Faculty Senate Bylaws

PREAMBLE

It is essential to the character and mission of a mature university that the faculty have the primary authority and responsibility to develop, sustain, and enhance the intellectual quality and reputation of the institution and to maintain its academic integrity. In accordance with this principle, the Northern Illinois University Constitution provides for university governance as a shared process with faculty predominance in all policy decisions relating to the university curriculum, to student admissions and academic standards, and to the faculty personnel process, with active faculty participation in many other areas of university policy and operations. In addition, to ensure effective faculty involvement in university governance, Article 17.3 of the University Constitution and Article 12 of the University Bylaws establish a Faculty Senate as the representative body of the faculty. The purposes of the Faculty Senate are:

1.To promote a climate of academic freedom for the university community;

2.To advance the instructional mission of the university by maintaining an optimal learning environment throughout the university;

3.To encourage research and artistry and the appreciation of the intellectual values of the arts, the humanities, the sciences, and the professions;

4.To serve as the legitimate representative of faculty concerns vis-a-vis the university administration;

5.To define and establish standards and procedures of accountability concerning professional faculty ethics and responsibilities, and to promote adherence to those standards and procedures; and

6.To encourage an informed, continuing, and academically responsible participation in those faculty governance roles defined in the University Constitution and Bylaws.

ARTICLE 1 MEMBERSHIP OF THE FACULTY SENATE

1.1 Voting Members

1.11 Definition of Voting Members

The Faculty Senate shall consist of faculty members, as defined in Article 2, Sections 2.21 and 2.22 of the University Constitution and Article 12, Section 12.22 of the University Bylaws.

1.12 Election of Voting Members

Voting members of the Faculty Senate shall be elected in the following manner:

(A) All elected faculty members of the University Council, as defined in Section 1.3 of the University Bylaws, shall be voting members of the Faculty Senate. Alternates for these elected members shall be selected from the member's college. Alternates may attend and participate as voting members in the event the elected member cannot attend.

(B) One member of the Faculty Senate shall be elected from and by the faculty, as defined in Article 1.11 of the Senate Bylaws, of each academic department or school in the degree-granting colleges of the university, with two elected from each department or school of over 50 faculty members, and one faculty member each from the College of Law and the University Libraries. Alternates for elected members of the Faculty Senate shall be selected from the member's department. Alternates may attend and participate as voting members in the event the elected member is unable to attend.

(C) When the Faculty Senate does not contain at least one elected faculty representative who is a member of a minority racial group the elected faculty members of the Faculty Senate shall meet and elect such a representative, as provided in Article 12, Section 12.223, of the University Bylaws. The person thus elected shall be chosen from among the faculty members of the university who are eligible for election as a faculty representative of the Senate. Such election shall observe the provisions of Article 12, Section 12.223 of the University Bylaws.

1.13 The terms of office for all voting members of the Faculty Senate shall begin July 1 of each year.

1.21 Any faculty member of the University Advisory Committee (UAC) to the Board of Trustees who is not a voting member of the Faculty Senate shall be an ex officio nonvoting member.

1.22 If not otherwise a member of the Faculty Senate the faculty representative to the Illinois Board of Higher Education Faculty Advisory Committee shall be an ex officio nonvoting member.

1.23 If they are not otherwise voting members of the Faculty Senate, the faculty serving as assistant chairs of the Academic Planning Council, the Graduate Council, and the Undergraduate Coordinating Council, shall sit as ex officio nonvoting members of the Senate during their terms of office.

1.24 The Supportive Professional Staff member of the University Council shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member.

ARTICLE 2 OFFICERS OF THE FACULTY SENATE

2.1 The Executive Secretary of the University Council shall also serve as President of the Faculty Senate. The Executive Secretary is nominated by the Faculty Senate from the elected members of the University Council and is elected by the University Council.

2.11 The initial selection of candidates for the office of Executive Secretary of the University Council shall take place at the March meeting of the Faculty Senate. Any faculty senator may suggest or second the suggestion of a candidate. To be qualified to serve, the candidate must be an elected faculty member of the University Council for the current year and for the ensuing year.

2.12 Suggested candidates for the office of Executive Secretary shall submit a letter of intent to be included with the agenda for the last regularly meeting of the normal academic year of the Faculty Senate meeting.

2.13 An election of the final candidate for nomination shall be conducted by secret ballot at the last regularly scheduled meeting of the normal academic year of the Faculty Senate. All faculty senators present may cast a ballot for the candidate. If there are more than two suggested candidates, the final nominee must receive a majority of the votes cast. If no candidate receives a majority, subsequent ballots will be taken removing the candidate receiving the fewest votes until a candidate is selected.

2.14 Faculty Senators who are elected members of the University Council will vote by secret ballot to accept or reject the nominee.

2.3 The election of officers shall take place at a meeting called by the incumbent president as soon as possible after the composition of the Senate for the ensuing year has been determined and no later than the last Senate meeting of the academic year.

2.4 The term of office for all officers shall begin August 16 and shall be for one year. An officer may serve successive terms.
 
 

ARTICLE 3 STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE FACULTY SENATE

3.1 Executive Committee

3.11 Composition

The Executive Committee shall be chaired by the president and shall consist of the following:

The chairs of the Senate standing committees;

The president, vice president, and the secretary;

Additional members as appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate to assure that each degree-granting college and the University Libraries are appropriately represented.

3.121 The Executive Committee shall advise the president between meetings of the Senate.

3.122 The committee shall prepare the agenda for distribution to Senate members prior to meetings of the Senate.

3.123 In addition, the committee shall perform other duties as are assigned to it.

3.21 Composition

The membership of the committee shall be appointed by the president of the Faculty Senate and approved by the Faculty Senate. One faculty senator will be appointed to the committee to represent each of the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. A faculty senator representing University Libraries and a faculty senator representing the College of Law may be appointed upon their expression of interest in service on the committee. Other faculty senators may be appointed to the committee to a maximum of twelve (12) members.

3.22 Duties

The committee shall advise the Senate on matters and issues concerning:

Representation of the faculty in the governance of the university;

Faculty participation in the development of university policies, procedures, and practices which advance the academic mission of the university and a learning environment throughout the university;

Collective and individual faculty prerogatives in university policies and procedures;

Standards and procedures of accountability concerning faculty ethics and responsibilities and adherence to those standards and responsibilities;

The climate of academic freedom for the university community and policies, procedures, and practices of the university as they affect academic freedom;

Specific academic freedom issues which warrant Senate attention;

The administration and effectiveness of the faculty grievance processes.

3.31 Composition

The membership of the committee shall be appointed by the president of the Faculty Senate and approved by the Faculty Senate. One faculty senator will be appointed to the committee to represent each of the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. A faculty senator representing University Libraries and a faculty senator representing the College of Law may be appointed upon their expression of interest in service on the committee. Other faculty senators may be appointed to the committee to a maximum of twelve (12) members.

3.32 Duties

The committee shall advise the Senate concerning:

Problems and issues with respect to the academic mission of the university;

New and revised academic programs;

Problems and concerns regarding the academic program review process;

University academic priorities.

The committee shall advise and be kept informed by the provost on all matters and issues relating to summer session.

3.41 Composition

The membership of the committee shall be appointed by the president of the Faculty Senate and approved by the Faculty Senate. One faculty senator will be appointed to the committee to represent each of the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. A faculty senator representing University Libraries and a faculty senator representing the College of Law may be appointed upon their expression of interest in service on the committee. Other faculty senators may be appointed to the committee to a maximum of twelve (12) members.

3.42 Duties

3.421 The committee shall advise the Senate concerning: Issues and proposals related to faculty compensation and benefits; Studies of faculty compensation and benefits and recommendations with respect to faculty compensation and benefits coming from university officials and committees as well as governing and coordinating boards, the state government, and national government and national and professional associations.

3.422 The committee through its chair shall represent the Senate on the University Benefits Committee.

3.51 Composition

The membership of the committee shall be appointed by the president of the Faculty Senate and approved by the Faculty Senate. One faculty senator will be appointed to the committee to represent each of the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. A faculty senator representing University Libraries and a faculty senator representing the College of Law may be appointed upon their expression of interest in service on the committee. Other faculty senators may be appointed to the committee to a maximum of twelve (12) members.

3.52 Duties

The committee shall advise the Senate concerning:

Substantive issues referred to it 5.33 by the Senate involving interpretations of the Faculty Senate Bylaws and the University Constitution and Bylaws as the relate to the Faculty Senate;

Proposals relating to the structure and procedures of the Faculty Senate, including proposals to amend Senate Bylaws.

The president of the Faculty Senate shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, those members of the Faculty Senate who shall represent the Senate on the Faculty Senate-University Council Committee on Resources, Space and Budgets. One member of the Faculty Senate representatives to that committee shall serve as liaison-spokesperson at meetings of the Faculty Senate and the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. Reports from the delegation shall be given, in the order of business, during the presentation of reports from special committees.

3.71 Composition

The membership of the committee shall be appointed by the president of the Faculty Senate and approved by the Faculty Senate. One faculty senator will be appointed to the committee to represent each of the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. A faculty senator representing University Libraries and a faculty senator representing the College of Law may be appointed upon their expression of interest in service on the committee. Other faculty senators may be appointed to the committee to a maximum of twelve (12) members.

3.72 Duties

The committee shall recommend to the Senate policies and procedures to monitor the election of faculty to the Senate from the academic departments or schools, the College of Law and the University Libraries. The committee shall also conduct elections of officers of the Senate; monitor legislation that relates to higher education in general and to faculty interests in particular; and, shall report the status of such legislation to the Senate so that appropriate actions may be taken.

The Faculty Senate may establish whatever standing committees and special committees which it considers appropriate. The creation of additional standing committees shall be accomplished through amendments to these Bylaws. Special committees may be established by action of the Senate and do not require bylaw amendments.

ARTICLE 4 OPERATING PROCEDURES OF THE FACULTY SENATE

4.1 Order of Business and Parliamentary Authority

4.11 The order of business shall be:

Call to Order

Adoption of the Agenda

Reading and Approval of Minutes

President's Announcements

Consent Agenda

Review of University Council Agenda

Reports of Standing Committees

Reports of Special Committees

Unfinished Business

New Business

Comments and Questions from the Floor

Adjournment

4.12 Except as otherwise provided the Faculty Senate meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order Revised.

4.13 A parliamentarian, who shall be appointed by the president, shall perform the usual duties expected of this position.

4.14 A majority of the elected members of the Faculty Senate shall constitute a quorum.

4.15 Consent Agenda

4.151 The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate shall place on the consent agenda those items of business requiring Senate action which, in its judgment, are not likely to require Senate discussion and which are expected to receive unanimous approval from the Senate. Any such item may be removed from the consent agenda at the time that agenda is presented to the Senate if any five voting members request its removal. Removal of items from the consent agenda is not debatable.

4.152 After items to which objections have been raised are removed from the consent agenda, the Senate president shall call for a single vote to approve all of the matters remaining on that agenda.

4.16 Comments or Questions from Nonmembers

Faculty or staff who are not members of the Faculty Senate may be granted the opportunity to address the Senate if no objection is raised by members of the Senate at the time the request is made. The Senate president may limit the time a nonmember may have on the floor.

4.21 Faculty Senate meeting minutes shall be prepared by the recording secretary and forwarded to members prior to the next meeting. Minutes must be approved by the Faculty Senate and once approved distributed to Senate members and other appropriate members of the university community in a timely manner.

4.22 Prior to approval of the minutes of the Faculty Senate, official statements on the business of the Senate shall be released only by the president.

4.23 Four copies of the minutes shall be regularly deposited in the University Archives.

4.31 Action shall be taken by majority vote of the members voting. When the motion is called, members may vote in favor of the motion, against the motion, abstain from voting, or indicate that they are present but not voting. Those present and not voting shall not be counted in computing whether the appropriate majority has been obtained for passage of a motion. The question of whether a roll call vote shall be taken may be incorporated in the motion or a motion to amend may be offered to request a roll call vote.

4.32 Proposals for formal Senate action may be discussed and voted on at the meeting at which they are first presented, but can be held for action at a subsequent meeting of the Faculty Senate if two-thirds of the members voting favor such a delay.

4.33 All formal positions taken by the Faculty Senate shall be executed through public and recorded majority vote of the voting members of the Senate and so recorded and reported by the president of the Senate.

4.34 There shall be no use of proxy votes in the Faculty Senate.

4.41 The president shall serve as presiding officer of the Faculty Senate. In the absence of the president, the vice president shall preside. The presiding officer shall be entitled to vote.

4.42 The president shall appoint members and chairs of all standing and special committees with the advice and consent of the Senate.

4.43 The university shall provide facilities and resources to support the Faculty Senate. The president of the Senate shall prepare an annual Senate operating budget as part of the normal university budget process and shall be responsible for administering that budget once it is authorized.

ARTICLE 5 ELECTION PROCEDURES OF THE FACULTY SENATE

5.1 Election Administration

Elections to the Faculty Senate, except for those members elected to the University Council from the degree-granting colleges, shall be conducted by the academic departments or schools, the College of Law, and the University Libraries according to policies and procedures established by the Faculty Senate Elections Committee. The Elections Committee shall have the authority to supervise the election procedures provided for herein.

5.2 College Faculty Elections to the Faculty Senate

5.21 Faculty elected to the University Council from the degree-granting colleges shall be elected in accordance with governing policies and procedures of the University Council.

5.22 The election of faculty for the University Council shall be initiated no later than the third week of February of each year.

5.23 Faculty serving on the Faculty Senate as a result of election to the University Council shall serve for a three-year term.

5.31 One member of the faculty shall be elected from and by faculty, as defined in Article 12.21 of the University Bylaws, of each academic department or school in the degree-granting colleges of the university, with two elected from each department or school of over 50 faculty members, and one member each from the College of Law and the University Libraries. The terms of these members shall be for three years and shall be staggered in a manner determined by the Senate elections committee.

5.32 Elections conducted by the academic departments or schools, the College of Law, and the University Libraries shall occur within one month following the annual election of members of the University Council. These elections shall be by secret ballot.

5.33 Prior to the election of faculty members to the Faculty Senate each year the elections committee shall obtain from the vice president and provost the number of faculty meeting the criterion for election in each academic department or school. Those departments or schools with over 50 eligible faculty members will be informed that they are entitled to two members.

ARTICLE 6 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACULTY SENATE

6.1 The Faculty Senate shall serve as the official voice of the faculty of Northern Illinois University and as the authoritative representative liaison body between the faculty and (1) the University Council, (2) the president of the university, (3) the vice president and provost, (4) other vice presidents with respect to their responsibilities affecting the faculty, and (5) the chair and the Board of Trustees.

6.2 In accordance with the Preamble and Article 7.3 of the University Constitution and the stated commitment to university governance as a shared process, the Faculty Senate shall serve the following purposes:

6.21 To promote the representation of the faculty in the governance of the university;

6.22 To encourage active faculty participation in the development of university policies and procedures;

6.23 To discuss and recommend as a Faculty Senate policies affecting the university as a whole;

6.24 To promote the welfare of the faculty and the university.

6.31 To review academic policies, procedures, and practices at the university level, and to make recommendations on such matters to the appropriate administrative officers and governance bodies of the university.

6.32 To advance collective and individual faculty prerogatives in university policies and procedures;

6.33 To make recommendations on matters affecting faculty welfare;

6.34 To monitor and annually assess and report to the faculty and the administration the effectiveness of the faculty grievance processes;

6.35 To articulate and promulgate faculty positions on issues of general concern within and to the university;

6.36 To define and recommend mechanisms for faculty participation in university governance and in system-wide and state-wide issues;

6.37 To be consulted by and to advise the president of the university, the executive vice president and provost, and other appropriate university-wide administrative officers through mutually acceptable means on matters concerning university priorities, university budgets, university facilities, and university long-range planning, and on proposed changes in the administrative organizations of the university directly or primarily related to its academic mission. At its own discretion, such consultation may take the form of a vote, but any such formal action may not revise the decisions appropriately made by the academic councils and committees established by Article 13 of the University Bylaws;

6.38 To maintain an interactive liaison with those university shared-governance bodies established by the University Constitution and Bylaws, particularly the University Council, the Academic Planning Council, the Undergraduate Coordinating Council, and the Graduate Council;

6.39 To render advice and, if appropriate, act upon matters laid before it by the president of the university, other governance bodies of the university, or members of the faculty;

6.40 To elect from the elected faculty members of the University Council faculty to serve on the University Advisory Committee (UAC) to the Board of Trustees and the Faculty Advisory Committee to the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

ARTICLE 7 PERSONNEL REVIEW RESPONSIBILITIES

The Faculty Senate under the provisions of University Bylaws 12.640 has the responsibility for annual reviews of the Executive Secretary of the University Council and the Faculty Personnel Advisor. In the case of the Executive Secretary the Senate evaluation shall constitute the total personnel rating for that portion of the year the position is held. In the case of the Faculty Personnel Advisor the Senate evaluation shall constitute one-half of the personnel rating for that portion of the year the position is held. These evaluations shall be forwarded to the executive vice president and provost who shall determine the annual salary increment for the Executive Secretary and who shall determine the salary increment for the Faculty Personnel Advisor after receiving the evaluation given for other professional activities by the Faculty Personnel Advisor's academic department.

7.1 The annual evaluation of the services of the Faculty Personnel Advisor shall be conducted by a committee composed of three members of the Faculty Senate chosen by lot. The annual evaluation of the services of the President of the Faculty Senate and Executive Secretary of the University Council in performance of that role shall be conducted by a joint committee composed of five members of the Faculty Senate and University Council chosen by lot; two (2) will be faculty members from the Faculty Senate who are not members of the University Council, two (2) faculty members from the University Council, and one (1) student member from the University Council. The committee is empowered to seek and receive individual recommendations from the members of the Senate and University Council, and to seek such other information as it may find necessary in order to complete its task. The completed evaluation shall be presented to the Faculty Senate for its endorsement, and then it shall be forwarded to the executive vice president and provost of the university for appropriate action as provided in the university Bylaws Section 12.640.

ARTICLE 8 FACULTY SENATE RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE FACULTY

8.1 The Faculty Senate shall report its proceedings to the faculty on a timely basis, shall distribute in advance its schedule of meetings, and shall inform the faculty of significant issues coming before it.

8.2 At the request of one-third of the Faculty Senate voting membership present, any matter must be submitted to the faculty for consideration, either by mail ballot or at a faculty meeting.

8.3 The Faculty Senate shall have the right in accordance with University Bylaws 12.9 to call meetings of those university faculty who, regardless of tenure status, meet the definition of faculty in Article 1.3 of the University Bylaws.
 
 

ARTICLE 9 AMENDMENT OF FACULTY SENATE BYLAWS

9.1 Written notice of a proposed amendment to the Faculty Senate Bylaws may be presented at any regular meeting of the Faculty Senate, but no action shall be taken on a proposed amendment until at least the next regular meeting of the Faculty Senate. The waiting period may be waived by a vote of three-fourths of the members voting.

9.2 No amendment may be in conflict with the provisions of either the University Constitution or the University Bylaws.

9.3 To become effective, an amendment must be approved by a vote of two-thirds of those voting provided at least two-thirds of the voting members are present.