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CONSTITUTION
 (Amended:  4-92/2-93/5-94/4-96/3-01/2-05/2-07)

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UNIVERSITY SENATE CONSTITUTION
Revised 2/2007

PURPOSE

The purpose of the University Senate is to provide a formal means through which the student body, faculty, staff, and the administration, working as a unified group, shall have a representative share in the governance of the University.  In order to further a sense of University community on all issues of governance, the Senate shall have a consultative role to the President and Council of Trustees that is designed to empower the Senate with a significant voice in the governance of the University.  The University Senate shall approve all curricular matters before they are implemented.  The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF-IUP) has delegated its contractual curricular responsibility to the University Wide Graduate Committee and the University Wide Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.  At least two-thirds of the membership of each of these committees shall be faculty.  These committees shall forward curricular proposals to the Senate for approval.  The Senate shall report simultaneously its proposals to the President of the University and the President of APSCUF-IUP.  As defined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, past practice, and Meet-and-discuss agreements, APSCUF shall retain its usual prerogatives with respect to curricular matters before they are submitted to the Council of Trustees.

The Senate can study any issue of university governance and make recommendations to the President and Council of Trustees.  The President and the Council of Trustees, (when possible), shall provide the University Senate an opportunity to review all policies and make recommendations prior to their implementation.

As a matter of expediency, occasionally it may be necessary for administrative personnel, during the normal exercise of their duties, to initiate or modify policies when there is insufficient time to present such matters to the University Senate for consultation.  The initiators of such policies shall immediately give notification of their action to the senate Chair and the Chair of the Rules Committee.  If it applies, notification shall also be given to the Chair of the Senate Committee within whose purview subject policy matters ordinarily fall.  Such policies will automatically be included as New Business on the agenda of the Senate meeting immediately following such enactment.

Proposed amendments of the Constitution shall be referred to the Rules Committee, which shall report the amendment to the Senate for action no sooner than the regular monthly meeting immediately following the introduction or first reading of the proposed amendment.  If the amendment receives a majority vote of those in attendance at this meeting, then the Rules Committee shall refer the proposed amendment in writing, with printed ballots, to the Senate where a two-thirds affirmative vote of those voting is necessary for passage.

Nothing relating to the organization and administration of the University Senate shall be construed so as to limit the authority of the Council of Trustees or the President of the University with respect to the administration of the University as prescribed by law.  Further, nothing in the Constitution or the Rules and Regulations of the University Senate shall be construed so as to limit the authority of the President of the University to appoint such other councils and committees as deemed necessary to facilitate the efficient administration of the University.

COMPOSITION & ELECTIVE PROCEDURES

The University Senate shall consist of a number of faculty double the number of departments of the University; a voting administrative segment one-third the size of the faculty segment; and a student segment one-half the size of the faculty segment. 

The Senate shall also include one Alumni Association representative and four representatives from the staff.  Faculty staff, and administrative members shall be employees in good standing at the time of election or appointment, and during terms of service and the students must be enrolled and in good standing at the time of election or appointment and during terms of service..

"Faculty" is herein defined to include not only those members of the University staff whose duties are primarily instructional, but also departmental level administrators, the professional library staff, (with the exception of the head librarian who is classified as an administrator), and the professional or managerial staff of the Student Cooperative Association (with the exception of its director who is classified as an administrator).  The faculty of the Armstrong and Punxsutawney Campuses also shall be included. "FACULTY is herein defined as it is in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between APSCUF, as the bargaining agent for FACULTY, and the SSHE.  FACULTY is defined as all members of the FACULTY bargaining units, union members and non-union members, alike. 

For the purposes of the Senate representation both the professional library staff and the managerial staff of the Student Cooperative Association, and the faculty of the Armstrong and Punxsutawney Campuses shall be considered as constituting departments.

"Student" as herein used refers to both the undergraduate and graduate student bodies. 

The faculty segment of the Senate shall consist of one member elected by and from each department of the University, two FACULTY members appointed by the President of APSCUF-IUP to serve as one of the Co-Chairs of each of the University Wide Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the University Wide Graduate Committee, twenty-four FACULTY members elected at-large for seats on the UWUCC and the UWGC by the FACULTY, and the remainder to be elected at-large by and from the FACULTY to make the total at-large faculty segment equal to the number of Senators elected by the departments.

The administrative segment shall include the University President (non-voting senator) and administrators/managers serving on Standing Committees by virtue of their office (ex-officio); at least half of the remaining number shall be elected by and from the administrators/managers; and the remainder to be appointed by the University President.

The student segment shall consist of undergraduate and graduate students in proportion to their FTE enrollment—but no segment shall be less than 20% of the total student contingent—each delegation to be elected by its representative student body.  Undergraduate students shall be elected under the auspices of the recognized student association as defined in Pennsylvania Stated Act 1982-188.  In both cases, the officiating body shall call for and accept voluntary nominations for election to the Senate.

The Staff segment shall consist of the local AFSCME President and three representatives from IUP's staff as elected from and by the staff.

The Alumni Association representative shall be appointed by the Alumni Executive Board.

Except where constrained by collective bargaining agreements, the Rules Committee shall exercise general jurisdiction over the manner in which elections to the Senate are conducted, including such matters as determining the eligibility of University employees and students for Senate membership, and establishing the rules by which elections are to be conducted.  Such rules shall include provisions establishing the means by which voluntary nominations for election to the Senate may be made to the Rules Committee, or whatever organ the Rules Committee or the Senate establishes to function as a nominating agency.  The Rules Committee shall also be responsible for conducting such referendums of the various segments of the University as the Senate shall deem necessary.

Election to the Senate for the Faculty and administrative segment shall be for a two-year term.  Students may be elected to the Senate for a term of not less than one academic year and not more than two academic years.  Terms of the Alumni and Staff representatives shall be as designated by their respective organizations.

Any member of the Senate properly elected or appointed to a Senate committee is a voting member of that committee.