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Section 1: University Structure & Governance

Faculty Participation in University Governance

Contract Committees, Judicial Committee and Amending Procedures

Faculty Senate/Curriculum Committee
Faculty Senate is the representative body of the faculty that recommends policies and programs in academic and student affairs and curriculum. Faculty Senate is a body established by the faculty and with the consent of APSCUF-MU fulfills the requirement for a Curriculum Committee as specified in the CBA.
  1. Membership
    1. The Faculty Senate is a representative body of the faculty. Each department elects one member to the Faculty Senate.  The Council of Indisciplinary Directors elects a Faculty Senator(s) from faculty teaching within the programs.  One senator shall be elected for every five programs, with a minimum of 1 elected senator representing the interdisciplinary programs at all times (e.g., 10-14 programs = 2 senators, 15-19 programs = 3 senators).
    2. The president, the University vice presidents, and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Extended Programs are ex officio members but are ineligible to vote or to hold Faculty Senate office.
    3. The president of APSCUF-MU is an ex officio member of Faculty Senate with all privileges except voting, making motions, and holding office unless also serving as an elected senator.
    4. All of the regular full-time faculty (as defined by the CBA) are eligible for election to the Faculty Senate.
    5. The senatorial term of office begins at the beginning of the fall semester and ends in three years thereafter; the election takes place during the preceding period April 1 through May 31.
    6. Senatorial terms are staggered so that approximately one-third of the membership is elected each year.
    7. A senator may be recalled by a two-thirds vote of the entire voting membership of his/her department or the Council of Indisciplinary Directors.
    8. At the time of election, each department or the Council of Indisciplinary Directors elects an alternate(s) who may, in case of the absence of the senator, participate in the meeting and vote.
    9. Special elections to fill vacancies are held, as soon as practical, by the appropriate department or the Council of Indisciplinary Directors.
    10. The Student Senate is requested to designate five representatives from the student body to act as student consultants with all privileges except voting, making motions, and holding office.
    11. The Graduate Student Association is requested to designate two students as student consultants with all privileges except voting, making motions, and holding office.
  2. Functions
    1. The Faculty Senate reflects the professional judgment of the faculty and recommends policy in writing to the University president in such areas as curriculum, admissions and standards practices, educational programs, University organization, advisement and counseling, student affairs and matters of similar import.
    2. The Faculty Senate keeps the faculty informed of its deliberations and recommendations.
    3. The Senate may refer appropriate issues to the faculty for action through the president of APSCUF-MU.
    4. A senator primarily represents a department or the Council of Indisciplinary Directors, but acts on behalf of the entire faculty.
    5. When a department or the Council of Indisciplinary Directors instructs its senator to present an item to the Faculty Senate he/she shall do so; but the senator has the right to use independent judgment in voting.
  3. Meetings
    1. Meetings are held on a schedule to be determined by Faculty Senate.
    2. Special meetings may be called by the president of the University, the chairperson of the Faculty Senate, or by a majority of Senators.
    3. Meetings may be held at any time within the calendar year.
  4. Organization
    1. Officers
      1. A chairperson is elected from the Faculty Senate membership at the first meeting of each spring semester. The chairperson shall assume office at the beginning of the fall semester.
      2. A chairperson pro tempore is elected from the Faculty Senate membership at the first meeting of each spring semester. He/she presides in the absence of or at the request of the chairperson of the Faculty Senate.
      3. A secretary is elected from the Faculty Senate membership at the first meeting of the spring semester. The secretary assumes office at the beginning of the fall semester. Duties other than those normally pertaining to the office of secretary shall be specified in the By-Laws.
      4. A parliamentarian is appointed by the chairperson from the Faculty Senate membership.
    2. Committees

      3. The Faculty Senate may create ad hoc committees either from its own membership or from the University as a whole to consider or investigate matters of concern. All committees not elected at large shall have equal faculty representation from the four academic units, i.e., Education, Humanities, Science and Mathematics, Social Sciences and one from non-school faculty. The following are the standing committees of Faculty Senate:

      1. Academic Outcomes Assessment Committee
      2. Academic Policies Committee
      3. Academic Standards Committee
      4. Committee on Cooperative Education/Internship Program
      5. Admissions, Advisement and Student Affairs Committee
      6. Faculty Senate By-Laws
      7. Faculty-Student Athletic Committee
      8. General Education Review Committee
      9. Graduate Course and Program Review Committee
      10. International Selection Committee
      11. Joint Senate Conference Committee 
      12. Undergraduate Course and Program Review Committee
      13. University Honors College Committee
      14. University Theme Committee

(Approval by FS 9/21/04; AA 11/1/04)


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