THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FACULTY SENATE
OF PROVIDENCE COLLEGE, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Approved by the Corporation,
As Amended through June 30, 2006
Preamble:

Preamble: Conscious of our commitment to the traditions and future excellence of Providence College, we, the Faculty, seeking to advance the welfare of the College, promote harmony within the academic community of Administration, Faculty, and Students, and encourage the professional participation of the Faculty in determining the educational policies of the College, propose the continuation of the Faculty Senate under this Constitution.

Article I:
The Faculty of Providence College shall be represented in the determination of educational policies of the College by an elective assembly, The Faculty Senate of Providence College.
Article II:
Functions and powers of the Faculty Senate:

Section 1 - The Faculty Senate shall exercise such powers as are provided for herein and shall perform such duties as the Board of Trustees or the President of the College may from time to time prescribe.

Section 2 - Subject to the veto of the President of the College, the Faculty Senate shall have the authority to initiate and regulate educational policies of the College. When a case of veto occurs, however, the Faculty Senate shall have the right to appeal such policies to the Board of Trustees of the College, provided that a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the Faculty Senate recommends such an action.

Section 3 - The Faculty Senate is vested with the following specific powers:

    1. to recommend curricular policies and to review, revise, or coordinate such policies when formulated by committees of the College for undergraduate and graduate studies prior to their official promulgation.
    2. to review policy on admissions and to recommend or propose revisions in such policies as may be formulated by the committees of the College on admissions.
    3. to propose policies pertaining to departmental organization and procedures.
    4. to propose policies for the operation of the College library.
    5. to recommend guidelines concerning matters of faculty welfare (e.g., fringe benefits, sickness and death benefits)
    6. to make recommendations and to review and revise requirements for initial appointment, promotion, ranking and tenure of the Faculty, as well as for procedures for dismissal of faculty members.
    7. to establish a board of appeals to hear Faculty grievances
    8. to amend this Constitution of the Faculty Senate by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the Faculty Senate with five days' notice.
    9. to be represented on the Committee on Administration by a faculty member elected by the Faculty Senate.

Section 4 - The duties of the Faculty Senate:

  1. it shall be the duty of the Faculty Senate to inform the President and the Board of Trustees of the College of its activities.
  2. it shall be the duty of the Faculty Senate to make its agenda, minutes, and decisions available to the faculty at large.

Article III:

The membership of the Faculty Senate:

Section 1 - All members of the Ordinary Faculty shall be electors.

Section 2 - The Faculty Senate shall consist of members chosen in the following manner:

    1. One Senator from each department now existing or to be created by the College shall be elected by the enfranchised members of each department. One Senator from the Library staff having Faculty status shall be elected by the enfranchised members of the Library staff.
    2. The remaining number of Senators, of equal senatorial rank and power to the departmental Senators, shall be elected by the enfranchised Faculty at large, as Senators-at-large according to the ratio established herein. Election of departmental Senators shall be held within ten days after the election of the Senators-at-large whose names shall be published immediately upon their election.
    3. Every member of the Ordinary Faculty who has attained the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor (or their equivalent for Library staff), and who has been associated with Providence College for at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the election shall be eligible to become a Senator.
    4. There shall be one Senator-at-large for each eighteen members of the Ordinary Faculty.
    5. The total number of Senators-at-large shall be apportioned based upon the relative Ordinary Faculty population of the Divisions of the College as follows:

        Division A: The Senators-at-large for Division A shall be members of the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science, or Engineering-Physics-Systems. The apportioned number of Senators-at-large for Division A shall be considered elected who have received the highest pluralities among the votes cast by the faculty at large.

        Division B: The Senators-at-large for Division B shall be members of the departments of Economics, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology. The apportioned number of Senators-at-large for Division B shall be considered elected who have received the highest pluralities among the votes cast by the faculty at large.

        Division C: The Senators-at-large for Division C shall be members of the departments of English, History, Modern Languages, Philosophy, or Theology. The apportioned number of Senators-at-large for Division C shall be considered elected who have received the highest pluralities among the votes cast by the faculty at large.

        Division D: The Senators-at-large for Division D shall be members of the departments of Accountancy, Art and Art History, Education, Finance, Management, Marketing, Military Science, Music, Social Work, or Theatre, Dance and Film, or a member of the Library staff having faculty status. The apportioned number of Senators-at-large for Division D shall be considered elected who have received the highest pluralities among the votes cast by the faculty at large.

    6. The Senate shall reapportion these seats each election year to reflect future population figures. This reapportionment shall be ratified by a majority vote of the Faculty Senate. The Committee on Elections shall present to the Senate at the Senate's first meeting of the second semester of each election year the current population of electors in each department and program as well as its recommendations on reapportionment.
    7. In any and all cases of ties, both for departmental Senators and Senators-at-large, decisions shall be made according to the following principles: first, the faculty member having the highest or higher academic rank shall be deemed elected; second, the faculty member having the greatest or greater seniority of service to the College shall be deemed elected. Failing these, a run-off election between or among the tied shall be held.

Section 3 - Regular elections of Senators-at-large shall be held during the first week in May in the biennial election years. The term of office for all Senators shall be two years commencing with the first Faculty Senate meeting the following fall and terminating with the first full meeting two years thereafter.

Section 4 - All members of the Faculty Senate shall be eligible for reelection.

Section 5 - In case of death, resignation, or inability to serve on the part of any Senator, there shall be no special election except as may be otherwise determined by the Faculty Senate.

Section 6 - The Faculty Senate shall elect from its own membership a President, a Vice President, and a Secretary by simple majority vote. The Faculty Senate shall be judge of its own elections, succession of officers, conduct of its members, and by-laws.

Section 7 - Regular vocal, but nonvoting and non-seconding representatives in the Faculty Senate:

    1. The Faculty Senate shall receive and recognize two members of the Administration as representatives of the Administration within the Faculty Senate. They may be appointed by the President or may attain office in whatever way the Administration shall deem fitting. They shall be reaccredited to the Faculty Senate by the Administration with each new regular election of Senators.
    2. The Faculty Senate shall receive and recognize one member of the Athletic department chosen to represent the department within the Faculty Senate. Election year accreditation or reaccreditation to the Faculty Senate shall be required.
Article IV:
The meetings of the Faculty Senate:

Section 1 - Regular meetings:

    1. The Faculty Senate shall schedule no fewer than three regular meetings during the academic year, one each at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the academic year.
    2. The President of the Faculty Senate shall normally be the presiding officer at meetings of the Senate. In the President's absence, the Vice President shall preside over the assembly. Should neither be present, the Senator who is senior in academic rank and length of service to the College shall be the presiding officer.
    3. A majority of the Faculty Senate membership shall constitute a quorum.
    4. The President of the Faculty Senate shall order an advisory referendum of the entire enfranchised faculty if such a referendum is requested by: 1) a majority of the Faculty Senate membership, or 2) a petition signed by twenty percent of the enfranchised faculty.
    5. Any member of the Faculty and any member of the Administration who is not a representative in the Senate may attend any regular or special meeting of the Faculty Senate and shall have the privilege of the floor but shall not make nor second motions nor vote.

Section 2 - Special meetings:

    1. The President of the Faculty Senate may call a special meeting of the Faculty Senate at any time. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President of the Senate may call a special meeting.
    2. Upon written request of one-quarter of the total membership of the Faculty Senate, the President of the Senate must convene a special meeting within two weeks of the receipt of the request.
    3. Special meetings of the Faculty Senate shall follow the same procedures as regular meetings except as otherwise specified in by-laws.

Section 3 - Voting:

    1. Decisions of the Faculty Senate shall be made by a majority vote of those present. The presiding officer shall enjoy voice and vote in all proceedings of the Faculty Senate.




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Last updated 21 October 2001