GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS POLICY COUNCIL
BYLAWS

Article I: Powers and Jurisdiction

Section 1. Powers and Jurisdiction

The Academic Affairs Policy Council (AAPC, formerly the Academic Affairs Advisory Council) has oversight responsibility for policies affecting Academic Affairs personnel and the College's educational programs.

The Academic Affairs Policy Council reviews policies and proposed changes to processes and procedures and makes recommendations for acceptance to the Council Chair. The Chair submits recommendations to the Office of Governance and Policy, which distributes them to the Secondary Policy Councils for comment. Once the policy is in standard form, the Office of Governance and Policy forwards the policy to the President’s Policy Advisory Board (PPAB) for approval.

The Academic Affairs Policy Council shall review policies approved by other policy councils.

Section 2. Procedures

These Bylaws shall constitute the rules and regulations governing the conduct and procedures of the Council in the performance of its duties enumerated above.

The following procedure must be used in making academic policy proposals for Georgia Perimeter College (GPC):

Any professional employee or group of professional employees (departments, committees, etc.) may originate a proposal relating to academic policy and submit the request to the Office of Governance and Policy. The Office of Governance and Policy will forward the request to the Academic Affairs Policy Council. Academic policy proposals shall be circulated to all members of the Academic Affairs Policy Council seven days prior to discussion.

Article II: Membership

Section 1. Membership

A. Non-Rotating Members:

The Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee (1, non-voting)

The Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services (1, non-voting)

College Registrar (1)

Associate Director of Financial Aid (1)

Executive Director or GPC Online (1, non-voting)

B. Rotating Members:

Department chairs, Academic Division Deans, and Student Services Deans shall elect their respective representatives. Each Academic Division and GPC Online shall elect their respective faculty representative during the Spring Semester. Faculty representatives must be tenure-track faculty members.

Rotating Members: Two years

Academic Division Dean (1)

Dean of Student Services (1)

Academic Department Chair (1)

Faculty Representative from each Academic Division (7)

Faculty Representative from GPC Online (1)

Rotating Members: One year

Faculty Senate Chair (1)

Section 2. Duties of Members

Members are responsible for attending all Academic Affairs Policy Council meetings and the meetings of any and all committees on which they serve. Members shall distribute policy proposals to their constituents and solicit feedback. The Academic Affairs Policy Council Chair and committee chairs should be alerted to any planned absence prior to the absence occurring. Members of the Council may send a representative (with voting rights) to serve in their absence if they are unable to attend. The Policy Council Chair has the responsibility to remove a member with two unexcused absences per academic year and to declare said member’s seat to be vacant.

Section 3. Vacancies

Vacancies in the Academic Affairs Policy Council among elected representatives shall be filled by the process outlined above or by special election if necessary.

Article III. Officers

Section 1. Chair

The Vice President of Academic Affairs or his/her designee shall serve as Chair of the Academic Affairs Policy Council. The Chair shall preside at the meetings of the Council, shall determine the dates of the meetings, shall assure the meeting agenda is distributed seven days prior to the meeting, shall maintain impartiality, shall assure that annual assessment occurs, and shall report all actions of and forward any proposals from the Academic Affairs Policy Council to the President’s Policy Advisory Board via the Office of Governance and Policy.

Section 2. Secretary

The Secretary to the Vice President of Academic Affairs shall serve as Secretary of the Academic Affairs Policy Council. The Secretary shall record and prepare all minutes of the Academic Affairs Policy Council meetings in cooperation with the Chair and distribute minutes to Council members and official minutes to the Office of Governance and Policy for publication on the Web site. The Secretary shall provide clerical support to the Chair in matters pertaining to Council business and activities.

Article IV. Meetings of the Academic Affair Policy Council

Section 1. Regular Meetings

The Academic Affairs Policy Council shall hold at least three regular meetings per semester during the academic year. The Chair may call more frequent meetings, if necessary, or may cancel meetings if there are no agenda items. The meeting schedule shall be published.

Section 2. Agenda

The agenda for each meeting along with any pertinent supporting information that will be discussed shall be distributed to the members seven days in advance of regularly scheduled meetings.

Section 3. Voting

Only those members or their representatives present at a meeting shall vote on any proposals.

Section 4. Quorum

A simple majority (50% plus 1) of the total voting membership of the Academic Affairs Policy Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the Council. Motions may be passed by a majority of those present and voting.

Section 5. Visitors

Non-members are welcome to attend the Academic Affairs Policy Council meetings. They should be seated so as not to interfere with normal deliberations. Non-members who wish to address the Council shall request permission to do so from the Chair during the meeting.

Section 6. Minutes

The unofficial minutes of the previous Academic Affairs Policy Council meeting shall be distributed to the members seven days before each regular meeting. Following approval by the Council, the official minutes shall be posted in a timely manner on the Office of Governance and Policy web site. The Chair of the Academic Affairs Policy Council shall maintain an archival paper copy of all minutes of the Council.

Section 7. Order of Business

The order of business for regular meetings of Academic Affairs Policy Council shall be as follows:

A. Call to order
B. Minutes of the last meeting
C. Committee Reports
D. Old business
E. New business, including presentation of proposals
F. Other business
G. Announcements and information
H. Adjournment

Section 8. Parliamentary Procedure

All questions of parliamentary procedure shall be governed by the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article V: Committees

The Chair of the Academic Affairs Policy Council may create permanent or temporary Committees and Task Teams as needed.

Article VI: Amendments to the Bylaws

The Academic Affairs Policy Council shall have the power to amend its bylaws provided that such amendments are approved by a two-thirds majority of the Council. A proposal to amend the bylaws must be distributed to the Council two weeks before the meeting at which it is to be considered. These Bylaws shall conform to the Shared Governance document of the College.

Approved by PPAB 3/08/11
Approved by PPAB 10/4/11