Constituent Committee Rules

Composition and Member Appointment Process

A constituent committee is a governance body composed of representatives from each of the four constituent groups: Associated Students of Skyline College, Academic Senate, Classified Senate, and Management Council. Constituent Committees are charged by CGC to consider, investigate, recommend, or report on college-wide matters. Constituent Committee membership must include representation for the four constituent groups, at a minimum, and may include divisional representation, if appropriate.

The number of representatives for each constituent group (and the number of divisional representatives, if appropriate), that serve on a given constituent committee, will be recommended by CGC with input from subject matter experts at the College. The recommended constituent committee composition guideline is to limit the size of each committee to the smallest number of people required to fulfill the committee charge with appropriate representation from each constituent group.

Meeting Frequency

Constituent committees meet during the fall and spring semesters. The frequency and duration of constituent committee meetings should be the minimum frequency and duration required to fulfill the committee charge, but is not to exceed four hours of meeting time each month, or 12 hours per semester. All committee work is expected to take place during committee meeting time (i.e., no ‘homework.’) with the exception of committee chair planning meetings. If completion of the committee charge requires additional time beyond 4 hours per month (12 hours per semester), the committee may establish a task group (a short-term group created and charged by a Constituent Committee or Council/Senate, that carries out a specific task).

Orientation and Onboarding

Per BP 2510, at the beginning of each semester, designated student members on District and College committees shall be provided with an orientation conducted by the committee chairperson or other senior member of the committee within the first two meetings of the committee. Skyline College further calls on constituent committees to facilitate and enhance student participation by sending one or more committee representatives to ASSC orientation at the start of the fall semester, and by designating a senior constituent committee member to serve as liaison to student members.

Additionally, CGC and all constituent committees are required to dedicate all or part of the first regular meeting of the academic year to communicate the committee charge and expectations for members, provide any necessary training for new members, and ensure that members are prepared to fully participate in the business of the committee.

Communication and Feedback Mechanism

Each member of a constituent committee is appointed as a representative of either their constituent group or of a college division. Members are responsible for communicating with their constituents about the work of the committee and for soliciting feedback from constituents to bring back to the committee. The appointing body determines the most effective mechanism for maintaining the two-way communication (e.g., verbal reports and constituent group/division meetings, written updates, etc.,) The goal is to ensure transparency and opportunity for comment as action items make their way through the participatory governance process. It is the responsibility of each appointing group to ensure that its representative is communicating pertinent information in a timely manner and effectively representing the interests of the constituent group or college division.

To ensure adequate time to review action items and any materials deemed relevant to action items, College Governance Council and Constituent Committees will require a first read (and optional second read) for all action items, with exceptions allowed with unanimous vote in the applicable participatory governance body).

If the College President or other primary decision maker rejects a recommendation of the College Governance Council, the College President or other primary decision maker will provide a written explanation to the Council members of why the recommendation was not accepted. In addition, the College President or other primary decision maker will include a statement to the individual or group to which the decision is to be forwarded (usually the Chancellor or Board of Trustees) that their recommendation differs from the Skyline College Governance Council.

Changes to Constituent Committee Structures and/or Processes

Skyline College’s participatory governance structures are periodically reviewed to ensure alignment with institutional needs, evolving priorities, and shared governance principles.

Any proposed structural changes to college constituent committees, such as forming a new constituent committee, merging existing ones, or redefining constituent committee responsibilities require CGC review, approval and subsequent recommendation to the College President for the final decision. CGC may establish a process to study the proposal and possible alternatives, before adding the proposal to a meeting agenda for action (voting). College Governance Council makes a formal recommendation to the College President, who holds final approval authority for changes to the constituent committee governance structures and processes.

Transparency, Documentation and Communication Practices

Website Updates

All participatory governance bodies are required to review and update their website or webpage on the College Website to ensure consistency and accuracy. Constituent Committee websites must be designed in accordance with MCPR guidelines and include at a minimum:

• Committee Name
• Committee Description
• Responsibilities/Charge
• Membership
  • Chairs
  • Voting members and which constituent body or group each represents
• Any non-voting members
• Meeting Information:
  • Meeting schedule (See section xx below)
  • Link to Zoom meeting if appropriate
  • Meeting Agendas (posted at least 48 hours before each meeting)
  • Meeting Minutes (Using recommended template)
  • Meeting Materials (Any meeting presentations or handouts)

Agendas and Minutes

To ensure open, transparent, and consistent communication across and beyond all participatory governance bodies, all CGC and constituent committees are required to publicly post meeting agendas in advance of meetings and share draft meeting minutes after meetings prior to minutes approval. Constituent committees are required to post the agendas at least 72 hours prior to constituent committee meetings, and to post approved minutes to the constituent committee’s website within five business days after approval.

Clear definitions of agenda item types ensure meetings are transparent, structured, and effective. When members understand whether an item is presented for action, information, discussion, they can prepare and participate more appropriately and fully. To help ensure transparency and equitable participation in participatory governance processes, constituent committee agenda items must clearly indicate next to the agenda item the type of agenda item that it is (e.g., action item, informational item, discussion item, etc.).

The College has adopted a standard template for meeting agendas and meeting minutes to be used by CGC and all constituent committees for meetings.

CGC and all constituent committees are required to follow the recommended practices and website format for posting agendas, minutes, and materials outlined below: