Bylaws of the University of Tennessee Faculty Council

Article 1 – Name and Objectives

Section 1. Name

A. Name

The name of the organization shall be “University of Tennessee Faculty Council” hereinafter referred to as the University Faculty Council (UFC).
 

B. Name Change

The organization may at its pleasure by a vote of the membership body change its name.

Section 2 Objectives

The objectives of the University Faculty Council are those expressed in the Charter of the Council, with these Bylaws expressing the procedures through which the objectives and functions of the UFC are to be met.

Section 3 Responsibilities

The UFC shall report to the respective UT campus Faculty Senates regarding the activities of the UFC, shall seek input and advice from these Senates on issues that come before the UFC, and shall confer with appropriate faculty on the campuses as necessary to carry out its advisory activities with the UT President and staff.

Article 2 – Membership and Election

Section 1 The UFC shall consist of the following voting members:

A. Senate Presidents

The Faculty Senate Presidents from each of the campuses of the University of Tennessee: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University of Tennessee at Martin, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center. The term of membership for each of these members shall be set based upon the respective campus policies on election of Senate Presidents.
 

B. Campus Representatives

One representative from the full-time tenured faculty of each campus with each representative serving a term of three years. Representatives may be elected to serve a second consecutive term. No such campus representative may serve more than two consecutive terms. A Senate President who is completing their term of office may be elected by their campus for a 3-year term. The manner of election of the campus representatives shall be determine by each campus and should be addressed in their Faculty Senate bylaws.
 

C. Faculty Appointee to Education, Research, and Service Committee

The faculty appointee to the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees’ Education, Research, and Service Committee.

Section 2 The UFC shall include the following ex-officio, non-voting members:

A. President

The President of the University of Tennessee System.
 

B. Vice President

The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success of the University of Tennessee System.

Section 3 Replacement of Members

A. President Replacement

In the event that a campus Faculty Senate President is no longer able to serve on the UFC, the campus policies on choice of a new Senate President shall determine who shall complete the term on the UFC.
 

B. Representative Replacement

In the event that a campus elected representative to the UFC is no longer able to serve, resigns, or no longer meets the eligibility criteria specified above, or is recalled by their Faculty Senate, the responsibility for selection of a new representative shall be given to the Faculty Senate of the campus. This representative shall complete the term of office of the individual they are replacing. They shall be eligible to serve another complete term on the UFC if so elected by their campus.

Article 3 – Governance

Section 1 Officers

A. Chair

The UFC shall have a Chair selected from among its continuing members. The responsibilities of the Chair shall be to coordinate regular meetings of the UFC, provide an agenda for each meeting in consultation with Council members, maintain all records of activities of the UFC, including minutes of meetings, be a spokesperson for the Council, and serve as the primary contact between the Council and the University President. The Chair shall serve a one year term effective July 1 of each calendar year. A UFC member may serve at most two consecutive terms as Chair. The Chair shall be selected from among its continuing members of the UFC by simple majority vote at the last meeting of each academic year.
 

B. Secretary

The Chair may request the assistance of another member of the UFC to serve as Secretary of the UFC for their term of office as Chair. The Secretary shall assist the Chair in the production of minutes and reports from UFC meetings and any necessary correspondence.
 

C. Other Officers

The Chair or any member of the UFC may, at any time, recommend the election of additional officers. The duties of these officers and term of appointment will be determined at the time the office is proposed and the election of these officers will be by simple majority vote.

Section 2 Meetings

A. Regular Meetings

Regular meetings of the UFC shall occur three times a year. Notice of these meetings shall be provided at least one month in advance, with dates and times chosen in consultation with the members of the UFC.
 

B. Additional Meetings

Additional meetings of the UFC may be called upon a request of any four voting members following notification of all members.
 

C. Quorum

A quorum for any meeting shall consist of at least five voting members of the UFC. In the event a voting member is unable to attend a meeting, an alternate, with full voting privileges, may be appointed by his or her Senate President from among the full-time faculty. Only those present at a meeting shall have a vote on matters before the UFC at that meeting.
 

D. Procedure

All meetings of the UFC shall follow Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised (latest edition)
 

E. Meeting Locations

Meeting locations shall be rotated so that over the course of three years, at least one meeting shall be held on each campus. Meetings need not be held at campus locations. The choice of meeting locations for the following year shall be specified at the end of each academic year.

Section 3 Committees

The UFC may establish committees for explicit time periods to carry out its objectives. Depending upon the objectives of the committee, membership may include faculty members not serving on the UFC with particular skills needed by the committee. However the majority of membership of any committee shall consist of UFC members.

Article 4 – REVISIONS TO THE BYLAWS

Section 1. Approval

These Bylaws were approved at the first UFC meeting of the 2007–2008 academic year by a two-thirds majority of all voting members of the UFC.

Section 2. Revision to the Bylaws

These Bylaws may be revised at any meeting of the UFC provided notice of the proposed revisions have been given to all UFC members at least one month prior to the meeting. Revisions to the bylaws require a two-thirds majority of all voting members of the UFC to be implemented.

Prepared by the University of Tennessee Faculty Council on August 22, 2018,
and ratified on September 19, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee.