Standing Rules of the University of North Dakota Senate

 

  1. The University of North Dakota Senate meets regularly on the first Thursday of each month from September to May.  Meetings begin at 4:05 p.m. and adjourn not later than 5:30 p.m.

 

  1. The meeting room is determined by the Executive Committee of the Senate (normally Gamble Hall, Room 7, where the first five rows are reserved for Senate members).

 

  1. Visitors may occupy seats not reserved for Senate members; when all seats in the visitors’ area are occupied, no other visitors will be admitted.  Electronic recording of Senate meetings, either by audio or video means, is permitted; however, such recording and the positioning of equipment and personnel shall not interfere with the scheduled business of the Senate.  The presiding officer of the Senate is empowered to relocate such recording equipment or personnel in order to facilitate the business of the Senate.

 

  1. Visitors may speak with the consent of the Senate membership.

 

  1. No member shall speak for more than two consecutive minutes, except by a majority vote of the Senate.

 

  1. Minutes of Senate meetings shall be distributed to Senate members.

 

  1. Notices and agendas of Senate meetings shall be included in the University Newsletter and on the University Senate web page.  Minutes of each Senate meeting, including a list of those present and absent will be posted on the University Senate web page. The Senate will publish attendance records at the end of each semester, both a summary by categories (ex-officio, elected council members, student) and individual statistics.

 

  1. Items on the agenda shall be identified with the name of the person who either reports it to the Registrar or who will present it to the Senate.  Reports of university committees may be presented to the Senate by committee chairs who are not members of the Senate.

 

  1. Agenda items brought for Senate action shall be divided into three separate “calendars.”

 

    1. Senate calendar:  items reported to the Senate by the Senate Executive Committee, including action taken by the Executive Committee that the Senate must ratify or reverse; announcements; review of minutes; and a question period.  The question period shall not exceed 20 minutes.
    2. Consent calendar:  non-controversial items such as committee reports that are read by title and voted upon without debate or discussion.  One objection from any member removes the items from the consent calendar.
    3. Business calendar:  normal action items requiring the attention of the Senate; debatable.

 

  1.   All votes of the Senate are open, public votes.

 

    1. Procedural votes, including votes on motions to receive reports, may proceed without roll call, by voice or hand according to the direction of the chair; the chair shall announce the result of the vote, which result shall be recorded in the minutes and, unless challenged by a senator prior to the commencement of the next item of business.  Upon a challenge, the chair may proceed to a re-vote, or may call a roll call vote.
    2. All non-procedural votes shall be roll call votes, with the votes of each member present being made public at the meeting and recorded in the minutes.  Voting may be by signed ballot.  The secretary’s announcement of the result shall be the official vote of the Senate on the matter unless challenged by the senator before the next item of business is begun.  Roll call votes need not be used when the vote is unanimous or when an individual or a small number of individuals vote in the negative or abstain and are willing to identify themselves and have their votes recorded.  If the number is such that the issue is in doubt, or the process becomes cumbersome, the chair may request a roll call vote.  Any member may request a roll call vote on any vote taken in the Senate.

 

    1. At the September Senate meeting the Committee on Committees shall present a ballot for the offices Vice Chair/Chair Elect of the Senate and the Executive Committee member-at-large.  Individual senators may submit nominations for these offices to the Committee on Committees prior to the Committee’s preparation of the ballot.  The Student Senator nominee to the Senate Executive Committee shall be included on the ballot.  All nominations will be accepted up to one week prior to the September meeting of the Senate.  Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. The Vice Chair will become the Chair of the Senate beginning with the September meeting. The other newly elected officers will assume their responsibilities immediately after the adjournment of the September University Senate meeting.  In Fall 2004, there will be an election of a Chair for 2004-2005 and an election of a Vice Chair/Chair elect (as specified in the new Bylaws of the University Senate).

 

 

 

 

Approved by the UND Senate, February 5, 1998

Amended: February 5, 2004.