Goodwin University Faculty Senate Bylaws
Adopted: November 7, 2013
Amended: December 14, 2025
Approved: December 22, 2025
Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Goodwin University Faculty Senate.
Article II. Mission
The faculty will participate in the governance of the University by formulating and advocating the faculty perspectives to support academic initiatives of the University. The Faculty Senate will contribute to these initiatives as a valued partner in the fulfillment of the University's mission. Each member of Faculty Senate will serve as an active member to consistently offer their voice for the betterment of the students, faculty, staff, and for Goodwin University as a whole.
Article III. Membership
The Faculty Senate shall consist of:
Full-time faculty
Full-time faculty consists of faculty members whose primary function is teaching in the University. Full-time faculty, whose primary role is teaching within the University, are integral to the academic mission. All such faculty are designated as voting members of the Faculty Senate, guaranteeing their representation and voice in matters of governance.Part-time faculty
Part-time faculty consists of faculty members who are considered permanent part-time salaried by the University. All part-time faculty defined herein are voting members of the Faculty Senate.Adjunct faculty
All adjunct faculty members are invited to open-session meetings. They do not have voting privileges. However, adjunct faculty are welcome to serve on Faculty Senate committees.
Article IV. Officers and duties of Executive Committee
The Executive Committee will consist of the President, Vice President, Recorder, and two Faculty-at-Large members (each from a different school and/ or program). Terms on the Executive Committee will coincide with the terms of Faculty Senate officers as noted in Article V. The President of the Faculty Senate will serve as Chair of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall exercise all duties expressed in these Bylaws as well as those conferred upon by the Faculty Senate. The Executive Committee will meet with the Vice-President of Academic Affairs at the request of the Senate President or the University President and/or Vice-President of Academic Affairs.
The officers of the Faculty Senate shall consist of a President, Vice President, Recorder, and two Faculty-at-Large members.
President
Duties of the President are as follows:- Presiding at meetings of the Faculty Senate.
- Sets times and location of Faculty Senate meetings.
- Opens meetings of the Faculty Senate at the time for which they are called and decides whether the session is open, closed, or a combination of both as needed to meet the needs of the Senate.
- Recognizes members entitled to have the floor.
- States and puts to a vote all questions regularly moved and announces the result of the vote; or, if a motion is out of order, rules it out of order.
- Reports on approved motions to the university community and Board of Trustees as needed.
- Sits on the Board of Trustees as a voting member and as the representative of the faculty.
- Accepts responsibility for communicating to, and acting as the representative of the faculty, to any necessary university officials about the concerns of the Senate.
- Enforces good decorum
- Has the authority to set time limits on reports and debates. Any Senate member can, however, motion for more time with the approval of the voting membership present.
- Shall be an ex-officio member of all Faculty Senate committees, except as otherwise noted in Article VI of these bylaws.
- May allow non-members to address the Faculty Senate in open session only.
- Serves as chair of the Executive Committee.
- Will appoint, with the Senate’s approval, a Recorder pro-tempore when the Recorder is unable to attend a regular or special meeting of the Faculty Senate.
- There is no limit on the number of terms that the Office of President may hold but is required to follow the standard voting procedure.
- Attends all executive faculty meetings with the Vice-President of Academic Affairs
Vice President
Duties of the Vice President are as follows:- Asists the President with all duties concerning the Faculty Senate
- Presides at meetings in the absence of the President and holds President’s authority and responsibilities in his or her absence.
- Accompanies President, at his or her request, when reporting concerns to necessary administrators and departments.
- May substitute for the President, in his or her absence, at the Board of Trustees meeting to represent faculty and share faculty news.
- In the event of the President’s separation, will become President, with all the authority, rights, and responsibilities thereof for the remainder of the President’s term. There is no limit on the number of terms that the Office of President may hold.
- In the event of the separation of the Vice President, the President will call a special election as soon as possible to fill the vacancy for the remainder of said term.
- Attends all executive committee meetings with the Vice-President of Academic Affairs as requested by the president.
- There is no limit on the number of terms that the Office of Vice President may hold but is required to follow the standard voting procedure.
Recorder
Duties of the Recorder are as follows:- Takes minutes and attendance at Faculty Senate meetings, publishes the open session minutes, and maintains a permanent record of the open and closed session minutes and attendance for each Faculty Senate meeting.
- Keeps and files copies of Senate committee meetings, which are provided by the committee chairs.
- Compiles, types, and posts an agenda to all Faculty Senate members, in accordance with the President, at least one week prior to the next Faculty Senate meeting.
- Will function as custodian of closed session minutes after approval by the Executive Committee.
- In the event of the separation of the Recorder, the President will call a special election as soon as possible to fill the vacancy for the remainder of said term.
- Will function as Recorder of the Executive Committee
- Will obtain a list of all full and part-time faculty from appropriate university officials, each semester.
- Attends all executive meetings with the Vice-President of Academic Affairs.
- Updates and evaluates the Goodwin University Faculty Senate website and pages at least once a semester.
- There is no limit on the number of terms that the Recorder may hold but is required to follow the standard voting procedure.
Faculty-at-Large members
Duties of the Faculty-at-Large members are as follows:- Attend all Executive Committee meetings, meetings with the Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Faculty Senate meetings with the recommendation of the President.
- Serve as liaisons between the membership and the Executive Committee
- May sit on certain committees assigned by the Senate President to ensure the Executive Committee’s directives and goals.
- The officers reserve the right to remove any Faculty-at-Large member from the Executive Committee for neglect of duty, or any conduct that is not in accordance with the mission of the Senate. The officers will then appoint a new Faculty-at-Large member for the remainder of said term.
- Should a Faculty-at-Large member separate voluntarily, the officers will then appoint a new Faculty-at-Large member for the remainder of said term.
- There is no limit on the number of terms that the Faculty at Large may hold but is required to follow the standard voting procedure.
Article V. Elections
Terms and qualifications
- The President, and two Faculty-at-Large members will be elected for a two-year term in odd years. The Vice President and Recorder will be elected for a two-year term in even years. Officer terms will begin on September 1 and on August 31 two years following. There are no maximum number of terms that an officer of Faculty Senate may serve; however, each member of the e-board must adhere to the voting policy and procedures as set. Once his or her term(s) are completed, he or she must then not serve as a Faculty Senate officer for at least two years before becoming eligible to serve again in an officer position. Faculty Senate officers must be full-time faculty members as defined in Article III.
- If a member of the Executive Committee runs for another office during his or her term, he or she must resign from the current office held if elected to the office sought.
- A special election within 30 days from prior election will then be called by the President for fulfillment of the newly vacant position for the remaining term.
Election process
- Beginning in 2023, elections will begin in the summer semester and will conclude by July 31.
- The Nominating Committee Chair will announce upcoming positions at the first meeting of the summer semester.
- Interested individuals will email a completed Faculty Senate Election Form (Appendix B) by July 1 to the Nominating Committee Chair.
- The Nominating Committee Chair will then create the election ballot, and the Recorder will send it to voting members.
- Election ballots will be open for one week. Upon closing, the Nominating Committee will count the votes and confirm election results. The results will be reported to the President.
- Newly elected officials will begin their tenure on August 1.
Removal of officers
- The Senate reserves the right to remove any officer or other member of the Executive Committee for neglect of duty, or any conduct that is not in accordance with the mission of the Senate. The removal of an officer, however, may only take place with a two-thirds majority of the membership present.
- Prior to removal of an officer (or other member of the Executive Committee), the Senate must vote to consider removal at least 30 days prior to voting for removal. The officer in question will have such time to convince the Senate why he or she should remain in office. During said time, the officer will retain all his or her authority, rights, duties, and responsibilities that are assigned to his or her Office. The officer in question may not be present at the vote for removal. If the President is considered for removal, the Vice President will preside over the vote. For other officers, the President will preside.
Article VI. Staff Liaison Role
The Faculty Senate recognizes the importance of collaborative communication between faculty and staff. To enhance this connection, a staff liaison role will be established.
Appointment
One staff member will be nominated by the Executive Committee and approved by the Faculty Senate for a renewable one-year term. The staff liaison shall be a non-voting member of the Faculty Senate.
Functions and responsibilities
- Serve as a communication conduit between the Faculty Senate and university staff.
- Provide insight into operational or administrative perspectives that may impact faculty initiatives.
- Participate in committee meetings as appropriate to enhance collaboration.
- Assist in disseminating Faculty Senate updates to staff leadership teams.
- Identify and communicate opportunities for faculty-staff partnership initiatives.
- Attend all open Faculty Senate meetings and provide brief status reports when requested.
Article VII. Committees
Members of the Faculty Senate may establish committees as deemed appropriate. Each committee will have a board, led by a selected Chair. The Chair and members of these committees must come from Faculty Senate membership and staff membership as defined in Article III. Each board, in collaboration with the selected chairperson, shall prescribe the function and duration of its respective committee. Roles and responsibilities must be defined in collaboration and reviewed at a minimum once a year to ensure focused work is consistently completed. The Executive Committee shall review committee needs and membership at the beginning of each academic year or when it is deemed necessary. Each of these committees is a subunit of the Senate and must therefore report on its updates, projects, and plans at each Senate meeting. All appointed chairpersons are responsible for 1: Establishing a written plan with goals and actionable steps within the first three months of the academic year. 2. Reviewing and editing, as appropriate, of the stated plan with date in signature at a minimum every semester 3. Preparing to provide consistent updates at each faculty senate meeting, either from the stated chairperson or a representative of the committee.
An application will be required to establish a new committee. The application will be reviewed by the executive committee. The application will be voted on by the membership in order to ensure its agreed-upon establishment.
Promotions Committee
The Promotion Committee will function as a permanent committee of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate retains no authority to dissolve this committee or make any changes to this committee without the consent of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Vice-President for Human Resources, and Promotion Committee Chair. When asked by the Promotion Committee Chair, the Faculty Senate will appoint full-time faculty members at the rank of assistant professor or higher to serve on the Promotion Committee. The Promotion Committee will operate under its own Rules of Procedure and will determine the terms and service of its committee members. The Promotion Committee Chair shall, from time to time, report Promotion Committee meeting dates, procedures, and membership to the Senate.Faculty Senate Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Faculty Senate with five or seven members. This committee will act as the sole arbiter of Senate officer elections and will be the custodian of all ballots. The chair of the Nominating Committee will be the recipient of all election ballots. The Nominating Committee will count and certify the ballots and submit the results to the Faculty Senate in a timely fashion. Nominations for Senate officers must be submitted to the Nominating Committee by August 1 or the nearest weekday, should it fall on a Saturday or Sunday. The officers of the Senate will appoint the Chair of the Nominating Committee for a two-year term beginning in odd-numbered years. Members of the Nominating Committee may not nominate officers for elections as long as they serve on said committee.Faculty Recognition Committee
The Faculty Recognition Committee shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Faculty Senate. The committee will work to recognize and raise awareness of full, part-time, and adjunct faculty endeavors that advance the university’s mission and purposes. Due to the monetary aspects, this position works closely with the Vice President of Academic Affairs.Sabbatical Leave Committee
The Sabbatical Leave Committee shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Faculty Senate. The committee will review faculty applications for sabbatical leave. The Committee shall then make recommendations to the administration in accordance with Goodwin University policy.Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI)
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Faculty Senate. The committee will provide perspective on DEI work at Goodwin University, advocate for a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment, and be a resource for faculty on DEI. This committee is open to non-senate members of Goodwin University. However, the chair of the committee must be an active faculty senate member.Retention and Technology Committee
The Retention and Technology Committee (currently known as Starfish) shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Faculty Senate. The committee will provide perspective on the operation and management of the Starfish (or any other) retention system. Additionally, this committee will work with the university on technology advancements, updates, or changes.Performance Review Committee
The Performance Evaluation Committee shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Faculty Senate. The committee will provide perspective on the annual performance review process.Bylaws Committee
The Bylaws Committee shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Faculty Senate. The Bylaws shall be reviewed and updated every two years by the subcommittee in even years.
Article VIII. Attendance and Participation Policy
Purpose
To ensure consistent engagement, representation, and productivity in Faculty Senate governance.
Policy statement
Faculty Senate members are expected to attend and actively participate in all regularly scheduled meetings and committee assignments.
Procedures
- Attendance tracking: The Recorder shall document attendance at all regular and special Faculty Senate meetings.
- Absence notification: Members who are unable to attend a meeting must notify the Recorder or Senate President at least 24 hours in advance when possible.
- Chronic absenteeism: Members missing three or more consecutive meetings or 50% of meetings in a semester without reasonable cause may be subject to review by the Executive Committee.
- Participation expectation: All Senate members are expected to serve on at least one standing or ad hoc committee each academic year.
- Remote participation: Virtual or hybrid attendance may be permitted when approved by the President or Executive Committee.
Article IX. Succession and vacancy procedures
Purpose
To ensure continuity of Faculty Senate leadership and committee operations in the event of officer or chair vacancies.
Procedures
- Officer vacancies: In the event of an officer’s resignation, leave, or removal, the President (or Vice President if the President’s seat is vacant) shall announce the vacancy within seven days.
- Committee chair vacancies: When a chair position becomes vacant, the Executive Committee shall appoint an interim chair within fourteen days to maintain operations.
- Unexpected resignations or long-term absences: Members on approved leave of absence may request temporary inactive status.
- Continuity of records: All outgoing officers and chairs must transfer relevant records, reports, and communications within ten business days.
Article X. Annual report requirement
Purpose
To document the accomplishments, actions, and recommendations of the Faculty Senate for transparency and accountability.
Policy statement
Each academic year, the Faculty Senate shall prepare and submit an annual report summarizing its governance activities and recommendations.
Procedures
- Responsibility: The President, with support from the Recorder and committee chairs, will compile the annual report.
- Content requirements: The Annual Report shall include meeting summaries, committee outcomes, policy proposals, and future goals.
- Distribution: The finalized report shall be presented to the VPAA, University President, and Board of Trustees by June 30.
Article XI. Shared Governance statement
Purpose
To reaffirm the collaborative partnership between faculty, administration, and staff in advancing the mission and academic quality of the University.
Statement
The Faculty Senate affirms that shared governance is essential to the health and success of the University.
Principles of Shared Governance:
- Mutual respect and collaboration: Shared governance is grounded in open communication, mutual trust, and respect.
- Transparency in decision-making: Faculty shall be provided reasonable opportunity to review and offer input on institutional policies.
- Consultative authority: The Faculty Senate serves as the consultative body for academic and professional matters.
- Representation: Faculty representatives shall serve on key institutional committees as defined by Tier 1 committee structure.
- Continuous improvement: Governance processes shall be periodically reviewed to strengthen collaboration and inclusiveness.
Article XII. Meetings
Regular meetings
Times and dates of Faculty Senate meetings will be set by the President. The Senate will conduct regular meetings approximately every month, alternating meeting days. Attendance will be taken at all regularly scheduled meetings.Special meetings
The President may call special meetings. A one-week notice to the Senate membership is required. The time and date of special meetings will be determined by the President. Attendance will be taken at all special meetings.
Article XIII. Procedures
Agenda
Executive Committee shall develop an agenda for upcoming meetings. The Recorder shall provide the membership with the agenda prior to a regular meeting and prior to a special meeting. Any member may petition the officers to include an item on the agenda. The determination of “closed” and “open” session of Faculty Senate will be made by the Executive Committee in advance of any meeting. Any member may petition the officers to include an item in closed or open session.Session definitions
An open session of Faculty Senate indicates a session where members of Senate and non-members of Senate may be present. Non-members can be recognized to speak by the President only. Non-members cannot vote. Aspects of confidentiality do not apply to open sessions.
A closed session of Faculty Senate indicates a session where only voting members of Senate are present. Presence in a closed session of Faculty Senate is confirmed by Senate Recorder. Aspects of confidentiality apply to closed sessions as per Appendix A.Rules of Procedure
The Rules of Procedure, as defined in Appendix A, will be followed at all meetings.-
Resolutions and amendments
Resolutions
For a resolution to carry, a majority of the membership present is required. Members must be present at Faculty Senate meetings to vote. Voting for a resolution will be noted in the Faculty Senate agenda, which will be distributed one week prior to the meeting.Amendments
The Senate may consider amendments to these Bylaws at any regular meeting. Voting on amendments requires a quorum to pass. Members may vote electronically as defined by the Rules of Procedure.
Voting
Faculty Senate votes in a few ways: elections, major initiatives, and major/minor resolutions. Voting for resolutions, major initiatives, and amendments may be conducted by electronic voting or informal votes in session.
The procedure for voting for the election of officers and other Executive Committee members is outlined above in elections. Faculty Senate members are entitled to cast one vote.Quorum
All resolutions and amendments require a quorum to be considered. A quorum will be defined as ten percent of the present membership required for acceptance.Minutes
The Recorder shall distribute open session meeting minutes to members no later than two weeks after a regular meeting has approved them and one week after a special meeting has approved them. Minutes from closed meetings will be taken by the Recorder and kept by the Recorder in a secure location. Any full or part-time faculty member may request to see closed minutes in the presence of the Recorder. The faculty member may not remove closed minutes from the designated place, nor make copies of any closed minutes.Bylaws review
The committee will review these bylaws biannually.
Summary of amendments:
June 2024: Changed election ballots open from 2 weeks to 1 week.
November 2025: Revision of the Faculty Senate bylaws.
Appendix A
Faculty Senate Rules of Procedures
The following rules of procedure will be followed at all Faculty Senate meetings. These rules will guide the focus, pace, and group dynamics of each meeting.
- The President of the Faculty Senate recognizes one speaker at a time.
- The agenda for each meeting will dictate the dialogue for each meeting.
- All meetings will start on time at the designated location as noted in the agenda.
- Items for the agenda must relate to Faculty Senate and be approved by the Executive Committee.
- When a speaker has the floor there will be no side conversations or interrupting the person who has the floor.
- Any issue not on the agenda will be parked for possible further discussion at a future Faculty Senate meeting.
- To maintain the integrity of the Senate, confidentiality of all information discussed at closed meetings needs to be maintained. No discussion in closed session, however insignificant it may seem, should be shared with those who are not voting members of the Faculty Senate.
- The President of the Faculty Senate has the authority to ask for dismissal of any member who violates the Rules of Procedures. If a member refuses to leave the President has the authority to end the meeting.