Appalachian State University
FACULTY SENATE
GUIDEBOOK AND MANUAL OF ORDER
Table of Contents
Revisions..................................................................................................................
Foreword..................................................................................................................
Organizational Structure...........................................................................................
I. Policies...............................................................................................................
A. General...........................................................................................................
B. Meetings.........................................................................................................
C. Absences........................................................................................................
D. Alternates.......................................................................................................
II. Officers..............................................................................................................
A. Chair.............................................................................................................
B. Vice Chair (Senate Elections Officer)............................................................
C. Secretary.......................................................................................................
D. Parliamentarian.............................................................................................
E. Vacancies of Office.......................................................................................
III. Committees........................................................................................................
A.
Senate Committees........................................................................................
1.
Agenda Committee....................................................................................
2.
Committee on Academic Policy.................................................................
3.
Budget Committee.....................................................................................
4.
Campus Planning Committee....................................................................
5.
Committee on Committees........................................................................
6.
Committee on Public Education and Information......................................
7.
Committee on Welfare and Morale............................................................
8.
Committee on Welfare of Students............................................................
9.
Ad-hoc Committees...................................................................................
B. Faculty Committees.......................................................................................
IV. Faculty Assembly Delegates..............................................................................
A. Role of Faculty Assembly Delegates.............................................................
B. Replacement of Faculty Assembly Delegates................................................
V. Elections Procedures..........................................................................................
Six years have passed since the last revision of the Faculty Senate
Handbook, and many significant changes in both procedure and definition
have
occurred in that interval. We offer these revisions to accommodate
those changes, and to guide Senate protocol for the next several years.
As stated
in the first revisions of 1981, reexamination on about a 5-6 year interval
would be prudent, and we anticipate that substantial changes will be made
in
the next millennium.
The ad hoc committee responsible for these latest revisions felt that
a change in the name of this document was necessary to help distinguish
it from
the Faculty Handbook. As such, we have changed the name to the
Faculty Senate Guidebook. In addition, we have revised the time line
of activities
for the Chair and Vice-chair, incorporated advances in computer technology
and use such as the Internet and email, edited some of the wording to
reflect changes in intent and to correct errors, and attempted to bring
the election process back to the faculty by restoring the right of the
Senate to
designate election chairs within each university unit.
We hope this Guidebook continues to be of use to the university community
and that it enhances the ability of the Faculty Senate to represent the
wishes of its faculty to the administration.
Howard S. Neufeld, Chair
Sara Zimmerman, Vice-Chair
Richard G. McGarry
Michael J. Moore
Stella E. Anderson
Michelle Hill, Faculty Senate Office Secretary
March 1998
Several significant changes have been made both in the procedures of
the Faculty Senate and in the Faculty Handbook since 1988. This latest
version
of the Faculty Senate Handbook reflects these changes. It also
reflects changes in language which have become standard since that time.
We hope that this Handbook continues to serve Senators, other faculty,
as well as administrators, in the conduct of Senate affairs and its functions
within Appalachian State University.
Peter Petschauer, Chair
Steve Williams, Vice Chair
Mary Dunlap, Secretary
April 1992
The Faculty Senate Handbook serves as a valuable document in guiding
the conducting of Faculty Senate business. This revision of the Handbook
has been influenced by some modifications in the procedures of the
Senate. It also reflects changes in committees which have been approved
by the
Senate or by the new Faculty Handbook for which approval is anticipated
by the 1988-89 academic year.
Slight modifications to timetables have been made to make adjustments for some changes in procedures in various segments of the University. Any references to the Faculty Constitution or the Faculty Handbook refer to these documents pending approval in 1988.
Theresa Early, Chair
Janice R. Whitener, Vice Chair
Alan Hauser, Secretary
March 1988
Several years have passed since the Faculty Senate Handbook was first
issued. In the intervening period of time, a number of substantive
changes in
Senate policies and procedures have taken place, and these have made
it necessary to modify the Handbook at several points. Since the
timetable for
the performance of the Chair's duties has been influenced considerably
by these modifications in procedure, the timetable has been revised and
updated.
A timetable for the performance of the Vice-Chair's duties has been
added. There is also a new section regarding election procedures.
This revision indicated clearly that every several years the Faculty
Senate Handbook needs to be revised and updated. Therefore, a close
reexamination
of this Handbook no more than several years from now would be in order.
In order to provide clarification, any references to the Faculty Constitution
or the Faculty Handbook refer to these documents as provided in the
Faculty Handbook for the 1980-81 year.
Alan J. Hauser, Chair
Nancy K. Neale, Vice Chair
Terry Cole, Secretary and Parliamentarian
January 1981
The purpose of this Handbook and Manual of Order is to provide a guide
for the officers and committees of the Faculty Senate. It attempts
to answer
three main questions: 1) What is to be done?; 2) Who is to do
it?; and 3) How and when should it be done?
These statements herein are not to be considered as the only route to
approach a responsibility, nor does the Handbook serve as a binding contract.
Rather it is an attempt to offer guidance in time of question.
As different Senates are convened and undertake new responsibilities it
is anticipated that
their ideas will be expressed in revised editions of this manual.
The Ad Hoc Committee, which has submitted this original effort, recommends
that the Faculty Senate Handbook be produced in loose leaf form in order
to promote ease in revision. The Committee further recommends that
the Faculty
Senate institute a mechanism for effecting periodic revisions to the
Handbook. Finally, the Committee recommends that an updated version
of the
Faculty Senate Handbook should be provided to each Senator and the
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the regular May meeting of the
Senate.
In order to provide clarification, any references to the Faculty Constitution or the Faculty Handbook refer to these documents as provided in the Faculty Handbook for the 1977-1978 academic year.
Submitted for consideration and possible adoption by the Ad Hoc Committee for Drafting a Faculty Senate Handbook.
Judy Humphrey
J. Frank Randall
Jim Roberts
Donald Sink, Chair
Spring 1978
The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to to serve as the instrument through
which the faculty of Appalachian State University considers and acts on
university matters. To this end, the Faculty Senate participates
in the formation, implementation, and review of university policy.
The Faculty Senate, in order to represent a continuing proportionate
and distributive voice of the faculty, is composed of twenty-seven (27)
members
elected by the faculty. Specifically, the Senate is composed
of faculty members who are elected at-large by the entire faculty of the
university and of
faculty members who are elected by the faculty of a specific college,
school or library. All employees of the university holding academic
rank are
eligible for election, excluding Emeriti Faculty, Adjunct Faculty,
and Part-time Faculty teaching less than six hours (see Faculty Constitution,
Article II, Section 2). The Senate elects three members of its body
to serve as officers: a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary.
Officers will serve a one-year term which may be renewed for a second consecutive
year. A Senator is appointed by the Chair to serve as Parliamentarian.
To further involve the faculty in the policy of the university, standing
committees of the university are established, modified and/or abolished
as the
Senate deems necessary. These committees make recommendations
for action concerning university policy, particularly as the policy is
related to
concerns of faculty and students. The Senate's Committee on Committees
is charged with periodically reviewing the composition, the effectiveness,
and the areas of responsibility of each university committee, and with
proposing a slate of new members for these committees to the Senate for
its
approval at the regularly scheduled March meeting.
To provide for orderly transaction of business, Faculty Senate committee
members are appointed by the Chair of the Senate, with the advice and consent
of the Senate. Faculty concerns needing study may be referred
to a Senate committee by action of the Chair, the Agenda Committee or the
Senate. Items referred to committee shall be recorded in the minutes
of the Senate. Also, committees study and bring to the Senate recommendations
on policies and problems in their areas of responsibility. Recommendations
on all referred matters are submitted by committees to the Senate for action
as expeditiously
as possible.
A. General
1. All
meetings of the Faculty Senate are conducted according to the latest edition
of Roberts Rules of Order, and according to the Faculty
Constitution and Bylaws.
2. All matters of Faculty Senate policy shall be decided by the Senate acting as a whole, unless otherwise indicated by the Faculty Constitution and Bylaws or by The Code of the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina.
3. Decisions
on all motions of the Faculty Senate will be by voice vote or show of hands.
Each Senator will also record his or her own vote on a
voting sheet so as to provide a permanent record votes. A composite
voting sheet recording all individual notes at a Senate meeting accompanies
the
minutes for that meeting when they are distributed to the faculty.
4. When
presented with a petition signed by 50 faculty members, the Faculty Senate
will initiate an opinion survey of the whole faculty on the
issue in question and bring it before the Senate for discussion and
possible action.
B. Meetings
1. Regular
Unless otherwise
altered by vote of the Faculty Senate, the Senate will meet on the second
Monday of each month. Meetings begin at 3:15 p.m.
and are held in room 224 I. G. Greer. At the May meeting, it
will be determined if summer meetings are necessary and the schedule of
meeting times
for the next academic year will be presented.
Items of business
to come before the Faculty Senate are placed on the agenda and distributed
in written form to the Senators at least four days
prior to the meeting in which action is anticipated. A written
agenda is distributed at least four days prior to every Senate meeting
to all faculty members.
The agenda for
regular Senate meetings shall be determined by the Agenda Committee.
2. Annual meeting with the Chancellor
An annual meeting
with the Chancellor shall take place before the March Faculty Senate meeting.
The responsibility for making arrangements
and establishing policy for conducting this meeting resides with the
Chair of the Faculty Senate.
C. Absences of Faculty Senators
from Regularly Scheduled Meetings
Whenever a Senator is absent from any regularly
scheduled Faculty Senate meeting, that Senator, either before the meeting
or within two weeks
following the meeting, submits in writing (which includes e-mail) to
the Chair of the Senate the reason for the absence. The Chair determines
and so informs the Senator whether the absence is excused or unexcused.
Criteria for excused absences shall be illness, temporary but necessary
professional commitments, and being away from the community at times not
covered by a contract with the university. Failure to submit properly
the reason for an absence will automatically cause that absence to be considered
unexcused.
Whenever a Senator accumulates two unexcused
absences, or a total of five unexcused and excused in the course of a regular
Senate year, he or she
is deemed to have vacated the office and is notified to this effect
by the Chair. An exception to this policy is granted only by vote
of the Senate and then
only if the absences are due to unusually difficult situations.
Vacancies arising in this fashion are filled as set forth in Article IV,
Section 6, Paragraph c
of the Faculty Constitution ("The Chairperson of the Senate shall nominate
persons to fill vacancies created by unexpired terms. The Senate
shall either elect or reject nominations made by the Chairperson.
Persons so elected shall serve until the next regular election, at which
time the faculty will elect a person to complete the unexpired term").
In order that constituents may be aware of
the attendance records of their Senators, the Secretary shall indicate
absences on the voting sheet in the minutes.
D. Alternates
If a member of the Senate realizes that
professional responsibilities will conflict with three or more consecutive
meetings, the member will notify the Chair of the Senate. The Chair
of the Senate will then consult with the member and the Committee on Committees
and propose the name of an alternate
to the Senate. If the Senate member represents a college, school,
or library, the alternate will also be from that entity. The Senate
will vote to approve or disapprove the alternate's selection by a simple
majority vote. If the first nominee is not approved, the process
will be repeated. The alternate will take the member's place in the
Senate for the appointed time and will vote and serve on committees.
April:
Prior to the regularly scheduled April meeting of the Senate, the outgoing
Chair:
1. Directs each chair of the Senate committees to
prepare a transition file for his or her committee to be turned in to the
Senate office at the conclusion
of the April meeting of the Senate;
2. Receives a copy of each Senate committee's Annual
Report;
3. Reminds chairs and/or supervisors following election
of Senators in the spring, that schedules of Senators should
be adjusted to allow for
full Senate participation on the second Monday afternoon of each month;
and
4. Notifies newly elected Senators that their term
of office begins with the special April meeting of the Senate which
immediately follows the
adjournment of the regularly scheduled April meeting of the Senate.
The purpose of the
special meeting is to receive
nominations and elect the officers for the three Senate offices for the
coming year.
Officers assume duties immediately
upon election.
Before the May meeting, the incoming Chair:
1. Obtains from all continuing Senators and newly
elected Senators a list of their committee preferences for the
coming year. The membership
list of each Senate committee for the coming year is prepared and distributed
before
the regularly scheduled
May meeting;
2. Schedules and conducts an orientation session
for new Senators prior to the May meeting of the Senate;
distributing a Faculty Senate
Guidebook and urging them to review it and the Faculty Constitution;
3. Prepares the Senate's budget requests for the
coming academic year and forwards them to the Provost and Vice
Chancellor for Academic
Affairs;
4. Reminds all university committee chairs to see
to the election of their successors by the September Faculty Senate
meeting (and notify the
Senate office of the new chairs after doing so) and reminds them that a
continuity file is to
be provided for the new
chair and the committee; and
5. Forwards to the Chancellor a list of all new
university committee member nominations approved by the Senate so
that the Chancellor may
send letters of appointment to new members informing them that their term
starts at the
beginning of the academic
year and ends at the end of the second summer session of their term.
The Chancellor
also sends a letter to outgoing
members thanking them for their service.
May:
1. Appoints at the May Senate meeting a Parliamentarian
for the coming year;
2. Conducts elections of new Senate committee Chairs
for the coming year and distributes to them any relevant file
material
3. Works with the Hubbard Center to plan orientation
for new faculty; and
4. Prepares a retreat for Senators for the second
Sunday after the fall semester starts to discuss faculty concerns and to
determine a general agenda
outline.
June:
1. Prepares Annual Report on the activities of the
Senate for the faculty and the university at large.
July:
1. Meets with the Provost and Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs and Agenda Committee to plan the agenda for the
annual fall faculty meeting;
2. Begins a one-year term as delegate to the Faculty
Assembly of the University of North Carolina and as head of
Appalachian's delegation
to the Assembly; and
3. Sends a letter to the chair of the Staff Council
requesting that new committee and council staff member be
appointed by November 15.
August:
1. Delivers prepared remarks at the annual fall
faculty meeting;
2. Presides at the orientation program for new faculty;
3. Begins to elicit directions for the Senate for
the year through consultation with chairs of committees, the Senate,
and the entire faculty;
4. Presides over the fall Senate retreat;
5. Reminds the President of the Student Government
Association and the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies that
student members of university
committees and councils for the new academic year need to be appointed
by
November 15; and
6. Arranges an annual meeting of the Chancellor
with the Faculty Senate.
October:
1. With the Committee on Committees, initiates the
process of the Administrative Evaluations;
2. Notifies the chairs of university committees
and councils chosen in May of the membership of their committees,
councils, etc.
December:
1. Meets with the Provost and Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs and members of the Agenda Committee to plan
the agenda for the annual
spring faculty meeting; and
2. Directs the Senate Vice Chair to make plans for
the various elections to be conducted during the spring semester
(See Section V, Elections'
Procedures.).
January:
1. Delivers prepared remarks at the annual spring
faculty meeting;
2. Directs the Senate Committee on Committees to
serve as the nominating committee for vacancies occurring on the
Faculty Grievance Mediation
Committee, the Faculty Grievance Hearing Committee, and the Faculty Grievance
Assistance Committee.
These nominations must be completed before a spring university-wide faculty
meeting
called for the purpose of
receiving nominations for the Faculty Assembly, Senate at-large seats,
and seats on the
two Faculty Committees (See
Section V, Elections' Procedures.);
3. Makes sure that the Administrative Evaluation
process is on track; and
4. Confers with the Vice Chair regarding the reapportionment
of the Senate's eighteen college, school, and library
seats. The reapportionment
needs to be completed and notices sent to unit deans and elections Chairs
by January
15. (See Section V,
Elections Procedures.)
March:
1. Notifies the Senate Committee on Committees that
nominations to fill faculty vacancies on university committees,
including the Administrative
Evaluations' committees, need to be approved by the Senate at the April
meeting;
2. Reminds chairs of Senate Committees to prepare
annual reports for the April meeting; and
3. Opens the nominations process for new senate
officers.
B. Vice Chair of the Faculty
Senate (Senate Elections Officer)
The Vice Chair of the Faculty
Senate presides at Senate and Agenda Committee meetings when the Chair
is unable to be present. The Vice Chair
also serves as an alternate delegate (for the Senate Chair only) to
the Faculty Assembly.
The Vice Chair has the following
specific duties:
1. Serves as a member of the Agenda Committee;
2. Serves as the Senate Elections Officer. In this role, the Vice
Chair conducts the annual election of
Appalachian faculty members to the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Assembly,
the Faculty Grievance Mediation
Committee, the Faculty Grievance Hearing Committee, and the Faculty Grievance
Assistance Committee.
The charge and delineation of responsibilities for these elections can
be found in the following places:
Faculty Constitution (in the Faculty Handbook), Article IV, Sections 3-6;
Faculty Senate Guidebook,
Section V; Faculty Handbook, Section VII, Faculty Senate, Committees and
Councils.
3. Convenes the Faculty Grievance Mediation Committee and the Faculty Grievance
Hearing Committee, after
August 15 for purpose of supervising the election of a chair and receiving
their charge. The charge itself is
delivered by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
With reference to the duties
and responsibilities of the Vice Chair as Senate Elections Officer, the
following guide to scheduling is offered.
Greater specificity is detailed in the "Elections Procedures," (Faculty
Senate Guidebook, Section V).
August:
Appoints an elections chair for each college, school,
and library;
October:
The Senate Elections Officer secures, prior
to the January Faculty Senate meeting, from the Office of Institutional
Research,
a count of the number of faculty (using the prescribed definition of
faculty) in each college, school, or library, and then calculates
the number of seats to be allocated to each college, school, or library
(see Faculty Constitution, Article IV, Section 3). The final
apportionment of seats is reviewed by the Chair of the Senate and the
Senate Elections Officer.
January:
1. Previews the election process at the general
faculty meeting and encourages participation by all faculty;
2. Communicates each Senate seat allocation to the
deans of the various colleges, school, and library and their
respective elections chairs
within one week after the January Faculty Senate meeting.
3. During the first week of the semester, alerts
the elections chair of each college, school, or library to initiate the
process for nominating candidates
for the Senate.
4. Announces in writing to all faculty during the
first week of the semester:
a. the date to receive nominations
for the committees, councils and other bodies requiring the election of
faculty
members, Faculty Senator at-large seats, and Faculty Assembly seats;
b. the names and positions
of those whose terms are expiring;
c. the dates for the university-wide
election and run-offs for at-large seats;
d. the method of balloting;
and
e. the procedures for absentee
balloting.
5. Oversees all details of the university-wide elections;
and
6. Receives from each elections chair the number
and names of faculty eligible to vote within their unit for
university-wide elections,
listed by department.
February:
1. Solicits written nominations of candidates for
the various offices to be filled in the university-wide elections, which
must be held after March
1. Throughout the elections process, specific arrangements for absentee
ballots are made
known in writing; and
2. Announces the results of the college, school,
and library elections to the general faculty by March 1.
March:
1. Confirms the willingness of all nominees to run
for office, offers each the opportunity to submit a 100-word
biography, and prepares
the ballot.
2. Informs candidates about the results of the election
and/or run-offs before announcing the results to all faculty
members. University-wide
elections must be completed by March 31.
C. Secretary
It is the responsibility of the Secretary
of the Faculty Senate to preserve detailed records of the deliberations
of the Senate. The Secretary oversees
the preparation of the minutes of the Faculty Senate meetings and their
circulation to the faculty. The minutes include matters of business,
their
disposition, a summary of discussion, a listing of all individual votes
cast, and any other matters members might wish to include. The Secretary
serves
as the Recorder for faculty meetings and maintains records of these
meetings in accordance with Article III, Section 4, of the Faculty Constitution.
D. Parliamentarian
The Parliamentarian is appointed by
the Chair of the Faculty Senate at the regular May meeting. The Parliamentarian
also serves as parliamentarian
for faculty meetings.
E. Vacancies of Office
Should the office of Chair of the Faculty
Senate become vacant, the Vice Chair serves as Chair for the duration of
the unexpired term and the Senate elects a new Vice Chair at its next meeting.
Should a vacancy of any of the remaining offices occur, a new officer will
be elected by the Senate at its next meeting.
A. Senate Committees
Faculty Senate Committees act on matters
assigned to them by the Senate. Also, each committee may initiate
and pursue matters germane to its area
of responsibility. Each committee is a recommending body, presenting
its recommendations to the full Senate for consideration. If an issue
is not considered by the Senate committee with which it is placed, any
concerned faculty member may revive the issue one time by presenting it
to the Chair of
the Senate; the Chair will then present it to the chair of the committee
and request an official report be made to the Senate concerning its disposition.
Major areas of responsibility for each
committee are described below. The work of many committees is such
that some continuity of membership is beneficial and continuity is considered
by the Chair of the Senate when assignments are made. At each May
session of the Senate, each committee elects
a chair. The chair of each committee makes provisions for maintaining
records of the committee. This folder includes status reports on
all projects
handled during the year. This folder is delivered to the Senate
office where the newly-elected chair of the committee picks it up immediately
after the
regular May Senate meeting. The chair prepares an annual report
that is given at the April meeting of the Senate.
1. Agenda Committee
The Agenda Committee is comprised of the three
elected officers of the Faculty Senate, the Provost and Vice Chancellor
for Academic Affairs, and
the past Chair of the Senate. The Agenda Committee:
a. prepares the agenda
for Senate meetings;
b. prepares the agenda
for general faculty meetings;
c. refers matters
to appropriate committee;
d. handles other business
pertaining to agenda matters; and
e. assists the Provost
and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in preparing and revising the
Faculty Handbook;
2. Committee on Academic
Policy
The Committee on Academic Policy:
a. considers matters
of academic policy;
b. handles other business
which impacts upon academic policy; and
c. serves as liaison
to the Academic Policies & Procedures Committee.
3. Budget Committee
The Budget Committee:
a. studies matters relating
to budget planning at Appalachian;
b. studies matters relating
to the acquisition and distribution of the University's funds, equipment,
and supplies;
and
c. considers university
financial concerns of faculty.
4. Campus Planning
Committee
The Campus Planning Committee:
a. considers matters of
faculty concern relating to long-range and physical planning;
b. serves as Senate liaison
with the Strategic Planning Commission; and
c. investigates problems
arising from the condition or management of the physical environment on
campus.
5. Committee
on Committees
The Committee on Committees:
a. serves as the nominating
committee for vacancies created by completed terms occurring on the Faculty
Grievance
Mediation Committee, the Faculty Grievance Hearing Committee, and the Faculty
Grievance Assistance
Committee. These nominations are presented at the Spring university-wide
nominations meeting, at which time
additional nominations may be received from the floor (See Section V, Elections
Procedures);
b. submits to the Senate,
at its April meeting, and at other appropriate times, recommendations for
nominations to
fill vacancies on university committees;
c. reviews annually the
membership and responsibilities of each of the university committees, and
periodically
conducts detailed reviews of university committees;
d. determines whether or
not each university committee is meeting as often as specified and fulfilling
the functions
it was created to fulfill;
e. makes recommendations
to the Senate for abolishing, changing, and/or adding university committees;
f. makes recommendations
to the Senate for the replacement of members on those university committees
on which
such members are not accepting their responsibilities, or when vacancies
on those committees occur; and
g. handles other business
which pertains to committees.
6. Committee on Public
Education and Information
The Public Education and Information Committee:
a. collects and/or prepares
Appalachian faculty statements of concern and/or commendation about University
and
state events impacting on higher education at Appalachian or in the state
of North Carolina;
b. presents these statements
for the consideration of and action by the Faculty Senate;
c. disseminates faculty
endorsed statements to appropriate University and state leaders and officials;
d. sees that public officials
have a clear knowledge of the needs and concerns of the faculty at Appalachian;
e. handles other business
which pertains to public education and information about faculty concerns;
and
f. oversees the publication
of The Faculty Voice, and sees to its distribution to faculty and staff
members;
7. Committee on
Welfare and Morale
The Committee on Welfare and Morale:
a. monitors in all areas
of fringe benefits and provides representation by three committee members
on the
Faculty/Staff Benefits Committee;
b. cooperates and participates
in the orientation program for new faculty members and spouses; and
c. handles other business
which pertains to faculty welfare and morale.
8. Committee on
Welfare of Students
The Committee on Welfare of Students:
a. deals with problems,
or problem areas, which directly affect the general student body and the
well-being of
every student currently enrolled at Appalachian;
b. serves as liaison to
bring serious student problems and possible solutions to the attention
of the faculty,
administration, and student body for the purpose of developing or reformulating
policy;
c. cooperates with other
Appalachian agencies, in particular the Offices of the Vice Chancellor
for Student
Development, the Director of Auxiliary Services, the chair of the Student
Government Association's Student
Welfare Committee, the Director of Admission, and the Registrar; and
d. serves, in some situations,
as an investigatory body.
9. Ad-hoc
Committee
The Faculty Senate may establish,
when its members perceive the need to do so, ad-hoc (temporary) committees
for the purpose of addressing specific and major faculty and/or institutional
concerns.
B. Faculty Committees
The Faculty Committees are described
in The Faculty Handbook, Chapter IV.
Representation in the Faculty Assembly is apportioned among the constituent
institutions of the University of North Carolina according to the number
of
full-time equivalent faculty positions allocated to each institution.
Thus, Appalachian is apportioned four delegates to the Assembly.
By action of the
Faculty Senate of Appalachian, the Chair of the Senate serves as head
of Appalachian's delegation to the Assembly, with the Vice Chair of the
Senate
serving as his/her alternate. The remaining three delegates and
two alternates are elected by the faculty when a seat is vacant or a term
expires during the
spring term prior to March 31. The Chair of the Faculty Senate
serves a one (1) year term coterminously with her or his position as Chair,
with the three
(3) elected delegates serving three (3) year terms. Terms of
the three-year delegates are staggered.
A. Role of Faculty Assembly Delegates
Although it is assumed Appalachian's
Faculty Assembly delegates will vote their conscience, it is also assumed
that they will convey to the Faculty
Assembly, and to the President of the University of North Carolina,
resolutions approved by the Faculty Senate and/or general faculty and specifically
addressed to the Assembly. This role includes the written rationale
provided by the Senate and/or general faculty in support of a resolution.
Any
Assembly delegate is free to disagree with such a resolution and the
rationale behind it once the resolution has been presented. The Chair
of the Faculty
Senate, (or alternate), being a delegate to the Assembly, reports to
the Senate actions taken by the Assembly on such resolutions.
B. Replacement of Faculty Assembly Delegates
In the event that an elected delegate
to the Faculty Assembly must vacate office for the balance of a term, that
delegate's alternate will automatically become the permanent delegate and
serve out the balance of the term of the replaced delegate.
In the event that an elected alternate
delegate to the Faculty Assembly must vacate his or her office by either
becoming a permanent replacement for an elected delegate or by resignation,
the Chair of the Faculty Senate nominates a replacement for the now vacant
alternate and, upon approval of the Senate, appoints the replacement to
serve until the next regular election of Assembly delegates.
In the event that an elected delegate
is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of office for a temporary period,
that delegate is replaced by an alternate for the duration of the
absence. The Chair of the Senate fills the vacancy of the alternate
by nominating a replacement who, upon approval of the Senate, serves until
such time that the elected alternate delegate is able to resume office.
By August 15, the Vice Chair
of the Faculty Senate, who is the Senate Elections Officer, shall name
an elections chairperson for each college, school, and library for the
entire academic year. Thereafter, each elections chair reports directly
to the Senate Elections Officer and is responsible for details within that
college, school, or library concerning their unit's elections.
Regarding college, school,
and library elections, each elections chair determines procedures concerning
the nomination of candidates: that is, sets the date, time and place
of voting; confirms willingness of nominees to run; prepares the ballots,
supervises the election; provides for the tabulation of votes; notifies
all nominees of the election results PRIOR to announcing those results
to their faculty, and reports the results to the Senate Elections Officer.
Regarding university-wide
elections, the Senate Elections Officer determines procedures concerning
the nomination of candidates: that is, sets the
date, time and place of voting; confirms willingness of nominees to
run; prepares the ballots; supervises the election; provides for the tabulation
of votes;
and notifies all nominees of the election results PRIOR to announcing
those results to the general faculty.
A. College, School, and Library
Elections of Faculty Senators
During the first week of February of
the spring semester, each elections chair will announce in writing to all
faculty in their college, school, or library:
1. The deadline for
receiving nominations;
2. The dates for the
election and any necessary run-offs;
3. The method of balloting
(including absentee balloting); and
4. The names of all
senators whose terms are expiring and their eligibility for re-election.
Elections must be completed by
March 1, and in light of that fact, the following general procedures should
be observed:
1. Prior to the January
Faculty Senate meeting, the Senate Elections Officer obtains from the Office
of Institutional
Research, reapportionment data as described in Article IV of the Faculty
Constitution and forwards to each
elections chair their allotment of Senate seats for the upcoming academic
year.
2. Each elections chair
obtains from his or her dean, within one week following the beginning of
the spring
semester, a list of all faculty members in the college, school or library
and their eligibility to vote (as defined in
Article II of the Faculty Constitution. The faculty members are to
be listed by department.
3. The elections chair solicits
written nominations of candidates allowing faculty one week to submit written
nominations. The nominations process must be held by the end of the
first week in February. The elections
chair offers each nominee the opportunity of submitting a 100-word biography,
which is included with the
biographies of other nominees and distributed along with the ballot.
4. Election ballots must
be returned within one week of receipt. In the event that a run-off
is necessary for any of
the seats, it is held within one week after the results of the first election
are announced in writing (which includes
e-mail) to the faculty as a whole. Candidates for office are informed
about the results of an election or run-off
before the results are announced to the faculty.
5. Immediately after ballots
are counted, the elections chair notifies the Senate Elections Officer
of the results of the
election.
B. University-wide Elections
At the spring Faculty meeting the Senate Elections
Officer announces to all faculty members the seats open for election.
All university-wide
elections must be completed by March 31. In light of this fact, the following
general procedures should be observed:
1. the Senate
Elections Officer sends a memorandum to all faculty announcing the results of
the elections held in
all colleges, schools, and library, and reminding faculty of the written nomination
procedures, and the dates
scheduled for university elections and run-off elections;
2. prior
to March 1, each elections chair uses the list of faculty eligible to vote (described
in A.2 above) as the
basis for providing the Senate Elections Officer the exact number of ballots
needed in the college, school, or
library for the university-wide elections; and
3. the Senate
Elections Officer solicits written nominations of candidates for the various
offices, allowing faculty
one week to submit written nominations. The nominations process must be completed
by the end of the
second week in March. (Note: the Senate's Committee on Committees
is charged with the responsibility of
submitting at least two nominees for each vacant seat on the three faculty committees.
(See Faculty
Handbook, Section VI, Faculty Senate, Committee, Councils.) Before preparing
the ballot, the Senate
Elections Officer confirms the willingness of all nominees to run for office,
and offers each nominee the
opportunity of submitting a 100-word biography, which is included with the biographies
of other nominees
and distributed along with the ballots.
4. Election
ballots must be returned within one week of their receipt. In the event
that a run-off is necessary for
any of the seats, it will be held within one week after the results of the first
election are announced, in writing
(which includes e-mail), to all faculty members. Candidates should be
informed about the results of an
election or run-off before the results are announced to the university faculty.