COUNCIL Bylaws

Bylaws of the University Council

Incorporating Revisions of 2002-2003

December 4, 2002

I.  Scope and Purpose

The University Council of the University of Pennsylvania is a deliberative and broadly representative forum which exists to consider the activities of the University in all of its phases, with particular attention to the educational objectives of the University and those matters that affect the common interests of faculty, staff and students. It may recommend general policies and otherwise advise the president, the provost, and other officers of the University. It is authorized to initiate policy proposals as well as to express its judgment on those submitted to it by the administrative officers of the University and its various academic divisions. It is also empowered to request information through appropriate channels from any member of the University administration.

In its deliberative role, as it undertakes to reach collective decisions on policies to be initiated or evaluated for recommendation to officers of the University, an important function of the University Council is to transform the interests of its various constituency groups into forms congruent with the interest of the University as a whole. In such a case, a majority decision should be articulated in terms of the University's general welfare and constructed to advance this welfare. In its representative role, an important function of the University Council is to inform the officers of the University--as well as the citizens of the University at-large-of the range and strength of views held by members of the University community. In this case, the public expression of a heterogeneity of views, without their resolution into a majority agreement for action, may serve the University Council's advisory purpose most authentically, and especially so when such a diversity of discourse increases understanding among constituencies in addition to revealing the breadth of considered opinion as a ground for accommodation in subsequent University policy making.

II.  Membership

1.  Composition

The University Council shall be composed of administrative officers and elected representatives of the faculty, students, and staff as follows:

(a) Forty-five members of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate shall insure that each faculty is represented and that at least three assistant professors serve on the Council. The members of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee who are members of the Council shall otherwise be chosen in accordance with the rules of the Faculty Senate.

(b)  One full-time lecturer and one full-time member of the research faculty to be selected to serve two-year terms by vote of the Steering Committee from a slate consisting of the five lecturers, and the five members of the research faculty receiving the largest number of nominations by lecturers and members of the research faculty. If the Steering Committee receives fewer than five nominations for either group, additional nominations shall be solicited from the constituency representatives of the Senate Executive Committee.

(c)  Eleven administrative officers, including the president, the provost, and nine members of the administration to be appointed annually by the president, at least five of whom shall be deans of faculties.

(d) Fifteen graduate and professional students elected as members of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly shall insure that, to the extent possible, each school is represented. The members of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly who are members of the Council shall otherwise be chosen in accordance with the rules of the Graduate and Professional Students Assembly.

(e)  Fifteen undergraduate students elected as members of the Undergraduate Assembly. The Undergraduate Assembly shall insure that, to the extent possible, each undergraduate school is represented. The members of Undergraduate Assembly who are members of the Council shall otherwise be chosen in accordance with the rules of the Undergraduate Assembly.

(f)  Two elected representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly.

(g) One elected representative of the Librarians Assembly.

(h)  Two elected representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly.

(i)  One elected representative of the United Minorities Council.

2. Election

Members of the Council who are to be chosen by election shall be selected no later than the end of the academic year proceeding the year of their membership in the Council, according to procedures established by their respective governing bodies, namely the Faculty Senate, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the Undergraduate Nominations and Elections Committee, the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, the Librarians Assembly and the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly. Such elections shall be democratic in both principle and practice.

Each academic year the secretary shall distribute with the agenda for the last meeting a list of the members of the Council for the coming academic year.

3.   Terms of Office

(a) The term of office of members of the Council other than the administrative officers, the chair, chair-elect and past chair of the Faculty Senate, the chair of Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the chair of the Undergraduate Assembly, the full-time lecturer, and the full-time member of the research faculty shall be as specified in the rules of their respective governing bodies but in no case for more than four consecutive academic years.

(b)  The terms of office of new members of the Council, other than members elected to fill vacancies, shall commence with the taking up of business at the first meeting of the academic year. The terms of office of retiring members of the Council shall conclude upon the close of business at the last meeting of the academic year. The Steering Chair and the new Steering Committee shall take up items that may arise between the last meeting of the old Council and first meeting of the new Council. The Steering Chair shall report any such items at the first Council meeting of the academic year.

4.   Vacancies

(a)  Vacancies among elected representatives of the respective governing bodies shall be filled according to procedures of the body that elected them.

(b) Vacancies among administrative officers shall be filled by the president.

(c)  Vacancies in the representatives of the full-time lecturer or the full-time member of the research faculty shall be filled by vote of the Steering Committee.

5.  Duties

Membership on the Council requires a readiness to attend meetings of the Council regularly and to participate fully in its business, including the work of its committees. It is the continuous obligation of the members of the Council to report to the members of their constituencies about the discussions, decisions, and recommendations of the Council and to solicit questions and suggestions from them for presentation to the Council.

III. Positions

There shall be a presiding officer and moderator of the Council.  There shall also be a parliamentarian and a secretary, who shall not be members of the Council.

1.  Presiding Officer and Moderator

The president of the University is the presiding officer of the Council. Each year, with the advice of the Steering Committee and the consent of the Council, the president shall appoint a moderator of the Council, who shall become a non-voting member of the Council. The president, or in the absence of the president, the provost, shall open each meeting and shall normally turn the conduct of the meeting over to the moderator.

An alternate appointed by the president shall conduct the meeting on a temporary basis in the absence of the moderator. If the moderator is absent from three meetings in an academic year, the president shall remove the moderator and, with the advice of the Steering Committee and the consent of the Council, appoint a new moderator to serve for the remainder of the academic year.

2. Parliamentarian

The president shall each year appoint a parliamentarian, in consultation with the Steering Committee. It is the parliamentarian's duty to advise the moderator and the presiding officer in the application of Robert's Rule of Order Revised, as modified by special rules of the Council.

3. Secretary

The secretary of the University or the secretary's designee shall be secretary of the Council. In addition to duties specified elsewhere in these bylaws, it is the duty of the secretary to issue notices of meetings of the Council, to record the minutes of such meetings and distribute them to its members, to receive communications for the Council, and to perform any other duties assigned by the presiding officer, the Steering Committee or the Council. The secretary shall supply members of the Council with a copy of these bylaws and appendices and amendments thereto, a current list of members of the Council, and a list of members of the Council's committees. The secretary of the Council shall serve as secretary of the Steering Committee.

4.  Council staff

The Council shall be assisted by such staff of the University as is required in the conduct of its business. Staff personnel shall not be members of the Council. The secretary shall be aided by such additional persons as may be necessary.

IV.  Meetings

1.  Stated meetings

The normal schedule of the stated meetings of the Council shall be 4 p.m. on the third Wednesday of September, January, and March; on the second Wednesday of October, November, December, and February; and on the fourth Wednesday of April. Meetings shall continue no later than 6 p.m. unless extended by action by a majority of members in attendance. Stated meetings may be canceled and the times of stated meetings may be changed only by vote of the Steering Committee.

2.   Special meetings

A special meeting shall be called whenever requested by the president or the provost, or by decision of the Steering Committee, or by petition of 25 percent of the total membership of the Council.

3.   Agenda

Any member of the University may suggest questions or proposals for the consideration of the University Council by submitting them in writing to the Steering Committee addressed to the Chair of the Steering Committee, in care of the Faculty Senate Office. At any Council meeting, a member of the Council may propose and a majority of those voting may adopt an item for the agenda of the next meeting.

The Steering Committee, acting in response to the directions of the Council and the requests of the respective governing bodies, shall complete the agenda for each meeting of the Council. To the extent possible, the Steering Committee will indicate to the Council at each meeting the items it intends to include on the agenda of subsequent meetings.

Each meeting of the Council should accommodate committee reports and administrative reports, as well as discussion on issues that occur in the conduct of the Council's normal business or which arise unexpectedly during the year. The allocation of emphasis, which follows, for the agenda of each stated meeting is to indicate the various focuses of the course of the Council's work for the year. In addition, the specific designations of stated meetings for reports by University officials are provided to supplement and structure the usual and continuing accessibility of these officials to questioning by members of the Council.

(a)  The agenda of the first (September) stated meeting of the Council in each academic year shall include the selection and ranking of issues to be dealt with during the academic year. The Steering Committee shall present to the Council its recommendation with respect to such issues and the charging of committees, but the Council shall not be limited in its selection of issues or in the construction of committee charges to those recommended by the Steering Committee. To the extent possible, the Council shall select the central issues for primary focus during the year, and shall refer them to the relevant standing committees or special committees, with the expectation of reports in time for its deliberation before the end of the academic year. Each active Council committee shall be informed of the dates when such committee is to report to the Council.

(b)  The agenda of the second (October) stated meeting of the Council in each academic year shall include extended reports by the president, the provost and other administrators selected by the president and provost or by the vote of the Council. These reports shall cover the state of the University, with particular attention to the activities of the University with respect to which significant problems are perceived. The president, provost and other administrators may be questioned on subjects other than those included in their reports. Adequate time shall be allotted for full and open discussion.

(c)  The agenda of the third or fourth (November or December) stated meetings of the Council in each academic year shall incorporate an open forum to which all members of the University community are invited and during which any member of the University community can direct questions to the Council.

(d) The agenda of the seventh (March) stated meeting of the Council in each academic year shall include extended reports by the president, the provost and other administrators covering budgets and plans for the next academic year. Adequate time shall be allotted for full and open discussion of these reports.

(e)  The agenda of the remaining (March and April) meetings shall include reports by Council committees and such other items as the Council may direct. The April meeting shall also include a preliminary discussion of issues to be dealt with in the coming academic year.

4.  Notice of meetings and committee reports

Notices of all meetings, the agenda, and reports of committees that will be presented for action by the Council shall be distributed to members at least five days in advance of the meeting.

Resolutions on the agenda may come from any member of the Council. Resolutions shall be submitted to the Council through the Steering Committee, accompanied by the advice of the Steering Committee whenever the Steering Committee believes that its advice would be helpful. The Council, by affirmative vote of a majority of members attending a meeting in the presence of an actual quorum, may decide to act on a matter not on the agenda for action; otherwise no action, including a straw vote, may be taken.

5.  Conduct of meetings

Forty percent of the full membership shall constitute an actual quorum. If at any time during a meeting an actual quorum has been established, a working quorum will be in effect until the stated time of adjournment. Except as otherwise specified in these bylaws, Council action may be concluded by a working quorum. Voting shall ordinarily be by voice or by show of hands, at the discretion of the moderator. A roll call vote shall be taken upon motion and the affirmative vote of one-fourth of the voting members present. Conduct of the meetings shall conform to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Revised, as modified by these bylaws and by special rules of the Council. The Steering Committee, subject to directions of the Council, may formulate Rules of the Day, such as the designation of limitations on the time for the debate of specified issues, or on the time for each member to speak or respond, in the interest of distributing the opportunity to be heard. Changes in these rules shall require a majority vote of members attending, at a time when an actual quorum is present.

6.  Persons entitled to attend

Meetings of the Council shall be open to members of the Council.  Chairs of Council committees and subcommittees, non-Council members of the Senate Executive Committee, non-Council members of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Executive Committee and non-Council members of the Undergraduate Assembly Steering Committee may also attend as observers. Non-members of the Council, who are members of committees reporting to the Council at a particular meeting, or who are expressly invited by the secretary on designation by the Council, or by the Steering Committee, may attend a particular meeting and may be invited to participate in discussion, without vote. All Deans and Administrators (academic and non-academic) other than those appointed to membership in Council may attend Council as non-voting observers upon invitation of the president.

The chair of a reporting committee, if not a member of the Council, shall be given all the privileges of membership, including the making of motions, but excluding voting, during the discussion.

Other members of the University community will be allowed to attend Council meetings if there is space in the Council room to accommodate them, and if they have asked to attend by signing a list maintained by the Secretary's Office prior to the meeting. All members of the University community may attend a Council meeting designated as a forum for open discussion by the University community.

Any non-member attending a meeting who, in the opinion of the moderator, does not preserve the decorum of the meeting will be required to leave.

Members of the Council and other members of the University authorized to speak at a meeting of the Council shall not be subject to inquiry or sanction, under any of the University's procedures for limiting unprotected expression, for any speech or debate during a meeting of the Council.

V.  Steering Committee

1.  Composition

The Steering committee shall consist of the president of the University, the provost, the chair, the chair-elect and the past chair of the Faculty Senate, the chair of the Undergraduate Assembly, the chair of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the chair of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, and the chair of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly. Drawn from the Council membership there shall be in addition four faculty members, one graduate/professional student, and one undergraduate student elected by the respective governing bodies, as well as one additional member of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, and one additional member of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, each elected by their representative assemblies. The chair of the Faculty Senate shall be the chair of the Steering Committee. In the absence of the chair, or at the request of the chair, the chair-elect shall serve as chair of the Steering Committee. The Council moderator will be an official observer at meetings of the Steering Committee. The secretary of the Council shall serve as secretary of the Steering Committee. Members of the Steering Committee may attend the meetings of Council committees.

2.  Duties

(a)  The Steering Committee, within the limits imposed under IV.3, above, and subject to the directions of the Council, shall prepare the agenda for meetings of the Council. Announcement of forthcoming Steering Committee meetings shall be published in Almanac and in the Daily Pennsylvanian reminding the University community of the appropriate means to request that items be placed on the agenda of the Council, as provided for in IV.3.

(b)  The Steering Committee shall have cognizance of the rules of procedure of the Council and its committees, and may recommend from time to time such modifications of Robert's Rules of Order Revised, or special rules of procedure, as are deemed particularly appropriate for the efficacious consideration of proposals by the Council.

(c)  Resolutions that committees elect to place on the Council agenda should be submitted to the Council through the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall promptly forward all such resolutions to the Council. The Steering Committee shall also inform the Council of its decisions concerning the inclusion of such resolutions on the agenda of a Council meeting. The Steering Committee may give its advice concerning such resolutions to the Council whenever the Steering Committee believes that its advice would be helpful.

(d) The Steering Committee shall publish an annual report to the University community. This report, to be published early in the academic year, shall include a review of the previous year's Council deliberations (highlighting both significant discussions and the formal votes taken on matters of substance) and a survey of major issues to be taken up by the Council during the coming year.

3.  Vacancies

Vacancies among the elected members of the Steering Committee shall be filled by election of the respective governing and elective bodies affected by the vacancies, following the rules of those bodies.

VI. Committees

The committees governed by these bylaws are the standing committees of the Council, special committees created by the Council from time to time, and the independent committees.

Members of all standing committees with the exception of the Committee on Research and the independent committees with the exception of the Committee on Open Expression shall be chosen in the numbers required for each committee according to procedures established by the respective governing bodies as listed in II.2. The term of office for members of committees shall, unless otherwise specified in the charges, be one year.

Any member of the University may be asked to serve on committees of the University Council and only members of the University shall be eligible for membership on the committees. All committee members are eligible for reappointment. Members may be reappointed, if mutually agreeable, for a maximum of four years total consecutive service. To provide continuity, chairs-elect may be designated. Committee chairs, in consultation with their committee, may invite guests to attend committee meetings.

To the extent possible, each committee should normally include at least one faculty member, one undergraduate student and one graduate student who are members of the Council. The members of committees shall be selected by the respective governing and selective bodies in the numbers required for each committee. Committee representatives of graduate/professional students, undergraduate students, the Penn Professional Staff Assembly and the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly who are unable to attend a meeting may select a non-voting alternate to take their place. If possible they should consult with their nominating body regarding the alternate.

The memberships specified in the committee charges which follow constitute the normal makeup of each committee. Changes can be made only by action of the Council through amendments to the bylaws, as provided for in section VII.

1. Standing Committees

The standing committees of the Council are those whose activities are directly instrumental in advancing the work of the Council. The president, provost, chair and chair-elect of the Faculty Senate, chair of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, and chair of the Undergraduate Assembly (or their designees) shall be entitled to attend meetings of all standing committees of the Council and to participate in the discussions.

In cases where a committee has an oversight or advisory function to a branch or department of the University administration, in general the administrators who serve as ex officio members should serve primarily as liaison and resource persons to support the work of the committee under the direction of its chair and members, and accordingly should not vote. Consistent with this principle, any such administrator(s) shall be designated as a non-voting ex officio member of each committee (except where noted below).

Any standing committee shall have the power to delegate specific tasks or functions to subcommittees whose members shall include one or more members of the parent committee. Unless specifically authorized, no subcommittee report or recommendations shall be represented to be a report or recommendation of the full committee without the express approval of the full committee as indicated by a majority vote at a regular meeting of the full committee.

Reports and communications by committees to the Council shall be submitted to the Council through the Steering Committee for inclusion in the agenda and publication in Almanac. The Steering Committee shall promptly forward all such reports and communications to the Council, and it shall monitor committee activities and, as necessary, report on these activities to the Council.

(a)  Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid. The Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid shall have cognizance over matters of recruitment, admissions, and financial aid that concern the University as a whole and that are not the specific responsibility of individual faculties. The Committee shall have the authority to carry out studies on existing recruitment and admissions procedures and their relationships with existing policies on admissions and financial aid, and shall be responsible for recommending changes in policy to the Council. The Committee may invite deans, associate deans and others responsible for undergraduate and graduate/professional recruitment, admissions, and financial aid to its meetings to provide information and shall be available to consult with these persons on interpretation of existing policy and application of policy to specific cases. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, one representative of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, and three senior undergraduate students. The dean of each undergraduate school shall appoint one ex officio, non-voting representative to the Committee. The vice provost for university life or his or her designee, dean of admissions, director of institutional research and analysis, and director of student financial aid are non-voting ex officio members.

(b) Committee on Bookstores. The Committee on Bookstores considers the purposes of a University bookstore and advises the Council and the director of the University bookstore on policies, development, and operations. The Committee shall consist of six faculty members, three representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, one representative of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduates. The vice president for business services or his or her designee is a non-voting ex officio member.

(c)  Committee on Committees. The Committee on Committees, on behalf of the Steering Committee, will monitor all Council standing and ad hoc committees to assess their continuing usefulness. It will familiarize itself with the work and performance of committees and present recommendations to the Steering Committee for such changes in the structure, charges and number of members as it thinks appropriate.

The Committee on Committees will receive nominations from the various constituencies for membership on the standing committees with the exception of the Committee on Research and the independent committees with the exception of the Committee on Open Expression. It will transmit those nominations together with recommendations for committee chairs to the Steering Committee.

The Committee will consist of six faculty members (including the chair-elect of the Faculty Senate). They will nominate faculty members for the various committees on behalf of the Faculty Senate. In addition there will be a representative from each of the following: the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, and the (undergraduate) Nominations and Elections Committee. The chair-elect of the Faculty Senate shall be a voting ex officio member of the committee.

(d) Committee on Communications. The Committee on Communications shall have cognizance over the University's communications and public relations activities in their various formats and media including electronic (e.g. PennNet), audio (the telephone system), video and printed copy. In particular, it shall monitor the University's internal communications, the operations of News and Public Affairs and the Publications Office, communications to alumni, and the interpretation of the University to its many constituencies. The Committee will consist of eight faculty members, two representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, two representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduate students. The director of university communications, vice president for information systems and computing, vice provost for information systems and computing, and vice president for business services or his or her designee, and associate vice president for campus services shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(e)  Committee on Community Relations. The Committee on Community Relations shall advise on the relationship of the University to the surrounding community. It shall advise the Council and help make policy with respect to the community. It shall work with the Office of Community Relations to assure that the University develops and maintains a constructive relationship with the community. The chair of the committee shall have cognizance of pending real estate activities of concern to the community. The chair along with the director of community relations shall meet quarterly or more often, if needed, with the executive vice president or his or her designee for real estate to be informed of impending real estate activities that affect the community. They shall, with discretion, discuss relevant cases with the Committee, and may inform the community as the need arises. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, four representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, two representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduates. At least three members shall reside in West Philadelphia. The executive vice president or his or her designee, the directors of community relations, the African-American Resource Center, the Center for Community Partnerships, and Civic House shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(f) Committee on Facilities. The Committee on Facilities shall be responsible for keeping under review the planning and operation by the University of its physical plant and all services associated therewith, including transportation and parking. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, three representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, two representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduate students. The vice president for facilities services, the chair of the Committee for an Accessible University, and the registrar shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(g)  Committee on International Programs. The Committee on International Programs shall review and monitor issues related to the international programs and other international activities of the University. The Committee shall advise and make policy recommendations in such areas as services for international students and scholars, foreign fellowships and studies abroad, faculty, staff and student exchange programs, and cooperative undertakings with foreign universities. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, one representative of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, one representative of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, three undergraduates, and two graduate/professional students.  The director of international programs shall be a non-voting ex officio member of the Committee.

(h)  Committee on Libraries. The Committee on Libraries shall advise the vice provost and director of libraries on the policies, development, and operation of the University libraries. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, one representative of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, one representative of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduate students. The director of the Biddle Law Library and the vice provost and director of libraries shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(i)    Committee on Personnel Benefits. The Committee Personnel Benefits shall have cognizance over the benefits programs for all University personnel. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members (of whom one shall be a member of the Senate Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty), three representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, two representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, and one graduate/professional student. The vice president for human resources, associate provost, and director of benefits shall serve as non-voting ex officio members.

(j)  Committee on Pluralism. The Committee on Pluralism shall advise the offices of the president, provost, the executive vice president, and the vice provost for university life on ways to develop and maintain a supportive atmosphere on campus for the inclusion and appreciation of pluralism among all members of the University community. The Committee will also address specific diversity issues that may arise on campus. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, two representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, three representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, three graduate/professional students, and three undergraduate students, with due regard for appropriate diversity. The chaplain, directors of the Penn Women's Center, the African-American Resource Center, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center, the Office of Affirmative Action, and the Greenfield Intercultural Center shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(k)  Committee on Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics. The Committee on Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics shall have cognizance over recreation and intramural and intercollegiate athletics and their integration with the educational program of the University, including the planning and provision of adequate facilities for various sports and recreational activities. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, two representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, two representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduate students. The director of recreation and intercollegiate athletics, the vice provost for university life, and one representative of the president's office shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(l)  Committee on Research. The Committee on Research shall be generally concerned with the research activity of the University. It shall have cognizance of all matters of policy relating to research and the general environment for research at the University, including the assignment and distribution of indirect costs and the assignment of those research funds distributed by the University. It shall advise the administration on those proposals for sponsored research referred to it because of potential conflict with University policy.

Its membership shall include eight faculty members nominated by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, four faculty and/or representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly nominated by the president and/or the provost, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduate students. Faculty members and representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly shall be appointed for staggered two-year terms and students shall be appointed for one-year renewable terms. The chair is selected by the Steering Committee from among the membership. The vice provost for research and the executive director of research services shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(m) Safety and Security Committee. The Committee on Safety and Security shall advise the president, the director of public safety, and the administrators or directors of specific buildings, offices, or projects on all matters concerning safety and security in the conduct of their operations. Its principal responsibility is to consider and assess means to improve safety and security on the campus. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, two representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, two representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, three graduate/professional students, and three undergraduate students. The directors of fraternity and sorority affairs, the Penn Women's Center, special services, transportation and parking or his or her designee, the director of off-campus housing, the director of the African-American Resource Center, the vice provost of university life or his or her designee, and the vice president for public safety shall be non-voting ex officio members of the Committee.

(n) Committee on Quality of Student Life. The Committee on Quality of Student Life shall have cognizance of the conditions and rules of undergraduate and graduate student life on campus. The Committee shall, inter alia: 1) gather and analyze information concerning student life and student affairs and make recommendations to Council; and 2) respond as appropriate to requests from and report information and recommendations concerning student life and student affairs to the vice provost for university life and other appropriate administrative officers. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, two representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, three graduate/professional students, and three undergraduate students. The chair of the Undergraduate Assembly and the chair of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly shall serve as voting ex officio members. The vice provost for university life or his or her designee, the faculty director of college houses and academic services, director of counseling and psychological services, and the chaplain shall serve as non-voting ex officio members. The Committee shall monitor the performance of all student services and shall recommend to appropriate administrators ways in which services to students may be improved; a standing Subcommittee on Student Services shall be charged with the monitoring function.

2.  Special Committees

The Council may create special committees to undertake specific tasks or functions. The membership of special committees shall be specified in the charges detailed by the Council in creating such committees.

3.  Independent Committees

The Council takes cognizance of several University committees, which it does not directly charge but which may be called upon to report to the Council on specific issues within their purview.

(a) Committee on Open Expression. The Committee on Open Expression has as its major task: monitoring the communication processes to prevent conflicts that might emerge from failure of communication, recommending policies and procedures for improvement of all levels of communication, investigating alleged infringements of the right of open expression of any member or members of the University community, advising administrative officers where appropriate, and participating in evaluation and resolution of conflicts that may arise from incidents or disturbances on campus. The Committee shall consist of seventeen members: eight faculty members, two representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, one representative of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly, three undergraduate students, and three graduate/professional students. The faculty and representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly are appointed to two-year terms, staggered so that in each year either two or three faculty members are appointed, and one representative of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly is appointed. The student members are appointed to one-year terms. The chair of the Committee shall be selected by the Steering Committee from among the members. The jurisdiction of and procedures of the Committee shall follow the Guidelines on Open Expression. At the beginning of every year, the Committee shall conduct a meeting in order to familiarize the members with the Guidelines and the responsibilities of Committee members in enforcing and implementing the Guidelines.

(b) Disability Board. The Disability Board continually evaluates the disability plan for adequacy, equity, and consistency with the broad University objectives; monitors the financial and administrative operations of the plan; oversees the processing of any applications for disability benefits and periodic reviews of existing disability cases; and hears appeals from decisions of the Medical Subcommittee of the Disability Board. The Board shall consist of eight faculty members, of whom at least three shall be members of the clinical faculty of the School of Medicine; two representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly; and two representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly. The chair of the Committee on Personnel Benefits is an ex officio member.

(c)  Committee on Honorary Degrees. The Committee on Honorary Degrees solicits nominations from faculty and staff members and students for honorary degrees to be awarded by the University at Commencement and at special convocations and submits a slate of nominees for action by the trustees. It may make recommendations to the president regarding Commencement speakers and the conduct of special convocations. The Committee shall consist of eight faculty members, two graduate/professional students, and two undergraduate students.

VII. Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the members of the Council in attendance in the presence of an actual quorum at any meeting if the proposed changes have been distributed in writing to the members of the Council at least one month in advance of that meeting.