Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate, Council, and Congress

The UM-Dearborn faculty governance structure was established by The University of Michigan-Dearborn Campus By-laws in 1993 (revised 2022) and operates under The Bylaws of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, Section V.5.01-5.04. The governance structure consists of three bodies:

The Faculty Senate is composed of 22 voting members who are elected faculty representatives with three-year terms, plus two elected non-voting lecturer-at-large representatives, and non-voting ex-officio members: the chancellor, the provost, the Student Government president, the president of the UM-Dearborn  Academy of Retired Faculty and Staff,  and the UM-Dearborn representatives to the three-campus UM Senate Assembly. The Faculty Senate serves as the legislative arm of the Faculty Congress, and it is thereby authorized to make recommendations to the provost, chancellor, and Board of Regents. Actions of the Faculty Senate have the effect of an action of the Faculty Congress unless they are revoked by Faculty Congress. The Faculty Senate normally meets monthly, September through May.

The Faculty Senate Council is composed of the chair and vice chair of the Faculty Senate and four elected Faculty Senate members, one from each college. The chancellor and provost are ex-officio non-voting members. The Council sets the tentative agenda for Faculty Senate and Faculty Congress meetings, acts as an agent of the Faculty Senate, and advises the provost and chancellor on an interim basis until matters requiring action can be placed before the Faculty Senate or Faculty Congress. The Council also serves as a liaison between the Faculty Senate and the provost and chancellor. The Council normally meets monthly, September through May.

The Faculty Congress is composed of the governing faculties and deans of the colleges, the senior officers of the campus, and professional librarians and curators. Congress is authorized to consider any subject pertaining to the interests of the campus and to make recommendations to the chancellor and to the Board of Regents. The Faculty Congress normally meets annually, in March. 

Some confusion arises from the different uses of the terms "Faculty Senate" and "Senate Assembly" for UM-Dearborn and for the University of Michigan as a whole.  By Regents' Bylaws, Chapter IV, the entire governing faculty of the University of Michigan as a whole (all three campuses) is called the "Faculty Senate" and the 74-member representative body for the university as a whole (all three campuses) is called the "Senate Assembly."

On the Dearborn campus, the entire governing faculty constitute the "Faculty Congress," and their 22-member representative body is called the "Faculty Senate." The UM-Dearborn Faculty Senate and Faculty Congress are not prescribed by the Regents' Bylaws, but were formed in agreement with the senior officers of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. The UM-Flint campus has a similar faculty governance structure.