Ten Things You Should Know about the Academic Senate

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Ten Things You Should Know about the Academic
Senate
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1. The Senate operates according to Roberts
Rules of Order.
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The Motion

• Definition members formal proposal that
  assembly take certain action.
• Process making motion, seconding motion, stating
  question, debating question, putting question,
  announcing results.
• Precedence order in which different kinds of
  motions are considered.

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SOP

• Agenda sent out one week in advance please come
  prepared.
• Raise your card to be put on speakers list.
• Consider your remarks in advance.
• Respond to reports with questions.
• No debate until motion has been moved and
  seconded.
• Senates Golden Rule.

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Typical agenda

• Announcements
• Minutes
• Reports regular and special
• Consent items
• Business items
• Discussion items

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2. Resolutions are the way the Senate does
business.
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What Is a Resolution?

• Important and/or complex motion proposed in
  writing.
• Body usually consists of one or more whereas
  clauses followed by one or more resolved
  clauses.
• Lines numbered to assist in reading.

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Resolution Process

• Usually proposed by Senate committee.
• Reviewed and formatted by Senate Analyst.
• Screened by Executive Committee, which may
  agendize.
• Read twice by Senate, which may amend and adopt.
• Forwarded to President, who may accept, approve,
  or disapprove.

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First Reading

• Time for suggestions resolution still belongs to
  author and is not yet amendable.
• Resolution may be moved to second reading at
  another meeting.
• Motion to suspend rules may be used to move
  time-sensitive resolutions to second reading at
  same meeting.

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Second Reading

• Motion to adopt resolution may be moved and
  seconded it then belongs to body and may be
  amended.
• Precedent attached documents are not amendable.
• New rule amendments of one sentence or more
  must be made in writing and submitted to Senate
  seven days in advance of meeting.

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Disposition of Resolutions

• Author may withdraw.
• Senate may adopt, reject, refer to committee, or
  postpone to certain time.
• Unresolved resolutions die at end of year.
• Resolved resolutions archived on AS website.

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3. The Senate is a deliberative assembly.
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Deliberative Assembly

• A Group of people meeting to determine courses
  of action to be taken in the name of the entire
  group (Roberts Rules).
• The group is of such a size that a degree of
  formality is required in its proceedings.
• The opinion of each member present has equal
  weight as expressed by vote.

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4. The Senate is not a game.
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• Deliberative vs. discursive assembly.
• Chairs job is try to keep Senate on task and
  maintain decorum.
• Be brief be polite be constructive practice
  saying yes.
• Abstain from mischievous motions using
  parliamentary procedure to thwart bodys ability
  to deliberate and decide.

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5. The Senate exists to do the Universitys
business.
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Special Reports in 2007-2008

• Presidents quarterly reports
• Provosts annual report on institutional
  priorities
• VP Finances annual report on budget
• Assistant VPs report on admissions

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Committee Charges in 2007-2008

• Executive reform of AS Constitution and Bylaws.
• Curriculum PLA, diversity in curriculum, and
  streamlining course approvals.
• Distinguished Teaching Awards DTA procedures.

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Committee Charges in 2007-2008

• Faculty Affairs CAP 500 on Personnel.
• Fairness Board FB procedures.
• Instruction WU, course evaluations
• Sustainability sustainability in curriculum

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6. The Senate derives its authority from the
Constitution of the General Faculty.
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AS Powers and Responsibilities

• Joint decision making and consultation between
  administration and the General Faculty have been
  recognized by the legislature of the State of
  California as the long accepted manner of
  institutions of higher learning and are essential
  to the educational missions of such institutions.

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AS Powers and Responsibilities

• In order to participate fully in the process of
  joint decision-making and consultation with the
  administration, the Academic Senate is empowered
  to exercise all legislative and advisory powers
  on behalf of the General Faculty.

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AS Powers and Responsibilities

• These legislative powers shall include all
  educational matters that affect the General
  Faculty (e.g. curricula, academic personnel
  policies, and academic standards).

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AS Powers and Responsibilities

• Advisory powers shall include, but not be
  limited to, budget policy, administrative
  appointments, determination of campus
  administrative policy, University organization,
  and facilities use and planning.

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7. The Senate vacillates between feelings of
powerlessness and megalomania.
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8. Shared governance does not mean that everyone
is responsible for everything.
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9. Consultation is a two-way street.
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10. The Senate can be a change agent.