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Senate Resources and Meeting Rules

Regular Meetings

Senate meets approximately 5-6 times per year (or as required) to be advised of important matters related to the oversight of the Academic Programs of the NOSM University in accordance with the By-Laws and to take formal action on others.   Meetings are held from September to June, unless otherwise ordered by special motion, or by the Speaker/Chair. The schedule of dates and deadlines for submission can be found under Meetings

Special Meetings

The Speaker/Chair may at any time summon a special meeting. If a members requests a special meeting, they must do so in writing.  In the absence of the Speaker the Deputy Speaker or University Secretary is authorized to summon a meeting. (refer to bylaws)

Attendance

The University Secretary shall inform the Senate Executive Committee or other body which has elected an individual to Senate of the name of any elected member who has missed three regular meetings in any academic year, and that Senate or its committee, may declare the seat held by that individual vacant and may appoint a replacement to serve the balance of that individual’s term.

To attend open sessions, other than by invitation, requests shall be made to the Secretary. All individuals in attendance at any Senate meeting shall observe rules of decorum, and the Speaker may require any individual to leave any meeting if, in the discretion of the Speaker or a majority of the members, such individual acts contrary to good order and decorum.

Those in attendance shall not be permitted to use cameras or other electronic recording equipment or broadcast proceedings of the Senate unless permission is granted by the Speaker, President or a majority vote of the Senate and subject to such conditions as the Senate may impose. Senate and Committee meetings may be recorded by the University Secretary for minute taking purposes.

Reports, Briefing Notes, and Templates

Effective, consistent documentation ensures Senate can review materials efficiently and make informed decisions. The following standards apply to all items brought forward for Senate consideration.

Required Templates

Committees may use their own report format as long as all required elements are present. For consistency, NOSM University provides approved templates:

Templates must be used for:

  • Reports [You may use your own style or  format]
  • Items submitted for information
  • Items submitted for action

Standards for Item Titles and Covers

  • The item title on the cover must match the title on the agenda.
  • The cover/briefing note must list any attachments.
  • Each attachment’s internal document title must match the title listed under Attachments on the cover.

For recurring items (e.g., multi‑phase projects), maintain consistent naming and formatting across all meetings.

Attachment Requirements

  • Submit all attachments in PDF format, unless not available.
  • Revised documents must be provided in:
    • Clean version, and
    • Tracked‑changes version (showing all edits).
  • All new or revised documents must follow the current NOSM University document format, consistent with the University Policy Framework.
    Visit the webpage, use the University Policies page

If you need examples or templates, consult:

  • Your portfolio/unit designated administrator, or
  • The Office of the University Secretary.
    For Contact information, use the Contact Governance page

Formatting and Presentation

  • PowerPoint slides should use a light or white background for accessibility and clarity.
  • Follow the University’s document accessibility standards for font, layout, headings, and alt text.
    To download the template, use the Accessibility Resources page]
  • Additional resource: Plain Language Clear and Simple (created by the Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1991 partner project)

If providing presenter information:

  • Submit brief bios (with optional photos) for guest faculty, students, and visitors.

Submission Deadlines

Refer to the official submission schedule for due dates.
To review the dates, use the Senate Meeting Schedule

The University Secretary will lightly proofread submitted materials; however:

  • Major revisions remain the responsibility of the originating portfolio/unit.
  • Late submissions may be removed from the agenda.

Content Expectations

When preparing materials:

  • Include enough detail for Senate to understand the purpose, context, implications, and requested action.
  • Avoid unnecessary length: materials should be clear, focused, and relevant.
  • Ensure every attachment directly supports the objective of the agenda item.
  • If further details are requested by Senate, the Secretary will coordinate follow‑up with the presenter.

References and Crosslinks

Use the resources below to prepare and format your materials in accordance with Senate requirements:

ORDER OF BUSINESS

Rules of Order

Unless otherwise specified in these rules of procedure or Constitution, Bourinot’s Rules of Order, in its most recent edition, shall govern.

These exist to ensure that meetings proceed smoothly and democratically. The rules of order are intended to facilitate equitable participation, not limit it.

Bourinot’s Rules of Order are relied on by the Board and Senate, a sample is Bourinots at a glance

Examples for reference:  Parliamentary Procedures Motion Examples

Duration of Meetings

No meeting of the Council shall exceed two hours unless two-thirds of the members present agree to continue with the business of the meeting.

Consent Agenda

To allow the Senate to complete a number of matters and devote more of its attention to major items of business, the Agenda has been divided between items that are to be presented individually for discussion and/or information and those that are approved and/or received by consent. A Consent Agenda is not intended to prevent discussion of any matter by Senate, but items listed under the consent sections will not be discussed at the meeting unless a Member so requests. All Members are supplied with the appropriate documentation for each item, and all items on the Consent Agenda will be approved by means of one motion.

Secretary’s Memorandum on Consent Agendas – The Use of Consent Agendas to Run Efficient and Effective Meetings (February2021)

First Reading/Second Reading

Generally, Senate accomplishes the passage of new proposals, policies, other documents or constitution in two readings. At the first reading, the presentation of the proposed document is discussed.  At the second (or future) meeting, further discussion may take place and the vote on the document shall be taken. Any changes to this are at the discretion of the Speaker.

Motions or Action Items

All motions and resolutions shall be preceded by a Briefing note, that is to be submitted to the Secretary in time to be included in the agenda circulated before the next meeting.

Debate on Motions or Questions

The Speaker/Chair shall propose all motions and amendments under discussion in reverse order to that in which they are moved.

When a motion is under debate, no motion shall be received unless

  • to amend,
  • to refer to committee or to waive the rule of reference,
  • to postpone,
  • to adjourn.

Ordinarily, no member shall speak more than once to the same question (and then not longer than 3-5 minutes unless permitted by the chair), but the mover shall have the right of replying after all the members who choose to speak have spoken. A member may, at any time, with the permission of the Speaker/chair, explain a material part of the speech which may have been misunderstood.

At meetings of the Senate only Senators may move and second motions, propose amendments and vote on amendments and motions.

For Examples or language:  Parliamentary Procedures Motion Examples

 

VOTING

Voting Rights

All Members, including Ex Officio members, have full voting rights. Voting rights are limited to those Members present at the time of the vote. Proxy votes are not permissible. In the case of a tie, the Speaker/Chair has a casting vote.

When a motion is proposed during a University Senate meeting, members will have the following options for voting:

  • For the Motion: A vote in favor of the motion, indicating agreement with the proposal as presented.
  • Opposed to the Motion: A vote against the motion, signaling disagreement with the proposal and a preference not to adopt it.
  • Abstain from the Motion: Choosing not to vote either for or against the motion, indicating a conflict of interest.

Record of Voting

When a vote is taken in the Senate any member may request that the numbers, or that the member’s own vote, be recorded in the minutes. If not requested, only the result will be noted.

Electronic Voting

In exceptional circumstances where time is of the essence and there is no reasonable possibility of convening a meeting, electronic voting is permissible. The use of electronic voting is to be determined by the Senate Executive Committee or when this is not possible by the Speaker.  As a part of procedure, the voting of the Graduands list is completed by electronic vote on an annual basis.

In circumstances where electronic voting is necessary, the wording of the Motion and any background material shall be circulated to the Senate.  Members will be asked to vote on the Motion and their votes must be recorded with the Secretary on or before a specific date. Voting will be on the Motion as presented. The result of the electronic vote shall be transmitted to the Academic Council.

Policies of Senate

Following is a policy most relevant to Senate, for program policies approved by Senate, they are available within the appropriate programs.

Senate Enabling Motion-Approval of Graduands

Example of an enabling motion: Senate Enabling Motion-Approval of Graduands

 

 

Academic Governance