Brown university community council charge

1. Charge

The Brown University Community Council serves as a university-wide representative forum for discussion, debate, and advisory recommendations on a wide spectrum of issues and concerns.  It may, at its discretion, consider and advance questions of University community policy, the governing of the University, and issues related to the overall welfare of the University; and to make recommendations regarding any such matters to the appropriate decision-making bodies of the University or to the appropriate officers of the University.

2. Membership

The membership of the Brown University Community Council shall consist of: the President of the University (Chair), the Provost, and at least four members of the President’s Cabinet appointed to the Council each year by the President; ten members of the Faculty, among whom each division must be represented by at least one member and the nontenured Faculty by at least two members; five undergraduate students, three graduate students, and two medical students, among whom shall be the Presidents of the Undergraduate Council of Students, the Graduate Student Council and the Medical Student Senate; six members of the staff; and four alumni of the University.

3. Term of Office

Faculty, staff and alumni members shall serve staggered three year terms. Student members shall serve staggered two year terms.

4. Method of Appointment

1. Faculty. Each year the Faculty Executive Committee and the Medical Faculty Executive Committee will appoint faculty members to the Council for each vacant faculty position.  Candidates should be representative of the divisions of knowledge in the University and diversity in the Faculty. Upon the expiration of his or her term, a member shall not be eligible for reappointment until one year has elapsed, except that those persons elected for terms of one year or less may be candidates to succeed themselves.  
   
   
2. Undergraduate Students. Each year the Undergraduate Council of Students will appoint undergraduate student members to the Council for each vacant undergraduate student position.
   
   
3. Graduate Students. Each year the Graduate Student Council will appoint graduate student members to the Council for each vacant graduate student position.
   
   
4. Medical Students. Each year the Medical Student Senate will appoint medical student members to the Council for each vacant medical student position.
   
   
5. Staff. Each year the Staff Advisory Committee will appoint staff members to the Council for each vacant staff position.  Upon the expiration of his or her term, a member shall not be eligible for reappointment until one year has elapsed, except that those persons appointed for terms of one year or less may be candidates to succeed themselves. Candidates should be representative of the breadth of departments and divisions in the University and diversity in the Staff.
   
   
6. Alumni. Each year the Brown Alumni Association will appoint alumni of the University to the Council for each vacant alumni position.  Upon the expiration of his or her term, a member shall not be eligible for reappointment until one year has elapsed, except that those persons appointed for terms of one year or less may be candidates to succeed themselves. Candidates should be representative of the diversity in the Alumni.  Current members of the Corporation may not serve as members of the Council.

Should a member of the Council anticipate, or be in absence for three or more consecutive meetings or three or more consecutive months, the Executive Committee may, in consultation with the appropriate representative governing body, appoint an alternative member to serve with full voting privileges until the absent member returns or his/her term expires.  The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the operation of this provision and shall promptly report any action under this provision to the Council as a whole.

5. Operations

1. The President of the University, or in the President’s absence the Provost, shall be the presiding officer at meetings of the Council.
   
   
2. The Secretary of the Council shall keep the minutes of all meetings, notify members of the Council of special meetings and of important matters proposed for action at any meeting, make public the reports of the Council and its committees and the minutes of all meetings not held in executive session, and perform the duties appropriate to the recording secretary of a deliberative body. The Secretary, who need not be a member of the Council, shall be appointed by the President to serve for a term of one year.
   
   
3. A Parliamentarian shall be appointed annually by the President from among the members of the Council.  Unless otherwise specified, the Parliamentarian shall refer to “Robert’s Rules of Order” to provide the guidelines for conducting the meetings and resolving disputes over parliamentary procedures.
   
   
4. The Council shall, at its first meeting of the academic year, adopt a schedule of meetings for the remainder of the year, which schedule it shall make public. The Council shall normally meet in September, October, November, February, March, and April.
   
   
5. The President of the University, or in the President’s absence the Provost, may at his or her discretion call a special meeting of the Council. The President of the University, or in the President’s absence the Provost, shall call a special meeting of the Council on the request of the Executive Committee, or of any fifteen members of the Council. The call for a special meeting shall state the purpose for which the meeting is called.
   
   
6. All important proposals and matters for discussion shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the Council not less than five calendar days preceding the meeting at which they are to be introduced, and the Secretary shall cause such proposals to be distributed to members of the Council and placed on the Order of Business for that meeting.
   
   
7. The Secretary of the Council shall make public the Order of Business at any meeting of the Council at least two days in advance of that meeting, if it is a regularly scheduled one, or at the time it is called, if it is a special meeting. Meetings of the Council shall be open to members of the University community to attend as spectators, except that the presiding officer of the Council shall, on the vote of a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee of the Council, or on the request of one third of the members of the Council present and voting, call the Council into executive session.
   
   
8. A quorum of the Council shall consist of fifteen of its voting members.
   
   
9. At each meeting of the Council members of the University community will be afforded an opportunity to address the Council and present issues for discussion at that or future meetings.  Community members who have requested from the Secretary an opportunity to address the Council at least two days in advance of the meeting will be given priority for the use of the time available for this purpose.

6. The Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee of the Council shall be responsible for setting the Order of Business for meetings of the Council, and shall recommend the annual Order of Business for Council Committees. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President and the Provost and three other members of the Council, appointed by the President.
   
   
2. The Secretary of the Council shall support the Executive Committee in setting the Order of Business for each meeting of the Council.

7. Committees

1. The Council may from time to time establish standing or ad hoc committees, and prescribe their responsibilities and membership. Normally, such committees shall have no more than eight members, and shall exist for not more than two years without reinstatement by the Council.
   
   
2. Members of the committees of the Council need not be members of the Council.

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