BYLAWS
OF THE FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
[Amended April and August 2003]
ARTICLE 1. NAME, OBJECTIVES AND
AUTHORITY
Section 1.1. Name.
The name of this constituent faculty of the College of Letters, Arts, and
Social Sciences, will be the faculty of the Department of English,
hereinafter known as the "English faculty."
Section 1.2. Objectives.
The objectives of the English faculty, as a constituent faculty of the
College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences, will be (1) to provide a
liberal and professional education in English, (2) to conduct research in
literature and language and disseminate the results of this research, and
(3) to serve the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences, the
university, and the community at large.
Section 1.3. Authority.
As provided in the bylaws of the
college, Article VII, Section 1, each subdivision of the college may
determine for itself the best means of achieving its objectives, including
matters of curriculum. Each subdivision may also participate in the
selection of its chair and faculty members, subject only to the general
regulations of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences and the
university at large, and the authority of the dean, the president, and the
Board of Regents. As specified in Article VII, Section 1, of the college
bylaws, English faculty decisions are subject to review by higher
administrative authority, but actions of the departmental faculty should
be amended or rescinded only for substantial reasons which will be
properly communicated to the departmental faculty.
ARTICLE 2. MEMBERSHIP
University faculty members who hold
appointments in the department, or who retain academic rank in the
department in accord with Article II of the constitution of the university
faculty, are members of the English faculty. Professors, associate
professors, assistant professors, instructors on full-time appointment,
and lecturers who have taught half-time or more for four semesters will
have the privilege of participation with vote in meetings of the English
faculty. As specified in the constitution of the university faculty,
Article II, Sections 1 and 4, other lecturers and faculty members emeriti
will have the privilege of participation without vote in meetings of the
English faculty.
ARTICLE 3. EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
Section 3.1. Chair.
A.
Name.
The title of the English faculty executive officer shall be "chair."
B.
Responsibilities.
As specified in the college bylaws, Article VIII, Section 3, the
responsibilities of the chair are twofold. His/her primary responsibility
is to promote the interests and welfare of the department in teaching,
research, and service. Besides the routine administration of the
department, his/her responsibilities will include assisting higher
administration in assigning and evaluating the services of each faculty
member, and providing for faculty participation in matters of academic
policy and personnel. The chair will preside at English faculty meetings;
appoint various committees as specified in Article 5 of these bylaws;
report to the English faculty, when appropriate, on administrative
decisions affecting the department; and, in general, keep the English
faculty informed of developments within the department.
Primary but shared
responsibilities include, (1) in coordination with the directors,
the orientation of graduate students in the fall; (2) in coordination
with the administrative assistants and the Scholarships Committee,
whose chair is the department chair, supervision and administration of
all departmental scholarships; (3) in coordination with the
administrative assistants and the director of writing, summer
advising; (4) in coordination with the MA-English director and the
administrative assistants, the solicitation, evaluation, and hiring of
all MA-level teaching assistants.
C.
Appointment.
Appointment of the chair is specified in the college bylaws, Article VIII,
Section 3, C, 2.
1. When a vacancy is foreseen or occurs in the position of
departmental executive either by retirement, resignation, or
removal if necessary, it will be the responsibility of the dean of the
college to submit to the president a nomination for acting departmental
executive.
2.
The dean of the college will, at this time, create a committee to
be known as the Dean's Search Committee consisting of not fewer than three
members, a majority of whom are to be elected by the departmental
faculty. The duty of this committee will be to solicit and review
applications for the departmental executive position, to secure the
department's evaluation of those best qualified, and to transmit
nominations to the dean. The committee recommendation and a report of the
departmental evaluation will be forwarded to the president by the dean
together with his/her recommendation.
D.
Review.
The procedures for review of the department chair set forth in the college
bylaws, Article VIII, Section 4, will apply.
Section 3.2. Acting Chair.
If a temporary vacancy occurs in the chairmanship by leave of absence,
disability, resignation, or removal, the dean will fill this vacancy by
nominating a departmental faculty member
for acting chair (college bylaws, Article VIII, Section 3, C, 1).
Section 3.3. Vice Chair.
A.
Appointment. In the
event of his/her temporary absence, the chair will appoint the Director of
Graduate Studies or the Director of Writing as vice chair.
B.
Responsibilities. The
vice chair will fulfill the role of the chair in the latter's temporary
absence, but only in cases not covered by Section 3.2, above. In those
cases, the dean of the college may appoint a vice chair to serve as acting
chair.
Section 3.4. Other Departmental
Administrators. There will
be seven departmental directors: Director of Undergraduate Studies,
Director of Writing, Director of the Writing Center, Director of Creative
Writing, Director of Master of Arts—English), Director of Master of
Arts—Teaching English As a Second Language, and Director of Master of Arts
in Teaching.
A.
Appointment and Term of
Office.
The directors will be appointed by and be responsible to the chair, and
they will serve until their appointments are terminated by the chair. The
directors of graduate programs must be members of the graduate faculty.
B.
Common Responsibilities
of the Directors.
The directors will (1) chair their
respective committees, if applicable, (2) inform each other of any
impending changes in policy or procedure that may affect the other's area
of responsibility, (3) assist the chair in the scheduling of courses, and
(4) supervise the registration of students.
C.
Director of Undergraduate
Studies.
The Director of Undergraduate Studies will (1) chair the Curriculum
Committee, working with the department chair to set yearly agendas,
overseeing undergraduate-student elections to the Curriculum Committee,
and carrying curricular changes through other college and university
committees; (2) act as liaison on curricular/ catalogue matters with
Faculty Secretary and Registrar; (3) coordinate undergraduate advising;
(4) serve as adviser to English minors and faculty adviser to Sigma Tau
Delta; (5) serve ex officio on the Executive Committee; (6) oversee
selection process for the Leishman Award and nominations for Alumni Awards
for Excellence and other university awards; and (7) coordinate
departmental outcome assessment activities, including administration of
student surveys.
D.
Director of Writing.
The Director of Writing will (1) coordinate the writing program (English
090, 101, 102, 207, 208, 209, 309, 313, 317, and similar courses that may
be developed; (2) as chair of the Writing Placement Committee circulate
its recommendations to the faculty; (3) in periodic consultation with the
appropriate writing staff (those teaching the aforementioned courses),
develop policy recommendations to the Rhetoric & Composition Committee on
matters pertaining to the writing program; (4) supervise the writing
staff; (5) assess the effectiveness of instructional assistants as
composition teachers; (6) handle student questions concerning writing
courses or the writing proficiency test; (7) coordinate all phases of
student placement in the Writing Program; (8) administer all aspects of
writing proficiency testing; (9) handle all other matters concerning the
writing program, including those arising elsewhere in the university; and
(10) serve ex officio on the Executive Committee.
E.
Director of Creative
Writing.
The Director of Creative Writing will (1) plan for and coordinate the
creative writing program and all courses in creative writing at the
graduate and undergraduate levels; (2) in consultation with the
creative-writing faculty, screen and recommend writer/teachers for the
department's visiting writer positions to the Executive Committee; (3) be
responsible, aided by the administrative assistants, for on-campus
scheduling, housing and travel arrangements, and publicity for visiting
writers; (4) serve ex officio on the Executive Committee; (5)
coordinate faculty in screening students for admission to visiting writer
workshops; (6) oversee the department’s Creative Writing budget
(primarily for visiting writers), and (6) maintain official files for and
advise M.F.A. students until they select a major professor.
F.
Director of the Writing
Center.
The Director of the Writing Center will (1) hire, train, supervise and
schedule writing tutors for the Writing Center; (2) oversee the budget of
the Writing Center; and (3) set policies for the Writing Center.
G.
Director of
Master of Arts—English.
The Director of MA—English will (1) advise students within this program
until they select a major professor, (2) oversee the graduate admissions
process in this degree program; (3) oversee, with the Department Chair and
the administrative assistants, the solicitation, evaluation, and hiring of
all MA-level teaching assistants; (4) serve ex officio on the
Executive Committee; (5) oversee graduate-student elections to the
Curriculum Committee, the Rhetoric & Composition Committee, the Graduate
Student Association, and the Tenure Recommending Committee; (6) chair the
Graduate Faculty, oversee the application process for new faculty members,
and read masters theses in the department chair's absence; (7) plan and
coordinate for the welfare of the program.
H.
Director of
Master of Arts—TESL.
The Director of MA—TESL will (1) advise the students in this program;
(2)oversee the graduate admissions process in this degree program; (3)
plan and coordinate for the welfare of the program.
I.
Director of
Master of Arts in Teaching.
The Director of the MAT will (1) advise students within this degree
program; (2) with the department chair and the administrative assistants,
plan and coordinate the Nixon Summer English Institute; (3) plan and
coordinate for the welfare of the program.
ARTICLE 4. MEETINGS
Section 4.1. Call of Meetings.
As specified in the college
bylaws Article VII, Section 2, departmental meetings shall be held at
least twice each semester. Meetings may be convened by the chair or by
the written request of thirty five percent of the voting members of the
English faculty, with written notice to all English faculty members at
least three working days prior to the meeting. All faculty members are
obligated to attend.
Section 4.2. Quorum.
A quorum will consist of not less than half of the voting members of the
English faculty as defined in Article 2 of these bylaws.
Section 4.3. Minutes.
Minutes of all meetings will be kept and distributed to all English
faculty members by the departmental secretary. The minutes will be
forwarded to the dean's and president's offices. It will be the
responsibility of the secretary to keep a file of all minutes, bylaws, and
all other material relating to English faculty meetings.
Section 4.4. Agenda.
The chair will propose the agenda for
English faculty meetings at the time that he/she notifies the faculty of
meetings. Any faculty member may place an item on the agenda at any time
prior to the meeting. Agenda items will include approval of minutes of
the previous meeting, announcements, unfinished and new business, and,
when appropriate, committee reports and policy actions. New business may
include material not on the agenda, but whenever major policy decisions
are to be made, the motion involving substantive policy decisions must be
published in whole or summary form along with the agenda. This rule may
be suspended only by a declaration of emergency by the chair, such
declaration to be ratified by a two-thirds vote of English faculty
present, provided there is a quorum.
Section 4.5. Voting.
Voting will normally be by voice, except that a secret ballot may be taken
upon the request of any faculty member.
Section 4.6. Open Meetings.
Meetings of the English faculty will
be open to the students of the university; however, the English faculty,
by majority vote, may hold executive sessions from which students are
excluded. Observers attending meetings of the English faculty will speak
only by invitation of the chair.
ARTICLE 5. COMMITTEES
Section 5.1. General Provisions.
There will be five standing committees, two elective and three appointive,
within the English department (see Sections 5.3-5.6, below). Ad hoc
committees may be established by the chair or at the request of the
faculty whenever matters arise which are outside the jurisdiction of the
standing committees and which cannot practically be handled by a committee
of the whole department.
Section 5.2. General Regulations.
A.
The chair of all committees will be appointed by the departmental
chair.
B.
Committees will meet on the call of the chair of the committee or
by request of one-third or more of the committee members.
C.
Committee memberships are for terms of one year (from 1 July
through 30 June).
D.
The chair of each committee will report its proceedings in the form
of minutes to the English faculty. All policy recommendations must be
made a part of the minutes and circulated to the English faculty for
approval and will be considered to have that approval unless a petition
requesting nonapproval of specific items is signed by three faculty
members and submitted to the departmental chair within five working days
after the date of circulation. If such a petition is received, the item
in question will be submitted to a vote by the faculty. Items concerning
graduate studies will be petitioned and voted on by the graduate faculty.
Section 5.3. Executive Committee.
Composition. The Executive Committee will
consist of the chair, the Director of MA—English, the Director of
Undergraduate Studies, the Director of Writing, the Director of Creative
Writing (all ex officio members), and five elected members, one of whom is nontenured occupying a tenure-track professorial position and one of whom
is a lecturer. All lecturers (temporary and permanent) may nominate and
vote for committee members of lecturer status. In the event that all
members are of the same sex, the chair will appoint a faculty member of
the opposite sex to serve for the hiring process only.
Responsibilities. The Executive Committee
will (1) screen applications for and recommend appointments to faculty
positions; (2) select teaching assistants; (3) establish and periodically
review criteria for the department's scholarships and student awards; and
(4) advise the chair on any matter on which he/she may wish to consult
with them.
Section 5.4. Curriculum Committee.
Composition. The Curriculum
Committee will consist of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, five
elected faculty members, one of whom is a lecturer, and two voting student
representatives (a graduate student elected by the English graduate
student body and a junior or senior English major elected by the
undergraduate English majors). At least two of the faculty members must
belong to the graduate faculty. The Director of Writing will be an ex
officio member with voting privileges limited to those matters which
impinge on the writing program.
Responsibilities. The Curriculum
Committee will (1) make policy recommendations to the department
concerning curricula, program development, and academic standards at all
course levels and (2) hear and take action on student appeals or requests
for the waiver of requirements in all areas of the English program except
courses in the writing and creative-writing programs.
Section 5.5. Rhetoric and
Composition Committee.
A.
Composition. The Rhetoric and Composition Committee will
consist of the Director of Writing (chair), all members from the
professorial ranks whose specialty is rhetoric/composition, one member
from the professorial ranks whose specialty is something other than
rhetoric/ composition, the Director of the Writing Center, two permanent
lecturers, one temporary lecturer, and one second-or third-year teaching
assistant elected by TAs. Faculty members are appointed on a rotational
basis by the chair in consultation with the Director of Writing.
B.
Responsibilities. The Rhetoric and Composition Committee
will (1) make policy recommendations concerning curriculum and academic
standards for courses in the writing program; and (2) make policy
recommendations concerning the Writing Center.
Section 5.6. Scholarships Committee.
A.
Composition. The Scholarships Committee will consist of the
Department Chair (as chair of the Scholarships Committee), the Director of
Undergraduate Studies, and the advisers. In the event that all members
are of the same sex, the chair will appoint a faculty member of the
opposite sex.
B.
Responsibilities. The Scholarships Committee will (1)
disseminate information about David, Nixon, Sauve, Hungerford, Woodbury,
and Hogue scholarships, (2) devise and publicize application procedures
for these awards when appropriate; (3) consider applicants and make award
recommendations to the Office of Financial Aid; and (4) monitor the
academic progress of scholarship holders.
Section 7. Writing Placement Committee.
A.
Composition. The Writing Placement Committee will consist
of the Director of Writing and his/her assistant, four faculty members
appointed on a rotating basis for terms of one year, and one faculty
member appointed each semester.
B.
Responsibilities. The Writing Placement Committee will (1)
resolve questions of the placement of students in writing courses; (2)
assess and take action on disputed cases of the proficiency of students
who enroll in writing courses or take the writing proficiency test; and
(3) advise the Director of Writing on any matter about placement
procedures.
Section 8. Creative Writing Committee
A.
Composition. The Creative Writing Committee will consist of
the Director of Creative Writing, all faculty members teaching at least
one creative-writing course during the academic year, and one student,
elected by fellow M.F.A. students, from the Master of Fine Arts program.
B.
Responsibilities. The Creative Writing Committee will (1)
make policy recommendations to the Curriculum Committee and the department
concerning curricula, program development, and academic standards at all
course levels of the undergraduate creative- writing and M.F.A. programs;
(2) make student admissions decisions for the M.F.A. program; (3) screen
and recommend teaching assistants to the Executive Committee; (4) screen
and recommend to the Executive Committee writer/teachers for the
department's Distinguished Visiting Writer positions; (5) select visiting
readers besides the DVWs; (6) select students to be enrolled in the DVW
workshops; (7) advise on matters pertaining to the operation of the
literary magazine; (8) consider student appeals or requests for the waiver
of requirements in the creative writing program at the undergraduate or
graduate level; and (9) advise the Director of Creative Writing as
requested.
Section 5.8. Election Procedures.
A.
Committee membership should be spread as broadly and evenly as
possible. Vacancies in elective memberships which occur during their
terms will be filled by the respective chair according to procedures
delineated in subsection B below.
B.
After the appointive memberships to all departmental committees are
made public, in early April, the departmental chair will begin committee
elections in a sequence of annual rotation. Names of all those willing
and eligible to serve will be collected and ballots prepared; election
will be by majority vote. In the event that the number of those willing
to serve is equal to or smaller than the number of committee positions,
elections will not be conducted, and the chair will appoint faculty
members to the unfilled positions.
ARTICLE 6. TENURE,
PROMOTION, AND REVIEW
Section 6.1. Departmental Jurisdiction.
The English Department has initial jurisdiction over tenure, promotion,
and retention decisions; final decisions rest ultimately with the dean and
the president. Each department within the college has the authority to
make recommendations which play a major role in such decisions.
Section 6.2. Tenure.
A.
Criteria for making tenure decisions will be established by the
tenured faculty of the department, and these standards will be made known
to the entire English faculty and to the Tenure Recommending and
Competency Review Committee.
B.
Departmental tenure recommendations are made and competency reviews
are carried out in accordance with the procedures outlined in Appendix 1
("Department of English: Tenure Recommending and Competency Review
Committee" [adopted May, 1974 ]).
Section 6.3. Promotion.
A.
Recommendation for consideration for promotion will come from the
departmental chair, but a faculty member may himself/herself request
consideration for promotion. In keeping with university policy, final
departmental recommendations will be determined in the following manner:
(1)
full professors will make recommendations for associate professors
being considered for promotion;
(2)
full professors and associate professors will make recommendations
for assistant professors being considered for promotion; full professors,
associate professors, and assistant professors will make recommendations
for instructors being considered for promotion.
B.
The criteria for promotion are the same as those used in tenure
decisions, with the qualification that the higher rank, the more evidence
of scholarly activity required for promotion. The department recognizes
that early consideration for promotion in cases of outstanding academic
performance is desirable.
Section 6.4. Three-Year Review.
The tenured faculty of the department will conduct a routine "three-year
review" of all untenured assistant professors in the faculty member's
third year. The purpose of this review is (1) to give the faculty member
an early indication of his/her potential for tenure; (2) to remind the
faculty member of the criteria on which tenure and promotion decisions are
normally based, and to inform him/her of any other circumstances which
might affect a decision in his/her case; (3) to inform the faculty member
of any deficiencies which might lead to a non-recommendation of tenure and
to make suggestions, when appropriate, for correcting them; or (4) to
recommend non-reappointment. This will not be interpreted to mean that a
faculty member's contract cannot be terminated before the end of the third
year, since all non-tenured appointments at the university are for one
year.
Section 6.5. ABDs.
A qualification for the rank of assistant professor will be completion of
the Ph.D. or M.F.A.. If an assistant professor is hired without the Ph.D.
or M.F.A., he/she will have one academic year in which to complete it.
ARTICLE 7. ENGLISH
GRADUATE FACULTY
Section 7.1. Membership.
The graduate faculty of the English department consists of members of the
English faculty who are also members of the graduate faculty, as provided
in the Bylaws of the Faculty of the Graduate School, Article II. All
members of the English graduate faculty may participate and vote in
meetings of the English graduate faculty.
Section 7.2 Mode of Election.
The departmental chair shall solicit the recommendations of the English
graduate faculty before forwarding his/her own recommendation for
membership in the graduate faculty to the dean and the Graduate Council.
The procedure to be used in soliciting recommendations shall be
established by the graduate faculty. Election to the graduate faculty
does not imply departmental endorsement for tenure.
Section 7.3. Chair.
The Director of M.A.-English and the Director of Creative Writing shall Be
co-chairs of the English graduate faculty.
Section 7.4. Meetings.
Meetings of the English graduate faculty shall be held at the call of
either or both chairs, the departmental chair, or by the written request
of thirty-five percent of the English graduate faculty, with written
notice to all English graduate faculty members at least two working days
prior to the meeting.
ARTICLE 8. RULES OF ORDER
Robert’s Rules of Order, revised edition,
will govern English faculty and committee meetings except when they
conflict with the university faculty constitution, the college bylaws, or
these bylaws, or when additional rules are adopted by the English faculty
or committees for the conduct of meetings.
ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended by a
two-thirds affirmative vote of the English faculty in attendance at a
meeting, a quorum being present. Proposed amendments must be published in
full and distributed to all English faculty members at least two weeks
prior to the meeting in which they are to be considered. No amendment may
be proposed or adopted which conflicts with the university faculty
constitution, the College Bylaws, or the Bylaws of the Faculty of the
Graduate School.
APPENDIX 1
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
TENURE RECOMMENDING AND
COMPETENCY REVIEW COMMITTEE
[Rev.
April 2003]
1.
Composition.
1.1.
The composition of the competency review committee will be the same
as that of the tenure recommending committee, except that no tenured
member may serve on the committee when his/her competency is under review.
1.2.
The department chair acts as committee chair (without vote),
except when his/her tenure status is under consideration, in which case
the department vice chair acts as committee chair.
1.3.
The voting members of the committee will consist of four tenured
members of the department, one untenured member of the department
occupying a tenure-track position, one faculty member from a College of
Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences department other than English, one
graduate student in English, and one undergraduate senior English major.
1.3.1.
The chair will prepare a ballot containing the names of all tenured
members of the department except that of the chair himself/herself. Each
tenured member will indicate his/her four preferences by ranking them on
the basis of points: 4 points for his/her first preference, 3 for second,
2 for third, 1 for fourth. The four candidates receiving the most points
will be elected.
1.3.2.
The chair will prepare a ballot containing the names of all
untenured members of the department, except those being considered for
tenure. Each untenured faculty member will vote for one candidate.
Election will be by majority vote. If no one receives a majority on the
first balloting, a run-off election between the two top candidates will be
held.
1.3.3.
The tenured faculty will nominate three non-English department CLA&SS
faculty members. The dean of the college will select one of these three
to serve on the committee.
1.3.4.
The chair will prepare a ballot containing the names of all
full-time graduate students. Each full-time graduate student will
indicate his/her three preferences by ranking them on the basis of points:
3 points for his/her first preference, 2 for his/her second, 1 for his/her
third. The names of the graduate students receiving the most points will
be submitted to the tenured faculty who will elect one of these three
candidates to serve on the committee.
1.3.5.
The undergraduate English major organization will nominate three
senior undergraduate English majors whose names will be submitted to the
tenured faculty. The tenured faculty will elect one of these three
candidates to serve on the committee.
1.4.
In the case that the department's faculty representative to the CLA&SS
tenure and promotion committee is not among those elected to the tenure
recommending committee, he or she will serve on that committee ex officio,
without vote.
2.
Procedures for Tenure
Recommending Committee.
2.1.
The departmental chair will prepare a list of persons to be
evaluated for tenure, initiate procedures to select committee members,
assemble the committee, and present to the committee all information
relative to the candidate's teaching, research, and service record,
including summary sheets of student evaluations. The candidate may
present additional, appropriate material which he/she wishes the committee
to consider.
2.2.
Each member of the committee submits his/her recommendation, with a
statement of supporting reasons, to the chair (except when the
departmental chair is being reviewed, in which case the individual
recommendations are sent directly to the dean, who prepares a summary of
the results).
2.3.
Before making his/her final recommendation, the chair may consult
other tenured or untenured members of the department (when the
departmental chair is being reviewed, the dean may consult other tenured
or untenured members of the department).
2.4.
The chair submits his/her recommendation to the dean, along with a
summary of the committee's recommendations and findings.
3.
Procedures for
Competency Review Committee.
3.1.
The function of the review is to establish whether the faculty
member is able or clearly unable or unwilling to meet his/her teaching,
research, and service obligations.
3.2.
The departmental chair prepares a list of persons to be reviewed,
initiates procedures to select committee members, assembles the committee,
and presents to the committee all information relative to the reviewee's
teaching, research, and service record, including summary sheets of
student evaluations. The reviewee may present additional material which
he/she wishes the committee to consider.
3.3.
Each member of the committee submits his/her recommendation, with a
statement of supporting reasons, to the chair. The deliberations of the
committee and the votes of individual committee members are kept
confidential, but the summary vote and the chair's recommendation are not.
3.4.
In the initial stages of review, the committee will establish
whether there is a serious competency problem. This process will be
carried out by means of examining material relating to the faculty
member's primary and secondary assignments, including summary sheets of
student evaluations, annual ratings by the department chair and college
dean, and any other material deemed relevant. The committee must
establish beyond a reasonable doubt that a problem exists if the review is
to proceed further. The review will terminate at this stage if six or
more committee members so vote, and the committee recommendation, along
with a statement of the chair's concurrence or non-concurrence, will be
forwarded to the dean of the college.
3.5.
If the initial review demonstrates that a serious problem exists, a
more exhaustive review will be conducted.
3.5.1.
The criteria by which the review will be guided are found in
"Department of English: Tenure Criteria" (2003).
3.5.2.
The committee will make reasonable efforts to substantiate or
refute charges against the reviewee and may call witnesses from both
within and outside the university.
3.5.3.
The reviewee will be entitled to hear and answer charges brought
against him/her, and to provide evidence including witnesses which he/she
deems appropriate in establishing his/her competence.
3.5.4.
A two-thirds vote of the committee will be necessary for a
declaration of clear and convincing incompetence. The committee
recommendation and that of the chair will be forwarded to the dean of the
college.
APPENDIX 2
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
PROCEDURES FOR THIRD YEAR REVIEW
[May 1978]
1.
Shortly after new faculty members begin their duties, the
department chair will explain the nature of the third year review, the
areas of performance evaluated, and the criteria used.
2.
Early in the semester of the third year review, the chair will
explain to candidates which specific documents are needed for review
folders, discuss the review procedures, and point out the candidates'
specific responsibilities and privileges in the review process.
3.
Candidates will prepare their review folders according to the
chair's directions.
4.
The tenured faculty shall individually examine all folders, meet
collectively to discuss each candidate's progress towards tenure, and
begin to prepare the review statement. At this point, should questions
arise that cannot be resolved by examining the material submitted by a
candidate, the tenured faculty will ask the candidate to provide the
needed information by the means of his/her choice, such as submitting more
material for the folder or meeting directly with the tenured faculty.
5.
The tenured faculty will prepare and send to the candidate a
comprehensive statement evaluating the candidate's progress and prospects
for tenure. Although this statement is essentially a consensus,
significant minority views should be expressed.
6.
Candidates may, after reflecting upon the third year review
statement, meet individually with the chair to discuss how they might best
satisfy any deficiencies noted in the statement.
7.
Candidates may respond in writing via the chair to the tenured
faculty should they feel the review statement needs correction,
clarification, or other commentary. Copies of such replies will be
forwarded by the chair to the tenured faculty. The candidates may place
the originals in their departmental files.
APPENDIX 3
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
PROCEDURES FOR EXTERNAL REVIEW
[Rev. April 2003]
As part of consideration for a faculty
member's tenure, promotion to associate, or promotion to full professor,
the department will obtain external reviews of the candidate's research,
publications, and professional contributions. This requirement does not
apply to tenure considerations for senior instructors.
1.
Three to five reviewers will be chosen by the chair from a longer
list of possible reviewers identified by the candidate and other
interested members of the department. If the total number of reviewers is
three, at least one shall be chosen from the candidate's list, with one
other reviewer mutually agreed upon between the candidate and the chair;
if the total number of reviewers is four, at least two shall come from the
candidate's list; if the total number of reviewers is five, then at least
two shall come from the candidate's list, with another reviewer mutually
agreed upon between the candidate and the chair. Before selecting
reviewers, the chair will discuss all possible reviewers with the
candidate and will inform the candidate which people were selected for the
final list.
2.
Reviewers will consist of specialists in the candidate's field. If
the candidate has more than one area of expertise, the department will
obtain at least two reviews for each area. Because outside evaluations
are to be independent, objective, and disinterested, reviewers should not
have a special relationship with the candidate or conflict of interest
(e.g., not be a research collaborator, major professor, supervisor, former
departmental colleague).
3.
The materials sent to the outside reviewers will consist of the
candidate's vita and a selection of the candidate's published and
unpublished materials. The selection will be made by the candidate in
consultation with the chair; the candidate may include or exclude any
materials that he or she wishes.
Reviewers will be asked to comment on the
contributions of the candidate's research, publications, and other
professional activity to his or her field.
Reviews will be provided to departmental,
college and university review committees and appropriate administrators;
they will be held in confidence from the faculty member being reviewed
during the review process. When all deliberations by the University have
been completed, the essential content of peer review letters may be shared
with the tenure/ promotion candidate after every effort has been made to
ensure the anonymity of the authors.
APPENDIX 4
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
STATEMENT OF HIRING POLICIES
[Rev. April 2003]
1.
Tenure-track Professorial Positions.
1.1.
Early in the academic year preceding a retirement or resignation at
the professorial level, the Executive Committee, after soliciting opinions
from the professorial faculty, will determine the nature of the position
to be advertised and will develop a vacancy announcement that sets forth
required and desired qualifications, as well as rating forms.
1.2.
The chair will complete the Affirmative Action "Report of
Recruitment" form; obtain approval of committee rating forms; and obtain
the dean's and the academic vice president's permission to advertise the
position.
1.3.
The position will be advertised in the October Job Information List
and in the Bulletin Board section of the Chronicle of Higher Education.
The chair may also write to individuals to invite application or to
request help in publicizing the position. Screening of applications will
normally take place in October, November, and December. Every applicant
is sent a copy of the vacancy announcement and an Affirmative Action
candidate information form.
1.4.
From the members of the Executive Committee, the chair will appoint
a group (usually him/herself and two others) to meet with candidates at
the Modern Language Association ("MLA") convention.
1.5. Before
leaving the MLA convention city, the sub-committee will individually rank
candidates and will then collate their rankings to arrive at a list of 2-4
finalists. After discussing the situation with the dean, the chair will
extend invitations to these finalists to visit campus.
1.6.
The full Executive Committee will meet as soon as possible after
MLA to affirm or change any of the subcommittee's rankings that have not
been solidified by an invitation to campus. Any change in the ranking of
candidates must be reviewed by a meeting of the entire Executive
Committee, or such members as are in Moscow. Following this meeting, the
chair files the Affirmative Action "Report of Preliminary and Intermediate
Selection Procedures" form.
1.7.
The top candidates will visit campus and will present their work to
a gathering of faculty and students. Following each visit, the Executive
Committee will invite written and oral responses to the candidate's
presentation.
1.8.
After the last candidate's visit, the Executive Committee will meet
to formulate a recommendation, which will then go immediately as a
seconded motion to a meeting of the voting departmental faculty. The
faculty should be given the information used by the committee in ranking
candidates, a narrative rationale for the ranking, and information about
Affirmative Action principles. The Executive Committee's recommendation
may address the issues of rank and salary.
After approval by the faculty of a ranked
list of candidates, the chair will complete the "Report of Interview
Procedures" Affirmative Action form, seek approval from the Affirmative
Action officer and the dean for permission to offer the position, and (in
consultation with the dean) begin negotiations with the top candidate.
Letters of offer will be extended by the dean. The process will be
considered completed when a candidate signs a contract.
1.9.
Unsuccessful candidates will be notified by letter from the chair
that the position has been filled.
2.
Visiting Professorial Positions.
2.1.
If the dean, the chair, and the Executive Committee concur that a
regular faculty member's proposed absence will adversely affect any of the
department's curricula, the department will advertise a visiting
professorial position.
2.2.
If the department is aware of a proposed absence in sufficient
time, the timetable governing hiring of tenure-track faculty will apply
(with the exception that candidates for visiting positions will not be
invited to campus or necessarily interviewed in person). If notice of a
proposed absence is given in the spring semester, the department will
follow procedures outlined in Section 1 of this appendix, advertising in
the Job Information List and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
2.3.
Visiting positions may be renewed without a new search. The chair
will complete Affirmative Action's "Limited Recruitment Form" before
offering the extension.
3.
Distinguished Visiting Writer Positions.
3.1.
In October of each year, the Director of Creative Writing, working
with other faculty members who teach creative writing courses, will
compile a ranked list of recommended writers to offer advanced workshops
during the following academic year.
3.2.
It is expected that the list will reflect a balanced representation
of literary genres, a regional balance, and a gender and ethnic balance.
The proposed writers will have been screened for their teaching abilities
as well as for their status in the national writing community.
3.3. The
Executive Committee will review the list. Members may propose changes;
these proposals should be discussed by the entire group that assembled the
list. When the revised list is resubmitted, the Executive Committee will
put the list's approval to a vote.
3.4. The
Director of Creative Writing, in consultation with the chair, will develop
a tentative schedule of workshops and will contact writers to make
arrangements involving this timetable. The chair will extend offers in
early December.
4.
Lecturer Positions.
4.1.
The English department will hire lecturers, both permanent and
temporary, to assist in instruction of general education courses (although
occasionally lecturers with particularly strong qualifications in a given
area may be assigned to a non-core course).
4.2.
Permanent lecturers are appointed for a five-year term. In the
fifth year, the Executive Committee will conduct a comprehensive review,
after which the lecturer will be reappointed if his or her work is judged
to be good. This process is intended to be perennial. The rank of
lecturer is not tenurable; therefore, permanent lecturers who are
perennially re-appointed are not considered to have tenure in the English
department.
4.3.
When a permanent lecturer position opens, the Executive Committee,
after soliciting opinions from the voting faculty, will determine the
nature of the position to be advertised. The chair will complete
appropriate Affirmative Action forms, obtain approval of vacancy
announcement and rating forms, and obtain approval from the dean and the
academic vice president to advertise the position. The search should
begin as early as possible in the academic year and may be advertised
through MLA or Conference on College Composition and Communication
("CCCC") publications. Every applicant is sent a copy of the vacancy
announcement and an Affirmative Action candidate information form.
Screening of applications will usually take place in March.
4.4.
A subcommittee of the Executive Committee or its designees will
conduct interviews, either in person or by telephone. Rankings developed
by the subcommittee will go to the Executive Committee for approval or
alteration, then to the voting faculty in the form of a seconded motion.
After faculty approval, the chair will complete negotiations as specified
above for professorial-level faculty.
4.5.
Temporary lecturers will be appointed for terms of one semester or
one year to meet enrollment demands in core courses. Requirements will be
the same as for permanent lecturer positions. Although temporary
lecturers will be reviewed annually, those occupying the position will be
evaluated against external applicants every two years. The evaluation
process will credit involvement with the department's writing programs.
4.6. In
April of every second year, the English department will invite
applications for temporary lecturer positions. The chair will complete
appropriate Affirmative Action forms, obtain approval of vacancy
announcement and rating forms, and obtain approval from the dean and the
academic vice president to advertise the position. The position will
ordinarily be advertised only regionally.
4.7.
Normally, interviews will not be conducted. The Executive
Committee or its designees will screen applicants' written materials, each
member completing individual rating forms; these will form the basis for a
communally-determined ranked list. The chair will obtain Affirmative
Action sign-off on the list of acceptable candidates and will offer
positions as enrollment figures justify and as funding is made available.
The department's goal will be to fill all needed positions by early June.
4.8.
As early as possible after candidates have been ranked, the chair
will notify applicants of their status.
4.9.
If in the second year, the department needs to hire additional
temporary lecturers, the chair will normally offer positions according to
the ranking created in the first year. If the pool includes no candidates
qualified to fill the particular needs of the department, the chair will
solicit applications from qualified people and will circulate these among
the Executive Committee or its designees for consideration. With the
approval of the Executive Committee and the Affirmative Action officer,
these candidates may be folded into the pool.
5.
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS.
5.1.
In the spring semester the Director of Writing will determine how
many teaching assistantships will be open for the following year.
5.2.
The Department Chair, in coordination with the Directors of
graduate programs, will assemble application materials. The Executive
Committee will review applications beginning in late March.
5.3.
Assistantships will be awarded beginning in April. If positions
remained unfilled by the end of June, the chair may request that the
stipend(s) be appropriated to the hiring of temporary lecturers.
5.4. The
Executive Committee may determine to award more than the department's
allotted number of assistantships in a given year if they can be funded
through internal re-allocation of departmental resources.
Normally, assistantships will be renewable
for one year.
APPENDIX
FIVE
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
CRITERIA FOR PROMOTION AND TENURE
[Rev. April 2003]
Departmental tenure
recommendations are made in accordance with the procedures and policies of
the Department of English “Tenure Recommending and Competency Review
Committee” and the “Comprehensive Statement of Board and University
General Policies Relating to Tenure.” (Handbook of Policy and Procedure).
Faculty members hired as assistant professors normally will be considered
for tenure and promotion to associate professor at the same time. The
same set of criteria apply to both considerations. All recommendations
from the chair and committees are forwarded to the dean and become part of
the file of the candidate for tenure. Summaries of the recommendations
are provided to the candidate.
Although dismissal for
cause after the award of tenure is a condition of a grant of tenure, the
department must fundamentally be guided by the assumption that tenure
implies a life-time appointment. Tenure and promotion are the result of a
reasoned assessment of the long-term value of the candidate as a member of
the Department of English. The following criteria shall therefore be used
in making tenure and promotion decisions:
1. Proven
ability as a teacher. The Department of English embraces the criteria set
forth in FSH Section 1565.A.2 and will consider statements of
self-evaluation, the informed judgment of colleagues (developed through a
system of class visitation described in Appendix Six of these By-Laws),
the performance of a candidate’s students, and student opinion as
expressed through evaluation forms in arriving at an assessment of a
candidate’s teaching performance. The Department also regards many of the
elements of good teaching set forth in Section 1565 A.3.a. as important
evaluative measures—such as, evidence of continuous updating of courses to
reflect current research; evidence of creative interdisciplinary
approaches to course presentations; supervision of graduate and
undergraduate research projects (except for senior instructors); effective
integration of technology into the classroom; and development and
dissemination of curricula and other teaching materials.
The Department of
English recognizes that there are no absolute criteria for teaching
ability; but the capacity to stimulate interest in one’s subject, to
enlarge the student’s intellectual outlook and his or her engagement in
humanistic studies, and to respect the individuality of the student are
fundamental requisites of a competent teacher.
2. [This
section may or may not apply to senior instructors depending on their
position description; but in any case, the requirement for external review
of published work will not apply.] The capacity to carry out successful
research/creative projects which enhance the reputation of the candidate
and the University of Idaho. The Department of English expects this
capacity to be demonstrated primarily by publication of scholarship of
discovery (FSH 1565 A-3-c), creation (FSH 1565 A-3-d), and teaching and
learning (FSH 1565 A-3-a) in refereed journals, presses, or through an
equivalent review process by disinterested peers. Papers read at meetings
of scholarly societies, or creative work read publicly, shall also be
regarded as evidence of scholarly/creative activity, although carrying
less weight than published work. Other modes of demonstrating this
capacity—such as those mentioned in FSH 1565 A-3-b and 1565 A-3-c—are also
acceptable, but are regarded as less conclusive evidence of success. The
Department requires of external review of the candidate’s published work,
set forth in Appendix 3 of the By-Laws.
The Department of
English does not require a specified number of publications, but does
require clear evidence of continued engagement in scholarly activity after
tenure is awarded.
3. [This
section does not apply to senior instructors.] Attainment of a Ph.D. or
equivalent professional achievement. The only exception shall be in
creative writing, in which the M.F.A. or an equivalent degree is
recognized as terminal.
4. Evidence of
capacity for leadership and cooperation and of mature professionalism
(i.e., integrity, open-mindedness, loyalty to truth, objectivity in
thinking, tolerance of divergent viewpoints, and dispassionate concern for
the long-term welfare of the department).
5. Demonstrated
ability to aid in the functioning of the department and the university by
useful and desirable contributions of a general, versatile nature, such as
service on committees and boards, advising, departmental administration,
and/or service and outreach of a professional nature to the larger,
non-university community.
APPENDIX SIX
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING TEACHING
EVALUATIONS BY A FACULTY
MEMBERS PEERS AT UI
[November, 1998]
In order to be promoted from the rank of
assistant to associate professor, faculty members must solicit at least
one evaluation each year from a tenured faculty member. By the time the
faculty member is considered for promotion, he or she must have
accumulated seven such evaluations. To advance from the rank of associate
to full professor, faculty members must be evaluated a total of four times
by another tenured faculty member over the course of at least two years.
So far as is possible, these evaluations
should not be carried out solely to judge the faculty member’s competence,
but also to improve that person’s teaching.
Faculty members should attempt to include
courses at the introductory and the 400-level or graduate level. The
faculty member being evaluated is responsible for approaching the
evaluators and arranging to be evaluated.
These evaluations should occur in two
steps:
FIRST STEP:
1.
Before the class, the faculty member provides the evaluator with a
written description of the day’s activities and their place in the
syllabus. (This description is incorporated into the form that the
evaluator later fills out.)
2.
The evaluator then observes the class.
3.
The faculty member and the evaluator meet after the class so that
the faculty member may provide a self-critique and the evaluator can offer
oral comments and suggestions.
4.
The faculty member then files a peer evaluation report with the
chair, which consists of answers to the following questions:
5.
What was the lesson taught? Describe the subject, objectives, and
methods used.
6.
What was the level of student interest and participation?
7.
How appropriate were the teaching techniques and content for the
instructor’s goals of this class?
8.
How effective was the instructor in using these techniques?
9.
What alternative approaches, methods, or activities might you
suggest that the instructor consider using?
10.
The evaluator provides a copy of the report to both the faculty
member and the chair.
SECOND STEP:
1.
At a later point in the semester the evaluator, after becoming
familiar with the assignment (either through written description or
through discussion with the faculty member), reads selected student papers
or examinations and reviews the syllabus and selection of books and other
materials for the course.
2.
The evaluator files another brief report with the chair, with a
copy to faculty member. In this report, the evaluator considers the
following questions:
3.
Does the instructor grade fairly?
4.
Are the books appropriate for the course content?
5.
Based on your reading of the syllabus, how would you describe the
organization of the course?
