Bylaws
ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL FACULTY SENATE BY-LAWS
Article I – Name
The name of this group shall be the Administrative Senate, hereinafter referred to as the Senate.
Article II – Purpose
The purpose of the Senate is to serve as a liaison between Radford University’s Administrative and Professional Faculty and the university community. The Senate shall strive to promote the interests of all Administrative and Professional Faculty while working to ensure that Radford University meets its stated mission.
Article III – Functions
To study, formulate, and recommend to the President’s Cabinet policies and procedures affecting the employment and working conditions of Administrative and Professional Faculty. Areas for consideration include, but are not limited to: morale of Administrative and Professional Faculty; procedures for appointing, evaluating, disciplining, recognizing, and promoting Administrative and Professional Faculty; grievance policies and procedures; benefits, educational and personal leave, and extra-university professional activity; and matters of equality and diversity that affect the university’s professional environment.
Article IV – Membership
Definitions
University Division: Radford University's Administrative and Professional Faculty are assigned to a university division using an organization code from the Banner Finance Chart of Accounts. Each university division's organization code with Administrative and Professional Faculty will have representation on the senate.
As of May 2023, the university divisions with Senate representation are as follows:
Academic Affairs - 10
Central Administration - 40 (Example: Presidential/Athletics/Others within the organization code)
Enrollment Management - 80
Finance & Administration - 20
Student Affairs - 50
University Advancement - 70
Administrative and Professional Faculty can fine their university division organization code in PeopleAdmin Select Suite Position Description.
A Radford University organizational chart is available at: https://www.radford.edu/content/president-office/home/organization-structure.html.
Section 1 – Eligibility
Radford University’s Administrative and Professional Faculty are those who, by definition, devote at least 51 percent of their time at the university to administrative duties and who are not covered by the Virginia Personnel Act nor by the personnel policies applicable to Teaching and Research Faculty.
All Administrative and Professional Faculty at Radford University are eligible to serve as members of the Administrative Senate except those who serve on the President’s Cabinet.
Section 2 – Composition
Members of this Senate shall be elected by the Administrative and Professional Faculty from each university division based on the organization of the university. On the first business day of March each year, the current number of full-time Administrative and Professional Faculty employees in each division shall be reviewed. Each division will be allocated one senate position and will also be represented by additional senators based on the following criteria:
· 1-20 employees 1 Additional Senator
· 21-40 employees 2 Additional Senators
· 41+ employees 3 Additional Senators
The library shall have one dedicated seat on the Administrative and Professional Faculty Senate that is separate from divisional representation. Radford University Carilion shall have one dedicated seat on the Administrative and Professional Faculty Senate that is separate from divisional representation.
After the annual review, the divisions and number senators allocated to each division shall be listed on the Administrative Senate web site under Senate Composition.
Section 2a – Cabinet Liaison
In addition to the members defined above, the Senate shall include one non-voting Cabinet liaison. The President’s Cabinet shall select and recommend this liaison to the Senate Executive Council, which shall review the qualifications and confirm or deny this individual. The term for this position shall be two years. The same individual may serve multiple terms. This position shall serve as a conduit between the Administrative Senate and the President’s Cabinet and help streamline information flow.
Section 3 – Elections
Members of this Senate shall be determined by elections held no later than May 1st. All Administrative and Professional Faculty, as defined in Article IV, Section 1 above, are eligible to vote.
If an election for a senator results in a tie, the Executive Committee will execute a runoff election. In the case of a second tie, the candidate with the most years of full-time University employment will be selected. Years of full-time employment will include Jefferson College of Health Sciences when applicable.
Section 4 – Term of office
Members shall serve a two-year term that shall coincide with the university fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Members of the Senate shall be eligible for re-election. If a vacancy occurs during a term the Senate President shall nominate a division representative, who must be confirmed by the Executive Committee to fill the office until the next election cycle.
Section 5 – Duties of Senators
Senators are expected to attend a majority of Senate meetings. If a Senator is unable to fulfill his/her obligation, then he/she should resign.
Section 6 – Proxies
If a senator cannot attend a scheduled business meeting, they can appoint a proxy to attend in their place. A proxy will need to be from that Senator’s division and an AP Employee. Senators must notify at least one member of the Executive Committee with the proxy information no later than an hour in advance of the meeting. The proxy will have all the voting rights of the senator they are representing.
Article V – Officers
Section 1
The elected officers of this Senate shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Parliamentarian, who shall collectively serve as the Executive Committee. The Past President shall serve on the Executive Committee in a non-elected capacity. The term of Senate officers is one year with the exception of the Past President. The years of service of the Past President shall run concurrently to the number of years served by their succeeding president.
Section 2
The officers of the Senate shall be elected no earlier than July 1 by the members of the Senate at or before the first meeting of the fiscal year. Elections will be led by the Past President and shall be determined by plurality of votes cast.
Section 3
The President and Vice-President may be re-elected but cannot serve more than three consecutive years. The Secretary and Parliamentarian may be re-elected and serve an unlimited number of years.
Section 4
If a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, a new election shall take place. If a vacancy occurs among the elected officers other than the President, the President shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, a person to complete the vacated term of office. If there is a vacancy in the position of the Past President, the President shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, the current senator with the most years of full-time University employment to fill the position. If that senator declines, the President will continue to move down the line of service of current senators until the position is filled. Years of full-time employment will include Jefferson College of Health Sciences when applicable.
Article VI – Duties of Officers
Section 1
It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Senate; to consider all motions regularly made; and to call special meetings. The President shall also appoint the chairs of any standing committees and all committees not otherwise provided for in the By-Laws, taking into consideration a diverse representation of membership. The President shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of all committees. The President or his/her designee shall also be the representative of this Senate on appropriate university committees, task forces, and boards.
Section 2
In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President. The Vice-President shall become familiar with the work of the Senate and shall serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 3
The Secretary shall record all official proceedings of the meetings of this Senate and transmit the proceedings to the President and the Executive Committee. The Secretary will maintain the website and/or social media for the Senate.
Section 4
The Parliamentarian shall be familiarized with Robert’s Rules of Orders and monitor all Senate meetings to ensure the rules of order are followed.
Section 5
When a president of the AP Faculty Senate leaves the position, that person will serve as the Past President. This position is a non-elected, non-voting member of the Executive Committee and AP Faculty Senate; however, they can cast a tie-breaking vote on issues facing the Executive Committee. The Past President is not required to be an elected senator to serve in this position. If the person serving as Past President is elected to the AP Faculty Senate, then they can vote in that capacity.
Article VII – Executive Committees
Section 1
The Executive Committee shall conduct, manage, and control the business of this Senate during periods between the business meetings of this Senate.
Section 2
The Executive Committee shall meet at least quarterly at a time to be determined by the committee at its first meeting following annual elections. Other meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the President or at the request of a simple majority of the Executive Committee membership. The Executive Committee shall approve all committee memberships. All Executive meetings shall be open to the Senate membership.
Article VIII – Committees
Section 1
The Senate shall operate Standing Committees as deemed appropriate.
Section 2
Administrative and Professional Faculty representatives to Internal Governance committees shall be selected by this Senate from among any general membership of the Administrative and Professional Faculty.
Section 3
The Nominations & Elections Committee for Senators shall be comprised of a minimum of three members of the Senate who are not up for re-election, including one member of the Executive Committee. The members of the committee shall be appointed at the first meeting of the fiscal year. The committee shall follow the rules set out in Article IV of the Bylaws.
Article IX – Meetings
Section 1
There shall be at least one business meeting annually. The time and the place of the meeting(s) shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 2
The members present at any Senate business meeting at which written notice has been given shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 3
The time and place of meetings shall be announced in advance to the general membership of the Administrative and Professional Faculty, and all meetings shall be open to the general membership.
Section 4
The approved minutes of all public sessions at Senate meetings shall be published and made available to the general membership of the Administrative and Professional Faculty.
Article X – Amendments
Section 1
Except as is provided in Section 2 below, amendments to the By-Laws may be acted upon only at a meeting of the Senate. If presented in writing to all members of the Senate at least thirty (30) days prior to a business meeting at which the proposed change is to be considered, then the amendment may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the membership present. Any proposed amendments to the By-Laws NOT presented in writing to all members of the Senate thirty (30) days in advance of a business meeting may be adopted by at least four-fifths of the members present.
Section 2
These By-Laws and any amendments made thereto become effective immediately upon a vote of the membership.
Article XI – Rules of Order
Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the Senate not otherwise specified by the By- Laws.
Revised: 2011; approved at Feb. 2012 AP Senate meeting (E. McCormick, Sec’y). 2020 revisions approved at Jan. and Feb. AP Senate meetings (K. Johnson, Sec’y, 4/15/20). Jan. 2021 revisions were approved at the November 18, 2020 AP Senate meeting (K. Johnson, Sec’y, 1/20/21). July 2021 revisions were approved at the April 21, 2021 and May 19, 2021 AP Senate meetings (K. Johnson, Sec’y, 7/21/21). June 2023 revisions approved at May 2023 AP Senate Meeting (K. Johnson, Sec'y, 6/2/23).