I. Call to Order

II. Approval of the Minutes of November 18 and December 2, 2009

III. Announcements

Dean Shirley Travis, College of Health and Human Services

Dean Jorge Haddock, School of Management

IV. Unfinished Business

Resolution from the Organization and Operations Committee:

To Ensure Faculty Senate Bylaws and Charter Consistency Attachment A

V. New Business – Committee Reports

A. Senate Standing Committees

Executive Committee

Academic Policies

Budget and Resources

Faculty Matters

Nominations

Writing Across the Curriculum Committee: Joan Bristol is nominated to replace Ben Carlton as representative from CHSS; and Tamara Maddox is nominated to replace Aimee Flannery as representative from VSITE.

Organization and Operations

B. Other Committees

VI. Remarks for the Good of the General Faculty

VII. Adjournment

ATTACHMENT A

OPERATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Draft Resolution to Ensure Faculty Senate Bylaws and Charter Consistency

Whereas the responsibilities of the Faculty Senate in Section II.A.1 of the Faculty Senate Charter indicate that the Senate shall have “the fundamental general responsibility to speak and act for the General Faculty on matters affecting the University as a whole;” and

Whereas the Charter indicates in Section II.A.2 that the Faculty Senate, “on behalf of the general faculty, shall have the particular responsibility to formulate proposals on those matters affecting the welfare of the university as a whole,” which will constitute the “primary advice to the administration;” and

Whereas the Charter further specifies that on “matters affecting the entire faculty and transcending collegiate unit boundaries, the Senate shall be the primary faculty representative in consultation with the central administration and the President;” and

Whereas the Bylaws in Article I, Section 1 specify that the “membership of the George Mason Faculty Senate and eligibility to vote therein shall be as prescribed by the Charter,” yet there is no prescription of voting eligibility in any section or clause of the Charter; and

Whereas administrators are welcomed and encouraged to participate in dialog and consultation with and as members of the Faculty Senate, yet should not be representing the faculty voice on matters of importance to the faculty and the University;

Be it resolved:

That Article I, Section I of the Bylaws of the Faculty Senate should be amended to strike “and eligibility to vote therein” and add the following sentence at the end: “Eligibility to vote on matters before the Faculty Senate shall be limited to duly elected faculty members of the Faculty Senate.