University Faculty Senate
"The University Faculty Senate represents all faculty at Penn State through the process of shared governance. The Senate is comprised of faculty senators who are elected from each college and campus.
Members of the University community are welcome to attend Senate meetings and, with prior approval of the Chair, may speak regarding a matter before the body. Further information about the Faculty Senate is available in the Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules of the University Faculty Senate, the Faculty Senate website Links to an external site., or by contacting the Office of the University Faculty Senate, (814) 863-0221, 101 Kern Graduate Building.
What the Senate Does
- Legislative Body: Serve as the sole legislative body representing the University faculty as a whole with primary authority over all educational matters, including curriculum, student policies, admissions, and retention/graduation requirements.
- Advisory to the President: Act as an advisory and consultative body to the President, both through its corporate whole and any of its constituent parts, on any other matter that may affect the attainment of the educational objectives of the University.
- Forum of Ideas: Serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas among the members of the University faculty. One of the ways the Senate facilitates communication among faculty, students, and administration is through visits by the Senate officers to all campuses and colleges every three years.
Senate Membership
The Senate represents more than 5,600 full-time faculty at 23 Penn State campuses. The Senate is comprised of faculty senators who are elected from each college and campus. In 2011, the Senate legislated a fixed-size of 200 elected faculty seats. Senate seats are allocated proportionately by unit, based on the ratio of full-time unit faculty to the total number of full-time University faculty. Other Senate representation includes undergraduate/graduate student senators, ex officio, and members appointed by the President. Senate committee chairs invite other members of the University community to participate in the work of the committees as resources.
Senate Structure
The Senate is under the leadership of an elected Chair and three other elected officers. It has 17 standing committees, many of which meet regularly to produce reports to present at Senate Plenary meetings. In addition, the Senate elects or appoints members to various joint committees, commissions, and boards, including the University Promotion and Tenure Review and the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities committees. The work of the Senate is accomplished primarily through its committees and subcommittees. An Executive Director is responsible for the operational duties of the Senate and supervises a staff of seven."
How to bring a concern to the University Faculty Senate Links to an external site.
References