The Robert Holland Faculty Senate functions as a channel of communication between the faculty and the President. The Faculty Senate advises the President on matters referred to it. Senators are elected by their colleagues to serve a three-year term. The Faculty Senate is named in honor of Robert Holland. He was a longtime faculty member in the Department of English at MSU and served as head of the department from 1961 until his death in 1969. He also served as chair of the Faculty Senate.