Resolution Defining Eligibility for Faculty Senate Officers and Committee Chairs

Whereas, the Faculty Senate functions as the standing executive committee of the Faculty of the University of Delaware and, as such, exercises the powers vested in the Faculty by the Board of Trustees, and

Whereas, Senate Officers (President, President Elect, Past President, Vice President, Secretary, Parliamentarian, and Chair of Committee on Committees and Nominations) comprise the Senate Executive Committee, which is charged with many important Senate duties including consideration of agenda items for Senate meetings, and

Whereas, Senate committee Chairs also perform leadership roles in conducting Senate business, and

Whereas, Senate Officers and committee Chairs now can be elected or appointed from all full-time voting Faculty of the University, and

Whereas, the University exists, in part, to foster the free exchange of ideas and, thus, this should be manifest in Senate discussions and committee meetings, and

Whereas, University administrators are represented adequately in the Senate as non-elected Senators and members of multiple Senate committees, and

Whereas, a Senate Officer or committee Chair would have potential conflicts of interest if he or she also held an administrative appointment at the University, be it therefore

Resolved, that eligibility for nomination, appointment, or service as Senate Officers or committee Chairs shall be restricted to full-time voting Faculty who are not appointed to serve in an official capacity for the Offices of the President, the Provost, any Vice President, or the Dean of any College, including but not limited to administrative officers of the University (including deputy, associate, assistant and vice provosts), academic deans (including deputy, associate and assistant deans), and department chairs or academic program directors (as defined in the Policy Guide for Department Chairs and Academic Program Directors). Faculty who serve in a temporary capacity for an administrative office as a member of a search committee, standing committee, or ad hoc committee shall not be deemed ineligible because of this service.

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This resolution stipulates eligibility requirements and restrictions for Officers of the Faculty Senate and committee Chairs.

Necessary Changes for Resolution Defining Eligibility for Senate Officers

Changes to Bylaws and Bylaws Section of the Faculty Handbook

Added text is underlined.

Section 1: Organization of the Faculty

XI. Eligibility and Election of Officers and Committee Chairs of the Senate

Eligibility for nomination, appointment, or service as Senate Officers or committee Chairs shall be restricted to full-time voting Faculty who are not appointed to serve in an official capacity for the Offices of the President, the Provost, any Vice President, or the Dean of any College, including but not limited to administrative officers of the University (including deputy, associate, assistant and vice provosts), academic deans (including deputy, associate and assistant deans), and department chairs or academic program directors (as defined in the Policy Guide for Department Chairs and Academic Program Directors). Faculty who serve in a temporary capacity for an administrative office as a member of a search committee, standing committee, or ad hoc committee shall not be deemed ineligible because of this service.

In accord with Section IV, Article 7, of the Constitution, the Committee on Committees and Nominations, whose composition and charge are prescribed under the Standing Committee document, shall provide for the Senate a slate of nominees at the May meeting. The slate shall have at least two eligible candidates for each office or position. Nominations to the slate from the floor are permitted. In the event that there are three or more nominees to an office, and if in the balloting no individual receives a majority, the subsequent ballot will be between the two nominees receiving the highest plurality.
(Rev. Fall 1988)