The Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate shall exercise the following functions:

1. Schedule the meetings of the Faculty Assembly.
2. Receive and consider all reports addressed to the faculty, and, where appropriate, take specific action on such reports.
3. Meet regularly with members of the Administrative Council to discuss items of interest and concern for the faculty.
4. Establish, as necessary, ad hoc committees.
5. Recommend changes in the Policy Handbook.
6. Consider and approve proposals and changes in academic policy and conditions of employment, except for those issues specifically reserved for Faculty Assembly action.
7. Conduct annual elections for the selection of Senators and faculty representatives on committees chosen by election.
8. Approve, on behalf of the faculty, policy statements and recommendations on university issues to be submitted to the President/Chief Academic Officer and the Administrative Council.
9. Confirm upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate appointments of Faculty Assembly members to university committees and faculty committees in which appointment is the method of selection. This would include temporary and interim appointments.
10. Approve the establishment of new degrees.
11. Approve the budget recommendation of the President of the Senate with respect to the annual Faculty Senate budget.
12. Approve the recommendation of the President of the Senate on the organization and topics for the faculty institutes.
13. Establish a procedure, based on the principles of AAUP, to handle accusations of misconduct by the members of the faculty.
14. Create standing or special subcommittees of the Senate as necessary.
15. Appoint adjunct Faculty Assembly Members.
16. Select annually from among its own members a Vice President of the Senate. The Vice President shall be selected after receiving a recommendation for the appointments from the President of the Senate.
17. Refer to the Faculty Assembly for final determination questions deemed appropriate for resolution by that body.
18. Take such other action as deemed necessary and proper to represent the views and interests of the faculty in the university governance system.

The President of the Webster University Senate is selected by the faculty to provide faculty leadership and represent the interests and concerns of all faculty in the university governance process.

1. Eligibility and Election Procedures
   1. A candidate shall be a full-time member of the faculty.
   2. Department Chairpersons are eligible for the position with the approval of their departmental colleagues.
   3. Ordinarily a candidate will have had Senate, Department Chair, or comparable experience.
   4. When the term of office of an incumbent is about to end, self-nominations shall be requested for candidates.
   5. The length of term is three years. After three years, the position is again open to the procedures of self-nomination and election by the members of the Faculty Assembly. An incumbent may self-nominate.
   6. If more than two self-nominations are received a candidate must receive at least 50% plus one of the ballots cast to be elected; if no candidate receives the necessary votes, a runoff between the two candidates with the most votes shall take place.
   7. The newly elected President shall take office the first day of June following the spring semester election. The election of the President shall take place prior to the Senate election.
2. Duties, Powers and Responsibilities. The President of the Senate shall:
   1. Preside over meetings of the Senate and Faculty Assembly
   2. Be a voting member of the Faculty Senate
   3. Represent the faculty as a member of the Administrative Council
   4. Annually recommend to the Senate for their approval a candidate from among the members of the Senate for Vice President of the Senate (for description of Vice President see below)
   5. Recommend to the Senate names of individuals to serve on committees in which appointment is the method of selection, and to the Senate appointment of faculty members to serve on institutional committees
   6. Present annually to the Senate for their approval the proposed Faculty Senate budget
   7. Recommend to the Senate creation of special task forces
   8. Convene and preside at the Council of Chairs meetings
   9. Be an ex-officio, non-voting member of all faculty committees, or appoint a member of the Senate as a substitute for a specific committee, and be an ex-officio member of institutional committees, such as:
      1. the Enrollment Management and Retention Council
      2. the Institutional Space Committee
      3. the Institutional Analysis Committee
   10. Recommend to the Senate any necessary procedures or actions to exercise oversight of the structures and functions of the faculty governance.
   11. Make certain that communication with members of the Faculty Assembly is maintained through the publication of a regular newsletter.
   12. Select and supervise the work of the Senate administrative secretary.
   13. Recommend to the Senate annually for their deliberation a procedure for organizing the faculty institute.
   14. Attend the general meetings of the Board of Trustees of Webster University and represent the faculty to and attend the meetings of the following Board of Trustees Committees:
       1. the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board
       2. the Honorary Degree Committee of the Board
       3. the Strategic Planning Committee of the Board
   15. Meet regularly with the President/Chief Academic Officer and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
   16. Be available for faculty consultation on professional and departmental matters, including faculty evaluation.
   17. Visit other Webster University sites to the extent feasible to further enhance the role of all faculty in one university.
   18. Represent the Senate and the Faculty Assembly to non-faculty constituencies.

The Vice President of the Senate shall be selected by the Senate for a one year term upon the recommendation of a candidate by the President of the Senate. If the recommended candidate is not selected by the Senate, the President of the Senate shall submit another name for consideration. The Vice President may hold office for more than one term.

The Vice President of the Senate shall:

1. Assume the office of President of the Senate upon the resignation or incapacity of the President
2. Be Acting President of the Senate when the President is absent
3. Be empowered to exercise any of the functions of the President, as listed above, upon the request of the President
4. Take special responsibility for the process of regular communication between the Senate and the faculty
5. Be responsible for the oversight of preparations for the faculty institutes
6. Be responsible for the Supervision of the production of the minutes of the Senate
7. Be responsible for the physical arrangements for Senate meetings
8. Be responsible for such other duties that the President and Senate deem appropriate

The President of the Senate will have an individualized annual faculty contract which maintains a half time teaching load per traditional academic year and an additional contract as President, which provides compensation over the entire twelve month year. During the term of office, the President will maintain departmental membership and identity without loss of time accrued towards status and/or promotion.

The Vice President of the senate will be compensated by either released time for one course per year, or payment of a stipend equivalent to teaching a one course overload.

The President of the Senate shall have a budget sufficient for maintaining an office, a secretary, travel and other necessary expenses. The President shall be  responsible for the supervision of Senate budget, and shall submit the proposed budget to the Senate for approval before submission to the administration.

If the members of the Faculty Assembly become seriously dissatisfied with the performance of the President of the Senate, a vote of no confidence can be requested by a petition of 25% of the faculty at any time. However, should the President receive a positive vote of confidence, another such petition cannot be submitted by any of the same faculty for one full year. A majority of the members of the Faculty Senate may also submit a request for vote of confidence by the Assembly.

If a statement of no confidence is sustained by an absolute majority of all members of the Assembly, the President of the Senate shall resign within two weeks and be succeeded by the Vice President.