University Senate of Michigan Technological University

Proposal 24-05
(Voting unit: Entire Senate)

AMENDMENT TO THE BY-LAWS: REDEFINITION OF A QUORUM AND SENATE MEMBERSHIP

Background: Article I, paragraph A1 of the University Senate By-Laws defines a quorum as two-thirds of the full Senate membership. Periodically, there have been insufficient Senators in attendance to meet this quorum. In part, the lack of a quorum occurs because several representation units have not identified their Senators and Alternates while other units’ Senators or Alternates do not regularly attend University Senate meetings.

Proposal: To make it more likely that there will be quorums at University Senate meetings, the University Senate proposes the following change to the By-Laws.

I . OPERATIONAL BYLAWS

1. Quorum
   
   
   1. One-half of all elected Senators or elected Alternates shall constitute a quorum to transact Senate business requiring action of all Senators.  One-half of all elected faculty Senators or Alternates shall constitute a quorum to transact Senate business requiring action of faculty Senators only.  One-half of all elected professional staff Senators or Alternates shall constitute a quorum to transact Senate business requiring action of professional staff Senators only.
      
      
   2. Elected Senators and Alternates are those persons who have been elected by their constituent academic or professional staff units.

Adopted by Senate: 30 March 2005