Article I. Title
This organization shall be entitled “The Faculty Senate of Delta State University.”
Article II. Purpose
The Faculty Senate shall be empowered to make recommendations to the President and Academic Council on policies affecting the University and to advise on such matters as the President shall lay before it.
It shall also keep the General Faculty fully informed of its recommendations. The Chair of the Faculty Senate, or a representative, shall represent the Faculty as a voting member of the Academic Council.
The Chair and other members of the Senate as directed by the Senate shall be among the representatives of the Faculty at meetings of any administrative council or other such body established, or to be established, by the President to act as advisor in administering the affairs of the University.
Article III: Organization
Section 1
The Faculty Senate membership shall be limited to faculty who qualify as Eligible Faculty. Eligible Faculty as used in this constitution shall mean full-time employees of Delta State University (Cleveland, MS campus) who hold the faculty rank, except for deans, assistant deans, associate deans, and cabinet level positions.
Section 2
Those eligible to vote include those eligible to serve and part-time faculty teaching nine (9) hours or more per semester.
Section 3
The membership quota of the Faculty Senate shall consist of representation from each division/department/ unit in which there are Eligible Faculty. The following scale will be used to determine representation:
Eligible Faculty Number of Senators
1-14 1
15-24 2
25-34 3
Section 4
A term of office for senators shall be two years. At any given election, a senator who has served in the two previous consecutive terms or portions thereof shall be ineligible. The immediate past chair will serve as an ex officio voting member of the Faculty Senate during the following legislative year (May through April), independent of the number of previous consecutive terms served. In the first election under this constitution, one half of the senators will be elected for a one year term. The senators to be elected for a one year term will be determined by lot. Within a unit that will have more than one senator, one senator will serve a one year term.
Section 5
Election of Faculty Senators shall be by the approval voting method. Ballots containing the names of the candidates shall be distributed in each unit not later than the 15th day of March. Faculty shall be notified of the election results not later than the 31st day of March.
Section 6
If a vacancy occurs in the Faculty Senate, the term of that senator shall be filled by a candidate from the same voting unit who will be chosen by special election. The new senator shall be assigned to the same Faculty Senate committees as the senator who is being replaced.
Section 7
A Committee of Elections shall be responsible for allocating Faculty Senate representation and for conducting elections. The committee shall consist of one Faculty Senator from each of the following: The School of Arts and Sciences, The School of Business, The School of Education, The School of Nursing and the Library. Members of the committee will be elected by the senators representing their respective schools or the Library. Members of this committee shall be responsible for supplying the Committee of Elections with a list of the Eligible Faculty in each unit of their respective schools or the Library. This committee shall elect its chair.
Section 8
An organizational meeting of the new Faculty Senate shall be called by the Chair of the previous year to meet not later than the first week of May at which meeting the Faculty Senate shall elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and a Secretary. The immediate past chair shall not be eligible for election as an officer during the year following incumbency. The officers of the Faculty Senate shall be the Chair, the Vice Chair, the Secretary, and the immediate past Chair. These officers along wish the elected Chairs of the standing committees shall serve as the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. Faculty Senate committee membership shall be determined by the aforementioned four senate officers, but continuing Faculty Senate members shall retain their previous committee membership if they so desire. Each Faculty Senate standing committee shall elect its own chair.
Section 9
The Faculty Senate shall be considered a continuing body, and the Faculty Senate shall have the authority to create standing committees to make continuing studies of significant issues.
Section 10
The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate shall be on the second Thursday of each month, provided classes are in session on that day. An extraordinary meeting of the Faculty Senate shall be called by the Chair under either of the following conditions:
- Upon majority vote of the officers of the Faculty Senate;
- Upon written petition to the Chair by five members of the Faculty Senate.
When an extraordinary meeting is indicated by either of the methods above, the Chair must issue within twenty-four hours, a notice of the meeting including the time and place; the meeting must be held within twenty-four and seventy-two hours (Sundays excepted) from the time at which the notice is issued; extraordinary meetings shall not be called during scheduled University vacation periods; the purpose of the meeting must be stated in the notice issued by the Chair.
Section 11
The Faculty Senate shall abide by Robert’s Rules of Order in conducting its business.
Section 12
A quorum shall be defined as a majority of the total membership.
Section 13. Agenda
The Chair of the Faculty Senate with the concurrence of the Executive Committee shall prepare a notice of the specific items of subjects to be placed on the agenda of each month.
This notice shall be distributed seven to ten days in advance of a notified meeting.
Resolutions concerning items not included in the agenda may be presented and seconded, but shall be placed on the agenda of the next meeting and not voted upon until that time.
This rule may be suspended by a three-fourths vote of the members present.
Article IV. Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Eligible Faculty.
Amendments may be submitted by vote of the Faculty Senate or by petition of any ten Eligible Faculty. Any amendments must be circulated to the faculty at least seven to ten days in advance of the vote.
Article V. Ratification
This Constitution shall become effective by majority vote of the Faculty Senate and by majority vote of the Eligible Faculty.
Approved by Faculty Senate – January 17, 1991
Approved by Eligible Faculty – February 14, 1991
Amendment One
Article III. Organization
Section 1
The Faculty Senate membership shall be limited to faculty who qualify as Eligible Faculty. Eligible Faculty as used in this Constitution shall mean full-time employees of Delta State University (Cleveland, MS campus) who hold the faculty rank, except for deans, assistant deans, associate deans, cabinet level positions, and members of the Administrative Staff Council.
Approved August 29, 1991
Amendment Two
Article III: Organization
Section 6
If a vacancy occurs in the Faculty Senate, the term of that senator shall be filled by the proxy from the voting unit. If the proxy cannot serve as senator, the term will be filled by special election. The new senator shall be assigned to the same Faculty Senate Committees as the senator who is being replaced. If the position of a proxy becomes vacant, the term will be filled by special election.
Approved by faculty on November 10, 1994 by a vote of 171-8-1
Amendment Three
Article II. Purpose
The Faculty Senate shall be empowered to make recommendations to the President of DSU and the Academic Council on policies affecting the University and to advise on such matters as the President shall lay before it. It shall also keep the General Faculty fully informed of its recommendations. The President of the Faculty Senate, or a representative, shall represent the Faculty as a voting member of the DSU President’s Cabinet. The President of the Faculty Senate, or a representative, shall represent the Faculty as a voting member of the Academic Council. The President and other members of the Senate as directed by the Senate shall be among the representatives of the Faculty at meetings of any administrative council or other such body established, or to be established, by the President of DSU to act as advisor in administering the affairs of the University.
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 152-5
Amendment Four
Article III: Organization
Section 3
The membership quota of the Faculty Senate shall consist of representation from each division/department/ unit in which there are Eligible Faculty. The following scale will be used to determine representation:
Eligible Faculty Number of Senators
1-14 1
15-24 2
25 or greater 3
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 150-7
Amendment Five
Article III: Organization
Section 4
A term of office for senators shall be three years. At any given election, a senator who has served in the two previous consecutive terms or more than four consecutive years in the senate shall be ineligible. The immediate past president will serve as an ex officio voting member of the Faculty Senate during the following legislative year (May through April), independent of the number of previous consecutive terms served. In the first election under this constitution, one half of the senators will be elected for a one year term. The senators to be elected for a one year term will be determined by lot. Within a unit that will have more than one senator, one senator will serve a one year term.
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 138-19
Amendment Six
Article III: Organization
Section 5
Election of Faculty Senators shall be by the approval voting method. Ballots containing the names of the candidates shall be distributed in each unit not later than the second week of February. The Faculty Senate President shall notify the faculty of the election results not later than the first business day of March.
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 150-7
Amendment Seven
Article III: Organization
Section 7
A Committee of Elections shall be responsible for allocating Faculty Senate representation and for conducting elections. The committee shall consist of one Faculty Senator from each of the following: The College of Arts and Sciences, The College of Business, The College of Education, The School of Nursing, and the Library. Members of the committee will be elected by the senators representing their respective colleges, the School of Nursing, or the Library. Members of this committee shall be responsible for supplying the Committee of Elections with a list of the Eligible Faculty in each unit of their respective schools or the Library. This committee shall elect its chair. This committee shall conduct the elections of faculty to the Faculty Merit Pay Appeals Committee as specified in the university’s Faculty Merit Pay Plan.
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 153-4
Amendment Eight
Article III: Organization
Section 8
At the regular meeting in March of the Faculty Senate the President of the Senate will announce the nominees for President-Elect and Secretary. A special supplementary meeting of the senators who will be serving in the following legislative year will be held immediately following the regular meeting of the Senate in April, in which the senators will elect the officers for the coming year as outlined in this document. The Immediate Past President shall not be eligible for election as an officer during the year following incumbency. The officers of the Faculty Senate shall be the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, and the Immediate Past President. These officers along with the elected Chairs of the standing committees shall serve as the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. Faculty Senate committee membership shall be determined by the aforementioned four senate officers, but continuing Faculty Senate members shall retain their previous committee membership if they so desire. Each Faculty Senate standing committee shall elect its own chair.
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 149-8
Amendment Nine
Article III: Organization
Section 10
The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate shall be on the second Thursday of each month, unless it is rescheduled or cancelled by a majority vote of the senate at the preceding meeting. An extraordinary meeting of the Faculty Senate shall be called by the Senate President under either of the following conditions:
- Upon majority vote of the officers of the Faculty Senate;
- Upon written petition to the Senate President by five members of the Faculty Senate.
When an extraordinary meeting is indicated by either of the methods above, the Senate President must issue within twenty-four hours, a notice of the meeting including the time and place; the meeting must be held within twenty-four and seventy-two hours (Sundays excepted) from the time at which the notice is issued; extraordinary meetings shall not be called during scheduled University vacation periods; the purpose of the meeting must be stated in the notice issued by the Senate President.
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 149-8
Amendment Ten
Article III: Organization
Section 13. Agenda
The President of the Faculty Senate with the concurrence of the Executive Committee shall prepare a notice of the specific items of subjects to be placed on the agenda of each month. This notice shall be distributed seven to ten days in advance of a notified meeting. Resolutions concerning items not included in the agenda may be presented and seconded, but shall be placed on the agenda of the next meeting and not voted upon until that time.
Approved by faculty on March 27, 2007 by a vote of 148-9
