Executive Summary of the Bylaws Revisions

Proposed by the University Senate Bylaws and Governing Concepts Committee

January 10, 2007

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

INTRODUCE a presidential appointee to each standing committee

MAINTAIN a policy implementer (VP or designee) on each committee

INCREASE the number of committees from four to five

REDUCE SIZE of standing committees from fifteen members to thirteen members

IDENTIFY three functions: draft new policy, edit existing policy, advisory role REDISTRIBUTE scopes of the standing committees (AGC, BPC, SAC, USC)

SPLIT AGC into three committees, specifically

Academic Policy, Curriculum & Assessment Policy, and Faculty Affairs Policy

RENAME SAC as Student Affairs Policy Committee (non-academic matters)

ROLL USC and BPC together into Resources, Planning, and Institutional Policy

RENAME Committee on Nominations as Subcommittee on Nominations

ADDED references to the ECUS responsibilities that are scattered throughout bylaws

ECUS MEMBERSHIP increases from current 6-7 members to 7-9 members

REQUIRE representative from each of the four schools (this has been practice)

ADD a representative from the Library

ADD officers (Presiding Officer (new), Secretary) of the Senate

ECUS CHAIR is Presiding Officer of the University Senate

REGULAR coordination with standing committee chairs

FUNCTION OF THE SENATE

      Adding advisory role to the administration to policy recommending responsibility

SENATE COMPOSITION

      UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

            Is no longer Presiding Officer

            Is now an ex officio non-voting member  (Voting Membership drops from 49 to 48)

      BY TITLE from (4 VPs, P SGA, Chair Staff Council) to (4 elected staff and 2 students)

            Staff Eligibility tied to eligibility for Staff Council in Staff Council Bylaws

            Staff Elected by process determined annually by Staff Council

            Student Eligibility tied to eligibility for Student Government Association is SGA bylaws

            Students selected by a process determined annually by Student Government Association

            Both students and staff identified in the same time frame as elected faculty senators

      PRESIDING OFFICER

            Eligibility:  Elected Faculty Senator

            Elected by University Senate rather than assigned to University President

            Serves as Executive Committee Chair

      SECRETARY

            Eligibility:  Elected Faculty Senator

            Elected by University Senate rather than assigned to ECUS secretary

ARCHIVIST

      Identified as the University Archivist rather than annually appointed by ECUS

TERMS OF SERVICE

      Elected Faculty Senators from two year to three year terms (no term limits proposed)

      Student Senators remain one year terms

      Elected Staff Senators for three year terms (no term limits proposed)