USC Academic Senate - Documents
Academic Senate Constitution
ARTICLE I Faculty Governance
The University faculty at large constitute
the Faculty Assembly, which may act through a General Meeting or a referendum, or through
representative bodies. Each school has an elected faculty council or assembly. Presidents
or one other elected member of the school councils, additional delegates from the larger
schools, and the university-wide faculty officers and Executive Board members make up the
Academic Senate. Working committees will be selected from the faculty at large.
ARTICLE II Purposes and Roles
Section 1. The primary purpose of the
Faculty Assembly, the Academic Senate, and the school faculty councils and assemblies, is
to contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University.
They are forums for faculty decision-making, and are the voice of
the faculty in the making of university policy and in the consideration of academic
issues.
They strive to safeguard academic freedom, full academic due
process, and the tenure system.
They also determine positions on faculty status, responsibilities
and welfare, and other important institutional issues, and any and all issues pertaining
to the well being of the faculty and the University.
Section 2. The Faculty Assembly, the
Academic Senate, and the school faculty councils and assemblies, are centers of
independent initiative in investigating issues, recommending policies, and disseminating
information. They are also fact-finding, deliberative and consultative bodies, with
authority to make studies, reports and recommendations on all matters which have a
significant bearing upon the work of the faculty.
ARTICLE III The Faculty Assembly
Section 1. The membership of the Faculty
Assembly consists of all full-time regular faculty members, librarians, special faculty as
provided in Article V, Section 6, and those who have retired from those positions.
Section 2. While the Academic Senate is the
representative body of the faculty at large for university-wide issues, when the Faculty
Assembly is convened it becomes the ultimate decision-making body of the faculty of the
University.
Section 3. The President of the Faculty
shall convene a General Meeting of the Faculty Assembly at least once annually, and more
frequently as requested by the President of the University, the Academic Senate, or the
Executive Board, or on petition of 10% of the membership of the Faculty Assembly.
Section 4. Actions of the Faculty Assembly
are taken by referendum or by vote at a General Meeting, on condition that at least one
third of the membership of the Faculty Assembly votes in the referendum or is present at
the General Meeting. If there is not one-third participation, any vote is advisory and is
referred to the Academic Senate for action.
ARTICLE IV The Academic Senate
Section 1. The Academic Senate is the
representative body of the faculty at large for university-wide issues. The Academic
Senate shall assist in carrying out the responsibility the faculty shares to help enhance
the University, particularly its academic life. Therefore the Academic Senate, faculty
committees under instruction of the Executive Board, and the Board, shall as necessary:
A. seek to enhance the University's intellectual vitality,
research, teaching, libraries and quality of academic programs;
B. be forums for faculty decision-making, and the voice of the
faculty in making university policy and in considering academic issues;
C. carefully monitor University issues involving academic
integrity; preservation of academic freedom, faculty rights and responsibilities, full
academic due process, and the tenure system; promotion of equality and pluralism; and
safeguarding the process for faculty appointment and promotion; and they shall, when
necessary, conduct investigations on such issues, make findings or recommendations, and
issue confidential (or where necessary public) reports;
D. strengthen faculty participation in governance in each school
through the elected faculty councils and assemblies, and faculty participation in
governance at the university level through appropriate committees;
E. be concerned with the retired faculty, faculty employment and
remuneration, benefits of employment, faculty environment, student life, athletics,
institutional advancement, and university public service;
F. be the voice of the faculty in the development of the Faculty
Handbook, and in the selection of University administrators; develop guidelines for the
review of administrators and conduct evaluations of their performance, issuing
confidential (or where appropriate public) reports; monitor and issue regular reports on
the status of resolutions of the Academic Senate, showing which have not been implemented
or acted upon by the administration.
The Academic Senate of the Faculty is the same body referred to
in some University documents as the Faculty Senate.
Section 2. The voting members of the
Academic Senate are (a) the elected president or one other elected member of the faculty
council in each school, the College, and each Division in the College (or the closest
equivalent elected faculty officer, by whatever title); (b) additional delegates from the
school faculty councils, selected as provided in Section 4 below; (c) the executive
officers of the faculty and Members at Large of the Executive Board.
The non-voting members of the Academic Senate are (a) the chairs
selected by the Executive Board of faculty standing committees authorized by the Academic
Senate, and (b), if authorized in the Bylaws, representatives of other university
organizations.
Section 3. The University Libraries and the
Retired Faculty Association shall each be represented in the Academic Senate as separate
entities.
Section 4. The faculty of each school by
referendum will decide how the additional delegates from that school to the Academic
Senate will be selected. Unless a school decides otherwise, they will all be selected from
among those the faculty elect to the school's faculty council. If a school does not decide
otherwise, its additional delegates will be the members of the school's faculty council
who received the highest number of votes when elected. Members who decline to serve, or
are unable to attend regularly, will be replaced in the same manner.
Section 5. The total size of the Academic
Senate will be at least 50 and not more than 80 members. The size, the allocation of
additional delegates, and special situations and exceptions shall be specified from time
to time in the Bylaws. Apportionment of the additional delegates will have regard to the
proportionate size of the faculty in each school.
Section 6. The Academic Senate shall hold
meetings on a fixed schedule from September through May, unless the Academic Senate or
Executive Board decides otherwise. Special meetings of the Academic Senate will be held on
petition of one-third of the members of the Academic Senate or on the call of the
Executive Board.
Section 7. The Academic Senate shall elect
the executive officers of the faculty and the Members at Large of the Executive Board.
Section 8. The Academic Senate shall ensure
it has an active and functioning attendance, by Bylaws establishing a quorum and providing
for replacement of members who are unable to attend regularly.
Section 9. A person who has been a member of
the Academic Senate for a continuous period of six years shall be ineligible for the two
years following, except to complete an elected term as executive officer.
Section 10. Unless a school decides
otherwise, the term of office of its Senate members shall be one academic year.
ARTICLE V School Faculty Councils
Section 1. The faculty of each school shall
have an elected faculty council or assembly to participate in the governance of that unit,
whose basic purposes and roles are stated in Article II.
Section 2. The faculty council in each
school is established in accordance with the will of the faculty as determined by vote of
the faculty by secret ballot, as provided in the Bylaws.
Section 3. If the dean and faculty of any
school cannot reach agreement on the establishment and role of the faculty council, either
may seek the assistance of the Academic Senate.
Section 4. The elected faculty president of
each school's elected faculty council or assembly shall be a member of the Academic
Senate. If a school is entitled to additional delegates on the Academic Senate, they shall
be chosen as provided in Article IV, Section 4. A school may choose to have another
elected faculty council member serve as a Senator in the President’s place.
Section 5. The Academic Senate through an
election committee shall act to ensure that each school has a democratic and fair
nomination and election process. There must be opportunity for open nominations; at least
two candidates for every seat; and secret, written ballots counted by neutral tellers. If
election procedure or results are questioned, the election committee shall investigate and
report its findings to the Academic Senate, which may take appropriate action. The
Academic Senate may set standards for the manner, time and details of elections. The
Bylaws shall provide for reports to the Senate, for each school, of the names of its
members of the Faculty Assembly, the members of its school faculty council, and its
members in the Academic Senate.
Section 6. Special faculty may participate
in governance within each school as may be decided on from time to time by a vote of the
majority of the full-time regular faculty concurrently with a majority of the full-time
special faculty. The decision may be made by referendum or through the elected faculty
council. The decision may specify which categories of special faculty shall have what
extent of participation.
If there is not a decision concerning participation in governance
by special faculty in a school, the issue may be presented to the Academic Senate. In the
event the Academic Senate decides to authorize participation in faculty governance by the
special faculty of that school or some category of them, then participatory rights will be
extended to full-time special faculty after completion of three-years of full-time service
(or on extended appointment for three years or longer). Their participatory rights shall
be to members of the Faculty Assembly, to vote and hold office in faculty governance on
the school level, to vote for the Academic Senate, and to be eligible to be members of the
Academic Senate up to their proportion within that school's faculty.
Section 7. Only tenured and tenure-eligible
faculty members may vote on Senate recommendations pertaining to University policies and
procedures concerning tenure and the tenure system. This includes issues relating to
granting of tenure; modification of the tenure system, including establishment or
disestablishment of Special Faculty categories; and due process procedures concerning
tenured or tenure-eligible faculty members, including procedures for their grievances or
dismissal. All Senate members are entitled to vote on, and participate in, all other
matters brought before the Academic Senate.
ARTICLE VI Officers and Executive Board
Section 1. The university-wide executive
officers of the faculty are the President of the Faculty, the Academic Vice President, the
Administrative Vice President, and the Secretary General.
Section 2. The President of the Faculty
shall be the chief executive officer of the Academic Senate and preside at meetings of the
Faculty Assembly, Academic Senate, and the Executive Board. In the temporary absence of
the President, the Academic Vice President shall act as President.
The exact duties of each executive officer will be assigned each year
by the President of the Faculty after consultation with the other officers. In the absence
of any other assignment, the Academic Vice President shall coordinate programs
contributing to the intellectual vitality of the University, the Administrative Vice
President shall coordinate programs contributing to faculty welfare, and the Secretary
General shall coordinate the selection and supervision of the committees.
Section 3. Executive officers, and Members
at Large of the Executive Board, are elected by the Academic Senate in the spring. The
Academic Senate will provide for the nomination and election process by Bylaw.
Section 4. The term of the office of the
Academic Vice President shall be one year. The Academic Vice President shall be
elected annually. At the completion of the term as Academic Vice President, this
officer shall become President of the Faculty. The term of office of the President
of the faculty is one year; at the completion of this term, this officer shall then serve
a one-year term as Immediate Past President.
The term for the offices of Administrative Vice President and the
Secretary General shall each be two years. These officers shall be elected in alternating
years. The term of office of Members at Large of the Executive Board is one year
(July 1 through June 30).
Section 5. The voting members of the
Executive Board shall be the executive officers and four Members at Large, and the
immediate past President of the Faculty. The editor of the Senate newspaper, and other
Senate committee chairs as may be designated by the Executive Board, shall be non-voting
members of the Board.
Section 6. Executive officers and Members at
Large of the Executive Board are elected from among the membership of the Faculty
Assembly.
Section 7. All voting members of the
Executive Board are voting members of the Academic Senate, in addition to the members from
the school faculty councils.
Section 8. The Senate, through its Executive
Board, may present any of its findings and recommendations to the students and faculty at
large, to appropriate administrative officers of the University, to the Board of Trustees,
or to the general public.
Section 9. The Executive Board may refer
topics to faculty or University committees; will receive copies of their agendas, minutes
and reports; may request reports from them, and may make recommendations concerning their
reports. It approves the Senate budget. The Board serves as the channel of communication
between the Academic Senate and administrative officers of the university, and may act for
the Senate between meetings, if there is urgency.
Section 10. In the event that an executive
officer or Executive Board Member at Large resigns or becomes unable or ineligible to
serve, the Academic Senate shall elect a successor to serve the unexpired portion of the
term.
ARTICLE VII Committees
Section 1. Working committees will be
selected from the membership of the Faculty Assembly. Standing committees are established
by the Academic Senate; special committees are established by the Academic Senate or the
Executive Board. Committee chairs and members are selected by the Executive Board.
Individuals who are not members of the Faculty Assembly may also be appointed to
committees.
Section 2. The Faculty Handbook provides
that faculty members of University Committees are selected by the University President
upon nomination by the Faculty Senate. For this purpose the Senate acts through the
Executive Board or a committee or process designated by the Executive Board.
The Executive Board will seek to coordinate the faculty and
University committees, and may agree with administrative officers of the university for
nomination or selection of University or faculty committees in a joint or coordinated
fashion.
Section 3. Committee reports are forwarded
through the Executive Board to the Academic Senate for action or publication, except for
committees which have been delegated special decision-making responsibilities by
administrative officers of the university.
Committees shall report a least semi-annually, and more often at
the request of the Academic Senate, the Executive Board, of the committee itself.
ARTICLE VIII Communications
Section 1. Members of the Academic Senate
are responsible for informing their units of the Academic Senate's work and informing the
Academic Senate of their faculty's views.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall keep
the members of the University faculty informed of the current activities of the Academic
Senate and the committees.
Section 3. A faculty newspaper will be
published as a means of communication of the Academic Senate, a forum for faculty views, a
means for polling faculty opinion, and a chronicle of University and national developments
important to the faculty.
Section 4. The Faculty Handbook may be
revised from time to time through established collegial processes. As provided in the
Handbook, consistent with University Bylaws and the delegation of authority to the
University President in carrying out policy established by the Board of Trustees,
revisions to the Faculty Handbook are based on recommendations from faculty and
administration. These recommendations are subject to review and consultation, involving
the appropriate faculty committee and the Executive Board, designed to lead to a joint
formulation by the faculty and the administration. The joint formulation is submitted to
the Senate for its discussion and endorsement. The joint formulation, as endorsed by the
Senate and adopted by the University President, is published. Copies of the Faculty
Handbook are distributed by the administration to the entire faculty.
ARTICLE IX Amendments
Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution
are proposed by the Academic Senate by majority vote.
Section 2. Amendments may be ratified by the
Academic Senate, by two-thirds vote, at a meeting subsequent to the meeting that voted the
proposal.
ARTICLE X Bylaws
Section 1. The Academic Senate shall adopt
such Bylaws as it considers necessary to the conduct of its business.
Section 2. The Bylaws may be adopted or
amended by majority vote of the Academic Senate at any meeting, provided that the proposed
Bylaws or amendments have been submitted in writing to the Academic Senate at a prior
meeting.
ARTICLE XI Transition
The Faculty Senate that proposed this new
Constitution, and the initial Academic Senate when elected, have power by resolution to
provide for the transition from the previous Constitution to this new one.
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