Charter

There shall be a Faculty Senate representative of the University Faculty.  The Faculty Senate holds jurisdiction and powers of the Faculty between meetings of the Faculty, except that the Faculty Senate may not amend any portion of Chapter 1.  Unless otherwise specified by the Faculty, the Faculty Senate operates under the same rules and procedures prescribed for meetings of the University Faculty.  Changes in the provisions relating to the Faculty Senate must be approved by the University Faculty.

1. The Faculty Senate consists of the University Committee and forty (40) additional elected members, except as additional membership may be provided under 1.06(4).  The University Committee serves as the executive committee of the Faculty Senate.
2. Members of the Faculty Senate are elected at large by the University Faculty.  Representation is apportioned among the various Faculty Divisions of the University on the basis of the number of Faculty members in each.  The University Committee makes an annual review of representation and provides for necessary adjustments in the next election.
3. Members are elected for three-year terms, and no member serves more than two (2) consecutive terms or portions thereof.  The term of office begins the first week of instruction in each academic year.  One-third of the Faculty Senate members are elected for three-year terms annually.  The Nominations Committee prepares the slate of nominees.
4. Should the elections result in the Faculty Senate having no member from a college, then the candidate from that college who received the greatest number of votes shall be deemed elected for a one-year term as an additional member authorized by 1.06(1).  Should the election result in the Faculty Senate having fewer than two (2) members who are Assistant Professors or Instructors from each of the various Faculty Divisions of the University, then the one (1) or two (2) Assistant Professors or Instructors from that Faculty division with the greatest number of votes, shall be deemed elected for a one-year term as additional members authorized by 1.06(1).
5. Faculty Senate attendance is published by the Secretary of the University in the calendar of the two regular meetings of the Faculty.  Attendance at Faculty meetings is a part of each Senator’s duties.
   1. The seats of those Senators who fail to attend three consecutive regular Faculty/Senate meetings are automatically declared vacant.
   2. A member of the Faculty Senate may be granted a leave from the Faculty Senate of up to one year for any legitimate reason that would cause the individual to miss three or more consecutive meetings, e.g., obtaining a sabbatical.  A request for leave from the Faculty Senate should be approved in advance by the University Committee.  When a leave from the Faculty Senate is granted, a replacement will be appointed for the duration of the leave.  The replacement will be the next qualified candidate per 1.06(6).
6. When a vacancy occurs in the Faculty Senate:
   1. The vacancy is filled by the available candidate in the appropriate division who had the highest number of votes.  If there is no available candidate, a vacancy is filled by an appointee of the University Committee. The person so designated shall serve until the first week of the next academic year.  If the term of office extends beyond the current academic year, an election for the unexpired term is held at the next regular election.
   2. Vacancies in the Faculty Senate are filled in such a way that the distribution specified in 1.06(2) is preserved.
7. The Faculty Senate shall not have among its members any member of the administrative staff of the University.  Administrative staff shall mean Presidents, Vice Presidents, Associate Vice Presidents, Assistant Vice Presidents; Chancellors, Provosts, and Vice Chancellors; Deans, Associate and Assistant Deans; Divisional-level Directors, Associate Directors and Assistant Directors or those holding titles as Assistants to such officers. 

1. There will be seven (7) regular meetings of the Faculty Senate each academic year.  Except in unusual circumstances, the meetings will be held on the third Thursday, at 2:30 p.m. with adjournment no later than 4:30 p.m., in each month that a regular Faculty meeting is not held.
2. The Chancellor presides over meetings of the Faculty Senate.  If the Chancellor is absent, the President pro tem of the Faculty Senate serves as the presiding officer.  If the President pro tem is absent then the member of the University Committee having seniority of service, as determined by the University Committee, shall preside.  The Faculty Senate elects the President pro tem from the Faculty Senate Rules Committee.
3. The calendar of a Faculty Senate meeting is prepared by the Faculty Senate Rules Committee.  The Faculty Senate Rules Committee members are elected at the final meeting of the Faculty Senate during the academic year to serve during the ensuing academic year.  (See Supplement to Chapter 6.)  A motion to place upon the calendar any matter omitted from it may be made at any meeting of the Faculty Senate, and, if such motion is passed, the matter shall go upon the calendar for the next regular meeting of the Faculty Senate.
4. All members of the Faculty Senate are to receive copies of the calendars and minutes of Faculty Senate meetings.  Non-senators may, upon request, receive copies of the calendars and minutes, may attend meetings and upon recognition by the presiding officer, may speak.  The presiding officer may indicate a time limit on such recognition.
5. A quorum consists of a majority of the total membership of the Faculty Senate.  An attendance record of members of the Faculty Senate shall be kept by the Secretary of the University.
6. The final action on each document before the Faculty Senate shall be recorded in the minutes.
7. Each agenda for a Faculty Senate meeting shall contain a section identified “Chancellor’s Report” in which the Chancellor reports on their action(s) taken or action(s) under consideration concerning legislation enacted by the Faculty Senate at previous Faculty Senate meetings.

1. The Faculty Senate shall submit a report of its actions at each regular meeting of the University Faculty.  The report shall be considered as “automatic consent” business unless a majority of the Faculty Senate votes to present its report or portions thereof to the Faculty for action thereon.
2. Upon written petition to the Secretary of the University of any twenty-five (25) members of the University Faculty, any action of the Faculty Senate may be appealed to a regular or special meeting of the Faculty.  Any matters subject to such appeal shall have priority in the preparation of the calendar of the regular or special meeting.

1. Subject to the limitations of the Wisconsin Statutes and the policies of the Board of Regents, formal actions taken by the University Faculty or its Faculty Senate become University policy to be implemented by appropriate authorities within thirty (30) days after they have been transmitted to the Chancellor by the Secretary of the University.
2. The Chancellor may delay implementation of any Faculty action or part thereof beyond the thirty (30) day period by notifying the University Committee, within that period, of their intention and the reasons therefore.