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Faculty Handbook
Appendix III—Faculty Senate Constitution
Faculty Senate Constitution
Article I. Name
This organization shall be known as the Faculty Senate of West Texas A&M University.
Article II. Purpose
The senate shall serve as a two-way channel of communication between a member or members of the officers of administration and the instructional faculty. The instructional faculty as referred to in this constitution shall be the officers of instruction as identified in the University Catalog and the professional librarians. Included shall be all eligible persons who joined the faculty after the current catalog was printed.
The senate shall function as an instrument through which faculty suggestions and administrative policies may be communicated systematically to administrative officials and the faculty, respectively.
Article III. Membership
Section 1. Membership. Faculty Senate shall consist of 17 representatives: four representatives elected from each of the four colleges and one representative elected by the professional librarians. Each academic department shall be entitled to elect at least one representative. Colleges with fewer than four academic departments shall elect the other representative(s) at large. An immediate past president whose regular term as a senator has expired may serve a one-year term, ex officio, but shall have no vote.
Section 2. Term of Service. Representatives shall be elected for a three-year term to begin on the first day of May and to end on the 30th day of April. No member shall serve two consecutive three-year terms. If a member of Faculty Senate is unable to serve as a result of resignation, death or any other cause, the college or library that he/she represents shall elect a replacement to complete the unexpired term.
Section 3. Elections. Faculty Senate shall be the sole judge of the qualifications of its members. Faculty Senate shall call and conduct elections in each college and Cornette Library to fill any open positions. See Bylaws, Article I and Election Procedures for specific guidelines.
Section 4. Attendance. Any member whose attendance rate falls below 75 percent of the regular and special called meetings of the Faculty Senate during a single semester shall be removed and a new member elected by his/her college at the beginning of the semester following removal.
Article IV. Operation of Faculty Senate
Section 1. Officers of the senate shall consist of a president, a vice president and a secretary. In addition, the senate shall elect a representative to the Texas Council of Faculty Senates. Duties of the officers shall be determined by the senate and stated in the bylaws. Officers shall be chosen annually by the senate from its membership. A senate member may be elected to serve as president only if he or she has been a member of the senate for a minimum of one year preceding his/her election, but the senate may waive this rule by a two-thirds vote of the full voting membership.
Section 2. The time and place of the meeting and the order of business shall be determined by members of the senate and stated in the bylaws.
Section 3. Instructional faculty and the officers of administration shall be informed of the activities of the senate in a manner and at a time to be determined by the senate and stated in the bylaws.
Article V. Channels of Communication
One or more members of any group identified in Article IV, Section 3, may present a suggestion for consideration to one or more members of Faculty Senate. If, in the judgment of the senate, the proposal is one of merit, steps will be taken to communicate the proposal to the appropriate individual or group. The person or persons initiating the suggestion will be notified of the senate’s action.
Article VI. Adoption of the Constitution
Section 1. This constitution shall be adopted by a majority vote of those present and voting at a meeting of the instructional faculty and professional librarians.
Section 2. This constitution shall be in operation immediately upon its adoption.
Article VII. Amendments to the Constitution
Amendments to the constitution may be initiated in two ways:
A. Through a petition signed by 25 members of the
instructional faculty;
B. Through action originating in Faculty Senate and approved by a majority of the senate members present and voting.
Faculty Senate shall present the amendments to the instructional faculty for action. A two-thirds affirmative vote of those present and voting shall be required for adoption. Approved February 12, 1987 Amended October 15, 1987, February 25, 1994, and April 10, 1997
Faculty Senate Bylaws
Article I. Elections
Section 1. Faculty Senate will announce and conduct regular elections through the college or library during the month of April each year and others as required to fill a representative’s unexpired term. When appropriate, the election may occur as part of the agenda for a regular meeting of that college or Library. Notice of the meeting should be in a written form with agenda included. See sample attached.
Section 2. A member’s term of office will begin on the first day of May following his/her election and end on the 30th day of April after completion of a three-year term.
Section 3. Immediately following the April election of representatives, Faculty Senate shall hold an organizational meeting to elect officers for the following year. Both newly elected and carry-over members shall vote in electing the officers.
Article II. Officers
Section 1. Duties of the officers stated in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Revised will apply where appropriate.
Section 2. The senate president may vote on all issues.
Section 3. The senate president may appoint all Faculty Senate committees.
Section 4. Faculty Senate Standing Committees are the following: Standing Committee for Executive Council—president, vice president and secretary. Committee charge: enhance communication among Faculty Senate, faculty, administration, staff and the community.
Standing Committee for Faculty Development and Student Learning. Committee charge: develop, support and sustain systemic faculty development programs and processes designed to enhance student learning.
Standing Committee for Budget and Faculty Governance. Committee charge: to inform faculty on employment type issues such as compensation, benefits and annual evaluation; to assess bylaws and handle administrative duties of the senate.
Standing Committee for Assessment, Advising, Conduct (Ethics), Curriculum and Issues. Committee charge: improve the student learning environment and faculty teaching experience through curriculum assessment and enhancement. Encourage ethical conduct and professionalism on campus. Address other faculty/student issues as needed.
Article III. Meetings
Section 1. The senate president shall be empowered to call meetings of Faculty Senate at his/her discretion. The senate president shall call a meeting of the senate upon the written request of at least six senate members.
Section 2. Faculty Senate may hold an executive session by an affirmative vote of two-thirds majority of the members of Faculty Senate present and voting. Executive session shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order Revised.
Article IV. Method of Communication
Section 1. Reports and resolutions of Faculty Senate shall be presented to appropriate members of the administration and faculty. Contents of reports and resolutions to the administration and instructional faculty will be determined by majority vote of Faculty Senate present and voting.
Section 2. Minutes of Faculty Senate meetings shall be made available to members of the administration and faculty and to librarians.
Article V. Parliamentary Rules
Section 1. The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall prevail at meetings of Faculty Senate and the instructional faculty when they are applicable and not inconsistent with the bylaws.
Article VI. Method of Amending Bylaws
Section 1. Bylaws shall be subject to amendment by two-thirds majority of members of Faculty Senate present and voting.
Approved February 12, 1987 Amended October 15, 1987
Faculty Senate Election Procedures
Each Faculty Senate election shall follow consistent procedures.
- One to three Faculty Senate representatives from another college should conduct the election, one to conduct elections and others to serve as auditors or tellers.
- A quorum shall be determined as the full-time faculty of that college attending the meeting.
- Election shall be by a simple majority of the quorum.
- The presiding senator will review qualifications for senate membership:
- Each college may elect four members, one from each department with at-large r epresentatives as needed. Cornette Library may elect one representative.
- Each representative will serve a three-year term with no consecutive re-election.
- Replacements elected for an unexpired term will complete that term only and may be elected for an additional regular term.
- The presiding senator will accept and conduct voting on nominees.
- If two or more nominees are presented, use a written secret ballot.
- If only one nominee is presented, use a show-of-hand vote.
- Reporting procedures for the vote results are as shown on the attached form.
Approved October 15, 1987
Following verification by Faculty Senate, notify in writing the dean of the college/librarian involved and the University president.