.

S.00-48

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

?

MEMORANDUM

To: ?

Senate

From: ?

Alison Watt, Director, University Secretariat

Subject:

?

Revisions to the Rules of Senate - NOTICE OF MOTION

Date: ?

3 May, 2000

NOTICE OF MOTION

According to the Rules of Senate, the attached revision to the Rules of Senate is

presented to Senate as a notice of motion (without debate) at the May meeting and is to

be considered for approval at the June meeting of Senate.

The revisions to the Rules of Senate are of two types:

A.

Revisions in this category include:

The addition of the Purpose of Senate at the beginning of the document

V.C. 5

?

Inclusion of Question period

V C. 6.

?

Process for the approval of degrees

B.

Examples of revisions in this category include:

II. B. Delegation of authority from the Registrar to the Director,

University Secretariat

V. A. 6. Ability to set the time of Senate at a time other than 7 p.m.

V. A. 4 and B.2. Distribution of material and information - method

changes

Page 9111 a) ii) Streamlining the types of committee sessions from

open, closed and restricted dosed to

open and dosed

Attachment

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

?

SENATE ?

PURPOSE

Senate Is responsible for the academic governance of the University and so It must be concerned

with all important matters that bear on teaching and research In the University; this includes the

development of new initiatives, the formation of priorities, and the consideration and approval

of policies. Senate's agenda should be open for informed debate of issues of significance for the

whole University.

A.

Rules of Senate

B.

Rules of Senate Committees

C.

Election Rules

D.

Composition of Senate

E.

Membership of Senate

F.

Powers of Senate

.

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SENATE

A.

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RULES OF SENATE

I. ?

PREAMBLE

These Rules of Senate are intended to be in accordance with the University Act, as

amended from time to time. In the event of any conflict the University Act shall prevail.

II. ?

OFFICERS

A.

Chair: The Chair of Senate is empowered and expected to take the actions he/she

deems necessary to ensure the orderly advancement of the legitimate business of the

Senate. The Vice-Chair shall be elected annually by and from the members of Senate, and

shall sit as a member of the Senate Committee on Agenda and Rules. In no case shall a

Vice-Chair serve more than two consecutive terms.

B.

Secretary The Registrar Is the Secretary of Senate according to the University

Act, and has delegated to the Director, University Secretariat, responsibilities for

the management of Senate and Its committees. In the absence of the Registrar and

the Director, University Secretariat, the Chair shalt appoint a Secretary

pro tern.

III.

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MEMBERS

A.

As defined in the University Act or as defined by Senate under Section 35(2)(1).

Additional members approved by Senate are listed In Appendix A.

B.

Attendance: If, In the opinion of the Chair of Senate, a member routinely falls to

attend meetings, the Chair should discuss attendance matters with the member.

IV.

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ELECTIONS

A.

Rules covering nominations, elections, and voting for Senate and the Board of Governors

are determined by Senate and by Policies and Procedures and are contained In

V.

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SENATE MEETINGS

A.

Regular

1.

With the exceptions stated here and in (2) and (3) below, Senate usually meets once a

month on the first working Monday of each month

except

for May and September

when

the schedule of Senate may be changed to accommodate the approval and

awarding of

degrees

at Convocation. ?

When the first Monday of the month is an

aEademie holiday, the regular meeting of Senate shall be held en the second Monday.

?

At

in January, May and September, the regular

the commencement of each semester,

monthly meeting of Senate shall be held en the Monday when classes are scheduled to

begin.

?

ormally there will

be

no meeting in August.

2.

In exceptional circumstances, the Chair may postpone a regular meeting and instruct the

Secretary to inform the members as to the new date.

3.

If in the opinion of the Chair and on the

advice

of the Senate

Committee on

Agenda

and Rules (SCAR), there is insufficient business to justify a regular meeting, hck.hc the

Chair may cancel the meeting and instruct the Secretary to so inform the members.

4.

The Secretary of Senate will mail

or

circulate the notice of meeting, the agenda, and all

available supporting papers to members of Senate at least ten

seven

days before the

meeting.

5.

In order to make copies of the material pertaining to open sessions available to members

of the University community, copies of the agenda and available papers shall be

distributed to Departmental Chairs.

?

Copies of the agenda and papers with supporting

documentation will be available at least ten

seven

days before the meeting in the officc

•

of the Dean of Arts, the Dean of Business Administration, the Dean of Education, the

Dean of Science, the Dean of Applied Sciences, the Dean of Graduate Studies, the

Student Society Office and the Secretary of Senate

University Library

?

on reserve,

Secretariat. The agenda will

also be posted

on the Senate

Home page

of

the

World Wide

Web. ?

Following the meeting of

Senate, copies

of

the Open Session

papers

are available for consultation from

?

the

Senate

Secretariat and

the

University

Archives.

6.

Meetings will normally be called to order at 7:00 p.m

or

at another time

determined

by

SCAR and specified on the

agenda.

7.

The open session of any regular meeting normally shall not

exceed 3 hours in

Length.

terminate not later than 10:00 p.m. Uncompleted business will

be held over to the

next

meeting of Senate unless an extension of the meeting

Is authorized by

The

for ?

such motion

time may be extended at any meeting by successful motion

?

extension,

requiring only a simple affirmative majority of those who vote.

B.

Special

1.

The Chair may call a special meeting of Senate for the purpose of considering an urgent

item of business, when he/she deems it necessary, or on the petition of five members of

Senate.

?

Only such urgent items of business as are contained in the notice may be

discussed at a special meeting.

2.

The Secretary of Senate shall, at least seventy-two hours before the scheduled time of

the meeting, notify members of Senate by mail, telephone or telegraph, email,

telephone

or

fax

of the special meeting indicating the nature of the business for which

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the meeting is being called.

?

Notice of meeting, including the agenda, will be mailed

.

circulated to members of Senate.

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S

C. ?

Ooen and Closed Sessions

1.

Meetings of Senate shall be divided into two sessions: an open session to which observers

may be admitted; a closed session for the discussion of business deemed by Senate to be

of a confidential nature and to which observers shall not be admitted.

2.

The agenda for the open and closed sessions of Senate shall be public.

3.

An item on the agenda of the open session can be placed into the immediately following

closed session Immediately following, at any time prior to or during discussion of the

item, by successful motion to have it so placed, such motion requiring only a simple

majority. This motion may be spoken to only by the mover and by one other person who

wishes to speak against the motion. An identical procedure shall be followed if it is

wished that an item be moved from the closed to the following open session.

4.

Notices of motion or requests for Items to be considered by Senate shall be

submitted In writing to SCAR by the date noted on the agenda of Senate. SCAR is

the committee which receives all Items addressed to Senate and which

determines

• ?

whether Items should go to Senate

• ?

whether Items should be In Open or Closed Session

• ?

whether Items should be considered -

?

for Information

for advice

for action

• ?

which persons would present the matter to Senate

• ?

whether Items should be referred to a Senate committee, or

• ?

whether the matter falls outside the jurisdiction of Senate.

SCAR will report to Senate on the disposition of Items submitted.

5.

Question period

The first 15 minutes of any open session of Senate shall be available for questions.

Questions shall be submitted to the Secretary by 9 am on the Wednesday prior to

Senate. The Chair will determine which person shall respond to each question.

If the number of questions exceeds the time permitted, responses shalt be

prepared and sent to the person raising the question and shall be circulated to

Senate. The order of questions will be determined by the chair to ensure

fairness. Questions and responses should be specific and concise and should not

be malicious, frivolous, or vexatious.

Oral questions may be raised If time permits, but responses may not be available

at the meeting.

6.

Approval of Degrees

The LIStS of candidates recommended by the Faculties or the Dean of Graduate

Studies for the award of certificates, degrees and diplomas will

be available for

consultation at the Senate Secretariat office.

D. ?

Observers

1. ?

Provision shall be made for a limited number of observers at open sessions of Senate

meetings. ?

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2000

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2. ?

The Chair shall designate the number of seats to be made available for observers;

observers shall not exceed the number of seats provided for them.

3.

Observers may be students, faculty or staff of Simon Fraser University or members of

the community at Large.

4.

Observers shalt conduct themselves in such a manner as not to interfere with the business

of Senate.

5.

No observers shalt be required to Leave the open meeting of Senate except on the ruling

of the Chair or on the vote of Senate by simple majority without prior notice of motion.

6.

The editor of

The Peak,

or designate, is permitted to attend the open sessions of

Senate, as an ob3crvcr.

7.

At the discretion of the Chair of Senate, closed circuit audio coverage and/or closed

circuit television coverage of open sessions of Senate may be provided to other areas of

the University. No provision shall be made for closed circuit coverage of closed sessions

of Senate meetings.

E. ?

Quorum:

Eleven members, at Least six of whom shall be members of faculty elected to Senate, shaft

constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business at any regular or special meeting

of Senate.

F.

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Minutes

. 1. The minutes shall

be the official

record of Senate. Minutes of meetings shaLl be a

brief summary of points made in debate and a record of decisions taken. The part

played by any member in the closed session, other than the mover and seconder of

motions, should not be recorded in the minutes.

2.

Shorthand transcripts of open and closed sessions shall be made and retained by the

Secretary of Senate. Members of Senate shalt have access to these transcripts.

3.

Open sessions shall be recorded on audio tape by the Secretary of Senate. A copy of the

audio tape shalt be placed in the University Archives Library.

4.

Gepies of the minutes of the open session with supperting papers shaft be placed in the

University Library and shall be open to the University community. Copies of the minutes

shall be distributed to members of Senate and will

be posted on

the World Wide

Web when approved by Senate. Copies of the Senate Summary will be circulated

to Departmental Chairs, President of the Student Society and President of the Faculty

Association and

posted on the

web. By request, copies of minutes will be made

available to any concerned individual. Requests for multiple copies of Senate minutes

may be made available at the discretion of the Chair of Senate or the Secretary.

5.

Copies of the open session

papers

are

accessible In the Senate Secretariat or from

the University Archives. Copies of the minutes of the dosed session, with apprepriate

supporting papers, shall be placed in the University Archives. Access to this material

may be authorized by the Chair of Senate.

Access to closed session

papers may be

authorized in accordance with the

appropriate statutory authority.

G.

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Order of Business

.

?

1.

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Items for open and closed sessions of Senate are determined by the Chair of Senate upon

the advice of the Senate Committee on Agenda and Rules.

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2.

The order of business for open and closed sessions of regular meetings of Senate shall be:

Approval of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Session(s)

Business Arising from the Minutes

Report of the Chair

Question period

Reports of Committees

Reports of Faculties

Other Business

Notices of Motion

Information

3.

The order of business of special meetings shall be that transmitted in the Notice of

Meeting.

H.

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Conduct of Meetings

1.

?

Agenda

Items: Items

from committees or Individual senators for consideration by

Senate

are

to be submitted to SCAR

by the appropriate date.

1.

Motions from the floor: Metiens from the floor may be made orally; however, at the

request of the Chair the mover may be required to put the motion in writing.

2.

Debate: A member of Senate who desires to speak in debate must obtain recognition

from the Chair. A senator who has spoken twice on a particular question has exhausted

his/her right to debate that question for that session.

3.

Amendments: Amendments to motions may be made orally, but at the request of

the Chair, the mover may be required to submit the motion

to the

Secretary

In

writing.

4.

Voting: Elections shall be by ballot. All other voting shall be by show of hands, unless a

motion to vote by ballot is carried.

5.

Except as otherwise specified in these rules the use of cameras and recorders is not

permitted after a meeting has been called to order.

F.

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General Re g

ulations for Elections Conducted at Senate (was M) In IV

1.

For electoral purposes at Senate Election voting shall be by ballot on appropriate forms

provided by the Secretary.

2.

For elections conducted at Senate a ballot showing more votes than the number of

vacancies to be filled shall be invalid.

3.

In elections at Senate if there is a tied vote between two candidates for one position, the

winner shall be determined by a toss of the coin conducted by the registrar at a time set

by the Registrar and in the present of the affected candidates or their representatives.

Where there are more than two candidates tied for one position there shall be an

additional ballot to choose between the persons concerned.

4.

The Secretary shall report state the names of the persons elected. The ballots may then

be destroyed. The names of

all

candidates are to be recorded in the Minutes of Senate

along with a List of those declared elected. The Rcgitrar Secretary is to inform all

- ?

candidates, by letter or e-mail, of the number of votes cast for each candidate. These

tallies are also to be publicly posted

on the Senate

Secretariat board.

by the Rcgitrar

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VI. ?

COMMITTEES

A.

The Senate shall appoint such standing and ad hoc committees as it, from time to time,

shall determine necessary and Senate shall determine the membership and the method of

appointment or electing members to said committees.

B.

Any member of a Senate committee who plans to be away for one semester or more shall

so inform the Secretary of Senate in order that a substitute may be elected for the

period of the absence.

C.

The

nomination and

election

of members to Senate committees

?

shall

be

undertaken at the June Senate meeting and at other times when vacancies

occur.

D.

1.

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Reports to Senate

a)

?

A Committee whose first function is regularly to place items on the agenda of

meetings of Senate shall not present a regular report to Senate beyond the

submission of agenda items and the necessary supporting materials.

b)

?

A standing committee with delegated responsibilities to perform duties on behalf

of Senate shall report to Senate at twelve-monthly intervals, except where

otherwise stipulated in the charge to the committee; the first report shall be on

a date to be agreed upon by the Chair of the committee and the Chair of Senate.

Where Senate ratification of decisions made by a committee is required it shall

be sought at the time of submission of the committees report; in the event of

Senate failing to ratify such decision or decisions of a committee, the decision or

decisions shall stand, and the Senates failure to ratify shall be interpreted as

instruction te the committee involved that actions of that type shall net be

repeated.

C) ?

A temporary committee established by Senate to perform a limited specified

.

task shall report to Senate by the date stated in its charge.

d)

?

Existing committees of Senate shall be assigned to categories a), b), or e) above

by the Chair of Senate on the date of promulgation of this ruLe; the categories of

committees to be established in future shall be specified

in

the charge to eadi

committee.

e) ?

Any Committee of Senate may, on motion of Senate or on call of the Chair of

Senate be required to present a report to Senate.

2.

Form of Reórts of Committees to Senate

Committee reports to Senate shall

be signed by

the Chair of

each

committee and

normally shall include the following:

a)

A statement of Scnatcs charge-to the committees terms of reference.

b)

A statement of actions taken by the committee under the chargc during the

reporting period.

c)

Where Senate has delegated powers to the committee, a list of the actions that

have to be ratified.

d)

Recommendations if any. Any recommendation shalt be in the form of a motion

and handled in accordance with normal Senate procedures for placing motions on

the agenda.

Reports of committees will be posted on

the web.

3. ?

Consideration of Reports

Upon the advice of the Senate Committee on Agenda and Rules, The Chair of Senate shaLt

may allocate a period of time for informal consideration of committee reports. Any

3 May, 2000

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recommendation arising from the discussion shall be presented as a motion in

accordance with the regular practicc Rules of Senate.

?

0

VII.

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The latest edition of Roberts Rules of Order The rules contained in 0. CameW Jones,

Parliamentar y

Precedures at a Glanee (New Yerk; Hawthem/Dutten 1971) shalt govern Senate in

all cases to which they are applicable, and in Which they are not inconsistent with the Standing

Rules of Senate.

VIII.

METHOD OF AMENDING

Alterations of these Rules of Senate shall require written notice at a regular meeting of Senate

prior to the meeting at which a vote on the proposed alteration is taken, which vote shall require

an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the voting members present to

carry.

IX.

SUSPENSION OF THE RULES

A motion to suspend these Rules of Senate shall require an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the

voting members present to carry.

APPENDIX A

Pursuant to the provision of Section 35(2) of the University Act, Senate has approved the

addition of the following members:

Dean of Graduate Studies (S. 422)

Associate Vice-President, Academic (S75-88)

Vice-President, Research (S88-34)

With each additional member listed above, two faculty member positions and one student

member position have been added to the Senate.

.

3 May, 2000

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B. ?

RULES OF SENATE COMMITTEES

PREAMBLE

These rules are intended to be in accordance with the University Act and the Rules of Senate, as

amended from time to time. In the event of any conflict, the University Act and/or the Rules of

Senate shall prevail. Section A. VI Committees, In the Rules of Senate, applies to Senate

Committees.

OFFICERS

a)

Chair: The Chair of a Senate Committee is empowered and expected to take the actions

necessary to ensure orderly advancement of the legitimate business of the Committee.

b)

Secretary: ?

In the absence of the regular Secretary or his/her designate, the Chair

shall appoint a Secretary pro tern.

III ?

OPEN AND

CLOSED

SESSIONS

a) ?

Attendance

i)

Open Session - In addition to committee members, observers and other

Senators would be ablc to may attend. Only committee members would be able

te may make motions and have exercise voting privileges.

ii)

Clesed Session

In addition to committee members, other Senators would be

able to attend. Only committee members would be able to make motions and

have voting pnviLcgc3.

iii)

Rcstrlctcd

Closed Session -

Only members of the committee would be eligible to

• ?

may attend. Those portions of meetings that are designated as Rctrictcd

Closed" would address confidential, personal or highly sensitive issues.

Four particular The following committees come to mind that regularLy would

have include Rctnctcd Closed Sessions. As noted below, any Committee has

the ability to move a particular item of business for consideration under another

category.

• Senate Committee on Honorary Dcgrcc3 University Honours - when it

considers nominations for honours. honorary degrees

• Senate Appeals Board - when it considers appeals by students. Those

individuals directly involved in the case, as determined by the Committee,

may be present to give and hear evidence being given by the other parties

but may not be present during the deliberations of the Committee.

• Senate Committee on Disciplinary Appeals - A student appeal shall be open to

the public except when the Committee is of the opinion that intimate

financial or personal matters may be disclosed. The Committee, on its own

motion or on application from the appellant, may determine that the appeal

or parts thereof shall be held

in camera.

The deliberations

of the

committee are closed.

• Senate Committee on University Budget when it receives advance notice of

funding, and/er when financial exigencies are discussed.

•

Senate

Committee

on

University Priorities - when it considers

Information which is not in the public domain.

• Senate Undergraduate Awards Adjudication Committee- when It

?

receives and considers information about particular candidates.

3 May, 2000

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• Senate Graduate Awards Adjudication Committee- when It receives

and considers information about candidates.

• Diverse Qualifications Admissions Committee- when it receives and

considers Information about applicants.

• International Student Exchange Committee - when It receives and

considers information about applicants.

• Committee to Review University Admissions - when it receives and

considers Information about applicants.

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b) ?

An item on the Open Session agenda can be moved to the Closed Session when a

motion to do so is approved by a simple majority of those voting. Similarly, an

Item can be moved from the Closed Session to the following Open session.

IV

?

OBSERVERS

I)

?

Provision shalt be made for a limited number of observers at Open Sessions of Senate

Committee meetings.

ii)

The Chair of the Committee shall designate the number of seats to be made available for

observers. Observers shall not exceed the number of seats provided for them.

iii)

Observers may be students, faculty or staff of Simon Fraser University or members of

the community at large.

IV)

Observers shall conduct themselves in a manner as not to interfere with the business of

the Committee.

V)

No observers shalt be required to leave the Open meeting of the Committee except on

the ruling of the Chair or on the vote of the Committee by simple majority without prior

notice of motion.

V ?

ATrENDANCE:

If, in the opinion of the Chair of any Senate committee, a member of a committee fails to attend

meetings of that committee on a regular basis, the Chair should discuss his/her concern with the

member. If there is no resolution through regular attendance, reasons that are acceptable in the

short-term, or the resignation of the member, the Chair may submit, through the Secretary of

Senate, a written request to SCAR that the member be removed and a replacement sought.

SCAR will advise the member of the request and provide the member with the opportunity to

respond. SCAR will decide on the action to be taken and so advise the Chair and the member.

SCAR will report annually on such matters in summary form.

S

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C.

Election Rules (NO CHANGES ARE PROPOSED FOR THE ELECTION RULES. HOWEVER, IT IS

PROPOSED THAT THE CURRENT SECTION ON ELECTIONS BE MOVED OUT OF ITS

CURRENT POSITION WITHIN THE RULES OF SENATE AND MOVED INTO NEW SECTION

- WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SECTION M DEALING WITH ELECTIONS AT SENATE

WHICH HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO A AS IV)

D.

Composition of Senate - from the University Act

E.

Membership of Senate - from the University Act

F.

Powers of Senate

?

- from the University Act

.

3 May, 2000

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Page 11

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