A60: Faculty Senate Bylaws

Policy

Approved March 31, 1981; Amended May 9, 1989; Amended April 10, 1990; Amended May 11, 1993;
Amended April 1990; April 1990 amendment was rescinded November 1993;
Amended April 28, 1998; Amended March 27, 2001, August 27, 2002; Amended October 28, 2003; Amended April 27, 2004

Note: The authority and duties of the Faculty Senate derive from the Faculty Constitution (A51), Section 6.

I. SENATE STRUCTURE

A. OFFICERS

1. The Senate shall elect the following officers and representatives annually.

(a) President
(b) President-elect
(c) Four members of the Senate Operations Committee

2. The Operations Committee will also include the immediate past President of the Senate, whether or not he or she is a member of the Senate. The Operations Committee will always include seven faculty members, so that if the President and President-Elect are the same person, (i.e., when the President-Elect runs for a second term and is elected, or if the Past President and President are the same person, (i.e., during the second term of a two-year term as President), then five members of the Operations Committee shall be elected.

3. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

(a) The President shall have the following duties:

(1) Serve as chairperson of the Senate and the Operations Committee.

(2) Represent the Faculty before the Regents, Administration and other groups by attending requisite functions and committee meetings.

(3) Appoint ad-hoc committees as necessary to conduct Senate business.

(b) The President-elect shall have the following duties:

(1) Serve on the Operations Committee

(2) Perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President.

(3) Assist the President in representing the faculty before the Administration, the Regents, and other groups.

(4) Oversee Faculty Senate committee appointments.

4. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS

(a) The election of the President and Operations Committee members shall be conducted annually at a special meeting of the incoming Senate held at the close of the spring term of the preceding academic year. Alternatively, at the discretion of the President, this election may be conducted electronically.

(b) The election shall be chaired by the outgoing President of the Senate.

(c) The new officers and Operations Committee members shall take office on July 1 of the year of their election.

(d) Nominations and self-nominations for President, President-Elect, and Operations Committee may be made by incoming senators at a regular Senate meeting or electronically to the University Secretary's office, which will verify the senator's willingness to serve.

(e) Among the five voting members of the Operations Committee, at least four colleges must be represented.

(f) If the President or President-Elect does not complete his or her term of office, the Operations Committee will arrange for the Senate to elect a replacement at the earliest opportunity.

(g) If a member of the Operations Committee does not complete his or her term of office, the Operations Committee will either find a replacement from the un-elected candidates from the most recent Operations Committee election (taking the unelected candidate with the most votes from an eligible college) or, if this is not possible, arrange for a new election of a replacement by the Senate.

B. SENATE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

1. MEMBERSHIP

(a) The President, President-elect, Past President and four voting members of the Senate elected by the Senate.

(b) The President of the Senate shall serve as chairperson of the Senate Operations Committee.

(c) The immediate past president of the Senate, whether or not he/she is a member of the Senate, shall be an ex-officio voting member of the Operations Committee.

2. DUTIES

(a) Perform basic administrative functions to facilitate the work of the Senate and Senate Committees.

(b) Establish priorities and set agenda for Senate meeting

(c) Transmit to the Senate with recommendations as to adoption of all reports, recommendations and proposals received from Senate Committees. In performing this function, the Operations Committee shall not change committee recommendations or proposals without the approval of the originating committee. It may refer a recommendation back to the committee for further study or it may present its own recommendations to the Senate together with those of the originating committee.

(d) Coordinate the activities of all Senate Committees.

(e) Study Senate procedures and structure and make recommendations for their improvement.

(f) Recommend to the Senate changes in the committee structure in keeping with Article I, Section 6 (g) of the Faculty Constitution.

(g) Coordinate the work of Senate committees and the administration by forwarding relevant committee reports and recommendations to the appropriate group or individual for additional consideration and comment.

(h) Function as a committee on committees. (Recommend to the Senate the appointment of committee members and chairpersons.)

(i) Assist the President and President-Elect in representing the faculty before the administration and Regents, on an as needed basis.

C. OTHER SENATE COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATION

(See Section III for membership and duties)

1. Standing Committees of the Senate. All standing committees are responsible to the Senate, report to the Senate Operations Committee, and have their faculty membership appointed by the Senate.

(a) Admissions and Registration Committee
(b) Athletic Council
(c) Bachelor of University Studies Faculty Advisory Committee
(d) Budget Committee
(e) Computer Use Committee
(f) Curricula Committee
(g) Faculty Ethics and Advisory Committee
(h) Faculty and Staff Benefits Committee
(i) Graduate Committee (members appointed by Colleges/Schools)
(j) Governmental Relations Committee
(k) Intellectual Property Committee
(l) Library Committee
(m) Research Allocations Committee
(n) Research Policy Committee
(o) Scholarship Committee
(p) Teaching Enhancement Committee
(q) Undergraduate Committee
(r) University Honors Council
(s) University Press Committee

2. Administrative Committees with faculty representatives appointed by the Senate. Faculty members on this Committee shall make periodic reports to the Senate whenever such reports are considered appropriate by them and/or when requested to do so by the Operations Committee.

(a) Campus Development Advisory Committee

3. Student committees with faculty representatives appointed by the Senate. Faculty members on these Committees shall make periodic reports to the Senate whenever such reports are considered appropriate by them and/or when requested to do so by the Operations Committee.

(a) International Affairs Committee
(b) Student Union Board
(c) Student Conduct
(d) Student Publications Board

II. SENATE OPERATING POLICIES

A. COMMITTEES

1. In its capacity as a committee on committees, the Operations Committee shall make recommendations to the Senate for all committee appointments (including committee chairpersons) that are the responsibility of the Senate. These appointments shall be voted on by the Senate.

2. All members of the University voting faculty are eligible for appointment to standing faculty committees or as faculty representatives on administrative and student committees. Appointments shall be determined by the Senate upon recommendation of the Operations Committee.

3. During the Spring Semester of each year, all faculty shall be asked to rank the various committees according to their preference for membership on those committees. The Operations Committee shall recommend appointments to committees based as feasible upon the stated preferences of faculty members.

4. Senators are encouraged to serve on a University Committee, and will be given priority consideration in appointments to committees.

5. Initial committee appointments will normally be effective on July 1 of the year of the appointment. Replacement appointments will be effective when approved by the Senate.

6. When it is desirable, in the judgment of the Operations Committee and the current Committee chair, if there is one, for a committee appointment to begin as soon as possible, the Operations Committee may make such an appointment on a provisional basis, pending approval by the Senate at its next meeting.

7. Administrative officers (Vice Presidents and College Deans) shall not serve as Senate appointed committee members.

B. ABSENTEEISM

1. Given the importance of insuring active participation of all Senators and representation of all parts of the university, if a Senator misses two Senate meetings in a given semester, the President shall consult with the Senator concerning attendance and may, after consultation with the Operations Committee, declare the seat vacant.

2. If a Committee member of any Faculty Senate Committee misses two meetings in a given semester, the Chair of the Committee should consult with that person and may recommend to the Operations Committee that the seat be declared vacant and the person replaced.

C. PROCEDURE

1. Each speaker is limited to five minutes each time when speaking to an issue.

2. The Senate shall normally meet the fourth Tuesday of every month at 3:00 p.m. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the Operations Committee as needed.

3. The President of the Faculty Senate shall have the right to vote as a member of the body on each motion before the Senate.

4. A quorum shall consist of 40 percent of the Senate membership.

5. Faculty Senate meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the Roberts Rules of Order.

III. COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES

A. The duties and composition of committees presently listed in the Faculty Handbook will remain as stated.

B. For committees not presently listed in the Faculty Handbook, the composition will be determined by the Operations Committee.