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Faculty Congress

CONSTITUTION

faculty member teaching in front of a room of students


Constitution of the Faculty Congress of Villanova University

(Last revised: 23 December 2023)

ARTICLE I. Name and Object.

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Faculty Congress.

Section 2.  The Faculty Congress is an organization constituted by the faculty of Villanova University for the purposes of discussing all matters of interest to the faculty and, where appropriate, passing resolutions expressing its opinion on such matters. While resolutions may be sent to any administrative officer, the Faculty Congress has a direct consultative line to the chief academic officer.

Section 3.  In representing the interests of the faculty, the Faculty Congress will be responsible for coordinating the activities of the faculty representatives on the University Senate and all university committees.  Those representatives, in turn, will advise the Faculty Congress on relevant matters which come before the bodies on which they serve.

Section 4.  Nothing in this Constitution shall be taken to preclude the formation or functioning of other faculty organizations, or to inhibit the operation of other faculty bodies of the University.

 

ARTICLE II. Membership.

Section 1.  Section 1. Faculty are elected for membership on the Faculty Congress by constituencies within Villanova University. This guarantees that every constituency is represented in it. The Faculty Congress consists of a maximum of 46 members as follows:

  • Chair: 1
  • Vice Chair: 1
  • Faculty elected to serve on the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee: 15
  • Faculty elected to serve on the Academic Policy Committee: 16
  • Faculty elected to serve on the Research Policy Committee: 5
  • One faculty member elected to serve on each of Athletic Advisory Committee, Budget Committee, Mission and Social Justice Committee, Student Life Committee: 4
  • At large adjunct faculty seat: 1
  • At large full-time faculty seat: 1
  • At large faculty seat: 1
  • Retired faculty: 1
  • Total members: 46

 

Section 2.  The term of all members of the Faculty Congress will be two years with no limit on the number of consecutive terms which may be served.

Section 3. The term begins on May 1.

Section 4. Faculty are eligible to run for and serve on Faculty Congress during or after six continuous semesters as faculty at the University, except for the three at-large faculty seats who are eligible during or after three continuous semesters as faculty at the University.

 

ARTICLE III. Officers.

Section 1. Term of office.

a.     Officers of the Faculty Congress shall be Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.

b.     The term of office shall be two years. Officers shall assume office upon May 1 following election.

 

ARTICLE IV. Meetings.

Section 1.  The Faculty Congress shall meet at least two times each semester. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee, and must be called if petitioned by at least one-third of the membership of the Faculty Congress stating the reason for their petition, or by 50 full-time faculty by written petition.

Section 2.  The regular meetings of the Faculty Congress shall be open to the University Community and minutes of those proceedings shall be published.  The right of public participation by all faculty members is guaranteed and time will be allotted at each regular meeting of the Faculty Congress for this purpose.

Section 3.  At any duly called business meeting the members present shall constitute a quorum.

 

ARTICLE V. Committees.

Section 1. The Executive Committee of the Faculty Congress consists of the officers and other Faculty Congress members as specified in the Bylaws. At least one Continuing Non-tenure Track faculty member and at least one adjunct faculty member shall serve on the Executive Committee.

Section 2. In addition to the Executive Committee, the Elections and Credentials Committee, the Faculty Rights & Responsibilities Committee, and the Research Policy Committee, other standing committees may be established by the Faculty Congress as specified in the Bylaws.

Section 3.  Special committees may be authorized by the Faculty Congress or by the Executive Committee. The special committee will be discontinued when its charge has been accomplished.

 

ARTICLE VI. Election.

Section 1.  The regular general election of members shall take place in even numbered years in the spring of the year in which they are to take office.

 

ARTICLE VII. Amendment.

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by any Faculty Congress member. Such amendments must be proposed and debated at a Faculty Congress meeting, with further debate and a vote at a following meeting.  Approval requires at least two-thirds approval of the membership of the Faculty Congress present and voting. Following approval by the Faculty Congress, the amendment is presented to the full faculty, with approval requiring at least two-thirds of the ballots cast by all full-time and adjunct faculty who have completed one year at Villanova University.

Section 2. Nonsubstantive name changes in this Constitution may be proposed by any Faculty Congress member.  Such amendments must be proposed and debated at a Faculty Congress meeting, with further debate and a vote at a following meeting.  Ratification requires at least two-thirds approval of the membership of the Faculty Congress present and voting.

Section 3. Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by any Faculty Congress member.  Such amendments must be proposed and debated at a Faculty Congress meeting, with further debate and a vote at a following meeting.  Ratification requires at least two-thirds approval of the membership of the Faculty Congress present and voting.