As Amended through May, 2007
ARTICLE I. ORGANIZATION
Section 1.
Faculty: The faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences shall consist of all members holding full-time academic appointments as Lecturers, Instructors, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, or Professors
Section 2.
Dean: The Dean shall be the chief academic officer of the College. Associate and Assistant Deans shall assist the Dean in administering College affairs.
Section 3.
Chairs of Departments:
a. Appointment. The Dean shall appoint the chair of each department in the College of Arts and Sciences only from its full-time tenured and tenure track faculty, subject to the approval of the Provost, the President, and the Board of Trustees, as noted in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The dean shall effectively consult with the various constituents of the affected departments in the choice, removal and renewal of appointment of their department chair, including a vote of tenured and tenure track faculty. The procedure for conducting a vote shall be the same as specified in I. 3. b. (2)-(5).
b. Vote of Confidence:
(1) Timing. During the Fall semester preceding the end of each five-year term, a chair shall be subject to a vote of confidence on continuation in that office.
(2) Eligibility. Participation in a vote of confidence shall be limited to those members of the tenured or tenure track bargaining unit who have been members of the department for at least one year.
(3) Notification. The Dean shall prepare a list of all eligible voters in the department and shall notify them, including those in absentia, of the impending vote in sufficient time to permit those unable to attend the meeting to cast absentee ballots. Absentee ballots shall be sent by the voter directly to the Dean and shall be due prior to the departmental election meeting.
(4) Voting. The Dean or a designee from the College Office, not a member of the voting department, shall conduct the voting at a special meeting called for that purpose. Only the Dean or a designee and the eligible voters of the department may be present. The vote shall be taken by secret ballot and counted in the presence of those voting. The tally announced shall include the votes of those who cast absentee ballots.
(5) Lack of Confidence. Should a majority of those eligible to vote cast no confidence ballots, the Dean, in consultation with the department, shall initiate the selection process outlined in I. 3. a. A chair who fails to receive a vote of confidence will be removed from the position by the end of the current academic year.
(6) Early Vote of Confidence. One-half the eligible voting faculty of a department, as defined in I. 3. b. (2), may in confidence petition the Dean for an early vote of confidence. No more than one vote of confidence may be taken in any one academic year. The procedure for conducting an early vote of confidence shall be the same as specified in I. 3. b. 2.
ARTICLE II. MEETINGS
Section 1.
Regular Meetings of the Faculty: Meetings of the Faculty normally shall be held at a frequency of one per year during the academic year.
Section 2.
Special Meetings of the Faculty: Special meetings of the Faculty may be called during the academic year by the Dean or by petition signed by twenty Faculty members or by 100 students in the College of Arts and Sciences, and presented to the Dean. Special meetings called by petition shall be held no later than ten calendar days from the date of the filing of the petition with the Dean. Members of the Faculty shall receive written notice of the meeting at least three days in advance of the meeting, and the notice shall cite the contents of the petition and the text of any proposals on which the Faculty is expected to act. The three- day advance notice may be waived either by the Dean or at the petitioners' request and with the consent of the Executive Committee of the Arts and Sciences Council in consultation with the Dean. In either case the Dean shall instruct each department to inform its members orally of the nature of the meeting and its time and place.
Section 3.
Agenda: The agenda for regular meetings shall be prepared by the Dean in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Arts and Sciences Council and shall be received by the Faculty at least three days in advance of the meeting, together with the texts of any proposals on which the Faculty is expected to act. Any Faculty member may request that an item be placed on the agenda by submitting a written request to the Dean.
Section 4.
Limitations on Scheduling of Meetings: No regular or special meeting shall be held during the final examination period, or on scheduled holidays, Thanksgiving break, Winter break, Spring break or during the Summer session.
Section 5.
Quorum: A quorum for any meeting of the faculty shall consist of at least one-half of the full-time members of the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Section 6.
Voting: Only full-time faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences can vote at meetings of the faculty.
ARTICLE III. COMMITTEES
Section 1.
Standing Committees: The Standing Committee shall be the College Committee on Academic Personnel, which shall be elected as provided in its Bylaws.
Section 2.
Special Committees: The Dean or the Arts and Sciences Council may establish ad hoc or special committees and may define their responsibilities.
Section 3.
Appointments: Members of all appointive committees shall be named by the Dean with the advice of the Executive Committee of the Arts and Sciences Council.
ARTICLE IV. SUPERANNUATES
Section 1.
Definitions: Superannuates are those faculty who have elected retirement with the option of one semester's employment per year as provided by Section II-5-1 B1-13 of the University Policies and Procedures Manual.
Section 2.
Voting Rights of Superannuates: Superannuates are considered members of the College of Arts and Sciences. Superannuates may be elected or appointed as members of the Arts and Sciences Council. The voting rights of superannuates within each department are defined in the departmental constitutions and by-laws.
ARTICLE V. ARTS AND SCIENCES COUNCIL
Section 1.
Powers and Authority: The Arts and Sciences Council shall serve as the legislative branch of the College. It shall act on all matters related to the authority granted to the Faculty in the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, including academic policies, curriculum, academic programs, academic standards, and degree requirements. Its actions shall be effective upon passage, unless otherwise specified by Council, and written notice of such action must be given to the Faculty within five days of the action. Such Council actions shall not prejudice the right of the Faculty to rescind such action under the provisions of Article II, Section 2. The Council shall also review the annual report of the College Committee on Academic Personnel.
Section 2.
Executive Committee: After the election of the Council, as provided in Section 4 of this Article, the membership shall elect an Executive Committee before the end of the Spring semester in accordance with its Rules. The term of office of Executive Committee members shall be one year and shall commence upon election. In the case that Executive Committee members are elected at other times to serve as replacements for departing Executive Committee members, their terms will commence upon election and will end upon the Spring election of the subsequent Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall prepare the agenda for Council meetings, under such directions as the Council from time to time may adopt; shall appoint members to the temporary and standing committees of the Council; shall instruct and supervise the work of temporary committees; and shall take other appropriate actions to further the work of the Council, as the latter shall from time to time direct or approve.
Section 3.
Membership: The Arts and Sciences Council shall have the following membership:
a. Two full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty representatives from each department of the College and from other related departments, as designated by the Council;
b. One additional tenured or tenure-track faculty representative from the above departments for every ten tenured or tenure-track faculty members over ten.
c. To determine the number of additional tenured or tenure-track faculty representatives above two for each department (see b. above), each full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member should be counted as one (1) faculty equivalence and each superannuate one-third (1/3) of a faculty equivalence;
d. Three student representatives shall be appointed by the Arts and Sciences caucus of the Student Senate;
e. Twelve representatives elected at large from the full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty of the College for staggered three-year terms.
f. The Chair or Past Chair who remains on the Council ex officio.
g. The Dean, and Associate Deans, and Assistant Deans are to be non voting members of Council, except in cases where such individuals have been elected as at large or departmental representative members of Council with normal voting privileges.
h. Two representatives elected by members of the full-time non-tenure track faculty.
i. As noted in IV. 2, superannuates may be elected or appointed to Council.
Section 4.
Elections: Faculty representatives under subsections 3 a and b above shall be elected by the full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty members of the departments they represent. The full time members of the same departments, voting at large, shall elect faculty representatives under subsection 3.e. above. A committee of the Council appointed by the Executive Committee shall supervise these and other at-large elections.
Section 5.
Vacancies: Vacancies in at-large offices under the elective supervision of the Council shall be filled in accordance with the Rules of the Council.
Section 6.
Terms of Office: The terms of office for all faculty representatives shall be three years. The terms of those elected under subsection 3.e above shall be staggered so that one-third of them are chosen each year. Student and full-time non-tenure track faculty representatives shall serve one- year terms, subject to reappointment and reelection
Section 7.
Meetings and Procedures: The Rules of the Council shall govern all matters pertaining to meetings and procedures.
ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENT
This Constitution may be amended by vote of the College Faculty, provided that at least two-thirds of those voting favor the amendment. Amendments must be proposed by the Council and distributed to the Faculty at least four weeks prior to the voting, unless this rule is suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Council. The voting may be by mail ballot or by a general meeting of the Faculty, as determined by the Council.
8-29-07