Draft of Resolution Supporting Caucus-Based Elections for Student
and Faculty Board of Governors and Board of Trustees Representatives.
Whereas,
The primary purpose of the faculty and student representatives to the Board
of Governors is to represent faculty and student perspectives—respectively—on
that board,
Whereas,
The primary purpose of the two faculty, one graduate student, and one undergraduate
student representatives to the Board of Trustees is to represent faculty,
graduate student, and undergraduate student perspectives—respectively—on
that board,
Whereas,
The Senate handbook defines their roles as the following: “Each Senate representative
serves as a faculty or student voice, and as an advocate of the Senate view
when appropriate, to the members of the Boards.” (VI.E.3)
Whereas,
Acting as an advocate of the Senate view is a secondary, rather than primary
role of these representatives,
Whereas,
Current Senate practice calls for the entire Senate to vote on appointments
to these positions,
Whereas,
Democratic principles dictate that representation requires election by the
coordinate constituency,
Therefore let it be said:
That the current Senate practice of the entire Senate voting on faculty and
student representatives to the Board of Governors, and the two faculty, one
graduate, and one undergraduate representatives to the Board of Trustees—is
not in accord with democratic principles,
That given the primary purposes of these representatives, it is inappropriate
for non-faculty members to vote for faculty representatives, and non-students
to vote for student representatives,
Thus, let it be resolved that:
1) The faculty representatives to the Board of Governors
and the Board of Trustees shall be elected exclusively by voting members
of the Faculty Caucus of the Senate
2) The student representative to the Board of Governors
shall be elected exclusively by voting members of the Student Caucus of the
Senate
3) The graduate student representative to the Board of
Trustees shall be elected exclusively by a sub-caucus composed of voting
graduate student Senators
4) The undergraduate student representative to the Board
of Trustees shall be elected exclusively by a sub-caucus composed of voting
undergraduate student Senators
5) The procedures whereby these representatives shall be
elected shall be at the discretion of their respective caucuses, but such
procedures must be approved by a 2/3 majority vote in the caucus and the
approval of 2/3 of the Senate
6) This resolution be made effective starting this academic
year for appointments of representatives beginning in the 2005-2006 academic
year
7) Elections shall take place every year hence in the preceding
manner
8) In the event of a vacancy mid-year, the same procedures
shall be used to select a replacement as are used in the annual elections
(Draft submitted by Senator Andrew Hoekzema, January 24, 2005.)