Speaker and Deputy are elected from within the Senate. What the Faculty Senate is and does.

1. 0 Faculty Senate 2009-2010 Duane Windsor, Speaker Administrators Forum • Speaker and Deputy are elected from within the Senate. • What the Faculty Senate is and does. • Focus and working agenda of the Faculty Senate for the academic year 2009-2010. • Status report on upcoming schedule of Faculty Senate events addressing study of the possibility of a merger between Rice and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). • Questions and answers (as I talk and at the end). Presentation on the Latest Research kfairf aifiar 1 10 Nov. 2009

2. What the Senate Is • The Faculty Senate, in consultation with and advisory to the President, makes academic policy decisions and recommendations. • ● Established in 2005 by the faculty to succeed the previous system of a Faculty Council and voting Plenary Faculty Meetings. • ● The term-limited 30-seat Senate comprises (presently) 26 elected representatives (on staggered 3-year terms), 2 representatives appointed by the President on advice of the Speaker, and the President and Provost (ex officio). • ● The election constituencies are four academic schools, three professional schools, assistant professors (by sets of schools), non-tenure-track teaching faculty, and research faculty. • ● The Senate elects annually a Speaker (Duane Windsor, Business), Deputy Speaker (Jim Young, Engineering), Senate Executive Committee (to set Senate meeting agendas), and a Nominations & Elections Committee (to operate elections for the Senate and the University Promotion & Tenure Committee). • ● The Senate has a Constitution, Bylaws, and Meeting Rules.

3. The regular business of the Faculty Senate: ● Recommends faculty membership on and receives reports or recommendations of University standing committees (Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum); and appoints Senate working groups to study various issues and make recommendations. ● Responsible for conducting confidential appeals, grievances, and hearings concerning faculty members through a Convenor (a Senate member) using Senate panels. ● Helps to conduct periodic faculty reviews of academic Deans with respect to reappointment. ● Three constitutionally required meetings annually: President’s State of the University Address (October 22, 2009). Degree Approval (January 28, 2010). Degree and Academic Honors Approval (May 14, 2010). 1B What the Senate Does (Regularly)

4. ● Study “grade inflation” and awarding of academic honors. ● Study how appeals, grievances, and hearings are handled. ● Study how the new periodic faculty reviews of academic Deans with respect to reappointment have gone concerning process. ● Study how degree programs, majors, and minors are created and changed at both undergraduate and graduate levels. ● Study how the Honor Council system might be strengthened in collaboration with that student-operated body. ● Study some aspects of teaching, including how teaching awards are made. ● Review whatever recommendations come from University standing committees to the Senate. ● Inquire (informally) into certain other issues to see if there is need for a Senate working group. 2 Focus and Working Agenda 2009-2010

5. Faculty study of the possible Rice-BCM merger: Faculty Merger Review Committee (FMRC) is presently revising its earlier interim report (published with certain other documents at the Senate website). November 11 – Scheduled meeting of the Senate Executive Committee is an open session with Senators and faculty. November 18 – Scheduled meeting of the Senate is an open session with faculty. November 23 – Meeting of the faculty called by the Speaker to receive various reports and discuss how to proceed. 3 Schedule of Upcoming Events

6. An internet search for Rice University Faculty Senate should bring you to our website http://www.professor.rice.edu/professor/faculty_senate.asp? SnID=1572058955 4 Questions and Answers