The first reading of proposed bylaw changes to the University Constitution, describing the proposed Faculty Senate, will be discussed Wednesday at the Faculty Assembly meeting.

The open meeting will be held at 3 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center, room 505.

The senate would increase faculty membership from 30 to 75 members and allow for more diverse representation of faculty and departments, said Judy Bischoff, University Council executive secretary.

The Faculty Senate would consist of the 30 members currently serving on the assembly and 45 new members. It has been proposed that the remaining 45 members be elected by and from the faculty of each academic department and school, the College of Law and the university libraries, Bischoff said.

Bischoff said, “Most people seem amenable to the changes.”

If faculty members serving on the UC are elected to the Faculty Senate, their membership on the UC will not be affected. The UC members serve as NIU representatives and vote on university policies. Currently, faculty members elected to the UC are chosen to represent the colleges in which they teach.

NIU faculty will vote on the constitutional referendum concerning the proposed senate in April. If approved by the faculty, the proposal will be voted on by the Board of Regents, NIU’s governing board. Pending these approvals the Faculty Senate could become effective during the 1989-1990 academic year, Bischoff said.

Regency Professor William Monat said the proposed bylaws state the purpose of the senate is “to serve as the official voice of the university faculty of NIU and authoritative representative liaison body between the faculty and the UC, the president of the university, the vice president and provost, other vice presidents with respect to their responsibilities affecting the faculty, the chancellor and the Board of Regents, and appropriate external bodies.”