Academic Senate representative or elected officer
Purpose of the Academic Senate
The Academic Senate is a representative body of the faculty on a campus that develops policies and procedures regarding faculty and administrative appointments, curriculum, business and fiscal matters, campus development, academic standards, university goals and more. Much of the work of the Senate is done via committee, with matters being brought to the Executive Committee from a variety of sources including faculty, senators, other university committees, administration, the legislature, other universities and the general public. After consideration of the matter, it is either referred to a standing committee for further deliberation and action, or a policy is drafted, or a resolution made in response to the matter.
Role of a senate representative
Any Senator wishing to speak to an item on the agenda may do so by clearly signaling to the Vice Chair to be put on the speaker’s list. A Senator may also introduce an action item from the floor, which requires a motion to amend the agenda and a two-thirds majority vote to do so. Senators are provided with pertinent materials ahead of the meetings, and are expected to come prepared for discussion and voting on the measures. It is the responsibility of the Senator to then return to the body they represent and share the actions taken by the Senate.
Roles of elected senate officers
The officers of the Academic Senate form the Executive Council, along with a small number of other individuals. Using the California State University as an example, senate officers include the chair, vice chair, secretary, and at-large executive committee members. Depending upon the campus, additional Executive Council members may include the immediate past chair, a faculty trustee, Executive Director, and Chairs of Standing Committees. Each elected member of the academic senate has a particular role, which is outlined in campus guidelines, usually located on the Academic Senate website, or available in the Academic Senate office of a campus.
Systemwide Academic Senate
In the case of a large campus system with multiple campuses connected by common missions and goals, there may be a systemwide Academic Senate in addition to the campus governing bodies. Each campus in the system then sends representatives to preside over the business that overarches all of the campuses. The University of California and the California State University systems are both such examples.
Academic Senate
Academic Senate
University of California
This website outlines the UC shared governance structure used by the Academic Senate. It consists of a list of links to important documents.
Senate Office 101
San Francisco State University
This webpage is formatted as a series of questions about the work and organization of the senate, including where the office is, schedules of the standing committees, ways to access agendas, etc.
Academic Senate
California State University Dominguez Hills
This site introduces the Senate Chair and has links to the procedures and documents of the Academic Senate.
Academic Senate
California State University Chico
This site outlines the guidelines, memoranda, agendas, minutes, awards and management issues of the Academic Senate for CSU Chico.
Academic Senate CSU
The California State University
As the official voice of the faculty in matters of statewide concern, the Academic Senate of the CSU provides the means for the faculty to participate in the collegial form of governance which is based on historic academic traditions as recognized by California law. This is the official site of the CSU Academic Senate.
Roles of Academic Senate Officers
Guidelines for Academic Senate of the California State University Members and Officers
California State University
These guidelines outline the particular responsibilities of each member of the senate and its elected officers.
Duties and Structure of the Academic Senate
UC Riverside
This site provides an overview of the UCR Academic Senate workings.
Reflections on the Purpose and Future of the Academic Senate
The Latent Organizational Functions of the Academic Senate: Why Senates Do Not Work But Will Not Go Away
Birnbaum, R. (July-August, 1989). The Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 60, No. 4, p. 423-443
This is an article about the contradiction between the prediction that the advent of faculty collective bargaining units in the late 1960’s would lead to Senates disappearing on campuses, and what has actually occurred.
Traditional Governance Structures – Current Policy Pressures: The Academic Senate and Canadian Universities
Jones, G. A., Shanahan, T. & Goyan, P. (March, 2002). Tertiary Education and Management, Vol. 8, No. 1
The objective of this paper is to identify current policy pressures in Canadian higher education and explore the implications for academic decision-making bodies.
