Faculty Senate committees and their duties:

1. Academic Freedom, Promotion and Tenure: responsibilities include all issues related to academic freedom and Specifically, it shall evaluate the credentials of and make recommendations to the President of Northern New Mexico College on Faculty members who are eligible for tenure or promotion in academic rank.
2. Budget Review: The Budget Review Committee shall be comprised of representatives from each department/college (with the exception of deans).  Recommendations of the committee will be forwarded to the Provost who will advocate for the Faculty in the budget process.
3. Undergraduate Curriculum: responsibilities include all issues related to the instructional curriculum at the undergraduate level. Specifically, it shall analyze certificates, degrees, courses, and programs and recommend any changes deemed necessary. In addition, it shall certify that the membership includes representatives from all vocational and academic areas. This committee shall specify both normal and emergency procedures for approval of new courses and new programs. Curriculum Committee Handbook.
4. Honors Committee: responsibilities shall include the nomination of candidates for honorary degrees. It is expected that the committee gives careful study to the selection of candidates for honorary degrees and attempts to select the most appropriate candidates, keeping in mind the present interests and functions of the College and the anticipated development of the College. Suggestions of candidates for honorary degrees may originate in the committee, may be made to the committee by any individuals, or may originate in a Faculty Senate action that is referred to the committee.
   • NNMC Honorary Degree Policy
   • NNMC Honorary Degree Nomination Form
   • NNMC Honorary Degree Selection Flowchart
5. Personnel: responsibilities include all issues related to Faculty positions. Specifically it shall review proposed changes in the Faculty Handbook, improve the professional development and sabbatical programs, consult on changes in the number of Faculty positions, review changes in the Faculty Constitution and by-laws, provide input to the administration in the development of the Faculty salary matrix, and make recommendations for salary changes. Further, it should insure that all Faculty Constitution and Faculty Handbook procedures are followed fairly and correctly.
6. Academic Standards: responsibilities include all issues related to academic standards. Specifically, it shall review policies governing the transference and validation of credits, admissions, academic advising, and shall review requirements for honors and degrees, hear cases of plagiarism, cheating, or improper conduct and appeals of readmission or change of grade.
7. The President’s Faculty Advisory Committee: the purpose of this committee shall be to advise the President of the College upon matters of college policy, particularly when subjects of great urgency or delicacy require immediate consultation. It shall consist of three members chosen from the Faculty Senate. No more than one member from any one academic constituency of the College can be represented on the Committee. Potential members are nominated by the Faculty Senate at the first meeting of the academic year; nominees shall be elected by the Senate to serve for three-year terms on this committee. Terms will be staggered such that one new member is elected each year. The Committee shall elect its chairman annually. The President of the Senate shall be an ex officio
8. Educational Policy: the duties of this committee shall include examining the academic structure of the institution and any changes in this structure. It shall also provide advice on these matters to the President of the College and the Board of Regents. For the purposes of the committee, “academic structure” includes the establishment or discontinuation of new schools and colleges within the institution, the distribution of departments and programs among these schools and colleges, and the administrative oversight of the schools and colleges.
9. Graduate Curriculum: responsibilities include all issues related to the instructional curriculum at the graduate level. Specifically, it shall analyze new and existing degrees, courses, and programs and recommend any changes deemed necessary. In addition, it shall certify that membership shall include faculty who have experience in teaching at the graduate level. This committee shall specify both normal and emergency procedures for approval of new courses and new programs.
10. General Education: responsibilities include all issues related to general education for undergraduate students. The committee shall make recommendations to the Faculty Senate regarding General Education. It shall work in collaboration, when appropriate, with the undergraduate curriculum committee. The General Education Committee shall ensure that the general education requirements satisfy the General Education Common Core Competencies established by the State of New Mexico.

Faculty Senators and terms of service:

The Faculty Senate shall consist of Senators elected from and by the members of the constituent units of the College.  Three members should be elected from the College of Arts and Sciences, one member elected from each of the remaining four colleges, and two to represent the adjunct faculty. Each member from the College of Arts and Sciences should come from a different department.  The units to be represented are all the academic and career educational programs within the five recognized colleges (Business Administration, Education, Nursing and Health Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Technology).  Elections shall take place during the meeting of the Faculty Association that is held during August when Faculty reconvenes. Elected members of the Faculty Senate serve for a period of three consecutive years except in the event of resignations or termination of employment by Northern New Mexico College.  Election of Senators representing the adjunct faculty shall take place by electronic ballot during the first week of the fall semester.

Terms of elected Senators shall be for three years, except for adjunct faculty Senators, who shall serve one-year terms. Senators may be re-elected for one consecutive term. An exception to the term limitation shall be made for units that consist of a single faculty member.

Chairs of standing committees of the Faculty Senate shall serve as Senators, ex- officio, with partial voting rights (that is they cannot vote for the election of the Faculty Senate President and/or Vice President).