Article II — Faculty Representation

• Section 1. The faculty electorate is composed of those members of the academic staff who are directly engaged in and responsible for the educational function of the University; ordinarily this will involve teaching and research. Specifically, the faculty electorate shall consist of all persons of the campus non-visiting academic staff, other than persons holding administrative appointments in excess of one-half time (the exception to this exclusion are executive officers of departments or similar units, and assistant or associate executive officers of such units, who are otherwise eligible), who:
  • a. Are tenured or receiving probationary credit toward tenure or in the preceding year have received probationary credit toward tenure or hold the unmodified academic rank or title of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor without tenure, have at least a one-half time appointment, and are paid by the University; or

  • b. Hold the academic rank or title of instructor or lecturer, have a full-time appointment, are paid by the University, are not candidates for a degree from this University, and are designated by their voting unit for inclusion in the faculty electorate; or

  • c. Are retired members of the campus academic staff with the title of emeritus, and would otherwise be eligible for inclusion in the faculty electorate. However, retired members shall not be counted for purposes of the provisions of Sections 3, 4, and 5 of this Article.

  • d. Members of the faculty electorate who are members by virtue of Paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section shall not be counted for purposes of the provisions of Sections 3, 4, and 5 of this Article.

• Section 2. All persons included in the faculty electorate shall be eligible for election to the Senate, without distinction on the basis of rank or other criteria. Each member of the electorate shall be entitled to cast one vote for each open senatorial position apportioned to the member's voting unit; there shall be no cumulative voting.

• Section 3. Elections shall be held on the basis of faculty voting units. A faculty voting unit is the smallest academic unit, such as the department or similar unit, in each college or analogous academic division that has at least seven members of the faculty electorate.

• Section 4. A voting unit having seven members of the faculty electorate is entitled to elect one senator from its membership. For each 12 members of the faculty electorate over the initial seven, the unit shall elect an additional senator. Prior to each election, the Senate shall retain or adjust the numbers 7 or 12 or both by whole numbers to ensure that after such election the total number of senators from the faculty electorate shall be as close to 200 as possible.

• Section 5. Academic units having fewer than seven members of the faculty electorate shall be combined with or attached to other units within the college or other analogous educational division in which the unit is located, in such a way as to ensure opportunity for full participation by all members of the faculty electorate.

• Section 6. Each faculty voting unit shall provide to its faculty electorate a nominating ballot that either contains the names of all those faculty who are eligible to vote in the unit except those who are unwilling to serve, or contains the names of all those faculty who are eligible to vote in the unit who have expressed a willingness to serve. Each member of the unit's faculty electorate shall be entitled to cast one nominating vote for each open senatorial position apportioned to the unit; there shall be no cumulative voting. The voting unit shall then prepare an election ballot containing the names of those who received the highest number of nominating votes and who are willing to serve. The number of names on the election ballot shall equal twice the number of those to be elected or all of those nominated, if the number of those nominated is less than twice the number to be elected. The nominees receiving the highest numbers of votes shall be deemed elected.

• Section 7. Voting on nominations and elections of senators shall be by secret ballot.

• Section 8. Senators shall be elected for two-year terms commencing at the beginning of the next academic year. Provision shall be made for staggered terms so that approximately half the Senate will be elected each year.

• Section 9. Vacancies shall be filled by election of a member of the voting unit for the remainder of the vacant term in accordance with the nomination and election procedures prescribed in this Article.

• Section 10. No senator shall be elected for more than three consecutive full terms.

• Section 11. A faculty senator can be recalled by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the senator's voting unit.

• Section 12. The faculty electorate of the College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign shall be entitled to elect voting members of the Senate. The provisions of this Article shall apply to these members.