee shall review in consultation with (with the consultation of) the Campus Planning Committee all plans for alterations of or additions to roads, parking lots, pathways and walkways on the Ithaca campus of the University. The committee shall report periodically to the UA.

The committee shall have one associated hearing and appeals board and standing committees as appropriate which will work directly with Transportation and Mail Services. Each board/committee shall be charged with carrying out the current policies and procedures and will report periodically to TAC on recommended policy or program changes.

The Transportation Hearing and Appeals Board (THAB) shall review decisions that have been denied in whole or in part by Transportation and Mail Services administrative staff on matters relating to violation appeals, requests for special parking grants for those claiming financial hardship, and exceptions to parking rules and regulations and/or normal permit eligibility criteria.

Membership: THAB shall consist of twelve members nominated by their respective Assemblies and approved by those bodies and one ex-officio member representing the administrative staff of Transportation and Mail Services. Members shall be constituted as follows: four students (two graduate/professional, two undergraduate), four faculty, and four employees. No employee of Transportation and Mail Services or Cornell Police may serve on THAB. The term of membership shall be two years, except that initially, so that terms may be staggered, two faculty, two students and two employees shall serve terms of one year. THAB shall annually elect its own chairperson. Hearings shall require a quorum of three members. In case of a tie vote, the decision shall be recorded in favor of the appellant.

Responsibilities: Violation appeals must each be decisioned separately, considering all relevant facts and circumstances brought to the board’s attention. The board shall only review cases for which it is deemed an error in judgment or procedure was made in the original decision. In cases of requests for special parking grants based on financial hardship, appellants must fully explain why they are unable to use the transportation options available. In cases of requests related to exceptions to parking rules and regulations and/or normal permit eligibility criteria, the board’s decision shall be based on demonstrated need and are subject to space and other limitations.

6.8 Sustainability Committee

The Sustainability Committee (the Committee) is charged with reviewing matters related to the development of a sustainable campus and recommending pertinent actions regarding university sustainability policy to the Assembly.

6.8.1 Responsibilities

The committee:

Article 1: Ex-Officio Membership

The Vice President of Student and Academic Services, Vice President of Human Resources, and Dean of the Faculty shall be members of the Assembly ex officio without vote.

Article 2: Approval of Presidential Nominations for Certain Administrative Offices

2.1 Criteria to Request Reconsideration of Search Committee Member Selection

If the UA by majority vote feels the President’s selections to search committees do not promote reasonable balance or representation, the UA may ask the President to reconsider these selections. The UA should specify how the balance or representation is inadequate.

Article 3: Protections

3.1 Suspension of Assembly Actions Appealed to the University Ombudsman

By majority vote, the Assembly may suspend any of its actions related to the appeal until the Ombudsman makes a final ruling on the appeal.

Article 4: Procedures

4.1 Meetings

At the first meeting of the academic year, the UA shall adopt a schedule of meetings for the remainder of the year. These meetings shall be referred to as the regular meetings.

4.2 Special meetings

Special meetings of the Assembly may be convened to consider issues of immediate and pressing concern. The Chair of the Assembly, the President or in the President’s absence, the Acting President, may call a special meeting of the Assembly. The Chair shall call a special meeting of the UA when requested to do so by any eleven of its members.

4.3 Quorum

A quorum shall consist of a majority of the seated members of the Assembly.

4.4 Roberts rules of order

The procedure for debate and general conduct of business of the Assembly in all matters not specifically described in this document shall be that of Roberts Rules of Order (latest edition).

4.5 Executive session

With the concurrence of a majority of the voting members present, the Assembly or any of its committees may go into executive session to discuss confidential matters. The Assembly must enter into its minutes the purpose of an executive session. No policy decisions shall be made in executive session.

4.6 Speaking privileges

Speaking privileges may be obtained by any member of the Cornell community by notifying the Chair of a desire to speak on a specific agenda topic at least 24 hours prior to a meeting. Consultants invited to a UA meeting by the Chair shall be granted speaking privileges in regard to the particular topic on which they were invited to present information or answer questions. During the course of the meeting the Assembly may establish additional procedures for granting speaking privileges.

4.7 Organizational meeting

As soon as possible after completion of the elections in the spring, the newly-elected UA shall hold an organizational meeting to elect a Chair and a Vice Chair. Immediately after the completion of the spring elections the Vice Chair of the outgoing UA shall solicit nominees for the position of Chair and Vice Chair from members of the new UA. The names of the nominees together with short vitae shall be circulated to all members of the new session of the Assembly not less than seven days before the spring organizational meeting.

4.8 Agenda

The President of the University or any member of the Assembly may ask the Executive Vice Chair to place of an item of business on the agenda. The Executive Board should place the item at the earliest possible time that is practical or refer the item to appropriate committees for further review. The Executive Vice Chair must make the agenda of the Assembly available to members no less than twenty-four hours prior to a meeting of the Assembly.

Except where explicitly stated by the Executive Board, agendas and associated documents are presumed to be public documents that may be shared with the campus community.

4.9 Minutes

The minutes of the Assembly meetings and those of its committees shall be available to all members of the University, except for those meetings conducted in executive session.

4.10 Bylaws

The Assembly may establish bylaws and other procedural rules as are necessary for the exercise of its authority. The adoption of such rules shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of those voting.

4.13 Annual report

The Chair of the Assembly, in consultation with members of the Assembly, presents an annual report to the President of the University. The report includes a summary of the Assembly’s work during the year and describes any outstanding issues or items of business that are expected to arise in the future. The Assembly must make the report available to all members of the University.

4.14 Timing of Regular Meetings and Notice of All Meeting Times and Locations

Regular meetings occur during the academic year only. The Executive Board must publicize and allow the campus community to attend and observe all open meetings of the Assembly and its committees .

4.15 Attendance Policy for Elected Members Not Yet Seated

Newly elected UA members shall make every effort to attend the remaining meetings of the outgoing UA.

4.16 Attendance Policy for Seated Members

Attendance by voting members is required at all regular meetings of the UA. Members must:

  1. notify the Chair of the Assembly at least twenty-four hours prior to any scheduled meeting they are unable to attend, if possible; and,
  2. not miss more than two regular meetings in any session of the Assembly.

If the Chair determines a member has failed to meet any of these requirements, he or she must call for a vote on removal of the member at the next regular meeting of the Assembly.

4.17 Reporting Responsibilities of Members of the Assembly

Presiding officers of each constituent assembly will serve as liaisons between the Assembly and their respective constituent assemblies, reporting the activities of the Assembly to their constituent assemblies and the activities of the constituent assemblies to the Assembly.

4.18 Sense-of-the-Community Referendum

The UA may call for a Sense-of-the-Community Referendum:

  1. The referendum voting must occur before any members terms expire.
  2. The referendum must be on matters of concern to the entire University community, and all employees, faculty, and students must therefore be eligible to vote.

Article 5: Committees

5.2 Ad hoc committees

The Assembly standing committees may establish such ad hoc committees as are necessary for the proper performance of their functions. If such ad hoc committees are to include one or more non-members of the standing committees, the standing committees must request the Assembly to establish the ad hoc committee. The standing committee may recommend a specific prescription as to the membership of the ad hoc committee.

Each ad hoc committee must disband at the end of a session of the Assembly.

5.3 Standing committees

5.3.1 Standing committee responsibilities

All standing committees must:

  1. hold and publicize at least one meeting open to the campus community to receive and discuss items of business relevant to their charges;
  2. submit minutes of each meeting to the Vice Chair for Operations;
  3. submit, before May 1, an annual report to the Vice Chair for Operations including a summary of unfinished business of the committee;
  4. make every reasonable attempt to insure that members of the University community affected by a committee’s recommendations are informed of the agenda of committee meetings and of committee recommendations;
  5. place on file in a timely manner with the Assembly the minutes of all meetings and an annual report summarizing activities;
  6. request that the Chair of the Assembly place on the agenda of the Assembly those matters which, in the opinion of the particular committee, are of such significance that they require discussion by the Assembly; and,
  7. respond to any requests from the Assembly for information or reconsideration of recommendations.

5.3.2 Standing committee composition and terms

Except where otherwise provided, each standing committee consists of the following voting members:

  1. two members of each constituency who serve staggered, two-year terms spanning consecutive sessions of the Assembly; and,
  2. a Chair who must be a voting member of the Assembly and may participate in any vote where his or her participation will alter the outcome.

The Assembly may provide for additional voting or non-voting members to assure the committee has adequate representation of expert opinion and relevant administrative units.

5.4 Staffing of committees

Except where otherwise provided, the Vice Chair for Operations may appoint and remove members from ad hoc committees in consultation with the Executive Board.

Except where otherwise provided, constituent assemblies will staff positions of in each committee of the Assembly that are assigned to their constituency in the same manner that they staff their own standing committees.

The Vice Chair for Operations, in consultation with the appropriate officers of the the corresponding constituent assembly, may staff both standing and ad-hoc committee positions that remain or become vacant after September 1. Such appointments may not continue beyond the current session of the Assembly.

Article 6: Charges of Standing Committees

8.1 General

6.1 Codes and Judicial Committee

The Codes and Judicial Committee (the Committee) serves to assist the Assembly in fulfillment of its role in overseeing the Campus Code of Conduct (the Code) and the University Hearing and Review Boards.

6.1.1 Responsibilities

The Committee:

considers the substantive and procedural rules of the Campus Code of Conduct and makes recommendations concerning changes in these rules to the Assembly;

recommends slates of qualified candidates for the Hearing and Review Boards as needed to assure efficient and adequate operation of hearing and review panels; and,

reviews other policies relevant to community standards of conduct and discipline for consistency and compatibility with the standards provide in the Code.

6.1.2 Composition

The following are members of the committee ex-officio without vote:

  1. the Chief of the Cornell Police or a designee;
  2. the Judicial Administrator or a designee; and,
  3. the Judicial Codes Counselor or a designee.

6.2 Committee on Diversity and Inclusion

The Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (the Committee) shall be composed of the SA and UA with 14 voting members, consisting of five undergraduates (four of whom shall be the two SA Minority Liaisons, the SA International Student Liaison, and the SA Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/ Transgender/ Questioning Liaison), three graduate/professional students, four employees, and two members of the faculty. The Vice Provost for Diversity and Faculty Development shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Committee. All members shall be appointed as appropriate by the SA and UA for one-year terms beginning May 1 and may be reappointed. A quorum shall consist of one-half of the seated members. Co-chairs shall be one of the four SA liaisons and the UA liaison to the Committee.

8.3.1

The mission of the Committee is to promote the awareness of multicultural issues at Cornell, encourage cultural interaction and dialogue within the Cornell community, make recommendations to central administration on issues of concern to the Cornell community, and monitor the University’s implementation of those recommendations. JAMIC shall aim to be a collective voice of the diversity of cultures, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, lifestyles, races, religions, and sexual orientations represented at Cornell.

8.3.2

JAMIC shall have the authority to create subcommittees for multicultural issues of concern to the Cornell community, and will serve as an advisory board for these subcommittees.

8.3.3

Each subcommittee will be chaired by a member of the Committee or at least have a member of the Committee serve on the subcommittee. All interested members of the Cornell community may serve as members of a subcommittee. The SA and UA encourage subcommittees to seek nominations from the Minority Faculty/Staff Forum, Office of Minority Educational Affairs (OMEA), International Student Programming Board, Minority Greek Letter Council, and Program House governments. Subcommittees shall consult with the Committee and are responsible for reporting their activities to the Committee.

8.3.4

It is recommended that the Committee meet monthly throughout the academic year (September-May). the Committee will provide the SA and UA with written minutes from their meetings, as well as a summary report of all subcommittee activities at before the end of each academic year.

6.3 Campus Planning Committee

The Campus Planning Committee (CPC) shall consist of four presidential appointments, eight position appointments, eight additional members, and ex-officio members. The presidential appointments are made by the President of the University, and those individuals are to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis. The position appointments consist of the Chair of the Department of Architecture or a designee, the Chair of the Department of Natural Resources or a designee, the Director of Plantations or a designee, and the Vice President for Facilities and Campus Services or a designee, the Coordinator of the Landscape Architecture Program or a designee, the Chair of the Department of City and Regional Planning or a designee, the Chair of the Art Department or a designee, and the Director of the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation or a designee.

The position appointees or designees should be individuals with professional and technical expertise in a design related field. The eight at large members consist of one graduate/professional student, two undergraduate students, two employees, and two faculty members, each named by his or her respective Assembly for a two-year term, and one UA liaison. The ex-officio members are added by virtue of their administrative positions at the University and their interest in planning at the University.

The Committee’s charge is to review and make recommendations to the President regarding physical planning for the Ithaca campus including landscape planning and design, circulation and parking, and new construction and renovations as they relate to the overall planning and character of the Ithaca campus. Furthermore, it shall review in consultation with (with the consultation of) the Transportation Advisory Committee, all plans for alterations of or additions to roads and parking lots on the Ithaca campus of the University. The CPC shall seek advice and comments from non-members while discussing a specific issue or design.

6.4 Committee on Family Services

The committee is charged to identify needs of non-academic staff, academic staff, graduate/professional students and undergraduate students with family responsibilities and to address issues related to work/study/life balance, to study proposals brought by members of the university community or administration to meet those needs, and to advise the assembly, Vice President of Human Resources, and other senior members of the university administration concerning such proposals.

The Committee on Family Services consists of fifteen voting members. The constituent assemblies appoint a total of eight voting members from their respective constituencies in the following number: Student Assembly may appoint one, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly may appoint two, the Employee Assembly may appoint three, one employee representative who is part of a Cornell University collective bargaining agreement, and the Faculty Senate may appoint three. The President may appoint up to five voting members who shall be community or university experts in subjects related to family issues and the charge of the committee.

The following serve as non-voting members of the committee: one liaison appointed by the assembly from its members and up to three appointed by the President of the university to serve as liaisons from related administrative units.

Student members shall serve terms of one year in duration, and all other members shall serve staggered, two-year terms.

6.4.1 Subcommittee on Childcare Services

The committee is charged to identify needs of the university community concerning childcare services, to study proposals brought by members of the university community or administration to meet those needs, and to advise the Family Services Commitee, the assembly, the Vice-President of Human Resources, and other senior members of the university administration concerning such proposals.

The subcommittee consists of thirteen voting members. The constituent assemblies appoint a total eight voting members from their respective constituencies in the following number: Student Assembly may appoint one, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly may appoint two, the Employee Assembly may appoint three, and the Faculty Senate may appoint two. The President may appoint a total of five voting members who shall be local community experts in subjects related to childcare, childhood development, and the charge of the committee.

The following serve as non-voting members of the committee: one liaison appointed by University Assembly from its members and up to three appointed by the President of the university to serve as liaisons from related administrative units.

Student members shall serve terms of one year in duration, and all other members shall serve staggered, two-year terms.

6.5 Board on University Health Services

The Board on University Health Services (BOUHS) shall consist of four faculty members chosen by the faculty, two employees appointed by the EA, two graduate/professional students appointed by the GPSA, five undergraduates (two of whom may be seniors) appointed by the SA, and two members of the Cornell community chosen by the professional staff of the University Health Services (UHS).

All members shall serve three-year staggered terms with the exception of the undergraduates who shall serve two-year terms and the seniors who may serve one-year terms. The non-voting ex-officio members shall be the Director of UHS, the Health Center Administrator, the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, and their designates, and the UA liaison. In addition, three undergraduates, two graduate/professional students, one employee, one faculty member, and one Cornell community member shall serve as “alternates.” Alternates will represent their constituencies and be full voting members of the Board when the full complement of each constituency is not present at any given meeting. One-half of the voting membership, with at least two students and two non-student voting members present shall constitute a quorum for voting purposes. In the absence of a quorum, an oral vote of the seated membership will be supplemented by mail ballots to absent members to achieve the quorum when required.

The Board’s charge shall be to advise, consult, and communicate on matters related to the development and implementation of UHS policies and programs. The Board shall offer advice and counsel to the UHS administration that originate from its membership and the Cornell community at-large and shall provide consultation to the UHS when requested. The Board shall independently research and distill issues of concern and importance to the Cornell community and develop concepts for policy and program development and management for discussion with and consideration by the UHS administration. Board members will provide communication to and from their respective constituencies in fulfillment of the aforementioned obligations. Further, it shall review the UHS Program Documents, UHS budgets, and fee structure. To these ends, the Board shall be adequately informed by the UHS staff on aspects of policy, programs, and budget germane to its charge by the Director of UHS.

The Board shall maintain regular and timely communication with the UA through the Office of the Assemblies. Copies of minutes of regular meetings as well as of other working documents generated by it in fulfillment of this charge shall be filed with that office. As indicated, the Board shall report important issues within its purview to the UA for deliberation and guidance. Policies and policy changes shall be recommended to the UA for deliberation, endorsement, and transmittal to the President for approval.

6.6 Transportation Advisory Committee

Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) shall consist of thirteen voting members. Eight are community members: two undergraduates, two graduate/professional students, two employees, and two faculty members, appointed by their respective Assemblies to serve two-year terms on a staggered basis. Two presidential appointments shall be made from the following administrative departments: Cornell Police; Facilities Management; Environmental Health and Safety; Planning, Design and Construction; Student and Academic Services; and University Relations, two presidential appointments from the following academic departments: Civil and Environmental Engineering, City and Regional Planning, Natural Resources, Landscape Architecture (the academic appointees should be individuals with professional and technical expertise in transportation or a related field), and one presidential appointment from the Office of Budget and Financial Planning. Each are made by the President of the University upon recommendation from the Vice President of Facilities and Campus Services and will serve three-year terms on a staggered basis. Three ex-officio members shall be the Director of Transportation and Mail Services, a liaison from the Transportation Hearing and Appeals Board, and a liaison from the UA.

The committee’s charge is to provide a conduit for community input regarding policies and services related to safe, comprehensive, economical and efficient transportation programs. These include parking, transit, circulation, pedestrian, motorist and cyclist safety and education, and services that meet the transportation access needs for persons with disabilities. The committee shall make policy and program recommendations to the UA and the Senior Vice President. Furthermore, the committee shall review in consultation with (with the consultation of) the Campus Planning Committee all plans for alterations of or additions to roads, parking lots, pathways and walkways on the Ithaca campus of the University. The committee shall report periodically to the UA.

The committee shall have one associated hearing and appeals board and standing committees as appropriate which will work directly with Transportation and Mail Services. Each board/committee shall be charged with carrying out the current policies and procedures and will report periodically to TAC on recommended policy or program changes.

The Transportation Hearing and Appeals Board (THAB) shall review decisions that have been denied in whole or in part by Transportation and Mail Services administrative staff on matters relating to violation appeals, requests for special parking grants for those claiming financial hardship, and exceptions to parking rules and regulations and/or normal permit eligibility criteria.

Membership: THAB shall consist of twelve members nominated by their respective Assemblies and approved by those bodies and one ex-officio member representing the administrative staff of Transportation and Mail Services. Members shall be constituted as follows: four students (two graduate/professional, two undergraduate), four faculty, and four employees. No employee of Transportation and Mail Services or Cornell Police may serve on THAB. The term of membership shall be two years, except that initially, so that terms may be staggered, two faculty, two students and two employees shall serve terms of one year. THAB shall annually elect its own chairperson. Hearings shall require a quorum of three members. In case of a tie vote, the decision shall be recorded in favor of the appellant.

Responsibilities: Violation appeals must each be decisioned separately, considering all relevant facts and circumstances brought to the board’s attention. The board shall only review cases for which it is deemed an error in judgment or procedure was made in the original decision. In cases of requests for special parking grants based on financial hardship, appellants must fully explain why they are unable to use the transportation options available. In cases of requests related to exceptions to parking rules and regulations and/or normal permit eligibility criteria, the board’s decision shall be based on demonstrated need and are subject to space and other limitations.

6.8 Sustainability Committee

6.8.1 Responsibilities

The committee:

  1. reviews sustainability efforts in the areas of facilities, human resources and campus life, and offers advice, counsel and endorsement in the development of new policies and programs;
  2. engages with other campus community sustainability efforts in their proceedings; and,
  3. monitors academic sustainability efforts at the university.

The Office of Energy and Sustainability will deliver a report to the committee at the beginning of each semester and report on any significant policy changes as they occur.

6.8.2 Composition

The following or their designees serve as members of the committee ex-officio, without vote:

  1. Vice President for Human Resources;
  2. Vice President for Student and Academic and Academic Service;
  3. Vice President for Facilities Services;
  4. President of the Sustainability Hub;
  5. the Director of Energy and Sustainability; and,
  6. the Sustainability Coordinator and the director of Campus Life Facilities [or Chair of the Campus Life Green Team if in existence].

6.9 Information Technology Committee

The Information Technology Committee (the Committee) is charged with reviewing matters relating to Information Technologies and recommending pertinent actions regarding community computing needs.

6.9.1 Responsibilities

The Committee:

  1. reviews enterprise information technology initiatives and policies and recommends appropriate actions and modifications based on community input.

The Division of Computing and Information Technologies will deliver a report to the committee at the beginning of each semester and report on any significant policy changes as they occur.

6.9.2 Composition

The following or their designees serve as members of the committee ex-officio, without vote:

  1. Vice President for Computing and Information Technologies.
  2. reviews sustainability efforts in the areas of facilities, human resources and campus life, and offers advice, counsel and endorsement in the development of new policies and programs;
  3. engages with other campus community sustainability efforts in their proceedings; and,
  4. monitors academic sustainability efforts at the university.

The Office of Energy and Sustainability will deliver a report to the committee at the beginning of each semester and report on any significant policy changes as they occur.

6.8.2 Composition

The following or their designees serve as members of the committee ex-officio, without vote:

  1. Vice President for Human Resources;
  2. Vice President for Student and Academic and Academic Service;
  3. Vice President for Facilities Services;
  4. President of the Sustainability Hub;
  5. the Director of Energy and Sustainability; and,
  6. the Sustainability Coordinator and the director of Campus Life Facilities [or Chair of the Campus Life Green Team if in existence].

6.9 Information Technology Committee

The Information Technology Committee (the Committee) is charged with reviewing matters relating to Information Technologies and recommending pertinent actions regarding community computing needs.

6.9.1 Responsibilities

The Committee:

  1. reviews enterprise information technology initiatives and policies and recommends appropriate actions and modifications based on community input.

The Division of Computing and Information Technologies will deliver a report to the committee at the beginning of each semester and report on any significant policy changes as they occur.

6.9.2 Composition

The following or their designees serve as members of the committee ex-officio, without vote:

  1. Vice President for Computing and Information Technologies.

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