SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY

THE ACADEMIC SENATE¹

San José State was the first of the California state colleges, the original State Normal School. It was also the first to have an official faculty representative body ‑‑ the Faculty Council -‑ through which faculty concerns could be brought to the attention of the administration.

The Faculty Council was established in 1953. In 1963 the Board of Trustees of the new State College system mandated creation of councils or senates on every campus; The Faculty Council was replaced by the Academic Council.

The Academic Council's membership included both faculty representatives and top administrators and its part in the development and progress of San José State expanded. A revised constitution was adopted in 1974, when the title "Academic Council" was changed to "Academic Senate."

Today the San José Jose State University Academic Senate continues in its long tradition of shared governance, serving as the principal agency for the formulation of policy for the University. It is assisted by its structure of policy and operating committees. The Senate communicates its recommendations to the President on policies and procedures for faculty affairs, curriculum, instruction, student affairs, finances, and other matters relating to the welfare of the University.

A web page at http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate was developed in 1996 to provide the university community with up‑to‑date information on issues considered by the Academic Senate and current policy. Today, the SJSU Academic Senate Web Site has links to current policy, its constitution, by‑laws, and standing rules as well as the minutes of its meetings, policies recommended by the Senate, a list of current Senators, links to other campus Senates, links to pages on its committees, and much more. The web site is used as a valuable resource into policy research by current senators, chairs of its many committees, and by many of the statewide campuses.