Faculty members are appointed to Councils and Committees on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. If you are interested in serving on a Council or Committee, please contact the Faculty Senate Office at (413) 545-3611 or senate@senate.umass.edu.

The following is from Chapter 4 Section 3 of the Faculty Senate Bylaws: Except as otherwise provided, the term of office of faculty members and librarians on all councils and standing committees shall be three years. The terms shall be so arranged that the terms of approximately one-third of the members shall expire each year. Except as otherwise provided, the selection of faculty members and librarians shall be by nomination of the Nominating Committee and ratification of the Senate; members of the administration shall be appointed by the Chancellor; student members shall be appointed as Undergraduate and Graduate Student Senates shall determine; and representatives of the non-academic professional staff and the non-professional staff shall be appointed as their representative groups shall determine; and representatives of the faculty union shall be appointed as the faculty union board shall determine. Ex officio members shall serve for an indefinite term and shall have all privileges of membership on committees, including the power to vote, except as otherwise specified and in the unique case of the Secretary, who votes only on the Rules Committee. Such members shall be ineligible to serve as chair. Senate ratification of committee nominations may be waived by the Senate when voting to establish ad hoc committees or, in the case of temporary replacements to committees that must function during the summer. Council and committee members shall be drawn from the widest possible range of available talent among the faculty and librarians, and where appropriate, the administration, the professional staff, the alumni and students. Except as otherwise provided, the chairperson of each council and standing committee shall be elected annually, in the fall, and shall be eligible for re-election. Chairpersons of councils and committees who are not senators shall be accorded the privilege of the floor, when deemed appropriate by the Presiding Officer. Council and committee members may resign from membership at any time prior to the expiration of a term by notifying the Secretary of the Senate in writing. Members of the Senate, its councils and committees shall also notify the Secretary of any impending academic leave of absence. For the purpose of membership on Councils and Committees, the Graduate School shall not be considered as a separate constituency.