Revised April 28, 2006 (Draft)
Sent to Board of Regents for Approval May 1, 2006
Bylaws of the College of Arts and Sciences
of the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Article I. Name
The College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (hereafter referred to as the College) is an administrative unit established in accordance with the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.
Article II. Object
The object of the College is to further the knowledge of liberal arts and sciences and the intellectual capacities of all students enrolled at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Article III. Membership
| Section 1. Voting membership of the Faculty of the College (hereafter referred to as the Faculty) |
A. Full-time faculty of the College holding continuous appointments, appointments for a specific term, or special appointments are voting members.
B. Faculty with appointments to more than one college, including the College, will each declare in which college they desire to be a voting member.
C. 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 representative of the College or their division if elected.
D. Subject to the powers vested in the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, or delegated to its administrative officers, the immediate government of the college shall be by its Faculty.
Section 2. Ex officio membership, without vote |
A. The Dean of the College is an ex officio member, as are Associate and Assistant Deans, Emeritus faculty, and full-time faculty of the College who are not voting members.
B. The President of the University of Nebraska, the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Vice Chancellor for Educational and Student Services, the Student President/Regent, and such other persons as may be designated by the Faculty shall be ex officio members of the Faculty.
Article IV. Office of the Dean
Section l. Responsibilities
The Dean of the college shall: provide educational leadership; be the officer primarily charged with the administration of the college; serve as intermediary between the College and the university; be the presiding officer at Faculty meetings; select ex officio student representation to attend student appeal hearings of the Educational Policy Committee; report to the faculty at regular business meetings on the status of past college legislation.
Section 2. Selection of the Dean
Appointment of the Dean shall be recommended to the President and the Board of Regents by the Chancellor, following procedures specified in the Bylaws of the Board. When college recommendations are made for membership on an advisory/search committee, these shall be made by the college Advisory Committee. Every three to five years the Advisory Committee shall make recommendations to the Chancellor or designated representative concerning continued appointment of the Dean. More frequent evaluations may be conducted at the discretion of the college Advisory Committee or in response to a petition of at least twenty percent of the full-time faculty of the college.
Section 3. Temporary vacancy
In case of incapacitation or other temporary vacancy in the office of the Dean, the Advisory Committee shall confer with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs on the appointment of an Acting Dean.
Section 4. Board of Chairs and Directors
A. Object. The Board shall: provide a forum for communication and discussion of problems and concerns relating to administration, make recommendations to the Dean in matters relating to university administrative policies and procedures which affect the College, make recommendations to the Dean in matters relating to administrative policies and procedures within the college and its departments or other administrative units, and advise the Dean on matters delegated to it by a standing committee. These duties shall not supersede those delegated to the standing committees.
B. Membership. The Board shall consist of chairs of all academic departments of the College and the academic heads of its schools and the academic programs in or administered by the College. The Dean, Associate Deans and Assistant Deans are members ex officio. Faculty of programs associated within an academic department chaired by someone with alternate disciplinary affiliation may, as they choose, designate a representative without vote from themselves. In the event a member must be absent from a Board meeting, the member may designate an alternate.
C. Presiding Officer. At the first meeting of each academic year a presiding officer shall be elected from among the members of the Board. This presiding officer shall be responsible for: presiding at meetings; establishing the meeting time and place for regular and special meetings; receiving agenda items for meetings and distributing agendas to members; and acting as representative for the Board.
D. Meetings. The Board shall convene at regular intervals to be determined by the membership at the beginning of each academic year. Any member may request the presiding officer to include an item in the agenda of a regular meeting. Special meetings may be called at the request of the Dean, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Chancellor, or any four members of the Board.
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Article V. College Meetings
Section 1. Schedule and notice
Regular business meetings will be held in October and March, at a time
designated by the Dean with at least two weeks notice given to the faculty. Special meetings may be called by the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, or the Dean. Special meetings must be called by the Dean within ten work days after petition by at least ten Faculty members, request of the Advisory Committee, or vote of the Faculty when in regular or special session. Notice of at least five working days must be given to the faculty of such special session, including the business to be transacted.
Section 2. Quorum
Twenty percent of the Faculty will constitute a quorum.
Section 3. Presiding officer
The Dean will preside at meetings of the College. In the absence of the Dean, the Advisory Committee will designate the presiding officer, who may be the chairperson of the Advisory Committee.
Section 4. Business
Meetings will be conducted in accord with the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, where not in conflict with the Bylaws of the College, or special rules of order the College may adopt. Agendas of regular meetings will include opportunities for reports of standing committees and Dean’s councils. A quorum of the faculty is empowered to approve minutes, receive reports, and introduce, discuss and amend motions, and approve motions such as personal commendations which do not impact further action by the college, its departments or other administrative units, or its committees. Items which do must be submitted, with a summary of the discussion for and against the final motion, to the entire Faculty for vote by mail ballot. |
Article VI. Divisions
Section 1. Creation of three divisions within the College
Departments and courses offered by the Faculty are hereby partitioned into three divisions: Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Natural Science departments are Biology, Chemistry, Geography-Geology, Mathematics, and Physics. Social Science departments are Black Studies, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology-Anthropology. Humanities departments are English, Foreign Languages, History, and Philosophy-Religion.
Section 2. Divisional courses
For purposes of meeting distribution requirements, courses are considered to be in the division of the department under which they are offered. However, with the approval of the department concerned and the Educational Policy Committee, a course may be used to satisfy distribution requirements in a division other than the one of its department. Courses so designated shall be listed in the University Catalog. |
Article VII. Departments and Chairs
Section l. Departments and meetings
A department is an academic community of interest and an administrative unit of the college. Subject to the jurisdiction of institutions which have overall responsibility for the University of Nebraska at Omaha and in conformity with the policies of the College of Arts and Sciences, a department shall determine its policies and programs through means adopted by the department. The chair of the department or the departmental staff may make recommendations to the Dean and Faculty of the college concerning the welfare of the department or its relations to other departments. Before making such recommendations the chair of the department shall consult with the departmental faculty. Where the recommendation of the chair differs from the advice given by the faculty, the chair shall so inform the Dean. Meetings of the Departmental staff may be called by the Chancellor, the Dean, the chair, or by a majority of its members.
Section 2. Chair
A. The department chair shall be responsible to the Dean for departmental administration; be the department's official representative in all matters except those delegated to other members of the department; and serve as intermediary between the department and other individuals and units of the university.
B. Chairs shall be appointed by the Board of Regents, upon recommendation of the Dean, after appropriate consultation with the departmental faculty and concurrence by the Chancellor and the President, for a term not exceeding four years but eligible for reappointment. A reasonable time before recommending the reappointment of a chair, the Dean shall take a closed ballot of the department members on the question of reappointment of the incumbent.
C. In case of a vacancy existing or pending in a department chair, the Dean will request the department to provide suggestions and the name or names of candidates, a request which shall be fulfilled through means adopted by the
department. |
Article VIII. Committees
Section l. Standing Committees
A. There shall be three standing committees: The Advisory Committee, the Educational Policy Committee, and the Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee.
B. Eligibility. Standing committees will be composed of elected shall have more than two members from a given department. Faculty shall not be eligible for consecutive terms on a committee or for membership on more than one standing committee. Faculty on leave or sabbatical for one semester or less are replaced temporarily. Faculty on leave or sabbatical for more than one semester are replaced permanently, and are ineligible for election to a term starting less than one year after their return.
C. Term of service. Each standing committee shall be composed of three
members from each division on staggered terms of three years, so that
normally one-third of the faculty and division membership is elected each year. To ensure staggered terms for each division, the Advisory Committee shall be empowered to set terms shorter than three years; however, incumbent members' terms shall not be shortened. Elected members shall assume their duties at the end of the spring semester.
D. Election. The election of standing committee members shall be conducted during spring semester in two steps: for each opening divisional faculty shall select two nominees from among themselves in the primary election, and from these the Faculty shall elect the representative for each division. In the primaries for each committee, the Dean shall submit to the faculty of each division a list of all divisional faculty eligible for election. Eligible faculty may request that the ballot indicate their preference not to serve on the committee. Primary ballots for standing committees will allow votes for up to three times as many eligible candidates as there are openings. In tie votes the nominee will be determined by lot. Any faculty who would otherwise be nominated for more than one committee will select on which one of these to be nominated. In the final election the nominee in each division receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected, or elected to the longer term if there is more than one. If there is more than one opening, the nominee receiving the second highest number of votes shall be elected to the shorter term. If a standing committee vacancy arises at a time which would otherwise require a special election, or if a vacancy for one semester or less appears, the eligible candidate selected in the primary for that seat will be appointed to fill the vacant term.
E. Ex officio members. The Dean or the Dean’s designated representative shall be an ex-officio member of each standing committee.
F. Officers. At its first meeting the members of each standing committee will elect a chair from among the voting membership. The chair will preside at meetings of the committee, and report committee actions at regular meetings of the Faculty. Each committee is free to designate and select other officers.
Section 2. Responsibilities of the Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee shall: advise the Dean on matters initiated by the
Committee or by the Faculty; advise the Dean on matters the Dean refers to it; formulate legislation for presentation to the Faculty and set the agenda for meetings of the College; advise the Dean on appointment of a parliamentarian; advise the Dean on implementation of college legislation; leave of absence, and sabbatical (Faculty Development Fellowship) policies, review the long run and general aspects of the college's activities, including staff, facility, and technology requirements; oversee of the strategic planning process for the college; select one of its members as a College representative to the College of Continuing Studies Advisory Committee.
Section 3. The Educational Policy Committee
A. Academic standards. The Educational Policy Committee shall: advise the Dean on all matters of educational policy; advise the Dean on the academic appeals policies and procedures of the departments; exercise general oversight of the college's academic standards; select one of its members as a College representative to the College of Continuing Studies Advisory Committee; recommend to the Faculty proposed legislation concerning admission and graduation requirements, including changes in degree requirements, new programs, and new degrees; receive from the Dean the names of students who have completed the requirements for graduation. Faculty members of the Committee are authorized by the Faculty to recommend to the Chancellor, the President, and the Board of Regents that respective degrees be awarded.
B. Course evaluation. The Academic Affairs Committee shall be authorized by the Faculty to: evaluate syllabi, determine addition of courses, deletion of courses, changes in course names and numbers. After acting under this authorization, the Committee will circulate its decisions in writing electronically or on paper to the Faculty. These decisions will be considered approved unless within fifteen work days of issuance a petition for consideration of the action at the next regular or special meeting of the Faculty, signed by at least ten members of the Faculty, is received by the Dean.
C. Academic appeals. The Educational Policy Committee shall be authorized by the Faculty to pass on student petitions for relief from college rules, and to serve as an appeals committee for students who believe that evaluation of their academic progress has been prejudiced or capricious. In preparation for serving as an appeals committee, the Committee shall invite the Dean to designate one or two student representatives, selected from a list with twice this number supplied by the Student Regent, to attend grade appeal hearings and deliberations. The committee procedures shall provide for changing of a student's evaluation, upon the committee's finding that an academic evaluation by a member of the faculty has been prejudiced or capricious.
Section 4. Responsibilities of the Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee
The Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee shall: have general faculty review responsibilities; advise the Dean on appeals of annual review which impact exceptional performance salary increases; recommend college policies concerning reappointment, promotion, and continuous appointment within the college; be consulted by the Dean in recommending the reappointment, non-reappointment, promotion, continuous appointment, demotion, transfer, or dismissal of any faculty member of the college. If the recommendation of the Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee on any individual faculty review differs from the Dean's recommendation, the Dean shall so inform in writing the committee, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Chancellor. Each year the committee will review the Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Guidelines of the college and report to the faculty of the college at the spring college meeting regarding the continued appropriateness of the guidelines or make recommendations for change.
Section 5. Special Committees
Special committees may be created by the Dean, the Faculty, and the standing committees. Members of special committees will be appointed by the Dean, unless otherwise determined for special committees created by the Faculty or one of its standing committees.
Section 6. Ex officio committee membership
The President of the University of Nebraska, the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and the Dean, or their designees are ex officio members of committees of the college without vote.
Section 7. Marking and counting ballots
If there are more than two choices on an election ballot, the College will use the Hare preferential system for marking and counting ballots. All references to elections in the Bylaws shall be interpreted to include this procedure. |
Article IX. Supra-Departmental or Inter-Departmental 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 department chair or school director.
Article X. Initial acceptance of Bylaws
This document replaces the Constitution and Bylaws of the College of Arts and Sciences, as last amended 1996. Majority approval of the Faculty voting on the question will be necessary for acceptance of these Bylaws, which will become effective upon promulgation by the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.
Article XI. Amendment
Section l. Proposal of amendments
Amendments to the by-laws may be proposed by the Advisory Committee, a special bylaw committee, or at least twenty Faculty members to the Advisory Committee, but in no case later than ten work days before a regular Faculty meeting.
Section 2. Approval of amendments
Proposed amendments to the bylaws will be circulated in writing to the Faculty by the Advisory Committee at least five work days prior to the next regular or special Faculty meeting. Voting will be by mail ballot. Approval by two thirds of the Faculty voting on the question will be necessary for adoption. |
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