PM-24 - LSU System Council of Faculty Advisors

September 3, 2009

(This memorandum supersedes PM-24 dated May 29, 1997) 

LSU System Council of Faculty Advisors

1.	The LSU System Council of Faculty Advisors was created in accordance with a recommendation by the System Council of Chief Academic Officers to serve as a liaison between the LSU System Office and the faculties of the campuses that comprise the system. The Council will communicate to the LSU System, through the Office of the President, the views and concerns of the faculties on systemwide matters regarding the academic and professional policies of the system. The Council will also serve to advise the President of the LSU System and the LSU Board of Supervisors on matters that they wish to bring before the Council.
2.	Membership on the Council shall include one faculty member and one alternate faculty member from each of the following campuses: LSU, UNO, LSUS, LSUE, LSUA, the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, the LSU Agricultural Center, the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Members and alternates shall be elected for two-year terms by the appropriate faculty senate or other faculty governing body of each campus, in accordance with the rules and procedures established by that faculty governing body. A member or alternate who assumes substantial administrative duties, resigns, or retires must be replaced, and a new member or alternate elected for the unexpired portion of that member's term. Members or alternates who go on leave may be replaced, by the faculty governance body, on a temporary basis during their leave.
3.	The officers of the Council shall consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary. The officers will be elected annually by the members of the Council at a meeting scheduled during the month of August.   a. Duties of the Officers: The Chair will preside at the meetings of the Council and will serve as the primary liaison with the LSU System. The Vice Chair will assume the duties of the Chair whenever the Chair is not able to fulfill the assigned duties. The Secretary will take the minutes of the meetings and will distribute them in a timely manner to the members of the Council and to all chancellors and system administrators.     b. Executive Committee: The officers will function as an Executive Committee in the period between Council meetings and will be responsible for the preparation and distribution of all meeting agendas. The Executive Committee may conduct routine business and seek the opinions of the members of the Council on matters requiring expedient disposition.
4.	Meetings of the Council shall be held at the call of the Chair or a written petition from four members of the Council. Ordinarily, Council meetings will be held prior to the regularly scheduled meetings of the LSU Board of Supervisors. The LSU System President or designate shall attend meetings of the Council to discuss matters of concern to the System and the LSU Board of Supervisors. Travel expenses of the members shall be reimbursed by their campuses. The agenda for each regular meeting shall be mailed to the members of the Council no less than seven days before each scheduled meeting.
5.	The Council may form subcommittees as needed to expedite the functioning of the Council and may, in appropriate instances, include persons outside the Council whose special skills or knowledge may be applied to the deliberations of the subcommittee.
6.	A quorum of the Council shall be five members present and voting. Only regular members shall vote on issues before the Council. Alternate members from a campus may vote in the absence of the regular member. In accordance with Louisiana's Open Meetings Law, proxy voting and mail/fax ballots are prohibited.
7.	Amendments to this Permanent Memorandum may be proposed in writing by the LSU System President, the Council Chair, or any member of the Council. Amendments may be approved at the next scheduled meeting of the Council by a two-thirds vote of the entire Council present and voting. All amendments must be submitted to the President of the LSU System for final approval.

John V. Lombardi
President