CONSTITUTION FOR FACULTY GOVERNANCE
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA SOUTHEAST
PREAMBLE
The faculty of the University of Alaska Southeast establish this Constitution in order to create a governance structure that will provide a forum for and give a voice to university-life issues, including curriculum, student success, research and creative activities, as well as institutional and professional development.
ARTICLE I. NAME
Section 1 Faculty governance at the University of Alaska Southeast will be by a Faculty Assembly of the Whole and a Faculty Senate.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE, AUTHORITY, RIGHTS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 1 Purpose
A. The Senate shall act in a representative capacity on behalf of the Faculty Assembly in matters which affect the general welfare of the university and its educational programs.
Section 2 Authority
A. The Faculty Senate of the University of Alaska Southeast shall carry out its responsibilities and functions subject to the authority of the Board of Regents, UA President, and UAS Chancellor consistent with the laws of the State of Alaska (BOR Policy 03.01) and faculty collective bargaining agreements.
B. Such responsibilities and functions shall be regulated by the By-Laws accompanying this Constitution.
C. Senate actions shall otherwise be binding and subject to veto in accordance with ARTICLE IX (Veto Powers) of this Constitution.
Section 3 Faculty rights
Faculty rights include:
A. To exercise academic freedom
B. To form a representative body to develop legislation concerning the professional activities of the faculty.
C. To have elected representatives to appropriate governance bodies.
D. To have primary authority through the Senate to initiate, develop, recommend, review, and approve University of Alaska Southeast policies and standards with regard to the responsibilities outlined in Section 4.
Section 4 Responsibilities
A. The Senate shall function as the legislative and administrative body having primary authority to initiate, develop, recommend, review, and approve university policy, including but not limited to the following:
Academic Affairs
(a) academic advising
(b) assessment of students and course outcomes
(c) degrees
(d) course and program approval
(e) admissions and transfer policies
(f) instructional policies
(g) library
(h) distance education
(i) academic suspension or dismissal
(j) other matters directly concerned with the academic program of the university
Faculty Affairs
(a) evaluation, promotion, and tenure
(b) sabbatical leave
(c) appointment, reappointment, and termination
(d) teaching
(e) research and creative activities
(f) service
(g) workload
(h) professional ethics
(i) faculty development
(j) grants and contracts
(k) other matters affecting the welfare of the faculty
Administrative Matters
(a) budget
(b) calendar
(c) administrative appointments
(d) physical facilities
(e) academic catalog
(f) course scheduling
(g) support services including information technologies
(h) diversity
(i) safety
(j) community outreach
(k) other matters affecting the welfare of the university
B. To serve as a clearinghouse for the distribution of information of general concern and interest to University of Alaska Southeast faculty and to articulate matters requiring a timely response to a Chancellor’s or other administrator’s concerns.
C. To develop and recommend to the Chancellor protocols for the approval and deletion of academic programs.
D. To provide faculty representatives for the appropriate governance bodies.
E. To support student and staff constituencies on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 Eligibility
A. Faculty Assembly
Members of the Faculty Assembly include
(1) tenure-track faculty and
(2) those term faculty who have worked in their positions three or more years with a faculty appointment of 50% FTE or greater.
B. Faculty Senate
(1) Those eligible for membership in the Faculty Senate are current members of the Faculty Assembly.
(2) Faculty members on any type of sabbatical leave are not eligible to serve as members of the Faculty Senate.
Section 2 Designation
A. The membership of the Faculty Senate shall consist of elected representatives hereinafter referred to as Senators.
Section 3 Composition of the Senate
The Senate shall consist of the following:
A. Faculty Senators
(1) Elected by and from the Faculty Assembly as set forth in the ByLaws.
(2) One representative for each faculty academic unit, as defined in the ByLaws.
B. Campus Senators
(1) Elected by and from the Faculty Assembly at each campus as set forth in the ByLaws.
(2) One representative for each of the campuses, Ketchikan, Sitka, and Juneau.
C. Provost
The Provost shall be a non-voting, ex officio member of the Senate.
Section 4 Terms of office
A. Faculty Senators shall serve one-year terms and may be re-elected by the faculty they represent.
B. Vacancies shall be filled expeditiously in the manner designated for that position in the ByLaws and shall be for the unexpired term of the position.
Section 5 Officers
A. The officers of the Senate, a President and a President-Elect, shall be elected by members of the Faculty Assembly according to procedures and a timeline laid out in the ByLaws.
ARTICLE IV. DUTIES OF MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. President
(1) facilitates the business of the Faculty Senate, such as elections and appointments, setting agendas, and leading meetings;
(2) votes only to make or break a tie;
(3) officially represents the faculty in all university and public forums except those pertaining to official collective bargaining activities;
(4) participates as a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet or its equivalent, and as a voting member of the University of Alaska’s Faculty Alliance, articulating between these groups and the Faculty Senate on matters affecting the faculty;
(5) nominates faculty for appointment to statewide and MAU committees;
(6) chairs Faculty Assembly meetings;
(7) serves as an ex-officio, non-voting member of all permanent Senate committees;
(8) appoints members of the Faculty Assembly to ad hoc committees.
B. President-Elect
(1) assists the President in conducting the business of the Senate;
(2) serves in the place of the President in all capacities with commensurate authority and responsibility when the President is not available;
(3) participates as a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet or its equivalent, and the University of Alaska’s Faculty Alliance, articulating between these groups and the Faculty Senate on matters affecting the faculty.
C. Faculty Senators
(1) participate as voting members of the Faculty Senate in the deliberation of its business;
(2) articulate, on a regular basis, all pertinent matters between the faculty in their respective faculty academic units and the Faculty Senate;
(3) undertake academic and administrative work of the Faculty Senate, as it becomes apparent, including service on committees.
D. Campus Senators
(1) participate as voting members of the Faculty Senate in the deliberation of its business;
(2) articulate, on a regular basis, all pertinent matters between the faculty on their respective campuses and the Faculty Senate;
(3) undertake academic and administrative work of the Faculty Senate as it becomes apparent, including service on committees;
(4) consider Faculty Senate business from a campus perspective and bring this view to bear on matters at hand in Faculty Senate meetings.
E. Senators’ Workload Release
The effort inherent in service on the Faculty Senate and its committees will be recognized as follows:
(1) Senator – up to 2 workload credits per year.
(2) The Senate President - up to 6 workload credits per year.
(3) The Senate President-Elect - up to 4 workload credits per year.
(4) The chair of the Curriculum Committee- up to 4 workload credits per year.
F. The Provost
(1) participates in the discussions of the Senate;
(2) communicates with the Faculty Assembly, via its Senators, regarding Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs, and Administrative Matters outlined above in Article II Section 2;
(3) works with the Senate President to help set the agenda for the Senate’s regular meetings by bringing forth issues, concerns, and opportunities of which the Faculty Assembly should be aware.
ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES
Section 1 Permanent Committees
There shall be 7 permanent committees of the Faculty Senate. Their membership, terms of service, reporting relationship to the Senate, and duties are established in the By-Laws.
A. Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
1. Purpose of the Committee
The Committee will discuss and make recommendations to the Senate on curricular and academic policy changes affecting instruction at all levels except the graduate level.
B. Graduate Committee
1. Purpose of the Committee
The Committee will discuss and make recommendations to the Senate on graduate courses, curriculum and graduate degree requirements, and other academic matters related to the instruction and mentoring of graduate students.
C. Faculty Alliance Committee
1. Purpose of the Committee
The UAS Faculty Alliance Committee represents UAS faculty interests at meetings of the Faculty Alliance.
D. Communications Committee
1. Purpose of the Committee
The Committee will ensure that Senate business is recorded and disseminated among UAS faculty in a timely manner, collaborating with support staff from the Chancellor’s office as needed. In addition, the committee will be responsible for sponsoring a UAS faculty web site that serves the needs of faculty for information on academic, faculty, and administrative affairs, collaborating with university support staff as needed.
E. Faculty Evaluation Committee
1. Purpose of the Committee
The Committee provides peer review of faculty members for retention, promotion, tenure, and sabbatical leave decision-making and contributes its recommendations to the mandatory process of faculty review in conjunction with UA Board of Regents’ Policies (P04.04.05) and Regulations.
F. Academic Information Services Committee [reserved]
G. Advising, Learning Center, and Tutoring Committee [reserved]
Section 2 Additional committees
A. Additional committees may be established for specific tasks according to procedures outlined in the By-Laws. Their charges and reporting relationships shall be determined by the Senate.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
Section 1 Frequency
A. There will be two Faculty Assembly meetings per year; one in the Fall and one in the Spring, chaired by the Senate President.
B. There shall be at least one regular meeting of the Faculty Senate every month of the academic year from August through May.
C. Additional meetings may be held as the Faculty Senate determines, or as called by the President or President-Elect in the President’s absence.
Section 2 Parliamentary Authority
A. To the extent not inconsistent with this Constitution or the Faculty Senate Bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order govern the conduct of business.
B. The President and/or a person he/she designates as parliamentarian shall be the final authority on parliamentary interpretation.
Section 3 Quorum
A. The presence of 60% of the voting members of the Faculty Senate constitutes a quorum.
B. A presence may be established by participation in an audio- or video-conference.
Section 4 Voting
A. Proposed motions, unless otherwise specified in the Constitution or By-Laws, will pass with a majority vote of the Senate membership.
B. Votes by proxy are not allowed.
Section 5 President’s Substitute
A. Should the President-Elect not be able to serve in the President’s stead, the President may appoint any Senator to fill his/her place for specific purposes and/or periods of time.
Section 6 Substitutes
A. Senators may appoint colleagues to attend Faculty Senate meetings in their stead.
B. Substitutes must be a faculty member from the same faculty academic unit and be a member of the Faculty Assembly.
C. Substitutes have full voting powers and count towards a quorum.
Section 7 Addressing the Faculty Senate
A. Any member of the Faculty Assembly may address the Senate at any meeting on any issue.
Section 8 Attendance
A. If any Senator fails to attend three consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings, the President shall so inform the Senator’s constituency, and the unit must formally decide by the next meeting whether it wishes to retain or replace the Senator.
Section 9 Minutes
A. A first draft of meeting minutes will be e-mailed to Senators for editing.
B. Within seven working days following a Senate meeting, the revised minutes will be posted electronically to the Faculty Senate web site, marked “DRAFT.”
C. Notice of the posting of the draft minutes will be sent to all tenure-track, non-tenure track, and term faculty, including Senators.
D. Minutes will be revised as needed and approved at the following Senate meeting.
Section 10 Agenda
A. The Senate President, in consultation with the Provost, will set the agenda based on old business and continuing business, such as curriculum matters, and new business as may be determined via the Faculty Alliance, Chancellor’s Cabinet, or Faculty Senators. Agenda items should be submitted to the President in time for distribution and no later than one week prior to the next Faculty Senate meeting.
B. Distribution.
(1) Agendas will be distributed electronically as early as two weeks prior to a meeting and no later than one week before a meeting.
(2) Agenda attachments that cannot be transmitted electronically will be distributed in printed form.
ARTICLE VII. COMMUNICATIONS
Section 1 In the interest of efficiencies in time and resources, Senators will endeavor to use available technologies to increase communication.
Section 2 The support staff from the Chancellor’s office may be called upon to assist the President in maintaining current and archival information about Senate business.
Section 3 Faculty Assembly meetings will be used to communicate Senate business to all faculty and to facilitate discussions of members’ concerns.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS to the CONSTITUTION
Section 1 Proposals
A. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed only by members of the Senate and copies will be sent to all members of the Senate.
B. Motions for an amendment must be formally read and incorporated into the minutes of the Senate meeting.
C. A motion for an amendment should include an effective date that either coincides with the Chancellor’s approval of the amendment or post-dates it.
Section 2 Approval
A. A motion for approval of an amendment to the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate membership.
B. Approval cannot occur sooner than 28 days from the date of the meeting at which the amendment was first read and discussed.
Section 3 Implementation
A. An amendment becomes effective either on the date of the Chancellor’s approval or on a later date if so stated in the proposal for the amendment.
ARTICLE IX. SENATE ACTIONS and CHANCELLOR’S VETO POWERS
Section 1 Actions
A. Actions of the Faculty Senate shall be passed as motions by majority vote of Senators and may include findings, resolutions, recommendations, or reports.
B. The President shall notify the Chancellor in writing within seven business days of any action taken by the Faculty Senate that includes resolutions or recommendations regarding policies or procedures.
Section 2 Chancellor’s veto
A. The Chancellor may veto any actions submitted by the Faculty Senate.
B. Faculty Senate actions will be considered approved and enacted unless the Chancellor exercises veto power and gives written notification of the veto and its reasons to the Senate President within fifteen business days of formal submission to the Chancellor’s Office.
C. Actions of the Senate may not be partially approved or partially vetoed, nor may they be modified or amended by the Chancellor. A veto or approval may only be exercised against the whole action.
Section 3 Reconciliation
A. Any action approved by the Senate and vetoed by the Chancellor may be submitted to a reconciliation committee upon a two-thirds vote of a Senate quorum.
B. Up to three Senators and three members of the Chancellor’s Cabinet shall constitute a reconciliation committee whose task it will be to formulate recommendations to the Senate and to the Chancellor’s Office.
C. If the Senate and the Chancellor’s Office are not able to resolve the impasse, then the Senate, upon a two-thirds vote of its membership, may elect to forward its previous action -to the Faculty Alliance for their consideration and recommendation.
Section 4 Effect
A. Actions of the Senate shall become effective upon approval of the Chancellor or on the effective date mentioned therein, e.g. at the commencement of Academic Year 2006. In the case of referral to the Faculty Alliance, an action that the Alliance recommends for re-consideration by the Chancellor at UAS will be considered approved and enacted unless the Chancellor once again exercises veto power and gives written notification of the veto and its reasons to the Senate President within fifteen business days of formal submission to the Chancellor’s Office.
ARTICLE X. RELATIONS OF THE SENATE WITH OTHER GOVERNING BODIES
Section 1 The President of the Faculty Senate and President-Elect shall represent the faculty at meetings of the University of Alaska Southeast Chancellor’s Cabinet or its equivalent.
Section 2 The President of the Faculty Senate, the President-Elect, and one other designee appointed by the President shall represent the Senate on the University of Alaska Faculty Alliance. One of these shall also serve on the System Governance Council.
Section 3 The Senate President and President-Elect shall work with the Chancellor, Provost, and Deans by nominating faculty for appointments to all University committees, whether statewide or inter-MAU.
Revised 03/03/03 Version 2.61
EFFECTIVE: May 2, 2003
__________________________________ Date: _______________
Janet Dye, President, UAS Faculty Senate
APPROVAL: __________________________ Date: ________________
John Pugh, Chancellor
DISAPPROVAL: _______________________ Date: ________________
John Pugh, Chancellor
08/07
