University of Virginia Library

To Improve Communication

Group Proposes Revitalized Senate

News Analysis

By Peter Shea
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

An ad hoc committee of interested
students and faculty members has quietly
drafted a proposal for the reform of the
University Senate.

The objective of the informal group is
to revitalize the current University
Senate. To do so would require changes
in the Constitution of the Senate,
however. These revisions would mostly
involve the composition of the membership of
the body.

The goal of the group is to have the
revamped Senate exercise the current powers of
the body to deal with University-wide issues.
These powers are not being exercised at the
present time, the committee claims.

The ad hoc committee, in a rough outline
plan, has established seven goals for the
proposal.

First, "the main objective must be to have a
body through which the resources and wisdom
of the University may be drawn upon, the
current opinion of the University community
may be expressed, communication improved
and innovative ideas brought to bear on
University problems."

The draft proposal also says, "the University
Senate should function as an elected body
representative of the entire University community,
including faculty, students, administration
and staff.

"The University Senate should exercise its
existing powers as outlined in its current
constitution. The University Senate should also
be at the service of the President of the
University, its presiding officer, in providing
consultative advice."

As stated, the major changes would concern
the make-up of the Senate. The proposal asks
that "the membership of students, tenured and
non-tenured faculty, etc., should be so
apportioned as to provide fair and adequate
representation to all the constituent groups of
the University community."

In order to see that the members of the
body do indeed represent the groups of the
University, the draft asks that "representatives
to the Senate should be elected by processes
which insure participation of a reasonably large
proportion of each constituency in voting."

Finally, so that the Senate would truly
accomplish its main objective, the ad hoc
committee feels that "the University Senate
should encourage the view that the opportunity
for most meaningful participation by faculty
and students in University affairs exists and
should be fostered at the faculty or departmental
level."

If the Senate were to be revised in the above
manner, it would no longer serve as a
faculty-administrative body but would serve as
a forum for discussion between the three
branches of the University community.

Originally, a body named the General
Faculty held the powers that the University
Senate now has. In 1925, the General Faculty
formed the University Senate, granting it all
powers except for awarding degrees. Since that
time, the General Faculty has been an entirely
ceremonial group.

In its constitution, the University Senate
was given the following functions: "the
modification of degree requirements; legislation
affecting athletics; regulations concerning student
clubs; the creation of holidays; to receive
communications and recommendations from
the Honor Committee; regulations concerning
the conduct of examinations; any legislation
affecting all departments of the University; any
legislation affecting more than one department
of the University; and, as a matter of judgment,
the President may call on the University Senate
for its opinion and advice on any matter
affecting the welfare of the University."

According to the constitution as amended in
1966, the President of the University, or in his
absence, the Provost, is the presiding officer of
the Senate. The Provost, Dean of Women and
Dean of the University are non-voting,
ex-officio members.

There are 13 voting, ex-officio members,
namely the deans of the 11 schools plus the
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and
the Chancellor for Medical Affairs.

The elected, voting members are chosen in
two ways: "(1) From the College of Arts and
Sciences and the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences combined there shall be elected one
Senate member for each 20 faculty members of
professorial rank, and (2) from each professional
school of the University there shall be
elected one Senate member for each 20
members of professorial rank."

In addition, the constitution adds that "any
group specified in (1) and (2) containing 11 to
19 members of professorial rank above an exact
multiple of 20 shall elect an additional Senate
member, and any group specified in (1) and (2)
containing less than 11 faculty members of
professorial rank shall elect one Senate
member."

The constitution defines a "faculty member
of professorial rank" as "one holding the title
Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant
Professor, who fills a regular position in the
faculty of a school of the University, and who
has a vote in the meetings of that faculty."

Despite the impressive membership regulations,
the members of the ad hoc committee
feel that the University Senate has become, like
its predecessor, a ceremonial body.

Technically, the Senate is supposed to meet
twice each year and elections are supposed to
be held annually, but there is much doubt
among the faculty whether these functions have
been performed in recent years.

At Tuesday night's Student Council meeting,
Council President Bud Ogle was appointed
to contact by letter the presidents of the
various schools of the University to determine
who would be interested in working on a
committee to draw up recommendations
concerning the forming of a Student-Faculty-Administration
Senate.

After the meeting, Mr. Ogle explained that
he hoped to appoint two or three of the
presidents to the committee. He said that many
of the students who attended the Mountain
Lake conference expressed interest in establishing
such a Senate.

In explaining the reasoning behind the
proposal, Mr. Ogle said, "A Student-Faculty
Senate would give students greater responsibility
in helping the University chart its own
future course and to develop constructive
curriculum changes and constructive changes in
University-wide programs."

When asked why he felt there was a need for
an active body like a Student-Faculty Senate,
Mr. Ogle explained, "In this period of
increasing student-faculty relationships, I think
it is very important that the University be
considered in terms of the 'academical village'
as Mr. Jefferson originally envisioned it rather
than on the grounds of competing interests, like
students versus faculty versus administration."