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Cornell University

Office of the Dean of Faculty

Connecting & Empowering Faculty

Apportionment of Seats

Beebe Lake Triphammer FallsHere are the 2020 TT and RTE* populations upon which the current apportionment is based. Consult the Eligibility Page for definitions.

Every third January the Nominations and Elections Committee will review the numbers and determine the senate-seat allocations for departments and colleges. Changes would take effect at the start of the following Fall Semester.

The rules that determine the allocation of senate seats are given below.


Department Senate Seats

  1. Every department gets one seat to be filled by a member of the UF*.
  2. If TT + RTE* > 25 then, a department gets a second seat to be filled by either a member of the UF* or a member of the RTE*.

College RTE At-Large Seats

  1. Every college gets one seat to be filled by a member of the RTE*.
  2. If RTE* > 25, then a college gets a second seat to be filled by a member of the RTE*.

University At-Large Seats

  1. Three seats for tenured members of the  UF*.
  2. Three seats for untenured members of the UF*.
  3. Three seats  for members of the  RTE* Faculty,

Designated Seats

  1. One seat for the emeriti to be filled by Cornell Academics and Professors Emeriti.
  2. One seat for the RTE* to be filled by Cornell University Library.

Non-Voting Ex Officio Seats

  1. One seat  for postdocs  filled through the Office of Postdoctoral Studies.
  2. One seat for the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly.
  3. One seat for the Student Assembly.
  4. One seat for the Employee Assembly.
  5. One seat for ROTC.

Note: Legislation that pertains to the Faculty Senate is situated in Articles IX, X, XI, and XII of the Organization and Procedures of the University Faculty.