FSEC Terms

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Report

Terms on the Executive Committee

Background:

For the last three academic years the Faculty Senate Executive Committee has questioned whether the terms of officers and Executive Committee members were of adequate length to assure continuity. Continuity has become especially important given that the FSEC members now also serve on the Joint Strategic Planning Committee, which has a steep learning curve and is involved with long-term planning. In particular, the FSEC thinks it important that in any given year, at least half of its members should have served on the FSEC the previous year, so as to have prior experience with FSEC and JSPC policies and procedures. On several occasions, the Executive Committee asked the Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee to recommend changes. The CBUM Committee has to this point declined to do so.

The 2004-05 FSEC discussed this issue on February 2, 2005 with Professor Wenisch and Senator Kirschenbaum from the Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee (CBUM) with regard to the CBUM Committee's position that it did not appear to be necessary to change the length of terms of Officers and members of the Executive Committee. During the meeting, Professor Wenisch indicated that it was perfectly legitimate for the Executive Committee to propose its own changes to the Constitution or By-Laws without a positive recommendation from the CBUM Committee. Subsequent to that meeting, the Executive Committee agreed to propose modest changes to the Faculty Senate By-Laws in order to increase the likelihood that there would be continuity in terms of the increased shared governance responsibilities among members and Officers of the Executive Committee with no change in the length of terms of officers

Recommendations

The Executive Committee recommends that the Faculty Senate approve the following changes to the Faculty Senate By-Laws to ensure greater continuity of membership. These changes may not be voted upon at the meeting at which they are introduced and require approval by a 2/3 majority. (Changes are in boldface):

A. Proposed amendment to section 5.1 of the Faculty Senate By-Laws
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...

Existing
5.1 Each year at its organizational meeting in May or June, the Senate shall elect for one-year terms a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson and two members of the Executive Committee. In order to ensure continuity, the third and fourth members of the Executive Committee shall, in alternate years, be elected to serve for two years...

B. Proposed amendment to section 5.2 of the Faculty Senate By-Laws
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.

Existing
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 or June. 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, and shall, moreover, seek to maintain a reasonable distribution and rotation of the positions to be filled among the various colleges and schools.

C. Proposed amendment to the second paragraph of section 5.4 of the Faculty Senate By-Laws
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.

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

For the two one-year positions on the Executive Committee, 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.