BYLAWS FOR THE IDAHO COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION FACULTY

(rev. January 2001)

Article 1.  Name.

The name of the organization is the Idaho Council of Higher Education Faculty (ICHEF).

Article 2.  Purpose.

This council is established by and for faculty members of the public-supported college and universities in Idaho to promote stronger bonds of collegiality and to facilitate fulfillment of our common goals to improve the quality of higher education for our students and the quality of life for ourselves.  To accomplish those aims, an additional purpose of this council is to maintain an organization through which we can communicate with others--directly and with a collective voice--our common concerns, goals and plans.

Article 3.  Membership

Membership shall consist of the elected faculty members who serve the faculty senates/councils from the public-supported colleges and universities in Idaho.  Membership in ICHEF results after a majority vote by the faculty senate or council at a public-supported college or university in Idaho.  Passage of an enabling motion at an institution by its faculty senate or council authorizes an institution's participation in ICHEF.

Article 4.  Governance

The normal functions and operations of ICHEF shall be conducted by a governing board.  The governing board shall consist of the faculty senate/council chairpersons or their designees from each of the member institutions.

Chairship of the board shall rotate among members/member-institutions on an annual and regular basis.  The position of chairperson shall rotate in conjunction with the chairship of the Presidents' Council, unless overridden by a majority vote of the board.  The chairperson is responsible for organizing the meetings and meeting agendas of the board and for coordinating communications among the institutional members.  The chairperson shall serve as the faculty representative on the Instruction, Research and Student Affairs (IRSA) committee of the State Board of Education, unless another representative is selected by a majority vote of the board.  The chairperson has no other executive authority. 

The board may be assisted in its work by a nonvoting Executive Secretary chosen by the current chairperson from the ranks of faculty senators/council members, presumably from the chairperson's own campus.

Board members' responsibilities include voting approval or disapproval of proposals and like actions; the board chairperson is allowed to vote on all decisions of the board.  To pass, a motion or action must be met with favor by three-fourths of the board members.

Article 5.  Meetings.

Meetings of the board shall be scheduled to coincide with the regular meetings of the Idaho State Board of Education and at other times by mutual consent of the institutional members.