1.     Process

Following the Senate elections each year, a Committee Preference Form shall be distributed to all continuing and new Senators requesting information on their preferences for Senate committee membership for the upcoming year. It is the responsibility of the Senate Governance and Nominating Committee to review these preferences in concert with the mandates and composition of the committees, to consider other possible candidates, to establish the committees using the Senate-approved Modus Operandi, and to propose committee membership that it believes will best serve the Senate.

The Senate Governance and Nominating Committee shall use this information to establish the membership slates for all the Senate Standing Committees for the upcoming session, to be presented to Senate for approval by motion no later than the last meeting of the current Senate session. Prior to sending the name of an individual forward to Senate, the Committee shall inform him/her of the proposed appointment to the committee. 

Preference form information is also used to make recommendations for filling any Senate Standing Committee vacancies that might occur over that session.

University faculty and staff shall consider membership on a committee or board of Senate as having priority over membership on any other committee in the University.

2.     Term of Office

The term of appointment to a Senate Standing Committee or Board shall be one Session of Senate. All appointments on Senate Committees and Boards cease at the end of the regular Senate Session.

3.     Eligibility

Subject to the bylaws of Senate concerning the composition of Senate Standing Committees and Boards, a member shall be eligible for appointment if he/she meets the criteria for eligibility to stand for election to Senate.

4.     To Continue on Committees and Boards

To continue, a member must retain the conditions for eligibility required of an elected member of Senate. Any person who anticipates being unable to attend committee or board meetings for more than one semester shall forward a letter of resignation to the University Secretariat.

Every attempt will be made to have approximately 1/3 of the membership be new, and at least 2/3 of the membership continue from one year to the next, when possible.

5.     Student Members of Senate

Only student Senators are eligible for consideration for appointment to student seats on a Senate Standing Committee or Board.

Each student seat on a Senate Standing Committee will be allocated an alternate. Where a committee or sub-committee has more than two students the number of alternates shall be limited to two. A primary seat-holder may request either of the ratified alternates to sit in his/her place should he/she be absent from a particular meeting.  An alternate will be conferred voting privileges only in the absence of the primary seat-holder. Attendance and participation in the committee by the alternates in the absence of the primary seat-holder will be allowed.

A student appointed to a Senate Standing Committee or Board who completes his/her academic program at the end of the fall semester shall forfeit his/her appointment immediately.  A student appointed to a Senate Standing Committee or Board who graduates at the end of the winter semester may continue until the end of the regular Senate session.

6.   Vacancies During the Session

The Senate Governance and Nominating Committee has the authority to fill vacancies on Senate Standing Committees that occur during the Senate session. Any such membership changes will be presented for information at the next Senate meeting.