School of Dentistry Constitution

School Mission

The mission of the School of Dentistry is to advance health through scientific discovery, innovative education, and the highest-quality care for all communities.

Preamble

The School of Dentistry is committed to educate students, to advance the frontiers of knowledge, to pursue academic excellence, and to serve the profession and the people of the State. In order to accomplish these goals, this constitution establishes a framework for communication and collaboration among faculty members, students, administrators, and staff. This document defines the roles, responsibilities, and organization of these various parties. This constitution stands independent of any employment contract with the University and thus does not set forth terms or conditions of employment.

Article 1. General Powers

Section 1. Distribution of Powers Delegated by Regents

The School of Dentistry shall exercise the powers delegated to it by the Board of Regents in accordance with the constitution of the University Senate and consistent with the actions of these bodies taken heretofore and hereafter.

Article II. Dean of the School

Section 1. Appointment, Authority, and Responsibility

The Dean shall be appointed by the Executive Vice President and Provost, upon approval by the Board of Regents. The Dean shall exercise general administrative authority over the affairs of the School and represent the School in the administrative and planning matters of the University. The Dean shall provide leadership in formulating general administrative and educational policies, improving and strengthening the School's departments, divisions, and programs. The Dean shall provide leadership in the following areas:

1. Interpretation of programs to the University, the community, professional organizations, and other agencies concerned with dental care;
2. Scholarship;
3. Continuing education;
4. Faculty development;
5. Establishment and maintenance of a responsive administrative structure;
6. Periodic reviews of Administrative Directors, Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, and Department Chairpersons in a form and manner consistent with University policy regarding evaluation of administrative appointments; and
   1. The Dean shall have final authority and responsibility on all matters related to administrative policy making, budget, space, and personnel and shall consult with the Faculty Consultative Committee, appropriate Deans, directors, department chairs, and other appropriate individuals on budgetary matters prior to making budgetary and space recommendations to the President or the President's designee.
   2. The Dean or the Dean's designee shall communicate and transact official business of the School of Dentistry with other University authorities.
   3. Where action of the Board of Regents is requested or required, the Dean shall make such recommendations as are necessary to the Executive Vice President and Provost. Such recommendations shall include but shall not be limited to appointment, promotion, tenure, and salary of all faculty members, and the appointment of assistant Deans, associate Deans, administrative directors, and departmental chairpersons, following duly constituted consultative procedures in the School of Dentistry and University.
   4. The Dean shall conduct a periodic review of the School of Dentistry and each of its departments and programs; the frequency of such reviews shall be in accordance with University policy regarding review of schools and academic units/programs. A summary of each review shall be forwarded to the department/program, and the Executive Vice President and Provost.
   5. The Dean shall report at least once per year to the assembled faculty on the state of the School of Dentistry. This report should include details of the accomplishments during the past year, direction and future goals, and budgetary status.

Article III. Faculty

Section 1.  Membership

1. The faculty of the School of Dentistry shall be composed of a voting faculty and a nonvoting faculty.
2. The voting faculty of the School of Dentistry shall be all faculty (75 percent or more continuous appointment time) holding appointments as Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, or Regents Professor, and persons with other appointments whose job description requires and department chairperson verifies to the Faculty Consultative Committee, at least two of the three traditional domains of professional responsibility in the School of Dentistry: teaching, research, and service. The Faculty Consultative Committee shall maintain a list of voting faculty for the Council of Faculty.

Section 2.  Academic Freedom, Faculty Rights, Privileges, Responsibilities, and Grievances

1. The School of Dentistry shall resolve grievances brought by faculty, staff, or students in accordance with the University-wide Grievance Rules or other applicable current University grievance policies.
2. The faculty of the School of Dentistry shall be governed by the policies (and constitution where applicable) of the Regents, the Senate (The Twin Cities Campus Assembly), the University’s Central Administration and by the University’s Regulations Concerning Faculty Tenure, in all matters addressed by those documents or policies which are in effect at the time of the adoption or amendment of this constitution or as such documents or policies may be subsequently amended including, but not limited to, policies and procedures on academic freedom and responsibility, on sexual harassment, and on implementation of the faculty tenure regulations.

Section 3.  Council of Faculty

The Council of Faculty shall consist of all faculty as defined in Section 1, and such other members of the Council as determined in accordance with the Bylaws of the School of Dentistry.

Powers and Duties.  The Council of Faculty:

1. Shall review and recommend college policies and constitutional implementation to the Dean, the standing committees, the department chairpersons, and the Faculty Consultative Committee.
2. Shall review criteria for student admissions to School of Dentistry programs as recommended annually by the Admissions Committees and recommend acceptance or modification to the Dean.
3. Shall review the curriculum as recommended by the Educational Policy Committee, including the creation, dissolution, or combination of programs and recommend acceptance or modification to the Dean.
4. Shall elect representatives and alternate representatives to collegiate committees and faculty offices, including the University Senate and its governance bodies.
5. Shall elect a secretary from the membership every two years, who shall be responsible for communicating and, when appropriate, implementing the Council of Faculty's decisions and recommendations. This person shall also serve as a member of the Faculty Consultative Committee.

Section 4.  Faculty Consultative Committee

The Faculty Consultative Committee shall consist of the Dean, two (2) members, serving two-year terms, elected from each department with no more than one member from the same division, plus the Secretary to the Council of the Faculty and the Academic Health Center Faculty Consultative Committee Representative. The Dean shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Faculty Consultative Committee.

Powers and Duties. The Faculty Consultative Committee:

1. Shall serve as the nominating committee for the School of Dentistry standing committees.
2. Shall elect the chairperson for the Faculty Consultative Committee, who will serve a two-year term.
3. Shall include, but not be limited to, reviewing and making recommendations to the Council of Faculty regarding interpretation of and proposed amendments to this Constitution and the Bylaws.
4. Shall advise and make recommendations to the Dean on matters of mutual concern on behalf of the faculty.

Section 5.  Educational Policy Committee

Powers and Duties: The Educational Policy Committee:

1. Shall make curricular recommendations as defined in the Bylaws of the School of Dentistry Constitution to the Council of Faculty.
2. Shall consist of a majority of tenured faculty members.

Article IV.  Additional Constituencies

Additional constituencies (as listed below) shall participate as non-voting in the affairs of the School of Dentistry including its governance, its committee structure, its grievance procedures, and the revision of the School of Dentistry Constitution and Bylaws, unless they have been approved as voting members by meeting the domain requirements as stated in Article III, Section I. Members may be chosen to participate as representatives on School of Dentistry committees according to procedures specified in the Bylaws.

1. Academic Professionals and Administrators

   Academic Professionals and Administrators shall consist of professional personnel whose responsibilities support the research, teaching, and/or service functions of the School of Dentistry.

2. Civil Service Staff

   Full-time Civil Service staff are those specified in the University Civil Service Code, having passed an initial probationary period and affiliated with units of the School of Dentistry. Full-time shall include those persons with 75 percent or more continuous time appointments.

3. Bargaining Unit Staff

   Full-time bargaining unit staff are those specified in the negotiated contracts between the University and various labor organizations having passed an initial probationary period. Full-time shall include those persons affiliated with units of the School of Dentistry and employed at a level of 75 percent or more continuous time.

4. Students

   Students are those undergraduate professional and graduate students currently enrolled in the University, in good standing in the School of Dentistry.

5. Student/Professional Training Appointees

   Student/Professional Training appointees are those holding appointments in the 95XX classes.

6. Clinical (Part-Time) Faculty

   Clinical faculty consists of professional personnel hired on a part-time basis to enhance the teaching and service functions of the School of Dentistry.

7. Adjunct Faculty

   Adjunct faculty are those on non-regular appointments whose primary employment is outside the University or is in another unit of the University.

Article V. Governance

Section 1.  Departments

1. The Department shall be the primary organizational unit within the School. Its purpose shall be to administer and execute instruction, research, service, and all activities in a field or related fields of knowledge.  The Department shall have autonomy in its affairs consistent with the policies of the School and the University.
2. Proposals for the creation, combination, or dissolution of Departments shall originate with the Faculty Consultative Committee and must be approved by the Council of Faculty and the Dean.

Section 2.  Duties, Responsibilities, and Appointment of the Chairpersons of Departments

1. The Departmental Chairperson shall be responsible for the administration of the Department in accordance with School and University policies and shall be the appropriate representative of personnel in management and administrative procedures, giving due consideration to consultation with departmental personnel.
2. Recommendation for candidates to be chairperson of a department shall be made to the President of the University or the President's designee by the Dean. The Dean shall select a candidate from among those recommended by a search committee whose majority is composed of tenured/tenure-track faculty.  The right is reserved for the Dean to request an extended search or to appoint a new search committee if no candidates satisfactory to the Dean are proposed.  The initial term of appointment shall be three years, and may be renewed annually thereafter following review by the Dean and the departmental faculty.

Section 3.  Academic Governance

1. School-wide concerns of an academic nature that transcend departmental boundaries shall be acted on by the Council of the Faculty or its committees. (See Article III, Sections 3 and 4.)

Section 4.  Council of Chairpersons

1. The Council of Chairpersons shall be composed of the Chairpersons of the Departments, or of persons they may designate to represent them, and the Dean who shall serve as chairperson. The Associate Deans shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting members.  Program-, Institute-, and Center Directors who do not directly report to Department Chairpersons shall report to the Council of Chairpersons on a quarterly basis.
2. The Council of Chairpersons shall advise the Dean regarding operational policies, fiscal matters, and general policies concerning the allocation and expenditure of the various resources of the School.

Article VI. Amendments

Section 1.  Amendments

1. Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the Dean, a standing committee, or by a petition signed by at least ten (10) members of the faculty with voting rights. The Faculty Consultative Committee shall review proposed amendments and forward their recommendation to the Council of Faculty.
2. A quorum, defined as at least 25 percent of the eligible voting faculty, is required for the Council of Faculty to consider a constitutional amendment. If agreed upon by a majority of members present, the amendment then will be forwarded to the entire Council of Faculty for voting.  Notice of such proposed amendments, together with the recommendation of the Faculty Consultative Committee, shall be given in writing to all members of the faculty at least 30 days before the Council of Faculty is called upon to vote.  Voting may occur electronically and shall be open for a period of 15 University of Minnesota business days.  This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the eligible voting faculty.
3. Amendments to the Constitution will become effective when approved by the Executive Vice President and Provost.

Section 2.  Interpretation

1. Final authority to interpret this Constitution and its Bylaws shall reside with the Council of Faculty and the Dean, following review and recommendations from the Faculty Consultative Committee, by a consensus process. In the event a consensus cannot be reached, the issue shall be referred to the appropriate University entity for resolution (e.g., Senate Judicial Committee, University Grievance Office, Office of the General Counsel, or the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action).

Section 3.  Implementation

1. This amended Constitution shall become effective immediately after its adoption by the Council of Faculty and its approval by the Executive Vice President and Provost. This constitution will apply under all circumstances, including standard and interim leadership of the School of Dentistry.

Article VII. Bylaws

Procedures for operating under this Constitution shall be specified by the Bylaws. Amendments, additions, or deletions of the Bylaws may be proposed by the Dean, a standing committee, or by a petition signed by at least ten (10) members of the faculty with voting rights. Any proposed amendment, addition, or deletion of the Bylaws must be submitted to the Secretary of the Council of Faculty at least two calendar weeks in advance of a regular or special meeting of the faculty, when the modification will be presented, discussed, and scheduled for vote. Bylaws shall be adopted, amended, or deleted by a simple majority vote of the eligible voting faculty.

History

March, 2001; Revised April 2002, December 2003, June 2013, and August, 2014