Faculty Senate Constitution

Constitution
Adopted by the Senate, November 14, 2000
Ratified by the Virginia Tech Faculty, February, 2001
Approved by the Board of Visitors, June 2001

Article I. Name and Purpose

Article II. Functions

Article III. Membership

Article IV. Officers

Article V. The Senate Cabinet, Standing Committees, and Work Groups

Article VI. Faculty Representation on the University Council, University Commissions, University Committees, and the Faculty Senate of Virginia

Article VII. Meetings and Procedures

Article VIII. Amendments

Article I. Name and Purpose: This representative body shall be known as the Faculty Senate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to create an effective Faculty organization, which can enter into partnership for shared responsibility and cooperative action between the Faculty, Administration, Staff, and Students in order to promote the general welfare of the University.

Article II. Functions: The functions of the Faculty Senate are:

To establish within the laws applicable to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University an effective means for advising and responding to the University Commissions, the University Council, the Administration, and the Board of Visitors on University affairs.
To express opinion on University affairs as the Faculty Senate deems appropriate and necessary.
To participate in the formulation of academic and educational policies that concern more than one college, division, or center.
To consider policies, programs, and other matters that the Administration, college faculties, student organizations, and individuals of the Faculty may propose.
To afford avenues and procedures whereby communications within the University may flow freely, fully, and systematically.
To help create, maintain, and protect a University environment conducive to the richest growth of scholarship, learning, teaching, research, service, and respect for human dignity and rights.
To accept and share responsibility with the administration, staff, and students in all efforts to improve the stature and usefulness of the University.
To advise, respond to, and participate in the Faculty Senate of Virginia, thereby providing University Faculty with a voice in matters of broader concern to Faculty across the Commonwealth.

Article III. Membership:

Section 1. Composition: The membership of the Faculty Senate consists of elected Faculty members.

Section 2. Eligibility: A Faculty member is eligible for election to the Faculty Senate and to vote in the election of Faculty Senators if the Faculty member holds:

The rank of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, or Instructor.
A full-time and CONTINUING appointment to the University.
An appointment or tenure in an ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT, or in the Library, or as extra-collegiate Faculty.
Although otherwise qualified, those Faculty members in ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS at the COLLEGE LEVEL, the UNIVERSITY LEVEL, or the LIBRARY, and those Faculty members STUDYING FOR A DEGREE at the University are ineligible. (All capitalized words are defined in the Bylaws.)

Section 3. Principles of Representation: Insofar as possible, each Senator shall represent an equal number of Faculty members eligible for Faculty Senate membership. The Faculty of each college shall be represented by at least three Senators. The Faculty of the library will be represented by two Senators. Additional representation is prescribed in the Bylaws.

Members, though uninstructed representatives of their constituents, have the responsibility to seek the opinions of their electorate. Having done so, they shall make decisions and vote on matters brought before the Faculty Senate according to their own reasoned judgment. The Senate Cabinet, upon recommendation of the Secretary-Treasurer, shall adjust annually the number of Faculty Senators in accordance with the Senate Bylaws.

Section 4. Nominations and Elections:

Section 5. Term of Membership and Vacancies: Senators are elected for a term of three years except as prescribed in the Bylaws, and are eligible for re-election but may not serve more than two consecutive terms (full or partial). Senators serve until their successors take office. Vacancies in unexpired terms are filled as prescribed in the Bylaws.

Section 6. Elected Alternates: The Faculty Senate permits the college or library to elect alternates who may attend Senate meetings and vote in the absence of a Senator from the same college or library.

Article IV. Officers:

Section 1. Officers: The officers of the Faculty Senate are President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Immediate Past President. The President appoints a member of the Faculty Senate to serve as Parliamentarian.

Section 2. President: The duties of the President include:

Section 4. Secretary-Treasurer: The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall include:

Section 5. Immediate Past President: The duties of the Immediate Past President include:

Section 6. Nomination and Election of Officers: The Senate Cabinet shall nominate a slate of officers and nominees for other Senate elections. Additional nominations may be made from the floor of the Senate. The time and manner of election of officers are prescribed in the Bylaws.

Section 7. Term of Office and Vacancies: Officers are elected for a term of one year and are eligible for re-election, but may not serve more than two years consecutively in one office. The beginning and ending dates of the terms of office are prescribed in the Bylaws. Vacancies in unexpired terms are filled in the same manner as are full terms.

Article V. The Senate Cabinet, Standing Committees, and Work Groups:

Section 1. The Senate Cabinet:

A. Composition - The members of the Cabinet are the President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer of the Faculty Senate, and one Senator from each college and the library not represented by the officers. Senate Cabinet members who are not Senate officers are elected for a term of one year by caucus of the Senators of the respective colleges. A Senator may not be elected to the Cabinet for more than two consecutive terms.

B. Functions and Duties - The functions and duties of the Cabinet are:

To serve as the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate to which it is responsible and to which it reports regularly on the disposition of matters submitted to it; to act on behalf of the Senate between Senate meetings.

To discharge other duties in accordance with parliamentary procedure and the Senate Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. Standing Committees and Work Groups: Standing committees and work groups are established to carry out the functions and operation of the Faculty Senate. Standing committees and work groups report to the Faculty Senate. All standing committee and work group actions (excepting those of the Committee on Reconciliation) are subject to review by the Senate. Additional standing committees and work groups may be established upon recommendation of the President of the Faculty Senate,the Cabinet or a Senator, and approval of the Faculty Senate. Standing committees and work groups include the Committee on Reconciliation and others as listed in the Bylaws.

A. Committee on Reconciliation

1. Composition - The Committee on Reconciliation is composed of tenured Faculty members eligible for membership in the Faculty Senate. The rules for membership on the Committee on Reconciliation are contained in the Bylaws. Members are nominated by the Senate Cabinet and elected by the Faculty Senate; at least one member shall be a Senator. Faculty appointed to administrative positions with responsibility for recommending promotions, salary adjustments, and distribution of teaching, research, and extension assignments are ineligible for membership. A member is elected for a term of three years and is eligible for reappointment but may not serve more than six consecutive years. The committee elects its chair and secretary.

2. Functions and Duties - The functions and