The Faculty Senate, a body of the college independent of the administration, provides recommendations to the president or Provost, or both.

The president or Provost, or both, consults with the Executive Committee on all major academic policy matters, and all decisions that the president/provost and the Executive Committee jointly evaluate as significantly affecting the programs of an academic unit of the college, are reviewed with the Senate.

Ranked and non-probationary unranked faculty (those with more than two semesters of teaching at CCA) have Faculty Senate voting privileges. Probationary unranked faculty and emeritus faculty may attend meetings and contribute their views but do not have Faculty Senate voting privileges.

At its discretion, in consultation with the Provost, the Executive Committee may extend voting privileges to other faculty on specific matters.

Matters may be placed before the Senate for a vote by the Executive Committee. Matters may also be placed before the Senate for a vote by a motion from the floor of the Senate, if the motion receives a simple majority (50 percent plus one) of voting members in attendance.

Before a matter is voted on by the Senate, it must be brought to a Senate meeting for discussion. At this meeting, amendments may be made by motion from the floor of the Senate, if the motion receives a simple majority of voting members in attendance.

Official balloting may be done electronically or by mail; ballots are returned to the Office of Academic Affairs for confidential counting.