THE
FACULTY
SENATE
Senate
Document Number 0204F
Date of
Senate Approval
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Statement
of Faculty Senate Action:
EC
1: Proposed Faculty Senate Constitution
Revision
CONSTITUTION OF THE FACULTY SENATE
OF
THE
The faculty of the
ARTICLE I
Definition
of Faculty and Those Eligible to Serve on the Faculty Senate
The faculty shall be composed of all persons
having academic rank at the
ARTICLE II
Section 1
Powers and Duties
1. The Senate shall exercise the legislative powers of the faculty.
2. The Senate shall:
(a) Provide for such standing and special committees that the Senate may
deem necessary;
(b)
Establish, review, evaluate and restructure the boards and committees
established by the Senate;
(c) Act on reports and recommendations from the boards and committees;
(d) Approve the academic calendar for the University;
(e) Promote high educational standards at the University;
(f) Approve the general University degree requirements;
(g) Recommend the establishment or discontinuation of degrees and
programs;
(h) Approve all curricular changes;
(i) Approve policies and regulations governing
the conditions under which the instruction of students takes place;
(j) Advise members of the administration regarding standards of admission
to the university including but not limited to academic standards;
(k) Advise members of the administration on matters pertaining to the
level and use of tuition and fees;
(l) Establish reappointment, promotion and tenure policies and
regulations;
(m) Review policies and regulations pertaining to appointments, faculty
development, teaching and research;
(n) Advise the administration regarding faculty salaries, faculty
workload, compensation and benefits;
(o) Review and recommend policies governing educational functions of the
University;
(p)
Participate in institutional development by providing input into the ongoing
planning and budgetary process;
(q)
Maintain and promote the welfare of all members of the University community;
(r)
Advise and counsel the administration upon any matters that the administration
or the Senate may wish to present and to act upon any matters presented by the
administration when action is appropriate.
3. Senate actions are subject to faculty review as follows: The Senate shall promptly distribute a written
report of its actions and recommendations to all members of the faculty. The
faculty, in general meeting, may discuss, amend, endorse or veto any Senate
action, provided that at least one week in advance of the meeting the faculty
is given written notice of the issue to be raised and the action to be
proposed. A quorum of the faculty (50% +1) must be present at such a meeting
where amendment or veto shall be by two-thirds majority of those voting.
Because of this provision the Senate must report actions within two weeks via
faculty mail or electronic mail so that any faculty member may initiate
discussion of Senate actions.
The faculty may refer appropriate concerns to the Senate for investigation,
clarification, discussion and debate. The Third Vice
Chair of the Senate shall issue an agenda to all faculty members prior to each
Senate meeting. Meetings of the Senate shall be open to all members of the
faculty; visitors may participate in Senate debate by majority consent of the
members present.
4. Actions and resolutions of the Senate
shall be forwarded, as appropriate, to the Chancellor and Provost and/or Vice
Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs.
5. The Senate may, at its own discretion,
seek the advice and counsel of any member of the faculty.
Section 2
Composition
of the Senate
The Senate shall be composed of eighteen elected faculty members. The Provost
and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs shall serve as an ex
officio, non-voting member of the Senate. The Senators shall hold three year
terms of office from May 5 through May 5 of each succeeding year. Terms of
office shall be phased so that six members are elected to new terms each year.
Senators will regularly attend Senate
meetings and Senate committee meetings. When a Senator cannot attend a regular
meeting of a Senate committee or the Senate, she/he should inform in advance
the appropriate chair and specify her/his reasons. A Senator missing more than
three meetings of either the Senate or a Senate committee will have her/his
Senate membership reviewed by the Executive Committee of the Senate.
After serving a complete three year term on
the Senate, a faculty member is ineligible for reelection for one year
following the expiration of her/his term. At the end of that period, and no
later than one month prior to new elections, a faculty member may request of
the Executive Committee a leave of absence from Senate service for an
additional year to pursue valid academic concerns. Leaves of absence may be
renewed by the same procedure for a third year, after which time the faculty
member shall again become eligible for election.
Section 3
Election of
Senators
Each year the faculty shall vote for six
Senators. One Senator each shall be elected from each of the broad academic
areas: Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and the Humanities. The highest vote
recipient in each area shall be elected. Three Senators shall be elected at
large, being the next three highest vote recipients over all. All elected
representatives shall represent the faculty as a whole and not solely the
exclusive academic area in which they teach. (In the first election following
the approval of this Constitution, five Senators shall be elected at large.)
In each election, three alternates, being the next highest vote recipients from
each of the three divisions after the above Senators are designated, shall be
elected for one year terms. The alternates shall attend Senate meetings with
voice, but without vote. Should a vacancy occur for any reason, the Senate
shall elect one of the alternates to assume the full duties of that position. Should a vacancy occur after all alternates are in
place, a special election shall be called to fill the vacancy, unless the
vacancy occurs within 45 days prior to the next regularly scheduled election,
in which case the position will remain vacant.
Section 4
Officers of
the Senate
The officers of the Senate shall be elected
annually by the Senate membership for a term of one year. They shall serve on
the Executive Committee of the Senate. The elections shall be held in the
spring of each year at the first meeting of the new Senate. The officers of the
outgoing Senate shall convene the new Senate and hold the election of the new
officers. The election of officers by the Senate shall be by secret ballot; a
majority of the senators voting shall be necessary for election. Nominations shall
be made from the floor of the Senate and can be made by any member of the
faculty eligible to vote or serve on the Senate.
The officers shall be:
The Chair, who shall normally preside at Senate meetings, shall chair the
Executive Committee of the Senate and serve as the official spokesperson of the
Senate. The Chair normally attends the
Board of Trustees meetings and may respond to Trustee questions and/or give
reports at the discretion of the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
The First Vice
Chair, who shall preside in the absence of the Chair of the Senate and chair
the Academic Policies Committee.
The Second Vice Chair, who shall preside in the
absence of the Chair of the Senate and the First Vice Chair and chair the Institutional Development Committee.
The Third Vice Chair, who shall preside in the absence of the Chair of the
Senate and the First and Second Vice Chair and chair the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee.
A Senate Officer may be recalled by a secret vote of the Senate. Fifteen votes
shall be needed for recall.
Section 5
Standing
Rules and Rules of Order
1.
The Senate shall adopt Standing Rules and Rules of
Order for the purpose of conducting its business. Such rules shall be in
accordance with this Constitution.
2.
The Senate Standing Rules and Rules of Order will be
approved every year at the first Senate meeting and may be amended by a
majority vote of Senators present and voting. Standing Rules and Rules of Order
may only be amended at the first Senate meeting of each year. Proposed Amendments
must be received in writing by all Senate members one week (five working days)
prior to the first Senate meeting of the academic year. (In the first year
after the approval of this Constitution, Standing Rules and Rules of Order
shall be approved by October 15.)
3.
Any member of the University community may review the
Standing Rules and Rules of Order and propose amendments.
4.
In all cases not covered by this Constitution or by
the Senate Standing Rules and Rules of Order, the procedure in Robert’s Rules of
Order shall be followed.
Section 6
Standing
Senate Committees
The standing committees of the Senate shall
be: The Executive Committee, the Academic Policies Committee, the Institutional
Development Committee, and the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee.
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers of the Senate and
shall be chaired by the Chair of the Senate. The Executive Committee shall be
concerned with the Senate agenda, the assignment of tasks to the appropriate
standing committees, and the yearly review of Senate Standing Rules and Rules
of Order.
As the elected leadership of the Senate, the
Executive Committee will consult as appropriate with members of the faculty,
with Senate boards and committees, with ad hoc committees appointed by the
Chancellor, or the office of Provost, and with officers and officials of the
University, including the Chancellor, Provost and the various Vice Chancellors.
The Executive Committee, the Chancellor and the Provost and Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs and Student Affairs will consult with one another in the
appointment of members of ad hoc committees and task forces.
The Academic Policies Committee
shall be composed of six voting members: the First Vice
Chair of the Senate, who shall chair the Committee, and five members appointed
by the Executive Committee. The Provost
and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs or designee and the
Registrar or designee are included as non-voting ex officio members. The Committee shall have the responsibility
for developing institutional policy and procedure in academic matters as specified in Article II, Section
1.2, and shall be available for discussion and consultation with appropriate
student groups, as well as with members of the faculty, about academic policy
and curricular changes.
The Institutional
Development Committee shall be composed of six members: the Second Vice Chair of the Senate, who shall chair the committee, and
five Senate members appointed by the Executive Committee. The committee shall
have concern for all policy, planning, resource use and allocation and
initiatives in the area of institutional development as specified in Article
II, Section 1.2. This committee shall advise and consult with the Chancellor,
the Provost and the various Vice-Chancellors on university planning and use of
university resources. The committee shall be responsible for reporting planning
activities to the Faculty Senate, with the Senate responding through Senate action
where appropriate.
The Faculty
Welfare and Development Committee shall be composed of five members: the
Third Vice Chair of the Senate, who shall chair the
committee, and four Senate members appointed by the Executive Committee. The Committee shall study, on an on-going
basis, the campus policies affecting faculty welfare as specified in Article II, Section 1.2. It shall initiate changes
and/or entertain suggestions and concerns regarding these matters from
individuals and groups of faculty members. It shall also draft policy changes
and resolutions on issues of faculty welfare for Senate consideration.
Section 7
Senate
Meetings
The Senate shall choose a regular time of
meeting and shall meet monthly during the academic year. It may be called into
special session by the Chair, by concurrence of three members of the Executive
Committee, or by petition of twelve Senators to the Third Vice
Chair of the Senate. A quorum shall consist of twelve elected members.
ARTICLE III
Section 1
Amending and
Revising the Constitution
Provisions outlined in this constitution may
be amended by vote of the faculty eligible to serve on the Senate. A two-thirds majority of the votes cast is
required for approval, provided that at least a simple majority of the faculty
members vote. At least one month's written notice must be given to the faculty
and all changes to the Constitution must be provided at least one month before
the vote. The vote shall be by secret ballot which may be conducted
electronically. In the event that a future senate shall desire to revise this
constitution as a whole, the revised version shall be enacted by the same
procedure. A revision is interpreted to be a substantive alteration of the
basic structure or charge of the Faculty Senate. The vote shall be by secret
ballot which may be conducted electronically.