Faculty Senate Bylaws
Undergraduate Council. Voting membership shall consist of representatives chosen for three-year terms from the schools and colleges of the university granting baccalaureate degrees, one member of the ROTC faculty, and four students designated by the Undergraduate Council. Members shall be chosen in the spring term for terms to commence at the start of the next fall term. Representatives shall be apportioned among the baccalaureate degree-granting units according to the number of degrees granted during the prior academic year, using the following table:
Baccalaureate Degrees Granted | Total Undergraduate Council |
1 – 300 | 1 |
301 – 500 | 2 |
501 – 700 | 3 |
701 – 900 | 4 |
901 – 1100 | 5 |
1101 – 1300 | 6 |
1301 – 1500 | 7 |
1501 – 1700 | 8 |
1701 – 1900 | 9 |
In the College of Arts and Sciences, representatives shall be apportioned among the divisions of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Natural Sciences. Members must hold full-time or continuing part-time appointment with the rank, or equivalent rank, of lecturer, clinical instructor, assistant professor or higher and (2) perform academic duties consisting of at least half-time teaching, research, service or departmental administration. Ex-officio members shall be the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, the Vice Provost for International Affairs, the Vice Provost for Student Sucess, the Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning Innovation, the Dean of Libraries, and the Director of Honors and Scholars Programs, or their respective designees. In addition, the administrative officer having primary responsibility for undergraduate curriculum in each school or college shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Undergraduate Council if that person is not a school or college representative. The chairperson of the Undergraduate Council (known as the Chair) shall be a faculty member from the Undergraduate Council elected for a one-year term, following a one-year term as Vice Chair, by voting members of the Undergraduate Council. The election of the Chair will take place at the last meeting of the spring semester.
The Undergraduate Council is charged by the Faculty Senate to set standards for admission, retention, and graduation; review curricular matters in the undergraduate programs; develop interdisciplinary programs; approve new programs and any other matters of educational policy pertaining to undergraduate programs. Its structure and activities are governed by its Operating Guidelines, which are adopted and amended by the membership of the Undergraduate Council and include rules consistent with these Bylaws.
The Chair of the Undergraduate Council or faculty designee shall report actions of the Undergraduate Council to the Executive Council. The report shall include the agenda and a summary of substantive actions taken. The report and the minutes of the Undergraduate Council meetings will be distributed or made available electronically to all senators at least five business days prior to the next Faculty Senate meeting. Implementation of actions taken by the Undergraduate Council occurs after approval of the report first by the Executive Council, and then by the Faculty Senate. The report may be approved in full or in part, allowing for any particular curricular or academic policy change to be sent back to the Undergraduate Council for revision and resubmission as part of the report/minutes of a future meeting. In such cases, the Faculty Senate President will communicate specific concern to the Chair of the Undergraduate Council.
Faculty Senate Bylaws (Article III, Section 2.N) as Revised May 1, 2023
Guidelines Established by the UG Council
Proxies
Members of the Undergraduate Council may, in consultation with the Chair of the Undergraduate Council, name a proxy for a meeting who has all of the privileges and responsibilities of the committee member.
Undergraduate Council Minutes, February 23, 2016
Responsibilities of the Chair
The Chair will preside over the Undergraduate Council meetings. If the chair is unable to attend a meeting of the Council, the Vice Chair will serve in that capacity. In cooperation with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, the chairs of the Undergraduate Council standing committees, and the office of the Catalog and Curriculum Coordinator, the Chair shall prepare an agenda for such meetings. In matters before Council that require a vote, the Chair shall cast the deciding vote in the event there is a tie. In consultation with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, the chairs of the Undergraduate Council standing committees, the Student Government Association president, and the membership, the Chair shall make assignments to all standing committees of Council in a manner that ensures broad representation of colleges. He or she may also solicit Council members to serve on ad-hoc committees as needed. The Chair shall serve as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of all standing committees of Council including the curriculum committee, academic policy committee, advising committee, appeals committee, and general education committee. As Undergraduate Council exists as a standing committee of the Faculty Senate, the Chair also has Faculty Senate responsibilities as outlined in the Faculty Senate Bylaws (see Article III, Section 2.N. Undergraduate Council).
Undergraduate Council Minutes as revised February 23, 2016
Election of Chair
The chairperson of the Undergraduate Council (known as the Chair) shall be a faculty member from the Undergraduate Council elected for a one-year term, following a one-year term as Vice Chair, by voting members of the Undergraduate Council. The election of the Chair will take place at the last meeting of the spring semester.
Faculty Senate Bylaws (Article III, Section 2.N) as Revised April 2, 2018
The Faculty Senate Bylaws (Article III, Section 2.N) specify that the Chair of Undergraduate Council shall be a faculty member from Council, elected to a one-year term, following a one-year term as Vice Chair, by voting members of Council. The Vice Chair will take on the responsibilities of Chair on August 1. The new Chair is automatically granted an extension of his or her appointment to Undergraduate Council for a period of up to three years so as to include membership on Council through one year past his or her term as Chair. Since the Chair serves the entire university and not one constituency, the Chair does not count as part of a school or college’s apportionment of representatives to Council.
Undergraduate Council Minutes as revised March 4, 2008
Undergraduate Council Past Chair
Upon completion of a one-year term as Undergraduate Council Chair, the Chair assumes the position of past Chair. The past Chair provides Council with continuity and experience. Since the Past Chair serves the entire university and not one constituency, the Past Chair does not count as part of a school’s or college’s apportionment of representatives to Council.
Undergraduate Council Minutes as revised March 4, 2008
Undergraduate Council Vice Chair and Chair Elect
Any current faculty member of Council is eligible to be a candidate for Vice Chair. The Nominating Committee of Council will identify and solicit candidates for this post and will report its results during the next to the last meeting of the spring semester. Nominations may also be submitted from the floor at that time. A summary of the credentials for the candidates for Vice Chair will be provided to Undergraduate Council members to aid in their decision. If more than one candidate is nominated, then election of the Vice Chair will occur by secret ballot. The Vice Chair of Undergraduate Council serves as Chair Elect of Council for a term of one year, commencing on August 1st after election at the end of the previous Spring Semester. The Vice Chair may participate as an ex officio nonvoting member of all standing and special committees of Council. This experience assists the Vice Chair in preparation for assumption of the Chair position in the following academic year. The Vice Chair will assume the responsibilities of Chair on August 1st in the second academic year after being elected to the position of Vice Chair. The Vice Chair is automatically granted an extension of her or his appointment to Undergraduate Council for a period of up to three years so as to include membership on Council through one year past her or his term as Chair, serving in the capacity of Past Chair. Since the Vice Chair serves the entire university and not one constituency, the Vice Chair does not count as part of a school’s or college’s apportionment of representatives to Council.
Undergraduate Council Minutes of October 16, 2018