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Graduate Studies

cfam constitution.

University of Nebraska at Omaha
College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media
Constitution

Preamble

The College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media (hereafter referred to as the College or CFAM)  consists of five academic units and one academic support unit, including the departments of Art and Art History, Music, Theatre, and Writer’s Workshop, the School of Communication, and KVNO/UNO Television.

Central to the College’s educational mission is the instruction of students in the essential, practical and theoretical knowledge they will need to succeed in their chosen disciplines.  The College is equally committed through its diverse outreach activities to the engagement of a broader constituency.  CFAM makes important contributions to the cultural growth and well being of the people of the region and prepares students to participate in a global community

The College responds to changing developments in the arts, communication, media, and technology while maintaining its foundation in the liberal arts.  The University of Nebraska at Omaha and the larger community are best served by a diverse academic body that uses its liberal arts roots in order to understand and engage with the new world of integrative media, the power of communication, and traditional and new ways of artistic expression.  CFAM is committed to educating scholars, artists, and citizens who will contribute to the world in its understanding and appreciation of the arts, culture, and humanity.

The College is united by its common conviction that imagination and human communication are inseparable aspects of the same intellectual process.  Through traditional and innovative teaching and the use of emerging technologies CFAM promotes learning, research, scholarship, creative activity, and service to the profession and to the broader community in all aspects of human communication.

Article I. Governance

Subject to the powers vested in the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, or delegated to its administrative officers, the immediate governance of the College shall be by its faculty.

Article II.  Membership

Section 1.  College Membership
 
Faculty members in the College, staff employed in the instructional, administrative, and academic support units of the College, and students admitted to study in major programs of the instructional units of the College shall comprise the constituent membership of the College.

Section 2.  Voting Membership

Voting membership of the Faculty of the College (hereafter referred to as the Faculty):

  1. Full-time faculty of the College holding continuous appointments, appointments for a specific term, or special appointments are voting members.

  2. Faculty with appointments to more than one college, including the College, shall declare in which college they desire to be a voting member.

  3. Those faculty participating in a partial or phased retirement program may continue voting membership by written declaration to the Dean of their intention to fulfill the responsibilities of such membership, including the responsibilities as representatives of the College or their unit if elected.

Section 3.  Ex Officio Membership
 
The President of the University of Nebraska, the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Dean of the College, and such other persons as may be designated by the faculty shall be ex-officio, non-voting members of the faculty.

Section 4.  Rights and Responsibilities

The College Voting Faculty shall have the right and responsibility to present, review, and take action on matters pertaining to the College within the limits of governmental power designated in the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. 

Section 5.  Business

  1. Meetings. College meetings shall be held at least once a semester at a time and place designated by the Dean.  Prior notice of at least ten working days shall be provided to the faculty.  Meetings shall be conducted in accord with the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, where not in conflict with the Constitution of the College, or special rules of order the College may adopt.  Agendas of regular meetings shall include opportunities for reports of standing committees and Dean’s councils.  Any members of the faculty shall have the right and responsibility to present for consideration by the voting faculty matters pertinent to the purposes and functions of the College. 

  2. Special Meetings.  Special meetings of the voting membership of the College may be called by the Chancellor of the University or by the Dean of the College.  Special meetings must be called by the Dean within ten working days after a petition by at least ten faculty members, a request by the Executive Committee, the Faculty Personnel Committee, the Educational Policy Committee, the Technology Committee, the Staff Advisory Committee, Cultural Enrichment Fee Committee, or a majority vote of the faculty when in regular or special session.  Only agenda items distributed to the faculty of the College at least five working days in advance shall be transacted at a special meeting. 

  3. Quorum.  No quorum of the faculty is required at college faculty meetings to approve minutes, receive reports, introduce, discuss or amend motions.  Votes to approve motions, however, shall be conducted via mail ballot and fifty percent of the eligible faculty shall constitute a quorum.  Fifty percent plus one of those voting shall constitute a majority.  Ballots are due for tally no earlier than five working days after they are distributed.

Article III.  Operating Structure

Section 1. Executive Committee

  1. Membership:   Administrative unit heads with the Dean as Chair. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairs of Art and Art History, Music, Theatre, and Writer’s Workshop; Director and Assistant Director of the School of Communication; Director and Assistant General Manager of KVNO/UNO Television. 


  2. Duties:  The Executive Committee shall be concerned with the general administration of the college and its faculty, staff and students.  The committee shall provide leadership in establishing the vision and strategic plan for the college as well as serving in an advisory role to the Dean.  The committee shall reflect a broad perspective of the issues and concerns of the college as a whole.  The members of the committee shall represent their units in order to build consensus regarding the needs, interests and opportunities across the college. 

    When consensus is required regarding faculty personnel and governance issues, discussion shall be reserved to faculty members on the committee.  Specific issues for the committee include, but are not limited to, class schedule, allocation of part-time instructional funds, selection of college staff, faculty/staff honors and awards, annual reviews, faculty development fellowships, leaves of absence, allocation of academic equipment and enhancement funds, distribution of faculty travel funds, merit salary procedures, fund raising activities and distribution, staff professional development opportunities, programming, licensee relationships, other management/leadership obligations and responsibilities of the college, and issues related to the organization and operation of relevant activities of the college. . 

    While the committee, as a whole, shall discuss and advise on a wide range of issues, the college and Dean recognize that some issues are not directly relevant to all units or personnel and that shall be reflected in the decision-making process.  When appropriate, the Dean shall consult with affected units and/or other college committees for advice and recommendations.  The Executive Committee, as requested by the Dean, shall review all decisions, policies and procedures of the college.

Section 2.  Faculty Personnel Committee

  1. Membership:  Eight tenured faculty members (chairs, directors, and assistant directors not eligible) selected from the constituent academic units, apportioned as follows:
    School of Communication, Departments of Art and Art History, Music—two members each; Departments of Theatre, Writer’s Workshop—one member each.
    In addition, the Dean may appoint a representative to serve, in an ex-officio capacity, as a liaison between the Dean and the Committee.

  2. Selection Process:  Members representing each academic unit elected by the faculty of that unit for a three-year term with approximately one-fourth of the membership rotating each year.  Members may serve consecutive terms. Each constituent academic unit will elect alternate member(s) to attend meetings or perform duties if an elected member is unable to carry out those responsibilities

  3. Duties:  Advise the Dean on matters initiated by the committee or by the faculty or referred to it by the Dean; make recommendations regarding promotion, tenure, reappointment and policies pertaining thereto; serve as an appeal committee in matters concerning merit salary allocation, annual review, faculty development fellowships, and leaves of absence, and make recommendations to the Dean based upon its findings.

  4. Participation/Voting:  For reappointment, promotion, and/or tenure (RPT) recommendations involving faculty in a Committee member’s School/Department, the Committee member can participate in discussions on both the School/Department level and the College level.  However the Committee member can vote on either the School/Department level or the College level, but not both.  The level on which a Committee member will vote on a RPT recommendation is to be formally announced by the School/Department prior to RPT discussions at the School/Department level.

Section 3.  Educational Policy Committee

  1. Membership:  Five fulltime faculty members (may be pre-tenure or non-tenure track; chairs and directors not eligible).  Each constituent academic unit (School of Communication, Departments of Art and Art History, Music, Theatre, and Writer’s Workshop) will select one member each.
    In addition, the Dean may appoint a representative to serve, in an ex-officio capacity, as a liaison between the Dean and the Committee.


  2. Selection Process:  Members representing each academic unit elected by the faculty of that unit for a three-year term with approximately one or two of the membership rotating each year. Members may serve consecutive terms.  Each constituent academic unit will elect an alternate member to attend meetings or perform duties if an elected member is unable to carry out those responsibilities.

  3. Duties: The Committee shall advise the Dean on all matters of educational policy including, but not limited to, matters relating to academic standards, periodic review of the various degree programs, admission and graduation requirements, new degrees, new programs, changes in degree programs, recommend to the Chancellor the names of those students who have completed the requirements for graduation and that degrees be awarded to those students, adjudicate on formal student appeals for relief from college and departmental rules, academic suspension, undergraduate student grievances and grades, and, the addition, deletion, and revision of courses.  For grade appeals, two students from the Student Advisory Committee shall be selected to serve as non-voting participants in the review process pending permission from the appealing student.

Section 4.  Technology Committee

  1. Membership and Selection Process:    One faculty member (may be tenured or pre-tenure) from each academic department/school and the Manager of Engineering (or his/her designee) from KVNO/UNO television.  The Chairs/Directors select members from the constituent units.

  2. Duties: Advise the Dean on technology planning and implementation as well as requests for hardware and software purchases and repairs.

Section 5.  Student Advisory Committee

  1. Membership:  Ten students selected from the majors in the constituent academic units and apportioned as follows:
    School of Communication—four members (two each representing Mass Communication and Speech Communication),
    Departments of Art and Art History and Music—two members each,
    Departments of Theatre and Writer’s Workshop—one member each.

  2. Selection Process:  Selected from the majors in the units by a process to be determined by the unit; may be elected or appointed.

  3. Duties:  Bring/carry information as appropriate to the activities of the college to and from the Dean.

Section 6.  Staff Advisory Committee

  1. Membership and Selection Process:    Two persons elected by the Office/Service personnel of the five academic units.  One person elected by the Managerial/Professional personnel of the five academic units.  One person elected by the Office/Service personnel of KVNO/UNO Television.  Three persons elected by the Managerial/Professional personnel of KVNO/UNO Television.  (Chairs, Director, Assistant Director, General Manager, Assistant General Manager not eligible). The Office of the Dean shall administer the election of the members of the Staff Advisory Committee. Elected members shall serve a two-year term with approximately one-half of the membership rotating off of the committee each year.  Members shall not serve consecutive terms. 

  2. Duties:  Advise the Dean on matters initiated by the Committee or referred to it by the Dean and which are not specifically within the domain of the Educational Policy Committee or the Faculty Personnel Committee.

Section 7.  Cultural Enrichment Fee Committee

  1. Membership and Selection Process:  Upon initial adoption of this committee by the CFAM faculty and during the first week of each academic year thereafter, each academic department/school and KVNO/UNO Television will nominate one faculty or staff member and each academic department/school will nominate one student (undergraduate or graduate).  The Chairs/Directors select nominees from the constituent units. From the nominees, the Dean will select a minimum of five people to serve as the Committee.  Committee membership should reflect representation from priority areas as determined by the Dean in consultation with the College Executive Committee.  The Committee must include at least three faculty members, one staff member, and one student.  In addition, UNO Student Government will be asked to assign one student as an ex officio member of the Committee. Members may serve consecutive terms.

  2. Duties:  Advise the Dean on policies, procedures, and actual use of the cultural enrichment student fees.

Section 8.  Other Advisory Committees/Ad Hoc Committees/Support Groups/Community Boards.
 
The Dean, Faculty, and the standing committees may create special committees.  The Dean shall appoint members of special committees unless otherwise determined for special committees created by the Faculty or one of its standing committees. 

Article IV.  Office of the Dean

Section 1.  Responsibilities

The Dean of the College shall provide educational leadership; be the administrative head of the College; provide leadership in development activities for the College; serve as intermediary between the College and the University; and act as presiding officer at faculty meetings. The Dean shall assume the duties and responsibilities of this office as designated in the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. 

Section 2. Selection of the Dean

The Executive Committee shall meet when necessary with the Chancellor (or his/her designee) concerning formation of an advisory committee for selection of a Dean.  The Dean shall be appointed by the Board of Regents upon recommendation of the Chancellor in accordance with the procedures prescribed in the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. 

Section 3.  Evaluation and Continued Appointment

In addition to and consistent with University policy and the Bylaws of the Board of Regents providing for periodic evaluation of administrators, the members of the College shall have the right and responsibility to evaluate the Dean of the College annually. Every three years of a sitting Dean’s appointment, the members of the College shall make recommendations to the Chancellor (or his/her designee) concerning continued appointment of the Dean.  The procedures for the evaluation and recommendation process shall be the responsibility of the Faculty Personnel Committee.

Section 4. Temporary Vacancy

In case the Dean becomes incapacitated or other temporary vacancy in the office of the Dean occurs, the Executive Committee, after conferring with the faculty/staff in their respective units, shall confer with the Chancellor (or his/her designee) on the appointment of an Acting or Interim Dean.   

Article V.  Administrative Units

Section 1.  

The college consists of five academic units and one academic support unit, including the departments of Art and Art History, Music, Theatre, and Writer’s Workshop, the School of Communication, and KVNO/UNO Television.  Each unit shall determine its committee structure and operating procedures. 

Section 2.  Unit Heads

  1. Selection:  An academic unit head shall be designated by the title of Chairperson for a Department or Director for a School.  The academic unit head shall be appointed by the Dean, after appropriate consultation with the unit’s faculty and/or staff and in accordance with University policies and procedures.  The Director of the School of Communication shall appoint the Assistant Director in consultation with the Dean and after consultation with the faculty of the School.  Upon consultation with unit faculty and/or staff and appropriate university administrators, the Dean may make interim or acting appointments.  The unit head shall not have tenure in office; tenure as a faculty member for the unit heads shall be a matter of separate right.

    The unit head for KVNO/UNO Television shall be designated by the title of Director.  The Director shall be hired by the Dean after consultation with the managers and in accordance with University policy and procedures.  The Director shall hire an Assistant General Manager in consultation with the Dean and after consultation with the managers.

  2. Responsibilities:  The unit head shall be the officer primarily charged with the administration of the unit and shall be the presiding officer of its faculty and/or staff, the chief advisor to the Dean, serve as intermediary between the unit and other individuals and units of the university, and serve as an advocate for the unit’s programs and members. The unit head may make recommendations to the Dean and the faculty of the College concerning the welfare of the unit and its relations to other units.  Before making such recommendations, the unit head shall consult with the appropriate faculty and/or staff.  Where the recommendation of the unit head differs from the advice given by the appropriate unit faculty and/or staff the unit head shall so inform the Dean.

  3. Evaluation:

  1. Every third year before recommending the reappointment of the    
    academic unit head, the Dean shall take a closed ballot of the unit
    members on the question of reappointment for the incumbent.

  2. The Dean shall prepare an annual written evaluation of the unit head      based upon but not restricted to:  (a) the written annual report of the unit head, (b) anonymously written evaluations solicited from all members of the faculty in the academic unit; and (c) in the case of the Director of KVNO/UNO Television, the Dean shall solicit anonymously written evaluations from representative staff.         
    3.              

Article VI.  Supra-Departmental or Interdepartmental  Units

Supra-Departmental or Inter-Departmental units, such as schools and interdisciplinary programs, may be established.  Channels of administrative communication shall be defined when such units are created.  Annual assessment and reappointment recommendations for faculty in such units shall be the consistent responsibility of a single administrator, such as a department chair or school director.

Article VII.  Initial Acceptance of the Constitution and Bylaws

Approval by two-thirds of the faculty voting on the question will be necessary for acceptance of this Constitution and Bylaws, which shall become effective upon promulgation by the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. Voting shall be by mail ballot.

Article VIII.  Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws

Section 1.  Proposal of amendments.

Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws may be proposed in one of three ways:  (a) the faculty members of the Executive Committee; (b) a special ad-hoc committee; or (c) at least ten faculty members may draft and submit to the Executive Committee for transmission to the whole faculty. Amendments must be circulated to the faculty at least five working days before a regular or special faculty meeting at which time the proposed amendment(s) shall be discussed.

Section 2.  Approval of amendments.

Voting shall be by mail ballot.  Approval by two-thirds of the faculty voting on the question shall be necessary for adoption.  Fifty percent of the eligible faculty shall constitute a quorum.  Ballots are due for tally no earlier than five working days after they are distributed.

 

12/8/2004
Revised 4/2/2008, 1/25/2010, 5/14/2010