Committees - I
Faculty Senate
The Faculty Senate exercises the legislative powers of the General Faculty. It also consults with and advises the chancellor and his/her administrative staff on matters essential to the effectiveness and future development of the university (Reference: Constitution of the General Faculty, WSSU, May 2007, Article III, Section 1).
Faculty Committees1
Further faculty input in university governance (as well as appropriate participation by staff and students) is ensured through committees of the General Faculty and standing committees of the Faculty Senate. See The Code, Section 502.D (2). The committees below are described in the Constitution of the General Faculty Winston-Salem State University, as amended May 10, 2007 (hereafter called Faculty Constitution), Article II, Section 8.
Because of the structure of the University of North Carolina, all committees must be advisory in nature. Committee recommendations that require policy or major procedural changes are forwarded to the appropriate administrative unit for consideration. Any recommendation affecting university policy must be referred to the chancellor by senior administrative heads. Committee chairpersons should contact the appropriate senior administrator, in writing, when (1) a response is not received within a reasonable period of time or (2) when a recommendation has been disapproved and the committee is dissatisfied with the reason(s) given.
In order to ensure fully functioning faculty committees at the beginning of each academic year, elections for all such committees will be conducted before the end of the spring semester of the preceding academic year. Elections will take place at the departmental or school/college level as appropriate for the committee. Department chairs and deans will be responsible for ensuring that the elections take place and the results are reported to the chair of the faculty senate prior to the end of the spring semester.
1Committee election timing revised 03-29-2012
| Committee | Term | College of Arts and Sciences |
School of Business and Economics |
School of Education and Human Performance |
School of Health Sciences |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure and Promotion | 4 yrs. | 4 Sr delegates 4 Sr alternates |
3 Sr / 3 Sr | 3 Sr / 3 Sr | 3 Sr / 3 Sr | 26 |
| Faculty Hearing on Discharge and Non-reappointment | 2 yrs. | 2 Sr / 2 Sr | 1 Sr / 1 Sr | 1 Sr / 1 Sr | 1 Sr / 1 Sr | 10 |
| Faculty Grievance | 2 yrs. | - | - | - | - | 30 |
| Assistant Professor |
- | 2 del./2 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | |
| Associate Professor |
- | 2 del./2 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | |
| Professor | - | 2 del./2 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. | 1 del./1 alt. |
4Committee election timing revised 03-29-2012
The Faculty Grievance Committee2
This statutory committee is authorized to hear, mediate and advise with respect to the adjustment of grievances of faculty members. It reviews matters related to the faculty member’s employment status and institutional relationships within Winston-Salem State University.
The committee is comprised of thirty elected members as follows: College of Arts and Sciences: four assistant professors (2 delegates, 2 alternates), four associate professors (2 delegates and 2 alternates), and four professors (2 delegates and 2 alternates); Each of the Schools (Business and Economics, Education and Human Performance, and Health Sciences): two assistant professors (1 delegate, 1 alternate), two associate professors (1 delegate and 1 alternate), and two professors (1 delegate and 1 alternate). No administrator at the level of department chair, dean, or higher may serve on this committee. Delegates and alternates serve staggered two-year terms and may be reelected once.
Elections for this committee will be conducted at the school/college level before the end of the spring semester of the preceding academic year The deans shall ensure that such elections take place and the results are reported to the chair of the faculty senate prior to the end of the spring semester. Since a committee member of the department of an applicant excludes himself or herself from a case involving his or her department, deans should ensure that alternates and delegates represent as many of the departments within that academic unit as possible.
Delegates who are promoted from assistant professor to associate professor or from associate professor to full professor or who become an administrator at the level of department chair, dean, or higher will be required to step down from the committee at the point in time that their promotion is effective. An election shall be held immediately upon such promotion among those individuals who are eligible to serve and the new individual shall serve out the remainder of the delegate’s term. Any individual who is elected to replace a delegate on the committee shall be eligible to serve for two full consecutive terms following the term for which he or she acted as a replacement.
The chairperson of this committee will serve a term of two years and may be reelected once. Selection of the chair by committee members will occur at the first meeting of the fall semester.
See Section 607 in The Code for the guidelines about this committee and Chapter IV, Section XI of this Handbook for its procedures.
2Committee election timing revised 03-29-2012 8
The Tenure and Promotion Committee3
This statutory committee reviews matters of faculty concern and makes recommendations to the provost/vice chancellor for academic affairs, who reviews them with the chancellor for final decision. Concerns include promotion and tenure.
The committee is comprised of twenty-six elected senior faculty members—thirteen delegates and thirteen alternates. Delegates and alternates serve staggered four-year terms, and may be reelected. No administrator at the level of department chair, dean, or higher may serve on this committee. The nine delegates and alternates shall be elected by the full-time faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences (4 delegates/4 alternates), School of Business and Economics (3 delegates/3 alternates), School of Education and Human Performance (3 delegates/3 alternates), and School of Health Sciences (3 delegates/3 alternates).
Elections for this committee will be conducted at the school/college level before the end of the spring semester of the preceding academic year. The deans shall ensure that such elections take place and the results are reported to the chair of the faculty senate prior to the end of the spring semester. Since a committee member of the department of an applicant excludes himself or herself from a case involving his or her department, deans should ensure that alternates and delegates represent as many of the departments within the school as possible.
The chairperson of this committee will serve a term of one year and may be reelected. Selection of the chair by committee members will occur at the first meeting of the fall semester.
This committee carries out policies required by Section 602 (3) of The Code. Its procedures are described in Chapter IV, Section IV of this Handbook.
3Committee election timing revised 03-29-2012
A faculty member who has been discharged, suspended, or not re-appointed for reasons considered relevant to total institutional interests may request a hearing before this statutory committee on the written specification of reasons for the intended discharge.
The committee is comprised of ten elected senior faculty members—five delegates and five alternates. No administrator at the level of department chair, dean, or higher may serve on this committee. Delegates and alternates serve a staggered two-year term, and may be reelected. The five delegates and alternates shall be elected by the full-time faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences (2 delegates/2 alternates), School of Business and Economics (1 delegate/1 alternate), School of Education and Human Performance (1 delegate/1 alternate), and School of Health Sciences (1 delegate/1 alternate).
The deans are responsible for conducting the committee elections in their respective college or school meetings at the start of the fall semester. Since a committee member of the department of an applicant excludes himself or herself from a case involving his or her department, deans should ensure that alternates and delegates represent as many of the departments within the school as possible.
The chairperson of this committee will serve a term of one year and may be reelected. Selection of the chair by committee members should occur at the first meeting of the fall semester.
The three different types of cases that can come before this committee are handled in different ways. For cases involving discharge or the imposition of serious sanctions during a faculty member’s tenure, see Sections 603 of The Code and Chapter IV, Section IX of this Handbook. References for cases involving suspension (termination) due to financial exigency appear in Section 605 of The Code and Chapter IV, Section X of this Handbook. Finally, the committee may review cases involving nonreappointment at the end of a fixed term of service to determine if the decision was due to Impermissible Grounds or procedural error. More information appears in Section 604 of The Code and Chapter IV, Section VII of this Handbook.
