There has been a general problem with the dissemination of information at UNI in the past. This situation has been improving in general. To further increase transparency, the senate should disseminate information to the faculty in general beyond a posting of the minutes.
Therefore, be it resolved that the senate shall make it a general practice to craft a summary statement to accompany reports received by the senate and disseminate this along with the report to the faculty in general through the senate-minutes mailing list as well as posting the report on the senate website. The following edits to the bylaws should be undertaken.
6.4 Committee reports: Procedures. Committee reports, as they are received by the chairperson, will be placed on the calendar of the Senate, normally in the order of their reception. Those reports that the Senate wishes to discuss or which appear to require Senate action will be moved to the docket following the procedures set forth below. Reports received by the senate will be posted on the senate website within one week following the meeting at which discussion is held or if discussion is not decided to be necessary. The chairperson will select members of the senate to also draft a summary of the report and disseminate this as well as the report itself to the faculty in general within two weeks of receipt of the report..
7.13 Consultative sessions. When an officer of administration wishes to report to the Senate or ask the advice of the Senate on a matter of the sort described above (Section 5.3), the Senate, by majority vote, may authorize a consultative session. Alternately, the Senate may wish to hear a report from an officer of administration on a matter of joint concern; in this case a senator may move to invite the appropriate officer(s) of administration to counsel with the Senate. Any documents associated with the consultative session will be posted to the senate website within a week of the consultative session. The chairperson will select members of the senate to also draft a summary of the consultative session and disseminate this as well as any documents related to the consultative session to the faculty in general within two weeks of of the consultation.
6.4 Committee reports: Procedures. Committee reports, as they are received by the chairperson, will be placed on the calendar of the Senate, normally in the order of their reception. Those reports that the Senate wishes to discuss or which appear to require Senate action will be moved to the docket following the procedures set forth below.
7.13 Consultative sessions. When an officer of administration wishes to report to the Senate or ask the advice of the Senate on a matter of the sort described above (Section 5.3), the Senate, by majority vote, may authorize a consultative session. Alternately, the Senate may wish to hear a report from an officer of administration on a matter of joint concern; in this case a senator may move to invite the appropriate officer(s) of administration to counsel with the Senate.