Other that stipulating that the elections are to be by “the previous Senate,” neither the University at
Albany Bylaws nor the Charter of the University Senate specifies the method to be used in electing the
Vice Chair or the Secretary. After lengthy exchange of emails among Senate officers and a discussion
within the Governance Council, the following is suggested as the method to be used for the April 16th
election of Vice Chair.
If the Senate Executive Committee and the University Senate agree to these procedures, it is further
suggested that these be added to the Charter (in section X.1.4.3.2) through the normal amendment
process.
X.1.4.3.2.5 Method of Election of the Vice Chair and the Secretary of the University
Senate
X.1.4.3.2.5.1 As stipulated in Article II, Section 3.2 of the Bylaws, “The Vice Chair
and the Secretary shall be elected by the previous Senate.”
X.1.4.3.2.5.2 Immediately prior to the election, candidates shall have the
opportunity to address the University Senate for up to two minutes. Since
candidates need not be Senators at the time of the election, another individual
may speak on behalf of the candidate for up to two minutes or the candidate may
provide a statement of no more than 500 words to be read to the Senate by the
Secretary of the Senate.
X.1.4.3.2.5.3 Elections shall be by secret ballot of the Senate as a whole, provided
that if there is only one (1) candidate and if there is no objection from the floor, the
Senate may authorize a unanimous ballot be cast for that candidate.
X.1.4.3.2.5.4 If no candidate receives a majority of the ballots cast, then the
candidate with the lowest number of votes will be removed from the slate, and the
election will be repeated until a candidate receives a majority. In cases candidates
are tied for the lowest number of votes, all of those candidates are removed from
the slate. If this results in only one candidate remaining, that candidate shall be
considered to have won the election even though the candidate did not receive a
majority of the votes cast.
X.1.4.3.2.5.5 If at the end of a ballot it is determined that the remaining candidates
are tied for first place, then the Chair will cast the winning vote. “The chair cannot,
however, vote twice, first to make a tie and then give the casting vote.” (Roberts’
Rules, Article VIII, section 46)
