On behalf of the Delaware State University Faculty Senate, "Welcome!" Faculty participation in the shared governance of DSU is more important than ever. As the chair of the faculty senate I ask that you stay involved with the vital issues facing the University. In our goal to go paperless, the minutes, proposals, reports, upcoming agenda, etc. are posted for your examination on the Faculty Senate Forum on Blackboard.

If your department has not already, please forward the names of your Faculty Senator(s) and alternate(s) for the current academic year to me (cwilson@desu.edu) and the Vice Chair, Myna German (mgerman@desu.edu). Stephanie Milbourne is the Senate recorder (smilbourne@desu.edu).

Several openings are available on our senate committees. These committees are an excellent opportunity for every faculty member to provide service and leadership to the university, get to know other faculty and staff, and do the valuable work of the faculty senate. Email the Chair of the Committee on Committees Margaret-Rose Agostino (magostino@desu.edu) to get involved. Your service counts.  Elections for committee members will be held at the March 2012 meeting.  You may nominate yourself or anyone else (with their permission) for any slot listed as "2009-12" or any open slot.  See Committee Membership.  Please send your nominations to Margaret-Rose Agostino later than, Wednesday, Feb 29th, 2012.

Respectfully submitted,

Charlie Dean Wilson, Chair, Faculty Senate.

FROM THE BY-LAWS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY

Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Trustees, authority is hereby delegated to the university faculty to develop and administer the academic and educational policies of the university in accordance with the provisions of the following regulations.

The Faculty shall:

• Establish departmental curricula and courses.
• Develop rules, regulations and discipline for the student body.
• Determine educational academic policies of admission.
• Determine requirements for degrees and recommend candidates for degrees, which shall be conferred by the
    President of the University under the authority of the Board of Trustees.
• It shall be the privilege of the faculty:
• To recommend to the Board of Trustees the establishment of any degree to be awarded and the disestablishment of any degree.
• To consider matters of general interest to the university and make recommendations to the President of the University for presentation to the Board of Trustees. (Chapter 2, Section II)

FACULTY SENATE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

Function: The Faculty Senate is the primary governing body of the faculty. It shall serve as a channel of communication between the faculty and the administration and, through the administration, to the Board of Trustees. It shall seek means to raise the level of all aspects of professional performance. It shall be the instrument by which the faculty carries out its responsibilities under the Charter and Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of Delaware State University. [Article I, Section 2]

Responsibilities : The Faculty Senate is the chief governing body under the authority of the faculty. It shall possess the primary responsibility and authority to review, discuss, and make policy recommendations in such areas as curriculum, standards, research, faculty status, honorary degrees, and student activities related to the academic life of the University. [Article I, Section 3]

Duties and Responsibilities of Faculty Senators:

1. Faculty Senators are expected to attend all Faculty Senate meetings.
2. Faculty Senators are expected to communicate to their respective departments all actions of the Faculty Senate.
3. Faculty Senators are expected to communicate to the full Senate any of their respective departmental concerns.