Art. 32.
(1) The Senate is the supreme collective governing body of USARB.
(2) The members of the Senate are elected through direct and secret voting from among the scientific-didactic, didactic, and auxiliary staff – elected through the secret vote of the teaching staff of faculties, departments, and the twelve scientific centers; from among students – elected by academic groups and student associations, and from among representatives of trade-union bodies – elected by trade-union organizations, in accordance with the Senate Regulations.
(3) The rector, vice-rectors, and deans are ex officio members of the Senate.
(4) Senate members from among the scientific-didactic staff are, as a rule, holders of doctoral/doctor habilitatus degrees and associate/full professors, who respect the Code of Ethics of the Alecu Russo Balti State University, assume an obligation of loyalty toward the University, and are not, under any circumstances, in a conflict of interest with it.
(5) The Senate functions in accordance with the USARB Senate Regulations, drafted based on the framework regulation approved by the Ministry of Education.
(6) The number of Senate members may not exceed 51, with students represented in the Senate in a proportion of 1/5 to 1/4 of the total number of members.
(7) The Senate’s mandate is 5 years and is synchronized with the rector’s mandate. The mandate of Senate members representing students is one year, with the possibility of renewal.
(8) Faculty councils may elect one honorary member of the Senate from among prominent personalities in the field who have contributed to the development of USARB. Honorary members have the same rights as other Senate members, except for the right to vote.
(9) The rector is the President of the Senate, and the Senate Secretary is elected by the Senate according to the procedures set by the Senate Regulations. Senate meetings are chaired by the rector, or, in the rector’s absence, by one of the vice-rectors.
(10) Senate meetings are deliberative if at least 2/3 of Senate members are present. Senate decisions are approved by a simple majority of votes of the members present (50% plus one vote), except for the University Charter, which requires the vote of at least 2/3 of Senate members.
(11) The Senate guarantees academic freedom and university autonomy, represents the university community, and is the highest decision-making and deliberative body at the university level.
(12) The election of Senate members is carried out by the USARB Electoral Commission, according to the electoral procedure established by the University Senate Regulations.
(13) The Senate has, primarily, the following competences:
- approves the Institutional Strategic Development Plan and the current and long-term Activity Program in accordance with the mission, objectives, and statutory/legal rights;
• approves the University Charter, the Senate Regulations, the Regulations of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development, the Scientific Council Regulations, the Administrative Council Regulations, the Admission Regulations, and the regulations of faculties, academic departments, chairs, and other internal regulatory acts;
• approves the establishment, reorganization, and dissolution of the University’s structural subdivisions;
• proposes candidates for the awarding of scientific and scientific-didactic titles (research professor, Univ. Prof., research Assoc. Prof., university Assoc. Prof.) in accordance with legislation in force;
• organizes and conducts competitions for filling vacant scientific-didactic, scientific, and managerial positions;
• approves training in initial and continuing professional education fields, as well as master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral programs;
• confirms the teaching plans and university curriculum, research plans, scientific-methodological activity plans, and the quality assurance plan;
• approves and recommends to the competent public authority for confirmation the composition of specialized scientific councils for the defense of doctoral and habilitation theses;
• establishes specialized scientific councils, appoints members of profile seminars and/or problem commissions in accredited specialties and their leaders, who will be responsible for evaluating doctoral/habilitation theses;
• proposes candidates for habilitation with the right to supervise doctoral studies;
• confirms or replaces, upon the proposal of doctoral schools, doctoral supervisors (consultants) and approves/modifies doctoral thesis topics;
• approves the Scholarship Regulation for USARB students;
• approves the list of students nominated for merit scholarships;
• approves the Award Regulation for university staff for teaching and scientific activity;
• confers the honorary title “Doctor honoris causa of the State University of Moldova” and proposes candidates from among university staff for state distinctions and honorary titles;
• approves the conclusion of national and international inter-university cooperation agreements;
• examines issues related to the socio-economic development of USARB;
• approves the structure and management methods of the USARB budget, including alternative budget sources;
• approves the rector’s annual report on the activity of USARB.