The Faculty Senate Constitution stipulates that each unit shall have one senator designated as the senior senator. The senior senator is defined as the person with the least time remaining in a current three-year term, or the person with most seniority. If there is more than one such person in a unit, the senators in question will draw lots to determine seniority.

Appendix 2 of the Faculty Senate Bylaws further defines the role and responsibilities of the senior senator including elections & nominations, communication with other senators, and communication with constituents. Senior senators should also be in regular contact with their deans and, when possible, invited to meetings of the college’s executive committee.

The Chair of the Faculty Senate meets monthly with senior senators to discuss any issues coming from the units and to preview issues on which the chair and the senate would like to solicit input from the units.