Being a Senator
Serving as a Faculty Senator at CCRI
Why Serve on the Faculty Senate?
Serving on the Faculty Senate is an opportunity to play an active role in shaping the academic and professional life of the college. Faculty senators represent their colleagues, participate in shared governance, and contribute to important discussions about policies and initiatives that affect the entire campus community.
Participating in the Senate allows you to:
- Have a direct voice in college governance
- Propose and discuss policies and resolutions
- Advocate for your department and fellow faculty members
- Engage in meaningful collaboration with faculty and administrators
- Contribute to decisions that impact teaching, learning, and institutional priorities
- Earn recognized committee service, which counts as committee work in tenure and promotion portfolios
Serving on the Senate is both a professional contribution and an opportunity to help shape the future of the college.
Who Can Serve?
Seats on the Faculty Senate are open to both part-time and full-time faculty members. The Senate is composed of two types of members:
Ad Officium Senators (Faculty)
Ad officium senators are faculty members elected by their peers.
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They serve three-year terms.
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Representation is determined through apportionment proportional to department size.
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Senators can make motions, participate in discussions, and vote on Senate business.
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Each senator serves on at least one Senate committee. Learn more about the committees here
Ex Officio Senators (Administration)
Ex officio senators represent the college administration. These members participate in Senate discussions and serve as liaison between ad officio senators and the College's administration.
Ex officio members include:
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The College President
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The Vice President of Academic Affairs
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The Division Deans
The Role and Charge of the Faculty Senate
The Faculty Senate is a central component of shared governance at the college. It provides a structured forum where faculty and administrators can discuss academic policies, institutional priorities, and issues affecting the campus community.
Through the Senate, faculty members can:
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Propose new policies or resolutions
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Discuss institutional issues and academic matters
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Provide faculty perspectives to the administration
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Participate in shaping the direction of the college
This collaborative structure ensures that faculty expertise and perspectives are heard in institutional decision-making.
Meeting Commitment
The Faculty Senate typically meets once per month, usually on Friday from 9:00–10:30 AM at the Warwick campus.
- Senators are required to attend the Senate meetings
Additional expectations include:
- At least one committee meeting per month
- A Senate retreat held on the Friday morning following Opening Day
Tentative Senate Meeting Dates (Academic Year 2026–2027)
⚠️ Note: These dates are tentative and may change as the academic calendar is finalized.
- September 18, 2026 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- October 16, 2026 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- November 20, 2026 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- December 11, 2026 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- January 29, 2027 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- February 19, 2027 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- March 19, 2027 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- April 16, 2027 — 9:00–10:30 AM
- May 7, 2027 — 9:00–10:30 AM