FACULTY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
CHAPTER 4, THE FACULTY DIVISIONS
4.01. Establishment of Divisions
4.02. Departmental Membership in Divisions
4.03. Individual Membership in Divisions
4.04. Divisional Meetings
4.10. Divisional Executive Committees: Membership
4.20. Divisional Executive Committees: Functions
4.30. Divisional Executive Committees: Procedures
4.32. Divisional Academic Planning
4.40. Interdivisional Conference Committee
4.01. ESTABLISHMENT OF DIVISIONS.
A. There shall be four faculty divisions:
1. Biological Sciences.
2. Humanities.
3. Physical Sciences.
4. Social Studies.
B. These divisions are established on the basis of related subjects of teaching and research and are independent of colleges, schools, and departments.
C. Each division shall have an executive committee, whose chair shall also serve as chair of the divisional faculty.
4.02. DEPARTMENTAL MEMBERSHIP IN DIVISIONS.
Each academic department (or the equivalent is defined in 5.01., hereinafter also called "department") shall be a member of at least one faculty division. The University Committee, after consulting the departments and the divisional executive committees, shall assign each department to at least one of the divisions established in 4.01., subject to the approval of the University faculty. A dispute as to divisional membership shall be settled by the Faculty Senate on the recommendation of the University Committee. The secretary of the faculty shall maintain a record of the composition of the divisions, including any changes approved by the faculty.
4.03. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP IN DIVISIONS.
A. Each University faculty member as defined in 1.02. shall be a member of one, and only one, division. This will be the division to which his/her department belongs. A faculty member in a department that belongs to more than one division, or who holds appointments in departments in different divisions, shall elect at the time of initial appointment that division most appropriate according to his/her research and teaching. If a change in an individual's divisional membership becomes appropriate, or if the most appropriate division is one in which his/her department is not a member, the divisional executive committee may grant divisional membership to the individual upon application and recommendation of the dean. A disagreement as to individual divisional membership shall be settled by the University Committee.
B. Each University faculty member is eligible to vote in the division of which he/she is a member. This shall be the division that advises the dean about his/her appointment or promotion to tenure.
4.04. DIVISIONAL MEETINGS.
The division's chair may call meetings of the division's faculty and must do so on the written request of ten members.
4.10. DIVISIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES: MEMBERSHIP.
A. STRUCTURE. Each divisional executive committee shall consist of at least twelve members elected by the divisional faculty. The specific size of the membership and organizational structure of the committee shall be determined by the faculty of the division. Where there is a separation of functions among subcommittees within a particular divisional executive committee, no fewer than twelve members shall provide the tenure review function. No more than one member of each committee/subcommittee shall be from any one department. Members of each committee/subcommittee shall be elected for staggered three-year terms and may not succeed themselves on that particular committee/subcommittee. Faculty shall not serve concurrently on more than one divisional committee/subcommittee (this provision does not apply to overlapping bodies created to coordinate committees/subcommittees.) Individuals are eligible for re-election to a particular committee/subcommittee after two years.
B. ELECTIONS. Executive committees make and administer rules for the nomination and election of their own members.
C. ELIGIBILITY. Professors and associate professors eligible to vote in a division may serve on its executive committee.
D. VACANCIES. A member of an executive committee who is unable to serve for two consecutive semesters during his/her term of office shall be replaced in a way to be provided for by a standing rule of that executive committee.
E. CHAIR. Each executive committee shall annually elect one of its members chair. He/she shall report annually to the divisional faculty.
4.20. DIVISIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES: FUNCTIONS.
A. APPROVAL OF COURSES. Departments shall submit proposals for new credit courses, or for modifications of existing credit courses, to the appropriate divisional executive committee. If the executive committee approves, the proposal is then submitted to the appropriate dean for final action.
B. REVIEW OF COURSE OFFERINGS. Executive committees may review and recommend the alteration or discontinuance of existing credit courses, and the establishment of interdepartmental, divisional, or interdivisional courses.
C. ADVICE OF TENURE APPOINTMENTS. Before appointment or promotion to a position on the tenured faculty is made, the dean shall ask the advice of the appropriate divisional executive committee. (Procedures are described in Chapter 7 of these rules.)
D. ADVICE ON OTHER PERSONNEL PROBLEMS. A chancellor, dean, or department may ask the advice of the appropriate divisional executive committee concerning other personnel problems. The committee may study and make recommendations regarding appointments in order to strengthen the faculty and academic programs.
E. CRITERIA FOR ADVICE. Executive committees shall establish criteria for considering personnel matters referred to them. (Criteria for promotion and retention are set forth in Chapter 7 of these rules.)
F. ADVICE ON EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND PLANNING. On their own initiative or on request, divisional executive committees may advise the chancellor, deans, or other administrative officers of the University on educational policy and planning and their implementation.
G. ADVICE ON COMMITTEE SELECTION. The faculty or the chancellor may request executive committees to nominate or appoint persons from their divisions to standing or ad hoc committees.
4.30. DIVISIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES: PROCEDURES.
A. MEETINGS. Each executive committee shall meet at least monthly throughout the academic year unless the chair considers there is insufficient business. The schedule of meetings shall be given to committee members, the chancellor, appropriate deans, and chairs of member departments at the beginning of each academic year.
B. SPECIAL MEETINGS. The chair may call a special meeting of an executive committee at any time, and he/she must call one on the request of oneħthird of the members of the committee.
C. QUORUM RULE. A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum.
4.32. DIVISIONAL ACADEMIC PLANNING.
A. PROCEDURES. Each division may establish a mechanism for divisional participation in academic planning to consider, as appropriate to the division, matters of academic planning that involve more than one school or college.
B. ESTABLISHMENT. A divisional executive committee which chooses to develop a proposal under this section shall submit that proposal to the University Committee for approval. Should the proposed mechanism require any changes to Faculty Policies and Procedures, the divisional executive committee shall propose the necessary changes to the University Committee for review and then to the Senate for approval. The mechanism developed by each division and approved by the University Committee shall be reported to the Senate for information and a record thereof shall be maintained by the Secretary of the Faculty.
C. GENERAL PROVISIONS. A mechanism established by a division under this section shall provide for a committee or other body, at least two thirds of the voting members of which shall be faculty without significant administrative appointments above the departmental level and who are elected by the divisional faculty. The committee or body will provide advice to the provost and appropriate deans and will work with school or college academic planning councils on matters of common interest.
4.40. INTERDIVISIONAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
A. MEMBERSHIP. The Committee will be composed of eight members selected by and from the existing divisional executive committees. A member of the Committee may ask any member of his/her divisional committee to serve as his/her alternate at any meeting of the Committee.
B. FUNCTIONS. The purpose and function of the Committee shall be:
1. To review all interdisciplinary course proposals submitted to it and take one of the following actions:
a. Determine that the course fits within the province of one division and refer it to that divisional executive committee; or
b. Determine that the course is truly interdivisional and either refer it to the appropriate divisional executive committees, with or without a recommendation to them, or itself make a recommendation to the chancellor and dean(s) concerning the course.
2. Any member of the Committee or any divisional chair may ask the Committee to delay action on a course proposal until his/her divisional executive committee has had time to review the proposal and make a recommendation. Such requests must be honored.
3. In the event that two or more divisional committees have acted on an interdivisional course proposal and their actions differ, the Committee will review these actions and make a recommendation to the chancellor and dean(s) as to what course of action should be followed. The recommendations of the divisional committees will also be forwarded to the chancellor and dean(s).
4. The agenda of Committee meetings will be circulated to all members of each divisional committee, and the materials for the meeting will be circulated to each divisional chair and be available to each member of the divisional committees.
5. The Committee may receive course proposals from:
a. Any body with the authority to make course proposals, believing that the course concerns matters beyond the jurisdiction of any single divisional executive committee.
b. A divisional executive committee that believes a course proposal submitted to it concerns matters beyond its jurisdiction. The divisional committee may transmit the proposal to the Committee with or without a recommendation as to the action to be taken.
6. Any divisional chair or member of the Committee may request the Committee to take up any item that appears to be interdivisional in scope.
7. The Committee's functions shall not include recommendations on personnel.