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Attendance: Approximately 75
Announced Agenda:
1. Second vote on proposal to separate the Committee on Promotion and Tenure from faculty governance
2. Second vote on proposal to replace current system with a Faculty Senate, as amended on February 2, 2005
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President David Leebron called to order and chaired the General Faculty Meeting in McMurtry Auditorium of Duncan Hall at 4:03 PM. Alan Chapman served as Parliamentarian.
1. Second vote on proposal to separate the Committee on Promotion and Tenure from faculty governance - President Leebron announced this was the second vote on a motion to separate the Promotion and Tenure Committee from Faculty Council or Faculty Senate, if such is adopted. This motion was approved by this body in a first vote on February 2, 2005.
Speaker Lynne Huffer made a motion to put a time limit on the discussion of the first proposal and that debate on the motion, and any pending subsidiary motions, be closed at 4:15 and the question put to a vote. The motion was seconded, and with no discussion, the motion to vote at 4:15 was APPROVED.
With no further discussion on the proposal, a vote was taken and the proposal to separate the the Committee on Promotion and Tenure from faculty governance (Attachment 1) was APPROVED unanimously on second vote.
2. Second vote on proposal to replace current system with a Faculty Senate, as amended on February 2, 2005 - President Leebron stated the motion proposes that Faculty Council shall be replaced by a Faculty Senate, a representative body of the University faculty, elected by the respective schools. This motion was approved by this body in a first vote on February 2, 2005.
Huffer moved that at 4:50 p.m. debate on this motion, and any pending subsidiary motions, be closed and the question put to a vote. With no discussion, a vote was taken and the motion to vote at 4:50 was APPROVED.
With no further discussion on the proposal, a vote was taken and the proposal to replace the current system of faculty governance with a Faculty Senate (Attachment 2) was APPROVED on second vote.
There being no further business, President Leebron adjourned the meeting at 4:08.
Respectfully submitted,
Janis L. Cain
Secretary to the Faculty
Attachment 1
Proposal Regarding the Promotion and Tenure Committee
1. The Promotion and Tenure Committee shall be separated from Faculty Council
(or a Faculty Senate, if such is adopted) in order to relieve the burden placed
on the committee members who have to review promotion files.
2. The Promotion and Tenure Committee shall remain a University-wide committee,
at least until further investigation. Suggestions for replacing it with committees
at the level of the school raise numerous questions about the power of the Dean
and uniformity of the process.
3. The Promotion and Tenure Committee will consist of up to 8 members, chosen
as follows: The School of Natural Sciences, the School of Humanities, the School
of Social Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of Management
will each elect one representative to P&T. Any full professor may be nominated
for the position on the basis of a petition with at least ten signatures. The
School of Music and the School of Architecture will together vote to elect one
representative to P&T. Any full professor may be nominated for the position
on the basis of a petition with at least ten signatures. The Provost may appoint
up to two additional full professors to a one-year term on the P&T Committee.
4. Elected Members will be elected to a single three-year term, and may not
be reelected to a consecutive term. Appointed members are limited to three consecutive
years of service.
5. In the event that a position is unfilled or an Elected Member is unable or
unwilling to serve, the Speaker of the Senate, in consultation with the Provost
and the Dean or Deans of the relevant School or Schools, will appoint a one-year
replacement.
Attachment 2
Proposal for a Faculty Senate at Rice University
The Faculty Council shall be replaced by a Faculty Senate, a representative
body of the University faculty elected by the respective Schools. In addition
to the powers already outlined in the current bylaws of Faculty Council, the
new Faculty Senate shall be given authority to decide matters currently decided
by the faculty in plenary session, excluding those listed under "Plenary
Meetings of the Faculty" below. The newly constituted Faculty Senate will
write bylaws consistent with the new system of governance.
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The Faculty Senate will be a representative body of the University faculty elected
by the respective Schools. The Senate will meet at the call of the Speaker but
no fewer than five times per academic year. It will decide important matters
and, except as provided below, lesser matters on behalf of the faculty.
Elections. Elections for the Senate will be held annually in
the spring for terms beginning in the following academic year.
The term of each elected member will be three years, with a provision for staggered
terms.
Members may succeed themselves by election only once; after completing two consecutive
terms, a member may not stand for reelection for at least 1 year.
Vacancies that may materialize during the academic year will be filled by a
special election by the respective School.
The number of members of the Senate is to be set initially at 30.
Twenty-five members are to be elected by the voting faculty members in the respective
schools. Among the representatives elected "at any rank" from the
various Schools, no more than one person may serve from any single department.
The number of representatives that each School may elect will be based on their
proportionate number of tenure-track faculty appointments, which will be reviewed
at least every five years by the Faculty Senate as a whole. Senators elected
as assistant professors who then receive tenure will serve out their full three-year
term. A person cannot run for more than one position concurrently.
Current representation is as follows:
(A) Tenure track
Engineering (any rank): 4
Jones (any rank): 2
Architecture (any rank): 1
Music (any rank): 1
Humanities (any rank): 5
Social Sciences (any rank): 3
Natural Sciences (any rank): 5
Assistant Professor from Humanities/Social Sciences 1
Assistant Professor from Natural Sciences/Engineering 1
Assistant Professor from Professional Schools 1
(B)Non-tenure track
Non-tenure track teaching faculty 1
Non-tenure track research faculty 1
(C) Non-elected
Two appointed by President and approved by Senate 2
President and Provost (ex officio) 2
Total: 30
The President and Provost of the University shall be ex officio members of the
Senate.
The Senate may amend its Constitution and by-laws by a two-thirds vote.
Eligibility for voting: In category (A) ("any rank"
and "assistant professor" positions from the various Schools), eligible
to vote for each position are all tenure-stream faculty in the relevant School(s).
(E.g. all Humanities faculty are eligible to vote for the representatives of
the Humanities "any rank", and all Faculty in the Professional Schools
are eligible to vote for the "Assistant Professor from Professional Schools".)
For the "non-tenure track" positions (B), the class of those eligible
to vote is the same as those eligible to serve.
Officers. At its first meeting in an academic year, the Senate
will elect a Deputy Speaker, and if there is a vacancy, a Speaker. The term
of the Speaker will be two years, and nominees must have served in the Senate
for at least one year prior to election. The Speaker may not stand for re-election
to that position for consecutive terms. If a Senator is elected Speaker in the
third year of an elected term, then that term is extended for one year. The
Deputy Speaker will have a term of one year, and may serve a maximum of two
consecutive terms.
The Speaker will preside at meetings of the Senate and will chair the Executive
Committee. The Deputy Speaker will serve in place of the Speaker in the event
of the latter's absence.
A staff person assigned to the Senate will record the minutes of the Senate
and Executive Committee meetings. The Speaker, upon accepting the draft of the
Senate minutes, will transmit it electronically to the members of the Senate
for amendment, if any, and approval. Once approved, the minutes will be posted
electronically at a site accessible to all Faculty. The minutes of the Executive
Committee will be transmitted electronically to the Executive Committee, and,
once approved, will also be posted electronically at a site accessible to all
Faculty.
Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will set the agenda
for each meeting of the Senate and will act on behalf of the Senate, other than
on important matters, between meetings of the Senate. The agenda will be posted
electronically at least one week prior to the meeting of the Senate. The Executive
Committee will, at least once each year, meet to develop and propose to the
Senate a strategy and plan for future issues that should come before the Senate
in the current and future years. The Executive Committee of the Senate will
appoint all Senate committees. The Executive Committee will periodically review
the performance of the Senate's committees and will advise the Senate of any
recommended changes in committee charges. It will also formulate and propose
amendments of the Faculty Senate Constitution and by-laws for consideration
by the Senate.
Of the eight members of the Executive Committee, two will be the Speaker and
Deputy Speaker. At its first meeting of the academic year, after first electing
Deputy Speaker (and Speaker, if needed), the Senate will elect six additional
members to the Executive Committee. These elected members will have a term on
the Executive Committee of two years, with a provision for staggered terms.
The Executive Committee will include among its members
* at least one Senator from the School of Natural Sciences
* at least one Senator from the School of Humanities
* at least one Senator from the School of Engineering
* at least one Senator from the School of Social Sciences
* at least one Senator from either the School of Management, the School of Music,
or the School of Architecture.
All remaining elected members will be elected at large by the Faculty Senate.
Meetings and Operation of the Senate. Meetings of the Senate
will be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. Senate meetings
will be chaired by the Speaker. At its first meeting in each academic year,
the Senate will elect a Parliamentarian, who may or may not be an elected member
of the Senate. Votes may be cast solely by the elected members of the Senate,
and the Speaker will vote only to make or break a tie in the tally of votes
cast. Votes will be recorded and made available to the University community.
Meetings of the Senate are normally open to all members of the University Community,
and members of the faculty who are not members of the Senate may be recognized
by the Speaker to address the meeting. The Senate may from time to time choose
to meet in closed session, e.g. to preserve confidentiality in matters involving
individuals. The schedule of Senate meetings for an academic year will be announced
by the respective Executive Committee at the beginning of the academic year.
Matters ruled by the Speaker as important will require two ballots, held at
successive meetings, for approval of motions. A simple majority of those voting
is required to approve motions other than amendments of the Senate's Constitution
and by-laws.
Elected members of the Senate may be represented at a meeting by a proxy who
is a voting faculty member from the same School, and who will have a right to
speak but not to vote. If a member is absent for more than two meetings in a
year, the Executive Committee of the Senate may declare the member's position
vacant.
Motions and other business may be brought to the Senate by any elected member
or by a written petition presented to the Speaker from at least 25 voting members
of the faculty. All items will be transmitted electronically to all faculty
members at least one week prior to the meeting of the Senate at which they are
to be discussed.
The President and Provost may address the Senate on any matter.
Appeals and Grievances Committee. The Executive Committee will
nominate members of the Appeals and Grievances Committee, subject to the approval
of the Faculty Senate. The Convener of Appeals and Grievances will be an elected
member of the Senate.
Plenary Meetings of the Faculty. The Speaker, with the approval
of the Executive Committee, may call meetings of the University Faculty in plenary
session. The President may call meetings of the University Faculty in plenary
session at will. These meetings will be chaired by the Speaker. These meetings
would be intended as sounding boards on important, transcendent issues affecting
the University. Any votes taken at such meetings would be advisory to the Senate.
The agenda of such meetings will normally be distributed to all Faculty at least
two weeks in advance of the meeting.
In addition, a petition signed by 50 voting members of the faculty may require
the Speaker to convene a meeting of the University Faculty in plenary session
to discuss a specific matter. If the voting members of the faculty present at
a plenary session pass a motion, it will be submitted to the entire faculty
for a vote. In such cases, voting on the matter will be carried out by ballots
distributed to the entire voting faculty. The outcome of such a ballot vote
of the entire voting faculty takes precedence over votes of the Senate in case
of conflicts. The Senate may not amend the procedures outlined in this paragraph
(amended on February 2, 2005).
The Speaker will invite the President to make a "State of the University"
address to the University Faculty each year. Each academic
year on the day prior to Spring Commencement, the Speaker will convene a meeting
of the University Faculty to receive reports from the President, the Examinations
and Standing Committee, and the Registrar, and will approve the candidates for
graduation. A similar plenary meeting of the University faculty will be convened
by the Speaker to approve the candidates for graduation in January or February.