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The University of Washington's Faculty Senate serves as the legislative body of the University Faculty, charged with the responsibility for establishing policies, rules, and regulations for the entire University. The Faculty Senate is composed of approximately 200 senators, elected to two-year terms by their departmental colleagues. Senators are voting members of the faculty with the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor or professor. A senator can serve no more than two successive two-year terms; faculty members who serve two terms or who are not reelected for a second consecutive term are ineligible for Senate membership for four years.

Approximately one senator is elected for every 15 faculty members in a department. In departments with fewer than 12 members, the senator represents a voting unit comprised of two or more departments. In addition to the elected senators, the Faculty Senate includes as voting members the President of the University and the chairs of the Faculty Councils. Other members of the University Community, such as certain administrators, and the presidents of the ASUW and GPSS, are members of the Senate with the right to speak, but without vote.

The Senate maintains three officers: Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. The Chair and Vice Chair are the elected officers of the Faculty Senate with terms beginning on 16 September. The Vice Chair becomes Chair the following year. The Senate Chair presides at Senate meetings, chairs the Senate Executive Committee (SEC), coordinates the work of the Faculty Councils, recommends action on faculty requests for information, and represents the Senate and the faculty in public explanations of Senate actions. The Vice Chair for the following academic year is elected by the Faculty Senate at its first meeting of Winter Quarter. Any voting member of the faculty is eligible for nomination and election. Normally, the Vice Chair has been active in faculty governance and is able to represent the faculty and its interests. If the Vice Chair is not already an elected senator, he or she serves ex officio with vote in the Senate. The Vice Chair serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Planning and Budgeting (SCPB) and reports to the Senate the recommendations of the SEC. In the absence of the Senate Chair, the Vice Chair presides at Senate and SEC meetings.

The Secretary of the Faculty is a tenured member of the faculty appointed by the President from a list of nominees submitted by the SEC. Included among the Secretary's duties are: keeping the minutes and records of the Faculty Senate and SEC, establishing the agenda for SEC meetings, administering the Senate Office, and providing lists of nominees for committee appointments. In addition, the Secretary serves on the SCPB, oversees Senate elections, manages the official materials associated with Adjudication Proceedings (Faculty Code, Chapter 28) and Program Eliminations (Faculty Code, Section 26-41), maintains the University Handbook, and is available to faculty for consultation and advice about University rules and regulations.

The Senate also appoints a Faculty Legislative Representative and a Deputy Legislative Representative at its first Spring Quarter meeting. Serving one-year terms commencing 16 September, the Representatives speak on behalf of the faculty and of faculty interests to the executive and legislative arms of state government. Both the Legislative Representative and the Deputy attend sessions of the State Legislature, appear before legislative committees on the faculty's behalf, and generally work to keep the faculty informed of legislative matters in Olympia (and elsewhere), and keep legislators informed of faculty concerns and interests. The Faculty Legislative Representative or the Deputy Legislative Representative serves ex officio on the SEC, the Senate, the Faculty Council on Faculty Affairs, the Faculty Council on Research, the Faculty Council on University Facilities and Services, and the Faculty Council on University Relations.

The Faculty Senate carries out its responsibilities with the assistance of a number of faculty committees. As the principal advisory bodies to the Senate, the twelve Faculty Councils are responsible for overseeing specific aspects of University policy and operations, for making policy recommendations and developing proposed legislation, for reporting resolutions and other actions to the SEC and the Senate, and for interpreting (or obtaining interpretation) of policy regarding matters under their jurisdiction. Faculty Councils are responsible, for example, for formulating policy on educational issues; student conduct and activities; scholastic policy; procedures for faculty appointment, tenure, and promotion; libraries; and other University facilities and services. The Councils also monitor the University's compliance with policies and procedures and make recommendations for implementation of rules and regulations. In addition to the Faculty Councils, the Senate has three committees of its own: the Senate Executive Committee, the Senate Committee on Planning and Budgeting, and the Advisory Committee on Faculty Code and Regulations.

The SEC determines the agenda for Faculty Senate meetings, assists the Senate in conducting its business, and provides a channel of communication between the President and the faculty. This involves regular interaction with the Faculty Councils, requesting and receiving reports, making recommendations for action by the Faculty Senate, nominating members of Councils and committees, and transmitting to the Senate any item requested by at least ten percent of the voting members of the faculty. Meetings of the SEC are held at least ten days before each regular meeting of the Senate. The SEC contains voting and non-voting members. Voting members include the Senate Chair (who presides over the SEC), the Senate Vice Chair, the President of the University (or a designated representative), the elected Group Representatives, and the chairs of the faculty organizations of the Bothell and Tacoma campuses. A number of ex officio members have a right to speak but not to vote on matters before the SEC. These include the chairs of Faculty Councils, the Faculty Legislative Representative (and/or the Deputy Legislative Representative), the presidents of the GPSS and the ASUW, and the Secretary of the Faculty. Regularly invited guests include the Provost, and the Special Assistant to the President. In addition, the President may invite administrative officers to attend in order to provide information and participate in discussion of agenda items related to their responsibilities.

The SCPB advises the administration on the University budget and plans for the future of the University. It also regularly informs the Faculty Senate on University budgeting and planning issues. The committee has twelve faculty members, three administrative members, and three student members. Faculty include the Senate Vice Chair (who chairs the committee), the Senate Chair, the Faculty Legislative Representative and Deputy Legislative Representative, the immediate past Chair of the Faculty Senate, the Secretary of the Faculty, and six at-large faculty members serving overlapping three-year terms. Administrative members serve with vote and include the Provost, the Vice Provost for Planning and Budgeting, and a representative from the Board of Deans. Student members include the presidents of the GPSS and the ASUW, who serve one-year terms ex officio without vote, and a student member nominated jointly by GPSS and ASUW, who serves a one-year term with vote.

The Advisory Committee on Faculty Code and Regulations reviews all proposed Class A legislation following first consideration by the Senate. The committee is appointed by, and is advisory to, the SEC; it is responsible for making recommendations on proposed legislation's clarity, precision, and compliance with the existing provisions of the Faculty Code. It is also available to the SEC, Faculty Councils and committees, and senators for assistance in drafting proposed legislation. The committee may also render advisory opinions and interpretations of the Faculty Code and may be consulted on the meaning and status of existing University rules and regulations (see Faculty Code, Sections 22-61 and 29-33.E).