Faculty Senate Rules

1.  Meetings of the Faculty Senate generally will be held on the second and fourth Monday of each month during the academic year. fall and spring semesters.

2.  A quorum will be interpreted to be one-half of the membership plus one.

3. The Senate Secretary shall have an assistant who attends the Senate meetings, takes notes of the proceedings, and assists the Senate Secretary in preparing and submitting the minutes of the Senate meetings.

3.  The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Senate in all applicable cases, to which they are applicable, and in which when they are not inconsistent with the Senate Constitution or Rules.

4.  The Robert's Rule limiting senators individuals to speaking only twice on an issue shall not apply to debate in the Faculty Senate senators.

5.  Senate meetings, except for executive sessions, shall be open to all members of the university community.

6.  The Senate  Secretary shall distribute copies of the agenda and minutes of Senate meetings to department chairpersons and other appropriate administrative personnel who are not members of the Senate. (Standing rule as of May 1972.) Senate  agenda and minutes  are to be sent to Senate members, the immediate past president of the Senate, the Sunflower, and to members of the Council of Deans.  will be posted on the Senate's Web site.

7.  Normally, v Visitors to Senate meetings generally should be allowed to participate in Discussion, and cross-examination but should shall not be allowed to vote. V The extent of visitor participation in individual cases is left to the Senate President's chair's discretion.

8. Proxy votes will not be permitted.  , either in Senate elections or Senate meetings.

9.  When vacancies in the Senate membership occur in an area, the remaining members of the area shall constitute a committee to nominate a replacement.  The senators at-large will serve as the nominating committee when vacancies occur in Senator at-large positions.

10.   Senate members on leave shall be replaced by an interim appointment.  covering the time of the leave.  The Senate president shall appoint as an interim senator the person nominated by the remaining members in the division or area.

11.  Senate minutes may be restricted to a recording of formal actions and brief descriptions of issues.  Any member of the Senate can submit a written statement to be included in the minutes.

12.  The Senate president may shall call an executive session whenever this is desirable to it is requested by the Senate.

13. The Senate shall allow audio and/or video recordings of its proceedings following the "Informal Proposals and Statements."  A privileged motion to suspend this rule may be made during any meeting , for that meeting only, and shall require a simple majority of those present for passage.

15. Elected officers of the Senate shall have a term of office of one year, beginning June 1, and shall be eligible for re-election.  [See the Faculty Senate Election Rules for nomination and election procedures; http://webs.wichita.edu/senate/election-rules-rev2-05.html ]

16. Nomination and Election of Officers and Elected Members of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. (Effective date: November 26, 1990)   In what follows, the election meeting shall refer to the meeting in May of each year for the sole purpose of electing officers for the forthcoming year, as designated in Section 7, Article I of the Faculty Senate Constitution. The new Senate shall refer to the body of newly elected and continuing senators eligible to vote in the election meeting. Office shall refer to an officer of the Faculty

Senate or an elected member of the Executive Committee.  Each year in the election meeting the new Senate shall elect the President-Elect, the Vice President, the Secretary and two members of the Executive Committee. Nominations for all of these offices shall be made in one of three ways: by written nomination, by the current Executive Committee, or by

nomination from the floor, as follows:

    (a) Written nominations for Senate officers and two members of the Executive Committee shall be accepted from members of the new Senate by the Executive

Committee and these nominations, together with any nominations which the Executive Committee wishes to make to fill offices lacking written nominations,

shall be distributed to the members of the new Senate the week before the election meeting. It is the duty of the Executive Committee to screen the

nominations for eligibility. Nominations for president-elect shall be signed by at least five (5) members of the new Senate in addition to the person being

nominated, and nominations for the other elected members of the Executive Committee (the Vice President, the Secretary, and two members at large) shall be

signed by at least three (3) members of the new Senate in addition to the person being nominated. Written nominations shall be due in the Senate office by noon

thirteen calendar days before the election meeting.

    (b) In order to assure that there is at least one nominee for each office, the Executive Committee may by majority vote make nominations for any office(s) for

which no written nominations have been submitted. Such nominations must be distributed with the written nominations in (a) above.
    (c) Nominations for elected members of the new Executive Committee may be made from the floor at the election meeting. The election, including nominations from

the floor, shall proceed as follows:

        (i) There shall be separate elections for (1) the President-Elect, (2) the Vice President, (3) the Secretary and (4) the two members of the Executive Committee

elected at large. Voting shall be by secret ballot, except when there is only one nominee for a given office.

         (ii) Each election shall proceed as follows: the presiding officer shall list the nominations already made and shall open the floor for further nominations.  There will be no limitation upon the nominations from the floor. The presiding officer shall accept nominations, listing them as made, until there are no further nominations. The presiding officer shall then declare that nominations are closed, and open the floor for discussion of the nominees. When all comments have been made or the question has been moved, the presiding officer shall call for a vote. If there is no majority vote in a given election, then there will be a runoff election among the two candidates for each office receiving the most

votes.

16. The Order of Business of the Senate shall be as follows:

A.  Calling the meeting to order.

B.  Informal proposals and statements.

C.  Approval of the minutes.

D.  Committee Reports

E.  Old Business

F.  New Business

G.  As May Arise

The agenda order of business after the above three items will be determined in advance by the Executive Committee, and submitted to posted on the Senate Web site.  membership prior to the meeting.

18.  The reading of the minutes shall be required only when copies of the minutes of the previous meeting have not been distributed to members of the Senate in

advance of the meeting, except that the reading need not occur if by a unanimous consent motion or a motion to suspend the rules the Senate determines otherwise.

17.  A motion to create a special order may be introduced by any member of the Senate, in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.

18.  Any member may request a secret ballot. The chair shall treat the request as a unanimous consent motion.  If there is an objection, any member may shall be privileged to move that the vote be taken by secret ballot.  Such a motion shall be privileged, non-debatable, and require for adoption an affirmative vote of five or more members.

19.  The Executive Committee may schedule motions to appear for discussion on the agendas of at least two Senate meetings.  The requirement for a second discussion can also be imposed from the floor by a one-third vote of the Senate.  For motions scheduled for a second discussion, no binding vote will be taken until after the second discussion unless the second discussion is waived by a separate motion passed by a two-thirds majority of the Senate.

20. Unless otherwise specified in the rules, a majority shall be construed to mean a majority of those present and voting.  Additionally, unless otherwise specified in the rules, a two-thirds vote for adoption shall be construed to mean two-thirds of those present and voting.

21. Any member of the Faculty may request in writing that a proposal be placed on the Senate's agenda.  Upon receipt of the request, the Executive Committee shall include the proposal on the agenda of either of the next two meetings or refer the proposal to a standing or special committee.  It shall be the prerogative of the president of the Senate to create an ad hoc a special committee when the need arises.  and to appoint the members of such committee.

22.  With respect to the closure of debate, the Senate shall conform to Robert's Rules of Order.

23.  The secretary of the Faculty Senate: 

    A. Participates fully in the deliberations of the Senate and of the Executive Committee.

    B. Has  principal responsibility for the keeping and diffusion of 

    A.  Is principally responsible for taking and posting the minutes of the Faculty Senate.  and of the Executive Committee.  The secretary shall have an assistant who attends the Senate meetings,

takes notes of the Senate proceedings and assists the Senate secretary in preparing and submitting the minutes. of the Senate meetings.  [Note: Most of this was formerly # 3.]

    B.  Routes policies adopted by the Senate to the proper authorities for signatures and implementation.

    C.  Routes resolutions adopted by the Senate to the proper persons.  to whom they

are directed.

    D.  Assigns serial numbers to policies and resolutions brought to the floor of

the Senate to  Facilitates the keeping of records and the implementation of policies.

E. Oversees the keeping of the Senate's records.  including a policy manual adopted for the Senate and the Executive Committee and an official file of policies and resolutions together with the records of transmittal;

G. Distributes to the Senators, at the close of each Senate year, a list giving the status of all policies and resolutions discussed during that year.

27. Prior to the election of Senators in the Spring, the Secretary of the Senate will make public the attendance record of Senators at the previous year's meetings.
 

28. At regular intervals the members of the Senate and other faculty or students will be invited to present to the Executive Committee, in writing, any questions

related to the budget. Whenever, in the judgement of the Executive Committee,  sufficient items are accumulated to warrant asking the Administration to respond

in the Senate, the agenda of the Senate will provide the necessary time.

24. All standing committees of the Senate will meet in the spring, after vacancies have been filled, to elect chairs for the following year.

25.  Rules concerning standing committees of the Senate are found in the Handbook for Faculty (2.082/ Senate Committee Structure;  http://webs.wichita.edu/senate/handbook/FSConstitution-rev-1-05.html).

I. STANDARD CHARGE

Standing Committees of the Senate are charged to

1. review, modify, and initiate policies and related procedures in their specified domain

2. forward their recommendations and/or motions to the Senate,

3. act as the liaison for students, faculty, and administrators and

4. to report to the Senate at least once a year, and at any other times they and/or the Senate deem appropriate, the specific recommendations they made, to

whom they made them, and what actions have been taken by those responsible for taking action.

5. policy proposals shall be submitted to the Senate in the form of a committee motion. Only the Senate has the authority to make recommendations to, or advise,

the university administration or any other party in the name of the Senate.

II. COMPOSITION

Membership will reflect the specific charge of the committee. Members, all with full privileges unless expressly stated to the contrary for a given committee,

will be drawn from ten (10) categories: the two units of: Academic Services & Administration and the eight faculty divisions of: Business Administration Health Professions

Education Natural Sciences (LAS) Engineering Social Sciences (LAS) Fine Arts Humanities (LAS) as well as at-large and the student body, where designated. At-large faculty

members, where designated, shall be elected from across the two units and eight faculty divisions noted above. For purposes of committee assignments, faculty  from the Center for Urban Affairs and University College shall be included in the Academic Service unit. The Senate President is an ex officio member of all standing and ad hoc

committees of the Senate. (February 25, 1991)

III. ELIGIBILITY

A. Faculty Membership:

    1. Eligible faculty include those eligible to serve on the Senate.

    2. No person will be a member of more than two standing committees of the Senate, unless by reason of office or election.

    3. With the exception of ex officio members and membership determined by general faculty policy, membership of a given person is restricted to two consecutive

three year terms. Suchpersons may be reelected after a service break of one term.

B. Student Membership: Eligibility for student membership is established by the Student Government Association.

IV. SELECTION PROCEDURES

A. The faculty members stipulated under committee composition shall be selected as follows:

1. By February 1 of each academic year, prior to making its nominations to fill vacancies, the Rules Committee shall distribute a Committee Preference Form to

the faculty. These forms shall be filed with the Rules Committee, to be made available to the Senators of a division for use in the committee nomination

process.

2. The Rules Committee shall designate a Senator from each division who will have the responsibility of convening the remaining Senators for the purpose of making committee nominations. The Senators of each division shall submit the names of candidates from their division; the Senators-at-large will submit names of candidates for at-large positions; the President of the University shall do so for the administration.

3. Also by February 1, the Chairperson of the Rules Committee shall notify the Senators of each division and the President of the University of committee vacancies for the following year.

4. By March 1, the Senators of each division shall review Committee Preference forms, plus a listing of eligible faculty, and select two candidates for each vacancy. It is recommended that Senators confer with their dean about recommendations. Recommendations are not to be limited to those persons who have completed Committee Preference Forms. By March 1, the Senators shall, in writing, forward candidates' names to the Rules Committee, and indicate which Senators have been involved in selecting candidates. By March 1, the President of the University shall forward the names of candidates from the unit of the Administration.

5. If names of candidates have not been forwarded to the Rules Committee by March 1, the Rules Committee shall act as the recommending body.
6. By April 1, the Rules Committee shall nominate members for Standing Committees, subject to Senate review. Senate action is final unless appealed by ten percent (10%) of the Senators to the faculty.

7. Chairpersons of committees shall be elected by their memberships in the Spring, after vacancies have been filled, to serve for one year, beginning June 1. One year prior service on the committee is required to be eligible to serve as chair. If no member meets this criterion the Rules Committee will determine selection procedures. Newly elected chairpersons shall notify the Chairperson of the Rules Committee of their election by May 15.

8. Interim vacancies occurring between the beginning of the academic year and March 1 shall be filled by the Rules Committee, subject to Senate approval.

9. In making its nominations, the Rules Committee shall consider continuity, special competence, or the welfare either of individual committees or the University. Specifically included in this provision is the selection of nominees in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the Affirmative Action Program.

10. In making its nominations, the Rules Committee shall make certain that no individual serves on more than two standing committees unless that membership is the result of office or election.

11. In making its nominations, the Rules Committee shall make certain that Standing Committees shall have an annual change in their membership. The term of office on these committees shall be for three years. Staggered terms of three,  two and one years for all selected committee members shall initially be determined by lot.

12. With the exception of the Tenure and Promotion Committee, in making nominations the Rules Committee shall make certain that no more than one member of a committee comes from any one of the ten categories specified under Section II, (Composition). All nominations shall recognize the need for continuity,  interest, and expertise. The Rules Committee shall invite one Senator from each division not represented on it to participate in discussions of committee membership nominations.

13. In the absence of the Vice President of the Senate during the summer months, the President of the Senate shall make temporary appointments to committees as needed.

14. An alternate committee member is a designated faculty member or student member who will, with voting rights, substitute for or take the place of a regular (not designated as alternate) faculty member or student member of the same unit or division in the event that

    (a) a regular member cannot attend a meeting;

    (b) a regular member asks to be replaced at a meeting because of a vested interest or the existence of a bias with respect to the problem to be considered; or

    (c) a temporary regular committee member vacancy exists because of a resignation.

15. If a member of a Standing Policy Committee of the Senate leaves the unit or division from which elected, the member will be considered to have resigned. However, if the committee actions would be disrupted by the resignation, the Senate President may specify that the member stay on the committee for the completion of the academic year.

16. If a committee member has a poor record of participation in committee activities, upon recommendation by that committee the Rules Committee may, after consultation with the member in question, dismiss him or her.

17. Working with committee chairs and members, the Senate President coordinates the work of standing and ad hoc committees of the Senate. (February 25, 1991)

     B. Student members shall be appointed by the Student Government Association.

 V. WRITTEN REPORTS

 A. Written committee reports to the Senate consist of two kinds, which are submitted as separate documents.

    1. A written annual report shall be submitted to the Senate by each committee that contains at least the following:

        a. Date and names of authors.

        b. Names of committee members.

        c. Number of committee meetings.

        d. Summary of activities and/or decisions.

B. Annual reports will be entered on the Senate Agenda, distributed with it, and automatically accepted by the Senate unless a successful motion to the contrary is introduced on the senate floor. Annual reports will not contain motions except insofar as their presence is a mere accounting of motions submitted to the Executive Committee. Annual reports may contain recommendations concerning questions the Senate should study.

C. Committee motions for changes in policy and/or stances on issues, if any, shall take the following written form:

    1. Motion proper

    2. Rationale for the motion.

    3. Committee name, date and authors.

VI. STANDING COMMITTEES

Copy upon request.