OrientationOrientation to the to the Faculty Assembly and Faculty Assembly and

Senate CouncilSenate Council

University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh

WeWe are all the Senate are all the Senate

The University Senate includes: Everyone with a full-time academic appt All part-time tenured faculty All full-time faculty librarians

All other members of the Senate CouncilCertain administrators, staff and students

Untenured faculty teaching at least six credits Retired faculty who ask to be included

Function of the Senate:Function of the Senate: Shared governance Shared governance

Review university policiesFoster discussion Maintain adequate communication among

Students Staff Faculty Administrative Officers Board of Trustees

Structures of the SenateStructures of the Senate

Faculty AssemblySenate Council

Executive OfficersStanding CommitteesAlso:

Ad Hoc Committees Elections Committee

Involvement may also lead to opportunities to serve on administrative and BOT committees

Who are the current officers of the Senate Executive Committee?

Michael B. Spring, President

Irene Frieze, Vice President

Linda Frank, Secretary

Thomas Smitherman, MD, Past President

The Senate OfficeThe Senate Office

All Senate business is supported by the Senate Office Lori Molinaro 412-624-6505 1234 Cathedral of Learning

Who are the elected members? Who are the elected members?

Faculty Assembly Elected to 3-year terms by their Academic Units

One-third of terms expire each year

Senate Council 2nd and 3rd year members of Faculty Assembly Various appointed constituents (details to follow)

Executive Officers Elected to 1-year terms by the University Senate

Standing Committees Elected to 3-year terms by the Faculty Assembly

More on membership More on membership

Faculty Assembly Elected members (62 people) Chairs of Standing Committees (15 people)

Senate Council 2nd and 3rd year members of Faculty Assembly (~40 people) Appointed administrators (the Chancellor and 8 others) Appointed staff (2 or 3 people) Elected students (between 5 and 8 attendees, usually)

Standing Committees Elected members (9) Senate Officer liaison (1) Administrative liaisons (usually 1 or 2) Pro-Tem members (up to the Chair) Appointed staff and students (1 staff and 4 students)

What does Faculty Assembly do?What does Faculty Assembly do?

Meets monthlyUsually the first Tuesday of the month

Brings up business Refers matters to committee Reviews committee reports Votes on recommendations

What does Senate Council do?What does Senate Council do?

Meets monthly Usually the second Wednesday, (after FA)

Hears regular reports Chancellor, Senate President, Staff Council, and students

Acts on matters brought by FA Hears Committee reports and acts on recommendations

passed by FAMakes recommendations to the Administration and

the Board of Trustees

What do Standing Committees do?What do Standing Committees do?

Meet monthlyConsider policy matters brought up in FA Consider policy matters brought by the

administrationMake recommendations to FA

What do Executive Officers do?What do Executive Officers do?

Preside over FA and SC meetingsMeet monthly with senior

administrationServe as committee liaisons Facilitate PlenariesRespond to other requests

Faculty Assembly: Faculty Assembly: Who can vote and run?Who can vote and run?

Any member of the University Senate (that is, any faculty member) can run

Full-time faculty Part-time tenured faculty Full-time librarians who primarily teach or conduct

research

Each academic unit holds its own election – each unit votes for their own representatives

FA Unit representationFA Unit representation

School of Arts and Sciences Humanities (5) Natural Sciences (5) Social Sciences (5)

Professional Schools Law (2) Public Health (2) Social Work (2) Business (2) GSPIA (2) Education (2) Engineering (3) University Librarians (2)

Health Sciences School of Medicine (9) Dental School (2) GSPH (2) Nursing (2) Pharmacy (2) SHRS(2) Librarians (2)

Regional Campuses Johnstown (2) Bradford (2) Greensburg (2) Titusville (2)

Faculty Assembly attendeesFaculty Assembly attendees

Voting members Elected members

Senate Officers A member of each Standing Committee

Usually the chair, but this is not requiredObservers

Senate Office, The University News and Magazine, University Times, The Pitt News, Provost designee

Open meetingsAttendance is taken and reported

If you are not able to attend, inform the Senate Office

FA: Typical meetingFA: Typical meeting

Most attendees are faculty membersDiscussion can be quite free-wheelingIdeas brought from the floor are discussed

and usually referred to committeeIdeal place to bring up your concerns or

those brought to you by colleagues

FA: Sample AgendaFA: Sample Agenda

Call to OrderApproval of Faculty Assembly Minutes from

previous meetingIntroduction of Items of New BusinessReport of the President, Dr. Thomas SmithermanReports by and Announcements of Special and

Standing Committees of the Senate Unfinished Business and/or New BusinessAnnouncementsAdjournment

Senate Council attendeesSenate Council attendees

Voting members 2nd and 3rd year FA members Senate Officers Chancellor and 8 designated administrators Three members of Staff Association Council Representatives of student groups

Observers Press

The University News and Magazine, University Times and The Pitt News

Open meetings, but more formal than FA

Student Representatives of SCStudent Representatives of SC

Four members of UG Student Government Board (SGB)

Graduate student representatives from: Arts and Sciences Non-health professional schools Health Sciences Graduate and Professional Students Association College of General Studies

Each student group reports

SC: Typical meetingSC: Typical meeting

Attendees balanced between faculty and administration

Meeting emphasizes formal reports Chancellor, Senate President, SAC, students

Great place to hear what’s going on

SC votes are the University Senate’s [that is, the faculty’s] final recommendations to the Administration and the Board of Trustees

SC: Sample AgendaSC: Sample Agenda

Call to OrderApproval of the Minutes of the previous meeting Introduction of Items of New BusinessReport of the Chancellor of the University, Mark A. NordenbergReport of the President of the Senate, Thomas C. SmithermanReport of Student Members of Senate CouncilReport of the President of the Staff Association Council,

Deborah WalkerReports by and Announcements of Standing and Special

Committees of the SenateUnfinished Business and/or New BusinessAnnouncementsAdjournment

Standing Committee electionsStanding Committee elections

Any member of the University Senate (any faculty member) can run

Only Faculty Assembly members voteTerms are three yearsTerm limits

Members may serve one unexpired term plus two consecutively elected terms

Service limited to one elected committee membership at a time Pro Tem memberships are not limited

Standing CommitteesStanding Committees

Responsible for much FA/SC workThe primary setting for policy discussionsMeetings are less formal than FA/SC

Standing Senate CommitteesStanding Senate Committees Admissions & Student

Aid Anti-discriminatory

Policies Athletics Benefits and Welfare Budget Policies Bylaws and Procedures Commonwealth

Relations

Community Relations Computer Usage Educational Policies Library Plant Utilization and

Planning Student Affairs Tenure and Academic

Freedom University Press

Standing Committee meetings: AttendeesStanding Committee meetings: Attendees

Voting 9 members elected by the Faculty Assembly 1 Staff Association Council (SAC) appointee 4 student appointees

2 Student Government Board (SGB) 1 Assembly of the Graduate/Prof Students Association 1 College of General Studies

Non-voting Senate Executive Officer Liaison Chancellor-designated administrative liaisons Pro-tem members

Standing committee: Standing committee: Typical meetingTypical meeting

Discuss and act on matters raised in FAReview/discuss policy initiatives brought by

the administration Standing committees are a primary way faculty

have input into University policies

Discuss and act on matters of concern to committee members

ExamplesExamples

Act on matters from FA Education Policies Committee acted on concern

raised by FA member regarding decrease in student civility

Review administrative policies Education Policies Committee reviewed policies

related to documenting unit outcomes Act on concerns of committee members

Student Affairs committee considered University withdrawal policies

Senate Officer electionsSenate Officer elections

Officer elections All members of the University Senate (all faculty)

are eligible to run for office, and to vote for officers

Terms are one year Term limits

Three successive terms in one office

Senate Officers: Senate Officers: The Executive Committee The Executive Committee

Members President (elected) Vice President (elected) Secretary (elected) Immediate Past President (voting ex officio) Director of the Senate Office (non-voting ex officio)

Duties Meet monthly with senior administration Serve as liaisons to standing committees Plan Plenaries Deal with business/requests as matters come up

Elected Officers and their dutiesElected Officers and their duties

President Presides over FA and SC meetings

Vice President Facilitates “Senate Matters” column

Secretary Takes minutes

Immediate Past President Chairs Elections Committee

These are the “voting members”(decisions are usually by consensus)

Senate PlenariesSenate Plenaries

Bylaws mandate at least one Plenary each year Typically in the fall Sometimes a spring Plenary is also planned

Organized by a committeePrimary audience is faculty

Open to the entire university community

The Chancellor and Senior administration participateOften timely topics, which include a keynote speaker, panel

discussion and Q&AReceives wonderful press coverage in the U-TimesHeld in the WPU, typically from 12-3 p.m.

““Senate Matters”Senate Matters”

Regular column in University TimesFacilitated by Senate Council VP200-800 word opinion pieces written by

members of the SenateA great way to express your views or alert

university community about your senate-related work

Other CommitteesOther Committees

Types of other committees Senate Ad Hoc Committees Elections Committee Administrative Advisory Committees

e.g. Research Advisory Committee Others, including Board of Trustee committees

Senate Ad-Hoc CommitteesSenate Ad-Hoc Committees

Formed for important matters outside purview of Standing Committees

Consist of Chair and membersCreated for a limited duration

Not to exceed two years

Elections CommitteeElections Committee

Immediate Past President serves as chairDeans appoint faculty members who serve

for two year terms, not to exceed four consecutive years

Unit-appointed faculty member responsible recruiting FA candidates

Committee is responsible for Officer slate

Advisory and BOT committeesAdvisory and BOT committees

Faculty input is also sought through Administrative Advisory Committees

Membership is usually appointedExamples of committees

PACWC Mid-Atlantic accreditation advisory committee

Members of FA/SC may be invited

Summary of Senate OperationsSummary of Senate Operations

Faculty Assembly Raises issues Refers matters to committee Votes on committee recommendations

Committees Discuss faculty concerns and ideas Review Administration’s policies

Committee chairs Present committee reports/recommendations to FA and SC

Senate Council Votes on FA recommendations, makes recommendations

to Administration and the Board of TrusteesExecutive officers

Facilitate communication