In 1939, Dr. H.D. Welte, then president of the Teachers College of Connecticut, called the first meeting of the Faculty Council to order. One year later, Dr. Welte noted that the “whole matter of the Faculty Council was worth the consideration of the members of the faculty. Such matters as its organization, continuation, and expansion should be discussed.” The major concern seemed to be that too many people did not know what the council did. The resulting discussions expanded the size and representation in the senate and firmly established its role in matters of curriculum including program structure, credit requirements and even course attendance policies. Subsequent senate meetings included discussions of quarters versus semester plans, the “credit point average system”, evening programs, student policies and procedures, sabbatical leave policies, and even recommendations on appropriate faculty load.
Today, the Faculty Senate Constitution indicates that the powers and responsibilities of the senate include:
“The Faculty formulates and recommends policy through the Faculty Senate and through Standing Committees of the Faculty.”
The Standing Committees of the Faculty are committees established by the Faculty Senate, with membership and responsibilities that extends beyond a single department or school, whose membership is open to some or all faculty members (including those who are not members of the Faculty Senate).
There are also six (6) Standing Committees of the Senate with various functions including running senate elections, setting meeting agendas, reviewing the functions and responsibilities of the Standing Committee of the Faculty, recommending changes to the constitution or bylaws, and addressing academic freedom on campus.
