Faculty Governance and Committees

Committees of the Faculty

Committees of the First Kind
Committees of the Second Kind
Special Committees of the Faculty
Representatives to Other Committees

Committees of the First Kind

Advisory Council of the Faculty

• Chair of the Faculty (Chair)
• Chair-elect or Immediate Past Chair (as appropriate)
• Chair of the Graduate Council
• Chair of the Committee on Academic Priorities
• Chair of the Committee on Appointments
• Chair of the Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum
• Chair of the Committee on Nominations
• Chair of the Undergraduate Admissions Committee
• Chair of CLIC
• Chair of Faculty Welfare
• Graduate School of School Work Convener
• Junior Faculty Liaison
• Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees
• Parliamentarian

Committee on Academic Priorities (CAP): The Committee on Academic Priorities is charged with responsibility for recommending academic priorities (including priorities concerning staffing allocations, department and program facilities and resources, and restructuring or terminating existing departments and programs) in accordance with Article III, Section 1(a)(ii) and Article IV, Section 1 of the Plan of Governance, and with the authority to advise the President on institutional priorities and on the College budget, to the extent that it affects institutional priorities. The Faculty may, to the extent that it deems it appropriate, assign additional responsibilities within the jurisdiction of the Faculty to this committee.

Committee on Appointments: The Committee on Appointments is charged with making recommendations to the President, on behalf of the Faculty, with regard to the initial appointments, promotion and reappointment of all ranked Faculty and on the appointment and review of Continuing Non-Tenure-Track Faculty, as well as reviewing cause for removal of tenured Faculty in accordance with Article III, Section 9 of the Plan of Governance. The Committee also provides procedures for appointments, re-appointments, and promotions.  The Faculty Handbook sets forth the procedures for the initial appointment, reappointment and promotion of continuing members of the faculty.

Committee on Nominations: The Committee on Nominations shall consider, among other factors, the appropriateness of divisional and rank distribution, but shall not be required to provide for any specific distribution by division or rank.  The committee shall have the general authority over the nominations process for the Chair of the Faculty, committees of the Faculty, and other representatives of the Faculty, consistent with the provisions of the By-laws, and shall have authority to appoint substitute members of committees of the Faculty and other representatives of the Faculty under the conditions specified in the By-laws.

Committee on the Undergraduate Curriculum - The Committee on the Undergraduate Curriculum shall have the general authority and responsibility to make recommendations to the Faculty concerning general curricular and instructional matters within the undergraduate college, including changes to the "Curricular Rules of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences."   The committee has general authority and responsibility to insure the integrity, cohesion, and excellence of the curriculum of each of the departments and programs within the college.  In addition, the committee works with CAP and the Provost to establish procedures for the committee's involvement in the process for external reviews and in the college's response to external reviews.

Committee on Undergraduate Admissions: The Committee on Undergraduate Admissions shall make recommendations to the Faculty for changes to general admission policies (in accordance with the Faculty's joint authority with the Administration over general admission policies); develop in consultation with the Chief Enrollment Officer and the Dean of the Undergraduate College and revise additional standards for admission consistent with the general policies adopted by joint action of the Faculty and the Administration; insure the consistent application of these policies and standards. 

Office of the Junior Faculty Liaison: The Junior Faculty Liaison shall be responsible for periodically meeting with the members of the Junior Faculty as a whole to provide information and advice, to hear any concerns that the Junior Faculty may have, and to discuss possible courses of action; and shall have the authority to communicate, at the request of the Junior Faculty as a whole, the concerns of the Junior Faculty to the appropriate individual or committee; and represent individual member of the Junior Faculty, at their request, to the administration, Faculty committees, or other members of the faculty, in an attempt to resolve informally issues of concern.

Committees of the Second Kind

Faculty Representatives to the Board of Trustees

Faculty Representative to the Strategic Advisory Group

Committee on Libraries, Information and Computing (CLIC): The Committee on Libraries, Information and Computing is responsible for regularly and independently gathering information from the Faculty about the provision of library, information services, and computing on campus insofar as they affect academic matters such as teaching and research. This includes bringing to the Faculty all matters that might reasonably be expected to have an impact on the Faculty's use of the libraries, information services, and computing for any of their academic responsibilities, including teaching and research. The committee will also consult with the Faculty to ascertain Faculty needs and priorities with respect to library, computing and informational services priorities and will work with the CIO in the development of policies and budgetary priorities insofar as they are likely to affect academic matters, including teaching and research. 

Committee on Faculty Welfare: The Committee on Faculty Welfare is responsible for developing recommendations for addressing issues of concern to the Faculty regarding faculty welfare, and working with members of the administration to implement those recommendations. The committee also has the responsibility to establish methods of communication with the members of the Faculty to determine issues of concern regarding faculty welfare, including salaries, benefits, funding for research and professional development, policies relating to faculty house, and other conditions of professional life at, and in relation to, the College.  

Committee on Faculty Awards and Grants: The Committee on Faculty Awards and Grants shall have the responsibility to allocate research funds from any competitive pools which the College shall make available; advise the Provost concerning any awards from agencies to which the College may be asked to nominate individuals or groups; meet, or otherwise consult with the Committee on Faculty Welfare to develop policies and make recommendations for research and professional development funds. 

Committee on Endowed Lectures: The Committee on Endowed Lectures will have the authority and responsibility to select recipients for the 1902 Lecture Fund from nominees put forward by academic units, or groups of academic units; select lecturers to be invited on behalf of the College, in accordance with the provisions of other lecture endowments, except for those endowments that have been made on behalf of specified departments. 

Council on Undergraduate Academic Standing: The Council on Undergraduate Academic Standing has the authority, within the undergraduate college to rule upon request for exceptions to the requirements for degree made by individual students ("special cases"); decide upon probation, suspension and exclusions for academic reasons, subject to the review by the President as Provided for in Article V, Section 3 of the Plan of Governance; make recommendations to the Faculty and to other committees of the Faculty concerning changes to policy and rules on matters related to the subject matter of this committee. 

Committee on Undergraduate Awards and Fellowships: The Committee on Undergraduate Awards and Fellowships makes recommendations to the Faculty for policies concerning the eligibility and awarding of degrees of distinction and the following fellowships: the European Fellowships, the Gertrude Slaughter Fellowship, the Charles S. Hinchman Memorial Scholarship, and the Elizabeth G, Shippen Scholarships. In addition, the Committee advised the Dean of the Undergraduate College concerning the selection and nomination of candidates for outside awards, internships, and special scholarships not vested in any department.

Graduate Council: The Graduate Council will meet to discuss issues concerning graduate students and will have authority with respect to making recommendations to the Faculty for policies concerning graduate curricula and all matters relating to the academic requirements and regulations for higher degrees. The Committee will also grant fellowships and financial aid through the subcommittee on awards; rule upon request for exceptions of the requirements for the degree made by individual students ("special cases"); and impose penalties for academic failure or deficiencies of students. 

Special Committees of the Faculty

Committee to Review Grants Using Human Subjects (IRB)

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Council on Institutional Priorities (CIP)

Representatives to Other Committees

Representative to the Seven College Conference

Representatives to the Administrative Board of the Academic Honor System

Representatives to the McBride Advisory Committee