Faculty Senate Bylaws.

1. Membership of the Faculty Senate
   The faculty will elect the members of the Senate. Each department shall elect one representative from among its faculty. At-large members shall be elected by the voting faculty, in a number specified in the Senate’s rules and procedures, not to exceed a total of 18 elected members of the Senate.
   All faculty with a primary appointment at SPH, including all ranks and tracks, are eligible to serve as elected members of the Faculty Senate, unless they are members of the Governing Council. Senate Chair and Vice Chair are the exception and may run for re‐election as Senate members, even though they are ex officio voting members of the Governing Council
2. Terms of Office
   The terms of office for elected Senate members shall be two years. Elections shall be held within one week of December 1, and terms will begin on the date of the December Faculty Senate meeting. No member may serve more than two consecutive two-year terms, but the total number of terms a member may serve is not limited. After serving two consecutive terms, an individual is not eligible for election for one year after leaving office.
3. Ex officio Members
   Unless otherwise elected as a Faculty Senate member, one SPH representative to the BU Faculty Council ex officio, non‐voting members of the Faculty Senate.

1. Voting Rights  
   All faculty who have a primary appointment at SPH, including all ranks and tracks, may vote in Faculty Senate elections.
2. Representatives from Departments
   Each department will elect one representative to the Faculty Senate, by vote of that department’s faculty. If that departmental representative should leave office prior to the end of their term, the department will elect, by vote of that department’s faculty, another representative as soon as possible to serve out the rest of the initial term.
3. At‐large Representatives 
   The candidates with the largest number of votes will be elected to serve at‐large. Tie votes will be handled through a run‐off election. In the event of a vacancy by an at‐large member of the Senate, a special election shall be held if there is more than half of the term of that seat remaining.

1. The officers of the Faculty Senate shall include at least a Chair and a Vice‐Chair.
2. Officers will be elected by the members of the Faculty Senate.
3. Officers will be elected every year.

1. Faculty Senate meetings will be held at least six times per year. The Chair of the Faculty Senate may call special meetings on his/her own motion.
2. Meetings will be open to all faculty with a faculty appointment at SPH, whether or not they are eligible to vote, although the Faculty Senate, by vote of its members, may go into executive session if necessary.
3. Executive session is limited to elected and ex officio Faculty Senate members and anyone specifically invited to attend.
4. A quorum is defined as a majority of members of the Senate entitled to vote. A quorum must be present when a vote on official action is taken. The decision of a majority of those voting shall constitute official action of the Senate.
5. The Faculty Senate shall be sole judge of its own rules and procedures not specified in these bylaws.
6. Amendment procedures. These bylaws may be amended by a two‐thirds vote of voting members of the Faculty Senate.

Standing and ad hoc Committees may be formed by the Faculty Senate.

The Faculty Senate may refer an issue to the vote of the entire faculty. A referral shall be initiated by a majority vote at a regularly scheduled or special meeting of the Faculty Senate.

Absentee voting and proxy voting are not allowed in the Senate or in its Councils and Committees. Email votes on routine items may be taken in the Councils and Committees, provided that:

(a) email voting must be kept open for at least 48 hours and

(b) there is no request by any member to postpone the vote to a regular meeting of the Council or Committee. The item is adopted if a majority of the total membership of the Council or Committee explicitly agrees in the email vote.