Professional Education Council

Bylaws of the Professional Education Council

In recognition that the essential purpose of programs designed to prepare professional staff for schools is to provide for and improve upon the education of school children, this document is created to specify the membership and general authority of the elected representatives of the Teacher Education Faculty at the University of Northern Colorado, which shall be known as the Professional Education Council, with the provision that articles subscribed to here shall be consistent with the Constitution of the University of Northern Colorado Faculty. 

Board of Trustees Policy Manual (PDF) 

• Article I: Name 

  • Section 1. The Name. The organization defined by these bylaws shall be called the University of Northern Colorado Professional Education Council (PEC).

• Article II: Purpose
  • • Section 1. The Purpose of the PEC. The Professional Education Council (PEC) is a representative faculty council, as defined in 2-3-104(3), Representative Faculty Committees, of the Board Policy Manual, that is established to represent and act on behalf of the Teacher Education Faculty, as defined in 2-3-107(4)(a), The Professional Education Council (PEC), of the Board Policy Manual, in the governance of teacher education programs in the University and to fulfill the duties assigned to it below. The dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences shall have the authority and responsibility for the overall administration and coordination of teacher education programs.
    • Section 2. Responsibilities. The PEC shall have the following responsibilities and duties:
      • To recommend overall goals for the teacher education program;
      • To recommend policies for student admission, retention, and exit requirement for the teacher education programs;
      • To recommend policies for professional development;
      • To recommend policies, in consultation with affected academic units, for teacher education program design, implementation, operation, evaluation, modification, and decision-making, including specification of required courses;
      • To ensure that all teacher education programs comply with all applicable rules and standards including professional teacher education accreditation standards;
      • To adopt and revise rules of operation for its bylaws; and
      • To perform any other relevant duty assigned to it by the chair with consent of the PEC. (as per Board Policy Manual 2-3-107(4)(e))
    • Section 3. Relationship with the Faculty Senate. The chair of the PEC shall report to the Faculty Senate and shall submit a written summary of the PEC's actions to the Faculty Senate each year before June 30. Each policy recommended by the PEC shall be forwarded to the Faculty Senate for approval, and unless vetoed by the Faculty Senate within 30 working days of its receipt by the Faculty Senate, which must include two regularly scheduled meetings of the Faculty Senate, shall be deemed to have been approved by the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate may not veto any proposed policy which is mandated by Colorado legal requirements, rules/standards of the Colorado State Board of Education, or any professional teacher education accreditation standards. (as per Board Policy Manual 2-3-107(4)(f))
    • Section 4. Relationship to the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. The dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences shall provide staff and support services to the PEC. (as per Board Policy Manual 2-3-107(4)(g))
• Article III: Members
  • Section 1. Members. The PEC shall consist of voting members, advisory (non-voting) members, and ex-officio (non-voting) members.
  • Section 2. Voting Members. Voting members of the PEC are faculty who represent the Teacher Education Faculty.
    • Subsection a. The voting members of the PEC shall consist of thirteen (13) elected Teacher Education Faculty designated as follows from the licensure levels:
      • Secondary PTEP 2
      • Elementary PTEP 2
      • Early Childhood 1
      • K-12 PTEP (Music) 1
      • K-12 PTEP (P.E) 1
      • K-12 PTEP (Sp. Ed.) 1
      • K-12 PTEP (Art) 1
      • Faculty at Large 3
      • Graduate/Post-baccalaureate Licensure 1
      • 13
    • Subsection b. Only members of the Teacher Education Faculty in good standing may be elected to the PEC. With the exception of members at large, elected members must be affiliated with said PTEP or appropriate licensure program.
    • Subsection c. Voting members of the PEC shall be elected by the Teacher Education Faculty. The election shall be conducted during the spring term of each academic year. Approximately one-third of voting members shall be elected each year.
    • Subsection d. The terms of office for faculty representatives shall be three (3) years, beginning July 1 of the year elected.
    • Subsection e. In case of vacancy or resignation from the PEC during the term, the Chair of the PEC shall request a special election of the Teacher Education Faculty through the Faculty Senate to complete the term.
  • Section 3. Non-voting Members
    • Subsection a. Advisory Members Advisory members of the PEC are non-voting members who represent non-faculty stakeholders of teacher education.
      • i. Advisory members of the PEC are the dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences or his/her designee, two (2) student members (one undergraduate and one graduate), four (4) public school representatives from partner schools in each licensure program (i.e., Secondary, Elementary, Early Childhood, and K–12), and any other person(s) appointed by the chair with the consent of the PEC.
      • ii. The student members and public school representatives shall be appointed by the dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences.
      • iii. The term of advisory members shall be one year beginning July 1 of the academic year appointed, except for the dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences who will serve on the PEC on a permanent basis.
      • iv. In case of vacancy or resignation of an advisory member from the PEC during the term, the dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences will appoint a replacement.
    • Subsection b. Ex-Officio Members. Ex-officio members are non-voting members who represent areas of the University related to teacher education.
      • i. Ex-officio members are (1) a faculty representative appointed by the Undergraduate Council (UGC), (2) a faculty representative appointed by the Graduate Council (GC), and (3) a faculty librarian appointed by the dean of University Libraries.
      • ii. The term of an ex-officio member shall be one year but the member may be reappointed by the appointing body.
      • iii. A majority vote of the PEC shall be required to remove any ex-officio member.
      • iv. In case of vacancy or resignation of an ex-officio member from the PEC during the term, the appointing body will designate a replacement.
• Article IV: Officers
  • Section 1. The Officers. The officers of the PEC shall be a chair and a vice-chair.
  • Section 2. Elections. The vice-chair shall be elected at the first meeting in April each year or at another meeting as determined by the voting members. Nominees for this position shall be selected from the members of the council who have continuing terms on the council.
  • Section 3. Term of Office. The elected vice-chair shall serve in that position for one year, and then as chair during the following year. Terms of office shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30 the following year.
  • Section 4. Duties of the Chair of the PEC. The chair of the PEC shall perform the following duties (or delegate as appropriate): preside over all PEC meetings, including (i) state and put to vote all motions, (ii) enforce all rules of debate, (iii) maintain order and decorum, (iv) respond to parliamentary inquiries, points of order, and other motions that require his/her action, and (v) maintain impartiality; facilitate the normal transaction of PEC business, including authenticate by his/her signature, when necessary, any documents relevant to the council; report to the Faculty Senate and submit a written summary of the PEC's actions to the Faculty Senate each year before June 30; serve as voting member of the Faculty Senate and the Academic Policies Committee.
  • Section 5. Duties of the Vice-Chair of the PEC. The vice-chair of the PEC shall perform the following duties:
    • assist the chair;
    • act as chair in the chair's absence.
• Article V: Committees
  •  Section 1. Committees. The PEC shall have the power to create, charge, and discharge committees, standing and ad hoc, accountable to it.
  • Section 2. Reports. The PEC may schedule regular or special reports from its committees; it may approve such reports in part or as a whole; it may amend them; it may return them to the committee for revision or for additional information or recommendations.
• Article VI: Meetings
   

  • Section 1. Regular PEC Meetings. The PEC shall ordinarily meet on the third Thursday of every month during the academic year, as permitted by the academic calendar.
    • Subsection a. At the first meeting in the fall, the chair shall present a yearly schedule of meetings.
  • Section 2. Committee Meetings. Committees of the PEC shall meet at times determined by the members of the committees.
  • Section 3. Special PEC Meetings. Special meetings of the PEC may be called at anytime by the PEC chair. The vice-chair may call for special meetings in the absence of the chair.
  • Section 4. Quorum.
    • Subsection a. In all meetings of the PEC, the presence of a majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
    • Subsection b. Ballots in paper or electronic form shall be an acceptable way of reaching quorum and conducting business. Members unable to attend regular meetings may submit a proxy vote through another voting member of the committee. Ballots and proxy votes shall be submitted to the PEC's recording secretary prior to the meeting.
  • Section 5. Parliamentary Procedures. The current edition of Robert's Rules of Order governs the PEC in any parliamentary situations that are not provided for in the law or in its constitution, bylaws or adopted rules.
  • Section 6. Record Keeping. The PEC shall keep regular minutes and records of their proceedings.
    • Subsection a. The dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences shall provide a recording secretary to the PEC.
    • Subsection b. The PEC's recording secretary shall record, keep, and distribute accurate minutes of the meetings. He or she will also keep files with all documents pertinent to the PEC.
    • Subsection c. Each committee shall keep accurate records of its action items; the committee chair or designated member is responsible for the record keeping.
• Article VII: Amendment Procedures
  •  Section 1. Proposed Amendments. Amendments to these bylaws may be initiated by written petition of at least ten percent (10%) of the Teacher Education Faculty or by four voting members of the PEC.
  • Section 2. Adoption of Amendments. Adoption of amendments to these bylaws shall occur by the members of the PEC at any regular or special meeting by a two-thirds vote of voting members, provided that previous notice of the proposed change was given to all PEC members at least five working days in advance.