SR 23-01 - Resolution In Support of First and Second Readings

Approve Date: October 10, 2023
Senate Resolution File:
SR 23-01 Resolution In Support of First and Second Readings

Drafted By: The faculty of the Mathematics Department, the History Department, the Chemistry and Physics Department, the Art and Art History Department and the Broome Library
Purpose: To encourage meaningful faculty participation in shared governance at CSUCI

Senate Resolution
WHEREAS a representative Academic Senate began operations at CSUCI in Fall 2022 after many years during which all tenure-line faculty were automatically senators and some lecturer faculty represented all lecturers;

WHEREAS the Academic Senate is intended to be a forum for careful, evidence-informed deliberations;

WHEREAS decision-making is strengthened when a variety of perspectives are engaged in making decisions;

WHEREAS faculty participation in shared governance improves ideas and the implementation of those ideas;

WHEREAS first readings of new business at Academic Senate provide the opportunity to raise questions and request evidence from proposers;

WHEREAS senators need time between first and second readings to consult with those whom they are representing, to present Senate business and solicit input and feedback;

WHEREAS Senate bylaws allow for proxies for senators who are unable to attend, and waiving first readings does not give the opportunity for a senator to inform their proxy of their desired vote(s);

WHEREAS the campus has formalized its plans to increase the number of both undergraduate and graduate programs at the university, so Senate can expect to see many requests for approval of such programs to appear before it in the next few years;

WHEREAS maintaining the flexibility to waive a first reading may be appropriate in rare or laudatory circumstances;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the senate will consider waiving the first reading only in extraordinary circumstances, well justified on the senate floor, and

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that a culture of representation requires an announcement of an intent to move to waive a first reading be included in the distribution of senate material with appropriate, and

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Senate supports first and second readings to occur at separate meetings of the Academic Senate in almost all circumstances.