Article IV. The Faculty Senate

Section 1. Function:

1. The Faculty Senate, as the elected representative body of the Faculty Assembly, is the recognized channel of communication between the Faculty Assembly and the University administration.
2. The Senate is concerned with the general welfare of the University and is an advisory body to the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, and the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs.

   Management/Athens Operations. As such, the Senate makes recommendations to the University administration on academic matters and other issues of importance to the faculty. Such matters and issues may be brought to the Senate’s attention by interested faculty.

3. The Senate provides a forum for addressing faculty issues with University-wide implications and other faculty issues when deemed appropriate by the Senate. All curricular matters pertaining to graduation or general education requirements brought to the Faculty Assembly shall require two readings before a vote is taken.
4. The Senate and all senators shall represent the common good of the University rather than individual constituencies.
5. The Senate is responsible for the preparation of ballots and the management of the election of its officers.
6. The Senate is responsible for keeping records of its activities, and for taking action on, and the distribution of, committee reports.
7. The Chair of the Senate is responsible for convening the Faculty Assembly at least once each fall and spring semester.

Section 2. Membership:

1. Only members of the Faculty Assembly are eligible for election to the Senate.
2. The Faculty Senate shall consist of eighteen senators.
3. The number of senators from each school and the library shall be proportionate to the number of Faculty Assembly members in the respective schools and the library with the provision that each school and the library shall have at least one senator.
4. In the spring of even numbered years prior to the April elections of senators for the coming academic year, the Senate shall review representation and make adjustments as necessary to assure continued proportionate representation from the library and the schools. The Senate Chair shall then inform the deans and the Dean of the Library prior to the April elections.
5. The deans and the Dean of the Library, in consultation with their respective faculty assembly members, are responsible for establishing election procedures, preparing ballots, and managing the elections of their respective senators.
6. The schools and the library shall annually elect their senator(s) by majority vote of their respective faculty members in April. The election of senators shall occur during the April faculty meetings of each school and the library.
7. Upon election in the spring, senators shall meet to elect officers. Other than meeting for the purpose of the election of officers, senators’ terms of office shall begin at the beginning of the next academic year. The length of service is determined by the schools and the library for their respective senators.
8. An elected senator who decides to resign shall submit her/his resignation in writing to the Chair of the Senate and to the appropriate dean or to the Dean of the Library. The dean or Dean of the Library shall then conduct an election for a senator to complete the resigner’s unexpired term.
9. If a majority of the senators determine that an elected senator is not performing her/his duties appropriately (e.g., missing more than three consecutive meetings), the Chair of the Senate shall contact the senator, hear any response, and then decide whether to request the senator’s resignation. If such a request is not honored, the Senate shall conduct a vote by secret ballot to decide whether to terminate the senator’s service. If the vote leads to termination of service, the Senate Chair shall so inform the dean or the Director of the Library who shall, in turn, conduct an election for a senator to complete the unexpired term.

Section 3. Officers of the Senate and Their Duties:

The officers of the Faculty Senate are also the officers of the Faculty Assembly. Officers are elected by the Senate in May of each year after new senators have been elected by the library and the schools. Eligible voters shall be the duly elected senators for the upcoming academic year. The elections, to be conducted by the Senate Chair, shall be by simple majority and secret vote. The officers shall be the Chair, the Vice Chair, the Secretary, and the Parliamentarian.

1. The Senate Chair is responsible for: setting the agendas, times, and places for Senate meetings; declaring whether a quorum (a simple majority) is present for each meeting; setting the agendas, times, and places for Faculty Assembly meetings at least once each fall and spring semester for the purpose of reporting the Senate’s activities to the faculty and for receiving comments and suggestions from the faculty; presiding at all meetings of the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Assembly; meeting with the President or his or her designee at least monthly or as required (the meeting should also include the other Senate officers); declaring, upon appropriate vote by the Senate, that a Senate meeting is in executive session; speaking for the Senate after due consultation; inviting guests to Senate meetings as deemed appropriate; formally communicating the Senate’s actions and/or recommendations to the President or her or his designee; preparation and submission of an annual report by May 31 to the faculty and to the President or his or her designee; ensuring that all Senate officers fulfill the duties of their respective offices; casting a vote in the event of ties; and other related duties as assigned by the President or her or his designee.
2. The Senate Vice-Chair shall, in the temporary absence of the Chair, perform the functions of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall also, in the temporary absence of the Secretary, perform the functions of the Secretary. The Vice Chair shall also fulfill other Senate duties as delegated or requested by the Senate Chair.
3. The Senate Secretary shall cause the actions of the Senate and the Faculty Assembly to be recorded and preserved and shall circulate copies of the Senate’s official minutes to the members of the Faculty Assembly, the President, the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. The secretary shall also take roll at all Faculty Senate and Faculty Assembly meetings.
4. The Senate Parliamentarian shall serve as the referent for the rules by which the Senate functions as a deliberative body.

Section 4. Meetings of the Faculty Senate:

1. Regular meetings of the Senate shall be held on the first Wednesday of each month during the regular academic year with the exact time, place, and agenda being determined and announced by the Senate Chair.
2. The Senate shall meet at other times at the request of the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, or the Senate Chair.
3. A simple majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of Senate business. Motions shall be passed by a simple majority vote of those present, provided a quorum is present. There shall be no substitutes or proxies.
4. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of meetings except when indicated otherwise in these bylaws or when the Senate shall vote to suspend the rules as described in Robert’s Rules of Order.
5. Meetings shall be conducted in the following order: approval of minutes from the previous meeting; Senate Chair’s report; reports of standing committees; reports of special committees; unfinished business; new business; other business.
6. Senate meetings shall be open to visitors except when, upon vote of the Senate, the Chair declares the Senate to be in executive session.
7. Visitors shall have voice (speaking privileges) by invitation of the Senate Chair and subject to time limitations as determined by the Senate Chair.

Section 5. Standing Committees of the Faculty Senate:

The standing committees begin their duties with the beginning of the academic year and the chairs of the standing committees shall submit annual reports to the Senate Chair in April. The Senate’s standing committees report to the Senate and are as follows:

1. The Executive Committee consists of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and 
   
   Parliamentarian and is responsible for the overall oversight of Senate activities and for meeting with the President or his or her designee. Other responsibilities include: serving as a liaison to University administration; interpreting bylaws; and responding to other matters as may be directed to it
   
   At the beginning of each academic year, the Senate Executive Committee shall appoint chairs and members of the Personnel Committee, the Academic Integrity Committee, the Admissions and Standards Committee, the Faculty Development Committee, and the Budgets, Benefits and Compensation Committee.
2. The Personnel Committee consists of senators appointed by the Executive Committee at the beginning of each academic year. The Personnel Committee is responsible for matters such as grievances, tenure, and other duties as assigned by the Senate Chair. The Personnel Committee shall form an ad hoc committee (consisting of only tenured faculty) for tenure related matters.
3. The Academic Integrity Committee consists of senators appointed by the Executive Committee at the beginning of each academic year. This committee’s responsibilities include: reviewing and updating the Academic Integrity Policy and hearing academic dishonesty cases referred to the Senate by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
4. The Admissions and Standards Committee consists of senators appointed by the Executive Committee at the beginning of each academic year. The committee’s responsibilities include: reviewing and updating admissions policies and standards and reviewing and updating standards relating to satisfactory academic progress, academic standing (i.e., standards for good standing, academic probation, conditional standing, academic exclusion, and academic dismissal), and grade-point standards for graduation with honors.
5. Faculty Development Committee consists of senators appointed by the Executive Committee at the beginning of each academic year. The Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs concerning faculty development events, programs, and scholarly activities occurring both on and off campus and their funding to enhance skills in disciplines, teaching, and other general activities of the faculty.
6. Budgets, Benefits, and Compensation Committee consists of senators or other fulltime faculty appointed by the Senate Executive Committee at the beginning of each academic year. The Budget, Benefits, and Compensation Committee consults with the President's Senior Staff or Executive Cabinet on matters related to faculty compensation and benefits, long-range planning, and budget review.
7. Instruction Technology Committee consists of senators appointed by the Executive Committee at the beginning of each academic year. The committee’s responsibilities include interacting with the Office of Academic Technologies (OAT) and Department of Informational Technology (IT) on behalf of faculty related to relevant ongoing and proposed policy and instructional platforms and to communicate faculty input into course and instructional design to the administration.