The University Board of Trustees approved the following Principles set forth below with respect to the Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty Senators Council, formerly the Faculty Senators Council (December 12, 2012) and with respect to the Full-Time Continuing Contract Faculty Senators Council (February 19, 2015).

  1. Representation
    The Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty Senators Council (T-FSC) and the Full-Time Continuing Contract  Faculty Senators Council (C-FSC) will each have a representative (from each FSC or its designee) on University committees, taskforces, or other University-wide bodies that are convened  by the administration to advise on matters that affect faculty in educational and administrative  policy.
  2. Information
    Transparency with respect to information regarding matters that affect faculty in educational and administrative policy is the norm. The use of “deliberative privilege” is the exception to this norm, requested only in circumstances wherein an individual(s) or the University’s interests would be harmed by public disclosure.
    In such instances, the University administration will provide appropriate reasons for invoking “deliberative privilege.”
  3. Consultation
    Except under rare, extraordinary circumstances, the University administration will provide a reasonable length of time for T-FSC and C-FSC consultation and input on all matters that affect faculty in educational and administrative policy. This means that the administration must plan in advance to allow enough time for at least one regularly-scheduled T-FSC and/or C-FSC meeting to occur before the consultation period comes to a close on any particular matter.

    For urgent decisions, such as decisions that must be taken during the summer or winter holiday, when the T-FSC and C-FSC are not in session, each Council will establish a “provisional review committee” and a set of procedures for timely consultation and input regarding University administration decisions on matters that affect faculty in educational and administrative policy. All decisions reached by each Council’s provisional review committee are subject to full Council review and approval. Each Council will promptly convey its final decision on the matter to the administration, which in turn will reconsider the provisional policy, based on new or additional advice provided by the Council. The administration will then promptly convey its final decision to each Council.
  4. Reasoned Justification

    When the T-FSC and/or C-FSC submits advice in writing to the University administration and the administration does not agree with or accept the Council’s advice, the administration will provide its reasons for not accepting the Council’s advice to the Council(s) in writing and in a timely matter.
  5. Communication
    Predicated on the understanding the communications will pertain to Senate-related matters relevant to faculty colleagues within the Senators’ schools, and that the communication systems will be used in a reasonable and responsible manner consistent with the norms of civility, the deans will enable Senators to send emails to faculty colleagues within their schools. Such communication will clearly convey whether its content is an official Council communication or if it reflects the personal view(s) of the author(s).