The faculty senate came about due to the University of Illinois statues which that a senate is to be constituted at each campus of the university and they are to make legislative decisions for educational policy. This change at UIS happened in 1995 when SSU became UIS. Before then, the legislative body of the university was called the University Assembly.

The current campus senate is composed of twenty faculty, five students, and three student alternatives, one civil service staff member, one civil service alternative, one academic professional, one academic professional alternative, and one administrator. Currently, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs serves as ex-officio, non-voting member.