Constitution of the Claremont Colleges

ARTICLE I. MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

POMONA COLLEGE, CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY, CLAREMONT UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM, SCRIPPS COLLEGE, CLAREMONT McKENNA COLLEGE, HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE, PITZER COLLEGE, AND THE KECK GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES (hereinafter "The Claremont Colleges") hereby adopt this revised Constitution for the purpose of defining and regulating their mutual interests and objectives in the promotion of higher education and fostering the consortium in the spirit of cooperation, goodwill and mutual support.

ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES

To develop and maintain at Claremont, California, a center of undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic institutions cooperating with each other to enhance the educational quality of all The Claremont Colleges.
To maintain in each of the colleges the personalized instruction and the other educational advantages inherent in small colleges.
By common action through the central coordinating institution, to provide facilities, educational advantages, libraries and other scholarly resources, central programs and services, the endowment and operating funds so required, and an intellectual climate of the character found in universities of the highest quality.
To provide academic cooperation and interchange among The Claremont Colleges including student cross registration, joint faculty appointments and cooperative academic programs, and coordinated academic staffing.
To maintain colleges and other educational institutions of limited enrollment.
To found and develop such new colleges and educational institutions or programs as sound educational plans and new resources make practicable and to acquire and hold the land to accommodate the founding of such institutions.
To engage in fund raising to support the above objectives.
To review periodically these objectives to assure their responsiveness to the needs of the constituent institutions and their environment.

ARTICLE III. GROUP NAME

The parties hereto and other members which may become parties shall be collectively known as "The Claremont Colleges" and this name shall be used wherever appropriate in publications and printed matter. Claremont University Consortium on behalf of all member institutions shall administer the use of the name "The Claremont Colleges" in conjunction with individual programs and activities conducted by the administrations, faculty or students of member institutions.

ARTICLE IV. THE CENTRAL COORDINATING INSTITUTION

Claremont University Consortium (CUC) is and shall be the central coordinating institution of The Claremont Colleges.
The governing board of the coordinating institution shall be known as the Board of Overseers.
Board of Overseers shall exercise those consortial authorities granted by the other member institutions in this Constitution.

In recognition of the fact that Claremont University Consortium performs common services and holds land and central facilities for all the colleges, the Claremont University Consortium's Board of Overseers shall include in its membership the board chair, or his/her representative, and the president of each member institution, with the exception of Claremont University Consortium, known as constituent overseers.

A minimum of 7 and a maximum of 11 non-constituent ("at-large") overseers will also be elected by the Board of Overseers. Thus, the Board of Overseers shall consist of a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 25 overseers, plus the chief executive officer. At no time shall the number of at-large overseers be less than 7, except for temporary vacancies.

When a Board of Overseers vote materially affects a member institution (other than CUC) or one or more central programs and services, at the request of four or more constituent overseers, a binding vote of the Board must include an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the constituent overseers on such matters.
3. RESPONSIBILITIES

Claremont University Consortium and its Board of Overseers shall engage in planning and development for the broad advancement of the group and shall conceive and implement strategies for the long term achievement of defined objectives. From time to time, they shall also promote the founding of additional colleges or other educational institutions to enhance the educational quality of The Claremont Colleges.

Claremont University Consortium shall also take the lead in promoting cooperation among all member institutions to enhance the overall educational excellence of the group.

Claremont University Consortium shall hold title, on behalf of all members, to land for the development of new member institutions and central programs and services.

Claremont University Consortium shall hold title to all central facilities which are operated on behalf of member institutions.
This provision does not affect the ownership of land or improvements now owned by member institutions but which are used or operated by joint budgets of some or all of the member institutions;
This provision does not preclude joint use under future mutually satisfactory arrangements of any facility owned by any member institution.
e. Claremont University Consortium shall endeavor to improve consortial efficiencies and economies through central activities and other cooperative activities among the member institutions.

f. Claremont University Consortium will take the initiative to develop needed resources in support of the central programs and services and to provide for such additional facilities as the member institutions may agree upon.

g. Claremont University Consortium shall conduct such other activities as are provided for in its charter or by the terms of any gift, bequest, or endowment, which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.

4. OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION.

The Board of Overseers, on the recommendation of the Council of The Claremont Colleges, shall elect a chief executive officer (CEO) of Claremont University Consortium who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. This officer shall perform for Claremont University Consortium the functions and duties commonly performed by a chief executive officer as well as other duties as may be assigned by the Board.
The Board of Overseers, on the recommendation of the CEO, shall elect other principal officers of administration to carry out the policies of the Board. The officers shall serve at the pleasure of the CEO and the Board of Overseers.
Specific duties of the CEO of Claremont University Consortium include:

Manage the central programs and services.

Engage in planning for the group, as requested by the Board of Overseers or the Council of The Claremont Colleges.

Facilitate academic planning and cooperation.

Undertake new programs and other improvements to enhance efficiency and cooperation among the member institutions.

Take the initiative in the establishment of facilities and programs as may be agreed upon for joint use.

Advance and promote the consortium and conduct or support fund raising for joint programs and facilities, as requested by the Board of Overseers.

Facilitate and support the creation of new educational institutions or programs, as approved by the Board of Overseers.

Represent the consortium in local political and other community-related matters on issues unique to the consortium.
5. COUNCIL OF THE CLAREMONT COLLEGES

There shall be a Council of The Claremont Colleges which shall consist of the presidents of all member institutions. It shall provide policy guidance to and operational oversight of the CUC chief executive officer. It shall also:

Develop and oversee joint academic planning and programs among The Colleges;

Establish budgets of the central programs and services;

Determine the distribution of central programs and services cost in terms of formulae or direct charges based on costs and benefits. The Council shall report its actions and approved central programs and services budgets to the Board of Overseers for approval. The Board of Overseers may not modify any budget proposals that affect the fiscal contributions of the constituent institutions, but may elect to return such items to The Council for reconsideration.

ARTICLE V. SIZE OF MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

The basic policy of the group is that member institutions shall remain small and that the intimate and personal relationships characteristic of the small institutions shall remain inviolate. Because of shared services and activities, the number of students in any member institution is a matter of common concern to all the members. As a guideline, no member should enroll more than 35% of the total full time equivalent enrollment of The Claremont Colleges. The following limitations are therefore adopted:
Pomona College will restrict its student body to a maximum of 1,800 enrolled for instruction in Claremont.
Claremont McKenna College will restrict its student body to a maximum of 1,400 students enrolled for instruction in Claremont.
Harvey Mudd College will restrict its student body to a maximum of 800 students enrolled for instruction in Claremont.
Pitzer College will restrict its student body to a maximum of 1,000 students enrolled for instruction in Claremont.
Scripps College will restrict its student body to a maximum of 1,000 students enrolled for instruction in Claremont.
Claremont Graduate University will restrict its student body to a maximum of 1,600 students enrolled for instruction in Claremont.
The Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences will restrict its student body to a maximum of 400 students enrolled for instruction in Claremont.
The foregoing limitations shall be calculated annually on the basis of full-time equivalent enrollment in Claremont on November 1 and April 1.
At the request of a member institution, by a two-thirds vote, the Board of Overseers may change the size limitation of a member institution.

ARTICLE VI. INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES

Normally, inter-institutional instructional services shall be gratuitous. Courses approved by the member colleges for intercollegiate registration are to be considered within such normal, gratuitous intercollegiate services. The exception is when long-term instructional imbalances create a disproportionate impact on one or more member institutions. In such cases, cost sharing arrangements shall be negotiated among the affected member institutions.
Member institutions, both graduate and undergraduate, shall make every reasonable effort to provide facilities or the services of faculty when requested by the chief executive officer or designated representative of another member institution, provided such a request will not have a significant adverse impact on the academic program of the requested institution. Terms of compensation for facilities or faculty services may include any mutually satisfactory arrangement including in-kind exchange or payments to either the individuals or institution concerned, as agreed upon by institutions concerned.
As a prerequisite to receipt of federal student financial aid, the member institutions agree to the following:
Students enrolled at one institution (the "home school") may, under conditions and limitations regulated by the "home school," take courses at any of the other institutions in the consortium and receive academic credit for those courses. These arrangements are known collectively as "cross registration."

In all cases of "cross registration," the "home school" awards academic credit for courses taken at the other schools on the same basis as it does for courses taken at the "home school."

Degrees are granted by the "home school."

Academic progress is monitored and certified by the "home school."

Students pay tuition, fees, and room and board costs to the "home school." Students are considered to be enrolled exclusively at the "home school" regardless of the number of "cross registrations" involved.

All procedures for calculating, disbursing, monitoring and refunding financial aid awards are the responsibility of the "home school," and are identical to the procedures used for students fully registered at the "home school."

ARTICLE VII. PROCEDURES FOR NEW COLLEGES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS

Any proposal for the addition of a new institution to membership in The Claremont Colleges or for the location in Claremont of any college or other educational institution shall be submitted for consideration and study by the Committee on New Ventures. The Committee will submit its recommendation to the Council of The Claremont Colleges, which will then forward that recommendation along with its own recommendation(s) to the Board of Overseers.
Approval by the Board of Overseers shall require the affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of the full voting membership of the Board of Overseers, including the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the constituent overseers. Such vote by the Board of Overseers shall not be taken unless the proposed action has been listed on a meeting agenda mailed to each voting fellow of the Board of Overseers at least four weeks before the meeting at which the vote is to be taken. Absent overseers shall be polled by written ballot within five days of the meeting at which the vote was taken.
The Committee on New Ventures and the Council of The Claremont Colleges will each review the land needs of the new venture and recommend the appropriate size and location of any land to be provided to the new member. The Committee and Council will each recommend the compensation terms for any land provided, recognizing that, in most cases, land has been provided to new member institutions without charge.
Membership of a new institution requires adoption and acceptance of this Constitution by the new member.

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS

Amendments to this Constitution may be adopted by the Board of Overseers provided two-thirds of the full voting membership approve, except that amendments of Article II, Article IV, Article V, Article VI, Article VII and Article VIII shall also require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the constituent overseers. Such amendments shall be effective upon ratification by the respective boards of the member institutions.

ARTICLE IX. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE CLAREMONT COLLEGES

It is agreed that Claremont University Consortium is enjoined by this Constitution from withdrawing from The Claremont Colleges. Any other member institution adopting this Constitution may withdraw from The Claremont Colleges at the close of any fiscal year, provided that (1) notice in writing of its intention to do so shall be delivered to all other member institutions at least two years in advance of the date of withdrawal and (2) the withdrawing institution meets a set of conditions and payment of a withdrawal fee is made to each member institution and Claremont University Consortium according to a formula established by the Council of The Claremont Colleges and approved by the Board of Overseers.

ARTICLE X. EFFECTIVE DATE

This revised Constitution shall become effective when approved by the board of trustees of each of the member institutions. It shall thereupon supersede the intercollegiate agreements of September 16, 1941, as amended; November 20, 1950; July 1, 1951; the Articles of Affiliation of April 20, 1962; the Constitution of August 25, 1967; 1970; 1976; January 16, 1991; January 15, 1992; October 22, 1993 and all other agreements inconsistent with the provisions hereof, all of which shall cease to have any force or effect.

ARTICLE XI. BOARDS OF TRUSTEES INCLUDES BOARD OF OVERSEERS

The terms "boards of trustees" or "boards" whenever used in this Constitution are intended to include the Board of Overseers and the Board of Fellows of Claremont Graduate University.

ARTICLE XII. BY-LAWS OF CLAREMONT UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM

The Board of Overseers may adopt such By-laws for the governance of Claremont University Consortium as it may from time-to-time deem appropriate and which are not inconsistent with this Constitution. [Revised April 14, 2000]

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