Faculty Senate

Constitution and By-Laws

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY SENATE

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to exercise the legislative powers delegated to it, and to make recommendations to the President and appropriate administrative officials of the University and through the President to the Board of Regents on matters affecting the general welfare of Washington State University and its educational, research, and service activities.

The Faculty Senate consists of 85 elected members, 76 of whom shall be elected by and from the permanent faculty of Washington State University, 8 of whom shall be elected by and from the temporary faculty of Washington State University , and the president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association.

The Faculty Senate standing committees and their subcommittees have been assigned functions by the Senate to enable the Senate to carry out its purposes as described. The Senate has the power to determine the number and size of its committees and subcommittees and the terms of office of committee members. All Senate standing committees are responsible to the Senate; their subcommittees are responsible to the parent committees. Both the standing committees and their subcommittees may in some cases also report committee views to an administrative officer(s) of the institution. The official year for the Faculty Senate extends from August 16 of one year to August 15 of the year following.

Members of the standing committees and their subcommittees of the Senate, except where the contrary is indicated, are elected by the Senate on the basis of nominations from the Committee on Committees and from the floor. Any individual may be elected by the Senate to its committees, and subcommittees may include members who are not members of the parent committee. A member having completed a full term on a committee is normally not eligible for reappointment to that committee for a period of one year. Terms of members, other than assigned or ex officio members, are staggered with terms expiring August 15 of the year indicated. Vacancies on Senate committees and subcommittees of less than one academic year will be filled by action of the Senate Steering Committee on nominations submitted by the Committee on Committees. Such action will be reported to the Senate. Vacancies of one academic year or longer will be filled by Senate election.

Chairs of Senate standing committees who are not members of the Senate shall be regarded as non-voting members of the Senate and will be expected to participate fully in its proceedings concerning matters within the jurisdiction of their respective committees. No ex officio members of the standing committees or their subcommittees may serve as chairs. Chairs, unless otherwise indicated, are elected by April 25 for the following year by the committee or subcommittee from among those whose terms continue throughout that year and by those whose terms begin August 16.

Whenever possible, all Faculty Senate committee meetings should be scheduled in facilities which are accessible to handicapped individuals.

Faculty Senate committees and subcommittees are contributors to decision-making in a state agency. Their meetings therefore normally should be open to the public, including representatives of the news media. Exceptions may be made for executive sessions to consider: matters affecting national security, selection or disposal of real estate, or personnel decisions. To improve access, meeting schedules will be published on the Faculty Senate homepage facsen.wsu.edu.

FACULTY SENATE CONSTITUTION

The Board of Regents of Washington State University, in the exercise of its general powers vested by law to enact laws, regulations, and policies necessary to govern the University, and acting upon the recommendations of the President of the University, of recognized student and faculty groups, and the administration, does hereby establish a Faculty Senate with powers, duties, and responsibilities as indicated herein.

ARTICLE I
POWERS AND JURISDICTION

Section 1: Purpose
The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to provide a representative body of the faculty community, with due consideration for women and minorities, to consider and to make recommendations to the President and appropriate administrative officials of the University, and through the President to the Board of Regents, on matters affecting the general welfare of Washington State University and its educational, research, and service activities.

Section 2: Powers and Duties

A. Legislative Powers
The Faculty Senate shall serve as the legislative body of the faculty in all matters requiring faculty action or approval of curricular and educational policies of Washington State University including:

  1. Standards of admission.

  2. Curricula and courses to be offered and the amount of credit for each course.

  3. Standards of scholarship.

  4. Requirements for graduation.

  5. The academic calendar.

B. Power of Recommendation
The specific duties of the Senate shall also include, but not be limited to, the formulation of recommendations to the President and appropriate administrative officials of the University with regard to the following:

  1. Development and review of plans and policies to strengthen the educational program of the University.

  2. Review of the budget of the University to assess its general conformity with policies and priorities established or endorsed by the Senate.

  3. Review of the master plan for the physical and educational development of the University.

  4. Protection and enhancement of academic freedom of members of the University community.

  5. Preservation and extension of academic responsibility of members of the University community.

  6. Promotion of the general welfare of the University community.

  7. Review of policies concerning the University's relations with its supporting community throughout the state of Washington.

  8. Review of policies concerning the University's relations with outside agencies.

  9. Review of rules and procedures of the University concerning the conduct of its members.

ARTICLE II
COMPOSITION, TERM, ELECTIONS, AND VACANCIES

Section 1: Elected Members
The Senate shall consist of 85 elected members, 76 of whom shall be elected by and from the faculty of Washington State University and 8of whom shall be elected by and from the temporary faculty of Washington State University and President and of the Graduate and Professional Student Association.

Section 2: Ex Officio Members
The President, the Provost, the Vice Presidents, the Vice Provosts, the Assistant Vice Presidents, the immediate past Senate Chair, and the President and the Vice President of the Associated Students of Washington State University or their representative, shall be ex officio non-voting members of the Senate.

Section 3: Executive Session
This provision for ex officio and/or nonvoting members shall not preclude the right of the elected voting members of the Senate to meet in executive session.

Section 4: Apportionment

A. Constituencies Twenty-eight of the 84 faculty members of the Senate shall represent thirteen major constituencies, with two elected from each of the thirteen constituencies and one from each of the regional campus. The constituencies are defined as the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences; the College of Engineering and Architecture; the College of Veterinary Medicine; the College of Business; the College of Education; the College of Pharmacy; the College of Sciences - Biological Sciences; the College of Sciences - Physical Sciences; the College of Liberal Arts - Humanities and Arts; the College of Liberal Arts - Social Sciences; the College of Nursing; and the faculty of the Library. The Faculty of Student Affairs, Continuing Education, and Public Service shall be represented by one person serving in a faculty position. The faculty of the regional campuses will be represented by one faculty member. Forty-seven Senate seats dedicated to faculty shall be allocated proportionally among these constituencies on the basis of the number of permanent full-time equivalent (FTE) faculty positions within these constituencies above 25. Eight of the 84 faculty members of the Senate shall represent temporary faculty in seven designated constituencies defined as the College of Liberal Arts (2); College of Engineering & Architecture; College of Sciences; College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resource Sciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy; and college of Business and Education; One seat in the Faculty Senate is designated for representation by the President of the Graduate and Professional Student Association.

B. Subconstituencies By majority vote a constituency may allocate its quota of senators to subconstituencies consisting of single departments, groups of closely related departments, or other subdivisions. However, the entire quota or any portion thereof may be elected at large.

C. Distribution of Honors Positions Full-time equivalent faculty positions assigned to the Honors Program and to all other programs shall be allocated to the areas in which they are distributed.

D. Reapportionment Each year the Executive Secretary of the Senate shall be responsible for the reapportionment of Faculty Senate seats at least 60 days prior to the election of Senate members and for determining the number of senators to be elected from each consistency.

Section 5: Qualifications for Election

A. Term Faculty senators shall be elected for a term of three years and shall be eligible for reelection.

B. Staggered Terms One-third of the faculty senators shall be elected each year.

C. Term Limit No faculty senator shall be elected to more than two full terms consecutively.

D. Appointment Status Faculty qualified for election to the Senate must hold documented permanent or temporary appointment with the University. Postdoctoral, research associates, visiting faculty, or other non-instructional temporary faculty are not eligible for election to the Faculty Senate.

E. Nomination Each constituency, subconstituency or regional campus may nominate faculty candidates by such means as it chooses. A candidate may also be nominated by a petition signed by 20 percent of the eligible voters within his/her constituency, or within his/her subconstituency if the constituency is subdivided.

F. Validation For a member of the faculty to be elected to membership in the Senate, a minimum of 40 percent of the eligible voters in the electing category for that position must have voted.

Section 6: Regional Campus Representation

A. Term Regional campus senators shall be elected for a term of three years and shall be eligible for reelection.

B. Staggered Terms One-third of the faculty senators shall be elected each year.

C. Term Limit No regional campus senator shall be elected to more than two full terms consecutively.

D. Nomination Each regional campus shall establish and file with the Executive Secretary the qualifications for its senator.

Section 7: Eligibility to Vote

A. Appointment Status Faculty members with a permanent, temporary or partial appointment are eligible to vote in appropriate constituencies for faculty Senators.

B. Joint Appointments A faculty member with appointment split among two or more constituencies or subconstituencies shall vote in the electing unit of the major appointment. If the appointment is split evenly, the faculty member shall inform the Executive Secretary of the Senate in writing by November 1 of each year as to the constituency or subconstituency in which he/she wishes to vote. Whatever the terms of the appointment, no faculty member may vote in more than one unit in any given year.

C. Appointment Outside of Constituency Any faculty member not covered by existing constituencies as described in this Article, may petition the Senate for assignment to a constituency with the consent of that constituency. Faculty members so assigned shall be counted in subsequent totals of constituency personnel for purposes of seat allocations, and shall be eligible to vote in such constituencies.

Section 8: Graduate and Professional Student Association

A. Constituencies The President Graduate and Professional Student Association shall serve in the Senate.

B. Term and Reelection The President shall serve during their term of office as President of the Graduate and Professional Student Association.

Section 9: Election Procedure

A. Time of Election Regular Senate elections shall be held during the Spring semester. Specific dates shall require approval of the Senate Steering Committee. Senators elected at these times shall assume the duties of their office on the following August 16. Terms end August 15 for retiring senators or officers.

B. Manner of Election Subject to the limitations set forth in this Article, the Senate shall have the power to determine the time, place, and manner of holding senatorial elections.

C. Vacancy Vacancies due to death, recall, resignation, or inability to perform the duties of office may be filled by special election or otherwise as determined by the Senate.

ARTICLE III
ORGANIZATION

Section 1: Bylaws and Regulations

The Senate shall have the power to organize itself and to make all bylaws and regulations necessary for its own proceedings.

Section 2: Officers

A. Officers The officers of the Senate shall include a Chair, a Chair-Elect, the immediate past Senate Chair, and an Executive Secretary.

B. Chair The Chair of the Senate will be the Chair-Elect from the previous year.

C. Chair-Elect The Chair-Elect of the Senate shall be elected by and from the membership* of the Senate, or from among those individuals who have served in the Senate within the previous four academic years or those who have served on the Steering Committee within the previous four years. The Chair-Elect shall assume the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair.

*I.e., both continuing Senators and those whose terms are expiring are eligible for election.

D. Executive Secretary The Executive Secretary shall be a member of the faculty eligible for election to the Senate, and shall be selected by the Senate for a three-year term and shall be eligible for reelection. If the person chosen is an elected member of the Senate, the seat thereby becomes vacant and shall be filled as specified in Article II, Section 7.C.

  1. The Executive Secretary shall be an ex officio non-voting member of the Senate.

  2. The Executive Secretary shall be responsible for operations of the Senate Secretariat, and the duties shall include, but not be limited to, the preparation and distribution of agenda materials for the Senate and its committees, the certification of election results, the processing of petitions, and the preparation and distributions of records of Senate actions.

Section 3: Committees
Except for the stipulations herein provided, the Senate shall have the power to determine the number and size of its committees and the terms of office of committee members.

A. Election and Officers The Senate shall have the power to elect its own committees, and each committee shall be empowered to elect its chair and other officers except for stipulations herein provided.

B. Qualifications for Membership Any individual with a permanent or temporary faculty appointment t may be elected by the Senate to its committees, and subcommittees may include members who are not members of the parent committee.

C. Participation of Committee Chairs Chairs of Senate standing committees who are not members of the Senate shall be regarded as non-voting members of the Senate and will be expected to participate fully in its proceedings concerning matters within the jurisdiction of their respective committees.

E. Steering Committee The standing committees of the Senate shall include a Steering Committee.

  1. The duties of the Steering Committee shall include matters relating to agenda, referral, voting, and elections. The Steering Committee shall also act as an emergency advisory council to the President, and it may serve as a Summer Executive Council to carry out functions delegated to it by the Senate.

  2. The Chair, Chair-Elect, and Executive Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall, ipso facto, be members and officers of the Steering Committee. It shall include the Chair of the Senate from the previous year and the chairs of the following committees: Academic Affairs, Budget, Faculty Affairs, Graduate Studies, and Research and Arts.

F. Committee on Committees The standing committees of the Senate shall include a Committee on Committees.

  1. The duties of the Committee on Committees shall include the nomination of faculty committee members to be recommended to the Senate for election.

  2. The membership of the Committee on Committees shall consist of nine faculty members, at least six of whom are faculty who are actively involved in teaching courses for university credit. Members shall be nominated and elected by the Senate.

ARTICLE IV
 COMMITTEE ON FACULTY STATUS

Section 1: Composition and Election

The Committee on Faculty Status shall consist of nine members who shall be elected by the faculty at large in a manner determined by the faculty.

Section 2: Powers and Duties

The functions of the Committee on Faculty Status shall include the conciliation and adjudication of disputes within the faculty and between members of the faculty and the administration. It shall make periodic reports (at least annually) to the Senate and to the faculty concerning its operations. It shall have the right to call special meetings of the faculty or any component thereof.

ARTICLE V
 PETITION, REFERENDUM, RECALL AND AMENDMENT

Section 1: Petition.

A. Individual Any member of the University community may in his or her own right bring any matter of University concern to the attention of the Senate through a Senate member, through a Senate committee chair, or through the Executive Secretary of the Senate.

B. Formal Petition A matter of University concern may also be introduced for Senate consideration by a petition signed by five percent of the faculty members who are eligible for election to the Senate, or by five percent of the undergraduate student body, or by five percent of the graduate student body, or by any combination of percentages of these three groups which totals five percent. Matters introduced by such petitions shall be acted upon by the Senate within 60 academic days, excluding summer sessions.

Section 2: Referendum.

A. Petition Any action of the Senate shall be submitted to a referendum vote of the faculty eligible for election to the Senate upon submission of referendum petition, signed by one-third of the faculty members who are eligible for election to the Senate.

B. Majority To reject an action by the Senate shall require a majority of the votes cast in the referendum on the issue, provided that at least 50 percent of the faculty vote thereon.

C. Notice The Executive Secretary of the Senate must be informed in writing of the intention to submit a referendum petition within two weeks following notice by the Senate of its action, and the completed petition must be filed with the Executive Secretary within six weeks of such notice. Senate actions under challenge by referendum petition shall be suspended pending the results of the referendum vote.

Section 3: Amendment.

A. Proposal Changes in the operation or function of the Faculty Senate may be proposed:

  1. By the Steering Committee.

  2. By initiative endorsed by no fewer than ten percent of the voting members of the Senate.

B. Publication A proposed amendment must be submitted by public notice at least 20 days prior to the date selected for the Senate vote.

C. Adoption An amendment to the Faculty Senate Constitution may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership of the Senate at a regular or special meeting, providing that the Senate has discussed the amendment at a prior meeting within the preceding six weeks.

Section 4: Recall

A. Petition Any senator may be recalled from a Senate position as the result of a special election initiated by a recall petition signed by 20 percent of his/her electorate. The recall petition shall be filed with the Executive Secretary of the Senate.

B. Election In the special election so initiated, the senator shall be recalled if at least 50 percent of those eligible to vote for this position have cast a ballot, and if a majority has voted in favor of recall.

Ratified by RIS: March 16, 1971.
Revised: May 31, 1974; July 11, 1975; January 9, July 16, 1976;
March 25, 1977; November 24, 1978.

Restructured: June 3, 1983.
Revised: February 20, March 6, 1986; February 26, 1987; April 14, October 20, 1988; March 30, November 17, 1989; March 15, 1990.
Restructured: January 17, 1992.
Revised: February 16, 1995.
Revised: October 13, 2005

FACULTY SENATE BYLAWS

I. Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Senate in all cases in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Senate shall adopt.

II. Meetings

  1. At the last regularly scheduled meeting of each academic year the Senate shall establish a regular time for its meetings to be held the following academic year.

  2. Special meetings of the Senate may be called by the Chair or upon request of twenty Senators.

  3. The regular meetings of the Senate shall be open to the University community, but the Senate may choose to meet in closed executive session in conformance with the laws of the state of Washington.

  4. At any meeting forty-three elected members of the Senate shall constitute a quorum.

  5. The Executive Secretary of the Senate shall take attendance of the members at each meeting and shall issue an annual report on this matter.

III. Election of Officers

  1. No later than two weeks prior to the last regularly scheduled meeting of the academic year, the Senate shall nominate candidates for the offices of Chair-Elect, and, when appropriate, Executive Secretary. The successful Chair-Elect candidate shall succeed to the Chair position on August 16 in the year following election.

  2. Elections for these offices shall take place no later than at the last regularly scheduled meeting of the academic year.

  3. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair, the Chair-Elect shall assume that office. The Senate shall then select a member to serve as Chair-Elect for the remainder of the academic year. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Executive Secretary, the Senate shall then select an executive secretary, subject to the provisions of Article III, Section II-D of the Senate Constitution, for the remainder of the academic year.

  4. All elections of officers shall take place by a majority of those present and voting. If no candidate secures a majority, a run-off election shall be conducted between the two candidates with the highest number of votes.

  5. Upon election, the Chair shall appoint a parliamentarian.

IV. Assumption of Office
Following regular elections newly elected Senators and Senate officers shall assume their duties on August 16.

V. Special Elections of Senators
The Executive Secretary will initiate procedures for a special election to fill the vacancy of a faculty Senate seat within one week after notice of the vacancy is received.

VI. Actions of the Senate

  1. Unless otherwise stipulated in the Constitution or Bylaws, all actions of the Senate shall be adopted by a majority of those present and voting.

  2. Unless there is a decision to the contrary, actions of the Senate shall be made public.

  3. In the case of a tie vote, the presiding officer shall cast the deciding vote.

VII. Amendments of the Bylaws

  1. Members of the Senate or the Steering Committee shall submit proposed amendments of the Bylaws in writing to the Executive Secretary for presentation at a regular meeting.

  2. Amendments presented at a previous meeting shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

III. Standing Committees
All standing committees are subject to modifications and to such rules and regulations as the Senate may prescribe. All standing committees and their functions and composition are listed in the Committee Manual.

IX. Election of Chairs of Senate-elected Committees and Subcommittees
No ex officio members of Senate standing committees or Senate-elected subcommittees may serve as chairs of those committees. No individual may serve as chair of a Senate standing committee and its Senate-elected subcommittee at the same time. Chairs shall be elected by those committee or subcommittee members whose terms continue throughout the following year and by those whose terms begin on August 16. Any member eligible to vote for the chair is eligible to be elected chair except as otherwise specified in the Senate Constitution and Bylaws. Terms of retiring members or officers end on August 15. Newly elected members or officers assume office on August 16.

X. Short Term Election to Senate Committees

  1. Vacancies on Senate committees and subcommittees of less than one academic year will be filled by action of the Senate Steering Committee on nominations submitted by the Committee on Committees. Such action will be reported to the Senate.

  2. Vacancies of one academic year or longer will be filled by election by the Senate.

XI. Meetings of Senate-elected Committees and Subcommittees
At any meeting a simple majority of voting faculty members shall constitute a quorum.

XII. Membership of Senate-elected Committees and Subcommittees

  1. Faculty Members elected to Senate committees and subcommittees normally will serve three-year terms.

  2. Any voting committee member absent from three consecutive committee meetings shall, upon a vote of that committee, cease to be a member. The Executive Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall be informed without delay when a vacancy occurs in this manner.

XIII. Relations with External Agencies

  1. The Senate shall elect a faculty members to the of Legislative Representative and member of the Council of Faculty Representatives.

  2. One additional member from among the incoming officers shall be elected by the outgoing Steering Committee for a one-year term on the Council of Faculty Representatives.

  3. The Senate shall elect other representatives as needed in furtherance of the powers listed in Article I, Section 2.B. of the Constitution.

  4. Representatives to external agencies may be reelected.

  5. Vacancies of less than one academic year of any of the elected representatives will be filled by action of the Senate Steering Committee on nominations submitted by the Committee on Committees. Such action will be reported to the Senate.

  6. Vacancies of one academic year or longer will be filled by election by the Senate.

SENATE APPROVED POLICIES

General Procedures (Policies) for Senate Meetings:

1. Notice. The notice announcing each meeting shall include the agenda for that meeting and the minutes of the previous meeting, and shall be sent to each member of the Senate, to all deans, to department and program chairs, to GPSA Senators, and to members of the Board of Regents. It is suggested that all administrative officers make their copies available to interested faculty and students by, for example, posting them in a conspicuous manner or by leaving them with designated secretaries.

2. Order of Business. The order of business shall be as follows:

I. Call to order.
II. Approval of distributed minutes.
III. Announcements.
IV. Additions or changes to the agenda.
V. Consideration of agenda items.
VI. Constituents' concerns.
VII. Adjournment.

3. Agenda Formulation. Items to be considered by the Senate should be submitted in advance to the Steering Committee, which is responsible for setting the Senate agenda. Items of business that are to be submitted for inclusion in the agenda shall be accompanied by documentation and explanation appropriate for the information of the Senate membership. It shall be the responsibility of the Steering Committee to exclude from the agenda proposed items which, in its judgment, lack legitimate sponsorship or adequate documentation, and to defer items which are not urgent and whose inclusion would make the agenda too long. Otherwise it should normally include all proposed items on the agenda for the earliest possible meeting. Additions to or changes in the agenda may be proposed from the floor at a Senate meeting, but must be approved by a majority vote of Senators present before any agenda items are considered.

All such business added to an agenda may be considered and acted upon at the same meeting except that business which the presiding officer judges (1) to be major in nature and (2) to require an opportunity for investigation prior to final action. Business so judged may be considered at the same meeting but final action shall be delayed to the next meeting of the Senate. No business may be delayed, however, where that delay would be equivalent to approving or defeating the measure.

4. Information Items in Lieu of Action. The following items which have been reviewed and approved by a Faculty Senate standing committee may be submitted to the Faculty Senate as agenda information items in lieu of submission for action as follows:

a. Minor revisions or editorial changes of previously approved or existing policies, programs, documents, etc.

b. Items for which Faculty Senate notification is required (i.e., externally funded centers, institutes, laboratories).

c. Items submitted by the central administration for information without a request for Faculty Senate action.

d. Guidelines for use by standing committees in reviewing courses, programs, proposals, etc.

5. Senate Action During the Summer or When Classes are Not in Session. The Senate may meet as needed at any time. During the normal academic periods, the requirements for Senate meetings are given by Article II, Sections 2 and 4 of the Bylaws. During the summer or when classes are not in session, a Senate meeting should be called under the same authority.

6. Announcements. Announcements should be submitted in writing for the presiding officer to read.

Approved March 9, 1972
Revised November 13, 1975
Revised March 27, 1986
October 23, 1986
Revised December 11, 1986
Revised May 2, 1996

Revised October 13, 2005

Effective Date for Changes in Academic Policy:
Changes in academic policy, unless stated otherwise, shall become effective at the beginning of the fall semester subsequent to their adoption by the Senate.

Adopted March 9, 1972

Relationship Between Senate, Standing Committees and Subcommittees:

The business of a standing committee or a subcommittee falls into one of three classes:

  1. Functions previously delegated to the committee or subcommittee, that it should simply discharge,

  2. Functions that involve minor procedural changes and for which the committee is the expert group. In these cases, the committee should make its decision and act and then inform its parent organization (Senate in the case of a standing committee, parent committee in the case of a subcommittee),

  3. Cases that involve policy or major procedural changes and therefore should be forwarded to the parent organization and the Executive Secretary of the Faculty Senate along with the recommendations of the committee. Exceptions to this should occur only in cases where confidentiality is necessary.

The overall principle is that the committees and subcommittees are agents of the Faculty Senate. While the Senate delegates authority for some actions to committees and subcommittees, it should be informed of minor procedural changes and ordinarily should make the final decision on policy or major procedural changes.

Adopted April 25, 1985

Committee on Committees Nominating Policy:

The Committee on Committees may submit a single nominee for any Faculty Senate committee vacancy. It is recognized that the Committee on Committees undertakes a thorough screening of potential candidates for committee positions and that the Faculty Senate has the option of nominating additional individuals for open positions.

Adopted October 24, 1991


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