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Old Dominion University Faculty Senate Constitution- Name
The name of this body shall be the Faculty Senate of Old Dominion University. - Purpose
The faculty of the university, by virtue of their particular competence, are
essential participants in the development and implementation of academic policy.
The Faculty Senate is a representative body of the faculty, deriving its authority
from the faculty of the university. As such, it shall exercise the authority of the
faculty with respect to policy on academic matters and the professional affairs of
faculty, and perform such other functions as are delegated to it by the faculty of
the university. Specifically, the Faculty Senate shall represent the faculty of the
university in recommending policies to the president and other appropriate individuals
and bodies on admissions and registration, curriculum, academic freedom and tenure,
faculty status, academic standards, and related matters. - Membership
- Faculty Forum
All faculty under full-time teaching and research contracts and all professional
librarians of Old Dominion University who are located in an academic college are
members of the Faculty Forum. All faculty senators shall attend meetings of the
Faculty Forum as part of their duties. Meetings may be called by the chair of the
Faculty Senate, a majority vote of the Faculty Senate, or by petition of at least
10 percent of the forum membership. The chair of the Faculty Senate shall preside
at meetings of the forum. - Faculty Senate
- All members of the Faculty Forum are eligible to serve in the Faculty
Senate.
Excluded from the census of the Faculty Senate districts and, therefore,
from Faculty Senate membership are those employees designated as teaching
and research administrators or professional faculty. This includes all who
hold academic ranks in the offices of the President, Provost and Vice President
for Academic Affairs and other Senior Vice Presidents. Academic deans, associate
and assistant deans (whether full or part time) and their equivalents in the
professional librarians area are also excluded. All department chairs are eligible for membership and, thus, will
be included in the Faculty Senate census.
- The Faculty Senate shall consist of forty members elected from the membership
of the Faculty Forum. Representation shall be proportional to the size of the academic
college in which faculty are members, with at least one representative from each college.
For purposes of apportionment, the library shall be considered an academic college.
Academic colleges entitled to more than one representative shall have a district system
established by the Faculty Senate. The district system shall be reviewed and revised
every four years by the appropriate senate committee.
In addition to the forty members provided for in the preceding paragraph, one
senator shall be elected by the Old Dominion University Emeriti Faculty Organization,
from among its members, to represent that body on the Faculty Senate. The Emeriti
Faculty Organization shall be entitled to one senator and no more. At its discretion, the Faculty Senate may invite other members of the
university community to participate in its meetings as nonvoting members. The term of office of faculty senators shall be two years beginning
the first day following commencement. - Elections shall be held each spring and at least two months before commencement.
One half of the membership shall be elected in odd-numbered years and the other half
in even-numbered years. Elections shall be conducted by the Faculty Senate.
District elections shall be by secret ballot and elections shall be by a majority of
votes cast in an election.
Written nominations for open Senate seats will be accepted for at least one week
prior to the beginning of balloting. Ballots will list the name of each valid nominee
and spaces for write-in votes equal to the number of open seats. Ballots will be
distributed and collected by members of Committee H or their designees.
Voting will cease at a stated hour one week after ballots are distributed
and ballots will be counted by two people. Elections will be by a majority of the total ballots cast. Committee H will validate
and record election returns. Results will be distributed promptly to all members of the
district and, if needed, a date for run-off elections will be announced. Vacancies shall be filled promptly through election by the original constituency.
A senate seat held by a faculty member who takes research leave will be considered vacant.
Officers and Duties
The officers of the Faculty Senate shall be the chair, the vice chair,
the secretary, and such other officers as the Faculty Senate deems necessary,
to be elected by the Faculty Senate at its organizational meeting. The chair of the Faculty Senate shall preside at all meetings of the Executive
Committee, the Faculty Senate, and the Faculty Forum. The vice chair of the Faculty Senate shall perform the duties of the chair
in the chair's absence. The secretary shall prepare and distribute to the Faculty Senate the agenda
and minutes of all meetings of the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Forum. The
secretary shall have published in an appropriate publication a report to the
faculty of the business conducted in each meeting of the Senate as soon as
possible following such meeting. If the chair is unable to complete the term, the vice chair shall immediately
assume the position of chair. The senate shall conduct an election for vice chair
within 30 days. If the vice chair or secretary are unable to complete their terms,
the senate will hold an election for a replacement within 30 days.
Meetings
Faculty Senate meetings shall be scheduled at least twice each term and
at the call of the Executive Committee. A meeting of the Faculty Senate shall be called by the Executive Committee
upon petition of at least ten senators. Meeting of the Faculty Senate shall be governed by Robert's Rules
of order Revised, latest edition. A quorum of the Faculty Senate during the fall and spring terms shall consist
of 50 percent of the Senators. A quorum of the Faculty Senate during the summer
term shall consist of 25 percent of the Senate body or 11 Senators.
Executive Committee (one from each college)
The officers plus three faculty senators elected by the Faculty Senate will
constitute the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. Officers will
serve for two calendar years beginning in AY 2005. The three faculty senators
serving at-large on the Executive Committee will serve for two calendar years
beginning in 2006. All terms begin the first day after commencement.
Faculty Senate Committees
In addition to the Executive Committee, the Faculty Senate shall provide
in its bylaws for such standing and ad hoc committees as are required for the
senate to carry out its responsibilities. Faculty members on committees will
be elected by the senate to serve for two years beginning in AY 2004-05. The
Faculty Senate shall invite representatives of the student government and
administrators to serve on its standing committees concerned with policies
directly affecting the quality of instruction. In such cases at least two-thirds
of the membership of each committee shall be members of the Faculty Forum.
Joint Committees
In areas of joint interest the Faculty Senate is empowered to participate
with the student government, or other organizations through joint committees,
or joint meetings, to the end of preparing joint recommendations. Such
recommendations are subject to the approval of the Faculty Senate unless the
senate expressly empowers such committees, or joint meetings, to act without
such approval. Joint committees are not to assume responsibility for areas of concern
beyond those assigned them, except by prior approval of the Faculty Senate.
Referral of Faculty Senate Actions to the Faculty Forum
Upon petition of at least 10 percent of the membership of the Faculty Forum
to the chair of the senate, any action of the Faculty Senate will be submitted
within 30 days to a referendum of the forum. The result of this referendum shall
be binding on the Faculty Senate.
Representation of Faculty in Other Bodies
The formal representation of the faculty, or a part of it, can be legitimately
accomplished only through consultation with the faculty group being represented
or their elected representatives
Amendments
This constitution may be amended by a majority of ballots cast in a referendum
of the entire membership of the Faculty Forum, providing the proposed amendment
and nature of the referendum are provided the members of the Faculty Forum at
least two weeks prior to the referendum. Amendments must be proposed by two-thirds
vote of the Faculty Senate or by petition of 10 percent of the forum membership to
become the subject of a referendum conducted by the Faculty Senate.
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