Senate Bill No. 0304-20
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by: Governance Subcommittee
Date: April 19, 2004
ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP ON COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES
IT IS HEREBY PROPSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED:
1. That the Senate Charter be amended to include in the composition section of every
council, as SX.1.1.5, SX.2.1.9, SX.3.1.7, SX.4.1.6, SX.5.1.6, SX.6.1.6, SX.7.1.5,
SX.8.1.8, and SX.9.1.9:
No more than 2 voting members selected from Faculty or Staff who are not students or
Voting Faculty.
2. That the Senate Charter be amended to include in the composition of all of the
committees of all of the councils except the Committee on Council Nominations of the
Governance Council and the Appellate Subcommittee on Academic Standing of the
Undergraduate Academic Council, including SX. 1.3.1, SX.1.4.1, SX.2.9.3, SX.2.10.3,
SX.3.8.1, SX.3.9.1, SX.3.10.1, SX.3.10.6.2, SX.3.1.1, SX.4.7, SX.4.8, SX.5.8.1,
SX.5.9.1.5, SX.5.10.2, SX.6.6.2, SX.9.5.1.6, SX.9.6.1.5, SX.9.7.1.5, the following
wording:
and no more than 2 voting members selected from Faculty or Staff who are not students
or Voting Faculty.
3. That the Senate Charter be amended to change the composition of the Committee on
Council Nominations of the Governance Council (SX.1.5.1) from “the Chair, Past Chair,
Vice Chair, and Secretary of the Senate, the Chairs of the Senate Councils, and one
member elected from among the Council members of the Committee on Liaison and
Elections” to “the Chair, Past Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary of the Senate, the Chairs of
the Senate Councils, one member elected from among the Council members of the
Committee on Liaison and Elections, and the incoming Secretary and Vice Chair for the
following year, if elections have taken place.”
4. That the Senate Charter be amended to change the General Education Assessment
Subcomittee (SX.3.10.6.2) from "no more than eleven members" to "no more than
thirteen members" to allow inclusion of up to two faculty who are not voting faculty.
5. That the Senate Charter S.X.1.5.4 be amended as shown: (new language is underlined)
[The Committee on Council Nominations of the Governance Council] may recommend
to the Senate that council members who are absent for more than four consecutive
council meetings, or who are unable to attend council meetings, or who are no longer part
of the constituency they represented, and council chairs or Senate officers who are no
longer willing or able to perform their duties, be replaced.
6. That the Senate Charter S.VIII.5.1 be amended as shown:
Unless otherwise specified, the membership of the committee shall be nominated by the
council chair and approved by the council. Normally no committee shall have more than
one member from the same academic unit. The council shall replace committee members
who are absent for more than four consecutive meetings, who are unable to attend
meetings, or who are no longer part of the constituency they represented.
7. That the Senate Charter be amended to change the Academic Assessment Council
composition (SX.6.1.1) to add "and the Assistant Vice President of Strategic Planning and
Assessment or designee"
8. That this shall become effective July 1 2004.
9. That this policy shall be forwarded to the Interim President for approval.
Rationale:
1. The lack of specific mention of support staff or non-voting faculty such as emeriti, part
time faculty and University at Albany faculty who are employees of an affiliated
institution might be interpreted as excluding them from council participation. However,
because Article II Section 6.3 of the Faculty Bylaws states “Membership of the councils
shall be proposed by the Council on Governance and approved by the Senate and may
include as voting members of the council individuals who are members of the non-voting
Faculty or support staff,” the lack of specification might be read as allowing an unlimited
number of members in such categories. Providing specific languages clarifies the council
structure and is in keeping with the original intent. Under the charter, council
membership is proposed by the Committee on Council Nominations of the Governance
Council for ratification by the Senate.
2. The exceptions are CERS, CAFECoR and the Appellate subcommittee, for which the
membership other than ex officio are specifically teaching faculty, and the Committee on
Council Nominations of the Governance Council, addressed in point 3.
3. This committee will meet in the short time period between the senate elections and the
senate ratification of council memberships to propose the distribution of senators and
volunteers into council slates. Since it is not a routinely operating committee it consists
solely of ex officio members plus one from the elections committee that has been
soliciting volunteers. It will meet again over the summer as necessary to deal with
changes. Since the sole effect of its work is to shape the councils for the following year,
the inclusion of the incoming officers is sensible.
4. This change is necessitated by point 2.
5. The Committee on Council Nominations of the Governance Council will be
empowered to replace on councils part time (or any other) faculty who are no longer with
us. Senators who have left the university are replaced by the constituency which elected
them according to bylaws Article II, Section 8. Since Senate officers do not have to be
elected as senators, this may be ambiguous and so a replacement mechanism is necessary
for them as well. The language uses “MAY” so that no action is mandatory if there are
mitigating circumstances for absences, and only gives the Committee the power to
recommend action to the Senate, not to take action.
6. Since committees are generally constituted by the councils, the councils should replace
absent members.
7. If the bylaws committee had known this office existed, it would have included this
language.
8. By the old bylaws, the existing councils cease operation on July 1, so this year only,
the new councils take effect July 1. In the future they will take effect September 1.
