Faculty Handbook

Bylaws of the Academic Senate

1. A majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum.
   
   
2. Standard American parliamentary practice, as specified in Robert's Rules of Order, shall govern all meetings except as otherwise specified in these bylaws.
   
   
3. The Academic Senate will go into executive session on recommendation by the Chairperson if there is no objection or on motion by a member if supported by a majority vote. The motion to go into executive session is privileged. Attendance during the executive session will be limited to voting members of the Senate and the Senate staff, and discussion in the executive session will be confidential. A motion to permit any others to attend the executive session will require a two-thirds vote.

1. The Chairperson will prepare the agenda for all meetings, as provided in Article 2 of the Statutes for the Academic Senate, with the initiative and advice of Senate members.
   
   There shall be an Executive Committee, chaired by the Provost. The other members of this Committee will include the Chair of the Committee on Faculty, ex-officio, and one administrator and two faculty elected annually by the full Senate from its membership. The Committee on Committee and Elections of the Academic Senate will conduct this election. This Executive Committee will be empowered to approve agendas for regular Senate meetings and to act for the Senate in matters on which the full Senate is unable to meet because of time constraints. (Creation of Executive Committee approved by the Academic Senate on October 22, 1997)
   
   
2. Special meetings will be called by the Chairperson, and must be called by him/her on the petition of one-third of the members.
   
   
3. In the event that a Senator anticipates that he or she will be unable to substantially complete the term (i.e., that the Senator will be unable for any reason for one semester or more to attend the meetings of the Academic Senate) to which the Senator has been elected, the Senator shall resign as close to the beginning of the period of unavailability as is practicable, or, upon failure to do so, the position shall be declared vacant by the Presiding Officer. Such vacancies, however created, shall be filled as the body or unit represented determines, except that as to the two Regular Faculty elected-at-large positions, the candidate receiving the next highest number of votes in the election to the position vacated shall be appointed to the vacancy and, if that candidate should be for any reason unavailable, the vacancy shall be filled as the Committee on Committees and Elections shall determine. By whatever procedure the vacancy in the Senate is filled, the person succeeding to the vacant position shall serve the term of the Senator replaced.
   
   
4. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote, provided notice of the intention to amend has been given at the previous regular meeting.

* Editorial revision approved by Academic Senate on 21 November, 2005