From BenningtonWiki

April 20, 2005

Contents 1 Mission Statement: 2 Article I: Infrastructure 2.1 Section 1) Class Representatives 2.1.1 A] Eligibility 2.1.2 B] Timeline 2.1.3 C] Course Evaluations 2.1.4 D] Additional Meetings 2.2 Section 2) Discipline Representatives 2.2.1 A] Eligibility and Election 2.2.2 B] Responsibilities 2.2.3 C] Attendance Infractions 2.2.4 D] Vote of No-confidence 2.2.5 E] Appointment process 2.3 Section 3) Secretary 2.3.1 A] Eligibility and Appointment 2.3.2 B] Responsibilities 2.4 Section 4) Head 2.4.1 A] Eligibility and Election 2.4.2 B] Responsibilities 2.4.3 C] Replacement 3 Article II: Communication 3.1 Section 1) Methods 3.1.1 A] Galleys 3.1.2 B] Table tents 3.1.3 C] Campus-wide meetings 3.1.4 D] SEPC house visits 3.1.5 E] Other meetings

[edit] Mission Statement:

The purpose of SEPC is to provide a bridge of communication between students, faculty and administration by representing the student body in academic policy discussions.

[edit] Article I: Infrastructure

[edit] Section 1) Class Representatives

Class Representatives (CRs) facilitate communication between the students in a class and the faculty member.

[edit] A] Eligibility

Any student can be a CR for a class in which he/she is enrolld. Students can be a CR for more than one class.

[edit] B] Timeline

Within three weeks of the first day of classes, CR nominations will occur. Any student in the class can nominate a CR. Students can nominate themselves. In case of multiple nominations, an election by show of hands or written ballots will decide the CR by majority. The faculty member will give the results, in writing, to the appropriate Program Coordinator who will then update the database in the Dean’s Office.

[edit] C] Course Evaluations

Mid-term discussion: The discussion will cover, but is not limited to organization of course, student participation, workload, pace, faculty feedback, faculty availability and suggestions on how to improve the course. The faculty member will allow 15 minutes for the SEPC mid-term discussion during the first class period after mid-term. The faculty member will leave the room and the CR will lead a discussion and take notes on student feedback. The CR will read all notes aloud to the class to receive approval before discussing them with the faculty member. The CR will meet with the faculty member to relay a summary of the discussion.

End-of-term discussion and written evaluation: The faculty member will allow 20 minutes for the end-of-term discussion on or before the second-to-last class of the term. The faculty member will give the packet of evaluation forms to the CR and leave the room. The CR will distribute the valuation forms to the class and allow 10 minutes for completion. The CR will not read these evaluations. The CR will then lead a discussion and take notes on studentfeedback. The discussion will cover how students evaluated the class in their individual evaluations. In addition to the topics discussed at mid-term, students will discuss the quality and timing of individual midterm evaluations, and students’ sense of progress. The CR will write a summary of the discussion and present it to the class during the next class period. The class will either approve, approve with modification, or not approve and request a revised summary. Any revisions suggested by the class are made at this time. The CR will turn in a packet complete with the summary and all student evaluations from the class to the Program Coordinator’s office.

[edit] D] Additional Meetings

CRs can request in-class meetings with or without the faculty member present to discuss pressing concerns. The CR will notify the appropriate Discipline Representative in the case of an additional in-class SEPC meeting.

[edit] Section 2) Discipline Representatives

The primary role of Discipline Representatives (DRs) is to facilitate communication between faculty and students within a particular discipline.

[edit] A] Eligibility and Election

DRs are elected by the student body through Student Council-run elections during spring term. Students will have the opportunity to vote for all DRs, despite particular areas of concentration or areas of study.

Any student can run for DR of a discipline that includes his/her area of study as approved through the plan process.

Student Council will announce the results of the election before the end of the spring term.

The Freshmen at Large position is not an elected position. The DRs will appoint a first-year student to fill this position during the first weeks of the fall term. Any first year student is eligible for Freshman at Large. The Freshman at Large will participate in SEPC body discussions and represent new student concerns.

[edit] B] Responsibilities

DRs will attend the SEPC body meetings which are held once a week for 1 hour.

DRs will meet with corresponding discipline faculty regularly to voice student concerns and opinions, and may participate in policy and planning discussions as the faculty deem appropriate. DRs will take notes about important events and discussion points within their disciplines and relay the information to the SEPC body during the body meeting.

DRs will communicate with CRs as necessary regarding specific concerns about courses or faculty. DRs will address issues raised in additional meetings as appropriate.

DRs will develop a strong presence in discipline gatherings and the academic community in general.

DRs will participate in campus-wide academic policy discussions as needed.

DRs will facilitate distribution of end-of-term evaluations.

DRs may be expected to fulfill other discipline-specific tasks as determined by conversations between the DRs and their faculty.

[edit] C] Attendance Infractions

Language Forthcoming

[edit] D] Vote of No-confidence

At any point throughout the year, a DR can propose a Vote of No-confidence to the Head of SEPC about a DR. The DR must specify which member of the SEPC body is being voted on. At the next SEPC body meeting, the Head will ask the DR in question to leave the room. At that time, any present DR can speak for or against the DR in question. The Secretary will then distribute anonymous, written ballots. The present DRs will vote and return the ballots to the Secretary, who will count them. Neither the Head nor the Secretary is eligible to vote. The DR in question is then asked to return, and the Secretary will announce the results. If a majority voted No-confidence, the DR in question will be asked to step down and his/her position will be announced as open in the minutes. A new DR will be appointed by the body to fill the vacant position.

[edit] E] Appointment process

In the case of an open position, the opening will be noted in the Coffee Hour minutes and announced at the appropriate discipline meeting. Anyone interested is required to attend the next SEPC Body meeting. A short question and answer session will occur with the interested candidates and the SEPC Body. The candidates will then leave the room. At this time, SEPC Body members have an opportunity to voice their opinion. A vote is then held. Neither the Head nor the Secretary is eligible to vote. The candidates are then asked to return to the room and the results announced. The candidates who were not selected will be asked to leave and the candidate who was elected will be announced as a SEPC Body member in the next minutes.

[edit] Section 3) Secretary

The Secretary of SEPC will communicate in writing between the SEPC body and the campus through weekly minutes.

[edit] A] Eligibility and Appointment

Any student who has served on the SEPC body for one full academic year can be the Secretary.

The Secretary will be appointed by the future Head before the end of the term. Any acting DR can request a Vote of No-confidence for the Secretary at any point after the appointment has happened. If this occurs, the same process ensues as with No-confidence votes for DRs. The appointment will be announced in the SEPC minutes.

[edit] B] Responsibilities

The Secretary will write the minutes for the weekly SEPC body meetings. He/she will submit each week’s minutes to the Senior House Chairs to distribute with the Coffee Hour minutes. The Senior House Chairs will determine the most convenient type of copy in conversation with the Secretary.

The Secretary will assist the Head in campus-wide discussions and communication needs. In the absence of the Head, the Secretary will run SEPC body meetings.

In the event that the Head steps down, or is removed from his/her position, the secretary will step into the role and appoint a new Secretary from within the body until a new Head is elected through an internal election.

[edit] Section 4) Head

The Head of SEPC leads the SEPC body and serves as the primary means of communication between the Provost and Dean of the College and the students.

[edit] A] Eligibility and Election

Any student who has served as a DR for one full academic year is eligible to be the Head.

The Current Head will run elections for the future Head. In the event that the current Head would like to run for future Head, the Secretary will run elections. In the event that both the Head and the Secretary would like to run for Head, the most senior member of the SEPC body who is not running for the position will run elections. Two weeks prior to the campus-wide elections, the Head will collect nominations during the SEPC body meeting. In the next SEPC body meeting, the body will have an open question and answer session directed at the nominees. The nominees will then leave the room. Voting will be done by anonymous written elimination. In each round of voting, the candidate with the least votes will be eliminated, the body will then vote on the remaining candidate. The Head and the Secretary will not vote; both will count the ballots.

[edit] B] Responsibilities

The Head of SEPC will prepare an agenda, organize and run weekly SEPC body meetings.

The Head will meet with the Provost and Dean of the College on a regular basis to gather and disseminate information about academic issues. The Head will relay this information to the SEPC body, and in the case of a major academic issue or policy change, the student body at large.

The Head will serve as a member of the Talking Heads.

When academic policy discussions concerning all students arise, the Head will facilitate communication between the faculty, administration and students through meetings, galleys, phone messages, e-mail, and any other appropriate methods.

The Head will promote the involvement of the SEPC body in the discussion of academic issues at the College.

The Head will coordinate the collating and distributing of End-of-term evaluations.

[edit] C] Replacement

In the event that the Head steps down, takes a term off, or is removed through a Vote of No-confidence, an internal election process will take place. The Secretary will act as interim Head until a new Head is elected, at which point, the new Head will appoint a new Secretary.

[edit] Article II: Communication

SEPC will communicate all information available about academic issues [concerns, changes, policies, and interests] to the students, faculty and staff.

[edit] Section 1) Methods

[edit] A] Galleys

The Head or Secretary may write a galley (a letter addressed to the college community) after substantial discussion with the SEPC body, the Provost and Dean and relevant faculty members. Photocopies will be made through the Office of Student Life. Mailboxes will be stuffed by members of the SEPC Body.

[edit] B] Table tents

The Head or Secretary will write a bulletin designed for the dining hall tables. Photocopies will be made through Student Life. Members of the SEPC body will distribute the table tents.

[edit] C] Campus-wide meetings

Meetings may be called and led by the Head. The Secretary writes the minutes for the meeting. Meetings will be announced using posters, phone calls to House Chairs, email, notice in College Week, publication in the Coffee Hour minutes, or announcements in the dining halls.

[edit] D] SEPC house visits

Various individual members of the SEPC Body may attend each house’s Coffee Hour. They will work in communication with the corresponding House Chairs to present information and gather feedback on particular academic issues.

[edit] E] Other meetings

Other campus meetings may be organized in cooperation with other groups such as APC. The Head, Secretary and Discipline representatives will attend, organize, and/or run these meetings as necessary.