Senators are primarily elected. (Some administration senators are appointed.)
A faculty member can be elected one of two ways: by his or her department to serve as a department representative or by the entire faculty to serve as an at-large senator.
At-large elections are held in the spring. Separate elections are held for faculty, administrators, students, and staff to select senators from each group. For information on the number of senators from each group in the senate, see Composition of the Senate.
Each department holds its own election to choose a department representative to the senate. For information on what qualifies as a department, see page 2 of the constitution.
Senators serve two-year terms.
Elected officers include the chair, secretary, and vice chair.
The vice chair is always a student.
Committee elections (Phase II elections) take place in the spring following the at-large elections.