By-Laws

By-Laws

James M. Clark Center for Global Engagement

State University of New York College at Cortland

I. Purpose

The purpose of the Clark Center for Global Engagement shall be to advance international education, service, and scholarship on the SUNY Cortland campus; to provide an integrated framework to organize and promote all aspects of international education, service and scholar-ship; and to promote a full appreciation of and involvement with the global community. The center shall be concerned with both on campus and off campus, academic and non-academic programs.

II. Governance of the Center

A. Policy for the center is established by the Council of the Clark Center for Global Engagement [hereafter, the Council].
B. Administrative coordination of the center is the responsibility of the director who reports to the provost and vice president for academic affairs.
C. The Council shall meet a minimum of six times during the academic year. Meetings are open to the campus community.
D. Policy, program development and issues needing immediate action will be primarily developed by the Steering Committee whose members are derived from the Clark Center Council. The Steering Committee will meet at least every two weeks.

III. Council Membership and Terms of Service

A. The Council consists of up to 20 voting members with a variable number of ex-officio members. Members identified by an asterisk (*) indicate those who will serve on the Clark Center Steering Committee:

Voting Members

1. Admissions director or designee
2. Africana studies chair
3. Curriculum Internationalization Initiatives Committee chair*
4. Education Abroad Engagement Committee chair*
5. Faculty/Staff Internationalization and Development Committee chair*
6. International Programs Office director*
7. International Students/Scholars Committee chair*
8. International Studies Program coordinator (if other than the Clark Center director)*
9. Modern Languages chair or designee
10. Project on Eastern and Central Europe chair
11. Residential Life and Housing director or designee
12. Trans Africa Project co-chair or designee
13. Up to four additional at-large members added by a two-thirds vote of the Council, (to serve for two-year renewable terms). At least one should come from the teacher training field. Up to two of these at-large members may serve on the Steering Committee (*) by invitation of the Clark Center director
    
    Representative (Non-Voting) Members
     
14. Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Program chair/designee
15. Assistant provost for teacher education
16. Assistant vice-provost for student achievement
17. Deans and associate deans of arts and sciences, education and professional studies.
18. International Programs Office — all staff
19. Latin American Studies Program chair or designee
20. Provost or designee
21. Representative from the Research and Sponsored Programs Office

B. A quorum (a majority plus one) of the Council consists of a majority of the currently seated voting members and is required for the Council to take action. 

IV. Officers, Council Members, Steering Committee

A. Clark Center Director

1. The director shall be selected by the provost and vice-president of academic affairs and shall serve in the role of director until it is determined, by either party, that a new director should be appointed.
2. Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, the Clark Center director will also serve as the coordinator of the International Studies Program.

B. Responsibilities of the Clark Center director

1. Provide leadership and coordinate the operations of the center as guided by its by-laws and goals and objectives.
2. Convene and facilitate meetings of the Council and the Steering Committee; prepare agenda for meetings.
3. Act as spokesperson for the center, Council, and for the Steering Committee when needed.
4. Prepare and manage the center budget; bring requests for funding (from outside the center) to the Council for consideration; discuss substantial funding outlays (over $400) for center business with the Council and Steering Committee.
5. Prepare an annual report and submit it to the Council and provost and vice-president for academic affairs.

D. Composition of the Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is composed of:

a. the director of the Clark Center

b. the coordinator of the International Studies Program

c. the director of the International Programs Office

d. the chairs of the Initiatives Standing Committees

e. up to two at-large members

E. Responsibilities of the Steering Committee:

Conduct the business of the center including coordination of the activities of committees, recommending policy for the center and recommending issues/topics of discussion for the Council.

F. Meetings of the Steering Committee are open to all members of the Council.

G. The Council may request that any issue be put on the Council agenda for discussion.

V. Committees of the Council

A. Initiatives Standing Committees (chairs of these committees also serve on the Steering Committee):

1. Faculty/Staff Internationalization and Development Committee: to work on programs and initiatives that provide opportunities for faculty and staff to engage in innovative internationalization activities that furthers teaching, research and career development.
2. International Student and Scholar Committee: to work on recruitment of international students and scholars to campus and to create protocols, programming and support systems designed to continuously improve their experience at the College.
3. Curricular Internationalization Initiatives Committee: to promote specific cultural and intellectual events, participate in the development of new programs, and promote community involvement, cooperate with other programs and offices on campus.
4. Education Abroad Engagement Committee: to review and improve marketing and recruitment for study abroad and exchange programs, address student travel concerns, and improve the academic interface between cooperating institutions (here and abroad).

B. Administrative Standing Committees (at least one member of each of the following committees should also be a voting member of the Council).

1. Study Abroad and Exchange Programs Review Committee (a provost-appointed committee): to work with the International Programs Office on review of existing programs and the development of new programs, including developing a review process for the proposal of new study abroad and exchange programs. The committee should consist of at least one (preferably two) faculty members from each school and any additional members deemed necessary by the Council. Recommendations of potential members for this committee will be made by the Council and submitted to the provost.
2. International Celebration Committee: to work to develop programming for the annual International Celebration events. This will include the selection of the recipient of the annual Internationalization Award.
3. Grants and Fundraising Committee: to research grant possibilities, assist individuals and programs in the pursuit of outside grants in conjunction with the Research and Sponsored Programs Office and to work in cooperation with the Division of Institutional Advancement in the area of fundraising for international activities.

C. Ad hoc Committees

By-laws: A By-Laws Committee shall be convened as appropriate. It shall be comprised of three members of the Council and is responsible for drafting, as needed, policy documents governing the structure and operation of the center.

D. Committee Membership, Organization, and Scope of Action 

1. The director will appoint committee members as needed. Members will be drawn from faculty, administrators, professional and classified staff, and students in consultation with committee chairs and the Council.
2. Committee members who are not members of the Council of the center have voting rights in committee but not in the Council. Committee members may participate fully in the deliberations of the Council.
3. Chairs of committees are elected by a majority vote of the respective committee members.
4. All committee actions must be reported to Council. Major actions of committees must have the approval of the Council.

VI. By-laws

A. The by-laws of the center must be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Council.

B. Amendments to the by-laws must be proposed by an ad hoc by-laws committee, ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Council.

C. Meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order, revised. These by-laws become effective upon ratification of two-thirds of the Council and approval by appropriate administrative officers of the College and the president. 

This copy revised: October 2011