The UFC may decide that the discussion and debate on a particular topic at a given Senate meeting warrants an informal, “sense-of-the-senate (SoS)” motion and vote at the next meeting. Such votes do not require quorum; they are simply a way for the Senate to communicate its sentiment. The goal is to distill key themes that Senators could then evaluate and vote on. Some of these statements might be contradictory (if there were multiple views apparent among Senators) and some might not be broadly supported but still worth getting a vote on.
An upcoming SoS motion would be distributed as part of the agenda that Senators receive in advance of a meeting. An SoS motion would be presented, with an opportunity for amendment or tabling if further study was deemed important. Results of the vote would be reported to the Faculty and interested parties. SoS votes and the surrounding discussion would be archived as part of the meeting transcript.
SoS voting provides a way for the Senate to give voted-upon feedback early in a decision making process rather than at the fait accompli stage. It is the joint responsibility of the UFC and the administration to give timely notice to the Senate whenever an issue of importance to the faculty is under review.
History:
Sense of the Senate resolutions presentation to the Faculty Senate by then Associate Dean of Faculty, Chris Schaffer, at the April 11, 2018 meeting; proposed strategy presented at that meeting. There was an update presentation at the May 9, 2018 meeting.
| Date | Topic(s) | Additional information |
| November 14, 2018 | SOS-Student accommodations, food insecurity and class meeting times | |
| December 12, 2018 | SOS – Policy 6.4, its evaluation, process involved, fraternity and sorority “scorecard,” etc. | approved |
| February 13, 2019 | SOS – Food insecurity, university-level international collaborations | |
| April 17, 2019 | SOS – University core values statement, applicants for degree programs, re-evaluation of Cornell/e-Cornell relationship | |
| May 8, 2019 | Policy 6.4 procedures | SOS with combined slides – approved |
| October 16, 2019 | Campus-wide smoking ban | SOS with combined slides – approved |
| December 11, 2019 | SOS – Interim report timeline recommendation (Social Sciences Implementation Committee) | |
| May 13, 2020 | SOS – Use of S20 course evaluations | |
| June 17, 2020 | On Using the Endowment, On Transparency, and On Combatting Racism | Meeting slides |
| December 16, 2020 | Department of English name change and Freshman Admissions | Approved: 116Y; 3N; 9abstain |
| February 10, 2021 | Admissions Advisory Group and Proposed dual degree program, SHA & Peking University | (Admissions Advisory Group slides, Proposed dual degree program slides, voting took place at the February 24 meeting – approved: 14Y; 11N; 52 abstain; 51 DNV |
| September 14, 2022 | SOS – Acknowledging appreciation for the Cornell community efforts during the pandemic | Meeting slides – vote approved 94Y; 1N; 2 abstain; 33 DNV results with comments |
