Procedures for All Committees

Procedures All Faculty Senators Should Follow:

All Senators should report Senate activities to their election unit at least semi-annually.

Procedures that all Faculty Senate Committees must follow:

General internal procedures can be found at:

• http://facultysenate.eku.edu/internal/all-committees
• http://facultysenate.eku.edu/rules/standing-rules
• http://facultysenate.eku.edu/sites/facultysenate.eku.edu/files/files/committees
  /Committee_Checklist_REVISED_02-02-17.pdf

All Senate Standing Committees are required to provide the Senate Secretary with written or electronic copies of their reports. Senators may serve on no more than two Senate Standing Committees.

• Election of a Chair
• Institutional Knowledge
• Before Each Executive Committee Meeting
• Circulating Material to the Senate
• Giving Committee Reports
• When Making A Motion For Senate Action
• Sample Motion Form

Election of a Chair  (top)

The convener should call the committee into session as soon as possible and certainly before the September meeting. As soon as the Committee Chair is elected, he or she should inform the Senate Chair and the Senate Secretary.

Institutional Knowledge  (top)

To ensure the continuation of institutional knowledge, the new chair (or designee) should contact the previous chair (or a previous committee member if the previous chair is no longer available) to transfer any relevant materials.

Before Each Executive Committee meeting  (top)

The Committee Chair should notify the Senate Chair and Executive Committee liaison as to whether there will be a committee report.

Circulating Material to the Senate  (top)

If the committee wishes to have any material circulated either with the Agenda (which goes to all faculty) or the Agenda materials (which go to senators only) this material must be given to the Executive Committee liaison prior to the Executive Committee meeting. If the committee specifically wants the material to go either with the Agenda or the Agenda materials they must so inform the Executive Committee, prior to the Executive Committee meeting, in writing.

Any motions [see below] must be listed on the Agenda and circulated prior to the Senate meeting if they are to be acted upon at the Senate meeting. Motions to be considered at a future meeting may be circulated by having a committee member arrive at least fifteen minutes early to a Senate meeting and put one copy at each place with several extras to the Senate Secretary. This will take about 80 copies. Motions may be distributed electronically. 

Giving Committee reports  (top)

Committee reports should be given at Senate meetings whenever the committee has taken action(s) since the previous Senate meeting. A written report should be submitted to the Secretary, even if no conclusions have been reached. Reports should be on the Agenda, but if something suddenly happens, the Committee Chair should tell the Senate Chair prior to the meeting. If Senate action is required immediately and the necessary information has not been circulated, the committee will first have to ask for a suspension of the rules (requiring a two-thirds vote) in order to have any motion acted upon. Such an action should be used only in the case of an emergency.

When Making a Motion for Senate Action  (top)

Be extremely specific in the motion made.  Ask the following questions about the motion before deciding to bring it forward to the Senate:

1. Does the motion require the Senate to make a direct recommendation to the President regarding a specific action?
2. Does the motion require the Senate to adopt a resolution?
3. Does the motion involve a problem that should be considered by another Senate committee? If so, when are they to report back to the Senate?
4. Does the motion involve a request for a University committee to consider a question?
5. Does the motion require a response from any committee?

Write the motion as short and explicit as possible, and keep the justification separate.

The motion should follow the form below.  (top)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

To: Faculty Senate

From: The Committee on ______________

Date: _____________

The Committee on ___________ requests that the Faculty Senate adopt the following motion at its meeting on ___(date)___.

MOTION:

A short, explicit statement of what is to be passed by the Senate.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE MOTION:

As long as necessary.

updated 03-06-23