University of Rhode Island

Faculty Senate

Kingston, Rhode Island

On April 21, 2005, the Faculty Senate voted to approve the following changes to the Faculty Senate By-Laws recommended by the Executive Committee:

5.1 Each year at its organizational meeting, the Senate shall elect for one-year terms a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson and one member of the Executive Committee. In order to ensure continuity, the remaining three members of the Executive Committee shall be elected to serve for two years. To stagger their terms, two of the 2-year term members shall be elected on even numbered years and the other 2-year term member on odd numbered years.  

5.2 At its regular meeting in April of each year the Senate shall elect a nominating committee of three members chosen from the members whose terms expire that May. This committee shall present two nominations for each position to be filled by election at the organization meeting at the end of the academic year. In selecting its nominees, this committee shall consider the senators newly elected as well as those who have served for one or two years, shall consider continuity of membership, and shall, moreover, seek to maintain a reasonable distribution and rotation of the positions to be filled among the various colleges and schools.

5.4 The election of officers shall be in accordance with the following procedures:

For any term of office on the Executive Committee for which two candidates are being elected, a candidate shall be declared elected on the first ballot if she/he receives a majority of the votes cast. If only one candidate is elected on the first ballot, a run-off election shall be held for the other position between the two candidates who have received the highest number of first-ballot votes. If no candidate is elected on the first ballot, a run-off election shall be held among the four candidates who have received the highest number of first-ballot votes. A majority vote is required for election.