Part I. Bylaws

(Note: The following abbreviations are employed:)
SB--Senate Bylaw (Universitywide)
Am--Amended
SR--Senate Regulation (Universitywide)
En--Enacted
SCB--Santa Cruz Bylaw
CC--Conforming Change
SCR--Santa Cruz Regulation
EC--Editorial Change
UCLR--UCR&J Legislative Ruling
EI--Effective Immediately
DLI--Divisional Legislative Interpretation (EC 31 Aug 06)
EW--Effective Winter Term
RSO--Standing Order of the Regents
ES--Effective Spring Term
A--Senate Variance (see SB 80.D.) (EC 31 Aug 07)

The Academic Senate of the University of California is empowered by the Board of Regents to exercise direct control over academic matters of central importance to the University. Its chief responsibility is to authorize, approve, and supervise all courses and to determine the conditions for admissions, certificates, and degrees. Every regular faculty member at the University is a member of the Academic Senate. Collectively, the ten Senate divisions form the Universitywide Academic Senate, which represents the entire Faculty through the Assembly of the Academic Senate. The Assembly meets to take legislative action on matters that affect more than one campus. The Universitywide Senate functions through its committees, which correspond to committees with similar responsibilities at the campus level. A key Universitywide committee, the Academic Council, acts as the executive arm of the Assembly. (EC 31 Aug 06, CC 31 Aug 06)


The Senate on each UC campus, or "Division", is itself a committee of the Universitywide Academic Senate. It operates as a legislative body and as a system of committees run by and for the Faculty of that campus. The word "Division" or "Divisional" refers to the Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate. The term "academic division" refers to the administrative unit called a division [e.g., Division of Social Sciences] within the administrative structure of the University of California, Santa Cruz. (EC 31 Aug 98, 31 Aug 99, 31 Aug 06) The Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate was established by the Assembly on December 1, 1965. Unless otherwise stated in the relevant Bylaws or Regulations, legislation in this manual was enacted on November 23, 1965, by the Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate. (EC 31 Aug 06)