Constitution of the Faculty

G3.01 Constitution of the Faculty

PREAMBLE
In order to promote the general welfare of Missouri State University to effect communication within the faculty of the university as well as between the faculty and the administration, the staff, the students, the alumni, and the Board of Governors, ; and in order to provide a means of collective action of the faculty in dealing with matters of concern to the Faculty, including matters of curriculum, this Constitution of the Faculty governance is affirmed.

ART I CREATION OF THE FACULTY SENATE
The faculty of Missouri State University acknowledge and accept the responsibility and authority for shared governance delegated to it by the Bylaws of the Board of Governors. Faculty governance at Missouri State University shall be defined to include the creation of the Faculty Senate.

ART II PURPOSE OF THE FACULTY SENATE
The purpose of the Faculty Senate shall be to provide a forum for discussing matters of concern to the Faculty and to inform all segments of the academic community of the Faculty Senate's concerns, findings, and actions.

ART III POWERS OF THE FACULTY SENATE
The Faculty Senate shall have the power to establish policy in the areas of authority assigned to the faculty in the Bylaws of the Board of Governors and for such other areas or problems as may be assigned to it by the president of the university or the Board of Governors. Shared governance, as delegated by the Board in the Faculty Handbook, recognizes the essential interdependence of governing boards, administration, faculty, staff, and students. This shared governance is indispensable to the development of educated persons. The Faculty Senate shall have the power to establish specific functional bodies to carry out powers granted to the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate and its established bodies shall have the power to initiate action in such curricular and non-curricular matters as it deems fit, or in such matters as are brought to its attention by one or more members of the faculty. Faculty Senate Actions, as perfected and passed by the Faculty Senate, represent the collective reasoning of the faculty through its governance process as to policies and procedures to be followed by the University. Every Faculty Senate Action is subject to challenge by the faculty and subject to final approval by the president and, when necessary, by the Board of Governors.

ART IV NOMENCLATURE FOR ACADEMIC ENTITIES AND PERSONNEL
For brevity and simplicity, the Constitution refers only to academic units with heads and colleges with deans. Some academic entities and associated personnel (including directors and chairs) do not fit this nomenclature. The Faculty Senate web page (http://www.missouristate.edu/facultysenate/entities.htm) indicates how such entities are treated with respect to the curricular process and representation on the Senate and its subcommittees.

ART V MEMBERSHIP OF THE FACULTY SENATE
There are two classes of membership in the Faculty Senate: voting members (designated as senators) and non-voting members (designated as delegates). The voting membership of the Faculty Senate shall consist of the following senators: the Chair of the Senate; the Chair-Elect of the Senate; the Secretary of the Faculty; representatives of academic units, with one (1) senator selected from each academic unit; one (1) representative from instructors; one (1) representative from senior instructors; one (1) from clinical faculty; and representatives of the ranked faculty with one (1) senator from each rank: (a) assistant professor, (b) associate professor, (c) full or distinguished professor. Eligible academic unit representatives include all ranked faculty, as well as those instructors and clinical faculty who have served no less than two (2) consecutive academic years at Missouri State University by the September session of their term. Ranked faculty refers to tenure-track/tenured, including Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and full or Distinguished Professor. Those who hold administrative appointments at or above head level of an academic unit are not eligible to serve as senators. Exception to this rule: if an academic unit has three or fewer eligible representatives, then the head/chair/director may serve as senator.

ART VI OFFICERS OF THE FACULTY SENATE
The officers of the Faculty Senate shall include: Chair, Chair-elect, and Secretary of the Faculty.

ART VII SESSIONS OF THE FACULTY
The university faculty shall meet at the call of the Board of Governors, of the President of the university, of the Chair of the Faculty Senate, or upon the written petition to the President of the university of not less than ten percent (10%) of the voting faculty. The President of the university, or the President's designee, shall conduct sessions of the university faculty.

ART VIII SESSIONS OF THE FACULTY SENATE
SEC 1   The first session of the newly-elected Faculty Senate shall be convened within seven (7) school days after the general election of Faculty Senate members.

SEC 2   During the regular academic year, the Faculty Senate shall be scheduled to meet once a month at a time and place fixed by the Faculty Senate.

ART IX PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern sessions of the faculty, the Faculty Senate and established bodies of the Faculty Senate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with the Bylaws.

ART X AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION
There are two (2) classes of constitutional amendments: substantive and non-substantive. A non-substantive amendment includes only editorial and/or terminological changes that do not affect the intent of this Constitution. The rules governing non-substantive amendments to this Constitution are the same as those governing amendments to the Bylaws of the Faculty Senate. Non-substantive amendments are therefore voted upon only by the Faculty Senate. If there is any question as to whether a proposed amendment is substantive, it must be treated as substantive.

Substantive amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by the Faculty Senate or upon petition to the Faculty Senate by 50 ranked faculty. A report, which must include the exact wording of the amendment and a rationale, shall be placed on the agenda of the next Faculty Senate session, unless that would place it on the May agenda, in which case it shall be placed on the September agenda. The report is for information and debate only; the constitutional amendment may not itself be amended in any way on the floor of the Senate, nor may it be withdrawn, nor is it voted upon by the Senate. The report shall be distributed electronically to the Faculty on the same day the report is presented to the Senate. Substantive amendments are voted upon electronically by the entire ranked faculty. The polls shall open on the first business day not less than thirty (30) days following the report, and shall remain open for a total of five (5) business days. An affirmative vote equal to a majority of the votes cast by the ranked faculty shall be necessary to make a proposed substantive amendment part of this Constitution.