POLICY 3.3.5 - Senate Meetings
Senators and officers shall be expected to regularly attend Senate meetings. In the event a senator or officer is unable to attend a regular meeting of the Senate, they shall provide the secretary with advance notice of at least 24 hours that they will be unable to attend a regular meeting (except in unforeseen or emergency situations). Upon advance notification, the secretary shall record the absence as excused within the minutes of the meeting, upon approval of the Senate. Unexcused absences will be recorded for all members of the Senate who do not provide advance notice.
The presence of two-thirds of the senators shall constitute a quorum.
Parliamentary procedure in Senate meetings shall be governed by the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, except for such rules of parliamentary procedure as the Senate may adopt for itself from time to time.
Senate meetings shall be open to the university community; however, by simple majority vote the Senate may move to Executive Session (closed meeting).
Faculty, students, staff, administrators, and/or members of the Board of Trustees may address the Senate under procedures established by the Senate. The Senate has the right to invite members of the university community to address the Senate.
The presiding officer will normally decide who is recognized, but the Senate may vote to recognize a member or visitor whom the presiding officer has not recognized.
Procedure at meetings:
- approval of previous minutes
- approval/amendment of agenda
- unfinished business
- new business
- reports
- general discussion of issues
The Senate shall approve committee recommendations and forward them to the provost; disapprove such recommendations; or refer the recommendations back to the committee, offering opinion, advice, or dissent. Within six weeks of approval and forwarding to the provost, the provost shall report back to the Senate the action(s) taken on the recommendations.
Should the Provost take action contrary to a Senate recommendation, the Senate may reconsider and vote again on the recommendation. A two-thirds majority vote of the senators in favor of the recommendation will cause the recommendation to be forwarded directly to the University Cabinet as the recommendation of the Senate without the concurrence of the Provost.
Should the University Cabinet take action contrary to the Senate recommendation, the Senate may reconsider and vote again on the recommendation. A two-thirds majority vote of the senators in favor of the recommendation will cause the recommendation to be forwarded directly to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees as the recommendation of the Senate without the concurrence of the University Cabinet.
Voting shall be by voice vote, and all votes shall be recorded by the secretary. Senators by motion may call for a roll call vote and, if approved by the Senate, the recorded vote will indicate the vote by name. The presiding officer shall declare the result of the vote. Senators shall vote “aye” when in favor of a proposal and “nay” when opposed. A vote of “present” shall be counted with the majority.
Minutes shall record which senators are present or absent. Furthermore, the minutes shall note in parentheses next to the absent senator’s name their cumulative number of unexcused absences.
Revision Dates: (Amended by Faculty Senate 11/9/12)
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