I. FACULTY SENATE CONSTITUTION 1
ARTICLE I – NAME
1. The assembly of the faculty members and officers hereinafter provided for shall be known as the Faculty Senate of Temple University.
2. When the body meets in regular or special meetings open to all University Senators, it is referred to as the University Faculty Senate. A constituent body, composed of elected members of the Senate, acting in the name of and responsible to the University Faculty Senate, shall be known as the Representative Senate.
ARTICLE II – POWERS
1. The Faculty Senate, both the University Senate and the Representative Senate, shall act as a body representative of the faculties of Temple University. Its concerns shall include all matters of University interest which apply or may apply to more than one school. Its powers (more fully defined in Article III of the bylaws) shall be (a) consultation, (b) review, (c) ratification and (d) recommendation. In all cases where the exercise of one or more of these powers applies, the Senate and its committees shall be understood to be acting as advisor to the administration and the Board of Trustees.
2. The Faculty Senate shall develop closer relations with the board of Trustees, including representation of the faculty on this Board.2
3. The Faculty Senate shall have the responsibility and right, by the exercise of one or more of its powers, to advise the administration and the Board of Trustees on all matters of University policy, on all matters affecting the relations of the faculty of the University, and on all other matters of policy and administrative decision – making in which the faculty claims a reasonable advisement either through consultation or review and either at the initiation of the administration or at its own recognizance. The Senate, through the process of recommendation, may initiate advice to the administration and Board of Trustees on any matter of policy, decision and program.
The Trustees will request the advice and counsel of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate whenever the termination of tenured faculty on account of retrenchment is seriously contemplated.3
4. The University Faculty Senate shall be empowered to overrule any decision of the Representative Faculty Senate.
5. The administration shall, as a necessary means by which the powers of the Senate can be exercised, bring to the Senate through the Steering Committee full information concerning new academic policies: possible changes in existing policies which are being considered; new programs; possible changes in existing programs which are being planned; and all major administrative decisions which are being reviewed or for which ratification is requested.4
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
1. Every member of the Temple University faculty with full – time faculty status on a tenure/tenure track appointment shall be considered to be a Senator of the University Faculty Senate. In addition, every member of the Temple University faculty with full-time faculty status on a non-tenure track appointment and who has had full-time faculty status for each of the preceding three years shall be considered to be a Senator of the University Faculty Senate.5
2. Senators may be elected for a three-year term to the Representative Faculty Senate with one-third to be elected each year on a proportional basis by each of the Collegial Assemblies.
a. Each school shall have the right to elect to the Representative Senate representatives in proportion to the number of University Senators in that school, provided that no school shall have fewer than three representatives. Departments with full-time faculty, which are not formally a part of any school or college, shall have the right to elect one representative faculty senator. The total number of faculty members in the Representative Faculty Senate shall be 150. Each spring before the elections the Dean of each school shall certify the number of Senators on his/her school faculty.6,
b. Each school of the University shall have its own Collegial Assembly with its own presiding officer and executive and standing committees with regular meetings and such rules and procedures, as it may deem necessary. Each Collegial Assembly shall determine its own membership.7
3. The ex officio members of the University and Representative Faculty Senates shall be the following officers of administration:
a. President and Vice Presidents
b. Deans of the undergraduate and graduate faculties
c. Deans of professional schools
d. Director of University Libraries
e. Chair of the Department of Military Science
4. Professional librarians may select two of their members who are invited to participate in all meetings of the Faculty Senate without vote.8
ARTICLE IV- OFFICERS
1. The Chair of the Steering Committee shall be the President of the Senate.
2. The Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee shall be the Vice-president of the Senate.
3. The Secretary of the Steering Committee shall be Secretary of the Senate.
ARTICLE V – STEERING COMMITTEE
1. The Steering Committee shall consist of one tenure/tenure track University Senator from each school as elected by the Collegial Assembly of that school for a three-year term, one-third to be elected each year, and four officers, also tenure/tenure-track University Senators,9 who shall be the immediate past president and three elected for one year terms by the University Senate by majority vote: a Chair, a Vice-Chair and a Secretary. A Steering Committee member elected by a Collegial Assembly shall also be eligible for election by the Senate as one of its officers. The Steering Committee shall select the nominating committee for elected officers.
2. The Steering Committee shall appoint the Senators who shall serve on all committees except for Search Committees appointed by the Committee on Administrative and Trustee Appointments as provided under Article IV, Section 7 of the Bylaws.
3. The Steering Committee shall arrange agenda for all meetings and shall perform such duties as the Senate may direct.
4. The Steering Committee shall be empowered to reject the inclusion of any item on the agenda of the Senate which it deems, upon careful consideration, within the peculiar jurisdiction of any one school.
5. Each school or college may designate a University Senator to serve as its alternate Steering Committee member. The alternate Steering Committee member may replace the Steering Committee member of the school or college in the event the member is unable to attend a meeting of the Steering Committee, and shall serve with full voting rights while replacing the Steering Committee member.*
ARTICLE VI- COMMITTEES
1. The Faculty Senate is empowered by a majority of those voting to establish standing and special committees of the Senate and joint standing or joint special committees in concert with the Student Senate.
2. The President of the University may request the Steering Committee to establish special committees.10
ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS
1. The University Faculty Senate shall hold a meeting in the last month of each semester for the purpose of reviewing the actions of the Representative Faculty Senate and for the conduct of such business as may come before it. Special meetings may be called by petition of 50 Senators, by a majority vote of the Representative Faculty Senate, by the Steering Committee, or by the President.
2. The Representative Faculty Senate shall hold stated monthly meetings during the academic year. Special meetings may be called by the President, by the Steering Committee, or by the written demand of 25 members.
3. The Steering Committee shall have the power to invite any members of the University faculty or administration not regular members of the Senate to any meeting as guests of the Senate.
4. Any University Senator shall have the right to attend Representative Faculty Senate meetings and shall have the right to be heard, but the chair shall first recognize the voting elected representatives.
ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be altered or amended by concurrent vote of two-thirds of those voting, by proxy if desired, in the Representative Faculty Senate after such amendment shall be proposed in exact form at a prior regular meeting of the Representative Faculty Senate; or it may be amended by the University Faculty Senate after presentation at a meeting of the University Faculty by a two-thirds vote of those voting in a referendum. Any amendment affecting the University Faculty Senate directly must be approved by that body before taking effect.
ARTICLE IX – BYLAWS
The Faculty Senate shall adopt bylaws to define and regulate details of its organization and to function under this constitution, but no bylaws shall alter in anyway the provisions herein laid down.
II. FACULTY SENATE BYLAWS 11
ARTICLE I – OFFICERS
1. The Chair of the Steering Committee shall be the presiding officer of the Senate.
2. The Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee shall preside at all meetings of the Senate in the absence of the Chair.
3. The Secretary of the Steering Committee shall preside at all meetings of the Senate in the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair.
4. The presiding officer may at his/her discretion surrender the chair to another member of the Senate during any session.
5. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Steering Committee and of the Senate, keep all records, and prepare and bring to each Senate meeting a correct official list of the members of the Senate.
6. The University shall provide administrative assistance to the Faculty Senate and the Steering Committee.
ARTICLE II – STEERING COMMITTEE
1. The President of the Senate shall be Chair of the Steering Committee; shall, in addition to other duties, sign all official resolutions, recommendations and other documents embodying actions of the Senate; and shall be the officer in control of the budget. The President’s term of office shall be one year; but the President, as well as the other officers of the Senate, may be reelected.
In the event the President of the Faculty Senate and Chair of the Steering Committee is a representative faculty senator, the school or college shall have the right to select a replacement representative senator to serve during the term of office of the President of the Faculty Senate and Chair of the steering Committee.
2. The Steering Committee shall hold regular joint meetings with the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees for the purpose of developing a close understanding between the faculty and the Board of trustees.
3. The Steering Committee shall regularly inform the faculty of actions of the Senate.
4. No meeting of the Steering Committee shall be official unless all members have had due notice and unless a majority of the members be present.
5. The Steering Committee is empowered to appoint special committees.
6. The Steering Committee may, by unanimous vote, authorize one of its number to act for it in a specific matter with full power; but no member shall so act without said unanimous authorization.
7. In reporting to the Senate, the Steering Committee may present more than one report if unanimous agreement cannot be reached.
8. When a vacancy shall occur in the Steering Committee because of death, resignation, or severance of a member from the faculty which elected him/her, the Steering Committee shall immediately initiate the proper procedure for selecting a successor to serve the unexpired term.
9. Whenever a change is being considered in the program or structure of a school of the University which is not requested or recommended by that school, the University administration shall ask the Faculty Senate Steering Committee to recommend an appropriate consultative procedure for the consideration of the question.
The Steering Committee’s function in such a case shall be restricted to maintaining the interests of the University faculty as they may be affected by matters at issue anywhere within the University, and it is to this end that the consultative process shall be directed.
10. During the Spring semester of each year the Steering Committee shall ask the Nominating Committee to prepare a slate of candidates for the offices of Chair of the Steering Committee, Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee, and Secretary of the Steering Committee. Prior to the March meeting of the Representative Faculty Senate in each academic year, this slate of officers shall be presented to the faculty. At the March meeting nominations shall be received from the floor accompanied either at the time of nomination or at some time prior to the meeting with a petition signed by at least six University Senators which is delivered to the Chair of the Assembly. Immediately thereafter, the final slate shall be offered to the University Senators by mail ballot. The Steering Committee will determine each year the cut-off date for receipt of ballots. The results of the election shall be reported to the faculty at the April meeting of the Senate or as soon thereafter as possible. The Officers so elected shall assume office July 1st and serve for one year. Similarly, the election of members of the Steering Committee, by Collegial Assemblies, shall be announced at the April meeting of the Senate and the members of the Steering Committee shall also assume office on July 1st.
11. Because of the burden of work, members of the Steering Committee shall be entitled to released time at their request.12
ARTICLE III – DEFINITIONS
The following terms as used in the Constitution and the bylaws shall be defined as follows:
1. Consultation – The right to influence decisions before they are made by advising those legally responsible for making the decisions or with their executive agents.
2. Ratification – The act of affirming or rejecting a specific policy, decision, offer of appointment, and/or programs offered by the administration for advice by the Senate or one of its committees.
3. Recommendation – For purposes of the Faculty Senate, the recommending function shall be understood to be the initiation of advice on matters of University interest by the Senate to the administration and the Board of Trustees.
4. Review – The consideration of an existing policy, decision, and/or program for the purpose of the Senate’s advising on its retention, change, or disapproval.
5. Faculty Representative – A person holding academic rank in Temple University who has been duly elected by an appropriate faculty body to represent the body. The term does not apply to a member of the faculty who has been selected by the Administration.
ARTICLE IV – COMMITTEES
1. Any University Senator may serve on any committee, except that members of the Faculty Senate Steering Committee must be tenure/tenure-track faculty. Members of the University Promotion and Tenure Committee must be tenured full professors. Members of the Senate Personnel Committee must be tenured faculty. Any University Senator may serve on any committee other than these three.13.
2. With the exception of the University Budget, Personnel, Administrative and Trustee Appointments, Educational Programs and Policies, Research Programs and Policies, and Credentials Committees, the Faculty Senate shall have the power to alter the Committee lists in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article IV on recommendation by the Steering Committee.
3. The following is a current list of Faculty Senate Committees that include student representation in accordance with current charge:
a. Lectures and Forums Committee
b. Resources and Services Committee
c. Student Affairs Committee. Student Award Selection Committee
4. The following is a current list of other Faculty Senate Committees:
a. Bargaining Units Liaison Committee
b. Budget Review Committee
c. Committee on Administrative and Trustee Appointments, as described in Section 8 below
d. Committee on Status of women
e. Credentials Committee, as described in Section 11 below
f. Educational Programs and Policies Committee as described in Section 7 below
g. Faculty Herald Editorial board
h. Library Committee
i. Nominating Committee
j. Oversight Committee
k. Personnel Committee, as described in section 9 below
l. Research and Study Leaves Committee
m. Research Programs and Policies Committee, as described in Section 10 below
n. Standing Committee on Revision of the Faculty Handbook
5. The term of, purpose of, or charge to any Special Committee shall be clearly stated by a Senate or Steering Committee resolution; and such committees shall report back to the Senate on their studies or decisions within the confines of the original purpose or charge.
6. No regular or special committee of the Senate shall be chaired by an ex officio member. The chairs of all committees should be elected annually in the spring to take office in the fall semester.
7. The Educational Programs and Policies Committee of the Faculty Senate shall be composed as follows:
a. Nine faculty members representing at least six schools and colleges to be elected by the University Faculty Senate through mail ballot during month of March every year. From among the 9 elected faculty members, the largest college shall at all times have two representatives and the second largest college shall at all times have at least one. No Professional school (Law, Medicine, or Dentistry) may have more than one representative; no other school may have more than two. The manner of designating the candidates shall be determined by their respective Collegial Assemblies.
b. The Provost
c. Three Deans chosen by the Council of Deans
d. The Chair of the University Core Programs Committee as an ex officio voting member
e. A faculty member designated by the Graduate Board as an ex officio voting member
f. Two Representative Student Senators selected by the students from the membership of the Representative Student’s Educational Programs and Policies Committee. These students shall have full voting membership on the Faculty Senate Committee. Their terms of office shall be determined by the Representative Student Senate.
The faculty members and Deans shall serve three years except in the first selection under this plan they shall be selected for one, two, or three year terms to stagger their period of service to provide for continuity of operation.
A Chairperson, usually but not necessarily a faculty member, shall be elected annually by the Committee.
The Committee shall have referred to it all proposals for change in academic programs and procedures affecting more than one college, whether they originate from administration, faculties, or the Student Senate. The Committee shall establish standing subcommittees charged with ongoing review of existing undergraduate academic programs within its authority.
The Educational programs and Policies Committee may consult with the Student Senate, and the Student Senate may petition for such consultation.
Because of the burden of work, the Chair of the educational Programs and Policies Committee shall be entitled to released time if requested.14
8. The Standing Committee on administrative and Trustee Appointments shall serve as the faculty consultative body to the Board of Trustees upon (1) all administrative appointments that bear upon (1) the academic life of the University, and (2) nomination and election of new members of the Board of Trustees. It shall be the duty of the Standing Committee to insure faculty participation in the identification and selection procedures in each case.
In the case of the President of the University, the Standing Committee shall submit to the Representative Faculty Senate a list of nominees for faculty representatives to the Presidential Nominating Committee. This list may include members of the Standing Committee and may be supplemented from the floor of the Senate. The names of faculty representatives subsequently elected shall be reported directly to the Board of Trustees through its Executive Committee.
In the case of selection of Trustees (as defined in Article II, Section 1 of the Bylaws of Temple University-Of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education), it shall be the duty of the Standing Committee to suggest names of candidates for presentation to the Representative Faculty senate in a special meeting restricted to voting members thereof, in order to preserve confidentiality of discussion. The selections thereupon made shall become the nominees of the Senate and shall be reported to the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Trustees. For vacancies occurring each year by reason of expiration of term of office, Senate nominees shall be selected at the March meeting of the Representative Faculty Senate.
In the case of all Vice Presidents and those administrative offices below the rank of vice President which appear to the Standing Committee to bear upon the academic life of the University or to have significant potential for so doing, the Standing Committee will act as, or appoint to act in its stead, the faculty body participating in the identification and selection of candidates. No candidate disapproved by a majority of such a committee shall be appointed.15
In all cases, recommendations shall be made by the Standing Committee to the Senate, to the President, and to the Board of Trustees and shall be based upon the fullest possible information and upon adequate time for evaluation and deliberation. To that end the Committee shall prepare for the President and the Senate a list of offices which significantly bear upon the academic life of the University, and shall revise this list in accordance with such changes as occur in the table of organization of the University. Vacancies occurring in the offices so listed shall be made known to the Steering Committee (a) at least 18 months prior to effective date if the vacancy occurs by reason of retirement, or (b) as soon as possible following the date upon which the President becomes aware of an impending vacancy.
The Standing Committee shall take cognizance of the special concern of collegial faculties in the selection of Deans of Colleges. In those instances it shall serve to insure proper collegial faculty representation in the selection process and to assure the Faculty Senate that University–wide academic standards are maintained.16 Faculty representatives shall be elected by the appropriate collegial faculty body or by a group elected by the appropriate collegial faculty body which has as its charge to elect faculty representatives. In the case of the Dean and Associate Deans of the Graduate School, the faculty members participating in the identification and selection of candidates shall be selected by the Graduate Faculty (as defined in “The Structure of the Graduate School”) in consultation with the Administrative and Trustee Appointments committee. If an appointment to an administrative position carries faculty rank, the approval of the appropriate department and school must be obtained. The Standing Committee shall take appropriate steps to insure this process.
9. In keeping with the standards of academic freedom, the Faculty Senate Personnel Committee shall serve as the final faculty determinant of the rights of a faculty member in cases of dismissal, denial of tenure, or other grievances and shall after a full inquiry make recommendations to the Senate as to the fair disposition of the case.
The Faculty Senate Personnel Committee shall consist of five Senators elected for three year terms by the University Faculty senate. The personnel Committee shall, if it deems it advisable in considering a given case, appoint not more than two additional pro-tempore members from the college or school involved to join in the consideration of the said case. These pro-tempore members shall have the power to vote.
10. The Research Programs and Policies Committee shall be composed of: three ex officio members including the Academic Vice President, the Graduate Dean, and an administrator appointed by the President; four Faculty Senators elected by the university Senate for three-year terms; four Faculty Senators appointed by the Steering Committee for three-year terms, to insure representation of all major University bodies engaged in research and graduate education; and two graduate and/or professional students ex officio. The Committee shall be chaired by a faculty member.
The Research Programs and policies Committee shall establish such subcommittees for particular tasks or evaluations as it finds necessary. It may designate for particular purposes or for particular subcommittees such additional faculty members at large as it requires. It shall report periodically to the Faculty Senate.
The Research Programs and Policies Committee shall be charged with the responsibility and authority for presenting faculty views with regard to all matters involving University research policies and activities.
11. The Standing Committee on Credentials shall be composed of three members of the Faculty Senate.
The Committee shall provide the Secretary of the Steering Committee with a current list of Faculty Senate members by February first of each year. The lists shall be confirmed from official lists of full-time faculty on presidential appointment from each school or college and from positions of the University not part of a school or college.
The Committee shall be the first reference in cases of disputed membership in the Faculty Senate and shall make recommendations in such cases directly to the Chair of the Steering Committee if further action is needed.
12. Each member of a standing committee, except the members of the Educational Programs and Policies Committee, Personnel Committee, and the Research Programs and Policies Committee who are selected as specified in Sections 6,8 8, and 9 shall be appointed for three years. Each Committee shall recommend nominees to fill vacancies annually before the end of the spring semester.
13. Each committee chair shall submit an annual report to the Secretary of the Senate for presentation at the last meeting of the University Faculty Senate. In making committee reports at regular Senate meetings, committee chairs shall present only those matters requiring Senate discussion or action. The Steering Committee is empowered to request other committee reports from time to time.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
1. The Senate shall meet regularly at an hour and day each month from September through May prescribed by the Steering Committee. The December and May meetings shall be meetings of the University Faculty Senate.
The Secretary shall send notification to every member through the University post office at least one week before the prescribed day. The December and May meetings shall be meetings of the University Faculty Senate. The Representative Faculty Senate shall meet monthly in between those sessions.
2. Special meetings, as provided in the Constitution, Article VII, may be held on shorter notice if necessary, but where a week’s notice is possible, it shall be given.
3. In addition to the standard agenda appearing in Robert’s Rules of Order, pp.300-308, the President of the University shall routinely be available to report and/or respond to questions from the Senate.
4. No substantive motion on academic policy originating from the Senate floor without previous study or recommendation by a committee of the Faculty Senate shall be voted upon until a subsequent meeting of the Senate, unless two-thirds (2/3) of those present elect to bring the matter to a vote.
5. A special meeting shall restrict its deliberation to the matters for which it has been specifically called. The Secretary shall keep the usual minutes, which shall be approved at the next regular meeting.
6. A quorum of the University Faculty senate shall consist of 25% of the eligible members. A quorum of the Representative Faculty Senate for the conduct of business shall consist of a majority of the eligible members. It shall be assumed, upon the call to order, that a quorum is present: the minutes shall be read; but if, after reading and before approval of the minutes, any member shall suggest the absence of a quorum, the secretary shall call the roll. In the case of the University Faculty Senate a head count may suffice. If no quorum be present, the meeting shall determine by majority vote either to wait for the appearance of a quorum or to adjourn to a day not more than two weeks hence. A member may at any time after the approval of the minutes suggest the absence of a quorum, but the presiding officer may rule said suggestion out of order if, in the presiding officer’s opinion, a quorum is present.
ARTICLE VI – ORDER
1. The meeting of the Senate shall be conducted according to the rules of parliamentary procedure as contained in Robert’s Rules of Order.
2. The presiding officer shall determine all questions of order subject to these bylaws and to Section 1 of this article.
3. The presiding officer shall not speak against a matter in debate unless the presiding officer relinquishes the chair until final disposal of the question on said matter. The chair shall be relinquished to no member who has made or seconded any motion on the question or who has held the floor since consideration of the question.
4. The Steering Committee, either in preparing the agenda or in the meeting, may at its discretion determine that a written ballot shall be taken on any question. A written ballot must be taken if requested during a meeting by any senator.
ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be altered or amended at a regular meeting. Notice of proposed alterations or amendment shall be included in the summons to the meeting sent out by the Secretary. If an alteration or amendment be proposed by a member at a regular or special meeting, it shall be voted upon at the next regular meeting; but the Steering Committee may propose an alteration or amendment; and if the notice above provided be given, it may be acted upon at a regular meeting designated by the Steering committee. Two-thirds of those voting shall be required to pass any alteration or amendment.
III. BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADDENDUM
May 13, 1969
Re: Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws
The Trustees of Temple University, being advised that the Faculty has adopted a new Constitution for the Faculty Senate and new Senate Bylaws, and these new documents having been submitted to and considered by the Trustees, the Faculty and the Faculty Senate are advised as follows:
1. It is the understanding of the Trustees that the type, extent, and form of faculty representation contemplated by Article II, Section 2 of the Senate Constitution are undetermined and will be a proper subject for recommendation to the Trustees by whatever working committee the Trustees and the Faculty Senate may constitute. (This is covered by interpretation 1 of a proposed Appendix to the Senate Constitution.)17
2. It is the understanding of the Trustees that Article II, Section 5 applies only to academic policies and programs and to such other policies and programs as are reasonably regarded as likely to affect faculty interests and concerns. (This is covered by Interpretation 2 of the proposed Appendix.)18
3. Believing that the formal structure of faculty organization is not a matter that the Trustees should control, the Trustees interpose no objection to Article IV. However, the Trustees suggest for future Faculty consideration that the Academic Vice President of the University is an academician chosen for that office because of competency and experience in academic matters, and functions as a neutral in many matters upon which faculty opinion is sharply divided. Experience may well demonstrate the desirability of designating such a neutral academician as the President of the senate.
4. The Trustees understand that Article VI, Section 2 of the Senate constitution in no way affects the power of the President of the University to appoint committees other than committees of the Faculty Senate.
5. Concerning Article VIII of the Constitution of the Faculty Senate, the Trustees point out and assume that the Faculty understand that no amendment of the Senate Constitution or Bylaws which is in derogation of any power of the Trustees can become effective without Trustee approval.
6. The Trustees agree that regular joint meetings of duly designated Trustees and duly designated members of the Faculty as contemplated by Article II, section 2 of the Faculty Senate Bylaws are very desirable. But the Trustees reserve judgment whether the overworked Trustee Executive Committee and the overworked Faculty Senate Steering Committee are the best choices to perform this function. A standing Joint Conference Committee of Trustees and faculty or some other Trustee-Faculty group might serve the agreed purpose better. (Interpretation 3 of the proposed Appendix would recognize flexibility in setting up a Trustee-Faculty Committee.)19
7. Recognizing how time-consuming the work of the Senate Steering Committee is and will continue to be, the Trustees have no objection to release of the Chair and any member or members of the Steering Committee from two or three teaching hours per week, as contemplated by Article II, section 12 of the Bylaws, provided the Dean and the Department involved in each such case shall agree to the released time and shall rearrange the program and teaching assignments within the department affected so that the released time will not be harmful to the department or significantly diminish its curriculum.
8. The Trustees do not accept and will not put into effect the provision of Article IV, Section 8 of the Faculty Senate Bylaws which would give a Faculty Committee on Administrative and Trustee Appointments a veto power over the appointment of administrative officers exercising University-wide functions. However, the Trustees will welcome any proposals for improving the process of consultation with the Faculty senate upon candidates for such offices and will seriously consider any faculty objection to any such candidate.
Subject to the above expressions of understanding and reservation of authority, the Trustees recognize the new Constitution and bylaws of the Faculty Senate as in force and effect.
IV. APPENDIX I – INTERPRETATIONS OF ADDENDUM
The following are interpretations of the indicated sections of the new faculty senate Constitution and its Bylaws, as agreed upon by the Faculty Senate Steering Committee and the Education Committee of the board of trustees.
1. Constitution, Article II, Section 2 – “Representative” shall mean a physical presence of some faculty, as specified by agreement between the Faculty Senate Steering Committee and the board, who shall have the right to listen and to be heard in the councils of the Board of Trustees. It is anticipated that this shall be a developing relationship, modifiable on the basis of experience.
2. Constitution, Article II, section 5 – It is understood that the primary intent of the language of this Section is to insure that the faculty Senate have full information on academic policies and programs. Other matters of importance to the Faculty Senate, however, are also included within the meaning of the Section, except that there is no intention of unreasonable pressure on the administration. It is therefore, within the meaning of the Section, that the administration will exercise its judgment in deciding which matters require communication and which may not. Where a difference of judgment may occur, it is assumed that the faculty Senate may ask for and receive information.
3. Bylaws, Article II, section 2- It is understood that the meetings shall typically be of the “conference committee” type, in which duly designated representatives of the Faculty Senate and of the Board of Trustees shall meet.
4. Bylaws, Article II, Section 12 – Members of the Steering Committee may be released from two or three teaching hours per week provided that the dean and the department chair involved in each such case shall agree to the released time and shall rearrange the program and the teaching assignments within the department affected so that the released time will not be harmful to the department or significantly diminish its curriculum.
5. Constitution: Article II, paragraph 3, Sentence 3 – If the Trustees are Seriously considering termination of tenured faculty on account of retrenchment, then the President will provide, in sufficient time, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee with a statement of the reasons and information that support such a decision. In a manner that is timely under the circumstances, the faculty Senate Executive Committee20 will bring to the President and Trustees a considered report and recommendations. The Trustees will study the report and recommendations from the Faculty Senate prior to he Board’s making a decision on retrenchment of tenured faculty members.21
FOOTNOTES
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate February 24, 1969. Recognized as in force and effect by the Board of Trustees, May 13 1969, except as noted. Reviewed April 1987.
- See Trustee Addendum.
- This paragraph passed by the Faculty senate, May 11, 1987; approved by the board of Trustees May 12, 1987. Interpretation of this paragraph is found in Appendix I, Paragraph 5.
- See Trustee Addendum.
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate, April 16, 2008
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate, January 21, 1981.
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate, April 16, 2008
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate, January 21, 1981.
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate, April 16, 2008
- See Trustee Addendum.
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate, March 27, 1969. Recognized as in force and effect by the Board of Trustees May 13, 1969, except as noted.
- See Trustee Addendum.
- Adopted by the Faculty Senate, April 16, 2008
- The Board of Trustees has not approved this provision. See Paragraph 7 of the Trustee Addendum.
- See Trustee Addendum
- See Trustee Addendum
- On April 23, 1969 the Steering Committee of the Faculty Senate proposed that Appendix I be affixed to the Senate Constitution and Bylaws.
- On April 23, 1969 the Steering Committee of the Faculty Senate proposed that Appendix I be affixed to the Senate Constitution and Bylaws.
- On April 23, 1969 the Steering Committee of the Faculty Senate proposed that Appendix I be affixed to the Senate Constitution and Bylaws.
- The Faculty Senate Executive Committee is expected to submit this material to the appropriate Senate committees for timely consideration before making the Senate Executive Committee report and recommendations.
- Section 5 of Appendix I, including the footnote above, passed by the Faculty Senate May 11, 1987, approved by the board of Trustees on May 12, 1987