ACADEMIC SENATE BYLAWS
Bylaw 1: Parliamentary Procedure. When possible, Senate meetings will be conducted collegially and informally as an academic body. At the request of any member at any time, parliamentary procedure will be observed. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the Academic Senate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution, Bylaws and Standard Rules of the Academic Senate.
Bylaw 2: Registration of members with the Academic Senate office. Each school or unit shall report to the Academic Senate office the names and academic titles of its members in the Faculty Assembly; the members, officers, and terms of the school faculty council; and the names of its members of the Academic Senate. The President of the Faculty Council of each school or unit shall provide the Academic Senate office with this information by July 1, and shall notify the Senate office of any changes.
Bylaw 3: Quorum. Except as otherwise provided for in the Constitution, 51 % of the voting members of the Academic Senate constitutes a quorum. Only members present are eligible to vote at any Academic Senate meeting. In the absence of a quorum, discussion may occur at the discretion of the chair, but no action shall be taken except adjournment to a specified future time.
Bylaw 4: Agenda. Matters for prospective inclusion in the main body of an agenda for a forthcoming Academic Senate meeting must be provided to the Academic Senate Executive Board in sufficient time to be placed on the Executive Board agenda and to be discussed by the Board no later than one week prior to the Academic Senate meeting. Matters which are not so submitted may be considered under "New Business" on the Senate agenda.
Bylaw 5: Motions. Substantive motions from the floor (as distinct from procedural motions such as for approval, disapproval, reference of pending matters, or adjournment) shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Board (or alternatively, to the Academic Senate office) at or before the time they are orally proposed to the Academic Senate.
Bylaw 6: Attendance. Attendance shall be taken at all Academic Senate meetings. All present shall sign-in and identify themselves prior to attending.
Bylaw 7: Visitors. Meetings of the Academic Senate are presumed to be open. However, a meeting can be closed by the Executive Board to include only members of the University community (i.e., administrators, faculty, retired faculty, staff', and students) or to include only members of the Faculty Assembly, or to include only members of the Academic Senate. If a meeting is closed, others may attend with the permission of the Executive Board.
Bylaw 8: Executive Board. The Executive Board meets as needed. Meetings of the Executive Board shall be governed by Standing Rules established by the Board. If an Academic Senator is elected to serve as an officer or voting member of the Executive Board, that individual shall not represent or be counted as a representative of a school or unit.
Bylaw 9: Executive Board meetings with the University President. At least once each month, the Executive Board shall meet with the President of the University, with his or her designate(s), or both.
Bylaw 10: Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee consists of the President of the Faculty, the Academic Vice President, and two other members of the current Executive Board, together with four other Academic Senate members who are not a member of the Executive Board. The method for choosing the Nominating Committee is prescribed in the Standing Rules.
Bylaw 11: Nominations. The Nominating committee shall present a slate of at least two candidates for each office for which there will be an election (i.e., the Academic Vice-President, the Administrative Vice-President, the Secretary General, and each position of Member at Large of the Executive Board). The Nominating Committee may not nominate any of its members. Additional nominations for an office are permissible with the signed endorsement of a minimum of five supporting Academic Senate members and prior agreement from the nominee that he/she will serve if elected. Nominations shall be submitted in the manner, with the information, and within the deadlines, prescribed in the standing rules.
Bylaw 12: Alternate members. If an Academic Senate member is unable to attend an Academic Senate meeting, the faculty council of a school or unit may elect an alternate member. If an alternate member will be attending as a voting member in place of an Academic Senator, the Senate office must be notified by a telephone call or in writing in advance of the meeting.
Bylaw 13: Non-attendance by members. If an Academic Senate member resigns, or misses two meetings and no alternate member has been elected, the faculty council of the school will be asked to elect an alternate member.
Bylaw 14: Elections. Elections will take place by mail ballot distributed to voting members of the Academic Senate. The ballot will include the names of all who have been properly nominated and who have agreed to run for office.
Each Academic Senate voting member will cast one vote for each open seat on the ballot. Election will be determined by simple plurality. Ties will be broken by a run-off ballot. Tie breaking elections may be conducted and reported early in the fall term if necessary.
Bylaw 15: Vacancies on the Executive Board and in Executive Offices. If the President of the Faculty resigns, or becomes unable to serve, the Academic Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President. If the Academic Vice-President becomes President, or resigns, or becomes unable or ineligible to serve, the Executive Board shall solicit suggestion, make nominations, and hold an election for Academic Vice-President by mail ballot in accord with the Bylaws and standing rules.
In the event that an executive officer other than the President or Academic Vice-President, or an Executive Board Member at Large resigns or becomes unable or ineligible serve and there is less than one year remaining to serve in the term, the Executive Board shall designate a replacement whose appointment must be submitted for approval by the Academic Senate at its next meeting. If there is more than one year to serve in the term, the Executive Board shall solicit suggestions, make two or more nominations, and hold an election by mail ballot in accord with the Bylaws and Standing Rules.
Bylaw 16: Standing and special committees. In addition to the Executive Board, there shall be standing committees of the Academic Senate as listed in the Standing Rules. Additionally, the Academic Senate or the Executive Board may create such special committees, task forces, and bodies as necessary.
Bylaw 17: Standing Rules. These bylaws authorize the creation of Standing Rules to govern procedures of the Academic Senate and the Executive Board. The Standing Rules can be adopted by either majority vote of either the Executive Board or the Academic Senate. The Standing Rules may be suspended or changed by the majority vote of either the Executive Board or the Academic Senate. The Standing Rules are to be followed so long as they are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws.
The above Bylaws were passed at the Academic Senate meeting held October 18, 1995.