Faculty Senate & Committees

Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate exercises the legislative powers of the General Faculty.

Membership: 37 voting members (elected from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Schools, and the Library in accordance with the number of voting members of the faculty in each electoral division), 12 nonvoting members (including the Provost, the immediate past Chair of the Senate, 4 Vice Chancellors, the Dean of the Graduate School, a representative from the Council of Deans, the head of the Faculty Assembly delegation, the Chair of the Staff Council or the Chair's designee, 2 graduate students, and 2 undergraduate students).

Faculty Committee Structure

(All terms of office are for 3 years with the exception of the Research Policies Committee. Terms for this committee are specified in its membership.)

I. ELECTED COMMITTEES

A. Code Committees (Elected at large)

1. Committee on Due Process

The Committee on Due Process shall exercise the following duties and responsibilities:

(a) Receive evidence, conduct hearings, and report its findings and recommendations to the department head and the department head's immediate supervisor or to the Chancellor and, as appropriate, to the Chair of the Faculty Senate, on appeals from administration decisions involving discharge or the imposition of serious sanctions, termination of faculty employment, and nonreappointment. In exercising its responsibility, the committee shall use the definition of terms and the procedures for such hearings which are established by The Code of the University of North Carolina and The Regulations on Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Due Process of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

(b) All appeals arising under Section 603 of The Code of the University of North Carolina shall be heard by the full committee. In all other appeals arising under the committee's jurisdiction, the committee may establish an ad hoc panel of at least three committee members appointed by the chair to conduct hearings, receive evidence, and report to the full committee for the committee's deliberation and recommendation. The panel report shall include records, transcripts, all other written material, and the panel's recommendation. However, no committee member may participate in the discussion or decision on his or her own appeal or in any other case in which that committee member has participated in the recommendations from departments, the Schools, the Library, the College of Arts and Sciences, or other University committees.

Membership: 4 tenured faculty, plus 1 Senator.

2. Faculty Grievance Committee

The Faculty Grievance Committee shall hear, mediate, and advise with respect to the adjustment of faculty grievances concerned with matters directly related to a faculty member's employment status and institutional relationships on this campus in accordance with the provisions of The Code of the University of North Carolina. No grievance that grows out of or involves matters related to a formal proceeding for the suspension, discharge, or termination of a faculty member, or that is within the jurisdiction of another faculty committee, may be considered by the Faculty Grievance Committee.

Membership: 7 tenured/tenure-track faculty (with at least 1 member from each rank and 1 member from each School and the College), plus 1Senator. Of the 7 tenured/tenure-track faculty members, only 3 may be untenured, and at least 2 must be professors. (No officer of administration, including department heads and division chairs, shall be eligible to serve on the committee.)

B. Faculty Assembly Delegation
(Elected at large)

The Faculty Assembly Delegation shall: (1) gather and exchange information on behalf of the faculties of the constituent institutions of The University; (2) advise, through appropriate channels, the Board of Governors, the General Assembly, and other governmental agencies and officers on matters of University-wide import; and advise and communicate with the President of The University regarding matters of importance to the faculties as well as the whole University.

Membership: 4 faculty member delegates, 3-4 alternates (one of whom shall be the Chair of the Faculty Senate).

C. Chancellor Delegation
(Elected by the electoral divisions except for the Faculty Government Committee which is elected at large)

1. Academic Policies and Regulations Committee

The committee shall develop policies governing the academic calendar, summer session, class scheduling, academic advising, and undergraduate regulations and requirements.

Membership: 1 faculty member from each School and the College, plus 1 Senator. Ex officio and nonvoting members: as designated by the Provost. (The President of the Student Government and the President of the Graduate Student Association will be invited to attend or to send a representative.)

2. Committee on Appointed and Elected Committees

The committee shall preside over elections for the Secretary of the General Faculty and for elected at-large members of faculty committees. The committee shall conduct the nomination and elections processes and determine the eligibility of the nominees in conformity with The Constitution and membership regulations of the committees; it shall also collate results from unit elections and General Faculty elections and report all results to the Faculty Senate in accordance with the Bylaws of The Constitution of the Faculty.

The committee shall also recommend to the Faculty Senate names of persons from the General Faculty to serve on all faculty appointed committees. In making these recommendations, the committee shall observe the following guidelines:

(a) Any voting member of the General Faculty may serve on appointed committees.

(b) In selecting persons to fill positions established by or pursuant to The Constitution, the Committee on Appointed and Elected Committees should consider factors of departmental affiliation, faculty rank, tenure status, ethnicity, length of service, and gender to the end that diversity of interests among the faculty are appropriately reflected on the appointed committees.

(c) The committee shall solicit names for committee assignments from the current committee membership, from members of the General Faculty and from deans. The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs shall submit the names of students recommended by the President of the Student Government. The Dean of the Graduate School shall submit names of students recommended by the Graduate School Association.

(d) The committee shall recommend to the Chancellor, as requested, names of faculty members to serve on specially appointed committees.

In addition to the above responsibilities, the committee, upon approval by the Faculty Senate, shall recommend to the Chancellor the names of three tenured faculty members from which the Chancellor may select the Faculty Representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Faculty Senate Bylaws for this representative.

Membership: Chair of the committee in each Senate electoral division responsible for elections in that division, plus 1 Senator.

3. Faculty Government Committee
(Elected at large)

The primary function of the committee is to recommend to the Faculty Senate all changes to The Constitution of the Faculty. Recommendations related to the policies and regulations subject to adoption by the General Faculty shall be forwarded to the Faculty Government Committee for consideration and review before presentation to the Faculty Senate. The committee shall also review the governance structures adopted by the College, Professional Schools, and the Library to determine that they are consistent with The Code of the University of North Carolina, The Regulations on Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Due Process, and The Constitution of the Faculty.

Membership: 4 faculty, plus 1 Senator.

4. Faculty Promotions and Tenure Guidelines Committee

The committee shall review the Units' documents and exchange information about the general guidelines and expectations which the Units have developed for the evaluation of teaching, research and creative activity, service, and directed professional activity for promotions and tenure.

Membership: Chairpersons of the 8 Unit Committees on Promotions and Tenure. Ex officio and nonvoting members: the Chair and Chair-elect of the Faculty Senate.

5. Faculty Welfare and Professional Development Committee

The purpose of the Faculty Welfare and Professional Development Committee shall be to support the role of faculty members as learned professionals. The committee shall review and make recommendations on matters concerning professional status and effectiveness in the areas of teaching, research, and service. All matters other than salary and benefits are relevant, including but not limited to standards of professional performance; professional rights and privileges; working conditions; standards for teaching loads and reduction in load for research and service assignments; research and other leaves of absence; and programs for the enhancement of faculty professional abilities and effectiveness, including participation in seminars, workshops, colloquia and other professional development programs, professional travel and similar activities.

Membership: 1 faculty from each Senate electoral division, plus 1 Senator.

6. Graduate Studies Committee
(elected by members of the Graduate Faculty in each electoral division)

The Graduate Studies Committee shall be an agency of the Senate devoted to studying aspects of graduate education. Its basic duties and responsibilities are as follows:

(a) Establish the criteria for the selection and review of members of the Graduate Faculty;

(b) Review all new courses, revised courses, and modifications to current courses taking one of the following actions: approve, disapprove, approve with modification. Review and act on all proposals for new graduate programs or major modifications to existing programs including the discontinuation of graduate programs;

(c) Review and formulate policies and regulations related to graduate education admission, retention, and graduate requirements;

(d) Hear student appeals related to Graduate School policies and regulations;

(e) Call to the attention of the Graduate Faculty and the administration issues of concern relating to graduate education;

(f) Act on matters referred by the Faculty Senate, Dean of the Graduate School, Graduate Faculty, and the Graduate School Association on graduate education;

(g) Report to the Faculty Senate on actions taken regarding graduate education policies and programs;

(h) Advise the Faculty Senate on matters relating to graduate education.

Membership: 9 faculty elected by the Graduate Faculty (1 from each School and 3 from the College), plus 1 Senator, who is a member of the Graduate Faculty. (Up to 4 additional members may be appointed by the chair, after consultation with the Dean of the Graduate School, in order to achieve programmatic balance, to serve one-year terms.) The Dean and Associate Dean of the Graduate School and 2 graduate students elected by the Graduate Student Association are also voting members.

7. Research Grants Committee

The primary functions of the committee are to: (a) receive, evaluate, and act on applications for funding of faculty research grants, subsidies for book publication, refereed publication page charges, submission fees, journal article reprints, and exhibition/performance charges; and (b) set policies and procedures deemed necessary.

Membership: 7 faculty (1 from each School and the College), plus 1 Senator. (Up to 4 additional members may be appointed by the chair, after consultation with the Associate Provost for Research, in order to achieve programmatic balance, to serve one-year terms.) Ex officio and nonvoting: Director of Research Services.

8. Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee shall be the agency of the Faculty Senate responsible for reviewing the undergraduate curriculum, making policy recommendations to the Faculty Senate on curricular matters, and performing such other duties as approved by the Faculty Senate, including the following:

(a) To review and approve all proposals for new courses; existing courses in which substantial changes have been made; new majors, programs, concentrations, and degrees which have been approved by the College Council or the curriculum committees of the various Schools; the discontinuation of courses and programs; routine changes as previously approved by the Provost's Office;

(b) To approve requests for area credit designation for both new and existing courses as forwarded by the instructional area committees;

(c) To review and approve student proposals under Plan II (Specially Designed Programs of Study);

(d) To oversee the adherence to the all-University requirements by the College and the various Schools and to initiate curricular reviews at least every five years;

(e) To take up for study or action matters referred by the Faculty Senate and General Faculty or any other matters deemed important to the work of the committee.

Membership: 10 faculty (1 from each School and the Library, and 3 from the College), plus 1 Senator. Ex officio and nonvoting members: as appointed by the Provost.

II. APPOINTED COMMITTEES

(all appointed by the Committee on Appointed and Elected Committees with self-nominations and nominations from the deans)

1. Academic Computing Committee

This committee shall serve as a policy formulation body with respect to academic computing and related activities. The committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the Faculty Senate and to members of the University administration.

Membership: 1 faculty from each Senate electoral division, plus 1 Senator and the chair of the Library Committee, ex officio. Ex officio and nonvoting: Associate Vice Chancellor for Computing and Information Systems.

2. Budget Committee

The committee shall review the budgetary needs of the University and make recommendations to the appropriate administrators and to the Faculty Senate regarding the needs of the faculty. The committee shall be consulted by and shall advise in a timely fashion the Chancellor and other administrative officers during the process of budget preparation, revision, and allocation of University resources.

Membership: 1 faculty from each Senate electoral division, plus 1 Senator.

3. Commencement and Ceremonies Committee

The committee shall recommend to the Chancellor policies related to convocation and commencement activities and shall advise on activities for these and other University ceremonies as requested. The committee shall coordinate its work with the Commencement Steering Committee to see that adopted plans are executed.

Membership: 4 faculty (including at least 1 from the School of Music), plus 1 Senator, 4 students (including the Chief Marshal, Assistant Chief Marshal, a member of the Senior Class, and a graduate student). Ex officio and nonvoting member: University Registrar.

4. Enrollment Management Committee

The committee shall review, recommend, and advise on policy decisions related to undergraduate enrollment: recruitment, admissions, financial aid, and retention.

Membership: 10 faculty (1 from each School and the Library and 3 from the College), plus 1 Senator. Ex officio and nonvoting members: as appointed by the Provost. (The President of the Student Government and the President of the Graduate Student Association will be invited to attend or to send a representative.)

5. Faculty Compensation Committee

The committee shall review, recommend and advise on all policies regarding faculty salaries and employee benefits for the regular academic year, summer session, and UNCG extension courses. The committee shall make periodic and timely reports to the Faculty Senate regarding the salary situation at UNCG such as comparison of salaries among the Schools and the College, gender differences in salaries and salary inequities between new appointments and continuing appointments in similar disciplines. The committee shall also review the salaries and employee benefits in the UNC system, national trends in faculty salaries and employee benefits and the effect of inflation upon salaries and benefits. The committee shall make an annual recommendation to the Faculty Senate regarding salary increases and the employee benefits package. These recommendations shall address merit pay increases, cost of living adjustments, and enhanced employee benefits, and shall be forwarded to the Chancellor and to the President of the UNC system through the UNCG Delegation to the Faculty Assembly.

Membership: 4 faculty, plus 1 Senator.

6. Intercollegiate Athletics Committee

The committee shall be responsible for monitoring and reporting on intercollegiate athletics to the Faculty Senate. Of primary concern to the committee shall be the academic welfare of the student athletes and the overall integrity of the intercollegiate athletics program. The committee shall be available to hear and act on complaints and suggestions about intercollegiate athletics from the faculty, students, and other members of the University community.

Membership: 1 faculty from each Senate electoral division, plus 1 Senator and 3 students (1 from the Student Athletic Association, 1 from the Student Government, 1 from the Graduate Student Association). Ex officio: Faculty Representative to the NCAA. Adjunct: Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.

7. Library Committee

The committee shall review and make recommendations regarding policies and procedures which will enhance the effectiveness of the Library. The committee shall act as a liaison agency interpreting Library policies to the University.

Membership: 7 faculty (1 from each School and the College), plus 1 Senator and the chair of the Academic Computing Committee, ex officio. Ex officio and nonvoting: Director of the Library. (The President of the Student Government and the President of the Graduate Student Association will be invited to attend or to send a representative.)

8. Research Policies Committee

The committee shall make advisory recommendations to the Faculty Senate and/or to the Associate Provost for Research, acting for the Provost, about new policies or changes in existing policies that affect research conducted by faculty at the University. The overall goal for the committee is to enhance the research climate of the University.

Membership: 7 faculty (1 from each School and the College), plus 1 Senator, 2 all-university Institute or Center directors, the chair of the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects, and the chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Administrative staff for the committee to be: Associate Provost for Research, Director of the Office for Research Services, and Accounting Manager for Contracts and Grants from the Division of Business Affairs.

The all-university Institute or Center directors shall serve for 3 years. Of the 7 faculty members, 3 shall serve a three-year term, and 4 shall serve a two-year term. The chair of the committee shall always be a faculty member who shall serve a two-year term. The Senator member shall be appointed annually. Terms are not specified for the chairs of the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee because their time as committee chairs is specified within their respective committee structures.

9. University Teaching and Learning Center Committee

The committee shall serve as a policy formulation body with respect to the University Teaching and Learning Center. The committee shall review and make recommendations regarding policies and procedures which will enhance the effectiveness of the Center. The committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the Faculty Senate and to members of the University administration.

Membership: 1 faculty from each Senate electoral division, plus 1 Senator. Ex officio and nonvoting: Director of the University Teaching and Learning Center.