2.5.2 Meetings and Powers of the Faculty Senate

A joint meeting of the Academic Faculty Senate and Research Faculty Senate shall be termed a meeting of the Faculty Senate.  A majority of the combined membership of the two senates shall constitute a quorum at a scheduled or properly called meeting.

If any College, GTRI, or the composite unit of Services and Central Administration qualifies for more representatives than a limit of one-third (1/3) of the total voting members of the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Executive Board shall work with the sub-unit(s) with the largest number of representatives to reduce their representation so that the limit is maintained.

The President shall be the presiding officer of the Faculty Senate. Voting privileges are the same as those pertaining to the members of the Academic Faculty Senate and the Research Faculty Senate. The chairs of all Faculty Standing Committees are deemed also to be voting members of the Faculty Senate if not already designated. Ex officio members of the Academic Faculty Senate and the Research Faculty Senate are ex officio to the Faculty Senate with the same voting status as in those bodies. The Faculty Senate may act for the Faculty in all matters except the amendment of the Faculty Handbook and the appeal of a Presidential veto of an action of the Faculty in a meeting of that body.

The Faculty Senate shall hold at least one (1) meeting each during the Fall and Spring semesters.  Special meetings may be called on the President’s own volition or shall be called by the President on petition of one-third (1/3) of the members or upon the recommendation of the Faculty Executive Board. In such special meetings, the matters considered shall be restricted to those items listed in the call for the meeting.

In the President’s absence, the Provost shall preside. In the absence of both, the Executive Vice-President for Research shall preside.   In the absence of all of the above, the Chair of the Faculty Executive Board shall preside.

The Faculty Senate shall establish its rules of procedure and determine all matters pertaining to its own meetings not otherwise specified herein or determined by the Faculty.

Minutes shall be kept by the Secretary of the Faculty and shall be posted online.

Presidential Veto

The President shall have the power of veto over any action of the Faculty Senate. The President shall notify the Secretary of the Faculty, in writing, of the veto and the reasons for it, within sixty (60) days from the date of the action of the Faculty Senate.  The Faculty Senate may appeal the veto to the Board of Regents by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at a scheduled or properly called meeting. Any such appeal shall be sent via the President who shall forward it to the Board of Regents through the Chancellor.