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. Divisional Committee Review Council
4.01. Establishment of Divisions.
- There shall be four faculty divisions:
- Biological Sciences.
- Arts and Humanities.
- Physical Sciences.
- Social Sciences.
- These divisions are established on the basis of related subjects of teaching and research and are independent of colleges, schools, and departments.
- 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 as defined in 5.01., hereinafter also called “department”) is a member of every faculty division in which their faculty are members. The secretary of the faculty shall maintain a record of the composition of the divisions based on the divisional membership of each department’s faculty as defined in 4.03.
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4.03. Individual Membership in Divisions.
- Each university faculty member as defined in 1.02. shall be a member of one, and only one, division. All faculty members shall elect at the time of initial appointment the division most appropriate according to their research and teaching. If a change in an individual’s divisional membership becomes appropriate, 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.
- Each university faculty member is eligible to vote in the division of which they are a member. This shall be the division that advises the dean about their appointment or promotion to tenure.
4.04. Divisional Meetings.
- Meetings. The division’s chair may call meetings of the division’s faculty and must do so on the written request of ten members.
- Electronic Meetings. The division’s chair may determine that a meeting of the division shall be held entirely or partially by electronic or other communications means so long as the electronic or other communications facilities provide for simultaneous aural communication among all members equivalent to those held in one room or area. These electronic meetings of the division shall be subject to all rules adopted by the Divisional Executive Committee to govern them, which may include any reasonable limitations on, and requirements for, division members’ participation. A person participating in a meeting by such means is deemed to be present at the meeting and votes taken at such a meeting fulfill any requirement that a vote be cast.
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4.10. Divisional Executive Committees: Membership.
- 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 two members of each committee/subcommittee shall have tenure in the same department. If two members from the same department are serving, they may not have exactly overlapping terms. The total tenure appointments of members from a single department shall not exceed 250%. Members of each committee/subcommittee shall be elected for staggered three-year terms and may not succeed themselves on that particular committee/subcommittee, unless they were appointed to fill a partial term. 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.
- Elections. Executive committees make and administer rules for the nomination and election of their own members.
- Eligibility. Professors and associate professors eligible to vote in a division may serve on its executive committee.
- Vacancies. A member of an executive committee who is unable to serve for two consecutive semesters during their term of office shall be replaced in a way to be provided for by a standing rule of that executive committee.
- Chair. Each executive committee shall annually elect a chair or co-chairs from among its members. The chair may report annually to the divisional faculty.
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4.20. Divisional Executive Committees: Functions.
- Advice on 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. The only exception to this requirement is when there is a lapse of less than two years from the time of a previous offer with tenure or resignation from the tenured faculty. (Procedures are described in Chapter 7 of these rules.)
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
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4.30. Divisional Executive Committees: Procedures.
- 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 announced at the beginning of each academic year.
- Electronic Meetings. The chair or the executive committee by majority vote may determine that a meeting of executive committee shall be held entirely or partially by electronic or other communications means so long as the electronic or other communications facilities provide for simultaneous aural communication among all members equivalent to those held in one room or area. These electronic meetings of the executive committee shall be subject to all rules adopted by the executive committee to govern them, which may include any reasonable limitations on, and requirements for, executive committee members’ participation. A person participating in a meeting by such means is deemed to be present at the meeting and votes taken at such a meeting fulfill any requirement that a vote be cast.
- Special Meetings. The chair may call a special meeting of an executive committee at any time, and they must call one on the request of one-third of the members of the committee.
- Quorum Rule. A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum.
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4.32. Divisional Academic Planning.
- 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.
- Establishment. A divisional executive committee that 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.
- 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.
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4.40. Divisional Committee Review Council.
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Membership. The Divisional Committee Review Council (DCRC) shall consist of four faculty members, one from each faculty division, selected by the relevant divisional executive committee in April or May of each year to serve on the DCRC the following year. Anyone who has completed a full term on the divisional committee is eligible for selection. The DCRC shall select its own chair, except when the DCRC is consulted under section 7.17.C.7., in which case it shall be chaired for the purposes of that consultation by the member from the same division as the post-tenure review case.
In post-tenure review (PTR) cases (under 7.17.C.7.) where a member of the committee is from the same department as the individual being reviewed, the committee member is disqualified from participation and the University Committee shall select a replacement for the duration of that case from among members of past divisional executive committees. Any such disqualification does not create a vacancy on the committee, but the replacement member shall sit on the committee until termination of the case.
- Electronic Meetings. The university committee chair or the Divisional Committee Review Council by majority vote may determine that a meeting of Divisional Committee Review Council shall be held entirely or partially by electronic or other communications means so long as the electronic or other communications facilities provide for simultaneous aural communication among all members equivalent to those held in one room or area. These electronic meetings of the Divisional Committee Review Council shall be subject to all rules adopted by the Divisional Committee Review Council to govern them, which may include any reasonable limitations on, and requirements for, Divisional Committee Review Council members’ participation. A person participating in a meeting by such means is deemed to be present at the meeting and votes taken at such a meeting fulfill any requirement that a vote be cast.
- Functions. The DCRC serves as a consultative resource to the provost on matters relating to tenure, including promotion review and post-tenure review (under section 7.17.C.7.).
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