2.01 The Faculty

“The Board of Regents will ordinarily seek the advice of the faculty on important matters of academic policy” as per Regents’ Rules Series 40101 Faculty Role in Educational Policy Formulation. Faculty at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will be consulted on academic policy through the following bodies:

1. The General Faculty
   1. The General Faculty of UTSA is composed only of academically qualified personnel as listed in HOP policy 2.02, Faculty Titles and Tenure Status. A faculty member may be deemed academically qualified through their terminal degree or through an alternative justification process.
   2. A faculty member shall have voting status only on the basis of half-time employment or more at UTSA. Non-tenure track faculty with a minimum of four semesters service at UTSA out of the most recent six semesters shall have voting status. In computing a semester of service, two summer terms shall count as one semester. Regardless of semesters of service, non-tenure-track faculty with a fifty percent or greater appointment and with a three-year, rolling contract shall have voting status as part of the General Faculty.
   3. Those faculty members designated above shall retain their voting status while on modified service but not upon full retirement.
   4. Each voting member, of whatever rank, shall be entitled to one vote.
   5. Non-voting members have the privilege of attending meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote.
   6. The General Faculty shall establish its own rules of procedure.
   7. The General Faculty shall meet at least twice a year upon the call of the president. The president or the president’s delegate shall preside at all meetings of the General Faculty.
   8. The General Faculty shall elect a secretary who shall also serve as Secretary of the University Assembly. The Faculty Senate shall determine the qualifications, manner of election, term of office, and duties.
2. The Faculty Senate

   The Faculty Senate shall exercise the authority vested in the General Faculty, except in matters specifically reserved to the General Faculty by its own action, and/or requiring ratification by the General Faculty. Specifically, the Faculty Senate shall have authority to consider the following:

   1. all matters of academic policy;
   2. matters relating to the academic curriculum;
   3. regulations dealing with student activities;
   4. requirements for admission, scholastic performance, graduation, honors or degrees;
   5. approval of all graduate and undergraduate degree programs;
   6. reports of special and standing committees of the Faculty Senate;
   7. all changes in UTSA’s Handbook of Operating Procedures pertaining to academic and/or faculty matters; and
   8. other matters pertaining to faculty welfare.
3. The Graduate Council
   1. The Graduate Council is an operating unit of the Faculty Senate, with representation developed independently of the Senate.
   2. Subject to approval of the Faculty Senate, the Graduate Council shall develop its own rules of procedure.
   3. The Graduate Council shall have the authority to conduct studies and investigations on graduate education and to request recommendations from other sources.
   4. The Graduate Council shall provide advice and counsel and shall recommend actions to the Faculty Senate on all matters relating to graduate education at UTSA.
   5. All actions of the Graduate Council, except those that apply policies previously approved, will be reported directly to the full Senate membership through the Executive Committee of the Senate.
4. The University Assembly
   1. The University Assembly is a broad-based informational organization with representation by faculty, administrative staff, professional staff, classified staff, and students.
   2. The president or the president’s Delegate shall preside over meetings of the University Assembly.
   3. The University Assembly shall promote and support UTSA, and shall give an effective voice to its membership in the university decision-making process concerning issues that affect its members’ constituency.