UWPF Chapter 4: Faculty Committees

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

4.01 Establishment and Regulation of Faculty Committees

(1) A Faculty committee is a special or regular committee authorized by the Faculty, responsible to the Faculty, and including a voting faculty (as defined by UWPF 1.01(2)(a)) majority in its voting membership. As provided by UWPF 2.02(2), the Faculty may create, modify, and regulate the operation of such committees.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 09 17.]

(2) The Faculty may create special committees to perform specific tasks of limited nature and duration. When a special committee has completed its charge, and its final report has been acted on by the Faculty, the committee shall cease to exist.

(3) Faculty committees may study problems, make recommendations to the Faculty for action, and establish rules and procedures within their respective jurisdictions subject to review by the Faculty.

(4) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, any action of a Faculty committee established by this chapter which is effective without the formal approval of the Faculty or the Senate may be submitted to the Senate for review. The Senate may choose to review the action itself, may decline to review the action, or may refer the matter to a regular or special committee for final disposition on behalf of the Senate.

4.02 Eligibility and Qualifications for Membership on Faculty Committees

The following provisions shall apply to all committees established under this chapter:

(1) Faculty committees may include academic staff members, students, and persons from outside the university, provided that at least a majority of the members shall be members of the faculty as defined in UWPF 2.01(a).

(2) Unless otherwise provided, nonfaculty members of the faculty committees may vote and hold office other than chair.

(3) Committees may designate nonvoting consultants.

(4) The principal criterion for the appointment or nomination of an eligible person to a committee shall be his/her qualifications to discharge its responsibilities. In addition, the number of other committee memberships held and the principles of affirmative action should be considered. Only members of the voting faculty, as defined by UWPF 1.01, may serve as faculty members on faculty committees.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

(5) Unless otherwise provided, no more than three faculty members of a committee shall be from any one of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, Economics, and Computing, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, or the College of Natural and Health Sciences.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

4.03 Term of Office for Faculty Committees

(1) The term of office shall be two years for faculty members and academic staff members and one year for administrators and students, unless otherwise provided.

(2) Terms shall begin on August 16 and end on August 15 unless otherwise provided. This period shall be termed the "Committee Year."

(3) Terms are to be staggered so that for each committee the number of faculty members appointed or elected annually will be as nearly equal as possible.

4.04 Appointment and Election to Faculty Committees

(1) Appointments to standing committees as provided by the rules for individual committees shall be made by May l for terms beginning the following Committee Year. If appointments are not made by this date, the University Committee at its discretion may make the necessary appointments.

(2) Appointments of faculty members to all Faculty committees shall be made by the University Committee, in consultation with the Chancellor, unless otherwise provided. In making appointments, the University Committee shall strive to insure that each faculty committee shall include at least one faculty member from each of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, Economics, and Computing, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, or the College of Natural and Health Sciences.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

(3) Appointments of students to Faculty committees shall be made by the PSGA according to the procedures adopted by the PSGA.

(4) Appointments of Administrators to all Faculty committees shall be made by the Chancellor.

(5) The Academic Staff Committee shall have authority for appointments and election procedures for providing academic staff members for Faculty committees, except as otherwise provided.

(6) The University Committee, consulting faculty preferences and department chairs, shall act as the nominating committee for regular and special Faculty elections.

(7) Elections for committees shall be conducted according to rules and procedures established by the Faculty Senate.

(a) Faculty members of faculty committees shall be elected in All-Faculty Elections by the voting faculty, as defined by UWPF 1.01.

(b) Each faculty committee shall include at least one faculty member from each of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, Economics, and Computing, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, and the College of Natural and Health Sciences. Unless otherwise provided, if no nominee from a college is forthcoming, that college forfeits its representation, and the next otherwise eligible candidate shall be seated.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02, 2019 05 07.]

(8) Vacancies

(a) A vacancy in an elective committee membership shall be filled by the available eligible candidate who had the highest number of votes in the last general all-Faculty election. Should there be no available eligible candidate from an all-Faculty election, the University Committee shall appoint a replacement. The members chosen to fill a vacancy shall serve through the remainder of that Committee Year. If the term of office would normally extend beyond this time, an election for the unexpired term is held at the next general election.

(b) Where practicable, a vacancy created by a faculty member being off-campus for one or two successive semesters shall be filled on a temporary basis according to (a) above. Upon his/her return to campus, the faculty member may reassume his/her seat.

(c) A vacancy in an appointive committee seat or an administrative or student seat shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The person appointed shall complete the remainder of the term of the vacated position.

(d) The chair of a Faculty committee or a majority of its voting members may, after three consecutive absences in an appointive seat at regularly scheduled meetings at which a quorum was present, request the appointing body to declare the seat vacant. If the seat is declared vacant, the appointing body shall make a new appointment.

(e) The chair of a faculty committee, or a majority of its voting members, may, after three consecutive unexcused absences of a member filling an elected seat, at a regularly scheduled meeting at which a quorum is present, request the University Committee to declare the seat vacant, and invoke the procedure provided in subparagraph (a). The University Committee shall confer with the affected member before taking action.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

4.05 Quorum for Faculty Committees

A quorum of at least one-half of the voting members of a committee shall be required for the conduct of business.

4.06 Organization and Procedures of Faculty Committees

(1) Unless otherwise provided, each committee shall elect its own chair from among the faculty members of the committee, and a secretary and such other officers as it deems appropriate. Officers shall be elected at the first meeting of a standing committee after its election or appointment, and shall serve terms extending to the end of the current Committee Year. Officers of special committees shall be elected at the first meeting of the committee and shall serve terms as provided in the enabling legislation.

(2) The University Committee shall designate the conveners for all standing Faculty committees.

(3) Committees may adopt procedures for the conduct of their business subject to the approval of the Faculty under UWPF 2.02(2).

(4) Each committee shall keep minutes of its meetings and file a copy with the Secretary of the Faculty.

(5) Standing committees shall periodically deposit their records with the Secretary of the Faculty, and special committees shall do so when they cease to exist.

(6) Each Faculty committee may survey its composition and functions, and make recommendations to the Faculty for appropriate changes.

(7) The chair of any subcommittee of a Faculty committee shall be a member of the parent committee.

(8) All Faculty committees, with the assistance of the Secretary of the Faculty, are responsible for placing proposed resolutions in proper form for Senate action.

(9) In meetings of Faculty committees, nonmembers in attendance may participate in discussions only when authorized to do so by the Committee.

4.07 Reports of Faculty Committees

(1) Each Faculty standing committee shall report annually to the Senate. The report shall be written and attached as an agenda document to the Agenda of the meeting at which it is to be taken up. The chair or another member of the committee shall present the report of a standing faculty committee. Special committees shall report to the faculty when they have completed their charge and shall make interim reports when required.

(2) Final committee reports (except the reports of nominations committees) shall include background information, findings, and recommendations, if any.

4.08 Academic Actions Committee

(1) Membership

The Committee shall consist of:

            (a) Five elected faculty members;

            (b) One appointed member of the academic staff;

            (c) Two students.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

(2) Functions

The Committee shall:

(a) Receive and act on appeals for special consideration as provided by the admissions requirement policy;

(b) Act on appeals in cases of academic probation, drop actions and readmissions of students dropped for academic reasons;

(c) Act on student requests for waivers of University-wide academic policies, including, but not limited to, requests for waivers of general degree requirements;

(d) Act on student requests for deletions in their official academic record, exclusive of complaints or grievances involving individual course grades;

(e) Convey, through its Chair, the actions of the Committee to the Administration for implementation.

(3) Limitation on Appeals

Decisions made under the authority of this committee in individual cases may not be appealed to the Faculty Senate under provisions of UWPF 4.0l(4).

4.09 Academic Achievement Assessment Committee

(1) Membership

The Committee shall consist of:

(a)  Five elected faculty members;

(b)  One member of the academic staff appointed by the Academic Staff Committee

(c)  One student appointed by the Parkside Student Government Association.

(d)  Up to three non-voting administrative members appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

(2) Charge  

The committee oversees assessment of learning outcomes to strengthen the University’s teaching and learning. The committee provides the University-wide perspective on learning outcomes assessment as carried out through the University’s undergraduate programs and majors.

(3) Functions

(a) Identify key issues and recommend policies and changes with respect to institution wide assessment of student learning.

(b) Identify gaps in assessment information; recommend changes in assessment processes; review the usefulness of assessment strategies, reporting strategies and feedback processes; and make assessment data available to help inform decision-making at UW-Parkside.

(c) Recommend improvements in assessment practices.  The recommendations shall be contained in an annual report provided each fall to the Provost and University Committee.

Revision of 4.09(4)(a), renumbered to 4.09(2)(a).   At various times in its history, the committee has sponsored various pilot projects in assessment, but committees are not, in general, an appropriate vehicle for any full-blown assessment program.  The committee believes that its proper role is working to make sure that assessment takes place and that assessment efforts are coordinated. 

4.10 Academic Policies Committee

(1) Membership

The Committee shall consist of:

(a) Six elected faculty members, no more than two of whom may be from any one of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, Economics, and Computing, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, or the College of Natural and Health Sciences.

(b) Vice Chancellor or designee, ex officio;

(c) One elected academic staff member;

(d) One student;

(e) The Registrar and the Director of Advising, ex officio.

(2) Purpose

The purpose of the Committee shall be to assist the Faculty, in cooperation with the administration, to fulfill its responsibilities and powers for academic, educational, and scholarship matters under UWPF 2.02. It shall be concerned mainly with academic, educational and scholarship matters which pertain to the University as a whole.

(3) Functions

The following issues are illustrative of those which fall under the purview of the Committee: graduation requirements, degrees offered, grading systems, policies concerning evaluation of instruction, guidelines for credit by examination and independent study, admissions requirements, general university requirements, financial aid policies.

(4) Procedures

In carrying out its responsibilities and functions, the Committee shall conduct studies and reviews, make recommendations, consult with other committees concerned with academic, educational and scholarship matters, and consult with and advise the Faculty and Administration, except that the final authority to review, approve, and enunciate academic, educational and scholarship policies is reserved to the Faculty, and to the faculties of the academic departments, as provided by the Faculty Policies and Procedures.

4.12 Athletic Board

(1) Membership - (No voting member of the Board shall coach or participate in intercollegiate athletics while a member of the Board.)

The Committee shall consist of:

(a) Four elected faculty members;

(b) Two appointed academic staff members; appointed by the Academic Staff Committee

(c) Two representatives of the greater UW-Parkside community; appointed by the Chancellor in consultation with the Director of Athletics

(d) The Director of Athletics, ex officio and nonvoting.

(e) The Faculty Athletic Representative, ex officio and voting

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

(2) Chair

The Athletic Board will be chaired by a faculty member.

(3) Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) as defined by NCAA regulations

The Chancellor shall appoint a faculty athletic representative from a slate of candidates recommended by the University Committee in consultation with the Athletic Board.

(4) Functions

The Athletic Board shall be under the control of the faculty. The Athletic Board shall:

(a) Promote and encourage the physical, mental, and educational well-being of the student athlete

(b) Review and rule upon questions of eligibility of students when institutional policy differs from conference and NCAA regulations

(c) Oversee and rule concerning practice appeals

(d) Review the policies governing intercollegiate athletics; e.g. Student Athlete Handbook, NCAA legislative proposals

(e) Recommend to the faculty changes that will promote the long term development of athletics as it pertains to the mission of the University

(f)  Review the athletic budget

(g) Review hiring policies and practices for coaches and staff

(h) Review performance evaluation policies for coaches and staff

(i)  Review the functions of the Compliance Committee

(j)  Review travel and game schedules for intercollegiate athletic contests and related issues

(k) Participate in strategic planning of the athletics program

(l)  Promote the educational, social, and economic value of UW-Parkside athletics to the public and to stakeholders

(m) Serve as advisory board to the Director of Athletics

[Revision notes: section revised 2016 11 01.]

4.13 Awards and Ceremonies Committee

(1) Membership

The Committee shall consist of:

(a) Six elected faculty members;

(b) Two appointed administrators;

(c) The Scholarship Officer, ex officio;

(d) Two students.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

(2) Functions

The Committee shall:

(a) Advise and assist the Chancellor in the arrangement of commencements, convocations and other public ceremonies;

(b) Recommend candidates for honorary degrees to the Chancellor;

(c) Recommend policies pertaining to all scholarships and student awards to the Faculty and Chancellor;

(d) Coordinate the determination of all awards to students.

(1) Select recipients of scholarships not assigned to another selecting group (departments, Admissions Office, the athletic program, etc.).

(2) Review scholarship awards made by other selecting groups.

(3) Select recipients for special awards, such as the Chancellor's Award.

(4) Approve academic achievement awards recommended by academic departments.

(5) Approve alternative criteria for academic scholarships and specific criteria for selection and renewal of talent awards.

4.13.5 Committee on Advising

(1) Membership

The Committee shall consist of

(a) Five elected faculty members, no more than two of whom may be from any one of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, Economics, and Computing, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, or the College of Natural and Health Sciences.

(b) One member of the teaching academic staff

(c) the Director of General Education, ex officio

(d) the Director of Advising, ex officio

(e) the Director of Student Support Services, ex officio

(f) four professional advisors, one appointed by each of the Deans of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, Economics, and Computing, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, and the College of Natural and Health Sciences, respectively, non-voting.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02, 2020 09 22.]

(2) Purpose

The committee shall exist to stimulate and support excellence in advising at UW-Parkside.

(3) General Functions

The committee shall:

(a) increase collaboration among faculty and advising personnel to improve advising practices throughout the University;

(b) develop policy regarding academic advising for new students, transfer students, returning students, undecided students, and students who have already declared majors;

(c) collaborate with and make recommendations to other faculty and administrative groups in regard to student academic programs and degree completion

(d) advise the administration and Faculty Senate on matters related to advising.

4.14 Committee on Research and Creative Activity

(1) Membership

The Committee shall consist of

(a) Four elected faculty members;

(b) The Grants Officer, ex-officio and non-voting.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02.]

(2) Functions

The Committee shall:

(a) Act to stimulate and support research and creative activity by members of the Faculty;

(b) Generate non-institutional funds for the support of research and creative activity by members of the Faculty and administer such funds, subject to approval (normally pro forma) by the Chancellor;

(c) Establish in consultation with the Administration, criteria and procedures for the allocation of institutional funds for research and creative activity;

(d) Review proposals from members of the Faculty for research and creative activities and award institutional funds for such activities;

(e) Advise the Administration on matters relating to the encouragement and support of research and creative activity.

4.15 Committee on Teaching and Learning

(1) Membership

The Committee shall consist of:

(a) Four elected faculty members, no more than two of whom may be from any one of the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, Economics, and Computing, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, or the College of Natural and Health Sciences.

(b) One elected teaching member of the academic staff.

(c) One non-teaching member of the academic staff, who has regular contact with students in some capacity, appointed by the Academic Staff Committee;

(d) One student;

(e) The faculty representative to the Office of Professional & Instructional Development, ex officio, non-voting;

(f) The administrative representative to the Office of Professional & Instructional Development, ex officio, non-voting;

(g) The director of the Teaching Center, ex officio, non-voting if not a faculty member.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02, 2020 09 22.]

(2) Purpose

The Committee exists to stimulate and support teaching excellence at UW-Parkside.

(3) General Functions

The Committee shall:

(a) Provide advice, encouragement, and support for faculty and staff seeking external funding for teaching development activities;

(b) Seek institutional and noninstitutional funds for the support of teaching development at UW-Parkside and advise the administration on the allocation of such funds;

(c) Advise the administration and Faculty Senate on all questions affecting the climate for teaching excellence at UW-Parkside.

(4) Review of Sabbatical and Teaching Improvement Proposals

The Committee shall advise the administration on faculty sabbaticals and faculty development proposals requiring on-campus screening.

(5) Teaching Excellence Awards

Annual teaching excellence awards shall be administered by special committees consisting of four students appointed by the PSGA and four members appointed by the Committee on Teaching. The members appointed by the Committee on Teaching shall be members of the faculty or academic staff who are former teaching award winners.

4.16 General Education Committee

(1) Membership

The committee shall consist of:

(a) Six elected faculty members;

(b) Two members of the academic staff, at least one of whom shall be teaching academic staff;

(c) Two students;

(d) Provost (or designee), ex officio;

(e) Chair of the Academic Policies Committee (or faculty designee), ex officio;

(f) Chair of the Committee on Teaching & Learning (or faculty designee), ex officio;

(g) Chair of the Academic Achievement Assessment Committee (or faculty designee), ex officio;

(h) Director of General Education, ex officio; if an elected or ex officio faculty member of the committee is appointed Director, then the vacated seat on the committee shall be filled under the provisions of UWPF 4.04(8);

(i) Director of Advsing or designee, ex officio;

(j) Registrar or designee, ex officio.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2019 04 02, 2021 02 23.]

(2) Term of Office

Elected members of the committee shall serve two-year terms, with provision made for continuity through staggered terms.

(3) Purpose

The purpose of the committee shall be to oversee all facets of the general education program which may include any components of the general education program that may exist or develop. to achieve its purpose, the committee shall formulate policies related to the general education program and recommend them to the Academic Policies Committee, and see to the implementation of all components of the Program in terms of the General Education Statement of Goals approved by the Faculty Senate.

4.19 Search and Screen Committees for Major Academic Positions

(1) Applicability

When a vacancy occurs, or is anticipated, in any administrative position which also includes appointment as a faculty member, such as academic vice chancellor, academic dean, or academic associate dean, the following provisions shall apply.

(2) Membership

After consulting with the University Committee concerning the composition and size of the committee, the appropriate administrator shall appoint a Search and Screen Committee. At least two-thirds of the Committee shall consist of faculty members appointed from among those nominated by the University Committee. For each faculty seat on the Committee, the University Committee shall nominate at least two persons. Search and Screen Committees for academic vice chancellor, provost and other university-wide positions shall include at least two faculty members from each college. Search and Screen Committees for dean and other college-specific positions shall include at least four faculty members from the college in which the dean will serve.  The Committee should also include at least one faculty member from each of the other colleges, but must include at least two faculty members from outside the college in which the dean will serve.  The majority of the faculty members must be from the college in which the dean will serve.  The faculty members of Search and Screen Committees for associate and assistant deans may all be from the college in which the associate or assistant dean will serve.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2013 11 26.]

(3) Chair

The Committee shall be chaired by a faculty member who is not also serving in an administrative capacity. For college-specific searches such as dean, the chair of the Committee must be from the college in which the dean will serve.

[Revision notes: subsection revised 2013 11 26.]

(4) Functions

It is the function of the Committee to determine and to supply to the appropriate administrator an unranked list of acceptable candidates for the vacant position. The committee shall also report to the Chancellor and the University Committee on the manner in which it conducted its deliberations, including affirmative action considerations. If none of the slate of candidates recommended is acceptable to the appointing authority, or if all acceptable candidates decline, the Committee may be requested to submit a new list of acceptable candidates, or a new Search and Screen Committee may be appointed.