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DRAFT PROPOSAL 1, Dec. 11, 2010
PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ITALIAN AMERICAN AFFAIRS
CHARTER PROPOSAL
The mission of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Italian-American Affairs at Brooklyn College is to:
· Advise the president of the college on important issues and activities related to the affairs of Italian-Americans on the Brooklyn College campus.
· Increase awareness among students, potential students, faculty/staff, and the general public of the college’s Italian-American courses.
· Support Italian-American students at the college by making available, through the Center for Italian-American Studies, courses and activities such as personal, career and academic counseling, internships, scholarships and awards.
· Promote curriculum development in the area of Italian-American Studies.
· Revitalize the Center for Italian-American Studies by working closely with the Director, and supporting the establishment of research programs and projects for undergraduate students in Italian-American Studies.
· Continue to monitor the college’s affirmative action activities in the hiring of new members of the faculty and staff to ensure that the college reflects the diversity of its student body, the borough of Brooklyn, and the City of New York.
· Sponsor and promote Italian-American cultural activities in all areas of the arts.
· Monitor and support the college’s outreach efforts to attract Italian-American students.
· Serve as the board of directors to the Center for Italian-American Studies and begin a program of fund-raising that will enable the center to carry out its mission of research and support for Italian-American cultural activities.
· Increase the endowment of the Eugene S. Scalia Memorial Library and assist the Center for Italian-American Studies in increasing the library’s holdings to include films, television shows, and music.
1) (Obtain from Calandra information on the founding document authorizing the Committee.)
2. GOVERNING AUTHORITY The Presidential Advisory Committee on Italian-American Affairs at Brooklyn College (hencefort “The Committee”) shall be governed by this CHARTER. This Charter shall be revised on an as -needed basis.
At all meetings of the Board the presiding officers shall maintain the orderliness of the proceedings, and for this purpose shall refer to Robert's Rule of Order when necessary.
3. COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Eligibility All faculty and staff are eligible to be members of the Committee. The Committee and the President working in concert ensure equitable representation of all constituencies.
The members are appointed by the President upon recommendation from the Committee.
Once the Committee is officially constituted ex-officio members receive confirmation from the Committee’s Chair.
Members ex-officio with no voting privileges are the Presidents of the two existing Student Clubs: Italian American Student Union, and Italian Culture Club (ACA member club.)
Club Presidents may designate an alternate representative to the Committee’s meetings.
In case other students clubs should come into existence with a focus on Italian and/or Italian American interests, the respective Presidents shall also become members of the Committee.
The Director of the BC Center for Italian American Studies is an ex-officio member, with no voting privileges.
The current members of the Committee are automatically reappointed to their positions with full voting rights to one full term.
The Committee invites possible new members and recommends them to the President. Each recommendation must be approved by a simple majority at the end of the academic year.
Membership Membership in the Committee is contingent on status of good standing and professional conduct. Members who miss all the meetings scheduled in one academic year (with the exception of members on sabbatical leave) will be excluded from the Committee effective the following academic year. They may apply for re-admission.
Composition The maximum number of members shall be fifteen. The minimum number of members shall be five.
Length of Term Three years, eligible for reappointment. If the Committee has only 5 members, their term is extended indefinitely.
4. COMMITTEE GOVERNANCE
Chair The Committee elects the Chair at the first
meeting of the Academic Year by a plurality of the vote by the members present.
The term of office of the Chair is one year, renewable.
Executive Committee The Executive Committee is composed of the Chairperson, the Vice Chair and the Secretary.
Quorum The quorum is 50% +1 of the membership. No quorum is required for meetings to be called to order. However:
When a quorum is
present, motions are approved with a simple majority of the
votes. When a quorum is not present, motions cannot be voted on. Motions can be offered and seconded. The text will be disseminated by email and published on the Committee’s Blog. Votes will be cast using the Poll Function of the Committee’s blog. Voting is open for one week. Motions are approved with a simple majority of the votes. Votes that are not cast are considered abstentions.
Motions All motions must be submitted in writing and entered verbatim in the minutes.
Meetings The Chair must call at least one meeting every semester. The announcement must be sent by email to members’ preferred email addresses.
If the Chair fails to call a meeting, s/he will be terminated at the end of the semester during which the meeting did not take place. The position of Acting Chair will be filled by the Vice Chair.
Minutes The minutes of the meetings will be posted on the blog within two weeks from the respective meetings.
Blog For the time being the Committee’s blog will be housed on Blogspot. Access will be limited to the Committee Members to ensure that voting remains a prerogative of the members. The Blog’s URL is http://itampac.blogspot.com/
5. APPROVAL OF THE CHARTER
The Charter will be effective the first day of the academic semester after the date of ratification.
6. AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER
Amendments to the Charter require a vote of 2/3 majority of the members.
Proposed amendments must be introduced at a meeting and entered in the minutes to be discussed at the following meeting.
Recommendations for amendments of the Charter will be submitted to the President for final ratification.
The ratified amendments are effective on the first day of the academic semester following ratification.
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