Faculty Governance

Faculty Governance

The Faculty Senate serves as the deliberative assembly of the faculty as a whole, as the primary means through which the faculty may discharge its collective responsibility for the purpose of the University, the integrity of the curriculum and the quality of student life. Specifically, it is the responsibility of the Senate to work with the University Administration in the development or review of policy and procedures governing academic and faculty affairs. Senate recommendations are subject to the approval of the President and the Board of Trustees.

The particular responsibilities of the Faculty Senate are:

• Faculty Affairs: To review, develop and recommend policy and procedures in the following areas directly affecting the faculty:
  • Recruitment, appointment, retention and tenure
  • Promotion and post-tenure review
  • Compensation, benefits and merit salary increases
  • Grievances
  • Disciplinary Action
  • Layoff
  • Sabbatical and other leaves
  • Professional development and activity
• Curriculum: To review the work of the University Curriculum Committees, and to make recommendations regarding major curricular changes affecting:
  • The core curriculum and requirements
  • Undergraduate programs, including majors, minors and teacher education
  • Graduate programs
  • Graduation and degree requirements
  • Community or continuing education
• Academic Affairs: To provide the Council of Deans and Chairs with the sense of the faculty regarding proposed policy and procedures governing:
  • Admissions and advanced placement
  • Academic advising and instruction
  • Academic discipline, including student leaves, absences, probation, dismissal, plagiarism
  • Grading, including adds, drops, withdrawals
  • Review of academic programs
• Student Life: To advise and cooperate with the Dean of Students in matters of concern to the faculty regarding the quality and integrity of student life.
• University Affairs: To meet with the President at the beginning of each semester to discuss matters of mutual concern, and at such other times as may be requested by either the President or the Chair of the Senate. Prior to the first Senate meeting of each semester, the Senate Chair may call an informal meeting of its elected members to discuss the matters they wish to be placed on the Senate's agenda or to be addressed by the President. At least once each year the officers of the Senate shall meet with the University Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees to report on Senate activities and the concerns of the faculty. In extraordinary circumstances, the Chair of the Senate, with the consent of its other officers, may call a special meeting of the Senate's elected members, who shall take no formal action but may instruct the officers of the Senate to meet with the President or the Chair of the Board to discuss their concerns regarding the state of the University.
• Standing Committees: To nominate members of the Faculty for appointment by the President to the following standing committees:
  • Constantin Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid
  • Academic Discipline
  • Student Discipline
  • Student Life
  • Library
  • Fringe Benefits
  • Committee on Athletics, Sports, and Recreations
  • The Graduate School of Management Academic Review Board

Senate Membership

The members of the Senate are:

• Fifteen members of the regular faculty or library faculty, at least three of whom must be from the College of Business.
• The Provost, the Dean of the Braniff Liberal Arts Graduate Programs, and the Dean of the College of Business.
• All members of the Faculty Senate have the right to vote on matters properly before the Senate for its action.

Election of Faculty Representatives

Faculty representatives on the Faculty Senate shall be elected at large by the faculty electorate, for two year terms. Eight representatives are to be elected in odd numbered years, at least two of whom must be from the College of Business. Seven are to be elected in even numbered years, at least one from the. Elections are to be held each spring semester, by secret ballot. The terms of those elected begin the Wednesday after the first Tuesday of May following the election.

The faculty electorate consists of all members of the regular and library faculties, emeriti faculty who continue to teach, and affiliate faculty who have taught full-time for the academic year preceding the election.

Elections shall be conducted by the Vice Chair of the Faculty Senate, assisted by the members of the Senate's Committee on Nominations. The Secretary of the Senate shall be the principal teller in the counting of ballots or, in the Secretary's absence, the Chair of the Senate. Illegible or blank ballots, or ballots violating essential ballot instructions shall be ruled invalid, and shall not be counted.

The faculty electorate shall be divided into two groups for the purpose of nominating candidates for election to the Faculty Senate. The College of Business faculty shall constitute the first group; the Constantin (and Braniff) and library faculties shall constitute the second group. Four faculty members shall be nominated from the College of Business group and twelve faculty members shall be nominated from the combined Constantin and library group.

The Chair of the Faculty Senate shall call for nominations by providing the faculty electorate in each group with a ballot listing faculty from that group who are eligible for election. Elected Senators who have served for the preceding two consecutive terms may choose not to stand in the next election.

The ballot for each group shall list all faculty members eligible to serve. The faculty electorate in the College of Business group shall be instructed to vote for no more than four candidates. The faculty electorate in the Constantin and library group shall be instructed to vote for no more than twelve candidates. A ballot with two or more votes for a single candidate shall be declared invalid, and discarded.

The sixteen faculty receiving the most votes shall be nominated. If these do not include at least four College of Business faculty (two in even years), the College of Business faculty member(s) with the most votes shall also be nominated, until the requisite number is reached. Ties shall be broken by lot.

The persons nominated in accordance with section 4.8 shall be elected at large on a single ballot which identifies each nominee's department (or school in the case of the College of Business). The faculty electorate shall be instructed to vote for no more than eight nominees, at least two of whom should be from the College of Business. (In even years, they shall be instructed to vote for no more than seven nominees, at least one of whom should be from the College of Business.) A ballot with two or more votes for a single nominee shall be declared invalid, and discarded.

The six nominees receiving the most votes shall be elected. If these six do not include the requisite number of the College of Business faculty (two College of Business faculty members in odd years; one in even years), the College of Business nominee(s) with the most votes shall be elected. In this case, the other nominees with the most votes will constitute the remainder of the six elected representatives. Ties shall be broken by lot.

In the event that vacancies occur on the Senate by reason of leaves, sabbaticals, off-campus teaching assignments, extended illness, or causes of similar nature, the membership of the body shall be brought to full strength by the Chair's immediate appointment, at the beginning of the academic year, of the faculty member(s) who, in the most recent election, received the highest number of votes after those elected. Such individuals will be considered senators pro tempore, with full deliberative and voting rights, and shall hold appointments until the elected senators return to service, or, in the case of continuing vacancies, until the following spring, when the vacancies will be filled by elections to the unexpired terms, conducted as part of the regular election process. In the latter instance, the ballot procedures in 4.8 and 4.9 shall be changed as may be necessary to include the vacant position(s) in the nomination and election process. In the event of a vacancy occurring among the officers of the Faculty Senate, the Senate will elect a new officer at its next meeting.

Promptly after the election, the Chair of the Senate shall inform the faculty and the President of the persons who have been elected to the Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Officers

The Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Senate shall be elected annually by the Senate from its elected members, in a secret ballot, at the first meeting of the new Senate in May.

The Chair of the Senate is an ex officio member of the University Council, has precedence over other members of the faculty, and holds place immediately following the academic deans in official University functions.

The Vice-Chair carries out the duties of the Chair in the latter's absence and is ex officio chair of the Senate's Nominations Committee.

The Secretary keeps accurate minutes of all meetings and furnishes copies to all faculty and other concerned persons. The Secretary notifies faculty members of the disposition by the Senate of matters which they have submitted.

Nominations Committee of the Senate

The Senate's Committee on Nominations is composed of the Vice-Chair of the Faculty Senate, who serves as Committee Chair, and two other members of the Faculty Senate who are elected by the Senate at the first meeting of the new Senate in May.

The Committee on Nominations shall present to the Faculty Senate a list of candidates  for nominations by the Senate to the Standing Committees of the University listed in section 4.2. above and to the grievance panel per section 2.39.c. in the faculty handbook. Prior to the Committee's final recommendations, one of its members should discuss possible candidates with the University Administrator responsible for the area falling within the Standing Committee's purview. The Senate should make its nominations to the President early in the Fall semester.

Meetings of the Senate

The Faculty Senate shall meet at least twice a semester during the academic year. Other meetings shall be called by the Chair or by at least one-third of the Senate membership.

Members of the Senate shall be notified in advance of the matters to be discussed at the meetings. Two-thirds of the membership must be present for a vote on any Senate action to be official. Questions shall be decided by an absolute majority of the members present and voting. Each member has only one vote. On any question (except as provided in section 4.12 of the faculty handbook) the Senate may decide to vote by roll call or by secret ballot. Abstentions shall be counted but, when ballots are taken in writing, blank or illegible ballots shall not be counted.

Any member of the faculty may request the Faculty Senate to consider or take particular action on a policy matter falling within the Senate's jurisdiction (as defined in sections 4.1 and 4.2 of the faculty handbook). Normally such a request should be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Faculty Senate, who shall promptly bring it to the Senate's attention if it is a matter properly within the Senate's jurisdiction.

University Council

The purpose of the University Council is to advise the President regarding University administrative policies or procedures currently under review or that would seem to require review. This will specifically include institutional planning and priorities and the review of the annual budget.

The membership of the University Council includes the President; any administrative officers holding the title of Vice President; the Provost; the Dean of Admissions and Student Life, the Dean of the College of Business; and the officers of the Faculty Senate. The President may invite other members of the administration or faculty and the Chair of the Faculty Senate may invite other members of the faculty to participate in the Council's deliberations.

The President shall serve as Chair of the University Council, which shall meet at the beginning of each semester and at other such times as may be requested by either the President or the Chair of the Senate.

Council of Deans and Chairs

The Council of Deans and Chairs is chaired by the Provost, and is composed of the Dean of Constantin College, the College of Business Dean, Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts Dean, and academic Associate and Assistant Provosts and Deans, the Director of the Libraries, and the chairs of all departments within the Constantin College. The Council advises the Provost regarding administrative, procedural, curricular, or policy matters affecting students or faculty. The Council of Deans and Chairs also advises the President regarding appointments to the University Curriculum Committees, to the Committee on Rank and Tenure, and to the Library Committee on Rank and Retention.

Curriculum Committees

It is recognized that the curriculum is the special province of faculty, and therefore substantive curricular changes ought not be made without prior consultation with the faculty through the curriculum committees established in section 5.6-5.10 of the faculty handbook.

The curriculum committees of the University advise the Faculty Senate and the President regarding admissions policy, degree requirements, and changes in the University's curriculum or academic programs. Minor changes in the curriculum, degree requirements or admissions policy require approval of the University President or the President's designee. Major changes shall be reviewed by the Faculty Senate and require approval of the University President or the Board of Trustees. Major curricular changes include the addition or termination of degree programs, or substantial revision of a core curriculum.

Curriculum committees shall inform the Council of Deans and Chairs and the Faculty Senate of the committee's agenda and curricular recommendations. Each committee shall inform the faculty of major curriculum changes under consideration, invite their comments, and inform them of the committee's recommendations with regard to those proposed changes prior to review by the Faculty Senate.

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee is composed of the Dean of Constantin College, who shall serve as committee chair, and seven regular faculty from the Constantin College, at least one of whom must be a department chair. The faculty members of the committee shall be appointed by the President after consultation with the Council of Deans and Chairs.

The Braniff Liberal Arts Graduate Curriculum Committee is composed of the Graduate Dean, who shall serve as committee chair, and the directors of Braniff Liberal Arts Graduate programs.

The GSM Curriculum Committee is composed of the Dean of the College of Business, the COB academic associate deans, one core course coordinator , and an ad hoc member, either another core course coordinator or academic concentration director, as appropriate.

Committee on Rank and Tenure

The Committee on Rank and Tenure reviews regular faculty members for retention, promotion or tenure. The Committee sends its recommendations for retention, promotion or tenure to the President.

The Committee on Rank and Tenure is composed of the Provost, who serves as its Chair, and four tenured faculty members. The President appoints three Constantin faculty members after consultation with the Council of Deans and Chairs and appoints the fourth faculty member from the College of Business. The Chair of the Rank and Tenure Committee and the four appointed faculty members are the voting members of the Committee.

If in any given year twenty or more regular faculty members are being considered for retention, tenure, or promotion, the Committee may be divided into two panels, each of which would consist of the Chair and tenured faculty members, three from Constantin College and one from the College of Business. The faculty members of the two panels will be appointed as stated above. The caseload for the two panels should be as evenly divided as possible. As a rule, one panel will consider the cases for retention (two-year and four-year reviews of tenure-track faculty members and extraordinary third-year reviews) and will be chaired by the Dean of Constantin College if a faculty member of Constantin is under consideration or, respectively, by the Dean of the College of Business, if a faculty member from that College is under review. For the sake of continuity, the Provost will be present as often as possible for each of the reviews being conducted by this panel. If the termination of a faculty member and actively participate in the discussions. The four-year reviews can be assigned to the second panel, if this will even out the caseload for the two panels. The second panel, which is chaired by the Provost, will undertake tenure and promotion reviews. Just as in the case of a single Rank and Tenure Committee, the Chair and the four appointed faculty members are the voting members of each panel.

In the event that there is no Provost at the University, the role of Provost in the Rank and Tenure process will be served by the Dean of Constantin College if a faculty member of Constantin is under consideration or, respectively, by the Dean of the College of Business if a faculty member from that College is under review. In addition, the President will serve the role of Provost for exceptions to the probationary period (section 2.15.c. of the faculty handbook).

It is the responsibility of the Committee to judge the quality of the teaching, scholarship, and service of each of the candidates for retention, promotion and tenure. Specifically the Committee will:

• Carefully read the submitted documentation;
• Conduct interviews with the regular faculty members in the candidate’s department or for candidates in the College of Business with all COB faculty that request an interview;
• Conduct, in the cases of candidacy for tenure or for promotion, interviews with students;
• Maintain confidentiality with respect to the information about the candidate and with respect to the deliberations of the Committee. In its considerations, the Committee shall be careful to respect the candidate’s academic freedom rights as hereinafter defined in section 2.28 of the faculty handbook.

Library Committee on Rank and Retention

The Library Committee on Rank and Retention reviews library faculty members as described in sections 2.20-2.25 of the faculty handbook. The committee makes recommendations to the President on their retention and promotion.

The Library Committee on Rank and Retention is composed of the Provost (or his designee), the chair of the Standing Committee on the library, a library faculty member other than the Director of the Library, and a regular, tenured faculty member. The library faculty member and regular faculty member will be appointed by the President after consultation with the Council of Deans and Chairs.

Faculty Development Committee

 The Faculty Development Committee reviews faculty proposals for sabbatical leaves, for leaves without pay, for King/Haggar awards, and for other faculty awards which may be established by the University. The committee also reviews faculty proposals for external awards that require nomination by the University. The committee reviews existing faculty development programs in light of the statements in sections 2.12 and 2.40-2.42 of the faculty handbook and proposes any needed changes in the programs.

 With respect to sabbatical leaves and leaves without pay, the Faculty Development Committee shall advise the President or the President's designee. Other awards or nominations shall be made by the Faculty Development Committee itself, except in those instances when special expertise or competence is required in the selection process; in such cases the committee shall refer proposals for action to specific subcommittees appointed by the Provost and approved by the committee. All award decisions are subject to the approval of the President.

The Committee is composed of the King/Haggar Fellows appointed in the previous year, two King/Haggar Scholars, the Chair of the Faculty Senate, and the Provost, who chairs the Committee. The King/Haggar Scholars are appointed by the Provost for two-year rotating terms.

Library Committee

The purpose of the Library Committee is to advise the Director of the Library on library policies and programs, and to act as liaison between the University community and the library staff. Its specific responsibilities are:

• To inform the Director of the Library of the library needs of faculty, staff, and students and to advise on the development of library services to meet those needs.
• To review periodically and advise the Director of the Library on progress in implementing and possible revision of the Collection Development Policy.
• To advise on the allocation of acquisition funds.
• To support special projects for increased funding of library services.
• To support the librarians in informing faculty and staff of library policies.

Membership of the Library Committee includes: the Provost, three faculty members appointed by the president from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate, the Director of Libraries, a graduate student appointed by the Provost in consultation with the two graduate deans, and an undergraduate student appointed by the Constantin Dean. The chair of this committee is appointed by the President.

Committee on Student Life

The Committee on Student Life consults with the Director of Enrollment Management, the Dean of Students, the Chaplain, and other area heads and University committees on the adequacy and effectiveness of programs, policies, and procedures regarding non-academic matters of student life and is responsible for reviewing such programs, policies and procedures. The Committee also serves as an agency of communication in all matters affecting students. The Committee shall meet at least once each semester, and at least once a year the Committee shall hold a public meeting open to all comers, who should be provided with an opportunity to address the Committee with their concerns.

Membership includes The Dean of Students or his designate, the Chaplain or his designate, and the President of Student Government are members ex officio. Three faculty members, at least one of whom must have tenure, at least one of whom must be a member of the Faculty Senate, and at least one of whom must be from the College of Business, shall be appointed by the President from the list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate; their term of service will ordinarily be two years. One undergraduate student, nominated by the Student Government Executive Council and approved by the Student Government assembly, shall serve a one-year term. Two graduate students, one from the Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts, the other from the College of Business, shall serve one-year terms; they shall be appointed by the Dean of their respective school based on consultation with faculty. The Committee shall elect one of the three faculty members chair and elect one other member of the committee as secretary. All members except the Dean of Students are voting members. Where appropriate, the Committee may invite faculty, administrative staff, and students to serve as non-voting consultants on relevant issues that come before the Committee

A quorum having been met, recommendations and resolutions of the Committee require a simple majority of those in attendance to be forwarded by the secretary or chair to the appropriate area head or committee. Copies shall also be sent to the Director of Enrollment Management, the President, the Provost, and the Chair of the Faculty Senate, and, when matters affecting graduate students are concerned, to the Deans of the relevant schools. Area heads and committees should reply with suitable promptness.

Constantin Committee on Admission and Financial Aid

The Constantin Committee on Undergraduate Admission and Financial Aid is responsible for the development and evaluation of the undergraduate admission policies for the University. The Committee approves the policies and procedure by which all applicants are accepted or rejected. The Committee is also responsible for the development and evaluation of theundergraduate financial aid policies for the University. The Committee also serves as the recommending body to the Director of Enrollment Management in cases of appeals in admission and financial aid.

The membership of the committee includes the Director of Undergraduate Admission, who will serve as chair, the Dean of Constantin College and/or designee, and three faculty members appointed by the President from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate. The Dean/Director of Undergraduate Admission is not a voting member.

Committees on Academic Discipline

The committees on academic discipline consider academic deficiencies on the part of students and recommend warnings or dismissal. Serious accusations of cheating, plagiarism, and the like are brought before these committees for their recommendations. The recommendations will be forwarded to the appropriate dean (Dean of the college, Braniff Graduate Dean, or Dean of the College of Business) for final disposition of the cases.

The Constantin-Braniff Committee on Academic Discipline consists of four members: the Dean of the College, who serves as the chair, the chair of the department in which the student being considered has declared a major (or in the case of a student who has not declared a major, a Constantin faculty member appointed by the Dean of the College), and two faculty members appointed by the president from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate. If a Braniff graduate student is being considered, the dean of the Braniff Graduate School will also serve. If a College of Business student is being considered, the process will be carried out by the College of Business Academic Review Board.

The College of Business Academic Review Board: Academic or disciplinary matters concerning College of Business students are referred to the College of Business Academic Review Board, consisting of three full-time College of Business faculty members appointed by the President from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate.

Committee on Student Discipline

The Committee on Student Discipline is concerned with violations of non-academic discipline. To this committee alone belongs the right to recommend to the President more severe penalties such as suspension, withdrawal, or dismissal.

This committee consists of five members: Registrar, two faculty representatives appointed by the President from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate, and two student representatives appointed by the executive committee of Student Government.

Committee on Counseling for Post-Graduate Studies

The Committee on Counseling for Post-Graduate Studies encourages students toward graduate work or professional studies in their chosen fields. The committee shall attempt to assist students in securing opportunities for graduate studies.

The committee consists of three faculty members appointed by the Provost. The chair of the committee is designated by the Provost.

Teacher Education Committee

The Teacher Education Committee has the responsibility of ensuring that the preparation of teachers for elementary and secondary schools remains a responsibility of the Constantin College of Liberal Arts as a whole. It shall strive to see that the duties of the Department of Education are understood and shared proportionately by all academic departments which offer courses applicable to teacher certification.

The Teacher Education Committee is composed of the chair of the Department of Education, who serves as chair of this committee, the Dean of Constantin College or his designee, the Coordinator of Directed Teaching, the University's Certification Officer, one representative, usually the chair, from every department that is approved for certification of teachers, and a representative of the Department of Psychology.

The Teacher Education Committee meets at least once each semester at the call of the chair of the committee.

Athletics, Sports and Recreation Committee

The Athletics, Sports and Recreation Committee shall advise the Director of Athletics, Sports and Recreation on the department's programs, policies and procedures as related to the goals of the University, National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III. The Committee also serves as an agency of communication in departmental matters affecting students, faculty, staff and the community.

Membership of the Athletics, Sports and Recreation Committee includes: the Faculty Athletic Representative, the Dean of Students, and the Director of Athletics, Sports and Recreation. Two faculty representatives (one being the Faculty Athletic Representative for NAIA) are appointed to the Committee by the President from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate. Two student members are appointed to this Committee: one of whom will be an undergraduate student appointed by the Executive Committee of Student Government and one of whom will be a graduate student appointed by the Dean of College of Business, in consultation with the Braniff Graduate Dean. One community representative is appointed to this Committee by the President. The Director of Athletics, Sports and Recreation will serve as chair.

The Athletics, Sports and Recreation Committee meets at least once each semester at the call of the chair of the Committee.

University Benefits Committee

The University Benefits Committee reviews the University’s faculty benefit package annually. Members of the committee seek to learn the faculty preferences when issues affecting the mix and type of benefits received arise, and to advise the administration of these findings. The committee also hears and advises the administration on proposed changes in benefit coverage or in contracted providers, both from the perspective of cost spreading and the impact on faculty members and their families who have established relationships with care providers.

The Committee is chaired by the Director of Human Resources. The President of the University appoints four faculty members from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate, at least one of whom must be from the College of Business, to serve on this committee.

Committee Liaisons

The following university committees will appoint a committee member to meet in liaison with a student representative appointed by the Student Government assembly: Faculty Senate, University Council, Constantin Curriculum Committee, Admissions Committee, Council of Deans and Chairs and the Library Committee. The purpose of the liaison is to improve communications and to inform Student Government of the deliberations and actions taken by various committees.

Copyright and Intellectual Property Committee

The Copyright and Intellectual Property Committee addresses questions and disputes regarding copyright and intellectual property. The Committee also hears and advises the administration on proposed additions to or changes in the copyright and intellectual property policy. The duties of the committee include, but are not limited to, working with the Copy Center to help provide faculty and students with the means to respect the copyright of others, creating and maintaining materials to educate faculty and students on the use of copyrighted material, informing faculty and students of changes in copyright and intellectual property legislation.

The President of the University appoints three faculty members from a list of nominees provided by the Faculty Senate. Appointments to the committee are on a two-year rotating basis with at least one member serving as a carry-over from the previous year.