University Senate of Michigan Technological University

 

Proposal 5-94

 

Interim Protocol:
Designating Eligible Senators for a Limited Vote

STATEMENT

In some matters, the new constitution limits voting on proposals to subsets of "eligible Senators". However, it does not delineate any procedure for the pragmatic problem of designating these subsets for any given vote. This vagueness fosters inefficiency and invites needless contention. This proposal establishes an interim protocol for determining the eligible senators for voting on any proposal. This protocol may be modified in practice as needed; eventually it should be codified in the Bylaws.


PROTOCOL

  1. Normally, a Proposal is submitted to the Executive Committee (Bylaws, A.3.), which will send the Proposal to an appropriate Senate committee or to the whole Senate*.

  2. Before any proposal is transmitted to the Senate floor for approval, the Senate Officers will make a recommendation of "Eligible Senators". The recommendation will be based on a reasonable interpretation of the constitution.

  3. This recommendation will be attached to the copies of Proposals that are to be provided to Senators and to the Library (Bylaws, A.3.a.) by the Senate Secretary.

  4. In the instance of submission of an Emergency Proposal from the Senate floor, the Full Senate shall vote on taking it up (Bylaws, A.3.b.)

  5. If the Senate agrees to consider an Emergency Proposal, the recommendation of "Eligible Senators" shall be made by the Presiding Officer.

  6. After a formal motion to adopt a proposal has been seconded, the Presiding Officer shall ask for objections to the recommendation of "Eligible Senators". If there are any objections, the recommendation of "Eligible Senators" shall be established according to constitutional procedures (Constitution, III.E. and III.F.)

  7. The Eligible Senators may vote to expand groupwise the subset of Eligible Senators for a vote on any Proposal.

  8. The membership of the Full Senate is eligible to debate any proposal, without regard to the voting recommendation.

* To expedite processing of proposals, the Executive Committee has authorized the Senate Officers to determine initially the appropriate committee for submitted proposals.

Adopted by Senate: November 3, 1993