* Ex officio, non-voting member

Powers and Jurisdiction of the Senate
A. The University’s Bylaws provide for the faculty to play several roles in governance. These are performed at a number of levels in the institution. The Faculty Senate (hereinafter called the Senate) serves as the authoritative voice of the entire faculty on matters pertaining to the academic mission and strategy of the university as established in the University Bylaws (Article X, Section 2). Elected by faculty colleagues, members of the Senate shall, in accordance with the Bylaws, have primary responsibility for: a. Instruction and academic standards; b. determination of curricula and approval of courses; c. recommendations of faculty appointments, promotions, and other faculty personnel concerns; d. recommendations for the instructional budget; e. recommendations of policies affecting student affairs. For curricular and academic programs, the Faculty Senate will consider matters affecting more than one school or college.
B. The Senate shall have the power: 1. To delegate and to re-delegate or to reclaim the exercise of any of its powers to its standing committees. 2. To fill or to provide for the filling of vacancies in its membership or leadership between annual elections, and to fix the procedures for the nomination and election of at large members of the Senate and of its standing committees. 3. To create, reconstitute, and abolish, and to provide for the appointment and discharge of members of special committees and to define the powers of those committees. 4. To create, reconstitute, and abolish standing committees, and to define the power thereof, with the understanding that any standing committee may, in addition, exercise powers delegated by the Board of Trustees. 5. To invite any person to attend a meeting and to speak within limits set by the Senate. Guests may not vote. 6. To take such other action by resolution as it may deem necessary and proper for the exercise of its authority and responsibilities.

The voting membership of the Senate shall be elected by the university faculty resulting in 23 members. There will be four members from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), and one each from the Kogod School of Business (KSB), the School of Communication (SOC), the School of International Service (SIS), the School of Public Affairs (SPA), the Washington College of Law (WCL), and the University Library; all to be elected by secret ballot within each unit. In addition there will be four members elected at large by secret ballot. In addition, the chair and vice chair of the Committee on Faculty Relations and the chairs of the following committees: Joint Committee on Curriculum and Academic Programs; Committee on Information Services; Committee on Instructional Budget and Benefits; Committee on Faculty Development; Committee on Student Life are members of the Senate. The Immediate Past Chair of the Senate will remain a member through the completion of his or her term even if this exceeds the normal term limit rule. All other Senators are subject to a term limit of two consecutive terms or a maximum of four consecutive academic years. Term limits are defined as ineligibility to again serve on the Senate for the next two academic years. At the completion of the term of office of the Immediate Past Chair, the standard term limit will apply to this person.
B. The Provost, as the chief academic officer, is the official leader of the faculty and an ex officio member of the Senate but does not vote. He or she has all other privileges of senate membership.
C. The university faculty shall elect, annually, in the spring, approximately one half of the faculty membership of the Senate for terms of two years.
D. All full-time faculty, emeriti faculty and all administrative officers of the university who hold academic rank are eligible to participate in elections for the Senate and, with the exceptions of the President and Provost, to be elected as faculty representatives.
E. Terms of office of newly elected senators shall begin on June 15.