Faculty Senate RetreatFaculty Senate Retreat

August 17, 2010MSU 208

Reminders and InformationReminders and Information

Senior Senators should complete elections in their respective units before September 14th

Special Hearing Committee Elections will take place at September meeting◦Encourage colleagues to serve

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What governs our system?What governs our system?

Nevada System of Higher EducationBoard of Regents Handbook

◦Title 1 Bylaws of the Board of Regents

◦Title 2 NSHE Code

◦Title 3 Legal Status of the University

◦Title 4 Codification of Board Policy Statements

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More on the CodeMore on the Code

Title 2 of the Board of Regents Handbook◦The “Code”

Chapter 1◦Organization and Administration of NSHE

Chapter 2◦Academic Freedom and Responsibility

Chapter 3◦Tenure for University Faculty

Chapter 5◦Personnel Policy for Faculty

Chapter 6◦Rules and Disciplinary Procedures for the University

Community

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UNLV & Faculty Senate BylawsUNLV & Faculty Senate Bylaws

UNLV Bylaws ◦Formerly BOR Handbook: Title 5, Chapter 6◦Maintained by Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Bylaws and Constitution

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How do we change the UNLV How do we change the UNLV Bylaws?Bylaws? 6

Chancellor

President

2/3 of UNLV Faculty who votedneeded for approval

Faculty Senateapproves bylaw change

Structure of the Faculty SenateStructure of the Faculty Senate

50 Voting Senators (plus 3 Chairs – non-voting)

Executive Committee◦Chair: Cecilia Maldonado (Workforce Education &

Development), ◦Vice Chair: Sally Miller (Nursing), ◦Past Chair: John Filler (Special Education)◦Secretary: Elaine Bunker (English)◦Administrative Faculty Representative: Amy Brooks

(Foundation)◦At-Large Senators: Bryan Spangelo (Science), Greg

Brown (Liberal Arts)16 standing committees

◦ approximately 400 faculty participate

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Faculty Senate CommitteesFaculty Senate Committees

Academic Freedom and Ethics

Academic StandardsAdmissionsCampus AffairsCurriculumFaculty Development

LeaveFiscal AffairsGeneral EducationGrievance

Priority and New Programs

Professional Staff/Administrative Faculty

Program ReviewSabbatical LeaveScholarshipTenure and

PromotionUniversity Bylaw

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FS Reps on Other CommitteesFS Reps on Other Committees

Parking CommitteeSpecial Hearing CommitteeInter-Athletic Council [IAC]Graduate College CommitteesPresident’s Advisory Council [PAC]Consortium for Faculty Professional

Opportunities [CFPO]

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Faculty Senate CommitteesFaculty Senate Committees

Faculty Senate Representatives◦act as liaisonbetween Senate and Committee

◦proposes agenda itemsCommittee submits to Senate

◦advises Committeepolicies and procedures

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Senior Senators & RepresentationSenior Senators & Representation

At Large….. Fabbi (3 Senators)Business…. Riddel (3 Senators)Education… Gelfer (5 Senators)Engineering. Bein (3 Senators)Fine Arts….. Mink-Colbert (4 Senators)Health Sci… Pales (5 Senators)Hotel………. Izzolo (2 Senators)Law………… Gordon (2 Senators)Liberal Arts... Frink (6 Senators)Library…….. Smith (2 Senators)Admin. Fac... Wilde (8 Senators)Sciences….. Hatchett (4 Senators)Urban Affairs. Traudt (3 Senators)

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50+ 3 Chairs

Senior SenatorSenior Senator

Role of Senior Senator◦Faculty Senate BylawsAppendix 2

◦Guidelines for Senior SenatorsLiaison to Executive Committee

◦Council of Senior Senators◦Meetings with Senators in their units

Recommend agenda items for SenateConduct electionscertification of results

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Senator ResponsibilitiesSenator Responsibilities

As a Senator I must…◦come to Senate meetings preparedSenate debate requires knowledge of issuesbring requests from my constituentsknow your colleagues positions regarding issues

◦vote

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Faculty Senate MeetingsFaculty Senate Meetings

Faculty Senate procedures◦meetings on Tuesdaysstart promptly at 12:15 PM

◦if you miss more than 2 meetingsyou may be replaced

◦proxy rightsshort term long term

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Typical AgendaTypical Agenda

[Call to Order, Announcements, Approval of Minutes, Invited Speakers]

Action Itemsitem presented

first and second motion required to debatefirst Senator must support but second need not

Future Action Itemsitem presented without debate

New Business [Committee Reports, Public Comment, Adjournment]

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Senate ActionsSenate Actions

Bylaw RevisionsMust be submitted according to FS bylaws, requires two meetings

ResolutionsMay be brought forward, discussed and acted upon in a single meeting but customarily come from committee

Sense of the SenateMay be brought forward, discussed and acted upon in a single meeting

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Robert’s Rules GovernRobert’s Rules Govern

Precedence of Motions ◦ ladder of motions has 14 steps

1. main motion2. postpone indefinitely3. primary amendment4. secondary amendment5. commit or refer6. postpone to a certain time7. limit/extend limits of debate

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Robert’s Rules GovernRobert’s Rules Govern

Precedence of Motions◦ ladder of motions has 14 steps

8. previous question9. lay on the table10.call for orders of the day11.raise a question of privilege12.recess13.adjourn14. fix time to which to adjourn

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Process and Guidelines for Placing an Process and Guidelines for Placing an Item on the Faculty Senate Agenda Item on the Faculty Senate Agenda

Senator can introduce a bill as a new business item To initiate a discussion of any action-oriented items, you need to

prepare and submit a document that includes: current status and existence of a problem, proposed change (action), rationale and,pros and cons of the change.

Please send it to me. I will take it to the Executive Committee for discussion and then place it on the future Senate agenda.

In addition, a senator can verbally suggest ideas and solicit help from the Executive Committee in order to prepare issues for discussion.

Please note that, on average, it takes about three meetings for an action item brought up as new business to actually be voted on, since it has to be a future action item and then an action item.

The relevant material and as a template are provided in your binder.

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Typical Action Item FormTypical Action Item Form

Faculty Senate Bylaws◦ Additions are underlined/Deletions are in [brackets]◦ Faculty Senate Bylaws, Section 5.0 Article 5: Committees Section 2.0◦ 5.1 Unless changed in a manner consistent with the Senate Bylaws or Constitution

of the Faculty Senate, the following committees, composed of the following membership, shall be maintained:

◦ Tenure and Promotion◦ 1 Tenured academic faculty from each degree granting college and school◦ 1 Tenured alternate academic faculty from each degree granting college

and school◦ 1 Tenured librarian◦ 1 Tenured alternate librarian◦ 1 Vice Chair of the Senate (ex‑officio, non‑voting)◦ 1 Immediate Past Chair of the Senate (ex-officio, non-voting)◦ a) An alternate committee member shall be elected from each unit to serve in the

event the committee member is on leave or in cases of conflict of interest. Alternates shall attend in place of the principal member only when the principal member is on leave or in case of conflict of interest.

◦ b) The Immediate Past Chair of the Senate shall serve as the chair of the Tenure and Promotion committee for one year.

◦ 5.6 After committee membership has been determined, the Executive Committee shall appoint a chair subject to the approval of the committee. The chair of the Tenure and Promotion committee shall be the Immediate Past Chair of the Senate.

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Typical Action Item FormTypical Action Item Form

Pros: Past Chair of Senate identifies this committee as a Faculty Senate

committee and not an administrative committee. Chair of the committee will not vote on any applicant including his/her

unit, thus eliminating potential of conflict of interest. Chair of the committee will be knowledgeable of Board of Regents

Handbook, UNLV bylaws, and Faculty senate bylaws and, thus, fluent with promotion and tenure processes.

Chair of the committee will be identified two years in advance of serving. Being an ex-officio member of the committee two years earlier and chair

of the Senate one year earlier, provides significant experience to be an effective chair of the P & T committee.

Cons: Increases workload for Past Chair of the Senate.

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Issues this year…Issues this year…

Advocacy for maintenance of PEBP Benefits

Program Review ImplementationGeneral EducationAssisting in setting the agenda for

upcoming legislative session

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Questions?Questions? 23