College Governance

1. The College faculty is responsible for the welfare of the College in cooperation with the Dean and in accordance with the College bylaws and the University constitution.
2. For the purpose of conducting business, the College faculty consists of all full-time faculty and instructors who are appointed to departments or programs in the College. Others may be approved by the Executive Committee of the College Council on recommendation of individual departments or programs. This definition does not prevent departments from using their own definitions of voting membership on department matters.
3. The College faculty meets at least once per semester when called by the Dean. Additional meetings may be called as provided for hereinafter. A meeting of the College faculty will be called within 10 business days of a written request by 25 percent of the faculty. Attendance at college faculty meetings is expected of all faculty members as defined in item 2.
4. A simple majority of the College faculty, as defined in item 2, constitutes a quorum. Faculty members on developmental leave are not counted in the calculation of quorum.

1. The Dean’s primary responsibility is to provide oversight of the academic work in the College and, additionally, hold governance responsibilities, which normally include most College matters related to students, faculty, staff, curricula, planning, reporting, evaluation, budget, and development. The Dean also has the responsibility to promote the general mission and administrative goals of the entire University through his/her: 1) advisory role as a member of the Academic Cabinet, 2) liaison role as a member of the University-wide administrative team, and 3) leadership role as a model of pride and commitment to the intellectual vitality of faculty colleagues.
2. The Dean is appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. This responsibility is delegated to the VPAA from the University President and remains "within the limitation of powers delegated by the Board and Chancellor" per SBHE 305.3. Before making such appointments, however, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall confer through established channels with the faculty and other appropriate University groups. At least one elected faculty member from each of the four major subdivisions of the College (Natural Sciences and Math, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts) shall serve on the search committee.
3. The Dean reports to the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and will be evaluated according to university and SBHE procedure. The evaluation process includes a self-study provided by the Dean, a college faculty and staff survey, peer input from deans and other administrators, and input from external constituents. The Provost and VPAA will meet with the college faculty, chairs, directors, and staff of the college to discuss the evaluation data and any activities identified for improvement. The Provost and VPAA will also meet with the Dean to discuss the data generated and appropriate actions for improved performance.
4. The Dean, in consultation with the Executive Committee, will appoint or reappoint any professional and administrative personnel within the college office he/she deems appropriate to support the functioning of the College. The Dean will also be responsible for creating the job description(s) for such personnel.
5. The College’s professional and administrative personnel shall have such authority as may be delegated by the Dean of the College.

1. Department chairs and directors serve in a leadership capacity to support department, program, and College missions. Chairpersons are administratively responsible for the department and its programs, as well as ensuring that the teaching, scholarship, and service missions of the department, school/college, and institution are carried out with integrity. They screen and recommend new faculty and staff members (in consultation with department faculty as appropriate), help faculty become more effective teachers and researchers, supervise support staff, administer the department's evaluation policies, conduct department meetings, and make recommendations on tenure, promotion, reappointment, and compensation.  Additional responsibilities of the chairperson, to be carried out in collaboration with the faculty, include developing and updating the department's strategic plan, overseeing ongoing evaluation of the curriculum and the assessment of student learning, assisting with recruitment of students, providing appropriate advisement of students, managing the department's budgets, representing the department to internal and external constituents, assisting with fund raising when requested by the Dean, and other duties as may be assigned by the Dean. Chairs may delegate responsibilities consistent with departmental bylaws. Chairs and directors will be provided the college’s “responsibilities for the chairs/directors” position description upon appointment.
2. Chairs and directors are recommended to the Dean by faculty in each unit, following departmental bylaws. The Dean recommends to the President, through the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the appointment of department chairpersons or directors. The Dean and the President may reserve the right to request the faculty to make a new recommendation. If the department and Dean cannot agree on a candidate from within the department, if there is no member of the department willing to serve as chair, or if there is no member of the department willing to serve who is acceptable to the Dean, then the Dean and the department need to find a workable solution. Ultimately, the Dean is responsible for finding a satisfactory administrative solution and for following the appointment procedure specified above.
3. Chairs and directors report to the Dean or his/her administrative staff as delegated.
4. Chairs and directors are compensated in an equitable matter using a college model that recognizes number of faculty, students, outreach functions, and other factors. The compensation and payment schedule is in recognition that the chair/directors are on call and have responsibilities over a 12-month period
5. Chairs and directors are evaluated annually as delineated by university and college policy. The College’s annual evaluation process for chairs/directors is provided to unit leaders upon date of chair appointment. 

1. The College Council comprises department chairpersons and program directors within the College. Chairpersons of the associate departments in other colleges may participate as consultative members. In the event the department chairperson or program director cannot attend a College Council meeting, he/she may delegate a voting proxy to attend the meeting for the department or program.
2. The Council shall represent the faculty at the College level and determine with the Dean matters of policy and business.
3. The College embraces shared governance and the council is a forum for discussion, shared information, and general policy direction on college priorities. The Council may propose policies; the Dean may veto policy proposals made by the Council; the College faculty may override such a veto by a majority vote.  The Council may veto policy proposals made by the Dean; the College faculty may override such a veto by a majority vote.
4. The Council and the Dean shall meet at least three times a semester. Additional meetings may be called by the Dean or by a written request of at least five Council members.
5. Agendas of regular Council meetings will be sent to all members of the College faculty at least three business days in advance of Council meetings. Minutes of the Council meetings shall be circulated to all College faculty members within a week of the meeting.

The College shall have the following standing committees, which will post meeting agendas and minutes on the College website:

• Tenure, Reappointment, and Promotions: all members shall be tenured faculty. Individuals seeking promotion during an active term shall excuse themselves from the committee during their bid for promotion year. This committee advises the Dean of the College on faculty tenure and promotion recommendations. The primary focus is to evaluate candidate’s conformance to departmental performance standards and adherence of the department to follow procedural guidelines. The Committee on Tenure, Reappointment, and Promotions shall consist of nine faculty members, with two members elected from and by each of the four major subdivisions of the College (Natural Sciences and Math, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts), and one member elected at-large.
• Curriculum: The College Curriculum Committee is responsible for reviewing and making decisions on approval for all undergraduate curricula in the college. The committee shall also review for unnecessary course duplication between departments or between colleges. Recommendations for solution of problems will be made to the Dean of the College. The Committee will be composed of seven faculty members elected from across the college with the stipulation that no more than one faculty member from any given department can serve on the committee in any given year. Two students (one graduate, one undergraduate) will be nominated and elected by faculty members of the Curriculum Committee to serve in an advisory role for a one-year term. Upon agreement to serve on the committee, students must ensure they have completed FERPA privacy training.
• Student Academic Appeals: The Student Academic Appeals Committee resolves all undergraduate academic grievances not resolved at the department/program level in accordance to college policy. The Committee will be composed of seven faculty members elected from across the college with the stipulation that no more than one faculty member from any given department can serve on the committee in any given year. Two students (one graduate, one undergraduate) will be nominated and elected by faculty members of the Student Academic Appeals Committee to serve in an advisory role for a one-year term. Upon agreement to serve on the committee, students must ensure they have completed FERPA privacy training.
• Resources and Infrastructure: This committee will meet to make recommendations to the Dean on distribution of resources for college-wide initiatives. The Committee shall consist of five faculty members, with a member elected from and by each of the four major subdivisions of the College (Natural Sciences and Math, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts) and one member elected at-large.
• Scholarships: This committee makes recommendations for college-level scholarships in accordance with endowment language and donor wishes. The Committee shall consist of five faculty members, with a member elected from and by each of the four major subdivisions of the College (Natural Sciences and Math, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts), and one member elected at-large.
• Executive: This committee is advisory to the Dean and meets at the request of the Dean. In addition, the executive committee makes recommendations on special college-level awards, developmental leave, and other matters at the request of the Dean. The Executive Committee shall be elected by the chairs/directors of the College's departments/programs, with one member representing each of the four major subdivisions of the College (Natural Sciences and Math, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts) and one member elected at-large.

1. Members of all College committees will assume their responsibilities at the beginning of the fall semester.
   1. Each committee shall elect its own chairperson.
   2. Committee members shall serve a three-year term (except for the Executive Committee, which is a one-year term), with at least one member standing for election each year. No member shall serve on more than one standing committee at any one time.
   3. Each committee chairperson shall be prepared to report on action taken or proposed at each regular meeting of the College and shall submit a formal written report to the College three weeks prior to the end of the Spring semester.
   4. Temporary replacement of committee members shall be made by the Dean as necessary/required.
2. Committees shall be elected by Reading and Review day of the spring semester for committee membership the following academic year. A list of eligible faculty, based on criteria above, shall be circulated to each member of the faculty for nomination.  Self-nomination is allowed. From the top five (including ties) nominees for each committee, the college faculty shall elect the committee members. In the case of election to more than one committee, an individual would be considered elected to the committee that the most votes were received. All ties on the ballot shall be settled by random selection.
3. The Dean, in consultation with the Executive Committee, can appoint ad hoc committees when necessary. Appointment to such committees will not extend beyond one academic year, although members can be reappointed by the Dean multiple times. Members of standing committees are eligible to serve on ad hoc committees.

Current Committee Membership

1. The Arts and Sciences Inclusion Ambassadors serve as liaisons between the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the College of Arts and Sciences, engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within the College and across campus. Inclusion Ambassadors participate in routine training as a means of developing and strengthening their skills in DEI work; assist departments in effective recruitment, hiring, and retention practices; work to draw attention to and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion through programming and events; and collaborate with TTaDA to design trainings and other events that focus on equity and inclusion.  They may also serve in an advisory capacity to the Dean, departments within the College, and faculty seeking guidance in DEI related matters.
2. Arts and Sciences Inclusion Ambassadors are chosen by the Dean, in consultation with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and with approval from their chair or director. Nominations, including self-nominations, for open positions are solicited in the spring during the College elections process.  The Dean can appoint faculty members to serve in this role or replace members when necessary.  There shall be four Inclusion Ambassadors from the College, with one member representing each of the four major subdivisions within the College (Natural Sciences and Math, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts).    
3. The term of membership for individual Inclusion Ambassadors is three years unless otherwise negotiated. Inclusion Ambassadors may serve two consecutive terms, and in some cases may serve longer to maintain continuity of the program or to avoid vacancies.  The work of the Arts and Sciences Inclusion Ambassadors should be limited to the regular academic year.  Additional work that falls outside of the standard contracted time will be examined on a case-by-case basis and compensated appropriately.
4. The Arts and Sciences Inclusion Ambassadors meet by invitation of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and at least once per semester with a member of the College leadership team. Additional meetings may also be called by the Arts and Sciences Inclusion Ambassadors or College leadership team as needed.

1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the faculty present at a meeting of the faculty called as specified in section I.3 and 1.4.
2. Any proposed amendment shall be circulated to each member of the College faculty at least eight days prior to the meeting.

[The Statement of Organization and Bylaws, originating in the Report of the Special Committee on Departmental & College Governance, April 8, 1975, was adopted by vote of the College Faculty May 7, 1975; the bylaws were amended September 7, 1978; September 27, 1979; September 23, 1982; April 13, 1989; March 26, 1992; November 15, 1994; September 7, 1999; April 28, 2010, October 15, 2015. The present edition is April 11, 2024.]