Undergraduate Council

Responsibilities of the Chair
The Chair will preside over the Undergraduate Council meetings. If the chair is unable to attend a meeting of the Council, the Vice Chair will serve in that capacity. In cooperation with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the chairs of the Undergraduate Council standing committees, and the office of the Catalog and Curriculum Coordinator, the Chair shall prepare an agenda for such meetings. In matters before Council that require a vote, the Chair shall cast the deciding vote in the event there is a tie. In consultation with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the chairs of the Undergraduate Council standing committees, and the membership, the Chair shall make assignments to all standing committees of Council. He or she may also solicit Council members to serve on ad-hoc committees as needed. The Chair shall serve as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of all standing committees of Council including the curriculum committee, academic policy committee, advising committee, appeals committee, and general education committee. As Undergraduate Council exists as a standing committee of the Faculty Senate, the Chair also has Faculty Senate responsibilities as outlined in the Faculty Senate Bylaws (see Article III, Section 3.O. Undergraduate Council).

Election of Chair
The Faculty Senate Bylaws (Article III, Section 3.O) specify that the Chair of Undergraduate Council shall be a faculty member from Council, elected to a one-year term, following a one-year term as Vice Chair, by voting members of Council. The Vice Chair will take on the responsibilities of Chair on August 1. The new Chair is automatically granted an extension of his or her appointment to Undergraduate Council for a period of up to three years so as to include membership on Council through one year past his or her term as Chair. Since the Chair serves the entire university and not one constituency, the Chair does not count as part of a school or college’s apportionment of representatives to Council.

Undergraduate Council Minutes - Page U976 - November 1, 2005
and Pages U1405-06 - March 4, 2008

Undergraduate Council Past Chair 
Upon completion of a one-year term as Undergraduate Council Chair, the Chair assumes the position of past Chair.  The past Chair provides Council with continuity and experience.  Since the Past Chair serves the entire university and not one constituency, the Chair does not count as part of a school’s or college’s apportionment of representatives to Council.

Undergraduate Council Minutes - Pages U1405-06 - March 4, 2008

Undergraduate Council Vice Chair and Chair Elect 
Any current faculty member of Council is eligible to be a candidate for Vice Chair. The Nominating Committee of Council will identify and solicit candidates for this post and will report its results during the next to the last meeting of the spring semester. Nominations may also be submitted from the floor at that time. A summary of the credentials for the candidates for Vice Chair will be provided to Undergraduate Council members to aid in their decision. Election of the Vice Chair will occur by secret ballot. The Vice Chair of Undergraduate Council serves as Chair Elect of Council for a term of one year, commencing on August 1st after election at the end of the previous Spring Semester.  The Vice Chair may participate as an ex officio nonvoting member of all standing and special committees of Council.  This experience assists the Vice Chair in preparation for assumption of the Chair position in the following academic year.  The Vice Chair will assume the responsibilities of Chair on August 1st in the second academic year after being elected to the position of Vice Chair.   The Vice Chair is automatically granted an extension of her or his appointment to Undergraduate Council for a period of up to three years so as to include membership on Council through one year past her or his term as Chair, serving in the capacity of Past Chair.  Since the Vice Chair serves the entire university and not one constituency, the Vice Chair does not count as part of a school’s or college’s apportionment of representatives to Council.   

  Undergraduate Council Minutes - Pages U1405-06 - March 4, 2008