Enabling Act

University Senate is the primary University governance body where students, faculty, staff, and administrators discuss and debate University issues and policies and provide advice, feedback and recommendations on actions to be taken by the institution.  To the extent permitted by law, it is the legislative body of the University in matters involving educational programs, requirements, and standards; employee welfare; and student conduct.  The Board of Trustees delegates to the Senate responsibility for providing advice, feedback, and recommendations on curriculum, academic and degree programs, course offerings, and general education requirements, as well as advisory responsibility on matters not otherwise specifically maintained by the Trustees, either by action by the Board or by law, related to Miami University.

Faculty Assembly is composed of all members of the faculty who hold tenure or a tenure-track position; all librarians who hold the rank of Principal Librarian, Associate Librarian, or Assistant Librarian (Librarians); and Teaching, Clinical Professors and Lecturers(TCPLs). The Faculty Assembly hears reports from its committees and from the President, the Chair of University Senate, and Vice Presidents.  It may propose, debate, and recommend matters for University Senate consideration or for presentation to other officials or administrative bodies.  It may also challenge and refer back to the Senate any Senate action. The Faculty Assembly has the right of initiative and referendum.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to consider, approve, modify, or reject actions taken by the University Senate or Faculty Assembly.

Section 1: University Senate shall be composed of sixty-nine (69) voting members and shall have the following composition:

1. Ten (10) members of Faculty Assembly elected by members of Faculty Assembly, University-wide, by single transferable vote, as specified in the Bylaws of University Senate;

2. Thirty-four (34) members of Faculty Assembly apportioned to the Colleges and School, regional campuses, and Library (hereinafter referred to as divisions) and elected by majority vote by members of Faculty Assembly within those divisions on the basis of representational units as specified in the Bylaws of University Senate;

3. The Provost of the University (who shall be the Chair of University Senate) and seven (7) other administrators and/or unclassified staff members appointed by the President of the University as indicated in the Bylaws of University Senate;

4. One (1) classified staff member, appointed by the Classified Personnel Advisory Committee and one (1) unclassified staff member, appointed by the Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee;

5. Eleven (11) undergraduate students, one of whom shall be the Student Body President, and ten (10) of whom shall be selected as provided by Associated Student Government;

6. Two (2) undergraduate students, from the Regional campuses, selected as provided by the Miami University Hamilton Student Government Association and by the Miami University Middletown Student Advisory Council; and

7. Two (2) graduate students selected as provided by the Graduate Student Association.

Section 2: Terms of office.  All terms of office shall begin on the first day of the first semester of the academic year following the year in which the member is selected.

1. The term of office for members of University Senate elected from Faculty Assembly as in Article 1, Section 1.A shall be for three (3) years, all ten (10) terms running concurrently.

2. The term of office for members of University Senate elected from Faculty Assembly as in Article 1, Section 1.B shall be for three (3) years, with approximately one-third of these members elected each year.

3. The term of office for members of University Senate selected as in Article 1, Section 1.C above, with the exception of the Provost who serves as a voting ex officio member of Senate continually, shall be for one year with the possibility of reappointment.

4. The term of office for members of University Senate selected as in Article 1, Section 1.D above shall be as specified in the selection procedures approved by Senate.

5. The term of office for members of University Senate selected from the student body as in Article 1, Section 1.E, 1.F, and 1.G shall be for one year.

Section 3: University Senate Leadership

1. The Provost shall serve as the Chair of University Senate.  The Chair of the Executive Committee shall serve as the Vice Chair of University Senate.

2. The University Senate Executive Committee shall call Senate meetings as needed, set Senate agendas, and generally manage the business of Senate.

3. The Chair of University Senate shall designate a person to serve a three-year term without vote as Secretary of University Senate.  This appointment shall be confirmed by University Senate.

Section 1

Executive Committee of University Senate shall manage the business of Senate Membership shall include the Provost, four (4) faculty members and one (1) staff member of Senate elected as specified in the Bylaws of University Senate, one (1) undergraduate student who shall be the Student Body President, and one graduate student who is a member of University Senate. The Secretary and Recording Secretary of University Senate shall serve as ex officio, non-voting members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2

University Senate shall create such standing and advisory committees as it deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities as outlined in the Introductory Article, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.

Section 3

Ad hoc committees shall be created by University Senate as needed for particular purposes if there is not an appropriate standing committee for that issue or purpose.

Section 4

So far as is possible, all University-wide matters upon which the advice and/or action of faculty, administrators, and students are to be sought should be referred to the committees of University Senate.

Section 5

All actions of the committees of University Senate shall be reported to Senate.

Section 6

Operating rules and procedures of committees may be formulated by University Senate and promulgated in its Standing Rules of University Senate, subject to the limitations in the descriptions of the committees in the Bylaws of University Senate.

Section 1

A quorum for conducting business of University Senate is forty-six (46). main motion is considered to have passed or failed upon the affirmative or negative vote of a simple majority of the members present.

Section 2

Meetings are ordinarily called by the Executive Committee of University Senate. Additional meetings shall be called by the Chair of University Senate upon the written request of any ten (10) members of Senate.

Section 3

The actions of University Senate become final with the approval of the minutes at the next meeting of Senate or by electronic ballot.

All passed final actions of University Senate shall be included in the summary of each Senate meeting which is reported on digital media that is accessible by members of the Faculty Assembly and other interested members of the University community including but not limited to the University webpage on the University website.

Section 4

The effective date of any final action of University Senate upon a main motion which alters the status quo shall be no earlier than the tenth class day following the distribution of the summary of Senate action indicated in Article 3, Section 3. In extraordinary cases where an action must be put into effect before the elapse of ten (10) class days, as attested by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Senate, the action becomes effective immediately.

Section 5

During the ten class days after distribution of an action, if at least twenty-five (25) members of Faculty Assembly file a petition so stating with the Office of the Provost, an action of University Senate shall be considered challenged and its implementation suspended (see Article 6).

Section 6

After a final action of University Senate is effective, the Chair of University Senate or, at the request of the Chair, the Vice Chair, shall represent the position of the action to other bodies, including the Board of Trustees.

Section 1

Faculty Assembly is chaired by the President of the University, who has responsibility for the preparation of the agenda for meetings.

Section 2

Faculty Assembly is composed of all members of the faculty who hold tenure or tenure-track positions; all librarians; and and TCPL Faculty.

Section 1

A quorum shall be twenty-five percent of the membership of Faculty Assembly. This number shall be determined by the Office of the Provost and announced at the first meeting of the Assembly each year. The number constituting a quorum shall be the same for every meeting during an academic year.

Section 2

Faculty Assembly normally meets in the fall. Additional meetings may be called upon request of fifty (50) members of Faculty Assembly filed with the Office of the Provost or upon the call of the President. The exact time and location of the meetings will be determined by the President.

The first meeting of Faculty Assembly in the fall shall be designated and announced as a business meeting at which Assembly shall vote to confer degrees for the winter, spring, and summer commencements for that academic year.

Section 3

The agenda shall be distributed to each member of Faculty Assembly at least seven (7) class days prior to the meeting and shall provide sufficient detail for reasonably clear identification of the nature of the items.

Section 4

All passed final actions of University Senate shall be included in the summary of each Senate meeting. For all matters over which the Senate maintains authority to take action, those actions of Senate are subject to the authority of Faculty Assembly to review and refer actions back to Senate. Faculty Assembly may additionally propose, debate, and recommend matters for Senate's consideration or for presentation to other administrators or bodies based on votes taken during meetings (see Introductory Article).

Section 5

Faculty Assembly hears reports from its committees and from the President, the Chair of University Senate, and Vice Presidents. It may propose, debate, and recommend matters for University Senate consideration or for presentation to other officials or administrative bodies. It may also challenge and refer back to Senate any Senate action. Faculty Assembly has the right of initiative and referendum. Such action shall be considered as tantamount to Senate action.

Faculty Assembly may raise questions, offer comments, debate, and forward recommendations based on votes taken during meetings or by mail or electronic ballot. It may discuss matters affecting Miami University and its environment.

Section 6

During the ten (10) class days after distribution of an action, if at least twenty-five (25) members of Faculty Assembly file a petition so stating with the Office of the Provost, an action of University Senate shall be considered challenged and its implementation suspended. Such a challenged action shall be placed on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled meeting of Faculty Assembly, where the action may be debated and may be returned to Senate for reconsideration of such revisions as the Assembly may recommend. A special meeting of Faculty Assembly for earlier consideration and potential return to Senate of a challenged action may be called by Senate or by a petition signed by at least fifty (50) members of Faculty Assembly filed with the Office of the Provost.

Section 7

A quorum must be present in order for Faculty Assembly to return an action to University Senate. If a quorum is not present at a duly scheduled or called meeting of Faculty Assembly for which a challenged Senate action is on the agenda, said action by Senate shall be deemed to be sustained.

Section 8

Voting in Faculty Assembly is on a motion to refer back to University Senate one of its items and to provide opinions to individuals or groups on issues as the Assembly deems appropriate. The usual method of taking a vote in Faculty Assembly shall be by voice or by show of hands. Voting shall be by secret ballot if requested by at least ten (10) members of the Assembly or by the President with general consent.

Section 9

The membership of Faculty Assembly has the right of initiative and referendum according to the following provisions:

1. A written proposal must be accompanied by a petition signed by at least ten (10) percent of the membership of Faculty Assembly and presented to the Office of the Provost before the proposal shall be considered for initiative or referendum.

2. Following the receipt of the petition and the proposal, Faculty Assembly must meet within one (1) calendar month at a regular or called meeting to discuss the proposal. Provided that a quorum is present, Faculty Assembly may vote to amend the original written proposal.

3. Following the discussion of the proposal by Faculty Assembly, within ten (10) working days the Office of the Provost shall distribute a copy of the written proposal to each member of Faculty Assembly who shall be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on a ballot to be returned to the Office of the Provost within another ten (10) working days.

   An initiative or referendum matter presented to the membership of Faculty Assembly should be framed and worded in a straightforward manner that makes clear and unambiguous the substance of the issue and the meaning of an affirmative or negative vote (e.g., not worded with a double negative; rather worded so that a "yes" vote means approval of a new or revised policy and a "no" vote means rejection of a new or revised policy). 

   Normally initiative proposals shall be provided a forum for discussion by interested parties (e.g., Faculty Assembly and University Senate and its committees such as the Academic Policy Committee would provide such a forum) and, where substantially differing viewpoints exist, opportunity for expression of these viewpoints shall be provided and included with the initiative as distributed for vote.

4. The proposal shall be considered to have passed if it receives an affirmative vote of a simple majority, provided the said affirmative vote constitutes at least a quorum of Faculty Assembly.  Such action shall be considered as tantamount to University Senate action and shall be subject to the limitations specified in the Introductory Article.

Section 1

Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, a proposal to consider amending the Enabling Act must receive the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the members of University Senate at a duly called meeting, a quorum being present.

Section 2

At the time of the final approval of such a proposal in the minutes of University Senate, a hearing on the proposal shall be announced for a specified time and place not less than ten (10) class days after the distribution of the summary of Senate actions and not more than fifteen (15) class days after the distribution of the summary of Senate actions. At least twenty (20) Senate members must attend the hearing, at which any faculty member, student, or administrator of Miami University may comment.

Section 3

At the next meeting of University Senate after the Senate hearing, a motion to amend the Enabling Act in accordance with the proposal shall be placed on the agenda. To become effective, the proposal must receive an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the membership of Senate. Such action is subject to challenge by Faculty Assembly as provided in Article 5, Section 6.

Section 4

The procedures of Article 5, Section 8 may also be used to amend the Enabling Act.

Amendments to the Enabling Act of University Senate and Faculty Assembly must be approved by the Board of Trustees

(Note: References to class days in this document include final exam week.)

Approved: by University Senate, March 2, 1998

Approved: by the Board of Trustees, June 19, 1998

Approved: by the Board of Trustees, June 25, 1999

Approved: by the Board of Trustees, December 6, 2002 (Article 5, Section 3.C, and Article 6, Section 2)

Approved: by the Board of Trustees, June 25, 2004 (Article 4, Section 2)

Approved: by the Board of Trustees, April 27, 2012 (membership of Faculty Assembly and revision to “Office of the University Secretary” to Secretary of University Senate/Office of the Provost)

Approved: by the Board of Trustees, May 13, 2022 (Introductory Article; Article 2; Article 3, Section 3; Article 4, section 2; Article 5, Sections 1B, E, and G; Article 5, Section 3A, 3C, 3D; Article 6, Section 9C)

Codified: 06/19/2004, 06/25/04, 05/16/05, 06/07/06, 07/06/07, 07/01/08, 07/01/09, 07/01/10, 07/01/13, 07/14, 07/16, 07/17