Apply to Senate

 

Thank you to all those who apply; only applicants shortlisted for a telephone interview will be contacted.  NOTE:  The Senate Nominating and Review Committee engages in a high level vetting of candidates using public means (i.e. an internet search).

Please note, the Senate Nominating and Review Committee will only consider information requested in the application form. Additional information submitted will not be circulated to the Committee.

If you have any questions about the application or selection process, please contact Amissa Jablonski.

Prospective Senate Members

Applications for public members to Senate are open from early January to March 1 each year. Senate includes 30 elected members who serve a three-year term that may be renewed once. Each year we seek to fill a portion of Senate's membership with new elected members. For 2023, we will be looking to fill several publicly elected Senate positions.

Publicly Elected Senators are elected by their peers, selected by their constituencies or appointed by the Minister of Advanced Education. Senators serve in a variety of volunteer roles throughout their terms.

The University of Alberta Senate is committed to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive membership. We welcome applications from all qualified persons. We encourage women; First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons; members of visible minority groups; persons with disabilities; persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression; and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and the Senate to apply.

An ideal candidate for Senate will (excerpted - see full list of attributes here):

• Be able to work both independently and collaboratively, as the situation dictates, to fulfill the senate mandate.
• Be a catalyst in support of the University's commitment to leading widespread social, cultural, and economic change for the public good.
• Be a connector, collaborator, and consensus-builder willing and able to challenge conventional thinking.
• Be a creative and innovative advisor, willing to put forward or consider novel approaches to problem solving and issue resolution; able and willing to provide original insight and share his/her environmental scans.
• Be reasonably available to attend Senate Plenary in person, and committee meetings in person or electronically; and have available discretionary time, flexibility, and energy to carry out the broader responsibilities of a Senator, including reasonable attendance at University Convocation exercises.
• Have a clear understanding of the role of the Senate and Senators within the University community.
• Have the ability to partner with other key stakeholders in pursuit of the goals of the Senate and the University.
• Have a presence and integrity that reflects the importance of the role of Senator, including a willingness to honour Senate and University traditions and ceremonies.
• Have an ability and willingness to encourage and engage in healthy and constructive debate on an issue, listen actively, respect diverse opinions, and view constructive disagreement and discussion as positive and necessary to effective decision-making; and stay focused on the issue being debated.
• Have a commitment to achieving results of the University's Strategic Plan.

Applying to be a Publicly Elected University of Alberta Senator

More information about the role of a Senator can be found in our Membership Information as well as our Attributes of a Senator. More information on the work of Senate can be found here.

Senate includes 30 publicly-elected members who serve a three-year term that may be renewed once. Each year we seek to fill a portion of Senate's membership with new elected members. Elected Senators typically volunteer 50-150 hours per year (Jan-June:  6-14 hrs/month; Jul-Aug:  1-10 hrs/month; Sept-Dec:  4-12 hrs/month)as a part of their role.

For more information on applying to Senate, or Senate in general, please contact Amissa Jablonski or Tyrel Brochu.

Applications from current University of Alberta faculty, staff, and/or students (undergraduate or graduate) who are eligible to sit on Senate through legislated representation will not normally be considered for publicly elected positions on Senate.

• Academic Staff Definitions
• Support Staff Definitions

Applications from former University of Alberta faculty, staff, and/or students (undergraduate or graduate) wishing to serve as publicly elected Senator will be treated on the same basis as other applicants. A minimum of two full years prior to the application deadline (i.e. you must have completed your faculty, staff, and/or student role with the University at least two years prior to March 1 of the application year) must be observed prior to applications for publicly elected Senator positions being accepted from former faculty, staff, and/or students (undergraduate or graduate).

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for a publicly elected Senator postion, please contact Amissa in the Senate Office.

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