Preamble The Colgate Governance System is the mechanism by which the campus community deals with matters of significance. It functions within the Bylaws of the Colgate University Board of Trustees and does not pre-empt the prerogatives of the Trustees, the President of the University, or the Faculty.

1. Academic Affairs Board The Board’s responsibilities include long-range academic planning, the curriculum, the definition of academic integrity, academic advising, registration, academic calendars, graduation requirements, the granting of credits, and other matters directly related to the academic functions of the University. Policies regarding academic integrity are the joint responsibility of the Academic Affairs Board and the Student Affairs Board.

The Academic Affairs Board has two functions: (a) Legislative The Board proposes legislation to the Faculty, which has the power to approve, reject, or amend such proposals. Amendments by the Faculty deemed substantive by the Chair are referred back to the Academic Affairs Board. The Board may accept the faculty amendment(s) to the original legislation.The legislation becomes policy upon majority approval by the Faculty. Alternatively, the Board may ask the Faculty to reconsider, suggesting any revisions the Board wishes, which would require another majority Faculty vote on the amendment(s) and main motion before the legislation became policy.¹ All legislative action taken by the Board is reported to the Faculty for action at its next regularly scheduled meeting. (b) Advisory The Board also acts in an advisory capacity to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty on academic matters.

A Faculty member chosen by the elected faculty members of the Board, reports to the Faculty on a regular basis and conveys sense-of-the-Faculty resolutions and agenda items to the Academic Affairs Board. A student, chosen by the student members of the Board, reports to the Student Senate on a regular basis and conveys sense-of-the-Senate resolutions and suggested agenda items to the Board.

The membership of the Academic Affairs Board is as follows:²

• Dean of the Faculty (chair)
• 8 Faculty
• 5 Division Directors (1/2 vote each)
• 4 students
• University Librarian (1/2 vote)
• President of the Student Association (1/2 vote)
• Associate Dean of the Faculty (ex officio, nonvoting)
• Dean of the College (ex officio, nonvoting)

A majority by one full vote is needed for any motion to succeed. The Chair is entitled to vote on all matters. No proxy votes may be cast. If the President exercises the right to vote, it is in place of the Dean of the Faculty.

The eight faculty members are elected by the faculty, in such a way that divisional representation is maintained, for three-year terms, which are
renewable once. The eight faculty members are chosen in such a way that at least four members will have been granted tenure by the time their terms begin. Of the student representatives, three are elected at-large by the Student Senate for one-year terms, which may be renewed as long as a student remains matriculated. The fourth student is the Chair of the Student Government Association (SGA) Academic Affairs Committee. The Board may appoint non-voting consultants as it deems appropriate.

The Academic Affairs Board has the power to establish, reconstitute, and abolish standing committees. At least one member of each standing
committee is drawn from the membership of the Academic Affairs Board. The need for each standing committee must be reviewed every three years. All standing committees created by the Board consist of faculty members elected by the Faculty, students elected by the Student Senate, and other members as deemed appropriate by the Board.

The Board has three standing committees:

a. The Committee on Academic Advising The Committee on Academic Advising is responsible for all aspects of Colgate’s programs for academic advising. The Committee will (a) respond to questions and requests proposed to it by the Board; (b) review proposed changes in policies and programs affecting academic advising; and (c) review existing academic advising policies and programs and make recommendations to the Board as seems desirable to the Committee. The Committee will meet at least once each semester.

The membership of the Committee on Academic Advising will consist of:

• Chair of Academic Advising, a faculty member appointed to a three- year renewable term by the Dean of the Faculty
• 3 Faculty members, representing the academic divisions of the Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences, elected to staggered three-year terms by the Faculty
• 2 Students elected by the Student Senate The Chair of the First-Year Seminar Program
• A representative of the Academic Affairs Board
• Dean of First-Year Students (ex officio)
• Director of Academic Program Support (ex officio)
• Registrar (ex officio)

Examples of individuals who might act as consultants to the committee (as specific circumstances require) may include: the Director of Undergraduate Studies, a representative of the Health Sciences Advisory Committee, a representative of the Department of Educational Studies certification programs, the Director of Career Services, and the Chair of the Committee on Standards and Academic Standing.

b. The Committee on Athletics The Committee’s responsibilities include physical education, intercollegiate athletics, club sports, intramural athletics, and recreational activities. The Committee (a) develops policy legislation for consideration by the Academic Affairs Board, and (b) acts as an advisory body to the Director of the Division of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics. The Committee reports its activities on a regular basis to the Academic Affairs Board, Faculty, and Student Senate.

Footnotes

¹ Legislation Flow Chart:

1. Academic Affairs Board passes legislation; sent to the Faculty.
2. Faculty:
   - May pass the legislation, which means the legislation becomes University policy.
   - May reject the legislation; the legislation does not become University policy.
   - May amend and vote to remand the legislation. If the amendments are deemed substantive by the Chair of the Faculty meeting, the legislation is remanded to the Academic Affairs Board.
3. Academic Affairs Board receives amended legislation: May accept the Faculty amendments by a majority vote, which means the legislation becomes University policy. May ask the Faculty to reconsider the original legislation; sent back to Faculty. May revise the original legislation and Faculty amendments; sent back to Faculty.
4. Faculty: May vote to approve the revised legislation suggested by the Academic Affairs Board by a majority vote, in which case the legislation becomes University policy. May vote to approve its original action on the amendments and main motion by majority votes in which case the legislation becomes university policy. If neither vote succeeds, the legislation is considered rejected.