Bylaws

Senate of the Academic Staff

Article I: Responsibilities and Purpose

The purpose of the Senate of the Academic Staff is to serve as the representative body of the University academic staff. As such, the Senate holds the jurisdiction and powers of the academic staff between general meetings of the academic staff.

Article II: Membership

Section 1: Structure

  1. The Senate consists of the nine-member Academic Staff Committee and 26 additional senators elected at-large as specified below in Article II, Section 2, Paragraphs A and B; and such additional membership as may be provided in Paragraph C of this section.
    (AS Doc 71, 2/12 revised)
    (AS Doc 135, 2/23)
  2. Anyone with an academic staff appointment, regardless of percentage of time, may stand for election to the Senate. Eligibility for Senate membership expressly excludes individuals with limited appointments whose back-up appointments are not in the academic staff. Such individuals are not permitted to stand for election or to vote for senators.
  3. The Senate must have at least two senators from each of the following appointment categories: indefinite, probationary, and fixed-term. There must be at least eight senators each from the instructional and non-instructional categories. Should the election result in the Senate having fewer than the appropriate number of senators from any of these categories, the additional senators will be appointed by the Academic Staff Committee.
    (AS Doc 135, 2/23)

Section 2: Nomination/Election Procedures

  1. Members are nominated and elected in accordance with the Standard Academic Staff Operating Rules.
    (AS Doc 147, 3/24)
  2. In determining election results, no more than five at-large seats shall be held by those from the same college or division. In making this determination, incumbents will be counted in the college or division that they were in at the time of their election. Academic staff who are neither in colleges nor in one of the six current divisions will be counted in the Division of Community Empowerment and Institutional Inclusivity. (ASC members are elected on a separate ballot, so are not included in setting this maximum).
  3. Each July, the Office of the Secretary of the University will review the university organizational structure to determine if changes to the Senate bylaws are necessary before the next election.
    (AS Doc 135, 2/23)

Section 3: Term of Office

All members serve three-year terms. No member may serve more than two consecutive three- year terms. The term of office begins on the first day of the fall semester contractual period as it appears in the academic year calendar published on the Secretary of the University’s website and ends the day before the next fall contractual period begins.
(AS Doc 147, 3/24)

Section 4: Absences

Attendance at Senate meetings is part of each senator’s duties. The attendance record of the senators is maintained by the Office of the Secretary of the University. Senators who miss four regular meetings within each year’s term of office forfeit their Senate seats. If the seat is held by an Academic Staff Committee member, that individual also forfeits Academic Staff Committee membership. There are no excused absences other than those for governance-related work that is directed by the Academic Staff Committee to senate members. In instances where a senator may have to miss four or more meetings for a significant medical or life event, a “leave” may be taken from the Senate and a replacement appointed in accordance with Article II, Section 5, for a semester or year (as determined by the approved leave) with a subsequent return to the Senate to fulfill the remaining term. Such a leave must be requested and approved by the Academic Staff Committee Chair and Secretary of the University prior to the senator’s fourth absence.
(AS Doc 34, 10/08)
(AS Doc 46, 10/10)
(AS Doc 147, 3/24)
(AS Doc 149, 11/24)

Section 5: Vacancies

  1. If a vacancy occurs in a Senate seat held by an Academic Staff Committee member, the vacancy is filled in accordance with Article II, Section 5 of the Academic Staff Committee Bylaws.
  2. If a vacancy occurs in an at-large Senate seat, the vacancy will be filled by either ballot results or appointment as specified in B1 and B2 following, and also in such a way that the distribution specified in Article II, Section 1, Paragraph C of these bylaws is preserved.
    (AS Doc 135, 2/23)
    • B1. If a vacancy in a Senate seat occurs between the beginning of the term of office and the next spring election, it is filled for the remainder of the senate year by the eligible candidate who received the next highest number of votes in the previous election. If no eligible candidate is available, the Academic Staff Committee appoints an academic staff member to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the senate year. If the term of office extends beyond the senate year, an election for the unexpired term is held in conjunction with the next annual election.
    • B2. If a vacancy in an at-large Senate seat occurs between the date of the election and the beginning of the term of office, the candidate who received the highest number of votes in the most recent election assumes the vacant position until the beginning of the term of office, when they assume their elected position. If the vacant term of office extends through the next senate year, the eligible candidate with the most votes who was not elected to a regular term fills the vacancy for the current year. If no eligible candidate is available, the Academic Staff Committee appoints an academic staff member to fill the vacancy for the current year. If the vacant term of office extends beyond that year, an election for the unexpired term is held in conjunction with the next annual election.
      (AS Doc 147, 3/24)

Article III: Organization

Section 1: Executive Committee

The Academic Staff Committee is the executive committee of the Senate. As such, it performs those functions outlined in Article I of the Academic Staff Committee Bylaws.

Section 2: Officers

The Chair of the Academic Staff Committee is the presiding officer of the Senate. If the Chair is absent, the member of the Academic Staff Committee who has been selected to conduct business in the absence of the chair presides.

  1. Responsibilities

    The Chair presides at all meetings and reports Academic Staff Committee activities and any action(s) taken since the last Senate meeting. The Secretary of the University or a designee takes minutes of all meetings and distributes them to the senators and Secretary of the University. In addition, the Secretary of the University maintains the official files and the attendance records of the senators.
  2. Eligibility

    Because the Chair of the Academic Staff Committee serves as the presiding officer of the Senate, eligibility for this office is determined in accordance with Article III, Section 1, Paragraph B of the Academic Staff Committee Bylaws.
  3. Election, Term of Office, and Vacancies

    Refer to Article III, Section 1, Paragraph C of the Academic Staff Committee Bylaws.

Section 3: Meetings

  1. Regular and Special Meetings

    The Senate meets on the second Tuesday of each month, except when the Senate determines, by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, that a change in a date is necessary. Such a vote must be taken at a regular Senate meeting prior to the meeting to be changed. The new meeting date must be within two weeks after the original date. The meetings begin at 2:30 p.m. and adjourn no later than 4:30 p.m. Either the Senate or the Academic Staff Committee, by majority vote, may schedule special Senate meetings to discuss specific topics. Discussion is limited to the topic(s) for which the meeting has been called.
  2. Quorum

    A quorum consists of a majority of the total membership.
  3. Standing Rules

    All Senate meetings are conducted according to the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, unless otherwise specified in these bylaws or in Senate rules.
  4. Calendar and Minutes
    • D1. The agenda is prepared by the Academic Staff Committee. A motion to place on the agenda any item not included by the Academic Staff Committee may be made at any meeting of the Senate. If such a motion is passed, the item is placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Senate.
    • D2. Items which have not been included in the circulated calendar for which immediate action is imperative must be presented in written form to the Chair of the Senate prior to the scheduled meeting. An item with an externally imposed deadline is placed under New Business by the Chair. Other items where immediate action is imperative may be placed under New Business by a motion to amend the agenda and an affirmative vote of three-fourths of those present and voting.
    • D3. The final action on all motions before the Senate is recorded in the minutes, and upon request a roll call is taken indicating the names of those voting affirmatively, those voting negatively, and those abstaining.
    • D4. All senators receive copies of the agenda and minutes of Senate meetings. Upon request non-senators may receive copies of the agendas and minutes.(AS Doc 135, 2/23)

Section 4: Subcommittees

The Senate may empower the Chair to appoint subcommittees subject to the appointment conditions approved by the Senate. The Senate may delegate its responsibilities to these subcommittees, providing this delegation does not abridge the responsibility or authority of the Senate. Subcommittees may be composed of a majority of academic staff members who are not senators but at least one member must be a senator. University staff and faculty also may serve on these subcommittees as non-voting members.

Article IV: Relationship to University Academic Staff

Section 1: Report of Action

The Senate submits a report of its actions at each general meeting of the university academic staff. The report is considered as “automatic consent” business unless a majority of the Senate votes to present its report or any portion(s) thereof to the academic staff for action.

Section 2: Appeal of Action

Upon written petition to the Secretary of the University either by a majority of the members of the Senate or by one hundred members of the University academic staff, exclusive of senators, any action of the Senate may be appealed to a general or special meeting of the academic staff. Any matters subject to such appeal have priority in the preparation of the calendar of the general or special meeting.

Article V: Amendments to the Bylaws

A motion to amend these bylaws may be made only by a senator. The proposed change(s) must be discussed in at least one Senate meeting prior to the meeting at which the vote on the proposed amendment is taken. All proposed amendments must be reviewed by the Codification Committee for logic, clarity, and consistency prior to final approval. Amendments must be accepted by a two-thirds vote of the Senate and, if accepted, be submitted at the next general meeting of the academic staff for a simple majority vote.

Senate Bylaws

  • 12/89
  • 6/98
  • 10/08
  • 10/10
  • 2/12
  • 2/23
  • 3/24
  • 11/24