Amendments to Bylaws of the Faculty Senate

WHEREAS, the Bylaws of the Faculty Senate (the “Bylaws”) presently include a provision (Section IV) that purportedly sets forth the voting requirements for amending such Bylaws as well as the rules and regulations of the Faculty Senate (the “Senate”); and

WHEREAS, such provision of the Bylaws in fact only sets forth the requirements for amending the rules and regulations of the Senate, but not the Bylaws; and

WHEREAS, such provision of the Bylaws requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those senators present and voting at a duly called meeting of the Senate in order to amend the rules and regulations of the Senate; and

WHEREAS, the requirement for amendments to the rules and regulations of the Senate is overly stringent; and

WHEREAS, there is no provision in the Bylaws that provides a procedure for amendments to such Bylaws;

WHEREAS, it is important to have an official procedure in the Bylaws providing for amendments to such Bylaws; and

WHEREAS, the prior practice of the Senate has been to adopt amendments to the Bylaws upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those senators present and voting at a duly called meeting of the Senate;

THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Bylaws shall be amended to include a rule in Section IV for amending such Bylaws by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those senators present at a duly called meeting of the Senate, while the requirement for amending the rules and regulations of the Senate should be changed to require only a simple majority of those senators present at a duly called meeting of the Senate.

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CURRENT VERSION OF SECTION IV OF THE BYLAWS OF THE SENATE:

Section IV. Changes in Bylaws, Rules and Regulations

The rules and regulations of the Senate may be changed at any regular meeting of the Senate by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided that due notice has been given in the call that the proposed changes in the rules and regulations are to be considered.
(Rev. fall 1988)

PROPOSED REVISION OF SECTION IV OF THE BYLAWS OF THE SENATE:

Section IV. Changes in Bylaws, Rules and Regulations

The Bylaws of the Senate may be changed at any regular meeting of the Senate by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided that due notice has been given in the call that the proposed changes in the rules and regulations are to be considered. The rules and regulations of the Senate may be changed at any regular meeting of the Senate by a majority two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided that due notice has been given in the call that the proposed changes in the rules and regulations are to be considered.
(Rev. fall 1988; fall 2012)