Skip to Main Content
Students Alumni Faculty Staff Community Apply Give Rent

College Governance

Hunter College has several governing assemblies, most of which provide for student participation.

The Hunter College Senate

Room 1018 Hunter East

The Hunter College Senate, chartered in 1970, is the principal governance body of the college and the only such body that holds a Governance Charter with the CUNY Board of Trustees. The Senate has authority to determine college policy in matters related to:

  1. Curriculum

  2. Academic requirements and standards

  3. Instruction and the evaluation of teaching

  4. College development, including master plan

  5. Computing and technology

Representatives of the faculty, student body and administration constitute the voting membership of the Senate and serve for a term of two years. The elected officers of the Senate include the chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary and the chairperson of the Evening Council, who constitute the Senate Administrative Committee. There are 18 standing committees and a varying number of special and ad-hoc committees. These committees accomplish much of the work of the Senate. Reports and Resolutions from these committees are discussed and voted on at Senate meetings. Membership on committees is representative and open to all faculty and students by election of the full Senate from a slate recommended by the Nominating Committee and by member nominations from the Senate floor.

Regular meetings of the Senate are planned for two hours and are held twice a month. Additional monthly meetings may be called as needed.

Election of faculty and student membership to the Senate occurs during the spring semester.

Faculty members and students are encouraged to become involved in the meetings of the Hunter College Senate and its committees.

Further information may be obtained by visiting the Senate Office.

The Faculty Delegate Assembly

Room 1414 Hunter East 

All Hunter faculty, full and part-time, are members of the Faculty Delegate Assembly, which serves to address faculty concerns regarding teaching, research, and the quality of professional life at Hunter and CUNY. We provide a forum for free and open consideration of significant issues at monthly general meetings. Each academic department in the college elects two members to attend these events, which are also open to all other members and usually include invited speakers from both inside and outside of the college.  The FDA also hosts a coffee service in the faculty lounge at the 68th Street campus on most afternoons, organizes social events each semester, publishes a newsletter, The Faculty Voice, and is responsible for periodic updates of the Faculty Handbook. 

The Student Governments

Undergraduate Room 121 Hunter North

Graduate Room 218 Thomas Hunter 

These elected student groups have an essential role in the life of the college by allocating the Student Activity Fee, as well as facilitating the chartering of student organizations. All of the elected officers serve as student representatives on campus-wide committees concerning matters of college policy. A few are Senators in the Hunter College Senate, while others are elected to serve as delegates and alternates at the University Student Senate (USS) meetings.

The objective of these student officers is to lead by example in fostering diversity and supporting the exchange of peaceful dialogue among the varied constituents on Hunter’s many campuses.

Hunter College Ombudsman

Room 1016 Hunter East

The ombudsman is empowered by the Hunter College Governance Charter to investigate complaints and grievances by any member of the college community (student, faculty, staff, or administration) about a problem or condition in the college. When requested and where possible, the anonymity of a complainant will be protected and names will not be used in any reports the ombudsman may make.

When someone feels unfairly treated or unjustly disadvantaged, the ombudsman can advise the person of the available appeals procedures, recommend corrective action to be taken by the appropriate college officers, or recommend changes in college procedures or regulations that would eliminate such injustices in the future.

The ombudsman may be reached at ombuds@hunter.cuny.edu or at (212) 772-4203.

Faculty Personnel and Budget Committee (FP&B)

Composed of the president, the provost and the chairs of departments, FP&B is concerned with appointment, reappointment, promotion and other faculty personnel matters.

Departmental Committees

Each department has bylaws approved by the Senate. These bylaws provide for a number of committees, most of which are open to student members. Further information is available in the appropriate departmental office.