The University Senate of Michigan Technological University
PROPOSAL 25-21
SENATE PROPOSAL FOR THE CREATION OF A TEMPORARY AD-HOC COMMITTEE, “Senate Bylaws Update
2020 Committee”
(Voting Units: All)
Submitted by: Senate Vice President Jacob Guter
The name of the Committee is: Senate Bylaws Update 2020 Committee
The charge of the Committee is to review the existing Bylaws and update/revise as deemed necessary. Some items that will be specifically reviewed include:
- Role and function of the Executive Committee
- Define Senate ‘Resolutions’ or ‘Sense of the Senate’ Proposals
- Clarify how Emergency Proposals are to be developed and handled
- Issues and authority to have electronic meetings and voting
- Addition of a new Standing Committee
- Others items deemed necessary to review
Background: Over the past few years it has become apparent that our Bylaws do not adequately address these issues, and with the sudden switch to remote teaching and meetings due to the Pandemic last spring, the nature of our meetings has evolved. The Bylaws were last modified in the 2016-17 Academic year, which cleaned up a lot of ambiguous language, however there remain other issues that have been spotlighted by the actions required this past Spring and Summer due to the Pandemic. The intent is to provide clear direction on these issues in keeping with the original intent of the Bylaws, but updated to reflect current needs and practices.
The tentative timetable for the Committee is to have a draft of proposed changes/revisions by sometime in November 2020, for review and proposed adoption by the University Senate by the end of the 2020-2021 Fall Semester.
Upon review and passage of any proposed changes/revisions the Ad-hoc Committee would be dis-banded.
September 30, 2020