Board of Trustees

Chapter 3335-19 Bylaws of the University Senate

3335-19-01  Rules of order.

Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings of the senate (throughout these bylaws the word "senate" shall be taken to mean the university senate) shall be conducted in accordance with the latest revision of "Robert's Rules of Order."

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 7/30/2001, 8/1/2005)

 

3335-19-02  Meetings.

(A)  Regular meetings of the senate shall be held during the autumn and spring semesters. In the spring semester each year the steering committee shall recommend and the senate shall adopt and publish the schedule of regular meetings for the following academic year. This schedule shall include at least seven meetings spread over the academic year. The schedule shall make every effort to avoid meetings on days of major religious observances. Scheduled meetings may be cancelled by the steering committee when deemed appropriate.

(B)  Meetings of the senate shall be held in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid format. Acceptable means of virtual participation, such as teleconferencing or videoconferencing, must allow verification of identity and permit full participation in meetings.

(C) Special meetings of the senate shall be scheduled upon:

  1. Majority vote of senate members present and voting at any meeting, or
  2. Call of the president of the university, or
  3. Call of the steering committee, or
  4. Petition signed by at least twenty-five voting members of the senate and presented to the secretary of the university senate.

(D)  If the petition requesting a special meeting specifically requests a meeting at the earliest date and is transmitted with the necessary supporting material for distribution to the membership, then a special meeting shall be called within eight days of receipt of the petition by the secretary of the university senate.

(E)  Written notice of the time and place of regular and special meetings, the order of business, and copies of any substantive proposals shall be sent to all members and alternate members at least ten calendar days prior to the senate meeting.

(F)  At a time of emergency the president shall have authority to call a special meeting without a five day advance notice.

(G)  All senate meetings shall be open to the public.

(Prior effective dates: 2/19/1988, 7/30/2001, 7/30/2010; Board approval dates: 6/22/2012, 6/6/2014, 2/27/2020, 2/10/2022 (5/18/2023)

 

3335-19-03  Agenda.

(A)  Every meeting of the senate shall have an agenda. The agenda shall include the time and place of the meeting, order of business, and copies of any substantive proposals.

(B)  The steering committee shall establish the agenda for all regular senate meetings. For this purpose, the steering committee

  1. Shall receive through the university senate office proposals for senate action, or other reports and presentations to the senate from any committee of the senate, or university committee or council, or member of the senate, or any member of the university community.
  2. Shall, as necessary, refer all board and substantive proposals for senate action to appropriate committees for review prior to entering them in an agenda (see rule 3335-19-07(C)).
  3. Shall, as soon as practicable, include in the senate agenda of a regular meeting all germane items submitted to the steering committee through the university senate office. 
    1. The steering chair shall, in consultation with appropriate members of the steering committee, make an initial evaluation of germaneness. Items deemed not germane will be returned to the submitter with a written explanation.
    2. If the item is re-submitted with the germaneness addressed, the item shall be placed on the steering agenda.
      1. The steering committee shall evaluate the germaneness of the proposed business and whether it is fully developed. If the proposal is germane and fully developed, it shall be placed on the senate agenda.
      2. Any proposal deemed not germane for the senate by the steering committee shall be returned with a written explanation. Explanations shall indicate the appropriate constituent body, campus office, administrator, or entity where the issue can be more appropriately addressed.
      3. The steering committee shall work with proposers to ensure that proposals are developed sufficiently for senate deliberation and vote.
  4. Shall set the agenda so that the scheduled business can be disposed of in a meeting of reasonable duration. The senate holds regular meetings seven times during the course of the academic year.
  5. Shall include with each agenda an estimate of the time necessary to complete the regularly scheduled business of the senate.
  6. Shall advise the senate regarding the need for a special meeting, when necessary to conduct time-sensitive business or when senate business exceeds the capacity of the regularly-scheduled meeting.

(C)  The secretary of the university senate shall send and make available electronically copies of the agenda for all senate meetings to all members and alternate members at least five calendar days prior to the meeting.

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 11/28/1983, 2/19/1988, 1/7/2001, 7/30/2010, 4/6/2018, 5/18/2023)

 

3335-19-04  Order of business.

(A)  The order of business for all meetings shall be as set forth in the agenda, except that the order of business and allocation of time may be altered by an action approved in the meeting. Upon completion of the business described in the agenda, the regular meetings shall proceed in the following order:

  1. Unfinished business
  2. New business
  3. Comments and announcements
  4. Adjournment

(B)  A special meeting shall be limited to the purposes stated in its agenda.

(Board approval date: 3/13/1978)

 

3335-19-05  Floor  privileges.

Proposals, measures, and resolutions shall be introduced on the senate floor by members of the senate only. Members of the university community who are not members of the senate may be granted the right to speak, but not to vote, on matters before the senate. When a request is made for this privilege, the presiding officer shall ask the senate for objections and, hearing none, shall grant permission to speak. If objections are raised, the privilege shall be extended only by an action of the senate.

(Board approval date: 3/13/1978)

 

3335-19-06  Quorum and voting.

(A)  A simple majority of the voting membership of the senate, whether attending in person or virtually, shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of the senate's business. The same quorum, a simple majority, shall be required of each committee of the senate.

(B)  Action by the senate shall be by vote of a majority of members present, except as otherwise required by these rules or by the latest revision of "Robert's Rules of Order."

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 5/25/1991, 8/1/2005, 2/10/2022)

 

3335-19-07  Proposals for senate action.

(A)  Proposals for senate action shall be classified as either routine or substantive, and treated accordingly.

(B)  Routine proposals are those that relate to Senate business, such as approval of the minutes or acceptance of reports or appointment of committee personnel, and include the call of a special meeting. Such proposals may be introduced and acted upon in any meeting, subject only to the test of germaneness.

(C)  Board proposals are those which establish or alter an academic program of study, or rules or bylaws within the senate's purview, and which must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

(D) Substantive proposals are those which address matters of university policy or university-wide concern, such as the approval of university policies or centers, or of resolutions related to university business or activities. Substantive proposals do not require approval by the Board of Trustees.

(E) Board and substantive proposals shall be:

  1. Submitted to the university senate office in the complete and exact form intended for senate debate and adoption, and shall be processed by the steering committee following rule 3335-19-03 of the Administrative Code, except that proposals for presentation at a special meeting need not be submitted to the steering committee. If a board or substantive proposal is referred to a committee by the steering committee or by the senate, and any subsequent suggested changes are not acceptable to the originators of the proposal, then the steering committee shall place the original proposal and the suggested changes in the same agenda.
     
  2. Sent to all members and alternate members of the senate as part of the agenda at least five calendar days prior to the meeting.
     
  3. Moved and seconded by members of the senate and then opened for floor debate. The proposal may then be amended, referred to committee in whole or in part, tabled, postponed, divided, and/or adopted or rejected.
    1. Amendments offered in floor debate are classified as minor or substantive. A substantive amendment alters the sense or strength of the original proposal. Determination of the status of an amendment is made by ruling of the presiding officer or by vote of the senate. Classification may be made at the time a motion to amend has been made and seconded or after the senate has voted affirmatively in favor of the motion to amend. If a motion from the floor is passed and is declared to be substantive, it cannot become effective until the next meeting of the senate. At that time it must be reconsidered, unless the committee which submitted the original proposal has requested a continuation from the steering committee. In case of a continuation, the steering committee shall, as soon as practicable, place the amendment on the agenda for reconsideration. The party that submitted the original proposal shall be afforded the opportunity to present arguments against the amendment or to move substitute language for the amendment at the time of reconsideration. If substitute language is approved by the senate, the amendment as modified will become effective at that time. If substitute language is defeated or is not presented, the senate shall vote on reaffirmation of the amendment in the form originally passed except for possible changes of a purely editorial nature. The amendment may be reaffirmed and become effective at that time or it may be defeated. (This section may be set aside by a successful motion to suspend the bylaws of the senate as prescribed in paragraph (C) of rule 3335-19-13 of the Administrative Code.)

(F)  Substitute statements or suggested amendments which are included in an original proposal and distributed in an agenda shall each be acted upon as a substantive proposal.

(G)  Substitute statements or suggested amendments proposed by any senate or university committee or by any member of the senate, shall be received by the steering committee and shall be scheduled in the same agenda as the original proposal.

(H)  Prior to a senate vote a proposal that establishes or alters rules or bylaws within the senate's purview shall be reviewed by the rules committee, which may recommend changes in accordance with paragraph (C)(4) of rule 3335-5-47.3 of the Administrative Code.

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 2/6/1983, 1/15/1987, 5/3/1987, 7/30/2001, 7/30/2010, 2/10/2022, 5/18/2023)

 

3335-19-08  Reports.

(A)  Reports are items on which no senate action other than acceptance is requested. They may be distributed with the agenda and presented by the secretary of the university senate by reporting the title, source, and date of receipt. If an oral presentation of a written report is to be made at the senate meeting, such oral presentation shall be limited to a short summary of the written report and to responses to questions concerning the report from members of the senate.

(B)  Any committee of the senate may report to the senate on any matter before the committee. Written notification of intent to present a report shall be submitted to the university senate office, as specified in 3335-19-03(B), at least twelve calendar days preceding the senate meeting. The steering committee shall decide whether a written report is required to be included with the senate agenda mailing. Reports coming from a minority of committee members may be brought to senate through the senate office, as specified in 3335-19-03(B), or for time-sensitive reports, as new business. A majority of the members of the senate present and voting may require a standing committee to report at the next regular meeting of the senate.

(C)  Reports for which written versions are not required by the steering committee may be included on the senate agenda. The secretary of the university senate shall be provided with a written synopsis when the report is presented.

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 11/28/1983, 7/30/2010, 5/18/2023)

 

3335-19-09  Office of the university senate.

There shall be a permanent office of the university senate, administered by the secretary of the university senate, to facilitate the orderly conduct of the meetings of the senate and the work of the committees of the senate. The office shall also be responsible for maintaining liaison between the senate and university committees. The staff shall consist of the secretary of the university senate and at least one full-time recording secretary.

(Board approval date: 3/13/1978)

 

3335-19-10  Attendance.

Members of the senate shall attempt to avoid conflicts between their academic schedule and the meetings of the senate and related committees. In the event of unavoidable conflict, it is expected the members will choose that resolution most favorable to their academic obligations. All members are expected to arrange for attendance by an alternate member at those senate meetings the member is unable to attend.

(Prior effective date: 3/13/1978; Board approval dates: 2/11/2011, 6/6/2014, 5/18/2023)

 

3335-19-11  Minutes and reports of senate meetings.

(A)  Official minutes of the senate meetings shall be taken and kept by the secretary of the university senate. A secretary's report of action taken at each meeting of the senate shall be sent to all members and alternate members after each meeting, and approved by senate action in a subsequent meeting.

(B)  The official record and minutes of all senate meetings shall be those "Secretary's Reports on Actions of the Senate," together with the appropriate supporting and reference documents, as have been submitted to and accepted by the senate. The secretary shall also have taken and have preserved, for reference purposes, verbatim electronic sound recordings of all proceedings in senate meetings.

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 11/28/1983, 2/19/1988)

 

3335-19-12  Transmittal and record of senate actions.

(A)  The secretary of the university senate shall transmit the results of senate actions to the president, board of trustees, and other appropriate agencies.

(B)  The secretary shall maintain and periodically communicate to the members and alternate members of the senate and to the university faculty a record of those actions of the senate having continuing effect, and not published in the "Rules of the University Faculty."

  1. At least once each year the secretary shall send a summary of such actions to all members and alternate members of the senate.
  2. A permanent record of such actions shall be maintained in the office of the university senate. This record shall be available for review by any member of the university community.

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 2/6/1983, 11/28/1983, 7/4/1987)

 

3335-19-13  Amendments and suspensions.

(A)  These bylaws may be amended as provided for in rule 3335-5-45 of the Administrative Code. Such proposals shall be substantive proposals (Rule 3335-19-07 of the Administrative Code) and shall be introduced in the agenda of a regular or special meeting.

(B)  The secretary of the university senate, with the concurrence of the rules committee, is entrusted to make non-substantive emendations in diction and grammar, and is authorized to change titles of administrative offices, administrative officers, academic units, or student constituent groups in these bylaws following appropriate action on these title changes by the senate or the board of trustees.

(C)  These bylaws may be suspended for a single and designated purpose. A proposal to suspend a provision of the bylaws may be introduced and acted upon in the same meeting, as a routine proposal, provided that the suspension shall be germane to only one specific proposal, and the suspension is affirmed by a two-thirds vote.

(Board approval dates: 3/13/1978, 4/27/1986, 8/5/1996)