Faculty Senate President Elect

[bhassell]

I am currently the Faculty Senate President at a community college until June 30, 2010. We elected a Faculty Senate President-elect in the 2009-2010 school year who then takes over as Faculty Senate President on July 1, 2010. This person e-mailed me to state that because of a reorganization in their department, they will be unable to take on the duties of Faculty Senate President.

Question 1. Is this person resigning as President-Elect or President? Our by-laws state that if the position of President-elect becomes vacant, the committee nominates and votes in a new member by a simple majority.

Question 2. Is this e-mail considered a resignation or does this person need to submit their resignation to the entire Faculty Senate Committee? (Chapter 32) If so, my problem is that this person was voted on by the 2009-2010 faculty senate committee, two of which have left our college for other jobs. We have elected a new Faculty Senate Committee for 2010-2011 which met the last week in April to vote on a Faculty Senate President-elect for next year. The by-laws state when the Faculty Senate Elect takes over (July 1), but doesn't not mention when the new Faculty Senate members take over. Usually there has not been anything that has needed attention over the summer. Our by-laws also do not mention what to do if something happens that needs faculty attention between when school is out and most faculty are not around and until school starts again in the fall (or which Faculty Senate Committee should be contacted).

Question 2. Who is President after July 1 if the Faculty Senate Committee has to vote to accept the resignation and won't meet again until Fall? Can this be done by e-mail or does it need the in person?

Question 3. Should I see if this person can take on the job until Fall Semester begins and have them give their official resignation at the first meeting of Fall Semester?

Question 4. Should I have the position be considered vacant and have the President-elect act as interim President until the first meeting in the fall when the entire committee can discuss this issue?

I have looked through Robert's Rules of Order and I am not sure what to do about this because of our Faculty Senate not having any official meetings in the summer. This is definitely something that needs to be corrected in our bylaws. I am hoping that those of you who have more expertise on Robert's Rules of Order can help me with this situation. If none of my ideas or correct, I would appreciate any help.

Thanks.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

I am currently the Faculty Senate President at a community college until June 30, 2010. We elected a Faculty Senate President-elect in the 2009-2010 school year who then takes over as Faculty Senate President on July 1, 2010. This person e-mailed me to state that because of a reorganization in their department, they will be unable to take on the duties of Faculty Senate President.

You could have avoided 90% of the spaghetti-like entanglements if your org had arranged its officers with traditional P plus VP hierarchy, you know.

Nesting one's officers puts the whole nest into chaos when one circuit does not loop all the way through.

Question 1. Is this person resigning as President-Elect or President?

Our by-laws state that if the position of President-elect becomes vacant, the committee nominates and votes in a new member by a simple majority.

Because of the awkward situation of "president-elect", where there is an intricate succession timing problem, then, you might say, "He is resigning from both."

But technically, he cannot resign from an office he does not yet hold.

But certainly, we all know of cases where the "winner of an election" has a personal problem pop up suddenly which prevents him from taking office on the appropriate day.

The organization can acknowledge a "request to be excused from a duty." (See RONR for this motion's characteristics.)

And so I think, based on you description, that is the best fit - to have the org acknowledge this person's inability to continue "on course." - Treat it as if it were a resignation from both offices. I think treating it as a resignation from (only) one office will create a delicate balance of which process to invoke to fill the seat(s).

Question 2A. Is this e-mail considered a resignation or does this person need to submit their resignation to the entire Faculty Senate Committee?

(You have TWO questions numbered "2"! I will label them "2A" and "2B".)

"... e-mail ..."?

It can be.

The Book says that a resignation, while it ought to be in writing, need not be in hard copy form.

E-mail is "writing", you know. (It isn't oral, so it must be the other mode. Right.)

"... entire Senate ..."?

No.

A letter of resignation need not be duplicated. - One hard copy can be sent to the secretary.

(One telephone call to the president would do the trick, too. One telephone call from the president to the resigner, is good enough, too. Remember, a resignation need not be in writing; it only is the best way, to avoid playing "telephone tag", and playing "He Said, She Said".)

Question 2B. Who is President after July 1 if the Faculty Senate Committee has to vote to accept the resignation and won't meet again until Fall?

Can this be done by e-mail or does it need the in person?

"... who is president?"

Unknown. Too many variables not cited in your post. - E.g., the defined TERM OF OFFICE.

'... in person?"

Yes, in person.

No, cannot be done via e-mail, per Robert's Rules of Order.

Question 3. Should I see if this person can take on the job until Fall Semester begins and have them give their official resignation at the first meeting of Fall Semester?

I suppose you are free to talk him into not-resigning. RONR has no page citation for "How To Talk A Person Into Not Resigning." But it's a free country. You can try. That's up to you. I/we cannot give advice on "What To Do when The Resigner Won't Resign Today."

Question 4. Should I have the position be considered vacant and have the President-elect act as interim President until the first meeting in the fall when the entire committee can discuss this issue?

Unclear - what do you mean, "president-elect"? I thought the president-elect was the guy who was resigning.

You've got too many presidents and too many president-elects running around to tell them apart without a score card.

(In baseball, they put numbers on the back of their uniform. Maybe you could do the same!)

[Josh Martin]

Question 1. Is this person resigning as President-Elect or President?

It appears that his goal is to resign from the position of President.

Question 2. Is this e-mail considered a resignation or does this person need to submit their resignation to the entire Faculty Senate Committee?

The e-mail may be considered a resignation and should be submitted to the secretary. (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 279, lines 10-13) However, since you say the Faculty Senate Committee is the body authorized to fill vacancies, it must be the body to accept the resignation. It appears to be a matter of Bylaws interpretation to determine who the current members of the Faculty Senate Committee are. (RONR, 10th ed., pgs. 570-573) Although since you suggest it may be impossible to get them to meet over the summer, that point may be moot.

Question 2. Who is President after July 1 if the Faculty Senate Committee has to vote to accept the resignation and won't meet again until Fall?

You said the President-Elect becomes President on July 1. Therefore, on July 1 he will be President, as his resignation will not yet have been accepted (since you say the body authorized to accept the resignation will not meet until fall). (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 279, lines 17-20)

Can this be done by e-mail or does it need the in person?

E-mail voting is null and void unless specifically authorized by your Bylaws. (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 2, footnote) The decision must be made in person unless some other provision is made in your Bylaws. (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 408, line 31 - pg. 409, line 2)

Question 3. Should I see if this person can take on the job until Fall Semester begins and have them give their official resignation at the first meeting of Fall Semester?

Unless you have some way of getting the Faculty Senate Committee to meet earlier, that would probably be wise, so that the duties of the position can be performed over the summer.

Question 4. Should I have the position be considered vacant and have the President-elect act as interim President until the first meeting in the fall when the entire committee can discuss this issue?

You do not have the authority to declare the position vacant and there is no such thing as an "interim President" unless such a position is provided for in the Bylaws. Under RONR, someone is either the President or not. The President-Elect will become President on July 1 and will remain President until his resignation is accepted.