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University Senate records

 Record Group
Identifier: 001-004

Scope and Contents

The collection is composed of minutes, reports, and memoranda from the University Senate meetings, as well as from subcommittees within the University Senate.

Series 1: University Senate Constitution, By-Laws and Policy Handbook This series contains the Constitution for the Senate and any by-laws or changes to the Constitution enacted by the Senate membership. It also includes a Senate Policy handbook.

Series 2: University Senate Agendas, Meeting Minutes This series is composed of Agendas and minutes of the University Senate meetings.

Series 3: University Senate Chairperson’s Files This series is incomplete, but does contain some files from the University Senate chairperson.

Series 4: University Senate Secretary’s Files This series is incomplete, but does contain some files from the University Senate secretary.

Series 5: University Senate Executive Committee This series is incomplete but does contain minutes of some of the meetings of the University Senate Executive Committee which is composed of the University President who is a non-voting members, the President of the Student Government Association, and the Officers of the University Senate.

Series 6: University Senate Academic Computing Committee This committee oversees the use and policies regarding the campus community’s network, internet access, and computer laboratories. This committee also participates in budgetary decisions as well as assessing future needs of the campus.

Series 7: University Senate Academic Standards Committee -- Restricted This committee is responsible for establishing and interpreting policies regarding the academic status of undergraduates such as classification, good standing, probation, graduation, grading system, and dismissal.

Series 8: University Senate Admissions Committee This committee works to create admissions policies for undergraduates that will attract students and enhance the image of the University while also providing a forum for assessing admissions standards to support the University’s goals of creating a diverse yet academically excellent student body. Also reviews and offers recommendations to the Director of Admissions in special cases.

Series 9: University Senate Auxiliary Services Board -- Inactive This committee was created to oversee housing and dining services as well as the campus bookstore. It became inactive in 19??

Series 10: University Senate Continuing Studies Committee This committee is charged with recommending policies and procedures relating to the Continuing Studies programs, students, and faculty for both credit and non-credit work on campus and at extension centers.

Series 11: University Senate Curriculum Committee This committee is charged with approving new degree programs, establishing guidelines for those programs, establishing policies regarding credits, level, prerequisites, and to study the overall curriculum of the school.

Series 12: University Senate Extended Programs -- Inactive This committee created and upheld policies related to the College of Extended Programs at the University which focused on off-campus, non-traditional educational opportunities. This College was in existence from 2000 until 2004.

Series 13: University Senate Faculty Development -- Inactive This committee was charged with reviewing and approving faculty grant proposals. This committee was combined with the Faculty Research Committee in 1992(?) to form the University Senate Faculty Development and Research Committee (Series 15).

Series 14: University Senate Faculty Research -- Inactive This committee was responsible for supporting faculty research by finding and funding various projects, registration fees for conference and meetings, an publication costs. This committee was combined with the Faculty Development Committee in 1992 to form the University Senate Faculty Development and Research Committee (Series 15).

Series 15: University Senate Faculty Development and Research Created in 1992, this committee works with faculty to provide opportunity and resources for faculty to continue to develop professionally.

Series 16: University Senate Faculty Hearing Committee -- Restricted This special committee oversees cases of alleged academic misconduct by faculty members. It is composed of a Chairman who conducts elections of faculty members who presides over the cases and report their findings. It meets on an as-needed basis.

Series 17: University Senate Graduate Studies Committee This committee creates policy related to admissions, curricula, and theses, and reviews the Office of Graduate Studies to ascertain whether it has appropriate staffing and funding and is working effectively.

Series 18: University Senate Honors Board This committee establishes policy guidelines for departmental honors programs, the Honors College program, and the Student Grants program. It also reviews honors theses and departmental proposals for Honors College courses.

Series 19: University Senate Information and Instructional Technology Committee In 1990, the Associate Vice President for Information Resources created the Information Resources Advisory Committee to help plan and promote efforts in information management for the University community.

Series 20: University Senate Intercollegiate Athletics Committee This committee oversees budget matters relating to men’s and women’s athletics including gate receipts, recruitment, public relations and travel allowances, oversaw eligibility rules, promotion of scholarship opportunities, insurance matters, physical exams of players, team sizes, and enforcement of the code of ethics for student athletes.

Series 21: University Senate Library Committee This committee advises on the role of the library within the campus community. It studies the needs of the academic program and advises the University Librarian on policy, resources, and approaches to integrating library in the general academic activities. It also serves as the representative of the library to the college community, and reviews budgetary and development policies for the library.

Series 22: University Senate Promotions and Tenure Committee -- Restricted This series contains documents relating to the Promotions and Tenure Committee. This committee makes recommendations regarding tenure, salary increments, and promotions. The series contains meeting minutes, agendas, evaluation forms and data, correspondence, and appeal letters.

Series 23: University Senate Retrenchment Committee This special committee is responsbile for advising the President on policies and procedures regarding any need for reductions in the University and improving strategies to address both external and internal forces that may create the need for reduction. It meets on an as-needed basis.

Series 24: University Senate Retrenchment Appeals Committee -- Restricted This special committee is responsible for hearing appeals from tenured faculty who have been terminated in response to retrenchment. It meets on an as-needed basis.

Series 25: University Senate Resource Planning and Advisory Committee This committee is in charge of recommending budgetary policy and guidelines for the University.

Series 26: University Senate Financial Assistance Committee Originally called the University Senate Student Scholarship Committee, this committee serves as an advisory body to the Office of Financial Aid. Its mission is to communicate information regarding available scholarships as well as aid in the selection of scholarship candidates.

Series 27: University Senate Student Appeals Committee -- Restricted Originally called the Screening Committee, this committee hears grievances related to student conduct. After a case has been presented, the committee renders a decision and reports on it to the President and all parties involved in the case who then have the right to appeal that decision.

Series 28: University Senate Teacher Education Executive Board This committee is charged with overseeing both undergraduate and graduate programs in Education at the University. It creates policies and procedures for coordinating student teaching programs and other resources needed for the program, as well as brokering a positive relationship between the University and other education agencies.

Series 29: University Senate University Assessment Council Originally called the Self Study Committee, the Council works as an advisory body to the University’s assessment programs.

Series 30: University Senate Ad Hoc Committees This series contains documents of committees that were created on an as-needed basis and were not part of the permanent committee structure of the University Senate.

Series 31: College Councils and Constitutions Each college within the University works abides by its own constitution and by-laws which is approved by the University Senate. This series contains both the college constitutions and any documents created by individual College Councils.

Series 32: University Senate Audio Recordings This series contains the audiotape recordings of University Senate meetings, September 20, 1982 until the present, either on audiocassette or compact disc.

Dates

  • Creation: 1981-2021

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open to the public.

Conditions Governing Use

Towson University Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections; however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with SCUA to determine if we can provide permission for use.

Biographical / Historical

The University Senate is the main governing body of the school. Composed of elected and appointed members of the entire campus community, it serves as an advisory body to the President of the University.

In the spring of 1982, Towson State University underwent a major academic reorganization with the creation of the Colleges which oversee the different academic programs within the school. In response to this, the Academic Council, which was the governing body of the school, was also restructured according to a proposal set forth by the ad hoc Task Force on Academic Structure and Governance committee. While the University constitution itself was considered to still be viable, the By-Laws regarding election of members, responsibilities, and committees needed to be updated.

Each College operates under its own constitution, and in order to have better shared governance, it was felt that each College should be represented within the governing body of the school. It was decided that the new organization would be made up of a minimum number of representatives from each of the Colleges plus more if the size of the College warranted it, the Presidents of the Faculty Association and the Student Government Association, as well as administrators who would serve as ex officio members. The University Senate’s first official meeting was held on September 7, 1982.

As of 2019, the Senate, called the "Academic Senate," continued to meet monthly and advise the President on important University matters.

Extent

15.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Related Materials

UA00017 Faculty Committee; UA00018 College Senate; UA00019 Academic Council

Processing Information

Duplicate copies of materials were discarded.

Title
Guide to the University Senate records
Status
Completed
Author
Felicity Knox (updated by John Esh, 2020)
Date
September 2012
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Towson University Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
Albert S. Cook Library
8000 York Rd
Towson MD 21252 United States