A total of 56 senators serve on Faculty Senate, representing all the degree-granting colleges, academic units with deans from the Athens and regional campuses. Forty-seven (47) senators are elected by the tenure-track faculty and 9 are elected by the non-tenure-track faculty (instructional and clinical faculty).
Representation of tenure-track faculty is proportional to the numbers of faculty members eligible to serve on the Faculty Senate. In addition, each degree-granting college or until headed by a dean and having a tenure-track faculty member is entitled to have at least one representative on senate. For non-tenure-track faculty, each Athens campus college with a minimum of twenty (20) eligible instructional faculty members will elect one or more senators to represent that college; all colleges on the Athens campus with fewer than twenty (20) instructional faculty shall be combined to elect at-large senator(s) from those colleges to serve on Faculty Senate; all instructional faculty on regional campuses shall combine to elect at-large senators from the instructional faculty of regional campuses to represent those faculties. Clinical faculty from HCOM and CHSP shall elect at least one at-large senator from among their ranks to represent those faculty.
Because representation is proportional to the numbers of faculty members eligible to serve on the Faculty Senate, senate representation by academic units may vary year-to-year depending upon the number of faculty members eligible to serve on the Faculty Senate.
For the 2022-2023 academic year, the following provides the number of senators per academic unit (in alphabetical order of academic unit):
Elections are held by secret ballot each year. At least two weeks prior to the date of the election, the Senate Elections Committee (normally consisting of the Executive Committee) circulates a call for nominations of eligible faculty members for the senate. The Elections Committee draws up a ballot listing all eligible nominees who have agreed to stand for election. All tenure-track faculty members with faculty status are eligible to vote for members, and all instructional faculty are eligible to vote for the instructional senators in their college or regional campus. All clinical faculty are eligible to vote for clinical faculty in their respective colleges. Rules of Election are provided in the Faculty Handbook, Constitution of the Faculty Senate of Ohio University, Bylaws of the Faculty Senate of Ohio University.
Elections are held in the second half of March each year.
Senators are elected for three-year terms to replace those whose terms of office have expired. Senators are permitted to serve two terms in succession (i.e., six years).
Newly elected senators assume office on April 1. Terms of office expire on July 31.
YES. Procedures for recalling faculty senators are provided in the Faculty Handbook, Constitution of the Faculty Senate of Ohio University.
The Faculty Senate is an elected representative body that acts on behalf of all faculty on matters related to university planning, governance, and resource allocation. The Senate has primary control over curriculum and academic policies. It is an advocate for faculty views on all other University policies and practices. As a key partner in University governance, the Senate provides representatives to all relevant University committees, boards, and task forces. The Faculty Senate provides a forum for the Ohio University faculty to participate in discussion about their concerns.
The Faculty Senate has a number of functions. As stated in Article 3 of the Constitution of the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Senate does the following:
The resolution process is the method most often used by the Faculty Senate in carrying out the functions specified in Article 3 of the Constitution of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate’s standing committees formulate resolutions from broad-based discussion, seeking input from Senators, constituents, and other interested parties. Faculty Senate resolutions may fall into three categories: resolutions of position (i.e., Sense of the Senate), resolutions of handbook policy, and resolutions of non-handbook policy.
Are resolutions introduced and approved at the same meeting?
NO. According to the bylaws of the Faculty Senate of Ohio University, no final action on a main motion or resolution introduced at a regular or special meeting may be taken at that same meeting. However, this rule may be suspended by a two-thirds majority of those voting at any regular or special meeting.
Can faculty members who are not senators introduce proposals?
YES. Any ten (10) faculty eligible to vote in Senate elections may present any matter they wish to the Senate at a regular meeting. The matter will be discussed and scheduled for a vote at the next regular Senate meeting or, if the Senate wishes, at a special meeting called for the purpose of considering the petition or other matters.
Where can I find information about the work of the senate?
Information about the work of the faculty senate can be found on the Senate website. Meeting materials including meeting agendas, meeting summaries, meeting minutes, pending resolutions, and final resolutions are available to the public.
The Faculty Senate holds at least one regular meeting each month during the calendar year, except for the months of June, July and August, unless members are notified of an exception. Meetings are at a regular and specified time, usually 7:10 on the first or second Monday of each month (depending on how the academic calendar for each year falls).
YES. However, for unusual circumstances, meetings or portions of meetings may be closed to various persons or groups. Closing a meeting or a portion of the meeting may be accomplished by either an announcement by the chair (and/or Executive Committee) or by a motion from the floor. Any motion or recommendation to close a meeting must specify the person(s) to whom it is closed, the reasons for closure, and the business to be transacted during the closed period.
The Chair presides over all meetings of the Faculty Senate. In their absence, the Vice-Chair presides over the meetings.
The parliamentary authority for conducting Senate meetings is the Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure.