About the Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate was approved in May 2007 and had its first meeting on February 8, 2008.

Governance Structure

Shared University Governance Structure Chart

What We Do

The faculty of Pacific University has a distinctive relationship to the mission of the University in that the professional academic credentials of faculty members gives them the primary expertise and preeminent responsibility for carrying out the educational mission of the University. Through the Faculty Senate, the collective university faculty exercises its unique role in university governance, which, when integrated with other decision-making units, makes up the shared governance system of Pacific University. The institution of tenure allows faculty members to take strong and independent positions on the range of issues the Faculty Senate considers. Because of this special relationship of faculty within the university structure, the Faculty Senate has a strong voice in both academic policy and other major policy decisions affecting the University.

The Faculty Senate works in tandem with the University Council and Staff Senate to affect a transparent, effective, equitable governance system. The Faculty Senate has primary control over academic policy matters, faculty personnel issues, and faculty research.  In addition, whereas the University Council functions as the deliberative body for non-academic policy, the faculty via the Faculty Senate, functions as the deliberative body on all major policy decisions. All decisions taken by either the University Council or the Faculty Senate are sent to the President of the University for approval. The Faculty Senate is committed to mutual consultation, seeking solutions for shared problems, maintaining an efficient flow of information, and giving voice to the entire university faculty.