Author: Everard, Michelle

Upcoming University Senate Elections: Fall 2024

Posted on by

University Senate elections for the Fall 2024 semester will begin in late October. All faculty and staff who are eligible to vote will receive a nominating slate via email in late October, which will include a list of people nominated by the Senate Nominating Committee to be on the election ballot in November to fill the Senate seats that will be opening in both the Faculty at-Large and Professional Staff at-Large Constituencies.

In accordance with the University By-Laws, Article IX.B, the Faculty at-Large Constituency size has been reduced from 27 seats to 19 starting on July 1, 2025. The difference of 8 seats has been redistributed in accordance with the requirements laid out in the By-Laws, and more information can be found in the Nominating Committee Report to the Senate presented during the October 7, 2024, Senate Meeting.

If you are interested in a self-nomination, or in nominating a colleague to be added to the ballot, please email universitysenate@uconn.edu. Any petition must be endorsed by five (5) members of the constituency in support of a candidate and submitted before the nominating slate has closed.

University Senate Meeting: Monday, September 9, 2024

Posted on by

The University Senate convene for its first meeting of the 2024-2025 Academic Year on Monday, September 9, 2024, in a hybrid format. All new and incoming Senators are also invited to attend the Senate Orientation, which will also take place in a hybrid format starting at 3 p.m.  

Please note the in-person location for this meeting has been moved to the Student Union Ballroom 330/331 and that both the 3 p.m. Orientation and 4 p.m. Senate Meeting will utilize the same WebEx links for those Senators joining virtually. Members of the public are welcome to join the Senate Meeting in-person or via livestream.

Click here to learn more and to view meeting materials.

University Senate Passed Motions: May 20, 2024 Special Meeting

Posted on by

During a Special Meeting of the University Senate on May 20, 2024, a resolution was passed, comprised of two motions, related to the recent student protests and encampment on the UConn Storrs campus, and the university’s response to these events. 

Overview of Motions passed: 

  • To urge the President to send a letter to the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Tolland: 1) stating that the arrests and the judicial processes to date have been punishment enough for the students’ alleged actions, 2) conveying  concern that a lengthy judicial process would constitute undue punishment, and 3) therefore urges the State’s Attorney to drop all criminal charges against the students arrested at the encampment; and, to issue a public communication stating that she will refrain from pursuing any disciplinary actions or retaliatory measures against any student, staff, or faculty member solely for participating in the protests, or for supporting the students. 
  • To form an ad hoc committee that will investigate and report back to the University Senate by the third Senate meeting of the 2024-2025 academic year, on: (1) the terms and mechanisms by which the police were authorized to arrest students at the encampment, (2) the processes by which police are deployed into university spaces (including meetings of the University Senate) and at what  cost; and, (3) a potential process for gaining greater transparency around the University’s and the UConn Foundation’s investments in the interest of faculty governance and feasibility of divestment. 

The full resolution can be read in full here.

University Senate Adjourned for Summer

Posted on by

The University Senate will meet on September 9, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom (330/331) and via WebEx. An orientation for new senators will be hosted at 3 p.m. also in a hybrid format. We welcome all newly elected Senators and continuing Senators to join this session. Light refreshments will be provided at both events.

For the full schedule of University Senate meetings scheduled to take place during the 2024-2025 Academic Year, please check here.

Election Results: SEC, Nominating, Committee of Three, PAAC

Posted on by

Senate Executive Committee Election Results:
Three-year term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027
Senate terms of elected SEC members to be extended to be concurrent with elected SEC term

Senate Executive Committee Chair Election Results:
Term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
Laura Burton, Neag

Faculty Election Results:
Sandy Grande, CLAS
Michael Morrell, CLAS
Del Siegle, Neag

Professional Staff Election Results:
Karen Bresciano, The Graduate School

Senate Nominating Committee Election Results:
Term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027
Jennifer Terni, CLAS
Carl Rivers, Office of the Registrar

Committee of Three Election Results:
Term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026
Kenneth Foote, CLAS

President’s Athletic Advisory Committee Election Results:
Term: September 1, 2024 – August 31, 2026
George Plesko, School of Business

 

 

Motion Passed: Scholastic Standing & Dismissal Bylaw Change

Posted on by

During its regular meeting on April 1, 2024, the University Senate passed a motion presented by the Senate Scholastic Standards Committee initiating several changes to the Bylaws, Rules & Regulations of the University Senate II.E.13. Scholastic Standing & Dismissal. These bylaw changes will come into effect starting in Fall 2024.

Overview of Bylaw Changes:

  • Name changes of overall process:
    • Rename “scholastic standing” to “academic standing” when referring to the overall process or individual academic standings
    • Rename “scholastic probation” to “academic Notice”
  • Removal of scholastic warning standing and credit-based scholastic standing criteria
  • Change in minimum required time away from UConn after dismissal:
    • Reducing the minimum required time away for students following academic dismissal from 2 semesters to 1 semester after the first academic dismissal and from 8 semesters to 4 semesters for second academic dismissal.
  • Clarifying language added regarding the impact of summer and winter classes on academic standing
  • Change in how a student is returned to good academic standing:
    • Both semester GPA (sGPA) and cumulative GPA (cGPA) must be above 2.0 for a student to return to good standing, regardless of the number of earned credits
    • No student with at least a 2.3 sGPA average after completing all courses for which they are registered at the end of a semester is subject to dismissal; the student will be continued on academic notice if such status is warranted, until both the sGPA and cGPAs are at least 2.o.
  • Moving language about end of semester to II.H.1: University Calendar
  • Small edits to readmission language to more accurately reflect the holistic readmission process for dismissed students.

The full motion language can be viewed here and the University Senate bylaws will be updated to reflect these changes before they come into effect for Fall 2024.

University Senate Meeting: April 29, 2024

Posted on by

The University Senate will meet on Monday, April 29, 2024, in a hybrid format. Click here to learn more and to view meeting materials. Please note the location for in-person attendance has moved to the Student Union Theatre and the public may join either in-person or virtually via Livestream. This is the final meeting of the University Senate during the 2023-2024 Academic Year.