Policy

Faculty Senate Bylaws (GOV 2)

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Policy # [####]
Faculty Senate Bylaws (GOV 2)

Original Issuance Date: May 9, 1989
Last Revision Date: May 13, 2025
Next Review Date: MMMM DD, YYYY

 

ARTICLE I. Membership, Terms, Constituencies.

Eligibility for Faculty Senate membership is defined in the Faculty Constitution (Article II §9); the current constituencies are: College of Business, Arts, and Communication: School of Business; College of Business, Arts, and Communication: Schools of Media, Arts, and Communication; College of Public Affairs and Education: School of Public Affairs and Global Engagement; College of Public Affairs and Education: School of Education and Human Services; College of Nursing, Health Professions, and STEM: School of Nursing and Health Professions; and College of Nursing, Health Professions, and STEM: School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. 

ARTICLE II. Senate Elections.

Section 1. General Conduct of Elections and Referenda. 

  1. For any regular election the eligible voters shall be instructed that their ballots shall be cast online through a survey tool (e.g., Qualtrics) that enables anonymous voting. Only eligible voters will receive the digital ballot, ensuring that anonymous votes are cast only by faculty with voting privileges. The Elections Committee shall ensure privacy of the ballots. 
  2. Ballots shall be counted (or results otherwise tabulated, as with a run-off) by the Elections Committee or its designee(s) in the Faculty Senate Office within twenty-four hours following the close of the election, usually at 4:30 on the closing day of the election. Observers are welcome at the counting procedure. The Elections Committee shall inform the faculty of the time of vote counting in the announcement of time and place of election. 
  3. A complete tabulation of the election result shall be presented by the Elections Committee to the Faculty Senate at its next meeting. If there is no challenge of the election results within ten working days after the Senate meeting at which the tabulation is presented, the Elections Committee may erase the survey used to enable the vote in question. 
  4. The Elections Committee and/or the Faculty Senate President will inform the university community of the results of the election within one week after the vote count. Results of referenda together with the number of votes for each alternative shall be reported within one week of the vote. 

Section 2. Procedures for Regular Election of Senate Members. 

  1. On or before the eighth week of the spring semester, the Elections Committee shall determine the complete list of eligible faculty, pursuant to Article II §1-2 of the Faculty Constitution. 
  2. The Elections Committee shall prepare a primary ballot showing the complete list of eligible faculty who are willing to serve, listed separately according to constituency, pursuant to Article II §9 of the Faculty Constitution. 
  3. At least one week prior to election each eligible voter shall be sent a notice of the time and place of the election and the names of all candidates. In the primary election eligible voters shall be instructed to vote for no more than one person for each vacancy in her/his constituency. Write-in votes (circulated by email to the Faculty Senate office in response to a call for nominations) shall be permitted. Ballots will be distributed and counted in the manner described in Section I, above. Candidates who are not opposed in the primary election, and who receive votes from their constituency, will be elected to the Senate. 
  4. From the results of the primary election, the Elections Committee shall prepare final ballots for each constituency with a vacancy. If a write-in candidate receives the requisite number of votes in the primary election, the Elections Committee must ascertain willingness to serve before the name is placed on the final ballot. For each constituency, names on the final ballot shall be those receiving the greatest number of votes on the primary ballot for that constituency. The final ballot for each constituency shall list no more than two names for each vacancy, except in cases of a tie for the second-largest number of votes, in which case the names of those tied shall be listed. Write-in votes will be counted.  
  5. The final balloting shall take place before the twelfth week of the spring semester. Eligible voters shall be instructed to vote for no more than one person for each vacancy in their constituency, and to cast their ballots as described in Section 1, above. 
  6. In case of ties on the final ballot, repeated elections shall be conducted until all positions are filled. Election procedures shall be pursuant to Section 1 above. 
  7. Regularly elected Senators serve for a four-year term of office commencing with the fall semester following their election. (Article II §10) 

Section 3. Special Elections. 

  1. Vacancies to the Senate are defined in the Faculty Constitution, Article II. In addition, if a Senate member should go on leave for more than one year the Faculty Senate shall declare the position vacant. 
  2. A special election shall be held within thirty days after the Faculty Senate declares a seat vacant. It will be conducted under the supervision of the Elections Committee within the constituency involved, following election procedures in Section 1 above. 
  3. A candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast in the special election, the two candidates who received the highest number of votes will be the candidates in the run-off election. In case of ties for second place, both second-place names will be on the ballot.If no candidate receives a majority in the run-off election, there will be another run-off with the top two vote-getters. If a tie ensues, the outcome will be determined by the flip of a coin. 

ARTICLE III. Selection of Senate Officers. 

Section 1. During the last three weeks of April the Senate at large will elect the nominating committee. Prior to the final election for Senate members, the Executive Committee will present to the Senate a slate of three for the nominating committee. Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor, with the permission of the nominees, when the slate is presented. Senators will vote for three candidates on the initial ballot. Candidates who receive by secret ballot a majority vote of the members present and voting shall be declared elected. If three candidates are not elected on the first ballot, balloting will be repeated, with the lowest vote-getter eliminated each time until three candidates have been elected by a majority of Senators present and voting. The nominating committee will present at the first meeting after the regular election a slate of candidates for the Senate office of president-elect. There shall be opportunity for nominations from the floor at this meeting and at the next meeting. 

Section 2. At the meeting following the presentation of the slate by the nominating committee, the Senate shall elect a president-elect and two members-at-large. The candidates who receive by signed ballots a majority vote of the members voting shall be declared elected. Any absentee ballots must be presented to the chair at the start of the meeting when the balloting takes place. These officers, together with the president and the past president, comprise the Executive Committee. 

All officers who are also serving as elected Senators shall have the right to vote on all matters that come before the Senate. 

Section 3. The Members-at-Large shall be elected from the membership of the Senate. Following the election of other officers, the Senate shall nominate from the floor candidate(s) for Members-at-Large. In an election which shall follow immediately, the candidate who receives by signed ballot a majority vote of the members present and voting shall be declared elected. If no majority is achieved balloting will be repeated, eliminating the lowest vote-getter each time until a majority is achieved. 

Section 4. When a vacancy occurs in the office of president-elect, the Executive Committee will name a nominating committee, subject to approval of the Senate. As provided in Section 1 above, the nominating committee will present a candidate or candidates within two meetings and the Senate will vote as prescribed in Section 2. Vacancies for members-at-large will be filled pursuant to Section 3. 

ARTICLE IV. Senate Officers. 

The powers and duties of Senate officers are delineated in Article II of the Faculty Constitution. 

ARTICLE V. Senate Meetings. 

Faculty Senate meetings are governed by the provisions of the Faculty Constitution, Article II §11; relevant portions of these bylaws; and by the parliamentary code. 

ARTICLE VI. Disposition of Business. 

Section 1. The agenda shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and distributed to Senators at least two days prior to any meeting. Items may be placed on the agenda pursuant to the Faculty Constitution, Article II §11. 

Section 2. The agenda will normally consist of approval of the minutes, reports of officers, committee reports, old business, new business, adjournment. Reports should be presented in writing whenever possible. The Senate may discuss any item on the agenda.  

Section 3. A motion on an item of business added to the agenda less than 36 hours before a meeting shall not come to a vote unless the Senate votes by a two-thirds majority to suspend the rules and to act on that motion. 

Section 4. Every bill presented for Senate action should consist of two parts: the Rationale and the Action. The Rationale should consist of a concise presentation of reasons supporting the action. The Action should be restricted to a presentation of the Senate actions proposed by the bill’s author(s). Although both parts may be debated, only the Action may be amended or otherwise modified, and only the Action shall be subject to a vote. 

Section 5. When a bill is passed, its Action becomes a Resolution and receives a standardized identification which shall include an indication of the academic year in which it was passed. All Resolutions will be numbered consecutively from the beginning of each academic year, and this number will also be included in the standardized identification. Only substantive as opposed to procedural motions approved by the Senate will become Resolutions. 

Section 6. Bills will normally be taken up in the order of their presentation to the Senate, unless the Executive Committee reorders the agenda, or the Senate votes to re-order the agenda. 

Section 7. Senate Resolutions requiring the attention of the Chancellor shall be sent to her/him by the Executive Committee, accompanied by a cover sheet prepared by the Executive Committee for the purpose of keeping a record of the further disposition of the matter. 

ARTICLE VII. Committees of the Senate. 

Section 1. Executive Committee. 

  1. The composition, powers and duties of the Executive Committee are defined in the Faculty Constitution, Article II. 
  2. Pursuant to Article II §1-13, other duties of the Executive Committee shall include the following: 

The Executive Committee shall monitor procedures in grievance actions to determine whether they are in compliance with relevant government documents of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, including the Faculty Constitution, Personnel Rules, guidelines promulgated for personnel issues, and relevant bylaws. The Executive Committee shall ensure that governance practices in the university are consistent with the Constitution. It will report instances of non-compliance and/or inconsistency in procedures and practices to the Faculty Senate. 

Section 2. Constitution and Bylaws Committee. 

Pursuant to the Faculty Constitution, Article II, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee is established by these Senate Bylaws. 

  1. Responsibility – The Constitution and Bylaws Committee will regularly review the Faculty Constitution and the Faculty Senate Bylaws and propose changes as needed to the Faculty Senate. Questions of constitutionality and of Faculty Constitution and Faculty Senate Bylaws interpretation will be referred to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. It will make recommendations to the Faculty Senate which, by majority vote, will make determinations about constitutional questions. The committee will review college, school, department, or equivalent unit bylaws for consistency with the Faculty Constitution. It will make recommendations for revision if necessary to the unit, or, if the proposed bylaws are found to be consistent with the Constitution, it will make a recommendation to the Senate for acceptance.  
  2. Membership – The Constitution and Bylaws Committee will have four (4) members. Three (3) will be senators elected by the Senate at the beginning of the Fall Term. Nominations will be made by the Executive Committee; other nominations may be made from the floor. Upon election, members will serve for the duration of their current terms on the Senate. The Senate past president will serve as non-voting, ex-officio member of the committee. 
  3. Chair – The committee chair will be elected by the committee for a one-year renewable term. 
  4. Reporting – The committee will report to the Faculty Senate. 

Section 3. Elections Committee. 

Pursuant to the Faculty Constitution, Article II §1-4, the Elections Committee is established by these Senate bylaws. 

  1. Responsibilities of the Elections Committee – Election of Faculty Senators: The Elections Committee will conduct elections of faculty senators and reapportion representation on the Senate in accordance with provisions of the Faculty Constitution and the Faculty Senate Bylaws. Referenda and Ratification Votes: The Committee will conduct university-level faculty referenda and constitutional ratification votes in accordance with provisions of the Faculty Constitution and the Faculty Senate Bylaws. 
  2. Membership – The Elections Committee will have three members from the Faculty Senate, elected by the Senate early in the fall term. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee will nominate three senators for Senate approval. Nominations may also be made from the Senate floor. 
  3. Chair – The chair will be chosen by the committee. 

Section 4. Committee on Committees. 

Pursuant to the Faculty Constitution, Article II §1-4, the Committee on Committees is established by these Senate bylaws. 

  1. Responsibilities of the Committee on Committees 
  2. Faculty Survey – The Committee on Committees will survey the faculty no later than March 1 of each year to determine interest, experience, and qualifications for service on preferred committees. 
  3. Appointment of Committees – The Committee on Committees will recommend for Senate confirmation faculty members for all university standing and ad hoc committees. The chair of the Committee on Committees will report to the faculty the names of faculty committee members. 
  4. Evaluation – The Committee on Committees will initiate a process of evaluating each committee. It will report its findings with recommendations to the Faculty Senate. At least every five years after the initial evaluation, the Committee on Committees will evaluate committee functions and report its findings with recommendations to the Senate. 
  5. Membership – The Committee on Committees will have nine (9) members. Eight (8) will be faculty elected early in the Spring term by the Faculty Senate, one each from Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts, Social Science, Math/Science, Business, Education, and the combined areas of Nursing and Services. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee will prepare a slate of candidates, being diligent to include women and minorities, from the list of faculty who have expressed an interest in serving. Nominations may also be made from the Senate floor. The members will serve three-year terms staggered by lot at the initial meeting. A Faculty Senate Executive Committee’s member-at-large will be an ex-officio member of the committee. No individual may serve more than two consecutive terms on this committee. 
  6. Chair – The chair of the Committee on Committees will be elected by the committee from among the eight elected members. The chair will serve a one-year term renewable by election for a maximum of three consecutive terms. The chair is responsible for: facilitating committee meetings; conducting the election for chair in the Fall; and informing the Faculty Senate office of resignations of committee members and changes in the committee chair. 
  7. Reporting – The chair of the Committee on Committees will report to the Faculty Senate. 

Section 5. Nominating Committee. 

The Nominating Committee is described in these bylaws, Article III, Section 2. 

(See GOV 3 for a list of additional Faculty Senate committees.) 

Section 6. Ad Hoc Committees. 

Ad hoc committees may be created by the Faculty Senate, pursuant to Article II of the Faculty Constitution. 

Section 7. Combined Meeting of Committee Chairs. 

At least once each semester the Faculty Senate president shall convene a combined meeting of all chairs of the Committees of the Senate, and all chairs of Faculty Senate Committees (GOV 3). The purpose of the meeting is for the president to review and assess committee activities. Committee chairs shall advise the president on matters of productivity and efficiency of all faculty governance committees. Committee chairs shall report to the president on all committee activities and the success of their committee in fulfilling committee responsibilities. The form and frequency of chair reports will be at the discretion of the President. The combined meeting of committee chairs shall have no policy making authority. 

ARTICLE VIII. Faculty Committees. 

The present committee structure will be maintained until the faculty approves a revised committee structure, pursuant to Article II §1-4, of the Faculty Constitution. 

ARTICLE IX. Amendments to the Bylaws. 

Proposed amendments to the bylaws shall be submitted to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of the Faculty Senate. The Committee shall review the proposed amendment and place it on the agenda of a regular or special session of the Faculty Senate. Written copies of the proposed amendment, with the Committee’s recommendations, shall be distributed to Senate members at least three days before a regular or special session of the Senate and must be approved by a majority of the members present and voting. 

ARTICLE X. Ratification of the Bylaws. 

Ratification and adoption of these bylaws shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Senate. 

 

REVISION HISTORY

Approved by Faculty Senate: 9 May 1989
Amended by Faculty Senate: 9 March 1999
 Amended by Faculty Senate: 4 May 2004
Amended by Faculty Senate: 15 February 2005
Amended by Faculty Senate: 13 May 2025