The Assembly shall serve in an advisory role to the Dean on, but not limited to, the following:

• Administrative matters of general library interest including budget, physical facilities, and planning.

General Membership

• All librarians whose salary is supported by the FAU Libraries.

Voting Membership

• All full-time librarians holding the rank of University, Associate, Assistant, and Instructor.

• The Dean, Associate Director, and Assistant Directors shall be ex officio non-voting members.

The officers of the Assembly shall consist of a Chair and a Vice-Chair.
The officers shall hold no administrative rank higher than department head.

Duties of the Chair:

• The Chair shall be responsible for the following and for such other duties as are appropriate to the office:

  • The Chair serves as the faculty representative to the Dean and to the Library Administration.
  • The Chair shall call all meetings.
  • The Chair shall preside over meetings.
  • The Chair shall call and administer all meeting elections of the Faculty Assembly.
  • The Chair shall distribute meeting notices and agendas.
  • The Chair shall attend the Dean's weekly staff meeting.

• The Vice-Chair shall preside and carry out the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair. The Vice-Chair is responsible for the minutes of all meetings and shall distribute them to each general member.
• The Vice-Chair shall distribute ballots for voting on amendments and for the election of officers.
• The Vice-Chair shall maintain the records of the Faculty Assembly.

Terms of Office:

• The term is one calendar year beginning on the first day of January, and the Chair and Vice-Chair shall serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• If the Chair is unable to fulfill the term of office, the Vice-Chair shall assume the position of Chair until December 31st.
• If the Vice-Chair assumes the position of Chair or is unable to fulfill the term of office, a call for nominations will be made for an interim Vice-Chair to serve the remainder of the term.

Nominations and Elections:

• The Chair shall convene the Assembly at least once each Fall and Spring semester.
• Notice of regularly scheduled Assembly meetings shall be distributed at least two weeks in advance and the agenda at least five business days prior to the meeting.
• General members of the Assembly may submit agenda items to the Chair no later than two weeks prior to the meeting.
• At all meetings, a quorum shall consist of 50% + 1 of the membership. A majority of members present and voting is required to pass a motion in meetings of the Assembly and its committees.

Special Meetings

• The Chair shall call special meetings when needed or on petition of 25% of the voting membership.

Agenda and Order of Business

• The Chair shall determine the order of business for each meeting when preparing the agenda.
• The suggested order of business would include:
  • Call to order.
  • Approval of minutes of last meeting.
  • Announcements.
  • Reports from committees.
  • Reports from the Dean.

The Office of the Dean of the FAU Libraries shall provide support for the operation of the FAU Libraries Faculty Assembly.

• Chair of the Assembly
  Such support shall include a 10% allocation of time in the Letter of Assignment.
• Vice-Chair
  Such support shall include a 5% allocation of time in the Letter of Assignment.
• Secretarial Assistance
  Officers of the Faculty Assembly shall receive adequate secretarial assistance in the fulfillment of their duties.
• Operational Expenses
  The Faculty Assembly shall receive adequate funding for all operational expenses.

Reports from the Library Committees are a part of meeting agendas.
The Chair and committee membership call elections or make appointments for the committees.

• University Faculty Senate
  The Faculty Assembly will call for nominations and preside over elections of a member to the Faculty Senate.
• Faculty Senate Committees
  The Faculty Assembly will call for nominations and preside over elections of members to Faculty Senate Committees that require library representation.
• Other University Committees.
  The Faculty Assembly will call for nominations and preside over elections of members to other University Committees.

• Ten percent of the voting members of the FAU Libraries Faculty Assembly may present a proposal for amendment of the Bylaws to the Chair of the Assembly.
• The Chair shall place the proposed amendment on the agenda for discussion. The proposed amendment shall be sent to ballot providing one-third of the members are present, or 10 members, whichever is greater, favor such a motion.
• The Chair shall appoint two members to prepare a summary of the arguments, pro and con, to accompany the ballot.
• Voting shall be by ballot, paper or electronic, which shall be distributed by the Vice-Chair of the Assembly no later than one week after the discussion.
• A Teller Committee appointed by the Chair of the Assembly shall count the ballots.
• All ballots should be returned to the Teller Committee by the date specified on the ballot which shall be no less than two weeks after distribution of ballots.
• The Bylaws, as well as any amendments to the bylaws, shall become effective immediately after approval by a three-fifths majority of those who return valid ballots provided at least 40 percent of the voting members have returned valid ballots.

In case of procedural questions, Robert’s Rule of Order will be the authority.