The Urbana-Champaign Senate will hold an organizational meeting Monday to introduce new members to the Senate’s parliamentary procedures. They can address some of the University’s most pressing issues, such as: the budget, retaining faculty and the Global Campus program following the meeting.

“The meeting is primarily an orientation meeting,” said Kim Graber, chair of the Committee on Committees and professor of kinesiology and community health.

It is a time for newly elected faculty and student senators to get acquainted with procedures such as how to file a motion, vote, address their concerns and nominate people from the floor, she added.

While there are many returning members, the Senate values fresh voices and perspectives, Graber said.

“What we try to do is ensure that there is some turnover,” she added. “We don’t want the same people serving on a committee year after year.”

The Senate will also be electing faculty senators to serve a three-year term on the University Senate Conference, a university-wide representative body that works with the Board of Trustees and President B. Joseph White to address concerns on campus as a whole. They represent the concerns of all University of Illinois campuses.

The current faculty nominees are: James Barrett, professor of history and African-American studies; Roy Campbell, professor of computer science; and George Francis, professor of mathematics.

“One item that comes out of one campus affects all three campuses,” said William Maher, chair of the University Statutes and Senator Procedures committee.

“With the USC (University Senate Conference) all three campuses have a chance to comment,” he added.

The Senate will also be presented with the Committee on Committees’ recommended slate of nominees to serve on standing committees. The senators can approve of these recommendations or nominate someone from the floor.

“In 90 percent of the cases they (the Senate) follow the Committee on Committees’ recommendations,” said Graber.

It is important that all the members are familiar with the Senate’s proceedings, so that they can effectively voice their concerns, Maher said.

“It (the Senate) is the primary vehicle of participation for faculty and students,” Maher said. “It is the way the University administration goes about listening to the voices on campus.”

Once the new members go through orientation, the Senate can begin to address issues on campus.

“The budget is probably one of the Senate’s highest priorities,” said Matthew Wheeler, newly elected vice chair of the Senate Executive Committee and professor of animal sciences.

Wheeler said the Senate will be focusing on Global Campus and is very concerned with retaining faculty.

“We’re all concerned with the quality of the institution and how we’re going to maintain it with the current economic climate,” Wheeler said.