VI. The Science Advisory Committee (SAC)

A. Purposes:
1. SAC is the principal decision making body in the division's shared governance. SAC shall therefore be responsible for decisions regarding the activities and functions of the division.
2. SAC shall provide assistance in the formation, updating, and implementation of division goals and objectives.
3. SAC may set policies and procedures for the division. (See section D of this item.)
4. SAC may defer any decision to the division to be considered at a division meeting.

B. Organization:
1. SAC shall be composed of the nonvoting division chair and five (5) voting members. There shall be one division member from each of the four teaching areas (anatomy/physiology, chemistry, physical science, and biology) and one representative of the division's support staff. The division chair shall function as SAC chairperson. A recording secretary shall be a division secretary.
2. The SAC chair is the division chair. In cases of short-term absences of the division chair, SAC will elect a spokesperson from among the current SAC representatives.
3. Rotation of SAC representatives shall take place at the beginning of each fall term for a four-quarter term of office (fall, winter, spring, summer). Each individual in each representative group must rotate into SAC service on a regular schedule, except when representation is excused by SAC approval.
4. New contracted staff, except temporary replacements, will ordinarily first serve on SAC in their second complete year at the college. Exceptions will be made when more than two persons who have never served previously would be scheduled in the same year. In such cases, SAC will determine an appropriate new rotation within discipline groups.

C. Scheduling meetings and agendas:
1. SAC meetings shall be conducted according to the "good meeting" guidelines. See Appendix A.
2. SAC shall meet weekly or as needed or as necessary during fall, winter and spring quarters at a regularly scheduled hour which is convenient to the working schedules of the members. In the event that a SAC representative cannot attend a SAC meeting, (s)he shall appoint an alternate to represent his/her area for that meeting.
3. Special SAC meetings may be called at the request of any SAC member.
4. No SAC meeting, regular or special, shall last more than one hour unless extended by consensus of the SAC members.
5. The agenda shall be prepared and distributed at least one (1) working day before SAC is to meet.
6. For all considerations by SAC, members will make recommendation for procedures to the chair and/or to the division.
7. In the event that a division member objects to a decision by the SAC, that division member may request his/her SAC representative bring the topic up at a subsequent meeting of the SAC.
8. SAC meetings are open to all science staff; formal representation of the division in a SAC meeting is by the SAC representative for that school year.

D. Specific functions:
1. Communications:
a. SAC shall be briefed weekly, if there are agenda items, by the division chair on administrative details, changes, problems, and accomplishments within the Science Division and College.
b. Each SAC member shall bring before SAC concerns of the group (s)he represents.
c. Each SAC member shall communicate pertinent information from SAC meetings to the group (s)he represents.
d. SAC shall support the division chair in communications with the college administration and other college divisions.
e. Minutes of each SAC meeting shall be distributed to each division member as soon as reasonable after the meeting.
f. SAC representatives shall schedule a minimum of one discipline meeting each term.
2. Curriculum and Scheduling:
a. SAC shall approve all new programs and major changes in existing programs before they are submitted to the Curriculum Committee.
b. SAC shall participate in the development of the yearly schedule.

3. Cooperation: SAC shall promote cooperation among staff members and groups of staff members in the division.
4. Work load: SAC shall, when requested by the division chair or any faculty member or group of faculty members, review and approve the work load of division members in accordance with collective bargaining agreements and college policy.
5. Budget:
a. SAC shall review and approve the general budget for the division to be submitted to the administration for funding.
b. Requests for division travel funds by division members shall require approval by the SAC. SAC shall be informed of other professional development activities in the division approved from other funding sources.
6. Grievances: Any division member may ask SAC for assistance in the staff evaluation process or in any other problem or grievance. Upon receipt of such a request, SAC shall notify all persons involved, hold appropriate meetings, and attempt to resolve the problem within the division.
7. Other duties: SAC shall carry out all other duties delegated to it in this manual.