The name of this group shall be the Administrative and Professional Faculty Senate, hereinafter referred to as the A/P Senate.
Administrative and professional (A/P) faculty of the university are designated by virtue of their particular competence. Establishment of the A/P faculty Senate is proposed to be a representative body of the A/P faculty. This body will serve as a liaison between ODU’s Administrative and Professional Faculty and university administration. As such, it shall serve as the voice of the A/P faculty with respect to policy on administrative matters and the professional affairs of A/P faculty and perform such other functions as are delegated to it by the A/P faculty of the university. Specifically, the A/P Senate shall represent this classification of faculty of the university in recommending policies to the president and other appropriate individuals on career progression, professional development, recognition/reward, benefits, A/P faculty status, professional standards, and related matters.
Mission: This body will serve as a liaison between ODU’s Administrative and Professional Faculty and the university administration to responsibly advocate for and represent the diverse needs of A/P Faculty.
Outcomes:
• Make recommendations or provide input for policies and procedures that promote the professional and personal interest of A/P faculty.
• Represent A/P Faculty on the University’s Policy Review Committee
• Represent A/P Faculty on University initiatives, such as the strategic planning process and campus master planning.
Definitions
University Division: Units headed by the President, Provost, Vice Presidents, or Director of Athletics as defined by the current University organizational chart. All areas of the institution that employ Administrative and Professional (A/P) faculty are represented on the A/P Senate in accordance with their designated University Division. For up-to-date information, please see the University organizational chart.
Proportional Representation: The number of seats allocated to each University Division is proportional to its size or share of the total population of A/P faculty, within a 5% margin of error.
Section 1 – Eligibility
All A/P Faculty at Old Dominion University are eligible to serve as Senators of the A/P Senate except those who serve on the President’s Cabinet. The University President shall designate a Cabinet member as a non-voting member of the A/P Senate.
Section 2 – Composition
Members of this A/P Senate shall be elected by the A/P Faculty from each University Division. On the first business day of June each odd year, the current number of fulltime A/P Faculty positions in each University Division both on and off main campus shall be reviewed.
All University Divisions shall be guaranteed proportional representation within the A/P Faculty Senate. Regardless of size, each University Division and the University Libraries will be allocated one senate position. Additional Senate positions are awarded to each University Division based on the following criteria:
• 1-25 A/P faculty No Additional Senators
• 26-50 A/P faculty 1 Additional Senator
• 51-75 A/P faculty 2 Additional Senators
• 76-100 A/P faculty 3 Additional Senators
• 101-125 A/P faculty4 Additional Senators
• 126-150 A/P faculty5 Additional Senators
• 151-175 A/P faculty6 Additional Senators
• 176-200 A/P faculty7 Additional Senators 3
• 200+ A/P faculty 8 Additional Senators
Section 3 – Nominations and Elections
Senators shall be determined by elections held no earlier than August 1st. The Executive Committee will be responsible for the process of seeking and securing nominations. All A/P Faculty are eligible to vote.
If a senator election results in a tie, the Executive Committee will execute a runoff election.
Section 3a – Exceptional Disproportionality If the number of nominated A/P faculty within a given division is less than the total number of available Senate positions within that division, the Executive Committee should make a special announcement to the division in question to garner additional nominations. If no additional nominations are received to fill the vacancies, these seats will be forfeited for one academic year during which time they will be excluded from counts for quorum. After one year, the seats may be considered vacant, and an appointment may be made pursuant to Section 4 of this article.
Section 4 – Term of Office
Senators shall serve a two-year term that shall coincide with the academic year. Senators shall be eligible for re-election. If a vacancy occurs during a term the Senate Chair shall nominate a division representative, who must be confirmed by the Executive Committee to fill the office until the next election cycle.
Section 5 – Duties of Senators Senators are expected to attend a majority of Senate meetings, solicit input from other A/P Faculty Members in their unit and participate in campus events. If a Senator is unable to fulfill his/her obligation, then he/she should resign.
Section 6 – Proxies If a senator cannot attend a scheduled business meeting, they can appoint a proxy to attend in their place. A proxy will need to be from that Senator’s division and an A/P Faculty Member. Senators must notify at least one member of the Executive Committee with the proxy information no later than an hour in advance of the meeting. The proxy will have all the voting rights of the senator they are representing.
Section 1 The elected officers of this Senate shall be Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Parliamentarian who shall collectively serve as the Executive Committee. The Past President shall serve on the Executive Committee in a non-elected capacity. The term of Senate officers is one year with the exception of the Past President. The years of service of the Past Chair shall run concurrently to the number of years served by their succeeding president.
Section 2 The officers of the Senate shall be elected no earlier than August 1st by the members of the Senate at or before the first meeting of the academic year. Elections will be led by the Past Chair and shall be determined by plurality of votes cast.
Section 3 The Chair and Vice-Chair may be re-elected but cannot serve more than three consecutive years. The Secretary and Parliamentarian may be re-elected and serve an unlimited number of years.
Section 4 If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Chair, a new election shall take place. If a vacancy occurs among the elected officers other than the Chair the Chair shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, a person to complete the vacated term of office. If there is a vacancy in the position of the Past Chair, the Chair shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, the current senator with the most years of full-time University employment to fill the position. If that senator declines, the Chair will continue to move down the line of service, based on the years of full-time employment as an AP Faculty Member at the university, until the position is filled.
It shall be the duty of the Chair to preside at all meetings of the Senate; to consider all motions regularly made; and to call special meetings. The Chair shall also appoint the 5 chairs of identified committees, taking into consideration a diverse representation of membership. The Chair shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of all committees. The Chair or his/her designee shall also be the representative of this Senate on appropriate university committees, task forces, and boards.
Section 2 In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair. The Vice-Chair shall become familiar with the work of the Senate and shall serve as a nonvoting ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 3 The Secretary shall record all official proceedings of the meetings of this Senate and transmit the proceedings to the Chair and the Executive Committee. The Secretary will maintain the digital footprint for the Senate.
Section 4 When a chair of the AP Faculty Senate leaves the position, that person will serve as the Past Chair. This position is a non-elected, non-voting member of the Executive Committee and A/P Faculty Senate; however, they can cast a tie-breaking vote on issues facing the Executive Committee. The Past Chair is not required to be an elected senator to serve in this position. If the person serving as Past Chair is elected to the AP Faculty Senate, then they can vote in that capacity.
Section 1 The Executive Committee shall conduct, manage, and control the business of this Senate during periods between the business meetings of this Senate.
Section 2 The Executive Committee shall meet at least twice each semester and once during the summer. Other meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the Chair or at the request of a simple majority of the Executive Committee membership. The 6 Executive Committee shall approve all committee memberships. All Executive meetings shall be open to the Senate membership.
Section 1 The Chair shall recommend standing or ad-hoc committees to the executive committee for approval.
Section 2 A/P Senate representatives to internal governance committees shall be selected by the A/P Senate from among any general member of the Administrative and Professional Faculty.
Section 3 The Nominations & Elections Committee for Senators shall be comprised of a minimum of three members of the Senate who are not up for re-election, including one member of the Executive Committee. The members of the committee shall be appointed at the first meeting of the fiscal year. The committee shall follow the rules set out in Article IV of the Bylaws.
Section 1 There shall be at least one business meeting each semester. The time and the place of the meeting(s) shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 2 A majority of A/P Faculty Senators shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, at any meeting for which notice was provided.
Section 3 7 The time and place of meetings shall be announced in advance to the general membership of the Administrative and Professional Faculty, and all meetings shall be open to the general membership.
Section 4 The approved minutes of all public sessions at Senate meetings shall be published and made available to the general membership of the Administrative and Professional Faculty.
Section 1 Except as is provided in Section 2 below, amendments to the By-Laws may be acted upon only at a meeting of the Senate. If presented in writing to all members of the Senate at least thirty (30) days prior to a business meeting at which the proposed change is to be considered, then the amendment may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the membership present. Any proposed amendments to the By-Laws NOT presented in writing to all members of the Senate thirty (30) days in advance of a business meeting may be adopted by at least four-fifths of the members present.
Section 2 Given that all A/P Faculty senior leadership is represented on the President’s Cabinet, proposed amendments to the By-Laws will be coordinated through the non-voting member and cabinet representative for cabinet approval. These By-Laws and any amendments made thereto become effective immediately upon a vote of the membership. These bylaws may be amended by majority vote at any meeting of the A/P Faculty Senate, provided the amendment has been submitted in writing and read at the previous regularly scheduled meeting.
Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Senate not otherwise specified by the By- Laws.