Preamble
In order to provide a forum through which the faculty of Life University may engage in the process of shared governance as an honored tradition and expectation of accreditation in higher education, and to provide the faculty of Life University the opportunity to actively participate in both the collaboration and interdependence that exist between and among the Board of Trustees, President and administration, and Faculty; we, the members of the Life University faculty, adopt this Constitution in support of the achievement of the University’s mission, values and core proficiencies.
Article 1 Name
The name of this organization is Life University Faculty Senate (FS, Senate, or Faculty Senate).
Article 2 Purpose and Authority
The purpose of the Life University Faculty Senate is to provide a formal, collaborative organization to advance the education of Life’s students into transformational leaders in an increasingly diverse, global, and dynamic world. The Faculty Senate strives to foster and encourage effective communication among faculty and between faculty and administration; to promote unity and coherence among faculty; to provide a forum for raising, discussing, and promoting resolution of faculty issues; to foster and encourage a learning environment based on the University’s values of vitalism, lasting purpose and the core proficiencies; and to promote instructional and service excellence and success in the classroom, University, and community.
The Faculty Senate derives its authority from this constitution, endorsed and approved by the faculty as a whole, the President of the University, and the Board of Trustees. It is authorized to speak for the faculty as a whole concerning matters on which it has deliberated and made recommendations. It recognizes its role as advisory to the President and the Board of Trustees, understanding that the final authority and responsibility for the University rests with the Board of Trustees, and the President as directed by the Board of Trustees. We establish this Faculty Senate Constitution according to the provisions and the spirit of the Statement on Shared Governance, approved by the Board of Trustees on January 23, 2009, and signed into effect in April, 2009, and the Delineation of Roles in the Shared Governance document.
Article 3 Membership
The Faculty Senate, as representation of all Life faculty, shall consist of those with voting right (“voting members”). The voting members shall be faculty members elected by the Life faculty and shall meet such additional criteria and be elected in the manner as described in the bylaws.
Non-voting members who may elect to attend meetings of the Faculty Senate and have voice, but who will have no vote in the Senate include:
• The president of the University or his/her representative
• The chief academic officer of the University or his/her representative
• A student selected by the Student Council or its equivalent
Article 4 Officers
The officers of the Faculty Senate are the president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer, elected as in Article 3.
• The President is the presiding officer of the Faculty Senate. He/she is the primary spokesperson for the Faculty Senate to the President of the University and Board of Trustees and is also responsible for conveying information and recommendations from the President and Board of Trustees to the faculty. After completing the term of office, the President will serve for one year as an ex- officio member of the Faculty Senate.
• The Vice President assists the President in his/her administrative functions and, when necessary, acts as President of the Faculty Senate.
• The Secretary/Treasurer maintains minutes of all meetings of the Faculty Senate, informs faculty members of dates, times and general content of upcoming Faculty
• Senate and Faculty meetings and maintains all financialrecords.
• If there is a vacancy in the position of President, the Vice-President will assume the position. If the Vice President chooses not to fill the vacancy, the Senate will elect an interim President until elections can be held at the next meeting of the full faculty for a President to serve the remainder of the term. Vacancies in the Vice- President or Secretary/Treasurer office will be filled by elections at the next quarterly meeting to serve the remainder of the term.
• If vacancy occurs with 50% or less of the term remaining, the officer assuming the vacant position is eligible for two more terms.
• Removal of Officers A petition submitted to the Faculty Senate by two-thirds of the voting faculty members will be necessary and sufficient to remove any duly elected officer or senator. Removal is effective immediately upon receipt of the petition.
Article 5 Responsibilities
The Faculty Senate is responsible for leading the faculty of Life University in fulfilling the purpose set forth above.
• The Senate collaboratively sets the Faculty Senate agenda at the beginning of the fall term for the academic year and modifies that agenda as required throughout the year.
• The Senate also consults with its standing committees as they set their agendas for the year.
• Committee chairs are required to submit a written report to the Senate at least once each quarter. The report will include progress to date on the proposed agenda, remaining items to address, and changes to the agenda. The secretary/treasurer will make the reports available to the full faculty.
Article 6 Meetings
The Faculty Senate meets as needed at least monthly on a regular schedule established by the President in consultation with other Senate members. The Senate President may call a special meeting. Upon petition of forty percent of the voting faculty, he/she will call a special meeting.
The President convenes a meeting of the full faculty at least twice each year. The Secretary/Treasurer will announce the meeting time, which will regularly be during Week zero (0) of the Summer (June) and Winter (January) quarters.
Article 7 Committees
Standing committees of the Faculty Senate include:
• Faculty Affairs
• Faculty Development
• Admissions Committees of the colleges
• Curriculum Committees of the colleges
• Committee on Committees
• Rank & Promotion Procedural Review Committee
The purpose, composition, reporting structure and detailed procedures for all committees are in the Faculty Senate Bylaws. The following governs membership:
• All members of standing committees must be voting members of the faculty (see Article 3).
• The Bylaws govern selection of committee members.
• Standing committee chairs are elected by committee members and approved by the Senate.
• Committee chairs are elected for a two-year term and are limited to no more than two consecutive terms.
• No faculty member may serve on more than two standing committees without approval of his/her division chair or department head and dean. Under no conditions will a faculty member serve on more than three standing committees at a time.
Article 8 Amendments and Major Changes
Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by a member of the faculty, the Faculty Senate, or a Faculty Senate committee.
• The proposed amendment must then be reviewed by the Faculty Affairs Committee, which may recommend accepting, rejecting, or modifying it.
• The Faculty Affairs Committee will then send the amendment, along with the Faculty Affairs Committee’s recommendation, to the Faculty Senate for approval, amendment revision or rejection.
o If approved, the Faculty Senate will place the amendment on the agenda for the next general meeting of the full faculty. The entire text of the amendment in its final form must be distributed to the full faculty for review at least two weeks prior to that meeting.
• A two-thirds vote of those attending the general meeting will be required for acceptance of the amendment.
• Upon ratification, the proposed amendment will be submitted to the University President for approval.
• If approved, the amendment will become effective immediately and a university announcement will be distributed.
When the Constitution is reviewed for major changes from time to time, these major changes will follow the process above, beginning with submission to the Senate.
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