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I. The Faculty Senate shall, in matters
of parliamentary procedure, except as otherwise provided by
its Articles or Bylaws, follow the latest revision of Robert's
Rule of Order.
The phrase "voting quorum present" means those present
and voting, assuming the presence of a quorum.
The description in the agenda must contain sufficient detail
to permit advance consideration of the merits of the matter.
II.
The Order of Business in meetings
of the Faculty Senate shall normally be as listed, but may
be changed at the discretion of the chair.
Call
to Order
Approval of Minutes
Communications
Reports of Committees
Unfinished Business
New Business
Good and Welfare/Question and Answer
III.
The Registrar of The University of Montana-Missoula or his or her designee is hereby
designated as ex-officio Recorder of the Faculty Senate.
IV.
Attendance
1. More than 2 unexcused absences in a given academic term
will result in disqualification from the Senate. In this event,
a replacement will be appointed by ECOS in accordance with
Bylaw 7.F.
2. The attendance of Senators at Faculty Senate meetings is
a matter of public record.
V.
Committee Membership and Function:
A.
Executive Committee of the Senate(amended
2/12/04)
(1) ECOS
shall consist of seven members. These members shall be elected
for two-year staggered terms. In the event that an ECOS member
having one year's service on the committee remaining to his
or her term should fail to be reelected to the Senate, the vacancy
will be filled for a one-year term from the voting group of
said member, using the methods of election outlined in Bylaw
VII. For the election of ECOS members, the twelve voting groups
will coalesce into two caucus groups, one from the College
of Arts and Sciences
and one from the Professional Schools. Following the election
of the Chair-elect at the annual reorganization of the Senate
(Article II, Section 4), the College and Professional Schools
shall caucus to elect the appropriate number of members: ECOS
should be represented by a total of four members from the College
and three from the Schools. The Chair-elect shall serve as
Chair in the Chair's absence, and shall join the Chair, when
possible, in meetings where the Chair represents the Senate.
If the Chair becomes unable to serve by reason of resignation
from office, leave of absence, or any other cause, the Chair-elect
assumes the duties and title of Chair for the rest of this term
as well as the term for which she/he had been elected, and a
new Chair-elect is to be elected. Special elections will be
held when necessary.
(2)
The Senate as a whole confirms the final selection of members
of ECOS; and, although it may reject a nominee proposed by
a voting group, it may not select any member of ECOS except
upon nomination by the member's voting group.
(3) The Executive Committee shall
make appointments to all faculty committees and make all nominations
to university committees.
Subcommittees
of ECOS shall be:
An orderly way to promote coordination and accessibility is
to utilize a subcommittee structure. It is assumed that any
committee has the authority to appoint subcommittees and that
the members of such need not be members of the parent committee.
Terms of appointment are at the discretion of the parent committee.
B.
Academic Standards and Curriculum Review
Committee
Membership:
(1) This committee shall consist of 12 faculty members nominated by ECOS and appointed by the President for staggered three-year terms, five students appointed by ASUM for one-year terms, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or his or her designee (ex-officio and nonvoting), and the Registrar or his or her designee (ex-officio and nonvoting) who shall serve as recorder. The Chair will be elected by the members of the committee.
(2)
The committee shall create a standing subcommittee, the Graduation Appeals Committee, which has power to grant exceptions to the faculty rules for graduation, admission, retention, and readmission. The subcommittee shall consist of three faculty members and one student. The current chair and vice chair of the ASCRC and one student will serve as voting members. The immediate past chair of the ASCRC will serve as a non-voting member. The Registrar, or a deputy appointed by him or her with the concurrence of the subcommittee, shall serve as non-voting Recorder. The committee may create other standing subcommittees. (amended 11/10/05)
(3) The committee shall create a standing subcommittee, the General Education Committee. It will provide ongoing evaluation of the general education requirements and evaluate proposed changes to those requirements. The subcommittee shall consist of 12 voting members, including ten faculty members and two students. The faculty shall reflect the diversity of academic experiences at the University of Montana , with five faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences, with at least one member each in the Humanities, Natural and Physical Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Five faculty members will be from the professional schools with one faculty member from the School of Fine Arts , and one faculty member from the College of Technology . The remaining three faculty members shall consist of faculty chosen from the Colleges of Forestry and Conservation, and Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences, the schools of Business Administration, Education , and Journalism, and the Library. At least one faculty member must also be a member of ASCRC to serve as liaison between the committees. Preference shall be given to at least one faculty member who is knowledgeable about Indian Education for All. The committee may also have ex officio , nonvoting members representing the Registrar’s and Provost’s offices. Faculty members will be nominated by ECOS and appointed by the President for staggered three-year terms. Student members will be appointed by ASUM for one-year terms. The Chair shall be selected by the committee. The committee will meet as often as needed, but at least once a month.
Chair (selected by the committee)
Faculty(10 – three year terms)
Faculty ASCRC member (at least 1)
College of Arts and Science (total of 5*)
Humanities (at least 1)
Natural & Physical Science (at least 1)
Social & Behavioral Sciences (at least 1)
*Preference shall be given to a faculty member knowledgeable about Indian Education for All.
Professional Schools (total of 5)
School of Fine Arts (1)
College of Technology (1)
(3 chosen from remaining schools)
College of Forestry and Conservation
College of Health Professions & Biomedical Sci
School of Business
School of Education
School of Journalism
Mansfield Library
Students(2)
Appointed by ASUM for one year
Ex Officio, non voting members
Associate Registrar
Associate Provost (amended 11/10/05)
Functions:
(1) ASCRC shall make a continuing study of the academic standards and curriculum of the University, review and recommend action to the Senate for all proposed alterations of the academic program, and make recommendations to the Senate regarding academic standards. ASCRC shall be responsible for the content of those portions of the University’s catalog consistent with its duties.
(2) Petitions for exceptions to the rules governing admission, graduation, retention, and readmission shall be reviewed and acted upon by the subcommittee. The subcommittee shall develop general policies for such review and action and publicize those policies for the faculty and staff from time to time.
(3) The primary responsibility of the General Education Committee will be ongoing evaluation and assessment of the appropriateness and effectiveness of the general education requirements and criteria. The subcommittee shall act as an advocate for general education, propose revisions to the requirements and criteria, review proposals, and ensure that all general education requirements are feasible within campus constraints, Board of Regents policies and legislative actions. The subcommittee shall report directly to ASCRC .
C.
Graduate Council
Membership:
The committee shall consist of 12 faculty members (to be appointed
by the President for staggered three-year terms from nominees
submitted by ECOS), the Dean of the Graduate School (or his
or her designee), and two graduate students (appointed by
the President of ASUM). Faculty shall be representative of
the Senate voting groups.
Each faculty member nominated to this committee must have
an appointment in a department or school with a graduate program
and be active in that program.
Functions:
(1) Promote, review, and evaluate
graduate programs to ensure vitality, currency, and quality;
(2) Review and make recommendations
on all requests for new programs, for deletions of programs,
and for curriculum additions or changes by departments and
schools;
(3) Consider suggested changes
in Graduate School regulations as published in the graduate
catalog;
(4) Consider issues raised by
graduate students relating to regulations of specific graduate
programs or their welfare;
(5) Initiate and supervise interdisciplinary
graduate programs in response to national, regional, or state
needs, or to the desires and needs of sufficient numbers of
graduate students.
(6) Decide on substantive matters
relating to graduate programs, curricula, general Graduate
School regulations, etc., and forward decisions to the Faculty
Senate and to the Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs for final approval.
D.
Faculty Library Committee (added 2/12/04)
Membership:
Membership of the committee will consist of eight faculty members
(to be appointed by the President for staggered three year terms
from nominees submitted by ECOS), three students (to be appointed
as provided for in the collective bargaining agreement of the
UFA), and one member of the Staff Senate (appointed pursuant
to Staff Senate policies). Six faculty members shall be representative
of the Senate voting groups and two will be members of the Library
Faculty; departmental library representatives are encouraged
to participate on this Committee and will be given preference
in appointment. The Dean of Library Services or the Dean's designee
will serve as ex officio, nonvoting member of the committee.
The chair of the committee is responsible for convening meetings
and determining the agenda in consultation with the Dean of
Library Services or the Dean's representative.
Functions:
The central charge of the Faculty Library Committee is to
review, on behalf of the Faculty, matters bearing on the University's
academic mission, and to advise and make related recommendations
to the Library Faculty, the Faculty Senate, and the University
Administration. Its functions accordingly include, but are
not limited to the following:
(1) Facilitate
effective communication and cooperation between the University
libraries and the Faculty Senate.To this end, the committee
will: a. ordinarily meet monthly during the academic
year; b. continue to maintain open lines
of communication between the Faculty Senate and the Library
Faculty, Administration, and Staff; c. review annual
library acquisitions budget; d.provide a mechanism
for continuous and periodic university faculty input to the
Faculty Library Committee regarding the libraries, collections,
and other faculty needs; e. ensure that the Chair of
the Faculty Library Committee will meet with the Library Faculty
at least once every academic year; f. attend
to, and when appropriate, advocate on behalf of the development
of the Library's resources and services.
(2) To assist the Library in its development of collections,
services, and relevant policies that advance the University
of Montana-Missoula's commitment to academic growth and excellence.
(3) Consult with the University and Library administrations
to promote effective communication about the libraries and
their roles within the community.
(4) Participate in the selection and periodic evaluations
of the Dean of Library Services.
(5) Participate in the accreditation processes affecting or
involving the UM-M libraries.
(6) Report periodically as needed to the Faculty Senate throughout
the year.
(7) Prepare an annual written report of the Committee and
Library activities for the academic year. These will be kept
in the Faculty Senate Office to facilitate continuity.
E. Commencement
Committee(amended 2/24/04)
Membership:
The committee consists of eight faculty members appointed
by (with indefinite terms to be filled upon resignation),
the Provost, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Director
of Alumni Relations, two Associate Deans, the Registrar and
Associate Registrar, a representative from Disability Services
for Students, and three students appointed by ASUM.
Functions:
The Commencement Committee is charged with implementation
of commencement exercises and ceremonies, selection of a commencement
speaker, and all commencement-related decisions. The subcommittee
shall submit all proposed action and changes of substantive
nature to the Senate for approval.
F.
Committee Operating Rules and Procedures
(added
2/12/04)
- Faculty
Senate standing committees shall establish a regular meeting
time and place in conjunction with the Senate Office to
facilitate administrative support.
- The
Chair-elect assumes the role of chair at the last meeting
of the year and a new chair-elect is elected.
- The
committee chair will turn the meeting over to the Chair-elect
in matters pertaining to their departmental interest.
- The
chair is encouraged to consult with ECOS and inform the
Faculty Senate on matters of academic interest.
- Each
committee shall file in the Faculty Senate Office a statement
of operating procedures and guidelines adopted by the
committee. It is the responsibility of the committee chair,
or designee to see that statements are filed and changes
are noted whenever they are approved by the committee.
At the first meeting of each academic year, the committee
should examine its statement of procedures and guidelines.
- The
Senate Office will post procedures of interest to the
general faculty to the Senate web site.
- Faculty
Senate Committees will provide the Faculty Senate with
an oral and written summary of its activities during the
year.
G.
Committees to Which ECOS Makes Appointments.
(1) The composition and function
of these committees are determined in part by the collective
bargaining agreement. The contract terminology "appointed
by the Faculty Senate" shall mean "appointed by
ECOS.
(2) All faculty terms are staggered
three-year terms.
(3) No faculty member appointed
by the Senate may serve both on the Appeals Committee and
the Standards Committee.
(4) No faculty member appointed
by the Senate may be re-appointed until one academic year
has passed.
(5) Only tenured faculty members
belonging to the bargaining unit who are not department
chairs may be appointed.
(6) The committees shall deliver
annual reports to the Faculty Senate and file written annual
reports with the Chair of ECOS and the Provost and Vice
President for Academic Affairs. These reports shall contain
the results of each committee's work and a review of the
overall process.
The Standards Committee shall consist of faculty members
from the bargaining unit (selected as above by the Faculty
Senate) and five students (nominated by ASUM for one-year
terms and confirmed by the Faculty Senate). Four faculty
shall be from the school's voting groups and two each shall
be from the humanities, sciences, and social and behavioral
sciences voting groups.
VI. The Senate shall take no action or decision except
upon affirmative vote of a majority of those present, assuming
a quorum to be present.
VII.
General responsibility for the conduct of the selection
of members of the Faculty Senate is hereby delegated to
ECOS subject to the following provisions:
A. Procedures: (amended
5/3/01, 11/18/04)
(1) Faculty members eligible to vote in the spring elections
provided for in subsection D hereof, and to serve in the
Senate, are those who: (i) hold the rank of Professor, Associate
Professor, Assistant Professor, Instructor, any of these
ranks qualified as "Visiting," the titles Lecturer
or Distinguished Lecturer; (ii) are employed at .5 AY FTE
or greater; (iii) will meet conditions (I) and (ii) for
the year following the election. The Faculty Senate Administrative Associate will
confirm eligibility with the appropriate University authorities
as necessary. The eligibility list shall be approved by the Executive Committee of the Senate.
(2) A preliminary ballot composed of faculty confirmed as
being eligible by departments or schools shall be electronically created from the data base prepared
by the Faculty Senate Administrative Associate. No later than
one week before the date of the election ballot, the Faculty Senate Office shall issue a written invitation to all eligible
faculty members, which may be issued by electronic means
(via e-mail). The invitation will ask the faculty member to respond by indicating whether he or she
is available and willing to serve in the Senate or not. The elections ballot will be prepared according to subsection B hereof.
(3) All ballots shall bear the seal of the Faculty Senate.
(4) The election ballot shall allow voting for the number of Senate vacancies.
B. The election to fill vacant seats on the Faculty
Senate shall be conducted during the fifth week of the Spring
Semester within the appropriate voting groups. The election
ballot shall indicate the names of faculty members within
their respective areas who are available and willing to
serve on the Senate and include a full-listing of all faculty
members within their respective areas with the exception of those identified in (3).
(1) The election ballot shall include in its full-listing
of eligible faculty, the names of Senate members whose terms
expire at the end of the academic year in which the election
is held; but it shall not refer to them as Senators in the
full list of eligible faculty nor shall it list them separately
on the ballot as information to the voters.
(2) The election ballot shall not include the names of Senators
ineligible for election or reelection in the list of eligible
faculty nor shall it list them separately on the ballot as
information to the voters.
(3) The names of all faculty members who do not wish to
serve on the Faculty Senate and who have so informed the
Faculty Senate Office in accordance with the
procedure outlined in VII. A.2 shall be deleted from the
elections ballot.
(4) The election ballot shall inform the voters whether it is
the case that a department or school may not elect one of
its members (it will have its maximum of three senators
in the next academic year), and the names of all eligible
faculty in such departments or schools shall be deleted
from the list of eligible faculty. The faculty of such departments
or schools shall have the opportunity to vote. Faculty within a given voting group
shall vote for faculty within that voting group.
C. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be confirmed elected by the Executive Committee of the Senate.
D. Each voting faculty member may vote following the instructions provided on the ballot. Voting shall be handled via the campus Intranet on a secure web site administered by the Faculty Senate Office unless, at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the Senate, a need exists to use a paper ballot. The Executive Committee of the Senate may authorize the Senate Administrative Associate to receive ballots and appoint an Elections Committee as needed. Only ECOS or the Elections Committee shall count ballots. In order to ensure full publicity to the entire faculty with respect to elections, the counting of ballots shall be open to any of the faculty, and the number of votes cast for each candidate shall be made available promptly to any member of the faculty upon request.
E. If a vacancy occurs after a final election, ECOS will fill the vacancy after giving due consideration to the vacator’s runners-up. Such selected faculty members will fill the vacancies until the next regular election. In the case where there are no runners-up in the voting group, or the runner-up is unwilling or ineligible to serve, ECOS shall fill the vacancy by appointment.
F. A senate seat becomes vacant through resignation, termination from the University, or death. Senators who are unable to attend meetings will ordinarily be replaced by the runner-up. A senator may be considered temporarily absent for up to one year upon advanced notification to the Senate Office. In this case the runner-up will be appointed to serve until the senator returns to serve the rest of the unexpired term. The replacement senator shall serve for a maximum of one year, or until the elected senator can resume duties. Failure to inform the Office in advanced will be considered a resignation according to IV.
VIII.
These Bylaws may be amended or repealed
at any meeting of the Senate by a majority vote of those
present, provided that notice of proposed amendments and
repeals shall have been given at the immediately preceding
meeting and provided further that notice shall be given
and recommendation made by ECOS, as provided in the next
paragraph of this Bylaw. It shall be the duty of ECOS to
send written notice of proposed amendments and repeals to
each member of the Senate promptly after the meeting at
which they are proposed and to report at the next meeting
of the Senate its recommendation. Where such means would
be adequate in its judgment, ECOS may provide the texts
of amendments and repeals by electronic distribution (e-mail),
or by posting on the Senate Web site.
Amendments and repeals shall become effective immediately
following their passage.
IX.
Emergency procedure. Temporary suspension of a Bylaw, or
of adopted rules of procedure at any meetings, shall require
a two-thirds vote of the Senate, in accordance with Robert's
Rules of Order.
X.
During the regular academic year, the Senate shall meet on
the second Thursday in each month at 3:10 p.m., except that
ECOS may change the regular meeting time in the event of a
legal holiday or to facilitate the handling of the usual end
of semester granting of degrees. If a change in this schedule
is necessary, the Chair shall so inform each member of the
Senate in writing, or by e-mail, at least one week prior to
the date of any meeting to be canceled or the date of any
meeting rescheduled, whichever is earlier.
XI.
It is the responsibility of ECOS to consult with the President
regarding needs, plans, problems, and programs of the University.
After such consultation, the President shall be invited by
ECOS to the Senate. At the September meeting, the Executive
Committee shall submit to the Senate a report outlining a
program for consideration. This program shall be publicized
to the entire faculty, and should identify principal areas
with which the Senate shall deal in the ensuing year.
XII.
When an amendment to the Articles of Faculty Organization
is proposed, ECOS shall notify the faculty of the impending
ballot during the first two weeks of the semester succeeding
the semester in which the amendment is proposed and direct
the Elections Committee to conduct balloting during the sixth
week of the same semester.
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