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A&S Election Guidelines

Overview

There are three bodies to which A&S faculty are elected: A&S Faculty Council, Vanderbilt Faculty Senate, and Vanderbilt Graduate Faculty Council. The guidelines below, created by the A&S Faculty Council, are intended to guide the A&S Secretary and faculty in the election process. It may be revised, as needed, by a majority vote from members of Faculty Council.

The A&S Secretary is the officer in charge of elections to all three bodies. The Secretary is responsible for explaining the election process to faculty at the appropriate A&S faculty meeting and ensuring that the ballots are populated by willing and eligible candidates. In addition:

  • The Secretary shall announce the date of the election at least three weeks in advance and shall direct all eligible faculty to the “Candidacy Declaration Form” for Faculty Council, Faculty Senate, and Graduate Faculty Council. All declared eligible candidates will appear on the ballot.
  • Elected positions will be filled by candidates earning the highest number of votes.
  • In the event of a tie, the Secretary will give priority to candidates who have no previous service on that governing body. If a tie remains, it will be broken in the physical or online presence of the candidates, the outgoing Secretary of the Faculty, and at least two outgoing Faculty Councilors. Candidates will submit numbers to a random number generator set between 1 and 100. The candidate whose submission is closest to the number (either above or below) will be elected to the position.
  • In the event of a vacancy before the end of a term of service, the candidate with the next highest number of votes shall serve in that person’s place until they are able to resume duty, or until the original term expires.
  • The Secretary shall oversee the Candidate Declaration Form. Any substantive changes to the form will be made in consultation with the Faculty Council.
  • The Secretary shall oversee the ballot.

Eligibility, Terms of Service, and Other Relevant Details

Faculty Council

  • All full-time A&S faculty members are eligible to vote and, if elected, serve for a three-year term.
  • There are twelve members of the Council elected for a three-year term on a rotating basis, electing four members each year. The twelve elected members shall be divided as follows: three members from each division and three members at large. The method of election shall be such that one member is elected from each division and one member is elected at large each year. The divisional members shall be elected by that division.
  • Faculty will declare their candidacy for either divisional or at-large positions.
  • In order to facilitate the transition from two-year to three-year terms lengths, special elections protocols will be used in the spring 2025 and spring 2026 elections:
    • In spring 2025, six Councilors will be elected: one Humanities representative serving a two-year term, one Humanities representative serving a three-year term, one Social Sciences representative serving a two-year term, one Social Sciences representative serving a three-year term, one Natural Sciences representative serving a two-year term, and one Natural Sciences representative serving a three-year term.
    • In spring 2026, five Councilors will be elected: one Humanities representative serving a three-year term, one Social Sciences representative serving a three-year term, one Natural Sciences representative serving a three-year term, one At-Large representative serving a three-year term, and one At-Large representative serving a two-year term. Additionally, three At-Large representatives will be exiting their positions in May 2026. One of these representatives will be asked to stay on for a one-year term during AY26/27.
    • From spring 2027 onward, four Councilors will be elected every year: one Humanities representative, one Social Sciences representative, one Natural Sciences representative, and one At-Large representative. All representatives will serve three-year terms.

 Graduate Faculty Council:

  • All A&S graduate faculty are eligible to vote and, if elected, serve for a three-year term.
  • A&S Graduate Faculty Councilors shall be elected divisionally. Each division shall elect a number of councilors relative to the number of faculty members in that division. Faculty members shall only vote on their division’s representatives.
  • The number of A&S faculty serving on the Graduate Faculty Council is determined by the Graduate School Dean’s Office and adjusted every three years based on current student enrollment and faculty status data. As of 2024, A&S had eight councilors.
  • During the same year that Graduate Faculty Council adjusts the number of A&S representatives, the College of Arts & Science Dean’s Office will adjust the number of representatives from each A&S division to ensure they accurately reflect the distribution of the A&S faculty body.

 Faculty Senate:

  • All full-time A&S faculty at the rank of instructor or above are eligible to vote and, if elected, serve for a three-year term.
  • A&S Senators shall be elected divisionally. Each division shall elect a number of senators relative to the number of faculty members in that division. Faculty members shall only vote on their division’s representatives.
  • Every five years, the Faculty Senate reassesses the number of representatives from each college. As of 2024, A&S had 16 senators. Terms of Senators shall be staggered so that insofar as possible each year one-third of them will complete their terms.
  • During the same year that Faculty Senate reassesses the number of A&S representatives, the College of Arts & Science Dean’s Office will reassess the number of representatives from each A&S division to ensure they accurately reflect the distribution of the A&S faculty body.
  • Upon the expiration of his or her full term, a Senator shall be eligible for reelection for one additional consecutive term, but shall not be eligible for reelection to another term until three years have passed (but upon the expiration of a partial term, the period of ineligibility shall correspond only to the length of the term served). This amendment permits members of the Senate to serve up to two terms in a row. A Senator on leave of absence from the university does not forfeit membership, but during any extended absence a duly elected alternate shall serve.