Faculty Senate Handbook

This Faculty Handbook contains statements of institutional policy and procedure duly established by the Faculty Senate under authority delegated by the Board of Trustees to the President. This Handbook provides a guide by which the Faculty and the Administration conduct their relations with each other in matters of university academics, budget, planning, and policy. It guides shared governance across the University.

The Faculty Handbook applies to all faculty of the University.  

Each college, the libraries, and all academic programs, institutes, and centers (APICs) will publish policies that apply to governance issues within those units. These policies may not conflict with the Faculty Handbook. Certain procedures, regulations, and requirements regarding such matters as hiring and internal governance may differ from college to college but may not conflict with the policies and procedures of the Faculty Handbook. In case of conflict between college policies and the Faculty Handbook, the Faculty Handbook prevails unless the proposed differences have been approved by majority vote of the Faculty Senate.

In addition to this preface, the Faculty Handbook includes the following sections:

Section 1: Constitution and Bylaws of the Faculty Senate and Senate Standing Committees
Section 2: Code of Faculty Ethics

Any proposed amendments, which may be initiated by the Faculty Senate or through a signed petition of 30 voting members of the faculty, must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the Faculty Senate before being incorporated into the Handbook. Amendments to the Faculty Handbook must be communicated to all faculty within two weeks of final Senate approval.

Western Washington University has seven colleges, the Graduate School, and the Western Libraries, each with a dean as chief administrative officer. The colleges are the College of Business and Economics (CBE), the College of Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA), the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, the College of the Environment (CENV), and the Woodring College of Education. Each of the seven academic colleges has a faculty governance committee. In the remainder of this Handbook the units listed above, including the Graduate School, Outreach and Continuing Education (OCE), APICs, and the Western Libraries are considered academic units.

WWU Faculty Governance Organizational Chart

1. The governing body of the University is the Board of Trustees. The President of the University is the representative and spokesperson for the Board of Trustees. The faculty, through the Faculty Senate, works closely with the President of the University and Provost/Executive Vice President in formulating, implementing, and evaluating university policies. It is the policy of Western Washington University that there shall be meaningful participation by the faculty, through the Faculty Senate or other recognized faculty bodies, in matters relating to university academics, budget, planning and policy in matters at all levels of internal university governance. This is consistent with the University's policy of open participation in governance.   
    
2. The Faculty Senate represents the faculty in matters concerning university academics, budget, planning, and policy. The Executive Council of the Senate prepares the agenda for Senate meetings, meets on a scheduled basis with the President of the University and/or Provost/Executive Vice President, and performs such other duties as may be delegated to it by the Faculty Senate.   
    

3. The University administration and the Faculty Senate have adopted the following guiding principles and critical elements, to conduct meaningful shared governance consultation on matters related to university academics, budget, planning, and policy. These standards are adapted from the government-to-government consultation process for State/Tribal Relations in Washington’s Centennial Accord Millenium Agreement (1999), a cornerstone document that strengthens and operationalizes governance and supports cooperative work on issues of mutual concern. These principles apply to University-wide issues, and colleges are encouraged to adopt similar principles for shared governance at the college level.  

   Guiding Principles 

   (a) There is a mutual commitment to meaningful and active consultation on matters that directly affect stakeholders, particularly in matters related to academics, budget, planning and policy.   

   (b) Issues that require consultation should be identified as soon as possible in order to involve all stakeholders early in the process.  

   (c) Consultation shall build on already established and on-going relationships to support productive policy and program development and effectively utilize resources.   

   (d) Faculty and the administration recognize that communication and consultation is a two-way street involving dialogue and feedback.  

   (e) A request for consultation may be initiated by either faculty governance or university administration. Every effort to respond to and participate in the consultation process shall be made.   

   (f) Honesty and integrity must be maintained by all parties in the consultation process. 

   Critical Elements for Implementing Consultation

   (g) A clear description of the nature of the issue, including any proposed actions and details of the decision or policy to be developed, shall be provided in advance to all stakeholders. Any sensitive information, legal limitations on, or requirements for disclosure of information should be communicated in advance.  

   (h) A schedule for consultation shall be jointly established.  

   (i) Ample time to review documents and respond to requests for consultation will be factored into planning, recognizing that some unforeseen decisions require quick actions due to an imposed deadline or other external factors. Every effort should be made to provide notice in advance to allow for adequate and meaningful input.  

   (j) A report on the outcomes of a consultation, including relevant rationales for a final decision, is necessary to ensure active and transparent participation in the shared governance process so that all views are heard and considered.  

4. The Executive Council of the Senate prepares the agenda for Senate meetings, advises the Faculty Senate president, and performs such other duties as may be delegated to it by the Faculty Senate.
    
5. The powers of the Senate, including those of its Executive Council and standing committees, are defined in the Constitution of the Faculty of WWU, which appears in Section 1 below. 
    
6. When a matter of special importance to the faculty is to be discussed and/or decided, the Faculty Senate may call for a General Faculty Assembly for discussion and recommendation purposes. 
    
7. To ensure good collaboration and communication with the faculty in each college and academic unit, the Faculty Senate will work with the faculty governance committees as needed. The Faculty Senate works with the faculty governance committees in each of the colleges as needed.

A faculty member is a person holding a faculty position as described in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Western Washington University and United Faculty of Western Washington. 

Tenured and tenure-track faculty share the same rights and responsibilities with respect to faculty governance, unless otherwise specified by the Faculty Handbook or the Constitution of the Faculty of WWU (Section 1 of this handbook). Non-tenure-track faculty do not have all the rights and responsibilities of tenured and tenure-track faculty with respect to faculty governance. Departmental voting privileges are at the department's discretion but shall not extend to issues of appointment, tenure, promotion, or other personnel matters. Faculty Senate voting privileges are described in the Constitution of the Faculty of WWU. 

The title of emeritus, emerita, or emerit may be conferred by the President of the University upon retiring faculty members whose contributions have been deemed outstanding by their peers. Recommendation for the title may be initiated by the faculty member's department or by the appropriate dean; it requires the support of the dean of the college and must be approved by the Provost/Executive Vice President. The usual minimum service to Western Washington University is ten years. 

In addition to those privileges accorded all retirees, emeritus, emerita, or emerit faculty of Western Washington University are eligible to sit on master's degree candidates' supervisory committees; are listed in the Faculty/Staff Directory; are listed in the Western Washington University Catalog; are eligible to march in graduation and other formal ceremonies of the University; may be appointed as nonvoting members of Faculty Senate committees; and may use departmental office space and computer access including email on a space-available basis, as determined by the appropriate department. Emerit faculty do not vote on matters relating to faculty. 

Faculty at Western pursue excellence in their teaching or librarianship. Tenured and tenure-track faculty engage in research or creative activities of recognized quality and in service, including participation in the hiring of faculty within the department. Non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty engage in teaching activities that promote excellence in teaching and learning. Department and/or college evaluation plans may further define obligations or specify additional obligations, while specific duties of individual faculty may be defined in the letter of offer. All faculty must adhere to the principles of faculty conduct in the Code of Faculty Ethics. 

1. All voting members of the faculty may vote on matters that go to the full faculty. Voting members of the faculty are those holding appointments at .5 FTEF (annual average) or greater at Western Washington University.
2. For rules regarding voting at Faculty Senate and Senate standing committees, refer to the Faculty Senate bylaws in Section 1 of this Handbook.
3. For rules regarding voting within colleges and departments, refer to the unit evaluation plans of those units. 

All faculty are guaranteed academic freedom as set forth in the Code of Faculty Ethics of this Handbook and in Section 2 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Academic tenure follows the procedures outlined in Section 7 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

1. Schools or colleges may be identified for creation by the Provost. The criteria for creation must align with the Strategic Plan of the University and its colleges. The Provost will submit a recommendation to the President with input from the appropriate Dean(s), and from the faculty through the Faculty Senate. The final decision rests with the Board of Trustees. 
    
2. Academic departments may be identified for creation by the Provost or Dean(s). Degree programs may be identified for creation by the Provost, Dean(s), by academic departments, or other academic units.  
    
3. Degree programs are normally housed within a department of instruction, and exceptionally within an academic program, institute, center, or a college. Degree and certificate programs must be approved by the appropriate department(s) and curricular bodies and by the Provost. The final decision rests with the Board of Trustees.

These shared governance procedures are required to operationalize the elimination or merger of schools, colleges, academic departments, and degree programs authorized per section 5 of the UFWW-WWU Collective Bargaining Agreement. They are not intended to preclude departments from undertaking regular review and management of degree programs within their units.

The University will ensure transparency in these processes by clearly communicating proposed changes, rationales, and impact assessments to faculty through the Faculty Senate. This process aligns with the principles of shared governance and ensures meaningful faculty input outlined in Section II.B.

1. The outlined procedures for program reduction apply to the merger or elimination of any unit or program in which faculty duties (as defined by the UFWW-WWU Collective Bargaining Agreement) are performed. The phrase “schools, colleges, academic departments, and degree programs” includes all such activities. Similarly, the term “Deans” applies to all Academic Administrators with responsibility for a College or Academic Unit that has a faculty governance council as identified in Section II.A.
    
2. According to the UFWW-WWU Collective Bargaining Agreement, “‘Program reduction’ … is a function of the University in its regular review of enrollments, departments and programs, resource allocation, and strategic planning.” The elimination or merger of a school, college; academic department; or degree program is a form of program reduction that may be initiated by the Provost or appropriate Dean(s) with a Program Reduction Proposal (PRP). A Program Reduction Proposal must be based on one or more of the following criteria: 
   
   A. Quality, Impact or Demand: As indicated by measures such as student success, Washington impact, enrollment or degree production, graduate outcomes, and scholarly productivity and impact. 
   B. Centrality: Alignment with the University Mission and Strategic Plan.
   C. Financial: Budgetary or resource allocation issues compel the Provost to seek program reduction.
   D. Organizational Restructuring: The program would be impacted by a merger or reorganization, or the need to address parallel or overlapping programming. 
   
   The Program Reduction Proposal procedure may only be initiated while adequate time remains during the academic year to ensure meaningful faculty input via the present and functioning shared governance system. The PRP is a written document that must describe the rationale and what program(s) would be impacted. It must also describe general anticipated impacts to positions in those areas. It is distinct from a formal Reduction in Force (RIF) declaration, as addressed below.
    
3. In the case of a proposed reduction of a school, college, academic department or degree program by the Provost, the relevant Dean should be consulted prior to initiating the process of a formal proposal.
    
4. The PRP must be communicated simultaneously to the affected Dean(s), affected unit, and to the Faculty Senate, and UFWW leadership. The relevant Dean(s) is/are responsible for distributing the Program Reduction Proposal to relevant college- or department-level governance groups. The Faculty Senate is responsible for coordinating their communications with those groups.
    
5. Working with the affected college or department faculty governance bodies, Faculty Senate has 30 working days to deliberate and deliver a recommendation to the Provost regarding the PRP. The Faculty Senate will ensure sufficient communication with the affected stakeholders. Faculty Senate will evaluate, at a minimum, the degree to which the proposal fits the purported criteria in part 2b. The Faculty Senate may exercise its powers under the Constitution and Bylaws of the Faculty Senate in responding to the PRP, including creating an ad hoc committee under Article 3.5 to make a recommendation to the Senate. The Senate may also request relevant information from the Provost or relevant Dean(s), which the administration will provide consistent with the principles of Section II.B.
    
6. If the Faculty Senate opposes implementation of the proposed reduction, and the Provost nevertheless seeks to proceed, the Provost must respond to the Faculty Senate in writing with a justification for overruling the will of the faculty and a reiteration of the criteria. The Provost will recommend action to the President. All written recommendations and responses must be forwarded to the President and to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees will make the final decision.
    
7. Any terminations of faculty appointments must follow the Reduction in Force procedures agreed to in the UFWW-WWU Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Program Elimination Process Flowchart

The name of this organization is the Faculty of Western Washington University.

The purpose of this organization is to provide the Faculty of Western Washington University with a governance system empowered to speak and act for the Faculty in University affairs not covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Western Washington University and the United Faculty of Western Washington.

Voting members of the Faculty are those holding appointments at .5 FTE (annual average) or greater at Western Washington University.

The Faculty Senate has responsibility in the areas of curriculum, academic programs, scholarly activities, the education of students, the mission of the University, and institutional and administrative effectiveness. The Faculty Senate and its committees advance the University’s objectives, as set forth in the Western Washington University Catalog and the Strategic Plan of the University. The Faculty Senate works collaboratively with other campus units on matters of university budgeting, planning, and policy.

The Faculty Senate membership is as follows:

Voting Members: The Faculty Senate is limited to no more than 30 voting members. Senators are elected by eligible faculty in each college and the Faculty Senate has the authority to certify or deny the appointment of a prospective senator. The faculty governance bodies in each college shall submit a list of elected members of the Faculty Senate in accordance with the Senate bylaws.

The Faculty Senate membership also includes the following ex-officio non-voting members:

• President of the University
• Provost and Executive Vice President
• One college dean appointed by the Provost
• President of the United Faculty of Western Washington

Note that chairs of the Faculty Senate standing committees are not members of the Senate unless otherwise selected by their colleges but may be asked to attend Senate meetings to share pertinent updates with the Senate.

Elections are held annually in spring quarter. Voting members are appointed for a term of two consecutive years. Committee members may stand for reappointment for two additional two-year terms. If a voting member serves for three consecutive terms (6 years), they must remain off Faculty Senate for one year before becoming eligible for reappointment.

Unless there is insufficient business, the Faculty Senate meets every two weeks (five times per quarter) throughout the academic year. Typically, the first meeting of the quarter occurs during the first full week of classes.

The Faculty Senate may create subordinate bodies by majority vote, define their duties, designate their composition, and appoint their members. At its first meeting of the academic year, the Faculty Senate approves the roster of each standing committee. Vacancies on standing committees that may arise throughout the year are filled by approval of the college faculty governance committees and the Senate Executive Council.

When the President of the University refuses to accept or implement any act of the Faculty Senate authorized by this constitution, the University President shall do so in a written statement transmitted to the Faculty Senate setting out the refusal and the reasons.

The Faculty Senate may vote to appeal the matter to the Board of Trustees directly, submit the matter to the Faculty of the University for referendum vote, or do both. Appeals must be made within 90 business days, excluding university holidays, intersession, and summer quarter. A majority vote of the total voting membership of the Faculty Senate, or in the case of a referendum vote, a majority of those voting, is sufficient to bring an appeal to the Board of Trustees at its next meeting.

A motion to appeal to the Board of Trustees will take precedence over all other business and all other motions at a Faculty Senate meeting. When the Faculty Senate, by two-thirds vote, rejects any action, decision, or policy of the President of the University, this rejection will be presented for resolution to the Board of Trustees at its next meeting. The President of the Faculty Senate shall represent the Faculty in this proceeding.

The officers are President, Vice President and President-Elect, Secretary, and Appointments and Elections Officer.

1. Faculty Senate President - The president presides over the Faculty Senate, schedules the meetings of and chairs the Executive Council, meets periodically with the University President and Provost, and attends all meetings of and represents the Faculty Senate before the Board of Trustees. The president serves a one-year term, immediately following service as Vice President and President-Elect.  
2. Faculty Senate Vice President and President-Elect – The Vice President and President- Elect serves on the Executive Council, presides over the full Senate and the Executive Council in the absence of the president, and with the Senate President meets periodically with the University President and Provost. The Vice President and President-Elect serves a one-year term, starting from the date of election to the office.  
3. Secretary - The Secretary presides over the Faculty Senate and Executive Council in the absence of the President and the Vice President. The Secretary serves a one-year term, starting from the date of election to the office.  
4. Appointments and Elections Officer - The Appointments and Elections Officer presides over the Faculty Senate and Executive Council in the absence of the President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Senate and during the election of Senate officers in the spring quarter. The Appointments and Elections Officer serves a one-year term, beginning from the date of election to the office.

Officers are nominated from the floor and elected by a majority of the Faculty Senate voting members during the spring quarter. In the case of multiple nominees, the election shall be by confidential ballot.

Voting privileges of the officers: All officers are voting members of the Senate, except in the instance where the President pro tem will serve as a non-voting member of the Senate.

The Executive Council consists of the following members:

1. Voting Members: President, Vice President/President-Elect, Secretary, Elections and Appointments Officer, and one member of the Faculty Senate elected by the Senate in the prior Spring Quarter.
2. Non-Voting Members: The Chair of the Academic Coordinating Commission, the Budget Representative, the Deputy Budget Representative, the past President of the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Legislative Representative, and the President of the UFWW.

The Faculty Senate representative on the Senate Executive Council is nominated from the floor and elected (by secret ballot if there are multiple candidates), by majority vote at the first regular meeting held after the spring quarter Faculty Senate elections. They serve for one year or until the seating of the new Executive Council.

The Executive Council discusses issues important to the Senate, may prepare motions for consideration by the Senate, delegates duties as necessary, and prepares the Senate agenda. The Executive Council reports to the Faculty Senate via the Senate president and performs such other duties as may be delegated to it by the Faculty Senate.

In situations in which an urgent decision by the Faculty Senate is not possible, the Executive Council may act for the Faculty Senate. Such actions are subject to review by the Senate at its next regularly scheduled meeting or at a special meeting called for this purpose.

All Executive Council actions will be entered in the minutes of the next Faculty Senate meeting under the heading “Executive Council Actions.” Minutes of the Faculty Senate are posted on the Senate website and publicly available to all interested parties.

The Executive Council ensures the leadership roles for all standing and ad hoc committees, commissions, and councils are filled.

A quorum is required for Senate Executive Council actions and decisions require unanimous consent or majority vote. A quorum for Senate Executive Council is 80 percent of the voting members. Proxy voting follows usual parliamentary procedure.

Senate Executive Council meets every other week during each academic quarter with the exception of summer. A special meeting of the Executive Council may be called by the President of the Faculty Senate or by two Executive Council members.

Proposed amendments to this Constitution may be initiated by the Faculty Senate (following the usual procedural rules for motions) or by petition of 30 voting-eligible members of the WWU faculty. Such proposals must be approved by two-thirds of the voting members of the Faculty Senators in attendance, assuming a quorum is met, before they are adopted.

Before action is taken, proposed amendments must be presented in writing at a meeting of the Faculty Senate, posted on the Faculty Senate website, and delivered to the faculty via email.

This Constitution is ratified by the Faculty when: (a) it is accepted by a majority vote of the Faculty voting in an election held for that purpose, and (b) approved by two-thirds of the voting members of the Faculty Senate in attendance at the Senate meeting where ratification is voted on, assuming a quorum is met.

A quorum of the Faculty Senate is a majority of the voting Faculty Senate members excluding vacancies.

Except where provisions of this Constitution or By-laws provide otherwise, the rules of order are American Institute of Parliamentarians (AIP) Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure.

Secret ballots are to be used for elections whenever there are multiple candidates, but they may be requested for other matters on which the Senate votes. As specified in AIP, any voting member of the Senate may request a secret ballot, which, when seconded, will be taken.

Vacancies on the Executive Council are filled by nominations from the floor and election by majority vote of the voting members of the Faculty Senate, assuming a quorum is met. If there are multiple candidates for a position, a majority vote by secret ballot shall be used.

Vacancies on the Faculty Senate are filled by nominations from the faculty governance committee of the relevant college. Nominees will be approved by majority vote of the voting members of the Faculty Senate, assuming a quorum is met. If there are multiple candidates for a position, a majority vote by secret ballot shall be used.

The Faculty Senate is maintained as a representative body, and constituencies are responsible for electing their representatives.

Each year, a proposed election calendar and college constituency distribution report will be presented by the Appointments and Elections Officer to the Faculty Senate by the end of winter quarter and approved by the voting membership of the Faculty Senate. The calendar will lay out a timeline for communication with college governance bodies regarding constituency distributions, seats to be filled, and other associated deadlines. The annual election calendar will specify the deadline by which each constituency is expected to convey the name(s) of its elected representative(s) to the respective college governance body for certification and the date by which each college governance body must certify and convey the name(s) of elected representatives to the Faculty Senate for ratification.

Faculty Senate Elections Timeline

Each Faculty Senate term will be for two years or until the installation of new area representatives. Senate terms are staggered to ensure that approximately one-half of the Faculty Senate will be elected each year.

1. Constituencies. Constituency groups will be determined in advance of elections via collaboration between the Faculty Senate and each college’s respective faculty governance body. Each college, including the Western Libraries and the Graduate School, is entitled to a minimum of one seat on the Faculty Senate. Aside from the Graduate School, to which one seat shall be allocated, the number of seats allocated to each college or area will be proportionally determined according to the number of faculty members in that college or area and set out in a report approved by the Faculty Senate and conveyed to each college.

   For each college, three faculty metrics will be averaged to determine the number of proportionally allocated Senate seats. These metrics are number/percentage of voting-eligible faculty (faculty holding appointments of 0.5 FTE or greater), number/percentage of tenure-line faculty, and number/percentage of total FTE. The annual college constituency distribution report will include recommended constituency groups. Faculty governance groups within each college are ultimately responsible for determining this distribution. After constituency groups are finalized, the Faculty Senate Office will collaborate with the respective college faculty governance bodies to communicate vacancies and election deadlines to all faculty in each constituency group. Faculty members with a .5 FTE (annual average) or greater appointment are eligible to be nominated to fill representative seats.

2. Elections. Each college faculty governance body shall ensure that all voting-eligible faculty are given the opportunity to vote in the election of their representatives.

Newly elected Senators are seated at the last Faculty Senate meeting of the year, during which new and continuing Senators shall elect officers and members of the Executive Council for the following year. The elections are for the following positions, in this order: Vice President and President-Elect, Secretary, Appointments and Elections Officer, and one At-Large Senator.

Barring exceptional circumstances, Senators are expected to regularly attend Senate meetings and adhere to appropriate standards of conduct under AIP Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure. Upon a motion from the Executive Council and by majority vote, the Faculty Senate may expel a voting member for misconduct.

The Faculty Senate follows the AIP process on discipline and expulsion of members.

• Serves a one-year term as president, beginning immediately after spring commencement in June.  
• Serves on an at-large basis. In assuming the Senate presidency, the Faculty Senate President typically vacates a representative seat, which is to be filled using the procedure outlined in BL4. 
• Chairs meetings of the Faculty Senate and the Senate Executive Council. 
• Meets with the University President and Provost on a regular basis throughout the academic year.  
• Represents the university faculty at ceremonial events including commencement and convocation.  
• Represents the Faculty Senate at Board of Trustees meetings, including submitting a written report to the Board of Trustees and summarizing the Senate’s activities at Board meetings.  
• Meets regularly with the UFWW president with the Council of Deans.  
• Supervises the Senate office staff and oversees the Faculty Senate office budget. 

The President of the Faculty Senate shall receive 0.5 FTEF release time from other duties to carry out the responsibilities of their office as specified in the CBA. The release time shall be returned to the Faculty Senate President's academic unit. The University shall provide administrative assistance to the Senate President and the Executive Council.  The President of the Faculty Senate president shall receive a summer stipend for work outside of the faculty contract at 50 percent time for three months (equivalent to 0.125 FTE for 12-months). 

• Serves a one-year term, starting at the beginning of the academic year
• Along with the Senate President, the Vice President meets with the university president and provost on a regular basis throughout the academic year
• Presides over the Faculty Senate and Executive Council in the absence of the President 
• Assists the Senate President as needed
• Presides over any General Faculty Assemblies that may be called

The Senate Vice President shall receive one course release (or the negotiated equivalent) for the academic year to carry out the responsibilities of their office as specified in the CBA. The release time shall be returned to the Faculty Senate Vice President's academic unit. 

• Serves a one-year renewable term, starting at the beginning of the academic year
• Presides over the Faculty Senate and the Senate Executive Council in the absence of the President and Vice President of the Faculty Senate.

• Serves a one-year renewable term, starting at the beginning of the academic year
• Reports to the Senate Executive Council as needed
• Presides over the Senate and the Senate Executive Council in the absence of the President, Vice President, and Secretary
• Helps conduct Senate elections.

• The Faculty Senate shall maintain a Faculty Legislative Representative (FLR) who represents the Faculty of Western Washington University in relations with the Legislature and individual legislators.
• The FLR shall be guided by policies approved by the Faculty Senate upon recommendation from the Executive Council.
• The FLR will seek to collaborate with the university administration, the Council of Faculty Representatives, University Government Relations, the Faculty Budget Representative, the Associated Students of Western, and the United Faculty of Western Washington.
• The FLR serves for a two-year term, which is renewable up to two times for a maximum consecutive service period of six years.
• To carry out the responsibility of the position, the FLR will receive release time of 0.33 from the year’s assigned course load, estimated by credits (or the negotiated equivalent). When the results carry a remainder, release time will be calculated upwards. In negotiation with the FLR's department, the release time can be arranged and combined to provide more release when needed (e.g. complete course release winter, no course release fall). The department is advised to negotiate release from teaching and campus obligations during the winter quarter of both sessions, and through spring quarter of the long session. The partial FTE shall be returned to the FLR's unit.
• The FLR will regularly report to the Senate Executive Council and the Faculty Senate during the session.
• The FLR is reimbursed for travel and/or other expenses incurred when fulfilling the duties of the FLR.
• For the sake of continuity, the incoming FLR should work with the outgoing FLR regarding best practices and ongoing initiatives.

The purview of the Academic Coordinating Commission (ACC) comprises all aspects of policy relating to the academic enterprise of the University, including but not limited to: 

• Curricular coherence
• Curricular administration
• Standards and requirements for admission, progress through the curriculum, and graduation
• Oversight of curricular change 

ACC approval of academic programs does not constitute approval for university funding. Budgetary requirements should be handled at the collegiate level before forwarding to ACC. 

ACC publishes its policies on the Faculty Senate website and in its handbook. ACC oversight in no way impinges on those matters that are the purview of collective bargaining. ACC collaborates with the Office of the Registrar, the University Planning Council, Academic Advising, Student Life, and other units on campus to further its academic mission and the strategic plan of the University. 

The ACC will meet bi-weekly during the academic year. The committee shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from its faculty membership at the last meeting of each spring quarter. The Chairperson will receive release time of 0.33 FTEF or equivalent as specified in the CBA to carry out the responsibilities of the office.

Membership of ACC

The Executive Committee of the ACC shall be made up of the chairperson, vice chairperson, ASWWU Senate President (or designee), and the Provost (or designee). The Executive Committee is responsible for setting the meeting agendas and is empowered to cancel meetings if there is not sufficient business or to call extra meetings if they are necessary to complete business. The recorder also attends.

The ACC shall maintain the following standing committees: the Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE) and the Council on University Programs (CUP). The memberships of these committees are approved by ACC, and membership requirements are published along with the charge in the ACC Handbook and on the Faculty Senate website.

ACC standing committees and college curriculum committees shall forward their approved meeting minutes to the ACC via the Catalog and Curriculum Specialist for review within 21 days.

The ACC may create additional ad hoc or standing committees as necessary to effectively meet its charge.

The Faculty Senate Budget and Deputy Budget Representatives are appointed by the Faculty Senate and are responsible for representing faculty perspectives on budgetary matters and raising faculty questions and/or concerns with the administration. Their goal is advocacy, transparency, and communication as they represent the faculty.

To fulfill this mission, the Faculty Senate Budget Representative will be a non-voting member of the Faculty Senate Executive Council and will attend meetings of both the Faculty Senate Executive Council and the Faculty Senate. They will offer quarterly updates to the Senate regarding the budget. They will be a voting member of the University Budget Committee. They will conduct regular meetings with the Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs and the Provost. In addition, the Budget Representative will work regularly with the chairs of the college faculty governance committees. They will also moderate and maintain a web page and blog on the Faculty Senate website, where faculty can pose questions and offer feedback, and where they can offer updates and information about the budget. The Budget Representatives serves a 1-year term.

The primary responsibility of the Faculty Senate Deputy Budget Representative is to support the work of the Faculty Senate Budget Representative and to familiarize themselves with the university budget and budget operations. They will substitute as needed for the Budget Representative on Faculty Senate and/or the Senate Executive Council. They will be a voting member of the University Budget Committee. At the end of their 1-year term, they will step into the Budget Representative role.

To carry out the responsibility of the position, the Budget Representative will receive release time of 0.33 from the year’s assigned course load, estimated by credits.

The Senate Library Committee (SLC) role is to help the library support the University’s mission.

The SLC will: 

• Provide advice and recommendations to the Dean of the Libraries
• Serve as liaison between the faculty and Dean of Libraries

Specifically, the committee shall: 

• Review documents provided by the Dean of Libraries
• Introduce the Dean of Libraries to the opinions and sentiments of the faculty at large
• Provide advice on current and future policies and procedures relating to the library’s teaching and learning programs, collections, services, facilities and budget
• Assist, by way of recommendations, the development of library teaching & learning services and collections to meet the evolving needs of faculty, students, and staff
• Assist the Faculty Senate as needed by evaluating and advising on the impact of library resources that are integral to items discussed and/or acted upon by the senate and its standing committees.
• Encourage use of the library through information-sharing and outreach Meet regularly each quarter

Membership of SLC

The committee shall elect a Chairperson from its faculty membership at the first meeting of each fall quarter.

To ensure that faculty are kept apprised of and have a forum through which to participate in the maintenance and enhancement of Western’s use of and investment in technology impacting teaching, learning, and research, the Academic Technology Committee (ATC) of the Faculty Senate: 

• Seeks to maintain a holistic overview of the University’s technology facilities and resources
• Facilitates and evaluates Western’s investment in academic and information technology facilities and resources to help ensure that they effectively and efficiently serve the University’s strategic activities and the academic needs of students and faculty
• Reviews, assesses, and communicates the technology needs of faculty and recommends priorities
• Provides advice, guidance, and support to the Information Technology Services organization of the University and to other units considering investment in or the adequacy of technology resources impacting teaching, learning, and research
• Provides information about technology/cybersecurity policy and best practices to the faculty
• Assists the Faculty Senate by evaluating and advising on the impact of technological resources that are integral to items discussed and/or acted upon by the Senate and its standing committees

To fulfill this mission, the Committee:

• Reviews and assesses the planning, policies, resource requirements, budget requests, and practices of the Information Technology Services organization
• Recommends strategic priorities to the Student Technology Fee Committee for use in its review of proposals
• Shall be afforded the opportunity to advise and provide guidance on the acquisition and introduction of new and advanced technologies to assure effective use of technology and improved access to information resources
• Shall provide feedback to the university about technology purchasing and licensing initiatives that impact the academic enterprise with potential to have broad impact on teaching, learning, research, academic advising, or faculty review prior to resource acquisition and contract negotiation.

The ATC shall meet at least once per month during the academic year, and more often if the committee chair believes it to be necessary.

Membership of ATC

The committee shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from its faculty membership at the first meeting of each fall quarter. In the absence of a continuing Chairperson, it is the responsibility of the Vice Chairperson from the previous year to call the first meeting of the fall quarter.

The Senate Outreach and Continuing Education Committee’s (SOCEC’s) role is to help Outreach and Continuing Education support the University’s mission, strategic goals, and values. To do so, the committee: 

• Provides advice and recommendations to the Vice Provost of Outreach and Continuing Education and the Faculty Senate
• Serves as liaison between the university faculty and the Vice Provost of Outreach and Continuing Education 

To fulfill this mission, the Committee: 

• Provides advice on current and future policies, procedures, and programs offered or considered by or through Outreach and Continuing Education to the Senate and relevant committees
• Discusses ideas about Outreach and Continuing Education programs
• Reviews and assesses the activities and direction of Outreach and Continuing Education
• Reports annually during the winter quarter to the Faculty Senate and ACC the following:
  • The mission and budget of Outreach and Continuing Education
  • Programs run through Outreach and Continuing Education
  • Students served during the previous academic year, including summer quarter
  • The number of undergraduate and graduate courses offered for credit and administered through OCE during the previous academic year, sorted by:
    • Funding mechanism (state-supported or self-sustaining)
    • Location
    • Academic quarter (summer or AY)
    • Mode of delivery
    • Type of faculty (NTT or TN/TT)
• Provides advice on current and future policies, procedures, and programs offered or considered by or through Outreach and Continuing Education to the Faculty Senate and relevant committees
• Provides other information requested by the Senate

The committee shall meet at least monthly during the academic year.

Membership of SOCEC

At least one faculty member should be engaged in teaching at an off-campus state-funded program through Outreach and Continuing Education. If needed, this may require appointing a faculty member in addition to the college representatives.

The committee shall elect a Chairperson from its faculty membership at the first meeting of each fall quarter.

As scholars of our disciplines, we seek and communicate about the truth as we see it and are guided by our deep conviction of the value of educating students. We value teaching in all its varieties, tasks, and modalities, because of its impact on our students’ intellectual lives. Thus, when we act with integrity, protect academic freedom, and uphold the ethical standards of our disciplines, departments, and institutions, we positively contribute to our institution’s intellectual and cultural life. We take care in our pedagogical roles and tasks to accurately present developments in our disciplines. We recognize our obligations as trusted intellectual guides and counselors; our behavior should encourage students’ free pursuit of learning and wellbeing.

The faculty seek to contribute in meaningful ways to our disciplines, and we support and encourage the efforts of our colleagues and our students to do the same. Faculty are active participants in the production of knowledge, and that participation influences how we think, how we teach, and how we interact with those around us. As such, producing knowledge is integral to our role as faculty members. We strive to engage in the creation and dissemination of knowledge in a responsible and collegial manner, and to foster an environment in which differing ideas and opinions can be discussed and critically assessed in the classroom and outside of it. Faculty members demonstrate by example the best scholarly standards of their respective disciplines.

Faculty must avoid conflicts of interest, coercion, exploitation, favoritism, or other forms of unfair treatment so that Western Washington University remains a respectful and professional scholarly community shaped by an environment of transparency. Intimate personal relationships between faculty and students are prohibited. The only exception is when the intimate relationship predates the student’s enrollment at Western Washington University. This exception is intended to allow adults in pre-existing intimate relationships with faculty to enroll at Western. Such relationships will be disclosed at the time of the student’s first registration at Western Washington University and a conflict management plan will be put in effect. The purpose of the conflict management plan is to ensure transparency and protect both faculty and students from actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Any other close personal relationships that might lead to a conflict of interest should also be disclosed with a conflict management plan.

Faculty should be thoughtful and respectful in how they interact with one another, support each other whenever possible, and be mindful of potential harm their words or actions may cause. In striving for collegiality, faculty share responsibilities fairly and collaborate towards collective goals.

Faculty are obligated under state law (RCW 28B.137.010) to provide students with reasonable accommodations for religious holidays. The law stipulates that students seeking reasonable accommodations must provide written notice to the faculty, within the first two weeks of the beginning of the course, of the specific dates the student requests accommodations regarding examinations or other activities. WWU considers a 24-hour extension a minimum reasonable accommodation for a student who is permitted accommodation under this law.

Faculty must work with honesty, transparency, trustworthiness, and respect by treating students with civility, decency, and confidentiality, and by protecting the integrity and security of university information such as student records, employee files, and contract negotiation documents.

1. Faculty may only disclose confidential information derived from their employment at WWU to authorized people in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 
    
2. Faculty shall not reveal matters related in explicit confidence by a student to any person, except as required by law or permitted according to this policy. 
    
3. Faculty may report their assessment of a student's academic performance and ability to persons making legitimate inquiry provided such disclosure is in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA"). 
    
4. Faculty shall follow applicable university policies and procedures regarding mandatory reporting.

Shared governance is "the joint responsibility of faculty, administrators, and governing boards to govern colleges and universities” (AAUP). The shared governance system at WWU is reflected in the structure of the university and faculty participation in university service. Faculty also contribute to core governance functions at the department, college or university levels in other matters of academics, budget, planning, and policy. At the university level, faculty also have primary responsibility for the curriculum as developed in academic departments and approved through a curriculum review process culminating with the Faculty Senate.

Academic freedom, which is central to our mission at WWU, includes the freedom of faculty to investigate, publish, and teach issues that are relevant to their academic field without interference from university administrators, the board of trustees, political figures, or others. Free and honest inquiry is essential to the functioning of the university, and the policies of the university protect the academic freedom of faculty, as outlined in the AAUP’s foundational 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. According to these principles, the pursuit of truth that lies at the heart of our scholarly community requires a commitment to academic freedom as it applies in instruction and research.

Engaging with potentially controversial topics, while considering the rights and dignity of all people, is often at the core of learning and should be encouraged. Learning from difference and the value of diverse viewpoints is central to our scholarly community. Good teaching relies on the exercise of academic freedom and reflective judgment about discussing sensitive or potentially controversial subjects in ways that will promote and support learning and professional engagement.

While faculty are protected by WWU’s commitment to academic freedom, they are also required to follow the law, all relevant university policies, and relevant codes of conduct. Any discipline for faculty speech will follow the definition of academic freedom provided in Section 2.2 of the UFWW-WWU Collective Bargaining Agreement. Faculty have every right to speak and act as private citizens but should avoid creating the impression that they are speaking or acting on behalf of WWU when doing so.

Effective engagement requires active participation in the life of the university. Faculty play a key role in the academic community of which we are a part and should therefore be good university, college, and departmental citizens. Faculty have a responsibility to support shared governance at WWU.