WHEREAS, it now seems desirable that the faculties, staff and students of the University form a coordinated governmental structure;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Regents of the State of Kansas hereby (1) approves the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SENATE CODE duly adopted by the appropriate constituencies of the University and recommended to it by the Chancellor; (2) charters the various governmental bodies provided for in said Code as it may be amended from time to time with the approval of the Chancellor, and (3) decrees that this charter supersedes the Charter of the Senate of the University of Kansas of March 21, 1968
The Lawrence campus University Senate is a joint body combining the memberships of the faculty and student senates. The presiding officer of the University Council (described below) also serves as presiding officer of the University Senate. The University Senate meets regularly at least once in each semester of the academic year. An agenda is sent to all members before each regular meeting. Minutes of all meetings are distributed within 30 days after each meeting.
Subject to and in accordance with the authority granted to the Chancellor and the Board of Regents as provided by law, the University Senate is empowered to formulate rules and regulations for the control and governance of those University affairs that affect the entire community. These affairs include, but are not limited to, organization and administration, the framing and execution of long-range plans, decisions regarding existing or prospective resources, fiscal affairs, academic procedures and policies common to all schools, class and examination schedules, the University calendar, the libraries, financial aid to students, all-University activities and events, human relations, and the role of the University in public affairs.
The Faculty Senate consists of the Chancellor; the Executive Vice Chancellor and the several Vice Chancellors; the Deans of the Schools, the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Dean of University Libraries, the Dean of Continuing Education, the Dean of Educational Services, and the Dean of Student Life; those members of the faculty and of the library staff who possess tenure; those non-tenured members of the faculty of the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor; non-tenured members of the faculty with full-time appointment to the rank of instructor or lecturer; members of the library staff of equivalent rank; unclassified academic staff in the several divisions of the university who possess the terminal degree appropriate to their academic discipline; the Executive Secretary of the University, the Director of Minority Affairs, and the Director of the Office of Affirmative Action. Visiting faculty with an academic position equivalent to a full, associate, or assistant professorship may attend and participate in Faculty Senate meetings but are not entitled to vote. Members of the faculty who have retired to emeritus status may attend and participate in Faculty Senate meetings and are entitled to vote if they have annually requested the Secretary of the Faculty Senate to enroll them in the membership of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate meets at least once during each academic year. An agenda is sent to all members before a regular meeting and is made available at special meetings, and minutes are distributed within 30 days of a meeting. Within the controls provided by law, the Faculty Senate deals with such affairs as directly and primarily affect the faculty. These affairs include, but are not limited to, faculty rights, privileges, and responsibilities; research; scholarly publications; admission and transfer requirements; credit for resident and nonresident study; and cooperation with other institutions.
The Student Senate consists of the president and vice president of the student body; the elected representatives of the Association of University Residence Halls, the Pan-Hellenic Association, the Interfraternity Council, the All-Scholarship Hall Council and the off-campus student population; the special representatives to the University Council; the representatives of the student body of each school in the University and each free-standing unit of the University. The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and the Dean of Student Life may attend and participate in Student Senate meetings but are not counted as members for the purpose of quorum determinations. The number of representatives shall be set at 65, eight of which will be special representatives, leaving the remaining 57 to be elected by the student body of each school or free-standing unit. Appointment of Senate seats to the various schools shall be made on the basis of percentage of full-time enrollment as determined by the Elections Subcommittee of the Student Senate, with the approval of the Student Executive Committee. No school shall receive less than one representative. The Student Senate is required to meet in the first week after Thanksgiving recess and at least three times more in each academic year.
Within the controls provided by law, the Student Senate deals with such affairs as directly and primarily affect the students of the University. These include, but are not limited to, student rights, privileges, and responsibilities, the non-academic conduct of students; student organizations and activities; student publications; and student housing and health.
The University Council consists of 39 members elected by and from the Faculty Senate; 12 members elected by and from the Student Senate; the Chancellor, the Executive Vice Chancellor of the Lawrence campus, and the president of the student body serving ex officio. At all times it includes at least one member of the Faculty Senate from each school and from the libraries. The Council normally convenes once each month during the academic year; its meetings may be closed to nonmembers of the University Senate by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Council members present and voting. Such closure must be done in conformity with State law. The presiding officer of the University Council and an assistant presiding officer are elected by and from among the members of the Council by ballot at the Council's organizational meeting in April of each year. The presiding officer serves until the election of a successor the following year. When both the presiding officer and the assistant presiding officer are absent, the University Senate Executive Committee appoints another member of the Council to preside. Minutes are distributed within 30 days of a meeting.
The University Council is empowered by the Senate Code to act in behalf of the University Senate, subject to limitations the Senate may impose. The Council may formulate and enact rules and regulations on behalf of the Senate. Such enactments are effective on the fourteenth calendar day following Council action unless a review by the University Senate is requested. A Senate review of Council decisions is required if requested by one-third of the members of the University Council present and voting or if requested by 50 members of the University Senate by petition to the University Senate Executive Committee.
The Faculty Council consists of the 39 members of the Faculty Senate who are members of the University Council, and the Chancellor and Executive Vice Chancellor, ex officio. It normally convenes in April and September. The presiding officer of the University Council, if a faculty member, serves as presiding officer of the Faculty Council and of the Faculty Senate. If the presiding officer of the University Council is a student and the assistant presiding officer is a faculty member, the latter serves also as presiding officer of the Faculty Council and the Faculty Senate. The presiding officer serves until the election of a successor the following year. When the presiding officer is absent, the Faculty Executive Committee appoints another member of the Council to preside. The Faculty Council acts in behalf of the Faculty Senate. The decisions of the Faculty Council are subject to review by the Faculty Senate under procedures parallel to those established for review of actions taken by the University Council in behalf of the University Senate.
The secretary of the University Senate Executive Committee serves as secretary to the University Senate, the Faculty Senate, the University Council, and the Faculty Council.
Nine persons are annually elected to serve as members of' the University Senate Executive Committee (SenEx) until election of their successors the following year. By ballot, at the University Council's organizational meeting in April, six are elected by and from among the Faculty Senate members of the Council. Faculty representatives are elected from at least three schools, or two schools and the Libraries. In the first week after spring break, two undergraduate student members and one graduate student member of SenEx will be elected by members of the incoming Student Senate from among the elected Student Senate members of the University Council. If the presiding officer of the University Council is not elected to membership in the University Senate Executive Committee, he or she serves as an ex officio, nonvoting, member.
Also at the Council's organizational meeting, the Senate Executive Committee elects from among its members, subject to the Council's approval, a faculty member as chairperson and a student member as vice-chairperson. SenEx appoints a secretary from the membership of the Faculty Senate. The secretary may be an elected member of SenEx. The chairperson of SenEx, in consultation with the Chancellor and the Executive Vice Chancellor of the Lawrence campus, prepares the agenda of the meetings of the University Council and regularly reports to the Council on the activities of SenEx. The functions of SenEx are, in brief, to ensure that all the functions of the University Senate and the University Council are carried out expeditiously and in conformity with the provisions of the code. It meets once a month, or more often.
The Faculty Executive Committee consists of the six members of the Faculty Senate elected to SenEx. If the presiding officer of the Faculty Council is not elected to membership on the Faculty Executive Committee, he or she serves as an ex officio, nonvoting member. The secretary of SenEx also acts as the secretary of the Faculty Executive Committee, but with no vote unless the secretary is also an elected member of FacEx. The Student Executive Committee consists of the chairpersons of the eight Student Senate standing committees, or the committee's elected StudEx delegate; three student members on the Senate Executive Committee; and one student senator who will serve as chairperson, appointed by the president of the student body with Student Senate approval. The Student Body President and Vice President serve as voting ex officio members. The Student Senate Treasurer and Executive Secretary serve as non-voting ex officio members.
The University Senate has standing committees on academic computing, athletics, calendar, financial aid to students, foreign students, human relations and libraries. There are also five University Boards. These five are the Parking Board, the Board of Parking Appeals, the Affirmative Action Board, the Discrimination Hearing Board, and the Judicial Board. The Athletic Board includes six faculty members (who comprise the University Senate Committee known as the Athletic Committee) elected by mail ballot of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate has standing committees on cooperation among institutions of higher learning; faculty rights, privileges and responsibilities; research; and tenure and related problems. Among the standing committees of the Student Senate, there is one on student rights, privileges, and responsibilities. Other standing committees are appointed by the Chancellor, the Executive Vice Chancellor, or the appropriate vice chancellor.
Among the Chancellor's committees, two of major importance to the faculty and academic staff are the University Committee on Promotion and Tenure and the University Committee on Sabbatical Leaves. Each is composed of nine members who are nominated for membership by the Faculty Executive Committee to the Chancellor for three-year, overlapping terms; in addition, one member of SenEx serves as ex officio member of each committee, and the Vice Chancellor for Research, Graduate Studies and Public Service serves as ex officio member of both committees. The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is ex officio chairperson of both committees and votes only in case of a tie.
The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order Revised govern the Senate, the Councils, and their committees in all applicable cases not inconsistent with the Senate Code or the special rules of these bodies. A member of the Faculty Senate is annually appointed by the University Senate Executive Committee to serve as parliamentarian of the University and Faculty Senates and Councils.
University Senate Rules and Regulations 3.4.2 provide for student representation on all policy-making committees and at all full school or departmental meetings. Student representation is to be no less than 20 per cent of faculty representation at the rank of instructor or above.
A list of all University committees on the Lawrence campus is made available each fall.
Printed copies of the Senate Code, University Senate Rules and Regulations and Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations may be readily obtained from the Governance Office in the Chancellor's Suite.
The organizational chart that appeared on this page is obsolete. For current organizational charts, contact the University Governance, 864-5169.
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