The NDSU faculty has overwhelmingly voted for creation of an NDSU Faculty Senate by a tally of 287 to 11. The voting occurred May 13-20.
The State Board of Higher Education must approve the action before the body becomes official. If approved by the board, the Faculty Senate is scheduled to come into being on Aug. 1.
According to Amy Rupiper Taggart, current president of University Senate, a number of changes will occur, yet the leadership of the Senate will remain. She will be president of Faculty Senate and Gary Totten will serve as Faculty Senate president-elect. Currently elected University Senate faculty members will be members of the Faculty Senate.
Taggart said bylaws revisions will be the first item on the agenda for the Faculty Senate. The committee that helped form the group has developed a full draft of bylaws for discussion.
She said many committees will be shared committees, reporting to the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and Student Senate.
“We tentatively envision a coordinating council as the policy routing and disagreement negotiating body for the three senates,” Taggart said. “Representation on that coordinating council should be representative of the three bodies with an outside member or two for mediating, moderating and facilitating the meetings. The coordinating council will be described in the bylaws, which will be discussed, amended and voted on by the Faculty Senate.”
Taggart said all other bylaws’ work, other than potential drafting, regarding the Faculty Senate will start in the fall.