Chapter Three
Organization and Governance of the Academic Programs
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Article 3.4 Governing Bodies of the Faculty
Sec. 3.4.1 Assembly of the Faculty
A. Membership
The Assembly of the Faculty shall consist of all members of the faculty who hold full-time appointments at the University of Louisville.
B. Meetings
The Assembly of the Faculty may be convoked by the Office of the President. The Assembly shall also be convoked by the President upon the request of the Faculty Senate, thirty-five or more full-time faculty members, or the Board of Trustees. A quorum of the Assembly of the Faculty shall consist of such number of members as are present at any duly called meeting. The agenda for such an assembly shall be prepared by the Office of the President and shall include those items submitted by the group at whose initiative the assembly may have been called. Except in emergencies, the agenda shall be distributed ten days prior to the assembly. Only items listed on the agenda may be considered for final action.
C. Officers
The presiding officers of the Assembly of the Faculty shall be the President of the University or a designee.
D. Powers
Ultimate faculty authority resides in the Assembly of the Faculty. It is not contemplated that legislation will be initiated in the Assembly. Nor is it expected that decisions of the Faculty Senate will be reviewed routinely by the Assembly. It is understood that extraordinary and University-wide faculty matters may be referred to the Assembly. Such matters may include the establishment of policies relating to academic freedom or tenure, any major decision involving the economic welfare of the faculty, or modification of The Redbook. The approval of the Assembly of any matter passed by the Faculty Senate may be required by action of the Board of Trustees, of the President, or by written petition from thirty-five members of the Assembly to the Secretary of the Senate.
E. Quorum and Voting
A simple majority of those present and voting shall be sufficient to propose a substantive amendment or alternate proposal for any matter recommended by the Faculty Senate. In either case, the Senate may at its option adopt the amendment or alternate proposal or submit both its recommendation and the amendment or alternate proposal by mail ballot for final vote by the members of the Assembly of the Faculty.
- A substantive amendment is defined as an amendment which changes the meaning of the original proposal.
- An alternate proposal is defined as a proposal offered as a substitute for the original proposal.
Sec. 3.4.2 The Faculty Senate
A. Composition and Powers of the Faculty Senate
There shall be a University of Louisville Faculty Senate, which shall be the official representative of the faculty of the University and which shall be responsible for eliciting and expressing the opinions, suggestions, and recommendations of the faculty on all matters of concern to the faculty as a whole. The Faculty Senate shall be responsible for a continuing review of University policies and documents affecting the faculty and shall make recommendations concerning these matters, whenever appropriate, to the University administration.
The Faculty Senate shall adopt bylaws providing for such officers, committees, and meetings as are necessary for the performance of its functions.
The Faculty Senate shall have jurisdiction over all matters involving the educational policies of the University insofar as this jurisdiction is not reserved to the faculties of the academic units. The establishment or termination of any degree-granting program shall require action by the Board of Trustees and such proposal shall first be submitted to the Faculty Senate for a recommendation. The Faculty Senate may state its disapproval of any action of a faculty that seriously affects the general interest of the University and recommend appropriate action to the President as chief educational officer of the University. To disapprove any action of the faculty of an academic unit: (1) the action must seriously affect a general faculty interest of the University; (2) such unit faculty must be given an opportunity to be heard before action is taken; and (3) two-thirds of the membership of the Senate present must support the disapproval.
Each year, the Senate shall prepare and adopt a statement reviewing the academic program of the University and other concerns of the faculty and making appropriate recommendations.
B. Membership
The Faculty Senate shall consist of faculty representatives elected by the academic units listed in Section 3.1.1. The number of senators to be elected by the faculty of each unit will be determined by the application of a formula predetermined and established by the Faculty Senate. When the total voting membership of the Faculty Senate exceeds seventy, the Senate shall modify the numerical basis for faculty representatives so as to provide a lesser membership.
C. Rotation of Membership and Ex-officio Membership
Senators shall be elected by their unit faculties for terms of three years. The President, all vice presidents, and all deans of units shall be ex-officio non-voting members of the Senate and shall not be eligible to be elected as faculty representatives.
The Staff Senate and Student Senate shall each select from their respective memberships one ex-officio voting member and one ex-officio alternate member of the Faculty Senate The alternate member shall have the right of the floor, but shall have no vote unless the voting member from that Senate is absent.
The Faculty Senate shall also include six voting members elected by the "part-time faculty," which for purposes of this provision only is defined as everyone who is under paid contract to teach courses for credit within an academic unit but who is not entitled to elect faculty representatives to the Faculty Senate under Section 3.4.2.B. Elections for these six members shall be conducted at a time and under procedures established by the Faculty Senate. [This paragraph revised by the Board of Trustees 11/25/02.]