Excerpted from the University Assembly Charter for discussion on Wednesday, 2 May 2007.

ARTICLE 2: Membership

Membership The University Assembly shall consist of 21 voting members; six undergraduate students, three graduate and/or professional students, five employees, and seven faculty. The following shall be members of the Assembly, without vote: The Vice President for Student and Academic Services, the Senior Vice President, another member of the central administration appointed by the President, and the Chair of the on Minority Affairs Committee.

2.1 Composition and terms

Members of the UA shall be chosen by and from within the membership of the constituent assemblies as follows: at least, but not limited to two each from the Student Assembly (SA) and Employee Assembly (EA), and one each from the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) and the Faculty Senate. Individual constituent assemblies shall determine a means of identifying/selecting/electing the remaining members as defined in Article 2 of the UA Charter. All members shall serve two-year staggered terms which should be contained within their constituent assembly terms, except for student members who shall serve one-year terms. The Faculty Senate should be thought of as one of the separate constituent assemblies. The UA shall be informed annually of the appointment procedures to be used prior to the appointment taking place. Vacancies shall be the responsibility of the constituent assembly to fill as soon as a vacancy occurs.

2.2 Exclusion

A voting member of the UA may not serve concurrently as a University Trustee, or as a member of the Assembly’s standing committees and boards, except where specified in this Charter.

ARTICLE 3: Officer

The officers of the University Assembly shall be the Chair and the Vice Chair, who shall be from different constituencies.

3.1 Chair

At its organizational meeting in the spring semester, the UA shall elect a Chair from among its members.

Bylaw 3.1.a The Chair must be elected by a majority of the voting members present. If on the first ballot there is not a majority, then the top two finishers shall have a run-off.

3.2 Vice chair

At its organizational meeting in the spring semester, the UA shall elect a Vice Chair from among its members.

Bylaw 3.2.a The rules of election for Chair shall also apply to Vice Chair.

3.3 Responsibilities

3.3.1 Responsibilities of the chair

It shall be the responsibility of the Chair of the UA, or in the event of absence, the Vice Chair, to chair all meetings of the Assembly and the Executive Committee and to work with the leaders of the other constituent assemblies in order to provide efficient communication channels.

3.3.2 Responsibilities of the vice-chair

It shall be the responsibility of the Vice Chair of the UA, or a designee, to keep the minutes of all the meetings, notify members of the UA of special meetings and of important matters proposed for action at any meeting, make public and publicize the reports and actions of the UA and its committees where appropriate, transmit reports, actions, and recommendations as the Assembly shall direct. The Vice Chair also shall report periodically on the disposition or current status of the Assembly actions and recommendations. The Vice Chair shall also supervise the exchange of information and opinion between the Assembly and the community at large. The Vice Chair shall further serve as the convener and chair of the Assemblies System Review Committee.

3.4 Removal

The UA may remove any of its officers upon an affirmative vote of at least 2/3 of the seated membership of the Assembly. Immediately thereafter, a new officer shall be elected from among the UA membership for the balance of the term of office.

3.5 Replacement

In the event that the elected Chair must relinquish the position, the Vice Chair shall assume the position and duties and a new Vice Chair shall be elected from the members of the UA at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the UA.

3.6 Executive committee

The Executive Committee of the University Assembly

3.6.1 Membership

3.6.1.1 The Executive Committee shall have four members, including one undergraduate student, one graduate/professional student, one faculty member, and one employee.

3.6.1.2 The Chair and the Vice Chair of the UA shall be members of the Executive Committee, and shall lower their constituency’s representation on the Executive Committee.

3.6.1.3 The members of the Executive Committee, excluding the Chair and the Vice Chair of the Assembly, shall be elected in a caucus of Assembly members from their own constituencies.

3.6.1.4 The Executive Committee shall serve a one-year term, beginning on June 1.

3.6.2 Authority during the academic year.

The Executive Committee shall:

3.6.2.1 prepare the agenda for Assembly meetings.

3.6.2.2 call special meetings of the Assembly when it deems necessary.

3.6.3 Emergency Authority

3.6.3.1 During periods between semesters and during vacations, the Executive Committee shall be authorized to speak for the Assembly on matters of policy under the jurisdiction of the Assembly in those cases when in the Executive Committee’s best judgment, a delay would effectively result in no Assembly participation in a decision being made.

3.6.3.2 Before making any statement for the Assembly, the Executive Committee shall make its best effort to reach all members of the Executive Committee, including those not on campus for their opinion, and shall make its best effort to contact all members and chairpersons whose committees are concerned with the question at hand for their opinion. In its attempt to reach members, the Executive Committee shall be authorized to meet by conference call.

3.6.3.3 The Executive Committee shall follow the practice of inviting to UA meetings those who have a concern for the issue at hand.

3.6.3.4 Any such statement by the Executive Committee shall be reported in full at the first meeting of the Assembly following the vacation or mid-semester break. The report shall include the names of those members of the Executive Committee who participated in the action as well as the vote count.