A. Authority and Responsibility of the Faculty Senate

The Faculty is self-governing, and the Faculty Senate is the expression of this right. The Faculty Senate acts as a communication and coordination link between the Faculty and the various administrative and/or educational entities of the University. The Faculty Senate is responsible for representing faculty interests during the policy formulation phase. The Faculty Senate is responsible for insuring that substantive issues affecting the welfare of the Faculty are brought to the attention of the Faculty in a timely and complete fashion. In this regard, it is particularly incumbent upon the Faculty Senate to work freely and closely with the Administration and the Board of Trustees in the pursuit of common goals which affect the welfare of the Faculty and the University. The Faculty Senate acts for the Faculty body on issues in any primary or shared area of responsibility, as defined in the Faculty Handbook. The Faculty Senate shall:

1. Deliberate, develop, review or revise all University policies affecting the Faculty.
2. Provide uniform opportunities for participation by all faculty members.
3. Conduct business in open meetings. Any matter that properly may be brought before the Faculty may be brought before the Faculty Senate except for the election of Senators as noted in this document.
4. Communicate its actions to the University Faculty and to other appropriate University entities in a timely manner.
5. Oversee, create, review and dissolve, as needed, all committees of the Faculty, and serve as the body to which these committees shall report.
6. Facilitate communication between the University Faculty and the other entities of the University.
7. Consider other issues as needed.