Constitution (May 2017)
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF THE FACULTY
Section 1. The Faculty Association shall include those full-time employees
of the university who hold faculty rank as described in Chapter 3
of the Faculty Handbook and those full-time employees of the
university who have teaching included as a responsibility of their
appointment.
Section 2. The Faculty Senate, hereinafter referred to as the senate, shall
serve as the representative body of the faculty of UCA.
ARTICLE II. FUNCTION OF THE SENATE
Section 1. Within the limitations stated in the remainder of this article, the
senate shall have the responsibility to review university policies
in all areas that directly pertain to the academic function of UCA,
such as curriculum and standards; academic programs; faculty
affairs; and continuing education.
Section 2. To facilitate timely review of policy proposals that pertain to the
academic function of the university, each university standing
committee shall forward copies of its minutes to the senate
membership and shall make available to the senate for its review
any proposals that emanate from said standing committee. The
senate may call on chairs of university standing committees to
discuss policy proposals that the senate may wish to review.
Section 3. The senate shall provide for representation of the faculty in
matters affecting the welfare of the faculty.
Section 4. The senate shall establish such committees as it deems
necessary to carry out its functions.
Section 5. The senate shall consider all matters proposed by university and
senate committees, by individual faculty members, by the
provost, or by the university president, if placed on its agenda.
Section 6. The senate shall serve as the faculty committee on committees
for the selection of faculty members on all university standing
committees.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP OF THE SENATE
Section 1. The senate shall consist of ex officio and elected members as
follows:
A. Ex Officio : Provost
B. Ex Officio : (For purposes of this paragraph “part-time
faculty” means “part-time employees of the
university with teaching included as a
responsibility of their appointment.”) One
part-time faculty member of the university
elected by the part-time faculty of the university.
This shall be a non-voting member except on
issues that directly affect the part-time faculty of
the university as determined by the president of
the Faculty Senate.
C. Elected
1. College Senators: Three (3) Faculty Association
members from each academic college and three (3)
Faculty Association members from all of the unaffiliated
faculty units of the university shall be elected by a secret
ballot of the Faculty Association of the respective
academic units in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution.
2 . At-Large Senators: Three (3) Faculty Association
members shall be elected by a vote of the entire Faculty
Association.
Section 2. No more than two senators shall be from any single department
and no more than two chairs (or equivalent position) shall be
elected from each college. No administrator at the assistant dean
or above level shall be eligible to be elected.
Section 3. Elected senators shall serve for a term of three years and
vacancies shall be filled in accordance with the senate bylaws.
However, no person shall serve more than seven (7) successive
years.
Section 4. Each group of senators is divided into three classes, such that
within each group, one of the three classes is elected each year.
Section 5. Vacancies for senate positions shall be filled each year in two
stages. By April 1, the faculty shall elect by secret ballot two
senators to fill the vacancies caused by the expiration of the
terms of one class of senators and shall fill other vacancies as
may be required. Subsequent to the election of the at-large
senators, but no later than April 30, each college shall elect by
secret ballot one senator to fill the vacancy caused by the
expiration of the term of one class of senators and shall fill other
vacancies in the ranks of college senators as may be required.
Section 6. The term of office for newly elected senators shall begin on the
date of the first called meeting after the end of spring classes or
May 1, whichever comes first.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the senate shall be as follows: president; vice
president who shall serve as president-elect; secretary-treasurer;
and parliamentarian.
Section 2. Eligibility for election to an office shall be restricted to elected
members of the senate. The president and vice president shall
both hold academic tenure at the time of their election as officers
Section 3. The term of office for any senate officer shall be one year or until
a successor has been chosen and qualified.
Section 4. The officers of the senate shall be elected by vote of the elected
members of the senate before May 15 each year.
Section 5. The president and vice president of the senate shall be eligible
for reassigned time as approved by the provost, so that the
functions of the office may be properly carried out. The
secretary-treasurer shall notify the provost of the name of the
person selected as senate vice president (president-elect) so
that any necessary schedule planning may be effected.
Section 6. The president and vice president of the senate shall serve as
members of the Strategic Budget Advisory Committee and
Strategic Planning Committee.
Section 7. Once elected, the vice president and president shall vacate their
positions as college or at-large senators in order to lead the
senate. Without regard to the date of their election to the senate,
the vice president shall serve two more years: one year as vice
president, and one year as president. After serving as president,
a senator’s term shall end. The vacancies created by their
election as officers shall be filled as described in Article III.C.3.
ARTICLE V. MEETINGS
Section 1. The senate shall hold regularly scheduled meetings each month
of the academic year.
Section 2. The senate may be called into special session by the president
of the senate or by request of a majority of the senate.
Section 3. Any faculty member may attend any regular or special session of
the senate and may participate in its deliberations with the
consent of the presiding officer. Only senate members shall be
eligible to propose a motion or to vote.
Section 4. A quorum for any meeting of the senate shall consist of a
majority of the members.
Section 5. The rules of parliamentary procedure contained in Robert’s
Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the proceedings of the
senate, subject to such special rules as may be adopted by the
senate.
ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. An amendment to this constitution may be proposed at any
regular meeting of the senate by a majority vote of the
membership, provided a copy of the proposed amendment has
been presented to each member in attendance at the
immediately preceding meeting.
Section 2. Any amendment proposed by the senate shall be submitted to a
vote of the faculty. Each faculty member shall be notified at least
two weeks in advance of such a vote and at the time be
furnished with a copy of the proposed amendment.
Section 3. Any proposed amendments to the Constitution that are
submitted by the Faculty Senate to the Faculty Association for a
vote will be submitted for such a vote (by secret ballot) at
elections during one regular workday. Absentee voting shall be
conducted on the two working days preceding the election day.
Section 4. In order for an amendment to pass and thus become a part of
the constitution, over half of the faculty association members
must vote and a proposed amendment must receive “do pass”
from at least two-thirds of those voting. Ratified August 20, 1990.
Section 5. Subsequent to the approval of an amendment by the Faculty
Association, this constitution shall be considered ratified upon
approval by the university president, and by the Board of
Trustees of UCA.
Faculty Senate Constitution (Old version)
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF THE FACULTY
Section 1. The Faculty Association shall include those full-time employees of the university who hold the rank of instructor, lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor and those full-time employees of the university with teaching included as a responsibility of their appointment.
Section 2. The Faculty Senate, hereinafter referred to as the senate, shall serve as the representative body of the faculty of UCA.
ARTICLE II. FUNCTION OF THE SENATE
Section 1. Within the limitations stated in the remainder of this article, the senate shall have the responsibility to review university policies in all areas which directly pertain to the academic function of UCA, such as curriculum and standards; academic programs; faculty affairs; and continuing education.
Section 2. To facilitate timely review of policy proposals which pertain to the academic function of the university, each university standing committee shall forward copies of its minutes to the senate membership and shall make available to the senate for its review any proposals that emanate from said standing committee. The senate may call on chairs of university standing committees to discuss policy proposals that the senate may wish to review.
Section 3. The senate shall provide for representation of the faculty in matters affecting the welfare of the faculty.
Section 4. The senate shall establish such committees as it deems necessary to carry out its functions.
Section 5. The senate shall consider all matters proposed by university and senate committees, by individual faculty members, by the provost, or by the university president, if placed on its agenda.
Section 6. The senate shall serve as the faculty committee on committees for the selection of faculty members on all university standing committees.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP OF THE SENATE
Section 1. The senate shall consist of ex officio and elected members as follows:
A. Ex Officio: Provost
B. Ex Officio: (For purposes of this paragraph “part-time faculty” means “part-time employees of the university with teaching included as a responsibility of their appointment.”) One part-time faculty member of the university elected by the part-time faculty of the university. This shall be a non-voting member except on issues that directly affect the part-time faculty of the university as determined by the president of the Faculty Senate.
C. Elected
1. College Senators: Three (3) Faculty Association members from each academic college of the university shall be elected by a secret ballot of the Faculty Association of the respective colleges in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
2. At-Large Senators: Six (6) Faculty Association members shall be elected by a vote of the entire Faculty Association.
Section 2. No more than two senators shall be from any single department and no more than two chairs shall be elected from each college. No administrator at the assistant dean or above level shall be eligible to be elected.
Section 3. Elected senators shall serve for a term of three years and vacancies shall be filled by senate appointment until the next regularly scheduled election. However, no person shall serve more than two successive full terms.
Section 4. Each group of senators is divided into three classes, such that within each group, one of the three classes is elected each year.
Section 5. Vacancies for senate positions shall be filled each year in two stages. By April 1, the faculty shall elect by secret ballot two senators to fill the vacancies caused by the expiration of the terms of one class of senators and shall fill other vacancies as may be required. Subsequent to the election of the at-large senators, but no later than April 30, each college shall elect by secret ballot one senator to fill the vacancy caused by the expiration of the term of one class of senators and shall fill other vacancies in the ranks of college senators as may be required.
Section 6. The term of office for newly elected senators shall begin on May 1.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the senate shall be as follows: president; vice president who shall serve as president-elect; secretary-treasurer; and parliamentarian.
Section 2. Eligibility for election to an office shall be restricted to elected members of the senate.
Section 3. The term of office for any senate officer shall be one year or until a successor has been chosen and qualified.
Section 4. The officers of the senate shall be elected by vote of the elected members of the senate before May 15 each year.
Section 5. The president of the senate shall be eligible for reassigned time as approved by the provost, so that the functions of the office may be properly carried out. The secretary- treasurer shall notify the provost of the name of the person selected as senate vice president (president-elect) so that any necessary schedule planning may be effected.
Section 6. The president and vice president of the senate shall serve as members of the Budget Advisory Committee.
ARTICLE V. MEETINGS
Section 1. The senate shall hold regularly scheduled meetings each month of the academic year.
Section 2. The senate may be called into special session by the president of the senate or by request of a majority of the senate.
Section 3. Any faculty member may attend any regular or special session of the senate and may participate in its deliberations with the consent of the presiding officer. Only senate members shall be eligible to propose a motion or to vote.
Section 4. A quorum for any meeting of the senate shall consist of a majority of the members.
Section 5. The rules of parliamentary procedure contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the proceedings of the senate, subject to such special rules as may be adopted by the senate.
ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. An amendment to this constitution may be proposed at any regular meeting of the senate by a majority vote of the membership, provided a copy of the proposed amendment has been presented to each member in attendance at the immediately preceding meeting.
Section 2. Any amendment proposed by the senate shall be submitted to a vote of the faculty. Each faculty member shall be notified at least two weeks in advance of such a vote and at the time be furnished with a copy of the proposed amendment.
Section 3. Any proposed amendments to the Constitution which are submitted by the Faculty Senate to the Faculty Association for a vote will be submitted for such a vote (by secret, written ballot) at elections during one regular workday; the elections shall be held in the office of the Faculty Association members’ respective college deans under the supervision of the Faculty Senate; absentee voting shall be conducted on the two working days preceding the election day under the supervision of the Faculty Senate President.
Section 4. In order for an amendment to pass and thus become a part of the constitution, over half of the faculty association members must vote and a proposed amendment must receive “do pass” from at least two-thirds of those voting. Ratified August 20, 1990.
ARTICLE VII. RATIFICATION
Section 1. This constitution, after approval by a majority of the membership of the faculty council, shall be submitted to faculty at a called meeting. At least fourteen calendar days before that meeting, the council shall provide each member of the faculty with a copy of this constitution.
Section 2. This constitution shall be considered ratified upon approval by a majority of the faculty members present at the called meeting, by the university president, and by the Board of Trustees of UCA.