Curriculum Committee Bylaws
Article I – Name
The official name of this Committee is the Blinn College District Curriculum Committee.
Article II – Purpose and Responsibilities of the Committee
The Blinn College District Curriculum Committee’s purpose is to review, analyze, and recommend edits on proposed instructional matters to ensure that the college maintains high instructional standards.
The responsibilities of this faculty-driven committee are, among others, the consideration, modification, and adoption of new and revised courses as well as the deletion of courses or programs. Curricular changes required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or accrediting body may be submitted as a notification item not requiring an official committee vote.
Article III – Membership
The Curriculum Committee’s membership shall consist of:
- A full-time faculty member per division, recommended for a two-year term by the Division Dean and approved by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
- An instructional Dean representing each division
- Ex-Officio Members include:
- Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
- Vice Chancellor for Applied Sciences, Workforce, and Economic Development
- Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness
- Campus Executive Deans
- Dean of Academic Affairs
- Dean of Distance Education
- Directors of Academic Advising & Counseling Services
- Director of Library Services (two-year terms alternating between Directors of Brenham and Bryan campuses)
- Registrar
The full membership list may be found at:
https://www.blinn.edu/administration/academic-committees.html
Article IV – Voting Privileges
Each division shall have one leadership vote and one faculty vote on all matters put before the committee. Items may be approved by electronic vote if deemed necessary by the Chair.
A proxy, who is not already a voting member, may be selected to vote and otherwise represent a division. The Chair must be notified of a proxy no later than the beginning of a meeting for which a proxy has been appointed.
Article V – Defining a Quorum
If at any time during a meeting a quorum is not present, no further votes shall be taken. For a quorum to be present, there should be no less than half of the voting membership in both the leadership and the faculty representation.
Article VI – Procedures for Proposal Submission and Archival
Proposal submission and archival methods are to be found in the Appendix. (Link)
Article VII – Officers and Elections
All Curriculum Committee officers must be faculty members to ensure a faculty-led review process.
The Curriculum Committee shall have three elected officers:
- Curriculum Committee Chair
- Curriculum Chair-Elect
- Curriculum Committee Secretary
Officers are elected on a bi-annual basis by vote of the membership. This vote will be held during the last scheduled April monthly meeting of the applicable academic year.
The officers will be elected for a term of two years, assuming office at the beginning of the subsequent academic year. The elected Chair’s division shall appoint an additional full-time faculty member for voting representation.
Article VIII – Duties of the Chair
The Curriculum Committee Chair shall be responsible for conducting all business brought before the Curriculum Committee.
The Chair shall:
- Set the meeting schedule for the academic year
- Compose and share the agenda prior to committee meetings
- Conduct all meetings by Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, In Brief, by Henry M. Robert III, subject to modifications made in these Bylaws
- Advise the preparers of all Course Proposals and Master Course Syllabi
- Process all approvals by the general body
- Ensure that the Curriculum Committee website is up to date
- Coordinate all business and train the Chair-Elect
- Announce, at the beginning of each academic year, voting members including academic divisions
- Vote on a proposal in case of a tie
Article IX – Duties of the Chair-Elect
The Chair–Elect shall:
- Serve as Chair when necessary
- Become familiar with all aspects of the Chair role
Article X – Duties of the Secretary
The Curriculum Committee Secretary is the recording officer of the Committee and the custodian of agendas and meeting minutes, including the archives to be held in the Brenham Campus Library and electronically through the Curriculum Committee website.
The Secretary shall:
- Keep accurate minutes of all proceedings according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, In Brief, by Henry M. Robert III
- Keep a roll of the members present
- At the end of the academic year, submit agendas and minutes for physical archival to the Brenham Campus Library as well as submit the same documents for electronic archival on the Curriculum Committee website
Article XI – Amending These Bylaws
Proposed changes must be announced at least one week in advance of the meeting in which they will be considered. For changes to be adopted, a two-thirds vote is required as well as ratification by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
By-Laws Approved at Regular Meeting on April 21, 2023