Governance

The Governance Committee monitors University-wide governance and the governance process in the several schools, considers the impact of policies that affect faculty governance, and conducts regular periodic reviews of the NYU Faculty Handbook.

Committee Chair, 2013-2014: Jim Uleman

 

Agenda Items

Resolution regarding Amending the Faculty Handbook
  • At the May 8, 2014 meeting of the Faculty Senators Council, the Council approved the following resolution:
  • IT IS RESOLVED: That the Faculty Senators Council approved the following amendment to the Faculty Handbook:
    • WHEREAS, the Faculty Senators Council recognizes the legal right of the Board of Trustees to make changes to the Faculty Handbook with respect to any matter, and in the manner it finds appropriate in carrying out its duties, and
    • WHEREAS, the Five Principles of Shared Governance are the recognized procedures by which the opinions of the elected representatives of the Faculty on matters that affect the Faculty are heard by the University Administration and. through them, by the Board of Trustees whenever relevant.
    • RESOLVED, the Faculty Senators Council fully expects that the Board of Trustees will, except in exceptional circumstances, act in the spirit of shared governance and consult with faculty prior to amending the Handbook and/or related (linked) policies affecting faculty.
  • View PDF of resolution (May 8, 2014)
Resolution regarding Best Practices for School Elections
  • At the March FSC meeting, the Council approved the following resolution:
  • Resolution 1:
    • IT IS RESOLVED: That the Faculty Senators Council approves the following language for Article I.3 of FSC Rules and Procedures:
    • Current language:
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section B, 3rd sentence)
      • The School’s faculty shall appoint a nominating committee to present at least three names for each Senatorial position to the voting professorial members of their faculty by mail at least one week before an election.
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section C, 2nd sentence)
      • These should include who solicits nominations, when and how; how nominees are validated as eligible; whether biographies of nominees are provided; who conducts the election and counts the votes, including when and how; and who reports results to the Coordinator of the Faculty Senators Council.
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section D, 3rd sentence)
      • (b), a detailed written complaint, signed by no fewer than three voting professorial members of the respective School, may be filed with the Coordinator of the Faculty Senators Council. Such complaint will be investigated by the Governance Committee in consultation with the Executive Committee.
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section D, last sentence)
      • d) In no event, however, will any Senator elected under procedures challenged herein be unseated during the pendency of the complaint and the seating of a replacement Senator, should that prove necessary.
    • Revised language:
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section B, 3rd sentence)
      • The School’s faculty shall appoint a nominating committee to present at least three names for each Senatorial position, whenever applicable, to the voting professorial members of their faculty by mail at least one week before an election.
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section C, 2nd sentence)
      • Whenever applicable, these should include who solicits nominations, when and how; how nominees are validated as eligible; whether biographies of nominees are provided; who conducts the election and counts the votes, including when and how; and who reports results to the Coordinator of the Faculty Senators Council.
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section D, 3rd sentence)
      • (b), a detailed written complaint, signed by no fewer than three voting professorial members or 50% (whichever is smaller) of the respective School, may be filed with the Coordinator of the Faculty Senators Council. Such complaint will be investigated by the Governance Committee in consultation with the Executive Committee.
      • 3. Nomination and Election of Faculty Senators. (Section D, last sentence)
      • In no event, however, will any Senator elected under procedures challenged herein be unseated during the pendency of the complaint and the seating of a replacement Senator, should that prove necessary. Until the challenge is settled, the replacement Senator shall not be seated.
  • Resolution 2:
    • IT IS RESOLVED: That the Faculty Senators Council approves the following language for Addendum to FSC-GC Resolution on Senator Elections in the Schools (2/11/14):
    • Current language:
      • (1st sentence)
      • School election officers and University and School administrators – including but are not limited to those represented on the Deans Council and Administrative Management Council, and officers of the University as described in the NYU Bylaws
    • Revised language:
      • School election officers and University and School administrators – including but not limited to those represented on the Deans Council and Administrative Management Council, and officers of the University as described in the NYU Bylaws
  • View PDF of resolution (March 13, 2014)
Amendments to Faculty Handbook Introduction
  • The Governance Committee viewed the changes to the Faculty Handbook Introduction, dated 2/10/14
  • At the February FSC meeting, the Council approved the changes and recommended the following corrections to the language in paragraph three, which begins with the phrase “To clarify the history…”: remove “state,” “specify," and "set forth.”
  • View PDF of review (February 20, 2014)