The Academic Senate is responsible for the Faculty half of the "shared governance" of the University. This responsibility is delegated by the Regents and shared with the University administration, both at the campus level and systemwide. The University of California Academic Senate is one of the most highly developed and influential faculty governments in any university. It is the one organization through which the faculty, as a whole or on any of the campuses, can express its views on an issue.

Membership in the Academic Senate is given to all regular series (tenure-track) faculty, in-residence series faculty, as well as to the clinical-X series faculty. Each Senate member is expected to participate in the functions of the Senate, mainly through service on standing and ad hoc committees. At UCSF, there are 19 campuswide standing committees of the Senate, including a Faculty Council for each of the four schools, and many ad hoc committees that are formed each year.

The Regents have given the Senate two types of responsibilities: authority and advice. The Senate has authority over all academic programs, including admission of students, course offerings, the curriculum and awarding of degrees. At UCSF these functions are exercised through campuswide committees (Courses of Instruction, Educational Policy, Graduate Council and Rules and Jurisdiction), and through the Faculty Councils of each of the professional schools. The Councils appoint Admissions, Educational Policy and Student Status Committees for their respective schools, and include clinical faculty members who are responsible for clinical components of the curriculum.

The Regents require administrative officers to consult with the Senate on a variety of issues. At UCSF, the Committee on Academic Personnel makes recommendations on faculty appointments, merit salary increases and promotion of all academic personnel. To assist in this process, they appoint an ad hoc review committee for each new faculty appointment and promotion being considered. The effectiveness of this review process has had a major role in developing the outstanding quality of our faculty.

The UCSF Senate is also involved in the relationship between individual faculty members and the University through other standing committees (Academic Freedom, Equal Opportunity, Privilege and Tenure and Faculty Welfare). A judicial function is served by the Committee on Privilege and Tenure when it is convened as a hearing committee.

The UCSF Committee on Research makes recommendations on policy issues affecting research, and on distribution of small grants supported by endowment or Regent's funds. The Committee on Library advises the Chancellor on library policy issues, and the Committee on Academic Planning and Budget makes recommendations to the administration on both of the areas implied in the name. In addition, the Senate provides consultation at the request of the Chancellor, on issues such as long-range planning, development of new facilities and environmental impact reports.

The Academic Senate at each University of California campus is a division of the statewide Senate, and one member of most of the UCSF divisional committees is also a member of the corresponding statewide committee. There are also two statewide Academic Senate bodies that include representatives from each campus. These are the Academic Assembly and its executive committee, the Academic Council. The Assembly meets three times each year and the Council meets monthly. At UCSF, the Chair of the Senate participates in meetings of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors and Deans. General meetings of the Academic Senate at any campus are held several times a year, and most of the Senate's work is done at the committee level.

The appointment of new members and chairs for all the standing committees and some ad hoc committees, and selection of the officers of the Senate is the responsibility of the Committee on Committees, which is elected by the faculty. Members of the Faculty Councils are elected by their respective faculties. Standing committee appointments are usually for a three-year term.

The UCSF Senate is supported by a permanent office with 5 full-time staff members.

T.E. Daniels, July 1990
Revised July 1994