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College of Liberal Arts Constitution & Bylaws

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Preamble

The College of Liberal Arts of the University of Minnesota is dedicated to education in the liberal tradition that fosters enriched, productive, and satisfying lives and is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

The purpose of the College of Liberal Arts is to advance a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and engaged society through its three-fold mission: to create new knowledge and artistic expression and develop the next generation of scholars; to educate graduate and undergraduate students and prepare them for a productive life of intellectual curiosity, cultural appreciation, and continuous learning; and to engage with our community to achieve the land grant promise of a university in service to the community.

The core values of the College of Liberal Arts include freedom of thought and expression; respect, diversity, and social justice; excellence in all we do; and efficiency and adaptability in the achievement of our mission.

Article I. General Powers

Section 1. Distribution of Powers

All matters relating to the educational and administrative affairs of the College of Liberal Arts are committed to the dean, the CLA Assembly, and the college faculty, as delegated by the Board of Regents and in accordance with the constitution of the University Senate, and consistent with actions of these bodies heretofore or hereafter taken. Policies and procedures of the college shall be consistent with those set out by the Board of Regents, the University Senate, and others who are constitutionally authorized to set university policy.

This constitution is not part of the employment contract between the University and its employees. It does not establish terms and conditions of employment.

Article II. Members of the College

Section 1. The Faculty

  1. The regular faculty of the college shall consist of all faculty who hold regular faculty appointments in the college as defined by Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure.
  2. The affiliated regular faculty shall consist of all faculty who hold regular faculty appointments in administrative units outside the college that offer academic programs leading to degrees within the college.
  3. The associate faculty of the college shall consist of all other non-student employees of the college with an appointment of 50% time or greater whose primary work responsibility is instruction or research including term faculty, instructors, lecturers, teaching specialists, and research associates.
  4. The supplementary faculty of the college shall consist of all other non-student employees of the college with an appointment of less than 50% time whose primary work responsibility is instruction or research including term faculty, instructors, lecturers, teaching specialists, and research associates.
  5. The combined faculty of the college shall comprise all regular, affiliated regular, associate, and supplementary faculty.
  6. The regular faculty of the college shall hold primary responsibility for governance of the college.

Section 2. The Students

Undergraduate students of the college shall consist of all students currently registered at the University who have been admitted to the college as undergraduates or who have declared an undergraduate major administered by the college. Graduate students of the college shall consist of all registered students at the University who have been admitted to a graduate degree program administered by the college.

Section 3. The Staff

The staff of the college shall consist of all employees of the college who are not students or members of the faculty as defined above. Staff of the college includes labor-represented, civil service, and academic professional and administrative positions.

Article III. Dean of the College

Section 1. Appointment

  1. The dean of the college shall be appointed by the Executive Vice President and Provost and shall serve at the pleasure of that officer.
  2. When a vacancy occurs, the Executive Committee of the college shall be a sanctioned, but non-exclusive, conduit for the college to provide information to the Executive Vice President and Provost. The Executive Committee should provide recommendations on search process, a slate of recommended candidates for the search committee, and feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of final candidates for the deanship. The recommendations sent forward shall include a majority of regular faculty members of the college, but shall also include undergraduate students, graduate students, academic professional and administrative staff members, and civil service/labor represented staff members.

Section 2. No Confidence

The chair of the CLA Assembly shall send a resolution of No Confidence in the Dean to the Executive Vice President and Provost following:

  1. Passage of a motion of No Confidence in the Dean by 60% of the members present of a quorum of the CLA Assembly, followed by;
  2. Passage of a vote of No Confidence in the Dean by an absolute majority of the regular faculty of the college.

Section 3. Duties and Authority

  1. The dean is the chief academic and executive officer of the college and shall have general academic and administrative authority over college affairs. Duties of the dean include developing a vision for the college, setting academic priorities, crafting a budget to support realization of the vision and priorities, representing the college to other communities within and external to the university, supporting and inspiring members of the college in pursuit of the goals and mission of the college, garnering internal and external support for the college, and building a community with alumni, donors, and leaders and partners outside the university. Duties also include oversight of administrative operations of the college as well as review of the programs and units of the college.
  2. The dean shall have final authority to make recommendations on behalf of the college to the Executive Vice President and Provost on all faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure, and on the budget.
  3. In general policy matters, the dean shall consult with the Executive Committee, the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising, and the Council of Chairs, and/or the CLA Assembly. Any of these groups may initiate meetings with the dean.

Article IV. Constituents of the College

Section 1. Academic Programs

  1. An academic program is a course of study leading to a major, a minor, or a certificate. Academic programs are not freestanding and shall always be affiliated with another constituent of the college, typically a department or school.
  2. The membership of an academic program shall be a director of graduate or undergraduate studies together with the regular faculty who teach or advise within the academic program. Membership also includes other faculty, staff, and students as the program may designate with approval of the dean. Directors of Graduate Studies are appointed by the dean upon recommendation of the faculty of the program. Directors of Undergraduate Studies are selected according to the constitution of the academic program or hosting department or school.
  3. The membership of an academic program is responsible for the delivery, revision, and management of the program subject to other policies of the college.

Section 2. Departments and Schools

  1. Departments and schools are administrative budgetary subdivisions within the college that have regular faculty on their budget, serve as tenure decision units (7.12 units), offer academic programs that lead to undergraduate or graduate majors, encourage and support the research, scholarship, or artistic practice of their faculty, and provide service, outreach, and engagement to the broader community.
  2. A department or school shall consist of a chair or director and all members of the regular faculty with budget or tenure affiliation with the department. Membership also includes other full-time or part-time faculty, staff, and students as the department or school may designate in accordance with its constitution and with the approval of the dean.
  3. The dean shall appoint regular faculty as chairs or directors of departments and schools; the term is normally three years, and chairs and directors are eligible for additional terms. Following consultation with the regular faculty of a department or school, the dean may terminate the administrative appointment of a chair or director prior to completion of the term of the appointment. In the case that the chair/director is not a member of the regular faculty of the department/school, the chair/director shall have full voting rights in the department/school.
  4. Each department or school shall adopt a written constitution that is not in conflict with college or University policy and shall send it to the dean. The constitution shall indicate the policies and procedures under which the unit operates including, in particular, grievance procedures that conform to university policies.
  5. Each department or school shall hold at least one meeting in every academic term for the consideration of matters concerning department or school policy, recommendations concerning the appointment of new members and conduct the business of the academic programs affiliated with the department or school.
  6. Should a department or school prove unable to govern itself or to manage its affairs, the dean may resort to the extraordinary remedy of taking it into receivership; that is, to appoint temporary additional faculty members or a chair or both from outside the department for the purpose of restoring order. Such appointments shall be for no longer than two years. Appointees shall have full voting rights, including the right to vote on matters of educational policy, promotion, and tenure.

    Before taking such action the dean shall consult with the CLA Executive Committee and proceed according to any applicable University policy. Throughout any implementation of the receivership process the dean and provost shall protect the tenure rights of faculty members according to the regulations on faculty tenure.

    This policy shall not bear on the process of ordinary appointment of department chairs or faculty members, nor shall it be used to eliminate departments or to make other changes in academic organization.

Section 3. Institutes

  1. An institute is an administrative structure that provides an umbrella organization to combine various activities found in academic programs, departments, collegiate research centers, and support units. An institute has no regular faculty of its own and is not a 7.12 unit.
  2. An institute shall consist of a director and all regular faculty affiliated with its academic programs and centers together will other faculty, staff, and students as the institute may designate with the approval of the dean.
  3. The dean shall appoint directors of institutes to three-year terms; directors are eligible for additional terms. Following consultation with the membership of the institute, the dean may terminate the administrative appointment of an institute director prior to completion of the term of appointment.
  4. Every institute shall adopt a written constitution that is not in conflict with college or University policy and shall send it to the dean. The constitution shall indicate the policies and procedures under which the unit operates including, in particular, grievance procedures that conform to University policy.
  5. Should an institute prove unable to govern itself or to manage its affairs the dean may resort to the extraordinary remedy of taking it into receivership; that is, to appoint temporary additional faculty members or a chair or both from outside the institute for the purpose of restoring order. Such appointments shall be for no longer than two years. Appointees shall have full voting rights.

    Before taking such action the dean shall consult with the CLA Executive Committee and proceed according to any applicable University policy.

Section 4. Collegiate Research Centers

  1. Collegiate research centers are formal, organized units that contribute to the mission of the college by facilitating interdisciplinary research or scholarship that cannot be adequately supported by departmental structures. Centers are not tenure (7.12) units, and faculty may hold only administrative appointments within a center. Centers shall not offer courses, but centers may administratively host academic programs.
  2. A research center shall consist of a director and additional membership as prescribed by the constitution of the center.
  3. The dean shall appoint directors of centers to three-year terms; directors are eligible for additional terms. Following consultation with the membership of the center, the dean may terminate the administrative appointment of a center director prior to completion of the term of appointment.
  4. Every center shall adopt a written constitution that is not in conflict with college or University policy and shall send it to the dean. The constitution shall indicate the policies and procedures under which the unit operates including, in particular, grievance procedures that conform to university policy.

Section 5. Support Units

Support units within the college exist to enable and enhance the missions of the programs, departments, schools, centers, and institutes of the college via the provision of fiscal, technical, administrative, human resources, communication, programmatic, infrastructure, and other services. Support units shall be created, discontinued, configured, staffed, and managed at the pleasure of the dean.

Section 6. Programmatic Change

Programmatic change is the creation, discontinuation, renaming, or merger of academic programs, departments, schools, or institutes and is done by action of the Board of Regents. Proposals for programmatic change may originate with the regular faculty or the dean. The dean shall propose such actions to the Executive Vice President and Provost only following consultation with the groups directly affected; receipt of the recommendation of the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising; and receipt of the recommendation of the Assembly. The dean’s proposal to the provost shall include the outcomes of the consultation and recommendations. Budgetary decisions with consequences that would necessitate programmatic change shall also be subject to the same consultative process.

Creation, discontinuation, renaming, or merger of collegiate research centers or support units is done administratively by action of the dean. The dean shall consult with the groups directly affected and the CLA Executive Committee prior to taking these actions.

Article V. The CLA Assembly

Section 1. Definition and Function

The CLA Assembly shall be the policy-making and legislative body of the College of Liberal Arts, and a forum for its members to discuss important college-wide issues.

Section 2. Membership

  1. Faculty
    1. The regular faculty of the college as defined in Article II Section 1.a shall be eligible for election to the Assembly and shall be eligible to elect members of the Assembly.
    2. The size of the elected faculty membership of the CLA Assembly shall be determined by dividing by twelve the number of eligible voters in units that are administratively in CLA.
    3. The faculty members of the CLA Assembly shall include at least six untenured faculty. If necessary to assure such minimum representation, the CLA Executive Committee shall appoint additional members for one-year terms. The faculty members of the CLA Assembly shall include at least one member from each department or school, and if necessary to ensure such minimum representation, the CLA Executive Committee shall appoint additional members for two-year terms drawn from the list of nominees to the Assembly.
    4. Elections shall be for two-year staggered terms. Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms; after two years of not serving, they are again eligible.
    5. A faculty member elected to the Assembly will be removed from the membership and replaced in either of the following circumstances: (1) the faculty member fails to attend two successive meetings without being replaced by a substitute (see section 4b below), or (2) the faculty member becomes permanently unable to serve because of changed circumstances (e.g., schedule conflicts, leaves of absence, etc.). In such cases, the chair/head of the faculty member’s department or school will be asked to appoint a replacement from that unit.
  2. Students.

    There shall be eight undergraduate student members, selected by the CLA Student Board from among currently registered students. Undergraduate student members shall serve for one-year terms. There shall be three currently registered CLA graduate student members, selected by the Council of Graduate Students or, in the absence of such selections, appointed by the dean. Graduate student members shall serve for two-year staggered terms.

  3. Administration

    The dean and any associate deans of the college shall be ex-officio voting members. They may not, however, be elected under Section 2a.

    The chair of the Council of Chairs shall be an ex-officio voting member.

  4. Civil Service/Labor Represented

    Two civil service/labor represented members shall be selected annually by the dean, in consultation with the Staff Council. Members may be reselected to a second term. Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms; after two years of not serving, they are eligible again.

  5. Non-Instructional Academic Professional/Administrative

    Two academic professional/administrative staff members whose responsibilities do not focus on teaching or research shall be selected annually by the Professional/Administrative Board. Members may be reselected for a second term. Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms; after two years of not serving, they are eligible again.

  6. Instructional Academic Professional/Administrative and Contract Faculty

    Five academic staff members who (1) hold full-time1 appointments as academic professionals, (2) have responsibilities with a primary focus on teaching or research, and (3) have completed five years of service in the College of Liberal Arts shall be selected annually by the Professional/Administrative Board and/or another body designated by the dean. Members may be reselected for a second term. Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms; after two years of not serving, they are eligible again.

  7. Two members of the CLA Indigenous Staff and Staff of Color Community (CLA-ISSCC) shall be selected annually by the members of CLA-ISSCC. Members may be reselected for a second term. Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms; after two years of not serving, they are eligible again.

Section 3. Officers

The officers of the CLA Assembly are a chair, a vice chair and a parliamentarian who shall advise the Assembly on procedural matters. The vice chair will preside in the absence of the chair or when the chair takes the floor and will become chair of the Assembly when the chair is vacant due to inability to serve. The term of the chair is one year. The term of the vice chair is one year, after which the vice chair will become chair of the Assembly. The parliamentarian may be reappointed. A member may serve as chair for longer than one year if the member served a partial term as chair prior to the normal term.

  1. At its organizational meeting each spring (see section 4c), the CLA Assembly shall elect from its membership a faculty member to serve as vice chair. The current Executive Committee shall present to the new Assembly a slate of at least two faculty members willing to serve in this capacity. Members of the Assembly may nominate additional persons from the floor. The new chair shall appoint the parliamentarian.

    Should the vice-chair position become vacated, the Executive Committee will nominate a replacement vice-chair. Members of the Assembly may make additional nominations from the floor prior to Assembly vote on the replacement officer.

Section 4. Meetings

  1. The Assembly shall meet at least twice in each semester. Meetings will be called by the Assembly chair at the direction of the Executive Committee or by petition of any ten members of the Assembly presented to the secretary. A secretary, an assembly member or CLA staff member appointed by the Chair, shall keep full minutes of meetings.
  2. Faculty, student members, civil service/bargaining unit members, and academic professional/administrative and contract faculty members may designate a substitute for a given meeting from their constituency by informing the secretary prior to the meeting. Faculty members may also request the secretary to designate a substitute from the faculty alternates list.
  3. The final Assembly meeting of spring semester will be attended by both the current members and the members elected to serve the following academic year. In the first part of the meeting, current members will attend to any remaining business. In the second part of the meeting, members who are rotating off the Assembly will be excused, and the new and continuing members of the Assembly for the following academic year will elect the vice chair for the following academic year and act on nominations for the CLA Executive Committee and the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising.

Section 5. Quorum and Rules

One-half of the members of the Assembly shall constitute a quorum. The Assembly shall make its own rules of procedure. In any case to which no explicit rule applies, or when applicability of rules is in doubt, Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern.

Section 6. Authority and Responsibility

The CLA Assembly shall have general legislative authority over educational matters affecting the college as a whole, including the power and responsibility to:

  1. Serve as a forum for opinions of faculty, students, staff and administration to discuss important college-wide issues.
  2. Make provisions, rules, and regulations necessary for the governance of the college.
  3. Receive, discuss, and act upon reports or recommendations submitted to it by the Executive Committee or by the dean.
  4. Request from any college committee or the dean reports or recommendations affecting administrative or educational policy.
  5. Receive, discuss, and vote upon any proposals for programmatic change, in accordance with Article IV, Section 6. Recommendation of the Assembly shall be by majority vote of those attending providing a quorum is present.
  6. Make bylaws for the implementation of this constitution.
  7. Communicate resolutions and recommendations to the dean through the Executive Committee, and to CLA’s University Senate representatives through the distribution of the Assembly minutes.
  8. Elect at its organizational meeting in the spring semester members of the Executive Committee and the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising for staggered three-year terms as described in Article VII. Members for these committees shall be nominated by the dean consulting with the current Executive Committee. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. Members elected to these committees shall complete their terms even if their Assembly membership expires.

Section 7. Participation and Voting

All members of the faculty of the college, students, civil service/bargaining unit and academic professional/administrative staff and college committees have the right to attend meetings and, with Assembly permission, to be recognized by the chair and to speak, to make motions from the floor, and otherwise to participate in any meeting of the CLA Assembly, except that only members of the Assembly shall vote. All participants in Assembly meetings must act in accordance with the bylaws of the Assembly.

Article VI. Other Representative Bodies

Section 1. CLA Student Board

Without in any way limiting access to the administration and faculty for any individual student or student group, the CLA Student Board shall be considered the official channel whereby recommendations from the CLA undergraduate student body as a whole are brought to the college. The board shall be the principal instrument for achieving participation of students in the affairs of the college, and shall nominate undergraduate student representatives to all appropriate committees of the college.

Section 2. Council of Graduate Students

The Council of Graduate Students serves as an organization for all University graduate students including those in the College of Liberal Arts. The council shall be the principal instrument for achieving participation of graduate students in the affairs of the college, and is charged with nominating their representatives to all appropriate committees of the college.

Section 3. Staff Council

The CLA dean shall establish a Civil Service and Labor Represented Staff Council to serve as a conduit for information flow from dispersed administrative staff to collegiate governance. The Staff Council shall be the principal instrument for achieving participation of civil service/labor represented personnel in the affairs of the college, and is charged with nominating their representatives to all appropriate committees of the college.

Section 4. CLA Academic Professional/Administrative Board

The CLA Academic Professional/Administrative Board serves as an organization of all such employees in the College of Liberal Arts who do not also hold regular faculty appointments. The association shall be the principal instrument for achieving participation for such academic professional and administrative staff in the affairs of the college, and is charged with nominating their representatives to all appropriate committees of the college.

Section 5. CLA Indigenous Staff and Staff of Color Community.

The CLA Indigenous Staff and Staff of Color Community (CLA-ISSCC) shall be considered an official channel whereby principles of equity and social justice concerning Indigenous staff and staff of color, representing the multiple identities, values, perspectives, knowledge and belief systems, and cultural practices of diverse individuals and communities, are brought to the college. The Community shall be a key instrument for achieving participation for Indigenous staff and staff of color in the affairs of the college, and is charged with nominating their representatives to all appropriate committees of the college.

Article VII. Committees of the College

Section 1. The Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the dean of the college, the chair of the Assembly, the vice chair of the Assembly, the chair of the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising, and the chair of the Council of Chairs, the vice chair of the Council of Chairs, and two faculty members of the college, preferably members of the CLA Assembly, with budgetary expertise and/or training, who shall be nominated by the dean, consulting with the Executive Committee, and approved by the Assembly. Faculty members will serve staggered three-year terms. The dean may appoint ad hoc faculty members for one-year appointments to assist with priorities that require additional effort and expertise. The Chief Financial Officer shall serve as ex-officio member. The chair of the Assembly will serve as chair of the Executive Committee.
  2. The Executive Committee shall meet monthly, or upon request for a special meeting, to discuss business of the college.
  3. The Executive Committee shall discuss business of the college, and provide advice and recommendations to the dean regarding strategic plans, the college’s budget, formation of ad hoc committees, the financial implications of new and existing programs and curricula, or for substantial changes in existing programs and curricula. The Executive Committee shall advise at the request of the dean on other business as needed. The Executive Committee shall report regularly to the CLA Assembly on the business of the college, including budgetary issues.
  4. The Executive Committee shall determine an agenda for each CLA Assembly meeting including any reports from the dean and shall publish it to all members of the Assembly well in advance, together with any relevant documents.
  5. The Executive Committee shall receive the reports and minutes of the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising, and the Council of Chairs. These committees, any other college committees, and any individual faculty, staff member, or student may request the Executive Committee to place items on the agenda of the Assembly.
  6. In the event faculty vacancies occur for reasons other than the expiration of a term of membership on the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising, the dean, in consultation with the chair of the current Executive Committee, shall name faculty members who are members of the CLA Assembly to complete terms on the respective committees.

Section 2. Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising

  1. The committee shall propose to the CLA Assembly curricular, instructional, and advising policies of college-wide significance, new degree requirements, and revision of existing academic programs. Academic programs may make minor modifications in existing requirements for the major or minor, provided such changes are approved by the appropriate college officer, who may instead refer the proposal to the committee.

    The committee shall discuss and vote upon all proposals for programmatic change. All proposals originating with the dean, and all proposals originating with the faculty and approved by the committee, shall be forwarded along with committee recommendations to the Assembly for consideration.

    The committee shall receive reports from the Course Review Committee, and any other committee of the college, on any matter that requires further consideration as policy.

    The committee shall identify and refer to the dean for budgetary consideration any curricular or instructional proposals that have significant financial implications. To that end, this committee shall receive regularly the agenda for and minutes of the Course Review Committee.

  2. Consulting with the chair of the current Executive Committee, the dean shall nominate twelve regular faculty members to serve on the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising, at least three of these being current directors of graduate or undergraduate studies.

    The faculty nominees shall be selected from members of the Assembly unless capable candidates are not available. Those names shall be presented to the organizational spring meeting of the new Assembly for its approval. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.

  3. Faculty members shall serve staggered three-year terms.
  4. The committee shall select its own chair.
  5. The dean or a dean's designate, the directors of Student Services, and the chair of the Student Academic Affairs Committee shall serve as ex-officio members.
  6. Two undergraduate students selected by the CLA Student Board, one graduate student selected by the Council of Graduate Students, one civil service/bargaining unit employee selected by the Staff Council, and one P/A employee selected by the Professional/Administrative Board shall be members of the committee.

Section 3. Promotion and Tenure Review Committee

  1. The Promotion and Tenure Review Committee shall consist of regular faculty members of the college at the rank of professor and be appointed by the dean.
  2. The committee shall advise the dean on all recommendations concerning promotion and tenure.
  3. The dean shall appoint the chair of the committee.

Section 4. Scholastic Standing Committee

The Scholastic Standing Committee shall administer and interpret faculty regulations concerning admissions, advanced standing, probation, suspension, graduation, registration, grading, attendance, and related matters. It may interpret a regulation broadly if the spirit of the regulation is satisfied and the effect is to the student's educational advantage or prevents undue hardship.

Section 5. Scholastic Appeals Committee

The Scholastic Appeals Committee shall act on individual student requests and deal with situations in which the request cannot be handled in the student's college office or in which the student is appealing a decision of another college representative a Scholastic Appeals Committee representative or a senior representative.

Section 6. Scholastic Conduct Committee

The Scholastic Conduct Committee is responsible for acting on cases of alleged student scholastic dishonesty involving students, faculty, and staff within the functional units of the college. The committee shall keep the faculty, staff, and students apprised of its existence and procedures for dealing with student scholastic misconduct and shall act in accordance with University policies and procedures covering student scholastic misconduct.

Section 7. Course Review Committee

  1. The Course Review Committee shall consist of eight faculty members appointed by the dean, two undergraduate students selected by the CLA Student Board, two graduate students selected by the Council of Graduate Students, and one academic professional/administrative member who does not hold a faculty appointment selected by the CLA Academic Professional/Administrative Staff Association from among those of its members whose primary responsibility is to advise undergraduate students.
  2. The committee shall select its own chair.
  3. The committee shall review and approve proposals for courses to be added to the curriculum, major changes to existing courses, and policies governing transfer of credit. The committee shall identify and refer to the dean course proposals with significant financial or policy implications. Departments and other units may make minor modifications in existing courses, provided such changes are approved by the appropriate college officer. If the college officer believes, however, that a proposed change requires committee consideration, it shall be referred to the committee.
  4. The committee shall circulate proposed courses and major changes to existing courses to all chairs and directors of academic departments, programs, and schools, to the deans of the college, and to the chair of the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising.

Section 8. Special and Ad Hoc Committees

  1. The CLA Assembly or the dean may create such special or ad hoc college committees as are considered necessary for achieving the objectives of the college.
  2. Any council or committee of the college may create subcommittees in order to accomplish its work.
  3. Except in cases in which membership is specified in the establishment of the committee as ex-officio, by election, or by approval of a specified authority, all members of committees whose functions or purposes are essentially college-wide shall be appointed by the dean. Membership in the college shall not be prerequisite to such appointment, and the dean may select members from appropriate constituencies.

Article VIII. Council of Chairs and Directors of Academic Departments, and Schools

Section 1.

The Council of Chairs and Directors of Departments, and Schools shall consist of the chairs and directors of those academic departments, programs and schools that include budgeted or tenured faculty. Each spring semester, the council shall elect one of its members as its chair. The chair shall serve on the Executive Committee for a year beginning the sixteenth of August.

Section 2.

The council shall meet regularly with the dean to discuss collegiate actions that significantly affect the missions of the departments, programs and schools.

Section 3.

The chair of the council shall set its agenda and shall seek the advice of both the dean and its members to that end.

Article IX. Senate Representation

The University Senate comprises the Faculty, Student, Civil Service, and Professional Academic and Administrative Senates together with certain University officers and committee members. By-laws of the Faculty, Student, and P&A Senates require that the college elect representatives to those bodies. The Constitutions of the University Senate and its component senates specify (a) who shall be eligible for election to each body, (b) the number of senate members each college, school or other unit may elect, and (c) who shall be eligible for reelection.

Elections shall be carried out each spring in compliance with the constitutions and bylaws of the various senates and using the procedures described in the Bylaws of this constitution.

Article X. Amendments, Interpretations, Implementation

Section 1. Amendments

The constitution of the college may be amended by a two-thirds majority of voting members present at a meeting of the CLA Assembly. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee, the Committee for Curriculum, Instruction, and Advising, the CLA Student Board or the Council of Graduate Students, the CLA Staff Council or the Academic Professional/Administrative Staff Association, the CLA Indigenous Staff and Staff of Color Community, or by petition of any ten Assembly members or any twenty-five members of the faculty, or other constituency listed above. Notice of proposed amendments shall be given in writing to all members of the Assembly and circulated widely at least thirty days before the CLA Assembly is to act on them. Notice of CLA Assembly meetings at which proposed amendments are to be voted on shall be given to all members of the Assembly and circulated widely at least ten days in advance of such meetings.

Adoption of this constitution and any amendments approved by the Assembly requires approval of the dean, who shall forward them to the Executive Vice President and Provost for approval.

Section 2. Interpretation

Final authority to interpret this constitution shall reside in the CLA Assembly.

Section 3. Implementation

This constitution and any subsequent amendments shall become effective upon its adoption by the faculty of the college through its Assembly, approval by the dean, and approval by the Executive Vice President and Provost. All committees, provisions, rules, and regulations in existence at the time this constitution becomes effective, and not in violation of its provisions, shall continue until modified in accordance with provisions and procedures established herein.

Bylaws

Article I. General Rules for Committees and Councils of the College of Liberal Arts

  1. All College of Liberal Arts committee meetings shall be open to members of the constituencies involved in their deliberations. Any committee may go into executive session upon a majority vote of its members, if in accordance with the law.
  2. Terms as used in council and committee appointments and elections shall run from August 16 through August 15.
  3. Ex-officio members shall have all the privileges of membership except that of voting, unless otherwise specified in the article constituting the committee or council.
  4. In all council, committee, and other meetings in the College of Liberal Arts, the motion to table shall be debatable.
  5. One-half of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for all College of Liberal Arts committees and councils.
  6. All committees of the college shall keep minutes of their meetings and proceedings and shall send copies of such to the dean. The dean shall keep such minutes on file and make them publicly available except as prescribed by law.

Article II. Adoption of Bylaws

  1. Amendments, additions, and deletions of these by-laws shall be adopted by a simple majority of the vote of the Assembly.
  2. Proposed changes in bylaws must be submitted in writing to Assembly members at least ten days prior to the meeting at which a vote on such changes is to be taken.

Article III. On Filling Vacant Senate Positions

A senator whose term will be terminated or interrupted for one semester or longer shall notify the dean. A substitute shall be provided according to the procedure specified in Bylaws Article VI, Section 4. The substitute senator shall serve during the time the regular senator is unavailable.

Article IV. General Rules for Operations of Departments, Schools, Centers, and Institutes

  1. In the course of selecting a new chair or director, the dean may request nominations from the unit concerned and may consult, collectively or individually or both, with members of the unit; the dean may also appoint advisory committees that include the appropriate associate deans and representatives of related departments or schools.
  2. Agendas for unit meetings shall be communicated in advance to faculty of the unit and to representatives to such meetings from other constituencies within the unit, and at all meetings minutes shall be kept which may be examined at any time by members of the unit and which shall be sent to the dean.
  3. Recommendations on matters of general concern regarding unit budgets shall be made to the dean by the chair or director of the unit after consultation with members of the unit. Recommendations by chairs and directors concerning the rank, tenure and salary of individual faculty members of departments and schools shall be made to the dean after consultation with eligible faculty according to the unit’s written procedures. Recommendations concerning the salary and appointment terms of academic professional/administrative staff shall also be made to the dean following appropriate consultation. The results of such consultations shall be recorded in the recommendations made to the dean.
  4. Each department and school shall devise methods of ascertaining and reporting to the faculty the views of students majoring or taking work in their units concerning the performance of individual faculty members. Such procedure should, whenever possible, use the participation of appropriate student organizations in gathering student views.

Article V. Election of Faculty to the CLA Assembly

  1. Annually, early in the spring semester, the dean shall request nominations for the CLA Assembly from all departments, schools, or units that are administratively within the College of Liberal Arts. The dean shall inform each unit of the maximum number of nominations it may make according to the formula of one nominee for each unit and one additional nominee for each ten faculty members of a unit. Additional nominations shall also be possible by petition of ten eligible voters.
  2. Election to the CLA Assembly shall be by secret ballot, under the Hare method. A member in more than one unit may vote only once.

Article VI. Election to the University Senate

  1. Information regarding open seats and voting eligibility shall be transmitted annually in the spring semester by the dean, to all departments, schools, and other units administratively within the College of Liberal Arts. The dean shall then request nominations for the senate from each eligible unit of the college.
  2. Each department, school or other unit administratively within the college may nominate as many candidates for the senate as it may nominate for the CLA Assembly. The dean shall annually inform each eligible unit of the number of nominations it may make, and the departments, schools, and other units shall submit their slates of nominations to the dean. Nothing shall prohibit any eligible unit from nominating faculty members from units of the college other than itself or from the list of academic staff members not regularly attached to an existing faculty who vote with and may serve as representatives of the College of Liberal Arts. Additional persons may be nominated on petition to the secretary of the CLA Assembly signed by fifteen members of the faculty of the eligible units of the college.
  3. A senator may designate to serve in their place and stead any member of the college faculty and/or staff eligible to vote for senators, upon presentation of a written notice to the clerk of the senate prior to the commencement of any senate meeting. No alternate may substitute for more than one senator at any given meeting of the senate. If a senator's term is terminated or interrupted for a period of one semester or longer, the position shall be filled in accordance with the procedures specified under Section 4.
  4. Election to the senate shall be by secret ballot, under the Hare method. The ballots shall be prepared in the office of the dean and, after the faculty has voted, shall be returned there. Ballots shall be counted by the secretary of the Assembly and two additional faculty members designated by the dean. The results of the election shall be reported to the faculty and the clerk of the senate. The candidates who would be next in line for senate seats shall be recorded so that alternates can be named in case members become unavailable for one semester or longer.

Endnotes

1For the purposes of this constitution, the bylaws, and the rules, “full-time appointments” are defined as requiring at least 67% time.

Adopted on
Date Revised