University Senate Enabling Regulations

THE UNIVERSITY SENATE'S ENABLING REGULATIONS
(Revised December 1991, December 1999, June 2005)

50.2. THE UNIVERSITY SENATE

50.2.1. Membership and Organization of the Senate

A. Definitions

(1) The term "faculty members" as used in paragraphs B(1), B(3), B(4), B(5), and B(6) with respect to eligibility to vote for a representative and/or to be elected to the Senate shall refer to full-time faculty members of the University holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, lecturer, or the equivalent academic ranks as defined in Section 60.5.2 (formerly Book 3.3.2) A and B of the University Regulations.

(2) The term "faculty member" as used in paragraphs B(2) and C(1)-(6) with respect to being counted for the purpose of determining the entitlement of a unit shall refer to all budgeted instructional, research, and extension faculty lines assigned to each faculty, college, school and division of the University in the fall semester of each academic year.

(3) The term "full-time equivalent student" as used in C(1), C(2), C(3), C(4) and D(1) shall be defined as the number of full-time students plus two-fifths the number of part-time students matriculated in each school or college in the fall semester of each academic year.

(4) The term "Graduate Schools" as used in B(2) and C(4) shall refer to the Graduate School-Newark, the Graduate School-New Brunswick, and the Graduate School-Camden.

(5) The term “part-time lecturers” as used in paragraphs B(5) and C(1) with respect to eligibility to vote for a representative and/or to be elected to the Senate shall refer to lecturers hired on a semester/course basis. All part-time lecturers employed by the university at the time of the election are eligible to vote in their respective campus elections. Those who have taught at the University for at least three semesters during the last three calendar years are eligible to serve.

(6) The term “annuals” as used in paragraphs B(5) and C(1) with respect to eligibility to vote for a representative and/or to be elected to the Senate shall refer to non-tenure-track faculty hired on a part-time basis for a calendar or academic year.

(7) The term “staff” as used in paragraphs Section 50.2.1.B (formerly Book2.2.1.B) (1) and (9) and Section 50.2.1.F (formerly Book 2.2.1.F) with respect to eligibility to vote and/or be elected to the Senate shall refer to full-time employees of the university who are not faculty members as defined in Section 50.2.1.A (formerly Book 2.2.1.A) (1), (5) or (6).

B. Voting Membership and Procedures

(1) The voting members of the University Senate shall be the faculty senators, elected by and from the faculty members of the faculties, colleges, schools, campuses, and other units of the University as described in C(1)-(5), the student senators as described in section D, ten representatives from among the staff, and six representatives elected by the Alumni Federation. The President of the University, the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Provost-Newark, the Provost-Camden, the University Librarian, the dean of each faculty, school and college, and two additional members of the administrative staff to be named by the President shall also be voting members of the Senate. The immediate past chairperson of the University Senate, if not already serving as an elected Senator, shall remain a voting Senator for one further year. The Senate may also appoint non-voting members.

(2) The President of the University or the President’s designee shall certify to the Secretary of the Senate the number of faculty members and full-time-equivalent students in each unit and the number of members and associate members of the graduate faculties on December 1 of each year for the purpose of determining the faculty representation for the following academic year. A faculty member shall be counted only in the unit to which the faculty member’s faculty line is budgeted, with the exception that a member of the faculty of one of the regional campus graduate schools will be counted as a faculty member of that graduate school in accordance with C(4) below, in addition to the faculty member’s home division.

(3) The election of faculty senators shall be in accordance with their unit's bylaws and shall be at-large within each unit unless otherwise provided in the unit's bylaws. When representatives are elected at-large for a campus, the elections shall be conducted by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (in New Brunswick), or the provosts’ offices in Newark and Camden. Each campus shall have the option of conducting elections of at-large faculty Senators through action of its respective campus-wide faculty body/group (e.g., New Brunswick Faculty Council, Newark Faculty Council) in lieu of campus-wide elections.

(4) For the purpose of voting for a representative to the University Senate and/or being elected to the University Senate, a faculty member, excluding members of the graduate faculties, shall have eligibility to vote and/or to be elected in the unit in which the largest share of the faculty member’s line is budgeted, providing that in the event a line is equally distributed between or among academic units, such faculty member shall choose and thereafter continue to be associated with the chosen unit for the purposes set forth in this paragraph, except that assemblies shall decide how faculty senators from Douglass College, Livingston College, Rutgers College, and University College-New Brunswick are to be elected, and each faculty senator from those four colleges shall be or shall become a Fellow of the college represented.

(5) Faculty senators shall normally serve a term of three years. The terms of faculty senators shall be specified by the Executive Committee of the Senate in accordance with the principle that approximately one-third of the terms of faculty senators from each unit shall end each year, without excluding the possibility of re-election. The term of faculty senators shall begin on July 1. Senators representing part-time lecturers and annuals shall be elected annually by vote of part-time lecturers and annuals. The term of part-time lecturer/annual representatives will be for a period of one year and will begin on July 1.

(6) When an elected faculty senator leaves the unit from which the senator is elected, the respective Senate seat shall be deemed vacant. When an elected faculty senator assumes a new position within the unit from which the senator is elected (i.e., a position other than that of a faculty member as defined in section A above), then the Senate seat shall be declared vacant if the senator is not eligible to be elected to the Senate from the new position in accordance with the respective unit's bylaws at the time the senator assumes the new position. Vacancies when this occurs shall be filled in accordance with the respective unit's bylaws.

(7) All matriculated students at the University shall be eligible to vote for and to be elected as student senators. The time, place, and manner of the election of student senators shall be determined by the student governing body in each of the schools and colleges of the University. Student senators shall serve for a term of one year without excluding the possibility of re-election. When an elected student senator leaves the unit from which the senator was elected, the respective Senate seat shall be deemed vacant, and the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the respective student governing body's bylaws. Student senators shall have full rights to participate in the affairs of the Senate, including voting and holding office. The term of student senators shall begin on July 1.

(8) The presidential nominations of two members of the administrative staff shall be for a term of one year and shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Senate by June 15 each year. When individuals hold multiple titles of administrative positions which are included in paragraph B (1) for voting membership in the Senate, or when vacancies exist in administrative positions which are included in paragraph B (1) for voting membership in the Senate, the President of the University, in consultation with the individual holding multiple titles in the unit, may designate another administrative member of that unit to serve in lieu of the affected positions as a voting members of the Senate until the titles are separately held or the vacancies filled. The names of designees shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Senate.

(9) The ten staff representatives will be elected at-large from their respective campuses, with five senators representing New Brunswick, three Senators representing Newark, and two Senators representing Camden. Staff senators will serve for a term of two years starting on July 1. When vacancies exist among these Senators, new representatives will be elected to finish their term.

(10) When an elected senator will be on leave for a period of one semester or more, that senator shall inform the Secretary of the Senate and the dean (or the provost if an at-large senator) that the senator will be on leave, and state whether or not the senator can attend to Senate business during that time. The dean (or provost) will then seek the advice of that faculty or student governing body, as appropriate, as to whether or not they wish to have a replacement elected according to the bylaws of that unit for the period of the leave of the regularly elected senator.

C. Faculty Representation

(1) The University Senate shall have its faculty membership distributed among the units of the University in proportion to the number of faculty members or full-time equivalent students in each unit as provided in C(2) through C(6) below, to be elected in accordance with each unit's bylaws. In addition, each of the three geographic campuses shall be represented by three senators-at-large and one senator-at-large representing part-time lecturers and annuals.

(2) Each undergraduate and graduate professional college or school (except those listed in (3) below) shall be entitled to the larger number of faculty senators based upon: (a) one senator for each 45 budgeted faculty lines or major fraction thereof, or (b) one senator for each 600 full-time equivalent students or major fraction thereof, except that each school or college shall be entitled to at least one representative. This provision applies to those undergraduate and graduate and professional colleges or schools not specifically included in C(3) below.

(3) Faculty representation in units that share faculty, (the Faculty of Arts and Sciences-New Brunswick, Douglass College, Livingston College, Rutgers College and University College-New Brunswick, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences-Newark, the Newark College of Arts and Sciences, and University College-Newark; and for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences-Camden, Camden College of Arts and Sciences, and University College-Camden) shall be the larger number based on the same formula as provided in C(2) (one per 45 budgeted faculty lines or 600 full-time equivalent students), and the number for each campus shall be distributed as follows: one-half to the colleges and one-half to the Faculty or Faculties (in case the number is uneven, the extra senator is to be assigned to the Faculty or Faculties); for the colleges, the number is to be divided among the appropriate units on each campus in proportion to FTE student enrollment, except that each college shall have at least one representative; for the Faculties of a campus, the number is to be divided in proportion to faculty lines, except that each Faculty shall have at least one representative.

(4) The graduate schools shall be entitled to a number of faculty senators which is the greater of: (a) one senator for each 45 budgeted faculty lines or major fraction thereof plus one senator for each additional 200 members and associate members of that graduate school faculty or major fraction thereof, or (b) one senator for each 600 full-time equivalent students, or major fraction thereof.

(5) The University Libraries shall be represented by one senator for each 45 budgeted faculty lines or major fraction thereof.

(6) Other research and academic units on a campus shall collectively comprise one unit (for the purpose of Senate representation) which shall be entitled to one senator for each 45 budgeted faculty lines or major fraction thereof. This provision shall include the research and academic units as maintained on a current listing by campus in the Office of Institutional Research and Academic Planning, as provided in Section 10.1.2 (formerly Book 1.3.2) of University Regulations, unless such units are otherwise provided for above, plus any faculty lines budgeted to the Office of Continuous Education and Outreach.

D. Student Representation

One student senator shall be elected for each 900 full-time equivalent students, or major fraction thereof, of each school or college offering degrees, except that each school or college shall be entitled to at least one student representative.

E. Officers

(1) The elected officers of the Senate shall consist of a chairperson and vice chairperson who shall be elected from among the voting membership of the Senate. The officers of the Senate shall assume office on July 1 following the date of their election and shall serve for a period of one year.

(2) The chairperson of the Senate shall serve for no more than three consecutive one-year terms.

F. Executive Committee

There shall be an Executive Committee of the Senate consisting of the chairperson, vice chairperson, five faculty members, three student members, one part-time lecturer/annual representative, one staff representative, and one alumni member elected from the Senate. All members of the Executive Committee must be voting Senators. One faculty representative shall be elected from each campus with the additional members elected at large. One student representative shall be elected from each campus. The immediate past chairperson of the Senate shall become an additional member of the Executive Committee, with vote, for one year following the member’s chairpersonship. Members of the Executive Committee shall assume office on July 1, following the date of their election, and shall serve for a period of one year. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for coordinating the activities of the Senate and its committees, exercising such powers as the Senate may delegate to it and acting on its behalf between meetings of the Senate. At least one representative from each major campus (Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick) shall be elected to serve on the Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee deems a member to be excessively absent from its meetings, it may request that member's resignation or recall from the Executive Committee. Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled by the Executive Committee nominating a replacement, which shall be voted upon by the Senate at its next meeting. Other nominations may be made from the floor at that time.

50.2.2. Duties and Powers of the Senate

A. The Senate shall concern itself with all academic and non-academic matters pertaining to the mission of the University. Taking into account the diverse functions of the separate units of the University, it shall establish minimum standards respecting admission, scholarship and honors. The Senate shall also: regulate formal relationships among academic units within the University, including the organization of the disciplines; recommend norms for teaching loads; and establish the University calendar. The Senate shall, in addition, have such other powers as the Board of Governors may delegate to it.

B. The Senate shall advise the President on matters of broad educational and research policy, which matters include but are not limited to: (a) budget priorities and allocations and general planning; (b) the establishment or dissolution of colleges, schools, divisions, institutes, and similar educational units; (c) special affiliations and programs; (d) regulations affecting students and faculty, such as those concerning academic freedom, equal opportunities, and personnel practices and procedures; and (e) such changes in educational and research policy as are covered in the University Regulations and Procedures Manual. The Senate may also initiate action on these matters. The President of the University shall act on such matters only after having received the advice of the Senate or after giving the Senate a reasonable time in which to present its views. If there is a question as to whether a matter is of broad educational and research policy, the Senate Executive Committee shall be informed in order to determine Senate action on that matter. When special circumstances require prompt action, and when the Senate as a body is either out of session or not available for timely consultation, the President shall ask the Executive Committee of the Senate to convene as expeditiously as possible, in order to hear the reasons why emergency action seems necessary and to provide counsel on both the assessment of the situation and the proposed course of action. If the full membership of the Senate Executive Committee cannot be convened within a reasonable period of time, the President shall consult with such members as can be convened by the Secretary of the Senate. At the earliest possible opportunity, a report on such emergency action shall be presented to the full Senate.

(1) The President of the University shall, with respect to such matters, communicate to the Board of Governors, or to any other such agency to which he or she may report, the views of the Senate along with the President’s own report and/or recommendation. Either at the request of the President or the Board of Governors, or upon its own initiative, the Senate may by resolution advise the President or the Board of Governors on any matters of concern to the University. The Senate shall be informed of the President's recommendation on matters on which the Senate has taken action prior to the meeting of the Board of Governors or its appropriate committee. Whenever the Board of Governors or one of its committees is considering a recommendation from the Senate, an appropriate additional representative of the Senate shall be invited to present the views of the Senate. The President shall inform the Senate of the disposition of all of its recommendations.

(2) In matters of significant consequence to the University's broad educational and research policies, a representative of the University Senate may appeal, on the Senate's behalf, to the Educational Planning and Policy Committee of the Board of Governors an action of the President of the University in which the representative alleges that the President has acted contrary to any of the following provisions: policy of the Board of Governors; these Regulations; State or Federal law; a contract to which the University is a party except contracts involving collective bargaining; practice well established in the absence of Board policy or University Regulation; or the University's best interest in an action which establishes a policy in a matter not regulated by any of the foregoing. If the Educational Planning and Policy Committee finds that the decision questioned is consequential and that the issue requires interpretation under any of the provisions above, the Committee will request the advice of the Senate on the issue if that has not already been offered and will refer the question to the Board of Governors for resolution.

C. Any major decision in any academic or administrative matter affecting the faculty or students made at a departmental, college or any other internal level which requires prior consultation with the affected bodies, under provision of a policy of the Board of Governors, of these Regulations, of State or Federal law, of a contract to which the University is a party except contracts involving collective bargaining, or of a practice well established in the absence of Board policy or University Regulation, or which establishes a policy in a matter not regulated by any of the foregoing provisions, may be appealed to the University Senate by the faculty or any division thereof or the student governing body of any interested unit of the University on the ground that the faculty or student body was not adequately consulted prior to making the decision. The appeal shall be made in writing, and shall include copies of any relevant document and a short statement of the reasons why the appellant believes this paragraph of University Regulations is applicable and the decision should be reconsidered. If the Senate decides to hear the appeal, the decision shall be suspended while the appeal is pending unless the President of the University determines that it is not practical to do so. If the President so determines, the President shall set forth in writing the reasons for the action. The Senate may exercise its power directly, or provide that appeals be heard and decided by a committee. The Senate will not conduct a new hearing for the purpose of taking testimony but will act on the record of the committee's proceeding. The record will include a finding of facts on which the committee based its conclusions.

2.2.3. Procedures

A. The Senate Executive Committee, prior to April 1, shall appoint a nominating committee to select candidates for the office of chairperson, vice chairperson, and for membership on the Executive Committee and all other officers and representatives that are to be elected by the Senate. The report and/or sample ballot of the committee shall be circulated to members of the Senate-elect at least ten days before a special meeting of the Senate-elect to be held in May for the purpose of electing officers.

B. The Senate shall meet at a stated time at least once each month during the academic year. In addition, the chairperson or the Executive Committee may convene a meeting of the Senate at any time; the chairperson shall convene a meeting on the written request of any ten delegates or at the request of the President of the University.

C. The Senate Executive Committee will ordinarily meet monthly during the calendar year and shall regularly meet with the President or Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer to discuss matters of mutual concern.

D. A quorum of the Senate shall consist of one-third of the voting membership.

E. The chairperson, Executive Committee or the Senate, by resolution, shall have the power to invite any person to address the Senate. The meetings of the Senate shall ordinarily be open.

F. The Senate may authorize the Executive Committee to act on its behalf between meetings.

G. The Senate shall have the power to establish committees. The chairperson and at least one other member of each committee shall be members of the Senate.

H. The Senate may delegate its powers to appropriate committees, each of which shall include at least one member of the Executive Committee.

I. The Senate shall have the power to organize subsenates.

J. The Senate shall have the power to adopt regulations governing its own procedures. Robert's Rules of Order shall be followed except in those cases where they are inconsistent with sections 2.2.1.-2.2.3. of these regulations.

K. All prior regulations adopted by the Senate are hereby extended until modified in accordance with the provisions of this instrument.