Villanova University
Minutes of the Rules and Review Committee
November 17, 2011
Present: Jay Strieb, Robert Styer, Selma Koury Wunderlich, Chair, Maggie Wang,
Tom De Marco, Stephen Fugale, Helen Heron (ex officio), Steve Fugale
Absent: Rev. Kail Ellis, OSA, (NIA), Kristin Seeger (NIA)
The meeting convened at 3:00 p.m.
The Chair opened the meeting with a prayer
I. Approval of minutes from the October 18, 2011 meeting were amended and
unanimously approved
II.
There were no status reports on the Committee on Faculty or the Athletic
Advisory Committee to date
III.
Senate Motion Regarding Proposed Term Limits
Selma explained that the original was presented to the Senate as a motion
by Bob Styer at the October Senate meeting. It was stated as follows:
A representative serving in a Senate seat has a defined term of
service of ten consecutive years except for the ex-officio membership.
A member with ten years of service may continue in the Senate only if
elected to a different seat or serving in an ex-officio role.
It was explained that this was just read to the Senate and that at the December
meeting the members will discuss and vote on this. However, at that October Senate
meeting the Parliamentarian, Dr. Joseph Dellapenna, submitted an alternative
statement which read as follows:
The representative serving in a Senate seat, except for the ex officio members,
shall not serve more than ten consecutive years unless elected to a different
seat.
His explanation for this rewording was that by saying “shall not serve more than ten
consecutive years” he is stating the maximum. Whereas, the original implies that it is
an estimate and that perhaps you could go past that time. Dr. Dellapenna must
present this as a motion and the Senate could still vote on his statement.
Selma then began to review the new proposal sent by Bob Styer where he
highlighted the items to be considered. She then reviewed the changes that would be
made.

DIRECT LINE AMENDMENTS
Most of the committees have a direct line. The Athletic Advisory Committee,
Budget Committee and the Mission and Social Justice Committee should
have a direct line. She explained that by having a direct line it also removed a
lot of the work that was done in the Senate.

COMMITTEE TERM ALIGNMENT
In most of the committees, the term is three years. We are suggesting that
they be reduced to a two-year term, except for the students who serve a oneyear term. Bob explained that he wanted every committee to have an
executive committee member on it so that there is a direct line to the
Executive Committee from each committee. He would like to see every
staff, student and faculty senator to serve on a committee.
Bob explained in Article 7, Section I he wanted to add the phrase “each
student, faculty or staff senator shall serve on at least one standing committee of the
Senate”.
Selma stated that Bob suggested renaming the Executive Committee to
Executive Board because it will then have more power and it will be enlarged
by one. The committee will be expanded to twelve.
She wanted everyone to be aware that all of this information concerning the
proposed revision of the constitution is already in the hands of the Executive
Committee because Bob felt that the Executive Committee should have this
for information purposes.
Bob stated that whatever the Rules and Review Committee votes on today,
he will read at the December meeting.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHANGES
Article 8, Section 1: added to the end of the first paragraph: The Executive
Board shall have a direct line to the President, provided such motions pass
by a super majority of two-thirds of the vote of the Board. The Executive
Board shall communicate in writing to the full Senate all formal
recommendations it makes using the direct line.
Selma explained by using the chart found on the Senate web site it will show
it has a direct line. Based on this constitution the Executive Committee does
not have a direct line to the President.
Added to the end of the second paragraph: The Executive Board shall
receive all Rules and Review reports and pass them on to the committees,
monitor the response of a committee to the Rules and Review
recommendations, and monitor the regularity of a Senate committee’s
meetings and the timeliness of the publishing of its minutes. The Executive
Board may remove a committee chair if the chair is negligent in ensuring that
minutes are sent to the Senate office or in scheduling committee meetings.
The Executive Board shall appoint the membership of standing committees
of the Senate in those cases where elections to committees are not expressly
provided, and shall fill vacancies in committee seats. Appointments to standing
committees shall be made approximately in accordance with preferences
submitted by the appropriate constituency’s governance body (Student Government
Association, Faculty Congress, University Staff Council, or Alumni Board). The above
appointments are subject to specific provisions and restrictions as hereafter
noted.
Each member of the Executive Board shall serve on at least one Senate
standing committee, with the exception of the President of the Alumni
Association or delegated representative may choose or not choose to serve
on a standing committee. At least one Executive Board member will serve
on each standing Senate committee to ensure clear communications between
the committees and the Executive Board.

ADDING MEMBERS TO THE SENATE
Article 4, Section 3: The Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson of the Faculty
Congress are ex-officio members of the University Senate …
Article 4, Section 6: The President and the Vice President of the Student Body
are ex -officio members of the …
Article 5, Section 1: The University Senate shall be composed of fourteen
faculty members, fourteen administrators, fourteen students …
Article 8, Section 1: add italicized members:
The Executive Board shall consist of the Presiding Officer and the Executive
Secretary of the Senate, the President and Vice President of the Student
Government Association, the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson of the
University Staff Council, the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson of the
Faculty Congress, and
plus one additional staff person and two
administrators…
Selma noted that the Standing Committees are very effective. She explained
what they are attempting to do is make the Executive Committee somewhat
of a Standing Committee. With leaders present, they will disseminate any
information to the Senate where there can be direct legislation. She stated
that many members of the Senate say that the Senate is too ineffective. The
reason that happened is because, with this new constitution that was passed
in the year 2000, the committees had direct lines to the Vice-President
instead of taking all of their motions, etc to the Senate to debate them on the
Senate floor. Bob’s goal is to make all of the committees stronger.
A formal vote was taken. The vote was unanimous. These amendments will
be presented as a motion to the December Senate meeting.
IV.
NEW BUSINESS
Tom DeMarco drew up a set of guidelines for evaluations allowing those in the future
a framework to follow.
V. SCHEDULE DATE FOR NEXT MEETING
Helen Heron agreed to send out a schedule electronically to each member so that we
may coordinate our times. The next meeting will be held on January 17, 2012 in the
Rosemont Room at 11:30 a.m.
The meeting adjourned at 4:11 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Helen Heron
Secretary