Responsible Office: Academic Affairs
Policy Administrator: Chief Academic Officer
Scope: |Faculty

Approved By: Faculty Senate

Approved Date: 5/1/2013

Effective Date: 5/1/2013

Category: Faculty and Staff

Description/Purpose:

University governance involves a myriad of complex, interrelated issues. Faculty, by virtue of their experience and training, are uniquely qualified to recommend, review, and enforce University policy. The faculty, through the Faculty Senate, communicates, collaborates, and cooperates with trustees, administrators, staff, and students on issues inside and outside of the academy.

Details:

Within the policies established by the Board of Trustees, the full-time faculty recommend to the President changes in the University's curricula and requirements for graduation. The full-time faculty also recommend policies and actions to the administration and, where appropriate, to committees of the Board of Trustees, with respect to teaching, research, and learning; governance of the faculty; and other faculty affairs.

The full-time faculty prescribes requirements for admission, courses of study, conditions of graduation and honors to be conferred, rules and methods for the conduct of the educational work of the institution, rules for promotion in rank and attaining tenure, and they formulate a statement of policy regarding academic freedom. In all such matters, the power of review and final authority is lodged with the Board of Trustees or delegated by it to the President of the University.

Full-time faculty work in close cooperation with the administration. Changes in the education program consistent with Board policies do not require Board of Trustee approval, but the Board retains final authority in all such matters.

The power of the full-time faculty is exercised through faculty meetings, Faculty Senate meetings, and standing and ad-hoc committees.

Faculty Senate

Fifteen senators are elected by the full-time faculty for three-year terms. Senate membership is restricted to full-time faculty.

Terms are staggered so that five senators are elected each year. As well, the Senate's membership will be comprised of two senators elected from each school and eight senators elected at-large. The dean of each school will be eligible for election to at-large seats but will be ineligible for election to the Senate from his or her school. In addition, the Chief Academic Officer or his or her delegate is a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Senate. Senate officers (president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer) are elected annually by the senators.

The Senate functions with standing committees, ad-hoc committees, and other committees that operate under the auspices of the Senate. Faculty cannot serve on more than one standing committee, excluding the Committee on Committees. All full-time faculty are eligible for election to committees, except where explicitly excluded.

The term of office for members of the standing committees is three years. Full-time faculty members shall serve no more than two consecutive full terms on the same standing committees.

Organization, Procedures, and Committees of the Faculty Senate:

The organization, procedures, and committees of the Faculty Senate are described in and governed by the Bylaws of the Faculty Senate.

Faculty Meetings

All full-time faculty members are strongly encouraged to attend full-time faculty meetings called by the President of the University, the Chief Academic Officer, the president of the Faculty Senate, or by a majority of the Faculty Senate.

Full-time faculty meetings are required to consider proposed changes by the Faculty Senate to the Faculty Senate Constitution. Voting and the making of motions are limited to full-time faculty. Other members of the University community having an interest in the meeting agenda may attend and may speak if recognized by the presiding officer, but they have no vote.

A quorum, consisting of a majority of those eligible to vote, is required to conduct business. All faculty meetings will be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, with any exception requiring a two-thirds majority of those present.

Approval:

Faculty Senate 03/15/1994; 05/09/1994; 05/08/2006; May 2009; March 2011; 05/06/2013