The Faculty Assembly serves as a forum for discussion and dialogue on issues pertinent to the faculty and the educational experience at Bay Path University. The Faculty Assembly is a venue for academic discussions on matters relevant to the day-to-day responsibilities of the teaching faculty. In addition, the faculty assembly may make recommendations to the University on academic policies and procedures, curricula and programs of study, academic policies that affect all faculty, and other issues that affect academic affairs.

Membership and Meetings

All individuals with faculty status*, including full-time administrators and BPO academic directors, are members of the Faculty Assembly. Other members of the university community may be invited to attend meetings of the Faculty Assembly, but will not have voting privileges. The Faculty Chair is responsible for ensuring that all members are heard in the discussion forum, that relevant information is communicated to the entire assembly in a timely manner, and that the appropriate academic administrators are available to attend all meetings. Decisions will be made by a majority vote of the attendees, provided that a quorum is present. To conduct official business, a quorum must be present, and the quorum will be 50% of the members. Recommendations of the Faculty Assembly will be submitted to the Faculty Chair, who will advance the recommendation(s) to the Academic and Student Affairs Cabinet, Vice President for Academic Affairs, or other relevant administrative bodies.

The Faculty Assembly will meet four times per year (twice in the fall semester and twice in the spring semester) at regularly scheduled times and at special meetings called by the Faculty Chair or by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. At least one meeting of the Faculty Assembly each semester will include only individuals with faculty status.  A minimum of one week's notice is required for scheduling special meetings of the Faculty Assembly. An agenda and materials being considered for discussion will be distributed approximately one week before scheduled meetings.

Minutes of the meetings will be recorded, approved by the Faculty Assembly, distributed to faculty and administrators, and filed in the Academic Affairs Office. Meeting agendas and minutes are available on the Academic Affairs Resource Site on BPU Community. The Academic Affairs Resource page on BPU Community serves as a central repository for information related to Academic Affairs. It is accessible at https://one.baypath.edu/dashboard to all members of the BPU Community.

*At Bay Path University, a person is considered to have faculty status if their job description includes teaching and a teaching load as core responsibilities. Some individuals with faculty status may have reduced expectations for the amount of teaching they do, given other responsibilities assigned to them, such as academic administrative roles related to curriculum and instruction. These individuals are also assigned an administrative title such as Department Chair, Program Director, Academic Director, Coordinator, Assistant, or Associate Dean. All individuals with faculty status are members of our academic community, and their active involvement in the Faculty Assembly and other faculty discussions is expected and greatly appreciated.
 

Formal Process for Communication of Faculty Assembly Recommendations and VPAA Response

Purpose: To ensure consistent, transparent, and timely collaboration, communication, and documentation between the Faculty Assembly and the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). 

Process: 

1. Faculty Assembly Vote and Recommendation Submission

   1. Documentation of Recommendation

      After a formal vote, the Faculty Chair, with assistance from the Faculty Liaisons, shall draft a recommendation report that includes:

      1. Voting outcome.

      2. Summary of discussion and rationale.

      3. Date of the vote.

      4. The recommendation language.

   2. Submission to VPAA

      1. The Faculty Chair shall submit the final recommendation report to the VPAA within 5 business days of the vote.

      2. Submission must be in writing and include any supplemental materials (e.g., relevant policies, data, proposals).

   3. Acknowledgment of Receipt

      1. The VPAA’s office shall acknowledge receipt of the recommendation within 3 business days.

2. VPAA Review and Response

   1. Review Period

      1. The VPAA will conduct a review of the recommendation and consult with relevant stakeholders (e.g., deans, legal counsel, other administrative units) as appropriate.

   2. Formal Response Timeline

      1. A formal written response will be provided by the VPAA within 15 business days of receipt.

      2. If additional time is needed due to the complexity of the recommendation, the VPAA shall notify the Faculty Chair within the 15-day window and provide a revised timeline not to exceed 30 business days.

   3. Submission of Response to Faculty Chair 

      1. The Response must be in writing and include the following:

         1. Decision: Approved, Approved with Modifications, Deferred for Further Discussion, or Not Approved.

         2. Rationale for the decision.

         3. Next steps or required actions (if applicable).

3. Presentation of VPAA Response to Faculty Assembly

   1. The Faculty Chair, or a designated Faculty Liaison in the Chair’s absence, shall present the formal response from the VPAA at the next scheduled Faculty Assembly meeting following receipt of the response.

   2. The presentation shall include:

      1. The full content of the VPAA’s response.

      2. An opportunity for faculty to ask clarifying questions.

      3. Documentation of the presentation in the official meeting minutes.

   3. If the response includes action items, the Faculty Assembly shall discuss appropriate follow-up, including the potential need for additional recommendations or committee review.

4. Documentation

   1. University Records

      1. All recommendations and responses shall be archived by the Office of the VPAA and by the Faculty Assembly in a shared governance documentation repository.