As a Senate, our Rules and Bylaws will be guides we reference often in the course of conducting our business throughout the academic year. They provide us with important procedural steps for holding meetings and voting, for performing our designated duties given our roles, for nominating and electing members to the Senate, etc. Resolutions function as guiding documents as well, expressing the collective position of the Academic Senate on certain issues in response to factual evidence. According to the ASCCC's Resolutions Handbook, the "Academic Senate relies on formal resolutions to set direction for the organization as a whole."
For the purposes of this training, please review the Senate Rules and the Senate Bylaws documents and review the titles of recent resolutions. As you do, please read closely the articles, the sections, and the "whereas/resolved" statements that feel salient and relevant to your current questions and interests as a member of the Academic Senate. Please prepare insights and inquires to share with your colleagues.
Senate Bylaws include basic provisions of purpose, functions, and membership while Senate Rules offer more details about how the Senate and Senate members conduct business. These Bylaws and Rules applying to the Academic Senate:
list officers, terms of office, and procedures for election, recall, and resignation
establish duties of Academic Senate members
list fundamental basics for calling and conducting meetings, including ad hoc committees
set procedures for placing items on meeting agendas
Resolutions are an important tool academic senates utilize to influence shared governance processes, ensuring faculty perspectives are considered and contributing to the overall mission and excellence of the institution.
Explore Further: Senate Bylaws, Senate Rules, & Resolutions
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