Faculty Senate Bylaws.

A. Membership of the Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate will consist of one elected representative from each department and a number of at-large members (not to exceed 18 total Senate members), elected by the SPH faculty.

All faculty with a primary appointment at BUSPH—regardless of rank or track—are eligible to serve, except members of the Governing Council. The Senate Chair and Vice Chair may be re-elected even though they are ex officio voting members of the Governing Council.

B. Terms of Office

Senate terms are two years. No individual may serve more than two consecutive terms. While there is not a limit to the total number of terms a member may serve, they are not eligible for election until one year after leaving office. Terms will start on January 1^st.

C. Ex officio Members

Unless otherwise elected as a Faculty Senate member, at least one SPH representative to the BU Faculty Council will serve as an ex officio, non‐voting member of the Faculty Senate.

A. Election Types

There are three types of elections: (1) department-representatives, (2) at-large seats, and (3) Senate leadership. Department representatives shall be elected by a departmental vote. At-large seats shall be elected by a school-wide vote. Senate leadership shall be elected by a Faculty Senate vote. Tie votes shall be handled by a run-off election.  Detailed electoral procedures are outlined in the Faculty Senate Operations Manual.

B. Voting Rights  

All faculty who have a primary appointment at SPH, including all ranks and tracks, may vote in Faculty Senate elections.

C. Vacancies

The Senate may call for a special election to fill vacancies or remaining seats, if appropriate. Vacancies in Leadership or Department Representative roles should be filled as soon as possible; vacancies in at-large seats should be filled if greater than six months remain in their term.

Officers, also referred to as Senate Leadership, shall include at least a Chair and Vice Chair, elected annually by Senate members.

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.

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. Executive session is limited to elected and ex officio Faculty Senate members and anyone specifically invited to attend.

The Faculty Senate shall be sole judge of its own rules and procedures not specified in these bylaws. These bylaws may be amended by a two‐thirds vote of voting members of the Faculty Senate.

Standing or 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 Committees. Electronic votes on routine items may be taken by the Senate or in its Committees, provided that (a) the vote remains open for at least 48 hours and (b) no member requests deferral to a regular meeting of the Senate or its Committees. The item is adopted if a majority of the total membership of the Senate or its Committees explicitly agrees in the electronic vote.