The statutory faculty of the University of Oregon has delegated its governance role to the University Senate, as articulated in the University Constitution. The Senate is comprised of 51 to 54 voting members from constituent groups on campus including the statutory faculty, librarians, officers of administration, students, classified staff, and career non-tenure-track research faculty. The statutory faculty is defined in the University Constitution as, “the body of professors consisting of the University President, tenure-related officers of instruction, career non-tenure-track officers of instruction, and officers of administration who are tenured in an academic department.”
The leadership of the Senate consists of a president and vice president elected from among the statutory faculty. These positions serve for a one-year term in their respective roles. After serving as the vice president, the incumbent then moves into the position of president for the subsequent academic year. A candidate for the vice president position does not need to be a current member of the Senate. In addition, the immediate past president maintains an important leadership role with the Senate, serving as a member of the Senate Executive Committee and a non-voting member of the Senate. The immediate past president may also continue to lead certain Senate initiatives, as determined by the Senate president. The Senate president routinely consults with both the vice president and immediate past president on issues facing the Senate.