Arts & Sciences Senate Constitution
Revised April 29, 2019
A. Functions and Conditions of Governance
B. Arts and Sciences Senate
C. Standing Committees
D. Arts and Sciences Senate Officers
E. The Arts and Sciences Senate Executive Committee
F. Procedures for Review and Amendment of Constitution
A. Functions and Conditions of Governance:
1. The Arts and Sciences Senate is the Major Governance Unit of the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Journalism,
School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences, and University Libraries. It represents the interests of the humanities and fine arts, social and behavioral sciences,
natural sciences, journalism, and libraries on the Stony Brook University campus.
2. The rules and policies approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate shall govern the
academic functions of the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Marine and Atmospheric
Sciences, the Division of the Libraries, and the School of Journalism, consistent
with the Policies of the SUNY Board of Trustees, and the constitution and by-laws of the Stony Brook University Senate.
3. The Arts and Sciences Senate shall be assisted in the formulation and execution
of policy by its Standing Committees and its Executive Committee.
4. All terms of office for Senators and members of Arts and Sciences Senate Standing
Committees shall be for three years, except for the one year term of the untenured
member on the Promotion and Tenure Committee. Three year terms shall be staggered
in three year cycles.
5. Faculty membership in the Arts and Sciences Senate constitutes membership in the
University Senate. All faculty representatives to the Arts and Sciences Senate shall
also serve as members of the University Senate.
B. Arts and Sciences Senate
1. The Arts and Sciences Senate shall be composed as follows:
a. All faculty representatives from the Arts and Sciences Senate Constituencies (A&SSC),
apportioned as follows:
(1) Every department or program having six or more full-time faculty members shall
have one representative, the method of selection to be set by the department or program
and kept on file at the Arts and Science Senate Office including any updates as revised.
The Division of Libraries and the school of Journalism shall also elect one senator
each.
(2) In addition to departmental and program representatives, an equal number of at-large
senators shall be elected by the full faculty from all A&SSC. No department or program
shall have more than two at-large senators.
(3) State-wide SUNY Senators who are also members of Arts and Sciences Senate Constituencies
shall serve as Arts and Sciences Senators as well.
b. Representatives from constituencies other than the faculty:
(1) Professional employees of Stony Brook University as defined in the Arts and Sciences
Senate by-laws to a number equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the total number of faculty
senators.
(2) Undergraduate student representatives as defined in the Arts and Sciences Senate
by-laws to a number equal to ten percent (10%) of the total number of faculty senators.
(3) Graduate student representatives as defined in the Arts and Sciences Senate bylaws
to a number equal to five percent (5%) of the total number of faculty senators.
c. The ex officio non-voting members shall be the University President, the Provost, the Vice President
for Student Affairs, the Associate Provost for Enrollment and Retention Management,
the University Registrar, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Dean of the School
of Professional Development and Continuing Studies, Dean of Student Affairs, the Dean
of the Libraries, the Dean of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, the Dean
of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Dean of the School of Journalism.
d. Serving as ex officio voting members are the Chairs of all Arts and Sciences Standing Committees who are
not already faculty senators. The Chairs of all Arts and Sciences Senate Standing
Committees shall be expected to attend meetings of the Arts and Sciences Senate.
2. The Arts and Sciences Senate shall meet at least twice each semester. Regular meetings
will be called by the President of the Arts and Sciences Senate. Special meetings
may be called either by the President of the Arts and Sciences Senate or by petition
to said President of at least ten percent (10%) of the Arts and Sciences Senators.
3. Arts and Sciences Senators shall report back regularly to their constituencies
concerning activities and decisions of the Arts and Sciences Senate.
C. Standing Committees
1. The Standing Committee structures and duties will be as defined in the current
Arts and Sciences Senate By-Laws. The Standing Committees shall report to the Arts
and Sciences Senate annually on committee actions and decision. The Arts and Sciences
Senate must review and accept or reject all committee reports. The Standing Committees
shall review existing committee guidelines and by-laws at least every three years.
Recommendations for revisions shall be reviewed by the Arts and Sciences Senate Executive
Committee and presented to the Arts and Science Senate for review and acceptance.
With the exception of the Promotion and Tenure Committee, each Standing Committee
must regularly report its agendas and minutes to the Arts and Sciences Senate Executive
Committee, and these documents shall be available for all members of the University
community to examine.
D. Arts and Sciences Senate Officers
1. The following officers of the Arts and Sciences Senate shall be elected by the
Arts and Sciences Senate: a President, a President –elect who will serve as a Vice-President,
and a Secretary.
2. The President of the Arts and Sciences Senate shall:
a. represent the interests of the Arts and Sciences Senate Constituencies as a whole
in meetings and discussions with ex officio members of the Senate, and at any governance or administrative body of which s/he
is a member;
b. chair all meetings of the Arts and Sciences Senate, and its Executive Committee;
c. report to the Arts and Sciences Senate Executive Committee and Arts and Sciences
Senate meeting concerning the issues before and actions taken by the ex officio members of the Arts and Sciences Senate and serve as ex officio member on Arts and
Sciences Senate Standing Committees;
d. represent the Arts and Science Senate at mandated academic reviews or appoint a
representative of the Arts and Sciences Senate to these reviews;
e. shall appoint , in consultation with the Executive Committee, committee members
for specified short terms in order to maintain full working committees and to insure
smooth transitions and term sequences;
f. serve as a member of the University Senate Executive Committee;
g. agree to serve a one year term of office as Past President upon completion of the
term of office as President.
3. The Vice-President shall:
a. perform the duties of the President when the President is unable to do so;
b. serve as President –elect including agreeing to serve as President upon completing
a one year term of office as Vice-President;
c. serve as a non-voting member of the University Senate Executive Committee.
4. The Secretary shall record and prepare minutes of each meeting of the Arts and
Sciences Senate and its Executive Committee. The minutes shall reflect all decisions
taken and the votes thereon, together with the main points of debate and any written
background material distributed at the meeting. The minutes of each meeting will be
submitted to the subsequent meeting of the body for correction and approval. The Secretary
shall keep on file at the Senate office copies of the minutes, which shall be available
to any member of the University community for reference.
5. The Immediate Past President shall:
a. serve as a voting member of the Arts and Sciences Senate Executive Committee;
b. serve as parliamentarian and provides advice on past practices and procedures.
E. The Arts and Sciences Senate Executive Committee
1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following voting members:
(1) the three officers of the Arts and Sciences Senate, the President, the Vice-President
who is the President-elect, the Secretary;
(2) the Immediate Past President of the Arts and Sciences Senate (the Past President);
(3) the elected chairs of each Arts and Sciences Senate Standing Committee, or their
delegates, are members of the Executive Committee, with full voting privileges;
(4) one at-large faculty member of the Arts and Sciences Senate, elected as specified
in the By-Laws;
(5) one professional employee elected by the professional employees under the usual
procedures for this purpose;
(6) one undergraduate student, selected through the usual procedures for this purpose
by the respective student government;
(7) one graduate student, selected through the usual procedures for this purpose by
the respective student government.
2. The Executive Committee shall perform the following functions:
a. it shall have the authority to guide the Arts and Sciences Senate President concerning
any matter which comes before the Senate, and to instruct the Arts and Sciences Senate
President to bring before the administration any matter affecting the Arts and Sciences
Senate Constituencies.
b. it shall prepare all agendas and materials for meetings of the Arts and Sciences
Senate, identifying issues of importance to the Arts and Sciences Senate Constituencies.
c. it shall be responsible for implementation of Arts and Sciences Senate decisions,
working with the appropriate Arts and Sciences Senate standing and/ or ad hoc committees,
and with appropriate administrative officers.
d. it shall advise the President in the selection of replacement members to Arts and
Sciences Senate Standing Committees in the event that a committee position becomes
vacant in mid-term.
e. between Arts and Sciences Senate meetings, it shall have authority to decide any
policy matter that cannot wait for decision until the next full Arts and Sciences
Senate meeting. All Arts and Sciences Senate members shall be notified in writing
of such a decision within one week, and the decision must be subject to review at
the next scheduled meeting of the full Arts and Sciences Senate.
f. it shall facilitate the sharing of information and the coordination of activities
among the standing committees of the Arts and Sciences Senate.
F. Procedures for Review and Amendment of Constitution
1. Interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution shall be made by the Executive
Committee, subject to approval of the Arts and Sciences Senate.
2. Every three years, the Arts and Sciences Senate Executive Committee shall review
this Constitution and recommend any amendments it deems necessary.
3. This Constitution can be amended by vote of two-thirds of Senators present and
voting at an Arts and Sciences Senate meeting, provided that the vote is taken after
discussion of the amendment at two consecutive Senate meetings.
Revision of the 2013 Constitution approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate at its
regular meeting of April 29, 2019
Revisions to 2013 Constitution approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate at its regular
meeting of April 15, 2013
Revisions to 2011 Constitution approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate at its regular
meeting of April 23, 2012.
Revisions to 2008 Constitution approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate at its regular
meeting of April 25th, 2011.
Revisions to 2005 Constitution approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate at its regular
meeting of April 28th, 2008.
Revisions to 2003 Constitution approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate at its regular
meeting of April 18th, 2005.
Revisions to 1999 Constitution approved by the Arts and Sciences Senate at its regular
meeting of April 21, 2003.