Bylaws (1991-2016)

Contents

1. Name of Organization

Academic Senate

2. Nature & Purpose

A. Nature of Organization

A faculty/administration governance body that will relate directly to the President and Provost without review by any other group.

B. Purpose

To give faculty and chairs responsibilities including, but not limited to, the following:

  • a. Approving academic policies and procedures;
  • b. Reviewing structures of programs, curricula, and schools;
  • c. Providing for appropriate review of course additions and changes;
  • d. Reviewing academic services;
  • e. Establishing committees on appropriate subjects;
  • f. Interviewing prospective deans, vice-presidents; provosts, and presidents;
  • g. Appointing faculty members to Board standing committees;
  • h. Nominating Faculty Trustee;
  • i. Formulating structure and procedures of search committees, and appointing faculty and chair membership.

3. Membership

A. Full-Time Faculty

At least one full-time faculty member from the Library Faculty and each of these schools of the Institute: Architecture, Art and Design, Graduate Information and Library Science, Liberal Arts and Sciences; in schools with more than 12 full-time faculty, a representative for each 12 or major fraction thereof. (Three-year terms)

B. Part-Time Faculty

Four part-time faculty members elected from the part-time faculty of the School of Art and Design; two part-time faculty members elected from the part-time faculty of the School of Architecture; one part-time faculty member elected from the rest of the part-time faculty (the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Information and Library Science, and the Library). [These numbers represent a current proportional representation from the schools of Architecture and of Art and Design and from the remaining faculty at large, the ratio being approximately 1 to 120.] (Three-year terms)

C. Chairs

One chair from each of the undergraduate and graduate units of the Institute having chairs (Undergraduate Architecture, Graduate Architecture, Undergraduate Art and Design, Graduate Art and Design, Liberal Arts and Sciences). (Three-year terms)

D. Alternate Member

In the event that a Senate position becomes vacated, the person receiving the next highest vote for that position will become the representative, provided that the voting body and the pool of potential nominees remains the same. An interim election will be held if either the voting body or the pool of potential nominees has changed significantly.

4. Eligibility for membership

A. Faculty

Full-time, adjunct, and visiting faculty.

B. Chairs

Those who teach regularly scheduled classes in their subject areas.

5. Officers of the Organization

President; Vice-President; Secretary; Treasurer.

A. These officers (who serve three-year terms) constitute the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. They are elected by secret ballot.

B. The Executive Committee has the authority to act when the Senate is not in regular session.

C. If the President is chosen from among the members of the Senate (as opposed to the faculty-at-large), the replacement shall be the alternate member. (see 3D.)

6. Standing Committees

Standing committees of the Academic Senate will be established, as needed, by the Academic Senate.

7. Amendments

Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed at any time, but will be voted on no earlier than the eighth (8th) week of the following Fall or Spring semester. Passage requires seventy-five percent (75%) of the members of the Academic Senate voting in a secret, written ballot. Approved amendments become effective upon approval by the Board of Trustees.

8. Quorum

Quorum for Academic Senate meetings: Sixty percent (60%) of the elected members.

9. Meetings

A. Regular meetings will be held biweekly during the Fall and Spring Semesters, or as often as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.

B. The Academic Senate will convene at least once, after the eighth week of each of the semesters, Fall and Spring, a meeting of the faculty and chairs, presided over by the President of the Academic Senate.

Reports on:

  • a. issues confronting the Institute and
  • b. academic governance will be made by the President of Pratt Institute and the President of the Academic Senate.

10. Rules

The rules contained in the Modern Edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Academic Senate in all cases where they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Senate may adopt.

Original bylaws unanimously adopted by the Faculty Council on 23 April 1991.
Article nine (9) unanimously approved 2 May 1991.
Revisions unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees on 6 May 1993.

Article three B (3 B) unanimously approved On 9 December, 2003.
Article five (5) unanimously approved on 4 May, 2004.
Both amendments unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees on 5 May, 2005.