University Senate Office of the Provost

Purdue University Senate FAQs

Tenured, tenure-track, clinical, and clinical-track are all voting faculty members and are eligible to serve on the Senate and its Standing Committees.
Faculty Senator terms are for three years, beginning on June 1. (Ref. Purdue Senate Bylaws, Article II, 2.03)

Standing Committees must be populated by university Senators. There are 8 Standing Committees, requiring 87 faculty members; therefore, nearly every Senator should serve on a Standing Committee. Remember that it is in committees where much of the work of the Senate is done. The result of this work usually comes to the Senate in the form of a motion that is presented at one meeting, discussed with departmental colleagues, and voted on at the next meeting.

No. Service on a Standing Committee ends when your Senate term ends. If you are interested in serving on the committee again, you must self-nominate when the Nominating Committee requests volunteers. We recommend that you note you have served on this committee before, and would like to continue to serve on it. However, placement can not be guaranteed.
Generally, you will serve on the Standing Committee only during your colleague’s sabbatical.

Reference: BYLAWS OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE

Article II, 2.00 Composition

  1. The Senate is composed of 104 members.

  2. The representation of the Senate is apportioned as follows:
    1. The President of the University.
    2. The Chief Academic Officer and the Chief Fiscal Officer of the University.
    3. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Senate.
    4. Three members elected by and representing the faculties of the regional campuses: one each from Purdue Northwest, Purdue Fort Wayne, and Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis.
    5. One undergraduate student member selected annually by the Purdue Student Government (PSG) and one graduate student member selected annually by the Purdue Graduate Student Government (PGSG), with terms of office to begin on June 1.
    6. The remaining ninety-four members are apportioned among the faculty units according to the number of faculty members attached to the respective faculty unit. This includes those the President assigns to participate in faculty government procedures, with the provision that no faculty unit has fewer than two members. Where a Dean is administratively responsible for more than one school, the faculties of these schools are considered a single faculty unit.

  3. Between six and sixteen designated Advisors to the Senate are accorded full floor privileges but not the vote. One of these represents the Honors College, elected by the faculty of the Honors College in a manner consistent with the election of Senators (2.03). The remaining Advisors are members of the administrative staff appointed to the Senate by virtue of their positions. One of these is the Secretary of Faculties, who acts as Secretary to the Senate. Advisors may serve as members of Senate committees.

    The Senate recommends the Advisors’ Senate and committee assignments for a three-year term to begin the following academic year. When vacancies occur, the Nominating Committee consults with the chairpersons of the Senate Standing Committees and then, at the second regular meeting of the Senate in the spring, proposes to the Senate a slate of Advisors and their committee assignments. The Senate may recommend that Advisors serve successive terms.

  4. An immediate past Chairperson of the Senate who has not been elected to a new Senate term serves as an ex officio member of the Senate, with full floor privileges but not the vote.