MU Academic Senate
Rules of procedure
In accordance with section 36(2) of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on the Modification and Amendment of Other Acts (the Higher Education Act), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports registered the Masaryk University Academic Senate Rules of Procedure on 27 May 2022 under Ref. No. MSMT-14535/2022-4.
Mgr. Karolína Gondková;
Director of the Department of Higher Education Institutions
(effective as of 1 Jun 2022)
Part One
Introductory Provisions
Section 1
General provisions
(1) The Masaryk University Academic Senate Rules of Procedure are an internal regulation of Masaryk University (hereinafter referred to as “MU”) under Section 17(1)(c) of Act No. 111/1998 on Higher Education Institutions and on Modification and Amendment of Other Acts (the Higher Education Act), as later amended (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”). It is also an internal regulation of the MU Academic Senate (hereinafter referred to as “AS MU”) , which is an autonomous representative body of MU in accordance with the Act and the MU Statutes (hereinafter referred to as the "MU Statutes").
(2) In accordance with the Act and MU Statutes, these Rules regulate:
a) membership and activities of the AS MU,
b) AS MU structure,
c) AS MU sessions,
d) AS MU activity documentation and associated information services.
Part Two
Membership and Activity of the AS MU
Section 2
Members' Rights and Duties
(1) Membership of the AS MU and the performance of the office of a member of the AS MU are incompatible with the offices of Rector, vice-rector, dean or vice-dean as well as with the positions of bursar, faculty bursar or director of a constituent part of the university.
(2) An AS MU member has the right and the obligation to attend AS MU sessions as well as the sessions of its bodies and to actively participate in their activities. MU is obliged to take reasonable measures in order to ensure this right.
(3) An AS MU member has the right to submit proposals, suggestions and comments at AS MU sessions and to request solutions and decide on them.
Section 3
AS MU Activities
(1) The necessary administration associated with AS MU activities is provided by designated Rector’s Office employees.
(2) Costs associated with AS MU activities are covered by the MU budget.
Part Three
AS MU Structure
Section 4
Chambers
(1) The AS MU is internally divided into an academic staff chamber and a student chamber.
(2) The AS MU chambers meet independently, appoint their own representatives and are free to adopt their own rules of procedure in accordance with the law, MU Statutes and these Rules of Procedure.
Section 5
Chair and Vice-chairs
(1) The AS MU is headed by a chair elected by members of the academic staff chamber in a two-round majority election. In the case of his/her absence, the chair is represented by the vice-chairs. The first vice-chair is elected by an absolute majority of all members of the student chamber. The second vice-chair is elected by an absolute majority of all members of the academic staff chamber.
(2) The candidate who receives an absolute majority of the votes of all AS MU members shall be elected chair. Unless the chair is elected in the first round, the second round is held immediately with the participation of the two first-round candidates who gained most votes. If more than one candidate placed first with the same number of valid votes cast by eligible voters, all the candidates on the first place shall proceed to the second round. If there is a tie in the number of votes received by the second-placed candidates, the first-placed candidate and all second-placed candidates shall proceed to the second round.
(3) If none of the candidates obtains an absolute majority of votes of all AS MU members in the second round, a new election is held. The AS MU shall decide through its resolution about the date of the election. Section 12(4) second sentence shall not apply.
(4) The chair is dismissed if the proposal for dismissal receives an absolute majority of the votes of all AS MU members.
(5) The chair manages AS MU activities and sessions, represents the AS MU toward third parties and fulfils additional duties in accordance with these Rules of Procedure, namely compiling and announcing session agendas to AS MU members (Section 13). The person chairing the session usually does not chair the election in which he/she is a candidate. In justified cases, in particular if it concerns an election, the chair of the AS MU Electoral and Mandate Committee may be authorized to chair the session next to the vice-chairs (Section 6).
Section 6
Committees
(1) The AS MU establishes committees as its advisory bodies. Committees are in existence from the day of their establishment until the constituent session of a new AS MU (Section 9).
(2) Standing AS MU committees include:
a) Electoral and Mandate Committee,
b) Legislative Committee,
c) Finance Committee.
(3) The AS MU establishes further standing or temporary committees by its resolutions, stipulating their structure and tasks.
(4) The chair of the Electoral and Mandate Committee is selected by the AS MU from among the members of the MU academic community; chairs of other committees are selected by the AS MU from among its members. Section 5(2) to (4) shall apply mutatis mutandis. The committee’s chair is also its member.
(5) AS MU committee members may include members of the MU academic community as well as other experts specializing in relevant matters.
(6) If a committee member ceases to be a member of the academic community, his/her membership shall expire unless further membership is confirmed at the next session of the AS MU.
(7) Membership of a committee shall not expire for a student who completes the studies during the term of office and is admitted to another degree programme at MU. In case a student member of a committee informs the chair within seven days of completing his/her studies that he/she intends to enrol in studies implemented by the same faculty which he/she was elected to represent in the AS MU, the position as well as the rights and obligations associated with the AS MU shall be restored on the day following the enrolment. In case the period between the completion of studies and subsequent enrolment exceeds four months or the period for enrolment lapses in vain, Section 6(6) shall apply.
(8) Unless otherwise agreed by the AS MU during the existence of a committee, the committee members constitute a quorum in case at least half of its members are present; committee’s resolutions shall be adopted if an absolute majority of the present members vote for the resolution. The AS MU may also set out additional rules applicable to committee’s sessions.
(9) AS MU committees may utilize a correspondence voting system if proposed by the committee chair. In such a case, the approval by an absolute majority of all members is required for the adoption of a resolution.
Part Four
AS MU Sessions
Section 7
Communication Outside of Sessions
(1) The AS MU informs academic community members of their agenda using the MU website.
(2) An email address senat@muni.cz has been established and is in operation for communication of AS MU members.
Section 8
Quorum
The AS MU constitutes a quorum if an absolute majority of all AS MU members are present.
Section 9
Constituent Session
The AS MU chair elected in a previous electoral term convenes and, until the election of a new chair, presides over the constituent session of the AS MU. The session shall be convened no later than two months after the beginning of the AS MU electoral term. The agenda of the constituent session includes, in particular, the presentation of a summary report on the election results, election of the AS MU chair and vice-chairs and preparations for the establishment of standing committees in accordance with Section 6.
Section 10
Regular Session
(1) Regular AS MU sessions are held at least twice per semester.
(2) The timetable of regular sessions for each calendar year is approved by the AS MU upon a proposal by the AS MU chair. The timetable shall be made public.
Section 11
Extraordinary Session
(1) An extraordinary AS MU session is convened by the chair either at his/her own discretion or following a request lodged by:
a) at least one quarter of all AS MU members,
b) the academic senate of any MU faculty,
c) the Rector or a vice-rector authorized as his/her deputy.
(2) A request to convene an extraordinary AS MU session must be submitted in writing and must include proposals for discussion. The date of the session shall be set by the chair so that the session takes place no earlier than three days after the announcement of the date and no later than 14 days after the submission of the request. If the session is not convened within this period, it shall be convened by a vice-chair.
Section 12
Proposal Submission
(1) Submission of a proposal for discussion of matters by the AS MU, including supporting materials, means submission of the proposal to the chair or an authorized person who is then obliged to forward the proposal to all AS MU members without delay.
(2) Proposals under Section 9(1) of the Act, except for clause h), shall be submitted or forwarded no later than 19 days before the session; all other proposals shall be submitted no later than 12 days before the session. They are made public in a manner allowing for remote access within two days of their receipt under the first sentence.
(3) Amendments or resolutions may be proposed by a committee or an individual AS MU member no later than six days before the session to the AS MU chair, who shall then forward them to all AS MU members without delay.
(4) The AS MU may also discuss proposals submitted at a later date, including proposals submitted during the session itself. A proposal submitted after the deadline set out in subsection 2 shall not be discussed unless the discussion is supported by at least one fifth of the present members.
(5) If a proposal submitted to the AS MU fails to be discussed, it shall be considered as duly and timely submitted for discussion at the next AS MU session. The obligation of the submitter under Section 9(3) of the Act shall not be affected thereby.
Section 13
Session Agenda
(1) The AS MU session agenda is prepared and the necessary documents are made available to AS MU members by the AS MU chair, no later than 11 days before the session. The chair takes into account suggestions made by vice-chairs.
(2) Proposals for changes to the session agenda are discussed at the beginning of an AS MU session.
Section 14
Access to Sessions
AS MU sessions are public.
Section 15
Guests
(1) The following guests have the right to speak at an AS MU session whenever they so request:
a) the Rector or a vice-rector authorized as his/her deputy,
b) the bursar,
c) the chair of the Board of Trustees or its member authorized by the chair as his/her deputy,
d) a member of the Internal Evaluation Board authorized by its chair,
e) a dean or a vice-dean authorized as his/her deputy.
(2) The submitter of a proposal has the right to speak when the proposal is discussed.
(3) Other persons may speak upon the consent by the AS MU chair.
(4) Other persons may be invited to actively participate in AS MU sessions, especially in order to provide information or interpret a particular issue discussed, by:
a) the chair,
b) the submitter of a proposal, upon the consent by the AS MU chair.
Section 16
Adoption of Decisions
(1) Each individual proposal is put to a vote by the AS MU. Proposals are put to a vote in an order determined by the agenda. In case a proposal submission is followed by proposals for partial amendments to the original proposal, the AS MU votes on the amendments first.
(2) A resolution is adopted in case it is approved by an absolute majority of the present members, unless stipulated otherwise by law and these Rules of Procedure.
(3) Resolutions concerning internal MU regulations and resolutions where the AS MU has so decided require the approval by an absolute majority of all members unless otherwise stipulated by law.
(4) The consent of a majority of the present members of each AS MU chamber is required to pass a resolution on the following matters:
a) MU Study and Examination Regulations,
b) AS MU Rules of Procedure,
c) AS MU Election Code,
d) scholarships, especially the MU Scholarship and Bursary Regulations,
e) fees under Section 58 of the Act,
f) disciplinary regulations applicable to students of MU and its constituent parts.
(5) A decision on the proposal for the appointment of the Rector is governed by a special procedure set out in Appendix No. 1 to the MU Statutes.
Section 17
Public Vote
(1) Public vote at the AS MU includes a show of hands, using a voting machine or voting in the Information System.
(2) When the AS MU votes on the procedure, the vote count may be waived and replaced with acclamation.
Section 18
Secret Ballot
(1) Secret ballot in the AS MU applies to matters determined by law, MU Statutes or these Rules of Procedure.
(2) The secret ballot in the AS MU always applies to the following issues:
a) election and dismissal of the AS MU chair,
b) election and dismissal of the AS MU vice-chairs,
c) election and dismissal of the committee chairs,
d) statements regarding the appointment of vice-rectors,
e) statements of prior consent to the appointment and dismissal of Scientific Board members,
f) nominations to the MU Internal Evaluation Board,
g) statements of prior consent to the appointment and dismissal of MU Internal Evaluation Board members.
(3) Any AS MU vote may be conducted by secret ballot in case at least one tenth of the present members agree.
(4) Secret ballot at the AS MU includes ballots, using a voting machine or voting in the Information System.
Section 19
Rector's Disagreement with a Resolution
In case the Rector disagrees with a resolution of the AS MU, he/she shall not implement it, shall promptly notify the AS MU chair thereof and provide reasoning. In such a case, the AS MU shall discuss the matter in question again without undue delay. A three-fifths majority of all members is required for adopting a resolution on this matter.
Part Five
Documentation of AS MU Activities
Section 20
Minutes from AS MU Sessions
(1) Within three days, the AS MU resolutions adopted shall be published in a manner allowing for remote access.
(2) The minutes from AS MU sessions are prepared by a designated employee of the Rector’s Office in cooperation with the person who chairs the session. The minutes summarize the course of the session, opinions expressed in the discussion and state resolutions including the manner and results of voting on them. Any approved regulations and other documents that form the basis of a resolution are attached to
the minutes.
(3) An audio recording of the AS MU session may be made by the minutes clerk for the purpose of compiling the minutes. This record is archived until the next AS MU meeting, after which it is deleted.
(4) An electronic version of the minutes is made available to all AS MU members within fourteen days of the end of the session. Each AS MU member has the right to comment on the session minutes within seven days of obtaining access. AS MU members are immediately informed of how their comments have been settled. The session minutes are published promptly after the settlement of all comments.
(5) Records of individual documents and files, as well as records of their movement, are kept exclusively through the electronic records management system in the IS MU.
(6) All documents and files are stored in accordance with the MU document management rules, which include uniform guidelines for document handling, retention and disposal procedure.
Part Six
Common and Final Provisions
Section 21
Common Provisions
A majority of all members is calculated from the number of mandates under Section 5(2) of the MU Statutes.
Section 22
Final Provisions
(1) The Masaryk University Academic Senate Rules of Procedure registered with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on 20 December 2016 under Ref. No. MSMT-37643/20176 are hereby repealed.
(2) These Rules of Procedure were approved in accordance with Section 9(1)(b)(1) of the Act by the AS MU on 2 May 2022.
(3) In accordance with Section 36(4) of the Act, these Rules of Procedure shall enter into force on the day of registration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
(4) These Rules of Procedure shall enter into effect on 1 June 2022.
Prof. MUDr. Martin Bareš, Ph.D.
Rector