VIU Scenery

Senate Operations Manual

Year at a Glance

August

  • Annual Senate Retreat & Orientation
  • Introduction of New Members
  • Review of Senate evaluation if applicable (done every 3 years - last one conducted in 2012).

October

  • First meeting of the year
  • Group photo
  • Awards & Honors Committee meets regarding Honorary Credentials
  • Planning & Priorities Committee normally receives budget presentation

November

  • Senate In-Camera meeting regarding Awards & Honors Committee recommendations of Honorary Credentials

December

January

  • Prepare draft Senate Master Meeting Schedule (work around Board of Governors meeting dates) Senate usually meets the first Thursday of every month
  • Check for any Senate member terms expiring June 30th; if necessary, ask Elections Committee support to call meeting of Elections Committee to plan for a Spring election.
  • Develop plan of action for any standing committee memberships affected by change in Senate members.

February

  • Determine vacancies for Senate elections and send memos to Registrar; President; Board, and resource person supervisors
  • Finalize Senate Master Meeting Schedule and send to Senate for approval

March

 

April

  • Send a memo to Standing Committees regarding year end activities/deadlines
  • Develop and update membership lists for Senate and its Standing Committees for the upcoming year

May

  • Conduct the elect meeting for the Vice-Chair of Senate for the upcoming year
  • Standing Committees also to conduct the elect meeting for the Chair and Vice-Chair for the upcoming year, if applicable
  • Elections Committee meets to finalize Standing Committee membership lists
  • Elections Committee meets to elect the Vice-Chair of Senate
  • Senate appoints the Final Appeals Tribunal, under the Educational Standards Committees' recommendation
  • Start thank you letters to Senators and Standing Committee Members (CC & ESC) whose terms are expiring.

June

  • Send acknowledgement letters to outgoing members, with a copy to Human Resources for the employee file (letter should come from Ralph as Chair)
  • Send acknowledgement letter to Standing Committee support

July

  • Recess
  • Send message to Senate members regarding the Senate annual retreat