UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FACULTY SENATE SHARED GOVERNANCE OVERVIEW

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FACULTY SENATE SHARED GOVERNANCE OVERVIEW

PRINCIPLES: TO BE ENDORSED BY THE FACULTY SENATE

A. Do you agree with the principles of shared governance as outlined in IIIA of the Task Force Report? Shared Governance between faculty and administration is a reality at leading research universities. It is essential to the quality and the value of the education of the students, as well as the excellence and importance of the research conducted by all members of the University and the academic services offered within and beyond the University community. Effective Shared Governance is predicated on the power to initiate decisions of academic importance and on timely communication between Administration and the Faculty. Efficient Shared Governance requires appropriate notification to the Faculty Senate of any proposed or pending decisions affecting the University environment and University policies. Shared Governance is described in this document primarily at the University level. To work effectively, Shared Governance must extend to all Academic Unites—departments and colleges or the equivalent—within the University to create both a structure and a culture of meaningful Faculty participation. The definition and maintenance of high academic standards, for example, are the privilege and responsibility of Faculty members at every level of governance. For Shared Governance, Faculty and Administration evaluate the effectiveness of these deliberations and practices with mutually agreed upon criteria for process and performance standards. Shared Governance is necessary to enhance the stature of the University of Florida. It ensures the quality of the education the University provides and that the research it conducts is at the frontier of knowledge for the benefit of the State of Florida and beyond.

B. Do you agree with the levels of shared governance as outlined in IIIB of the Task Force Report? 1. Determines. As delegated by the President, the Faculty through the Faculty Senate makes the final determination on certain matters. 2. Recommends. The Faculty through the Faculty Senate makes recommendations on certain matters. The President (or designee) may modify or reject recommendations only after a further conference with the Faculty Senate (or its representative). The President (or designee) shall then inform the Faculty Senate (or representative) of the final decision and the reasons for that decision. 3. Consults. The Faculty through the Faculty Senate must have an opportunity for consultation with the President (or designee) on other matters connected with the priorities and policies of the University and their implementation. To consult means to have input into the decision making process, and especially to be informed of the nature and rationale for decisions before they are made.

C. Do you believe that, at most, the Senate should share in decision making in the following areas: D. Academic Policy & Structure E. Faculty Quality & Welfare F. Academic Planning, Budgeting & Resource Allocation G. Research & Scholarship H. Academic Infrastructure & Support?

IMPLEMENTATION: MAJOR DECISIONS TO BE MADE BY THE FACULTY SENATE

The Faculty

1. Who participates in university-wide shared governance? How will the faculty be defined? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Regular ranks of instructor, professor or the equivalent. Also special faculty titles of equivalent rank (eminent scholar, graduate research professor, distinguished professor) Appropriate rank & title may be accorded to persons engaged in instruction, administration, research, extension Full time appointed during the regular academic year to carry out teaching, research, and academic service: all ranks of Professor, Curator, Scientist, Scholar, Engineer, Librarian, Lecturer Full time tenured & tenure-track faculty and full time nontenured continuing faculty Tenured & tenure track, full time clinical contributing to three goals of Teaching Research & Service

2. How will the faculty as a whole participate in shared governance? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority General Assembly Not addressed Representation in Senate University Committees Not addressed Academic units’ shared governance Not addressed

The Faculty Senate

3. How will the faculty participate in shared governance through its legislative body, the Faculty Senate? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Legislative body of the University providing forum for mutual exchange of ideas with regard to matters concerning more than one unit or those of general University interest Faculty Senate acts on behalf of Faculty & General Assembly in University-wide matters involving more than one unit or those of general University interest Faculty elect senators to develops & enact the policy framework within which administration must function, with regard to Academic Policy & Curriculum; Academic Freedom & Faculty Affairs; Research & Scholarship; Planning & Budget -

4. Who is eligible for Senate membership? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Any faculty member Faculty, as defined above, eligible to vote shall be eligible to serve Faculty

5. How will seats on the Senate be apportioned? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Proportion of full time tenured or tenure-track faculty in unit to those in University, to total 150 At least 2 but not more than 25 voting members per unit, then proportional to faculty in unit, to total 150 Equitably among units according to number of voting faculty & percentage of total # of full-time students enrolled in School, to total 150 Minimum 3 and maximum 25 members, then proportional to faculty in unit, to total 150

6. Who can vote for Senators? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Tenured & tenure track faculty Faculty, as defined above Members of academic units

7. How will the Senate interface with the administration to share the University’s governance? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Forum for mutual exchange of ideas between senior officers and faculty Participation in decision- and policy-making process; partnership based on collaborative participation Policy formation by Faculty Senate and vigorous, creative, respectful implementation thereof by the Administration -

Faculty Senate: Policy

8. What should the Senate’s policy councils do? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Does not exist Academic Policy & Structure Academic Policy & Curriculum Does not exist Faculty Quality and Welfare Academic Freedom & Faculty Affairs Academic Freedom Does not exist - - Faculty Affairs Does not exist Academic Planning, Budgeting & Resource Allocation Research & Scholarship Planning & Budget Research & Scholarship Academic Infrastructure & Support Does not exist

9. How should the Senate’s policy councils be constituted? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Not applicable Chairs of Contributing Committees, 2 members elected from and by the Senate, 1 member appointed by administration; Chairs of Related Committees are non -voting members 11 members elected from and by the Senate Not addressed

10. How long should policy council members’ terms be? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Not applicable 1 -3 years for members of Contributing Committees 1 year Not addressed

11. What is the relationship between policy committees/councils and other University committees? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Current Senate Committees report to Senate and Joint Committees report to Senate and Administration Other Senate, Joint & Presidential Committees contribute or relate to Policy Councils All non-Senate committees (identified above) would be dissolved or would become creatures of administration alone Not addressed

11. How long should committee members’ terms be? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority 3 years, staggered Administrative decision Not addressed

Faculty Senate: Operations

12. What operational committees are necessary to attend to Senate management, beyond the policy councils/committees identified above? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Steering Executive Committee Steering Constitution & Rules Constitution, Rules & Legislation Committees

13. What is the role of the Executive/Steering Committee? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority Executive committee of the Faculty Senate. Advises Chair on all matters. Determines agenda for meetings. Coordinates, reviews and refers action to Senate and Joint Committees Sets agenda for Faculty Senate, apportions business to Councils & Committees, receives reports, supervises action not otherwise delegated. Liaison to Faculty. Resolves jurisdictional conflicts Prepare agenda for Senate, determine general agenda & goals, create subcommittees then delegate membership, duration, jurisdiction of these to standing committees; handle nominations & elections Determine agenda of meetings

14. Who are the members of the Executive/Steering Committee? UF Constitution Task Force Committee. Majority Committee. Minority 10 voting: Chair, Chair-elect, Past Chair and 7 members elected from Senate 15, including 2 non -voting: Voting: Chair, Chair-elect, Past Chair 5 Chairs Policy Councils, 3 Senators at large, President, Provost Non-voting: Secretary & Parliamentarian 10 voting, 2 nonvoting: Voting: Chair, Chair elect, Secretary, Chairs of 5 Standing Senate Committees, 2 Senators at large Non-voting: Past chair (non-voting), Parliamentarian (non-voting) -

15. Aside from the councils identified above, should membership, terms of office or reporting structure of other committees modified in the last five years be changed at this time? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority - Revise election timing Dissolve all existing Senate & Joint Committees -

16. Should special Senate procedures be developed to replace Roberts Rules of Order? UF Constitution Task Force Committee-Majority Committee-Minority No Yes-special procedure to end and reopen debate No