Faculty Organization Plan:

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Reviewed by the AUS Faculty    June 6, 1999

Approved by the Chancellor      September 12, 1999

Article I: Purpose and Powers

Section One: Objective

The objective of the Faculty Organization Plan is to enable the Faculty of AUS, in keeping with sound principles of university organization, to perform effectively its functions and responsibilities with respect to educational policy and objectives of the university and related affairs in which the faculty has legitimate concern or interest. The provisions of the plan shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the stated objectives of the plan.

Section Two: Structure and Powers

The Faculty Organization shall consist of two bodies: the Faculty Assembly, [hereafter "Assembly"] which shall consist of academic personnel employed full time who hold the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, or lecturer; and the Faculty Senate [hereafter "Senate"] which shall be a representative body acting for the Assembly as a whole in legislative and advisory capacities. The powers, duties, and privileges of the Assembly and Senate shall be exercised in accordance with the By-Laws of the university and subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees. These powers, duties and privileges shall relate to matters that are of concern to more than one college or school.

Article II: The Faculty Assembly

Section One: Membership

The Assembly shall consist of the academic personnel holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, or lecturer who are full-time employees of a degree granting college, or school of the university [hereafter "Unit"], and the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and the heads of colleges and schools. All members of the Assembly shall be entitled to vote.

Section Two: Responsibility

The Assembly has the responsibility to preserve, generate, transmit, and apply knowledge and understanding, and to foster and support the vital spirit of open inquiry and critical thinking.

Section Three: Academic Environment

The Assembly is accountable for the quality of instruction and scholarship at AUS and accepts the responsibility and authority, both primary and shared, for developing, monitoring, and modifying policies affecting the academic environment.

Section Four: Recommendations

The Assembly has the responsibility and authority to provide the administration with recommendations concerning the development and implementation of other policies affecting academic life.

Section Five: Delegation

The Assembly shall delegate to the Senate all the duties and responsibilities referenced under the Faculty Senate section.

Section Six: Officers

The Chancellor shall be Chairman and preside over the Faculty Assembly. The President of the Senate shall be Vice-Chairman of the Assembly. The Vice-President and Secretary of the Senate shall also be the Officers of the Assembly. The Secretary shall be responsible for the minutes of each Assembly meeting, and shall furnish copies of the minutes to all members of the Assembly.

Section Seven: Faculty Assembly Meetings

The Assembly shall meet at least once each semester. A special meeting of the Assembly may be called by the Chancellor, the Senate, or by written petition of 10 % of the total faculty. A quorum shall consist of 50 % of the total membership of the Assembly. All meetings of the Faculty Assembly shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, latest edition.

Section Eight: Functions

(1) The Assembly shall receive information from the Chancellor, and such members of the university administration as he may delegate, on matters of general university interest or faculty concern.

(2) The Assembly shall receive reports from the Senate about its actions, proposed agendas, and activities of its committees. The Assembly shall have the power to direct the Senate to include matters of concern to the Assembly in the agenda of the Senate. The Senate shall report back to the Assembly on these matters in a timely manner.

(3) The Assembly shall act as a referendum body on questions referred to it for that purpose by the Senate.

Article III: The Faculty Senate

Section One: Mission

The Faculty Senate of The American University of Sharjah is an elected body of faculty having fundamental responsibility in the area of educational policy directed toward the effective operation of the university. The exercise of this responsibility is guided by the Vision expressed by His Highness, Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, and the Mission articulated by the officers of the institution.

Section Two: Purpose

(1) Promote a climate of academic freedom for the university community.

(2) Advance the instructional mission of the university by maintaining an optimal learning and teaching environment.

(3) Define and establish standards and procedures of accountability concerning professional faculty ethics and responsibilities, and promote adherence to those standards and procedures.

(4) Recommend policy on curricula, promotion, and other matters that affect faculty.

(5) Aid the university in making judgments on questions of policy, development, and operations and thereby assist the university in its continuing quest for excellence.

(6) Foster the professional development, economic well being, and quality of life of the faculty.

Section Three: Powers and Responsibilities

The Senate shall have the power to act for the faculty. The Senate shall have the authority of the faculty to recommend establishing, monitoring, and modifying all-university academic policy matters (as granted by the Board of Trustees) that include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Setting minimum standards for admission, retention, and graduation of students at all levels, including the standards for the awarding of honors.

(2) Setting minimum university graduation requirements. The requirements in a specific area of concentration shall be determined by the department faculty in consultation with the appropriate dean.

(3) Setting guidelines with respect to faculty appointments, promotions, dismissals, contracts, leaves of absence, ensurance of academic freedom, disposition of grievances, as well as any other matters regarding faculty status and welfare.

(4) Setting guiding principles for reviewing, establishing and deleting academic programs.

(5) Establishing policies and procedures for faculty evaluation.

(6) Establishing policies regarding the general nature of university-sponsored or university-directed faculty research and its relation to the instructional program.

(7) Establishing guidelines governing the allocation of funds for faculty research.

(8) Overseeing the nature and use of the library as an integral part of the instructional program.

(9) Recommending grading systems and grade-appeal procedures as well as academic policies concerning withdrawal, suspension, retention, repetition of courses, transfer of credits, and class attendance of students.

(10) Making recommendations regarding matters of administrative policy relating to educational policy.

(11)      Moderating issues relating to academic policy matters involving two or more schools or colleges of the university.

Any school or college that wishes to set standards higher than those established by the Senate shall inform the Senate. Nothing in this section shall be held to prevent schools and departments from conforming to standards required by accrediting agencies in their respective fields or professions or to the ethical or other standards of the profession concerned.

Internally, the Senate will have the power to:

(1) Delegate and to re-delegate or to reclaim the exercise of any of its powers to its standing committees.

(2) Fill or provide for the filling of vacancies in its membership between annual elections, and set the procedures for the nomination and election of members of the Senate and of its standing committees.

(3) Create, reconstitute, abolish, and provide for the appointment and discharge of members of special committees as well as define the powers of those committees.

(4) Create, reconstitute and abolish standing committees, and define the power thereof .

(5) Invite the attendance at meetings, without vote, of any person associated with the university, and empower the presiding officer to recognize such person to permit him or her to speak.

(6)        Oversee impeachment procedure for any elected officer.

(7)        Take such other action by resolution, as it may deem necessary and proper for the exercise of its authority and responsibilities.

Section Four: Organization

(1) The Faculty Senate membership shall be limited to full time faculty. Full time faculty is defined under Article II, Section One: Membership.

(2) Senate representation shall consist of members elected from each Unit. The Chancellor , the Vice-Chancellor and the dean/director of each college or school shall be ex-officio non-voting members of the Senate.

(3) Apportionment Plan (see Appendix A).

(4)               A term of office for senators shall be two legislative years. A legislative year runs from May 1 through April 30. At any given election, a senator who has served in the two previous consecutive terms or portions thereof shall be ineligible. The immediate past President will serve as an ex officio voting member of the Senate during the following legislative year, independent of the number of previous consecutive terms served.

(5)               Each Unit shall nominate and elect its own senators.

(6)               In each Unit any full time faculty member may nominate him/herself or be nominated as a candidate for Senate representation.

(7)               Election of Senators shall be by the balloting method. Ballots containing the names of the candidates shall be distributed in each Unit at least three working days before the elections.

(8) Elections shall be held in the second week of December. Faculty shall be notified of the election results no later than twenty-four hours after the completion of the election process.

(9) If a vacancy occurs in the Senate, a candidate from the same Unit, who will be chosen by special election, shall fill the term of that senator. The new senator shall be assigned to the same Senate committees as the senator who is being replaced.

(10) A Committee of Elections shall be responsible for allocating Senate representation and for establishing rules of procedure for elections. Irregularities in procedure shall be brought to the attention of the Committee no later than three working days after election results have been announced. The committee shall consist of one senator from each Unit. Members of the committee will be elected by the faculty of their Unit. This committee shall elect its chair.

(11) An organizational meeting of the new Senate shall be called by the President no later than the end of the last week in February, at which time the Senate shall elect a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary, with a maximum term of office of one year. The immediate past President shall not be eligible for re-election as an officer during the year following incumbency. The officers of the Senate shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, and the immediate past President. These officers along with four additional senators elected by the Senate shall serve as the Executive Committee of the Senate. Terms of office for officers of the Senate and members of the Executive Committee are one year.

(12) The Senate shall be considered a continuing body, and shall have the authority to create standing committees to act on specific matters within the Senate's jurisdiction, and make continuing studies of significant issues.

(13) The regular meeting of the Senate shall be on the third Tuesday of each month, provided the university is in session on that day. An extraordinary meeting of the Senate shall be called by the President under either of the following conditions:

i. Upon majority vote of the officers of the Senate.

ii Upon written petition to the President by at least ten members of the Senate, or 10% of the members of the Assembly.

The Chancellor could call an extraordinary meeting of the Senate with agreement of the majority of the officers.

When an extraordinary meeting is indicated by either of the methods above, the President must issue, within twenty-four hours, a notice of the meeting including the time, place and purpose of the meeting; the meeting must be held within twenty-four to seventy-two hours from the time at which the notice is issued. Extraordinary meetings shall not be called during scheduled university vacation periods.

(14) All meetings of the Senate shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, latest edition.

Section Five: Officers and Executive Committee

(a) Elected Senate Officers

(1) President

The President shall preside at Senate and Senate Executive Committee meetings, serve as Vice-Chair of the Assembly, oversee the work of the Senate and its committees, and carry out the responsibilities specified herein. The President shall also conduct two annual orientation meetings early each academic year: one for chairs of the committees of the Senate, and another for new senators.

(2) Vice-President

In addition to duties delegated by the President, the Vice-President shall carry out the responsibilities of the President when the President is absent. The Vice-President shall succeed the President when the office of the President becomes vacant.

(3) Secretary

The Secretary shall oversee the work of the employed secretary assigned to the Senate, keep minutes and maintain records of the Senate and the Senate Executive Committee, and shall provide the faculty access to such records.

(b) Executive Committee Membership

(1)               The members of this committee shall include the President, Vice-President, and Secretary of the Senate and four additional senators elected by the Senate with the provision that all four Units are represented.

(2)               If not among those named above, the immediate past President shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.

(c) Executive Committee Duties

The duties of the Executive Committee are as follows:

(1) Appoint the chairs of all standing committees of the Senate. All chairs must be senators.

(2) Advise the chancellor and Vice-Chancellor on matters of mutual concern to both administration and faculty at such times that the full Senate is unable to convene.

(3) Provide for study and review of the Faculty Governance Document and recommend to the Senate such revisions or amendments as deemed appropriate and necessary.

(4) Assist the President of the Senate in preparing the agenda of Senate meetings and in preparing and administering the Senate budget.

(5)               Determine whether recommendations proposed by standing committees are substantive, and require a vote of the Senate. All such determinations shall be reported in a timely fashion to the Senate by the President of the Senate.

(d) Appointees

(1) Parliamentarian

The President of the Senate shall appoint a parliamentarian to advise the Senate on matters of parliamentary procedure necessary to the orderly conduct of business. The term of the appointment shall be one year.

(2) Time-keepers

The President of the Senate shall appoint timekeepers when appropriate.

(3) Tellers

The President of the Senate shall appoint tellers for the purpose of counting ballots.

(e) Employed secretary

An employed (non-voting, non-member) secretary of at least quarter time (usually a full-time AUS secretary).

Section Six: Meetings

(a) Agenda

(1) The agenda for each meeting shall be prepared by the President of the Senate in consultation with the Senate Executive Committee

(2) The agenda of regular meetings shall include:

- Call to Order

- Roll Call

- Approval of the Minutes

- Report of the Chancellor and/or Member of Administration

- Report of the President of the Senate

- Reports of Committees

- Old Business

- New Business

- Announcements

(3) Items for Senate consideration may be presented, in writing, by any member or group of members of faculty. Such requests shall be sent at least one week before the scheduled meeting to the President, who shall see that the items are placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

(4) The agenda shall be followed unless set aside by two-thirds majority of those present.

(5)               The agenda and the minutes of Senate meetings shall be distributed to the Assembly and, through the Chancellor, to the Board of Trustees.

(b) Conduct of Business

(1) A quorum of the Senate shall consist of two-thirds of the elected representatives. When a meeting cannot be held or must adjourn because the quorum needed to conduct business is not present, a formal roll call shall be entered in the minutes.

(2) Any proposal, which comes before the Senate under "New Business," but has not been included in the distributed agenda, shall be referred to the appropriate committee for consideration. Such a proposal shall not be acted upon at the same session in which it is introduced except by a vote of two-thirds of those present.

(3) Committee reports placed on the agenda should be presented by a representative of that committee, who shall have the implied consent of the Senate to speak during the debate concerning that report.

(4) Faculty who are not members of the Senate may be present at Senate meetings but shall not be entitled to vote or make motions.

(5)               With the consent of the majority of senators present, the President may grant non-senators the privilege to speak.

(c) Voting

(1)               Voting in the Senate shall be by written ballot. The record of the vote shall be announced and entered in the minutes. A voice vote may be taken with the concurrence of a quorum. At the request of a member and with the concurrence of one-third of the members present, the record of the vote of each member of the Senate on any proposal shall be entered in the minutes.

(2)               The President shall have a vote in all matters.

(3)               All elections shall be by written ballot. The President shall appoint tellers for each election and shall read into the minutes the names of those elected.

(4)               For elections conducted within the Senate, an individual must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected.

(d) Executive Session

The Senate has the right by majority vote to go into executive session. When an executive session is voted, all observers including press representatives must leave the Senate meeting hall.

(e) Virtual Session

When the Senate is not in session and the President receives a motion that, in the President's judgment after consultation with the Executive Committee, requires Senate action prior to the next scheduled meeting and for which the calling of a special session would be impractical, the President may call a Virtual Session of the Senate via electronic mail or fax. The notice shall state the motion and invite all senators to debate the matter. Following the discussion, the President shall call for a vote, and senators will send their ballots via electronic mail or by fax to the President

Section Eight: Committees

(a)    Standing Committees of the Senate

With the exception of the Chair, members of the standing committees need not be senators. Standing committees may include ex-officio non-voting members with special skills and expertise in the relevant fields. Elections Committee, Faculty Welfare Committee, Financial Aid Committee, Research Committee, Evaluation Committee, etc. are examples of standing committees of the Senate.

(b) Senate Ad Hoc Committees

The President of the Senate may appoint various Ad Hoc committees to deal with specific issues or to assist the Executive Committee. These committees may include any combination of Senators or members of the Assembly. The Senate may also establish Ad Hoc committees and specify the method of selecting their members.

(c) Administrative Committees & University Ad Hoc Committees

These University committees are not committees of the Senate. Committees such as Athletics Committee, Planning Committee, Grade Appeals Committee, etc. would come under these categories. Committee composition and membership are determined by the chancellor.

Section Nine: Amendments

Will conform to Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, latest edition.

APPENDIX A

APPORTIONMENT

This apportionment is recommended for the transition period between inception of the Faculty Organization Plan and leveling of student enrollments and faculty hiring. The timing of this would be determined by the Faculty Senate.

School/CollegeRepresentatives

Arts & Sciences8 ( 3 from IEP )

Architecture & Design5

Business & Management5

Engineering5